by Nako
“What kind of business is it?”
He hated talking about himself.
“When we get to the studio, Google me and then we’ll talk about everything when we get alone again. Deal?”
She was cool with that. She puffed on the weed as they continued the ride in silence.
“I’m going to stay in here.”
He wasn’t okay with that, so he told her, “No, get out.”
This was a brand-new truck with no tags. They weren’t in the hood, but still, he wouldn’t be able to work in peace knowing that she was out here.
“I don’t want you smoking in public.” He took the blunt and put it out.
She rolled his eyes. “You’re peculiar.”
He looked at her and then smiled.
“Surprised I know that word or something?” Mahogany placed her hands on her hips and stared at him.
“Relax. The world is your oyster, I’ll never think no lame shit like that. What kind of nigga you think I am?” He shook his head and took her hand off her hip and slipped it into his. Once they entered the studio he pointed to a couch to get comfortable. “Google,” he reminded her before dapping everyone up in the room.
“No introductions?” one of the guys asked, speaking of the cutie that walked in with him.
Porter gave him one serious, hard ass look and Mahogany peeped it.
“Let’s get to work.”
He had shit to do and the fact that they interrupted his date for this impromptu session was a problem, but this was a personal favor to a good friend so here he was.
Mahogany smiled on the sly as she folded one leg under the other and began her research on her mysterious new boo, or whatever he was.
She was instantly shocked at what popped up as soon as she typed his name in. Tears welled in her eyes as she read every single article on his family. His wife…his kids…they were gorgeous. They looked like the perfect unit. There wasn’t a glimmer of happiness in his eyes. She didn’t see it in her eyes either. Mahogany learned a lot in two hours. He was from France but had been in New York for a long time. He started his company with only ten thousand dollars. Her jaws dropped when she read his net worth and how he had made the Forbes list the past nine years. Porter was rich as fuck. What did he possibly want with her? She wasn’t on his level. This was something fun for him. He wasn’t taking her serious. Compared to his Supermodel, Barbie looking wife, she wasn’t even his type. Mahogany was hood. She was bow-legged. She talked with a lisp. She came with problems. She had trust issues. She had robbed people. She stole from the malls. She was known as a scammer. This wasn’t going to work. He could have that fucking truck.
She sat up and slid her feet into her shoes. She walked towards the sound board where he was bent over, adjusting shit. She tapped his back since he was so fuckin’ tall.
“P, I’m about to go. See you later.” She said quickly.
He turned around and she was already near the door.
“Hold up,” he called out to her, but she didn’t stop.
Mahogany had to get the hell on. What was wrong with her? Why did she even think they were going to like…be something? She was tripping. Hurtful words that Raheem drilled in her head came into play.
“Shorty.” He jogged down the hallway and snatched her lil’ ass up.
“What’s up with you?”
Her face had turned red and she wanted to slap him.
“This some game to you? You trick off on bitches to make yourself good because your family died?” she snapped.
There were a few people in the hallways, heading to different destinations and she had said that shit loud as hell.
He opened a door to the left of him and thankfully, the studio was empty. He pulled her forcefully into the room and closed the door.
“Let me tell you something.”
“NAH, FUCK THAT! FUCK YOU AND YOU CAN KEEP THE KEYS ON THE TRUCK. I DON’T AND AIN’T EVER BEEN PRESSSED FOR NOTHING. DELETE MY NUMBER.”
She was defensive, and he was trying to wrap his head around what was spewing from her mouth.
“What did I do wrong?”
“You ain’t did shit. Butttttt, Mr. Richest Man in the World, before I let you play me, I’m going to wrap this shit up. I am so glad we didn’t fuck! OH MY GOD!” She was relieved.
“Can you calm down and talk to me?” He didn’t have much patience in life, but for her, he had plenty.
“Nothing to talk about. You’re a wealthy man, it’s plenty of bitches in your league that I’m sure would love to date you.” It wasn’t going to be her though. She didn’t even feel like she measured up against him and those articles confirmed it.
He shook his head and leaned against something to hold himself up.
“I want you to chill out and talk to me like an adult, not yelling and cursing. You hear my tone? Give me that same energy back. What are you mad about though? And furthermore, Mahogany, the truck was a gift. It’s yours. Whether we continue or not.”
“Why do you like me?”
He couldn’t answer that. “I don’t know yet.”
“But you do like me?”
“Yes.” He was certain.
“Do you miss your wife?”
Fuck that come from? He thought to himself.
“Uh, what kind of question is that?” He wasn’t going there with her.
“I don’t play games with niggas. I’ve been single for five years. Single and celibate at that.”
That pussy ain’t been touched in five years? Jesus.
“Good for you. What does have to do that with me?”
“I don’t want to talk to you.”
She had already convinced herself that this wasn’t going to work.
He stifled a laugh. “Why? Because I’m rich and my entire fucking family died? Kind of shit is that?” She was crazy…downright, delusional. The moment he felt as if it was time to step back into society and live again, she was having him reconsider his decision to smile again.
“Exactly.”
He exhaled loudly. “Mahogany, all a man have is his word. I like you. I want to get to know you. I’m attracted to the exterior of you and I’m interested in the interior. I want to learn you and everything about you. I asked you about your dreams in the strip club. Does that not place things into perspective?”
She wasn’t buying it. “How do I know you’re not out here doing this with everybody?”
“Everybody? First of all, I’m the pickiest man I know. I don’t dibble and dabble. You stuck out like a sore thumb to me.”
He wasn’t no trick.
She battled in her mind. She was her biggest enemy. Fear had a strong hold on her.
“Give me a chance. What if…I’m not the guy you’re trying to make me out to be?”
She looked at him. “And what if the girl you think I am…I’m really not?” She came with so many secrets.
“Let’s figure that out together,” he suggested.
He didn’t even wait on her to protest. He went to her, pressing her against the wall.
“We’ve got a lot to work on…starting with this mouth.” He thumbed her bottom lip before reaching down and kissing her, passionately.
C H A P T E R 7
Baby the sound of you… - H.E.R.
Porter hadn’t seen her in two days and he missed her. She swore that they were good. She didn’t return to the studio session with him, instead, she told him that she needed to get home and help her kid with his homework. The kid that wasn’t hers but didn’t know that his mama wasn’t really his mama. Shit was fuzzy on her end. Eventually, she’ll have to tell him everything. He couldn’t really proceed how he wanted too until they laid everything on the surface. That went for him as well, but he needed to be honest with himself first when it came to things in his past. Burke suggested therapy to him again and he was now wondering if he had a need to talk to someone.
He went back to work and was stuck there for hours, sending Juice to the session with J. Cole
on his own. Quentin Brooks was a good friend of his and someone he had made millions with called and told him that Juice was well on his way to the top. The kid was a fast learner and Porter was honored to have him under his wing. Soaking up as much as he could, once he felt like he had captured his essence and created his own wave. He would let him be free like a butterfly and would happily sit back while watching him soar.
Forty-eight hours.
He hadn’t seen her.
She sent him a picture of her in the truck a few hours ago.
Her and the kid with a message that read, “He loves it. Thank you.”
He wanted to see her, hold her, kiss her again even do a few other things to her body since it hadn’t been touched in so long. Five years.
Porter wanted to beat his meat once he made it home at the mere thought of her confession.
He said, “Fuck it,” and picked up his phone to Facetime her.
She answered on the second ring.
“Hey,” she sounded cheerful or at least he hoped she was.
“Let me see you.” The camera was facing the ceiling.
“Hold on,” he heard pots and water running. A minute or so later, her golden face appeared in the camera. She was home, relaxed, and comfortable.
“How are you?”
She blushed. “Good. This is a pleasant surprise. My phone never rings,” she laughed causally.
“I like the sound of that.”
Yeah, keep them wack niggas off your line baby. He thought to himself.
“What you cooking?” She told him that it was something she did daily.
“Roast, cabbage, rice and corn.”
“I need a plate of that ASAP.” He hadn’t had a home-cooked meal in so long.
“For real? Where are you? Once my brother gets home, I can bring it to you.”
“You’ll do that?” He was shocked. No one didn’t do shit from the kindness of their heart these days.
“Uh yes, P… Plus it’s been like two days, but I ain’t counting or nothing.”
She missed him too.
“Yeah, come see me. I’m at the office. Can you bring it to the studio later on?” That’s where he mainly ended his nights.
“Same one?”
“No, uptown.”
That was cool with her. “Text me when you get there.”
She needed to get back to cooking and he still had a shit load of shit to do to get his company fully back running how it used to be.
“You gon’ give me a kiss?” He was so fuckin’ corny.
Jillian wobbled into his office right when he said that.
“Yep.” She showed all her teeth as she answered him.
“Bet, alright. See you later.”
As soon as they disconnected the call, he told her, “I don’t want your husband blowing my head off because you keep coming up here.” He was being serious.
She flicked him a middle finger. “I came to help Juice’s new assistant out since it’s her first day. I won’t be back until May. Officially.”
“Where are those background checks?”
“Still waiting on them. Who do you want a kiss from?” She was so nosey.
“A KISS?” Casey barged into his office.
“Do any of y’all niggas knock?”
Casey took a seat on the couch.
“You and lil’ Pitbull getting serious, huh?”
“Pitbull?” Jillian questioned.
“Yeah, his new lil’ bop is mean as fuck.”
“Shit, that’s right up his alley then,” Jillian stated the obvious.
“Nah, this girl gives you like BAPS vibes mixed with Cardi B.” He laughed at his own statement.
“Okay…” Porter wasn’t having this conversation with them.
“Are you ready to date again?” she asked him, seriously concerned about him.
“It’s been two years!” Casey said loudly.
“Nigga,” he groaned. They needed to all worry about themselves. He was fine.
“No, Porter I’m happy that you’re back and looking like yourself… I know how you can be though,” she said in the nicest tone she could muster up.
“How can I be?” he wanted to know.
“Unattached.”
Casey chimed in with, “Nonchalant.
“Distant.”
“Cold.”
“Dry.”
He was taken aback.
“Are y’all for real?”
Jillian chewed on her bottom lip. “Do you like her, or does she like you?”
“Why can’t we like each other?”
She didn’t know he could even like someone...he was so business-oriented.
“Oh, well yeah…do you like her?”
“I bought her a truck. I think I do like her,” he said, matter-of-factly.
“You did what?” Casey would hold on to the major detail of her being a stripper.
“She needed a car.”
“Wait, she’s not in the industry?” Jillian wondered who this girl was.
Casey snorted, “Ha, hell no.”
Porter shot him a look and he said, “I’m out of this. Long as you happy, bro.”
“Don’t leave your phone around her though and make sure she don’t catch you slipping and sleeping. Next thing you know your dick all over Instagram.” He could only speak from experience.
“She’s not that kind of woman.”
In Casey’s opinion, P was so far removed from the game. He didn’t know who these women worked. Everyone was out here looking for the next come-up. Especially a stripper.
“Yeah, I bet.” He had work to do. “I’ll catch you later.” He got up and exited the office.
Jillian asked him, “Do you plan on having any more kids?”
He hadn’t thought about that.
“Doubt it.”
She wondered if things had gone differently for them all those years ago where would they be now. Her twins kicked her stomach and she was brought back to the reality of her being a married woman and Porter not thinking of her in that way.
“Well, I hope that things work out with this new…lady. You’re worthy of happiness, P,” she told him with a smile and it comforted him.
“’Preciate that sis. For real.”
He hit her with the sis…Wow.
“See ya.”
Porter went back to work and got lost in the sauce until Juice knocked on the door. “Boss man, driver’s here.”
It was nine o’clock at night when he made it to the studio and he didn’t text Mahogany until after midnight asking her if she was still awake. Time slipped away from him when he was deep in the zone. He was truly a workaholic but wouldn’t have it any other way he when he was creating magic.
“Yeah, been waiting around for you.” She texted back almost immediately.
She hadn’t grown restless completely, but would soon miss the extra money that the strip club had brought in.
“Slide through babe.”
He sent her his location and went back to work.
His phone buzzed about forty minutes later and he let everyone know that they’ll be breaking soon.
“Juice, my folks at the back door. Go get her for me please,” he asked.
Porter nodded his head to the beat and told the artist, “You feel that shit? I know you do, so give it to me like it’s all you got left,” he encouraged him.
She came behind him, wrapping her arm around his neck in a playful choke hold.
“Missed you,” she whispered in his ear and left a peck of passion on his earlobe before stepping back and taking a seat next to Juice.
He looked at her and winked his eye, then got back to work.
She ended up falling asleep. The session didn’t wrap up until way past two in the morning. Everyone dismissed themselves including Juice, which left he and her.
After he heated the plate up, he returned to the studio and the waft of the meal is what caused her to wake up.
“Oh my gawd, I done slo
bbed all on these people couch.” She was embarrassed.
“Good sleep,” he said in between mouthfuls of the best soul food he had ever had in his life.
“Yeah, you were starving.” She chuckled.
“No lie, this shit is amazing. You got more?”
She nodded her head. “Plenty.”
“I’ll ride with you and get picked up later.”
“You don’t mind coming back to my house?” she asked him, nervously.
“Should I?”
“Nah, I guess not. Come on.”
It was late, so he told her to ride shotgun. When they made it to her house, she heated him up another plate then went to check on her son. Her brother was up on the phone caking with some girl.
“Want to watch TV or something?” She hadn’t had company in forever. Mahogany wasn’t the best host.
“Rather talk to you,” he told her truthfully.
She took a seat at the breakfast table. “How was your day?”
“Long, yours?”
“Boring.” She worked the diner during the morning shift, but that was it
“You don’t have any friends that you kick it with?”
She shook her head no. “Well one, I’m not from here and two, the one friend I did have is locked up. Plus, I got trust issues. I rather do my own thing. I’m too old to belong to a clique.”
“It’s not about being in a clique, but we all need friends. They keep us accountable.”
“Like your friend Casey?”
She could tell that he was loved by the ones closest to him, simply from that one night in the strip club. She used to hope for a tribe to love, encourage, and support her in that way, but realized quickly that people will fuck you over and not think twice about it. Everyone was so selfish these days, that’s why she rocked solo.
“Yeah, good example. Great friend.”
She thought about it some more and then told him, “You’re my friend.”
He smiled at her. “Yep and you’re mine, but I’m trying to be more than that.” Porter kept it gully with her. Words would fail him, but his actions wouldn’t. He was going to forever make her smile and brighten her day. She deserved it.
She looked down, trying to conceal her excitement at his confession.
“You should get used to me telling you shit like that because I’m a grown ass man. I’m not sugar-coating nothing. I want you, Mahogany.”