Mahogany: The Love Drought Series

by Nako

  She laughed her off, “What do Genesis know about shows? I don’t have time to teach him. Hell, I barely know.”

  “Teach him then, don’t leave him behind, Nene. That’s your baby brother.”

  “IS MY FUCKING BROTHER DEAD?”

  η

  Six months. That was the last time he’d seen her. Kissed her. Fucked her. Heard her laugh. Licked her skin. Tasted her pussy. Bathed her. Fed her. Laid up with her and all of that. It had been six long months. He survived em’ though. It was ironic that less than two days ago, he’d been thinking about reaching out to her to clear the air and then her brother is shot. This was an unforeseen circumstance and he hated for them to have to see each other in a situation such as this, nevertheless he was here on her doorstep with roses in hand.

  Kareem answered the door and almost lost his shit when he saw Porter. P’s heart leaped at the sight of his lil man. The thing about walking away from someone that you loved was you lose the kids in the process as well and sitting courtside wasn’t the same without his buddy.

  “P!!!!!” Kareem was delighted. Porter was a like a fresh burst of sunlight at the Sinclair Residence. Mahogany was on pins and needles, and Kareem was scared to even ask for a bowl of cereal these days.

  “What it do, man?” he bent down and dapped him up. Kareem wanted a hug, he missed him so much.

  “I thought I was never gon’ see you ‘gin,” he admitted, sounding sad as hell.

  “Never that, me and your mom needed a break.”

  “What that had to do with me though?” his little mind was curious.

  Porter was stumped.

  “I’ll make it up to you. Where is your momma?” He stood up and followed him in the house and locked the door behind him.

  It was shit all over the place, mainly empty shopping bags which made him wonder what the hell she’d been doing with her money. He prayed she wasn’t blowing through it. He would be so disappointed, and all those late nights talks they had about investing and building generational wealth must’ve been a waste of time.

  “Reem, who was at the do’?”

  She sounded so ghetto, Lord Jesus, he missed her.

  “My best friend!” he told her, matter of factly.

  “And who is your best friend?”

  From where he stood, he was able to see that she’d turned the spare room near the kitchen into her office. It was rose gold, black and blush pink. She had a glass desk, two chairs and a couch in the corner. A few of her plaques and stuff that she’d been awarded with were hanging on the walls and she had some blown-up pictures from her first photoshoot against the lone wall near the window. There was a tall bookshelf filled with books on the industry, saving and management. Juice told him a few weeks ago, that she was taking this “independent” thing serious and still wanted to make him proud.

  His heart swelled.

  “P, duh mama.”

  Mahogany looked up from her MacBook Air and her breath left her body. She didn’t know he was coming by, she looked a hot ass mess. Her hair wasn’t done, she had it in a high ponytail. There were no lashes on her eyes or makeup. No bra on, but the girls were still sitting up. However, the shirt she had on was dirty and she wore no bottoms. She was home, comfortable as hell and little did she know, this is when he loved her the most. Bare and beautiful. Smoking a blunt and working. Her brother was sleep, high off meds. She was so thankful that he pulled through and as soon as he got better, she was going to kick his yellow ass. She was working on a marketing campaign that she was thinking about doing for her next show.

  She was angry at Porter and hated how fine this nigga still was. She used to pray that God made him ugly over time and that he never moved on. A scowl formed on her face, as she remembered that he left her without warning and blocked her number.

  He asked Kareem, “Can I talk to your mom real quick?”

  “Yes, but don’t leave. We gotta play Fortnite,” he commanded as he ran into his playroom.

  “I’m good. My brother is not dead. Thanks for coming over and good the fuck bye,” she ran it down, quick fast and in a hurry.

  That mouth still ain’t changed.

  He smirked as he walked into her office, taking in the décor. “I see you making the house a home,” he commented.

  “Been doing a lot in these past six months,” was the sarcastic response that she gave him.

  “Like shopping and buying shit you don’t need?”

  “Who said I bought all that stuff?” She tilted her head at him.

  Mahogany wasn’t no damn fool. She’d never be broke again and that was a fact.

  Companies had been sending her things left and right, basically begging her to wear their pieces. Right now, she was the hottest thing out and everyone loved her, even the white people. Kim K and Ellen DeGeneres posted her song often on their social media. Everybody loved her, she was like a lil’ hood princess. She had one of the best PR agents in the world and Porter to thank for that.

  “Better had not.” He was happy to hear that.

  “I got something for you too, glad you stopped by. I was going to give it to Juice.”

  He took a seat in the velvet black high-back chair.

  She opened one of the drawers on her desk, pulled out a black folder and slipped him a check. Well, she attempted to.

  “What is this?” he asked, before he took it.

  “The money you spent on my house.” She wanted nothing from him.

  He was visibly taken back. “It was a gift, keep your money.”

  Porter wouldn’t dare take that check from her.

  “No, I rather pay you back for the house.” She pushed the check into his palm as she reached over the mess on her desk.

  “…And again, keep your money.” His tone was firm, and he wasn’t going to repeat himself.

  She smacked her lips and plopped her ass down back in the chair.

  “Porter, what are you doing here?”

  Mahogany was never one to beat around the bush.

  “I came to check on you. I heard about Genesis.”

  “Told you he was good, and he’s sleep…soooo…” She rolled her eyes.

  Porter knew they needed to talk, he didn’t know where to start though.

  “How has everything been going?”

  She was one hundred percent sure that he already knew how shit was going.

  “It’s good,” she was short.

  “Album done?”

  “No.” Mahogany didn’t know the process of starting a freakin album. She had songs recorded, but needed a team to come in and pick the right songs. She knew that eventually she was going to have to sign to a record label.

  “Why?”

  “Look, you came to discuss business or get yo’ bitch back?” Which one was it because this regular ass conversation was boring her, and she could be working.

  “Oh, so you do miss me?” He wanted her to say it.

  Porter flashed her that pussy creaming smile and she turned her head, refusing to give in to his charm.

  “Nah, the question is do you miss me? You cut me off remember?” she reminded him.

  He blew out a long hot, deep breath.

  “I want to apologize for how I handled that situation. I was caught off guard. At the time I felt like you were trying me and didn’t trust me not only with your money or your career,” he admitted. Porter was human, he had feelings too.

  “It wasn’t even like that though,” she said defensively.

  “Then tell me why you didn’t communicate with me?” He felt as if she went behind his back. “I know somebody told you to do that shit too.”

  She ignored his comment.

  “It was a lot going on. I was falling in love with you and didn’t want to end up looking stupid if we broke up when it came to my money.”

  He reached forward and looked her directly in her eyes. “Do you really think I would do anything to jeopardize you and Kareem’s livelihood?”

  That question haunted him
for months. Did she not trust him enough?

  She didn’t hesitate to tell him, “No.”

  “So why did you keep it from me?” he needed more.

  Mahogany wasn’t going to throw Yara under the bus.

  “It was a moment that I regret, Porter.”

  He shook his head and draped his knee over the other.

  “Six months…you’ve been out here doing your own thing.”

  “Nigga and you have too.”

  Actually, he hadn’t. He clarified, “I’ve been in the house, the gym and church.

  Mahogany, I can’t be with you, if you don’t trust me. That shit means everything to me.”

  “You still wanna be with me?” She was shocked to hear that.

  He nodded his head. “I still see the rest of my life with you and Kareem.”

  “Okay, so if Genesis didn’t get shot when were you going to stop by?”

  She was such a thinker.

  “I was planning on coming over here or texting you anyway,” he told her the truth.

  “Have you had sex?”

  He scoffed, “Really? No.”

  “You been jacking off?”

  P chuckled, “Man, hell nah.”

  He didn’t have to ask her what she’d been doing because he was confident that nobody had touched his pussy. Shorty went five years without getting fucked.

  “What’s the update on the situation with your best friend?”

  Mahogany rolled her eyes. “Once she realized she couldn’t sue me, now her mama saying they want custody of Kareem. My lawyer is handling it though.”

  She didn’t want to talk about that, it made her nervous to even think about losing her baby.

  “It’s going to work out, you’ll let me know if there is anything I can do?”

  She nodded her head.

  “I’ve been lost without you,” she told him, two minutes later. They’d been sitting there not saying anything. Minds elsewhere. Hers was on the upcoming custody case and his was on her beauty.

  He was two seconds from pulling her ass to his lap and forcing her to ride his dick until he grew tired. She was opening up slowly but surely, and he prayed that they didn’t have to start all over again.

  “Same baby,” he sighed.

  “This shit doesn’t feel good without you with me, P. I’ve been numb in the booth, numb at my shows. My soul…” She held her stomach, wishing she could expose her pain to him. This breakup had taken her ass through it. If she wanted she could drop a whole mixtape full of “this nigga got me fucked up” songs, that’s how many she’d recorded.

  “I’m back and I’m not leaving you again. Gotta get you back on track. Album should’ve been done, and you know that,” he told her straight up.

  Porter was her muse. He was her motivation. She didn’t care if people knew he was her inspiration, everybody had something to push em.

  “I love you,” she wanted to tell him that in case he forgot.

  Porter told her, “Come here, man.”

  She got up from behind the desk and went to sit on his lap. He looped her hands around her waist, “And you done lost weight.”

  “Barely eating and sleeping,” she dropped her head, in embarrassment. He didn’t know he had this effect on her.

  “I love you and I’m sorry for how I handled our disagreement. It won’t happen again.” He was a man he knew when an apology was necessary.

  “Can you fuck me?” She missed her man’s sex. That dick was already poking her from underneath.

  That’s all she really wanted right now. She was sorry, and he was too, blah blah blah, okay cool. She wanted some dick.

  “Get your nasty ass on, girl. Kareem is wide awake, so we gotta wait,” he told her

  Mahogany wasn’t stunting nothing he was saying. “Kareem, time for bed. Go take a bath,” she hollered down the hallway. Only a mother knew how to put their child to bed in record time.

  “Ma, it’s not my bed time yet?” her son was utterly confused.

  Porter kissed her neck and inhaled her sweet scent. She was home. Mahogany had his heart. This is where he belonged, and he was so fucking happy to be back.

  C H A P T E R 22

  You get rich and have problems that you never thought – Future

  Who would’ve ever thought that the song with 21 that she recorded when she was sick as hell would’ve hit number one. Mahogany officially had her second number one hit and she was on top of the world. Tonight, he and his gang along with her small group were going out to celebrate the success thus far. It was her and P’s first time out as a couple in forever. They’d been dating and such, but hadn’t been to the club and Mahogany hadn’t had this much fun in ages. She couldn’t stop bending over and twerking on her man. If she wasn’t dancing on him, she was smothering him with kisses. Affection and attention were two of the main things he missed in the past six months and shorty was making up for lost time.

  21 wanted to perform the song in the club. It was crowded, and the vibe was right. “Come on man!”

  Everybody was trying to hype her up to rap, but she was tipsy and high.

  “I thought we was chilling,” she said from the comfort of Porter’s lap.

  “Do it for me, sexy,” her man whispered in her ear.

  She rolled her eyes knowing she’d dive in the Sahara desert if he asked her.

  “Alright nigga, let’s do this. After that, we’re leaving.” She eyed P with lust in her eyes before following 21 to the main stage of the club.

  “That girl loves you,” Xavier told P as if he didn’t already know that.

  He let his homie know, “Feeling is mutual.” He felt the same way.

  P didn’t fawn over her in public. He was a private guy, but he didn’t shy away when she showed him mad love. He would never clown his bitch.

  Mahogany took the mic that was handed to her and asked the screaming crowd, “Harlem, what the fuck is going on?”

  She loved being from the South, but all the boroughs in New York had a special place in her heart. They showed her so much love as the beat dropped.

  Mahogany got lost in the song as she closed her eyes, bobbed her head and swayed her hips to the music. This was her song, she still couldn’t believe it every time it came on the radio. The hit took off so fast it was unbelievable.

  Once her verse was near, she opened her eyes and could’ve swore she saw her former best friend in the crowd. She knew Neka was still in jail, it had to have been the Patron in her system that had her seeing things. However, it gave her an adrenaline rush and she rocked the motherfucking club.

  When her verse was over, everybody went crazy. P even stood up on his feet and yelled out, “That’s my baby!” He was happy as hell at his superstar.

  Mahogany made it back to their section and Juice asked her, “What the heck got into you?”

  She’d never performed liked that before.

  She wouldn’t tell them that she thought she saw her biggest hater in the room and it amped her up.

  “Ayeeee…” another one of her songs came on and she went right back to dancing and enjoying her life. She had her second number one and her man was behind her, feeling her up. What more could a girl want?

  η

  He was one smart nigga. Real educated. Calculated. Wise. Knowledgeable. He was well-informed, able to read people’s body language. He could discern things easily and put the pieces of a puzzle together. While Mahogany laid beside him, naked and lightly snoring, a light bulb went off in his head. Porter chuckled at the thought of anyone going behind his back. He had to address it because that’s the kind of man that he was.

  Once the sun came up, he let his baby sleep in, while he went to get Kareem dressed for school. It was a lot of things that he planned on doing differently this time around and it was being more hands-on. He wanted her to know that she had all his support, not just when she was on stage. Relationships took work, a lot of it and he was willing to do his part.

  He asked Genesis i
f he needed anything before him and Reem headed out the door.

  “Yeah, some weed,” he was dead the fuck serious too.

  “Gotcha.” P closed his bedroom door behind him.

  “You got your book bag?” he wanted to be sure before he pulled out of the garage because he wasn’t coming back. His lady was always complaining about Kareem leaving his book bag at home. He was getting older, so they were going to start working on him being more responsible.

  Mahogany was dead to the world, last night at the club was crazy. She was going to be hungover when she did finally wake up. He should be back home by then.

  After he dropped Kareem off at the private school his mom enrolled him in, he headed to the suburbs in the opposite direction of where he normally laid his head. The four-story townhouse was a gift from QB a few years ago and Yara loved it so much that she’d never moved. Although, they were married now, if she was too tired to drive to the main house, she would crash at the townhouse. Nine times out of ten, he was sure this is where he would catch her before she started her day.

  He knocked on the door twice and then rang the doorbell, before stepping back and patiently waiting on someone to answer.

  Quentin jogged down the steps, wondering who the fuck was knocking at eight in the morning.

  “Porter… everything good, bro?” he asked, cautiously.

  They were cool, but not that fucking cool for him to be popping up at their residence without calling.

  “Yeah. Good morning. Is Yara in town?” He crossed his arms across his chest.

  Quentin was still sleepy, so he wasn’t sure what the fuck was going on.

  “Did y’all have a meeting or something?”

  P shook his head. “Nah, I need to rap with her though. If she’s here.”

  He went on and let him in.

  “Let me go get her.”

  Quentin went back up the steps while he walked further into their home, quite familiar with the layout. About fifteen minutes later, the young wealthy couple reappeared with fresh faces and brushed teeth. Quentin wasn’t leaving her alone with him since she seemed lost as well as to why Porter Bavay was at their home, unannounced.