by King, Deja
“I know you were, just wanted to hear you say it. Bye, Dior.”
“Bye.” I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I was born ready for this. I had named it a long time ago and now it was time for me to claim it.”
** *
“Hey, Brittani,” I said all extra cheerful on the phone. “I was just about to call you.”
“To what, tell me you’re on the cover of the next issue of King Magazine about to hit stands any day now.”
“You heard about it already?” I asked in an excited voice.
“Yeah, all the blogs posted it.”
“Perfect!”
“When did you shoot it, and why didn’t you tell me?”
“Remember that thing I said I had brewing but I didn’t want to mention it until it actually happened?”
“Clearly it happened and it must have been awhile ago if it’s already about to drop.”
“I only did it a few weeks ago, it was a rush job. I wanted to share the news when it was actually done and out.”
“You so paranoid. They ain’t gon’ have you show up to shoot the damn thing only to shelve it.”
“Listen, you never know how the cookies will crumble when you dealing with these industry types. I was waiting for everything to be on the up and up.”
“Now you know, so you don’t have to hold back. This really is a great look for you.”
“I know! With all the bullshit I’ve been dealing with lately shit is finally coming together for me. I want you to come out tomorrow. They’re having a party to celebrate my cover. It should be super cute.”
“Wow! You getting the royal treatment.”
“That’s why I want you there so we can both overindulge.”
“Say no more. This my type of shit. Now let me go so I can find an outfit for tomorrow.”
“Awesome, you know you’re more than welcome to raid my closet even though I’m not big on sharing but you’re my bestie.”
“Thanks for the offer, but come on now, you ain’t got no new hot shit I want to wear.”
“Say that now, but give me a couple of months. You’ll be dying to raid my closet and I’ma be like ‘No Mam’.’
“I’ll take my chances.”
“Remember you said that, but go ‘head and tend to Destiny ‘cause I hear her whining for you in the background.” We both laughed. “I’ll talk to you later.”
When I got off the phone I went straight to my computer so I could see what people were saying about me on the blogs. The comments were relatively good but there were a couple of certified groupie haters posting bullshit comments. But that was ok with me because I knew it came with the territory when you put yourself out there.
After surfing through all the blogs, I put a call in to Lorenzo. Once again I hadn’t spoken to him in ions but to my surprise he answered. “What’s good, Lorenzo?”
“You tell me.”
“Everything is going great. The magazine is actually throwing me a party tomorrow and I was hoping you could come. And don’t tell me it’s last minute so you can’t make it because I sent you a text with all the details a few weeks ago.”
“Yeah, I got it but I was extremely busy.”
“So does that mean you are coming?”
“I’ma try my hardest. You know I wanna support you.”
“I need all the people who want me to win, there showing love.”
“Listen, Dior, don’t ever question if I want you to win because I do. When I don’t answer my phone or call you back it’s because I’m handling business. I got a lot going on and most of the time I just can’t talk. But I will be at your party tomorrow night and we’re going to celebrate. I will also be buying up every copy of the magazine I can get my hands on.”
“Lorenzo, you’re the best!”
“Hold up. I think we have a bad connection. Did you just say I was the best?”
“Stop with the bullshit,” I laughed. “Yes, I think you are the best. I still don’t know why you’re doing so much for me but I really am grateful.”
“You ever heard this old song by the group Wham, it’s called Everything She Wants?”
“No! Who the hell is Wham?”
“It’s a group George Michael started out in.”
“I wouldn’t peg you for listening to George Michael’s music.”
“I listen to all sorts of music. But when you get a chance check out that song, listen to the lyrics.”
“Why?”
“Because it somewhat reminds me of you, especially the line ‘Everything she wants is everything she sees’ that’s why I’m doing what I am for you.”
“Because I want everything I see?”
“No, because you’re bold enough to ask for it and not feel any shame for wanting it. I find that appealing.” When Lorenzo said that I was tempted to be bold and ask him for some damn money. I knew he would give it to me but one thing I learned early on in playing the game of money and men. If a man thinks all you need is basic bullshit to be satisfied then that’s all you’ll ever get from him—and money for bills was basic shit, I don’t care how much they added up to. I would just have to hang in there for a little while longer and be broke.
“Men have told me a lot of different reasons they find me appealing but that was never one of them.”
“Never worry about what a man tells you, be concerned about what he doesn’t tell you. I’ll see you tomorrow night, Dior.”
For a few minutes after Lorenzo hung up I stood there trying to analyze our entire conversation. He was very intriguing for several different reasons and I almost missed out on ever finding that out. When I met him at the club, I turned him down flat because I was too busy chasing after Sway. If he hadn’t come to find me none of the things that were happening for me now would be. It was crazy; the person I didn’t want to give two seconds of my time was the one who was giving me what I desired most.** *
“Yo, this party really is cute! They laid it out nice for you,” Brittani beamed.
“Yeah, and mad celebrities showed up. These pics will be everywhere tomorrow.”
“Hi Dior.” A girl said, waving and walking up on me. “Remember me, I’m Courtney.”
“Yes, hey Courtney.” I quickly recognized her sweet face. “This is my friend, Brittani.”
“Hi, it’s nice to meet you,” Courtney said, smiling at Brittani who was halfway paying attention. “Dior, you look absolutely gorgeous on your cover. I’m so proud of you,” Courtney said, putting her attention back on me.
“You say the sweetest things to me, thank you.”
“With that face and your body, you make it easy.”
“Courtney, put your number in my phone. We have to stay in touch. You’re fabulous for my ego.”
“You’re so funny, Dior.”
“No, I’m so serious. I need a girl like you in my life.”
“Sure, it would mean everything to me to be your friend.”
“You keep saying all the right things we’ll be friends forever. So enjoy the party and I will be in touch.”
“I’ll be waiting to hear from you, thanks again!” she said waving bye.
“Dior, stay away from that little girl.”
“Why?”
“Because she really is sweet and she doesn’t need to be corrupted by you.”
“That’s not funny, Brittani.”
“I wasn’t trying to be. We go way back. I got nothing but love for you but it’s no secret how we get down, especially you. That little girl isn’t ready and probably never will be, for what she would learn from you.”
“Every time I run into her she makes me feel good. Everybody needs a person like that in their life. I’m glad I ran into her and I am going to call her. This night is turning out to be almost perfect.”
“Why only almost? I can’t think of nothing that would make it better.”
“When Lorenzo gets here then it will be perfect.”
“Lorenzo, who the hell is Lorenzo? I’ve never heard you
mention that name before.”
“He’s the guy that made all this possible. He promised he would be here and surprisingly I’m disappointed that he hasn’t shown up to share this night with me.”
“Wow, so am I! I hope he does show up ‘cause I can’t wait to see this Lorenzo dude, especially since he got you waiting for his arrival…interesting.”
“What’s interesting is who just walked through the door, look.” I pointed my finger towards the entrance and shook my head. “If he came to embarrass me I swear I’m leaving.”
“Are you crazy, you can’t leave your own party. Make his ass leave!”
“Brittani, as tempting as that sounds, let’s not get it twisted. I’m on the cover of a booty magazine and that’s Sway Stone. Who do you think they care more about?”
“I get your point, but you still can’t let him run you out of your own party.”
“You’re right and I’m not. Come with me, I’ma go ask Phenomenon if he knows when Lorenzo is coming.”
“So Phenomenon is cool with Lorenzo, is he the one that hooked you up with the video?”
“Pretty much.”
“Now it’s all making sense. So what does this Lorenzo guy do, is he in the music industry?”
“He definitely has dealings with the industry but I’m not sure exactly what he does. He seems to have his hands in a few things since he’s always too busy handling business to talk to me.”
“I see somebody has gotten under your skin. And I’m glad because anybody is better than Sway.
“Hey Phenomenon, have you talked to Lorenzo tonight?”
“Yeah, I spoke to him on my way here.”
“Did he tell you what time he was coming?”
“Oh, he ain’t gonna be able to make it. He got some other shit going on.”
“Really, well that’s cool,” I said walking off feeling like I had just got stood up for the prom. This bizarre sense of devastation came over me and I didn’t like it at all.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine Brittani,” I snapped. “This is my night to shine, fuck Lorenzo! Let’s go have some fun.” I dragged Brittani to the middle of the dance floor. Kanye West’s new song was playing and my body swayed to the music as I tried to escape thinking about Lorenzo and lose myself in my own world.
“I always loved the way you move,” a voice that I was way too familiar with whispered in my ear. His hand held on tightly to my body as if it never stopped belonging to him.
“What do you want, Sway?” I asked turning around to face him.
“The same thing you want,” he said, gripping under my chin firmly. He then took my hand and led me to his table without any resistance from me. I saw Brittani shaking her head in disapproval but I welcomed going back into Sway’s world.
When we sat down, his bodyguards stood in front of our table, acting as a wall to shield us from everybody. “I know you’ve missed this,” Sway said pulling out a vile of coke. And he was right. I hadn’t snorted any coke since we were together. Sway always had access to the best quality of drugs which was a perk I lost when I wasn’t with him. “Here,” he said rubbing the white powder under my nose and over my lips. He then gripped the back of my hair tightly and put his tongue down my throat. As he eased up I began kissing him back.
After Sway dipped his finger in the coke I sniffed it off. He kept dipping and I kept sniffing. Before long he had my breasts out my dress licking each one, going back and forth and finger fucking me at the same time. While he did this I kept snorting coke as if making up for all the weeks I had been without it. I couldn’t decide which one was bringing me the most pleasure, the foreplay or the coke play.
“Are you ready to feel this dick inside you?”
“Yes,” I purred, ready to ride him right here in the booth.
“Then let’s go.”
“Can’t you put it in right now?”
“What I have planned for you we can’t do it in here. Now let’s go.”
I pulled my dress up and down and wiped off as much of the white stuff from my face as possible. But it didn’t matter, Sway’s bodyguards surrounded us so people could only catch slight glimpses as we made our exit to his awaiting car. During the ride back to his crib, we continued to snort coke and drink champagne. He even gave me a couple pills that I swallowed wanting to take my high as far as it could go.
“I want you to suck my dick,” Sway demanded pulling down his pants. He took some of the coke and sprinkled it on his dick which had me crawling over to him quickly. “Yeeessss,” Swayed groaned as my tongue teased his dick before my mouth took over.
By the time we reached Sway’s penthouse my dress was practically off and I couldn’t wait to fuck. But Sway had a different agenda. The moment the front door closed I was hitting the floor of the spacious mosaic marble foyer from the powerful impact of his backhand slap. “You didn’t think I was going to take you back without punishing you first.”
“Sway,” I muttered, looking up to the glass chandelier that had water features. I had never really noticed that but while I tried to massage away the sting Sway left on my face I focused on it but not for long because he didn’t let up. Sway tore off my dress before grabbing me by my hair. He lifted me up, dragging me across the floor like a rag doll into his bedroom. This certainly wasn’t the first time Sway had put his hands on me but normally it would be one quick hit to remind me to stay in my place but this was different.
“I can’t mess up that pretty face because when the photogs take our pictures we don’t want any obvious bruises now do we,” Sway said with a sinister smile on his face. “But there are other ways to make sure you remember never to disrespect me again.”
Sway tossed me down on his bed and walked over to his drawer and pulled out a long thick black belt. My first instant was to run out his place, butt ass naked and all but between the coke, champagne, pills and the initial slap I couldn’t even muster enough strength to get up off the bed. The coke had my heart racing and head spinning. I assumed the pills were what had me unable to move. “Sway, don’t do this,” I mumbled.
“It’s for your own good,” he said before the first whip ripped across my butt. “If I could I would take this belt and whip your entire body. But I have some upcoming events we’ll be attending,” he paused mid sentence before lashing down three more whips, “and I’m not sure if your outfits are going to expose your back, legs and arms so to be safe I’ll just whip yo’ ass.” I always knew Sway was crazy but this was taking it way too far.
“Baby, that’s enough,” I pleaded barely audible.
“You’re right. I don’t want to split any of your skin.” And just that quickly Sway dropped the belt and took off his clothes. He got in the bed and the next thing I knew we were both sleeping.
When I woke up my ass was burning and my mind started replaying the events of last night. “That nigga whipped me,” I said out loud realizing that what happened wasn’t some sort of bad nightmare but my reality. I looked around the bedroom but I didn’t see Sway. I eyed the clock and couldn’t believe it was the middle of the afternoon. I had basically slept the day away. Before I could try to get up I heard the bedroom door open.
“Mr. Stone has instructed me to run you a bath,” some woman said walking past me.
“Who are you?”
“I’ll be helping you get prepared for the event you’ll be attending with Mr. Stone.”
A few minutes after the woman went in the bathroom Sway came in. “Drink this protein shake and take this pill,” he directed as if he hadn’t just beat me with a belt last night. “We have a lot to do tonight so I need you to get your energy up.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you tonight.”
“Yes you are, now take this.”
“Sway my ass is still hurting from what you did to me.”
“This pill, the drink and bath, all of that will make you feel better.”
“Give it to me.” I gulped down the pill with the protein sh
ake which was actually very tasty. “So where are we going tonight?”
“I’m headlining a charity event.”
“Are you performing?”
“No, they didn’t have enough money for me to perform too. Some other artist are performing, I’m only hosting. Let me see your face, I want to make sure I didn’t leave a bruise from the slap yesterday.” He held my chin up looking to see what damage if any he caused. “There’s a slight mark but nothing some makeup can’t cover up.”
“You shouldn’t have hit me in the first fuckin’ place.”
“I can’t wait to fuck you later on. I know you can’t get on your back right now because you’re sore. But you’ll be good by tonight,” he told me, totally ignoring what I had just said.
“I don’t know why I keep fuckin’ with you.”
“Yes you do, because you love being with a Superstar and you hope some of it will rub off on you. You got your little King Magazine cover but you know nothing is going to bring you the type of attention you crave like being with me.”
“I don’t even like you. You make me sick!”
“No you make yourself sick. I’m ‘bout to start shooting my video for the lead single off my new CD. I want you for the lead.”
“Why? I thought you had no interest in giving me shine.”
“You did Phenomenon’s video and now you’re on the cover of King with that bullshit headline. So people won’t start giving him credit for blowing you up, I want you in my video. I need everybody to know you’re my project.”
“Now I’m your project how convenient.”
“You need to be thanking me. After being in my world I know it had to be depressing to go back to yours. But now we have a better understanding. I’ll let you shine just make sure you follow my rules.
“Mr. Stone, her bath is ready.”
“You heard the lady, go ‘head. I’ll be back shortly.”
“Since you’re talking about rules I have one of my own.”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t want Tracy or Lori in my presence. If you want to still fuck them go ‘head but not around me and that’s nonnegotiable.”