by Love Belvin
“I never RSVP and not show, man. You know that.”
“True…true. Where you been? Niggas been tryna touch you for the West Coast love and ain’t heard from you in damn near a year.” Even with his sheer excitement and pleasant surprise of running into Azmir, Mike was cornering him.
“I’ve been grinding, man…switching up my shit.”
“Yeah! I heard about your born day party a couple months back. I got my invite but I had to prep my artists and shit for the BET Awards. My bad, man! I heard that shit was off the fucking chain. I ran into TyTy and he told me Jay, Ye, Common, Mo, Black and all ‘em niggas was there representing!” Mike screeched as he was amped up at the news.
Azmir’s tone wasn’t as spirited. He had his one arm wrapped around me and eventually slipped his other as well. Talk about PDA.
“Yeah, that shit was proper. My right hand, Petey Crack, went all out…even threw in some surprises that still got me feeling blown away.” He ended lowly and squeezed his arms around me as if he were speaking directly to me.
“Oh, Money M, this is a good friend of mine, Rayna Brimm. Ms. Brimm, this is Mike Brown. He’s the top A&R from the label. I go back with this dude since grammar school. I remember you following Stacy Bronson home. Had her scared of your pissy ass and now look at you. You the man up in the industry now. Proud of you, duke,” Azmir said sincerely.
A face-splitting smile eclipsed upon Mike’s face. “I appreciate that, Divine. Nice to meet you, lady.” He gently flashed a generic flirtatious eyes toward me. I only nodded because it was obvious that he was not interested in meeting me. He was all up Azmir’s butt.
“You’ve always had that buttah taste in the ladies, D. This one is really fly.”
I didn’t find that comment appropriate but somehow didn’t feel the need to become offended because Mike struck me as heedless; I knew he wasn’t attempting to be offensive.
“Really? I don’t think I’ve ever come across anything as beautifully rare as Ms. Brimm,” Azmir cleaned up though it was unnecessary. I knew that this Money Mike character had put his foot in his mouth. His facial reaction to Azmir’s remarks confirmed it.
“Yup, you right, D! Y’all hitting up Marqui tonight. A lot of heads gonna be there. I heard it’s off the damn chain right now. Jay and all ‘em headed over there.”
“Yeah. He’s hit me up since I’ve been in town. Maybe we will roll through. The night’s still young,” Azmir ended that line looking to me for approval. I shrug my shoulders in agreement.
“But wait! Before y’all bounce I want you to meet Ragee, man.” Mike turned and demanded a young female to go and grab Ragee right away and she quickly scurried off. Turning back to us he said, “Yo, D, I really need all the help I can get with this one, man! The label is putting alotta dough behind him because I promised I could get people like you to push work.”
While Mike pleaded, Azmir held an insusceptible face giving an occasional nod. My poor Azmir wasn’t interested. He was getting hassled and it didn’t look good.
See, MirMir, this is why I don’t like you buying me things. I don’t want you to ever get the impression that I only value what you do for me materialistically. I wished I could explain this to him and soon.
“Yeah, man. I heard what you did for RinRin. That marketing plan was genius.” Azmir’s arms tightened around me again. He was uneasy.
“Money, man…my hands ain’t been that deep in the industry in a minute. I’m in a different industry all together.”
“Yeah, I heard that, D, man…but you still got radio connects in LA. I just need you to vouch for me. This why I want you to meet him, man.”
And as if on cue, Ragee walked up on Mike and taps him on the shoulder. When Mike turned over to him telling him who Azmir was, I whispered to Azmir, “I’m going to the ladies room and when I return I’ll be ill and need to leave.” I nodded slowly and he winked at me conspiratorially. I walked off just as Mike started his introductions.
I strolled over to the bartender and asked to be pointed to the restrooms, to which he did. No line. Great! I walked right in. I really didn’t have to go and didn’t want to leave Azmir out there too long but figured I’d excrete what I could, considering there would be more drinking and socializing after this gig. When I walked out of the stall, I washed my hands and refreshed my lipstick before returning to my tortured friend.
As I approached him, I noticed his eyes were already fastened to me. I employed my pouting face and began the show.
“Sweetheart, you don’t look so good,” Azmir consoled.
“No, I’m feeling a little nauseous. I need some air. I’m sorry to cut your time so short.” I gave a convincing moue.
“A’ight, cap’tin. That’s my cue. Have your people call me. There are a couple of events coming up over there that you may wanna represent at,” Azmir bode.
“A’ight, big homey! Don’t forget about me, man. I can use this push,” Mike pleaded as we headed out the door.
When we arrived at Marqui, man, was it star studded! We headed straight to VIP with our security behind us. I really didn’t understand why we needed muscle. I didn’t understand who was Azmir that he was so acclaimed in the music industry. He’s not an artist neither a musician. I knew his talents were boundless, but this really had me stumped.
What was even more fortuitous was the caliber of celebrity that was in the building that night. And I mean high roller entertainment figures! I was further blown away at how much love they showed Azmir. Several of them were at his birthday party a couple of months back.
All eyes were on us—mainly him. Azmir gripped my hand through every handshake, dap, and hug he gave. I was so relieved when he didn’t attempt to introduce me. I was overwhelmed. I saw people on their blackberries and others dancing.
To my left was a beautiful caramel complexioned woman who I swore licked her lips at me. My head swung to my right and I walked up so close to Azmir that my breasts touched his back. Other VIP patrons nodded and gave pleasant smiles to which I returned.
We sat on a plush leather sofa and were immediately offered Ace of Spades. Azmir took two and handed me a glass. I had no idea what Ace of Spades was but followed suit and sipped from it. Delicious.
“Are you okay?” Azmir asked while he thrummed the skin that was exposed in the cut out portion of my dress. His eyes read contrite and whatever anxiety I was feeling had dissipated. I nodded my head and he flashed his coochie creaming smile.
The night ran smoothly. The music was empirical and that was, of course, because we were in likely one of the hottest clubs in NYC.
People started filing in the VIP section and it was interesting to see the various fashions going on, some trends were novel and others were on the more eclectic side, but all were vibrant. Mostly everyone spoke familiarly to Azmir including these two women with strong New York accents.
They both hugged and oooh’ed and ahhhh’ed at his presence, not in a flirtatious manner but a genuine platonic one instead. They sat next to me and spoke over to Azmir. The one girl, Liz, had a short tapered hair cut with spikes on top of her head. It was bold but she pulled it off well, probably because it seemed to have matched her personality. She was a shade above brown, nearly my complexion and her accessories dangled when she spoke.
“I can’t believe my brother is here! I been tryna call you all week, yo! Oh my gawd! I’m so gassed you’re here!”
Liz eventually turned her attention to me as Azmir was waltzed into other conversations.
“So you’re the doctor, right?” Liz asked with a calming smile that begged for me to lower my guards. I was intrigued as to how she knew about me. Before this night Azmir had never made mention of her.
“A physical therapist,” I shouted over the music as she craned her neck into my personal space so that she could hear me.
“Oh, right! I thought you guys are considered doctors.”
“No. Lots of people confuse us. So are you from The City?” I asked trying to get
to know her.
“Yeah, I grew up with Divine. Him and my brothers used to hang out as kids all the damn time. Even though he’s moved around we manage to stay tight.”
“Oh, okay. Are your brothers here?” I wanted to make a connection. Azmir knew so many people but only had me around a select few.
“Nah. One lives out there in L.A. with Divine. The other one lives in Atlanta. They’re all still close though.”
He lived in L.A. and I hadn’t met him? I knew she wasn’t being literal when she said with Azmir. I wondered who he was.
Liz continued, “I was just out there for his birthday. He told me about you. I was happy as hell that he got rid of that last girlfriend of his. She was a true bitch…not wanting him going anywhere without her but never wanting to be with his friends—”
Liz was interrupted by the friend who had walked in with her. I soon learned her name was Tionne. “Who y’all talking about?” Tionne screamed over the music as she stretched her body over Liz’s lap to interject herself into our chat.
“Divine’s last girlfriend. I couldn’t stand that bitch. Remember when he brought her to the Garden for Jay’s show? Ughhhhh?” Liz’s thick New York accent could not be missed.
“Yooooo! That bitch was so stuck up,” Tionne exclaimed and made sure to give me direct eye contact when she said, “If you ain’t a celebrity or in the industry she don’t want nothing to do with you. I knew Divine wasn’t happy. I was surprised it lasted as long as it did.” She and Liz exchanged gazes that proved solidarity. “I couldn’t believe it when I heard she cheated on him with that rapper. I can’t front, I was happy as hell she wrote a check for him to dump her prissy ass!”
Liz shot Tionne an admonishing glance. Clearly, she’d spoken too much. My mouth dried. Azmir never told me about Tara cheating on him. I didn’t know what to think.
“What? I’m sure she knew. She his new lady,” Tionne spoke in a guilt-free tone.
Liz wasn’t so confident. Immediately I broke a smile to ensure that it was no big announcement. I wanted to know more.
“See!” Tionne sang. Liz’s expression softened when I gave her a friendly nudge to further assure her. I don’t know where the keen manipulation came from. No, I did—Azmir. He made me do and feel things I’d never cared to before him.
Liz’s eyebrows lifted, “He wasn’t even that dope of a dude to be tripping out on Divine for. But T is right. I was so fucking happy when she did that shit cause I knew he wouldn’t stay with her after that.”
Tionne head shook enthused at Liz’s thoughts. I couldn’t believe Tara cheated on Azmir!
“Ain’t she pregnant now?” Tionne asked.
Liz’s protectiveness flared as her body jolted and she declared, “That is not Divine’s baby! If it was he would keep it one hundred and take care of his business. That bitch is lying her ass off!”
They both looked to me for contribution? A reaction?
Errrrr…
“Every dark secret has its day in the sun, right?” I squeezed out conspiratorially. I found myself in a giggling concert with the girls.
My thoughts went to what I’d just learned. Tara cheated on Azmir with an aspiring rapper? When was this? Most importantly was that the cause of Azmir’s repellant attitude toward Brian Thompson? This definitely explains his jealous tendencies. But he didn’t react that way when he learned I was at the industry party with Sebastian before he’d discovered the nature of our affairs. Could that have meant that he had developed feelings for me recently?
No—he’s never said.
With the many questions causing the cogs of my mind to churn, I’d decided to put them to the side and get through this time in New York with Azmir. The bottom line was his affairs with Tara was just that—his affairs.
I entertained more chatter with Liz and Tionne for a while though no discoveries were as enlivened as the one about Azmir and Tara. They eventually made their way around the party and then left promising to keep in touch.
Sometime later that night, I was nestled in Azmir’s back there on the sofa. His hearty laugh jolted me from my sleep. Azmir never laughs. He chuckles. I didn’t want to disturb his seemingly fascinating conversation. So I kept nuzzled into his chiseled back as he laid his hand against my that as my folded leg lay protruding against him, too. Much of my time listening was spent trying to decipher where I’d recognized his friend’s voice from. It sounded familiar, but not in a personal sense. Their conversation was pretty generic, they were catching up. Azmir asked his friend about his latest business ventures and people from their past.
Somewhere in between my sleep and conscious state, I heard his friend say, “Serious, I see.”
I felt Azmir’s head pivot and assumed he gestured asking if his friend was referring to me. I didn’t hear a confirmation.
“Seems like it. Could be over for me,” Azmir replied.
“My nigga!” his friend cheered. “Old broad?”
“Forgotten,” Azmir’s tone was resolute.
“You handle that with ol’ dude?”
“Wasn’t worth my time. She wasn’t about shit and had sealed her own fate before he entered in the picture.”
“He was your saving grace.” His friend gave a hearty, high pitched laugh—that familiar trill. That’s when I placed the voice! It was the voice that opened up my performance at Azmir’s birthday party! Is he and Azmir that close of acquaintances?
“Indeed.” After a beat Azmir continued, “Let me get her in the bed.”
“Oh, no doubt.”
There was a little more mumbling going on before Azmir gently tapped me. “Brimm, baby. It’s time to go.”
Groggily, I rose with his help and ambled out of the club with his long arms cradling me into his side all the way to the car that was awaiting us outside. Before the driver could pull off, I was out, falling into slumber yet once again. The next thing I remembered was being lifted out of the car by Azmir, making his way into the hotel. As much as I wanted to tell him it wasn’t necessary to carry me, I enjoyed being in his arms.
The elevator stopped on the fifth floor, letting our security detail off.
“You good, boss?”
“Yeah, man…eleven o’clock,” Azmir murmured.
“A’ight, Divine.”
At this time, I was pretty much awake but kept my sleepy eyes closed. I felt Azmir’s cool breath on my face as he held me like a feather. My abdominal muscles tightened and I involuntarily exhaled deeply. The next thing I felt were his lips next to mine, but he didn’t kiss me. I opened my eyes to see what the hold up was and caught his wanting eyes drunken with desire looking down on me. He slowly blinked and when his eyes opened, he had applied a new coat of will power. I moved my hand to the back of his head to initiate an embrace but the sound of the elevator bell snapped me out of my trance. Azmir broke our gaze and carried me out of the elevator.
What!
Once inside he sat me on the bed and headed into the bathroom to draw a bath. He came back out to have me stand and helped me undress. He asked me to turn around and when I did he unhooked and pulled the zipper of my dress down to the small of my back. I felt his gentle hands against my spine and my nerves went completely haywire.
How does this man have such an effect on me? He pulled the dress over my head and stepped back as I turned to face him. His eyes reflexively traveled down my body and in an instance, he turned on his heels.
“Finish undressing and come into the bathroom,” he muttered while walking away.
What was that all about? I wondered to myself as I quickly doffed my bra and panties.
As I nervously walked into the bathroom I challenged myself to just tell him that I was in desperate need of him though deep down inside I knew that Azmir was not only aware of my desires, but also had his. How he was able to abstain up until this point was beyond me.
He stood from kneeling over the tub as he watched me enter the bathroom. I noticed he was still dressed which meant he wouldn’t be joini
ng me. He took my hand to help me into the tub. I slowly descended trying to acclimate myself to the temperature of the water. Azmir grabbed the sponge and body wash and to my sensual surprise he washed me, something he typically did after a long and gratifying lovemaking session.
He didn’t skip a beat as he started at my shoulders and took his time down my back, over to my belly, up my breasts and out to my arms. I barely but miraculously stifled my pending moans. He scooted himself down to the opposite side of the tub and lifted my leg out of the water so that he could wash it from hip to ankle and repeated the same tantalizing torture on my other leg. Once he was done, he squeezed gel into his hand and rubbed them together into a lather before taking my foot and washing it. His strong hands felt unearthly licentious against my foot. Azmir does foot rubs…and well!
With his thumb he kneaded into the center of my foot over and over and over again. Every time he pushed with his thumb my pelvis jumped beneath the water. The alarming sensations running through my body tripled as I looked in his beautiful face. His expression was stoic as he was trying to gain mine. Oh, no, Jacobs. I am not giving you the satisfaction of expressing my pleasure! He moved to my next foot and delivered the same delightful sinuous treatment.
After he was done, he went over to the towel rack to grab a washcloth. He foamed it with soap before spreading my bent legs in the water and reaching down to wash my private area. He moved slowly and steadily, not ignoring my pearl. My poor pearl was so attentive and responsive to his touch that it gave away my secret. Every time he swept against it through the washcloth, my pelvis jumped again. This time it couldn’t be hidden. My body was coming alive, building itself in preparation for release. I closed my eyes as my mouth dropped agape. He rubbed against my sex over and over again applying mild pressure. In no time I was losing control.
All for Azmir to stop and mutter, “All done here. I’ll let you get dressed and go to bed. I’m gonna hit the shower. I’m fucking exhausted.” He sauntered out of the bathroom leaving me alone to wither in heat.
