I sighed, rolling my eyes, glancing at him and then looking at Karen Black as she slid the contract across the table to me. I took the contract in my hands, reading it over, not understanding shit that I read.
“Congratulations, Audrey Gibson, and welcome to Instinctive Entertainment.” Karen smiled, her pearly white teeth gleaming under the lights.
“Don’t congratulate me yet; I haven’t signed anything.” I put the paper down. “I’ll have to get a lawyer to look this over.”
Karen laughed a little, looking my face over. “Seriously?” She glanced at Antwan who slouched back in the booth next to me. She looked back at me, nodding. “Okay. The contract looks a little intimidating, yes, I know, but look at the figures. When have you seen that many zeros? Everyone thinks it’s the artist who makes all the money, but no, honey, it’s the people that are behind the scenes that get all the bread. The label pays you, the artist pays you, the radio stations pay you, the television stations pay you—I’m telling you, you will never see bands like this, honey! Tell her, Antwan.”
“Well, if I’m gonna be making so much money, why is Sean leaving your company?” I had to ask.
Ervin spoke up before his wife could explain it to me. “Your boyfriend—ya know, the boyfriend who didn’t tell anyone that he even had a girlfriend—isn’t leaving us. Until this merge is over, he’s going to go work with Relentless Records for a few months.”
Antwan made a face, sitting up in his seat. “Whoa, wait, what merge? Merge with who?”
Karen sighed, as if she was tired of always arguing with those two. “Antwan, honey, listen before you start poppin’ off.”
“I don’t wanna listen to shit if it has anything with going into business with A.J. Miller!” Antwan started going off.
“Nigga, he’s your father.” Ervin shook his head in disgust at Antwan.
“The father I didn’t even know I had until my mother died four muthafuckin’ years ago. Did y’all even ask me what I thought about this bullshit before you decided to make a move like this? Do y’all know what goes on behind the walls of that muthafuckin’ tall ass building he works in? Ervin, you ain’t even about that life, bruh.” Antwan shook his head as the server in VIP brought more champagne bottles over to our table.
“Well, what if I am?” Ervin huffed.
Antwan laughed out loud. “Nigga, your shit is Will Smith, and his shit is Eazy-E, straight-outta, Compton type shit. Nigga, trust me, you ain’t ready. Karen, you better tell ‘em. Didn’t you use to fuck with that nigga back in the day?”
Ervin glanced at Karen and then back at Antwan. “Slow your roll, Antwan, don’t get disrespectful.”
Antwan shook his head. “You ain’t seen disrespectful. You do business with A.J. Miller and I guarantee you it won’t be your bed Karen is sleepin’ in, it’ll be that nigga’s.”
Ervin was about to jump across the table on Antwan, but Karen grabbed her husband back.
“Look, fellas, chill! Antwan, this merge is good for our company. The only heavy hitter we have on our team as far as rappers are concerned is you; Relentless Records has everyone. They have Chopper, A.J. 47, DJ Paper, Roulette, and Blade. I’ve been trying to sign Queen Gates forever, but she won’t budge. We need a vocalist, someone who can sing, rap, and write music.” Karen glanced at me and then back at Antwan. “By merging with them, we’ll have their entire fan base as well as yours.”
“Yeah, and y’all muthafuckas will have their problems, too.” Antwan shook his head at the two record executives. “Yo, maybe it wasn’t a good idea to bring shawty here tonight. I don’t want her involved with this shit. The smartest thing Sean ever did was keep her out of this bullshit. But luckily, Karen, I spoke with your lawyer who helped me revise your contract a little.”
Karen looked at Antwan. “Revise my contract a little? What do you mean? Let me look this contract over. I knew I couldn’t trust Michael.” Karen reached for the contract, but Antwan put his hand over it, making sure it stayed put, right in front of me.
“I made a few revisions that your boy, Sean, is gonna love, shawty.” Antwan grinned, braces gleaming.
It’s funny he mentioned Sean because, as soon as he mentioned Sean, Sean came strolling into VIP, looking pissed. Our eyes met, and once they did, Sean was making his way over to me. He got to the table, eyeing all four of us, before he locked stares with Antwan.
“Let’s go, Audrey,” Sean said to me, though he was looking at Antwan.
Before I could even respond, Ervin speaks up.
“So, Sean, this is the girlfriend you never told us about.” Ervin smirked. “You never told anyone you had a girlfriend, that y’all have known each other your whole life, that y’all have been dating off and on since junior high. How come we’ve never met this beautiful, talented young lady?”
Sean’s nostrils were flaring. “Nigga, I introduced her to y’all three years ago. Karen wanted Antwan to meet the girl who had his mother’s heart. Remember?”
I sighed, feeling Antwan’s eyes searching my face. He was probably trying to figure out why the hell I was trying to play him when he knew that he knew me from somewhere.
“Yeah, bruh, your mother’s death is the reason why Audrey’s still alive. The entire reason why she’s sitting here beside you. The entire reason why I’m taking the girl back home. The entire reason why she’s not working with you, nigga.” Sean snarled.
I looked up at Antwan, who still looked me over a little, before he frowned up at Sean.
“‘The girl’? We know she’s yours and you’re still not claiming her? If you care about ‘the girl’ so much, why the fuck is she here tonight? She didn’t even come here to audition; she came here to catch your ass with her sister. She came here to prove a point to your ass, nigga.”
Sean glared at Antwan as Antwan stood from the table, stepping out of the booth.
“And what point is that, nigga?” Sean snarled up at Antwan.
“That she doesn’t belong to your ass because you never claimed her, muthafucka. Don’t come in here, telling shawty what the fuck she’s not gonna do when you weren’t worried about what she was doing when you were out there doing what you were doing.” Antwan looked Sean in the face.
Ervin stood from the table, signaling security to make their way over to our booth.
Sean looked Antwan over like Antwan had him fucked-up. “Nigga, this the game you wanna play?”
“What game is that, Mr. Deejay?” Antwan laughed at Sean as if he were joking.
“You get in the way of me and Audrey if you want to, nigga, and you’ll see. This ain’t the life for her, homie. I didn’t want her having any parts of this shit. You gonna protect her from the bullshit we deal with every day, muthafucka? Nigga, you can’t even protect your got damn self!” Sean pushed Antwan in his chest.
Security made their way over, about to grab Sean, when Antwan signaled them that it was cool, that he had the situation under control.
“Nigga, when I thought you were going to work with A.J. Miller, turns out, you’re taking songs written for me to his artists. You all have no idea what type of ruthless muthafucka my father is, nigga. You don’t wanna involve your girl in this shit, nigga, when she’s already involved. You’re making a mistake by involving yourself with this nigga; you all are. When that nigga bleeds y’all dry, don’t come lookin’ for me. And as for Audrey—” Antwan looked down at me and then back at Sean. “Nah, bruh, Audrey stays here, with me.”
Sean frowned at Antwan and then looked at me as I stood from my seat, making my way out of the booth. I had to get a better look at Sean. I looked him over a little, eying the lipstick smudge on his neck, right above the collar of his shirt. I shook my head to myself before sliding the diamond bracelet from my wrist, grabbing his hand, and placing the bracelet in it.
“You should go check on your girl, Sean, see how her face is doing.” I whispered, just when Sean yanked me to him my forearm, squeezing my arm as tightly as he could.
I yel
ped as he yanked my body to his.
“Bitch!” he yelled when security pulled him up off me and damn near had to drag him out of the club. “Antwan, you touch her, you’re dead, nigga! Do you hear me? Fuck with her if you want to, muthafucka, and see what happens! Audrey, I’ll see you at home.”
My heart pounded in my chest. I’d never seen Sean that upset. He never cared about anything. He damn sure didn’t care about me once he got his taste of fame. I didn’t know why he was causing such a scene over a girl whose sister he was fuckin’ around with, in front of everyone, knowing it would eventually get back to me.
I looked at Antwan as I rubbed my forearm.
“Audrey, you don’t need to go home. He didn’t sound like he was playin’.” Karen tried to tell me. “He’s been drinking all night and—”
I laughed it off, looking over at Karen. “Karen, it’s cool.”
“I can send security with you.” Karen watched me laughing.
“Karen, nah, I’m good. I’ve known Sean all my life. I’m not scared of that fool. He’s just upset when he really has no right to be. As a matter-of-fact, hand me that contract.” I turned to the table as Karen gave the contract to me again.
“Well, apparently, I’m guessing the revisions that Antwan made to your contract include you working directly for him. Is that right, Jeweler?” Karen rolled her eyes over from me to Antwan.
I looked at Antwan.
Antwan grinned. “Got damn right.”
I sighed, watching him bite his lip.
“So, he’s your boss. You report directly to him. We’ll go over the rest of the paperwork tomorrow. Yes, we work weekends. Bright and early. Meet me in my office at 7:15 sharp.” Karen let me know, watching me grab the pen from the table and sign my name on the contract without even reading it over. “I know you’re the manager at Foot Locker and all, but that shit needs to take a backseat. Better yet, leave that shit at the curb and pull the fuck off.”
I held the signed contract in my hands, thinking about my boo, Mariah, who didn’t have anyone in her life who believed in her the way that I did. “Before I give this to y’all, I need to ask a favor.”
Karen nodded, looking at her husband and then back at me. “Sure.”
“See, there’s this dancer I know, my girl, Mariah—” I started off.
Ervin laughed out loud. “That girl who just tried to knock my dancer’s face off?”
I nodded, watching the couple shake their heads at me. “Yes, my best friend, the chick I grew up with. I’m asking you to let her audition for your dance crew. As a matter-of-fact, I want y’all to sign her. She’s brilliant. She’s a hell of a lot sexier than the hoes you have on your dance team now, my own sister included. No her, no me, simple as that.”
Karen grinned. “You drive a hard bargain, but I like it. I think we made the right move with this one. Okay, honey, you’ve got a deal. Welcome to Instinctive.” Karen held out her hand to shake mine.
“Yo, Lyric, hold up!” Antwan called out to me that night as I walked to my car.
I looked over my shoulder at him before turning around to face him in front of my black Dodge Challenger.
Antwan grinned, looking over my clean ride. He looked me over before looking in my face, the smile clearing from his face. And he cleared his throat. “So, why didn’t you tell me you knew me after I told your ass that you looked familiar?”
I shrugged.
“Don’t give me that shoulder shrug shit, Lyric. You knew we met before. And you weren’t gonna say shit.” Antwan’s eyes searched my face.
“Well, we didn’t exact meet. I was introduced to you; you didn’t even look up at me once you heard that I was the recipient of your mother’s heart. You kinda just brushed me off and went back to partying with your crew.” I watched Antwan exhale deeply. “You were pretty hurt. I guess you didn’t wanna meet the person who survived because of your mother’s death.”
“Is it true?” Antwan asked.
“Is what true?” I asked back.
“What they say about organ donor recipients. They say you take on the personality, thoughts, and memories of the person who gave you their organs. My mother gave you her heart; what else did she give you, Ma?” Antwan asked.
I shook my head, not wanting to tell this boy the nightmares that I had just about every night about what his mother endured. “Nightmares.”
“Nightmares? About what?” Antwan’s temples twitched a little.
I hesitated. “I don’t know yet. But she went through some shit, Antwan.”
Antwan shook his head at me. “Man, I had no idea that we were merging with A.J. Miller. That nigga is ruthless. I know you’re only doing this to get back at Sean, but be careful. I’ma look out for you though.”
I scoffed. “Look out for me? You need to be looking out for yourself, boo. I saw how those niggas were lookin’ at you tonight at the club.”
It was no secret that the Royals were always into it with their rival gang, Murk. These niggas didn’t play any games. They would murder niggas in broad daylight, in front of crowds of people. No mask, nothing but Russian street artillery. Baltimore was their stomping ground, and they didn’t appreciate the Royals, a smaller gang that originated out of a group of boys from Meade Village apartments, nvading their territory. Apollo was the leader of the Royals. He’d come a long way from being a poor kid on welfare. I didn’t know much about Apollo or Antwan before the surgery, but once I met Antwan face-to-face, it was as if memories of the boys growing up invaded my mind. Antwan was right; I told him that I didn’t know shit about him, but there I was, feeling like I’d known him forever. My heart beat stronger with every word that came out of Antwan’s mouth.
Antwan scoffed. “Them niggas ain’t gonna do shit. The Royals are a crew of very few, but trust me, there isn’t always strength in numbers. Anyway, let’s get back to what I was sayin’ about you. Why didn’t you tell me that you have my heart, I mean, my mother’s heart? I knew there was something about you.” Antwan watched me blushing a little. “And you’re right. I never knew my mother… but I wanted to. And since you have her heart, I have no choice but to try and protect it.”
I just looked up into his face, not really sure what to say except, “So, what makes Sean and the Blacks want to work with A.J. Miller?”
Antwan exhaled deeply, looking at me like he really didn’t feel like talking about it. “The Blacks are in debt like a muthafucka. Not payin’ muthafuckas and shit. Your nigga threatened to walk out, sign with A.J. Miller. I had no idea that they were merging companies. I guess Ervin thinks that A.J. can save ‘em. I’m trying to tell him; he has no idea the kind of shit that he’s about to have to do for this paper. A nigga is about to branch off on my own once my contract is up. This next album is about to be dope as fuck. I’m producing the majority of the album on my own, without ya nigga. And I have a production company in the works; you’re the first artist that I’m signing. I hope you read the fine print on that contract. You work for me, remember that when Karen tries to run that ‘you work for me and my husband’ shit on you, a’ight?”
I sighed, apparently having no idea what shit I’d gotten myself into. “I just wanna write, Antwan,” I admitted. “I don’t wanna be involved with any bullshit. I already have to figure out how I’m gonna tell my boss that I quit without notice. I don’t wanna leave on a bad note when they’ve done so much to help me. I mean, my boss, the area manager, Korey Phillips, pays my rent! He bought my car! Sean hasn’t done shit for me but break my heart. I don’t know how I’m gonna tell them.”
Antwan grinned. “Invite them to lunch tomorrow. Fuck what Karen is talkin’ about. Go to work. Do your inventory thang or whatever you do bright and early at your store. And then, meet me in time for song rehearsal around 11:00. A’ight? Invite your managers. And make sure that Mariah comes with you. Shit, fuck dancing—she can be your bodyguard!” Antwan acted like he was Mariah, throwing left and right hooks. “That girl can fuckin’ fight!”
I laughed out loud. “Yeah, Antwan, she’s my ride-and-fuck-em-up chick! I love her. I gotta take her with me. I’m all she has.”
Antwan smiled. “And she’s lucky to have you. Must be nice to have someone to depend on. Someone who keeps you outta trouble. The muthafuckas I roll with keep a nigga involved in some bullshit.”
I just looked at Antwan as he adjusted the hat on his head.
“You comin’ to the after party tonight?” Antwan asked me, eyes tracing my lips.
I shook my head. “Nah, I better get home.”
“Get home to that nigga who you just said back in that club ain’tcha nigga?” Antwan grinned.
I rolled my eyes, not really feeling like explaining to someone who I’d just met the extent of how much Sean meant to me. I was pissed at Sean for everything he’d taken me through over the years, but before he walked out of my life, I needed an explanation. I already knew Sean was going to go straight to my place and pack his shit. He had walked out before. I should have let him go, but I’d let him walk right back in when he got tired of running the streets. Only for him to turn around and do the same shit over and over again. Why he continued to hurt me, I had no idea. I just wished he’d love me.
“I just wish he loved me, Antwan.” I didn’t mean to say that out loud.
“Why would you settle for a muthafucka like him when you could easily have a nigga like me?” Antwan told me.
I looked up at him. “You don’t even know me.”
“I know all I need to know. All I’m saying is you need to save that heart for someone who cares about it.” Antwan shook his head, looking down at the contract that I held tightly in my hands. He looked back into my face, changing the subject. “My contact information is on the last page of the contract. Call me when you need me, Lyric.”
I drove home that night to find Sean sitting in the living room, leaned back on the sofa, smoke floating in the air. I sighed, closing the front door behind me. There were no bags packed as I expected. In fact, the nigga was in a white t-shirt and black sweats, making himself completely at home. At home on a Friday. It was raining outside and this nigga had my poor Steel sitting on the back porch.
The LyricsTo His Song Page 5
