Page 52

thirty-six

. . .

No Church played through the speakers of the club.

In front of Maximus, Eden was winding her hips against him subtly.

True to his protocol, his arm was draped over Eden’s left shoulder, taking in the vibe.

His mind recalled the nights he laid on the thin, worn, dirty mattress of the prison cell.

His legs dangling off the edge while letting his mind dance with possibilities.

He couldn’t sleep, so if imagining took him away from the hellhole he ended up in, he would.

Sold out arenas off rap. Millions off rap. Businesses, turning Trae Way into something more than the ghetto, off rap. What he didn’t take into account was that he’d be hoisted into the VIP section of the nightclub, in love and feeling like he could conquer the world.

As if she could feel a shift in him, she turned around, her arm held on to his waist. Looking up at him from behind the sunglasses, he purchased along with her outfit after their day on the boardwalk.

An outfit that she tried to buy along with his.

A smack of her hand and hips, along with a subtle nudge out of the way, led to Eden retracting her card and letting him have his way. For now.

“You good?”

Despite the music blasting and vibrating through their bodies, he heard her.

Maximus pulled in a deep breath and nodded. “I’m good.”

Eden smiled. “I’m proud of you.”

Maximus smiled, showing all of his teeth. “Don’t have me out here looking like a sucka.”

She mirrored him. If Maximus ever had to check his mood, he could look in front or to the side of him and find the outer expression of himself. Finding that in a woman, for him, was rare, and he’d hold on to her with his life.

“Nah, you look happy. You feel full. Enjoy this. It’s yours and it’s just the beginning.”

“You gon’ be right here to watch it, right?”

“You wouldn’t have it any other way,” Eden hummed, squeezing him and turning back around. “Drink, smoke, enjoy yourself. It’s your night, and they’re loving every song.”

As the night went on and the bottles flowed, Maximus took in everything.

So did his team. Staysha and Eden enjoyed the vibes from the club to an after-hours diner.

When Brody dropped Maximus and Eden off at her building, in a haze, they made it to her apartment.

Sexed on the balcony in the rain and passed out in the middle of the bed, half-dressed.

When noon floated through her blinds, he grunted bitterly. Slightly hungover, body aching from whatever they did to each hours before, and a headache reminded him of why he wasn’t much of a drinker.

Eden eased out of the bathroom, feeling the effects the same way he did. On her face was a blue clay mask, her hair was wrapped in a towel, and there were fuzzy socks on her feet.

“Eww, you look like me,” she hummed playfully. “Listen, I don’t know what kind of sex we had last night, but we shouldn’t do that shit again.”

Maximus grunted as he moved over, making space for her to lie by him and not travel around the bed. “I hurt you?”

“Wild enough to knock my period on, so there’s that. No fun for you.” Eden attempted to make a face underneath the tightening of her mask. “I hurt you, too. Your back is all scratched up.”

He received her and hummed. “I’ll be cool. I think my dick needs a minute to grow another layer of skin back or something. What the fuck did we do?”

“If I remember, I’ll tell you. My throat’s a little sore, so my bad.”

They shared a tired laugh before muttering in unison, “We’re not getting out the bed today.”

“And before you get to puffing your chest out, I’ve already ordered food and a gang of tea and honey for you, too.”

“What you get for you?” he grumbled. “What you need? Heating pad, snacks?”

“I have a heating pad, but it’s not that bad, I won’t get graphic.”

“E, I’ve literally splattered niggas brains and whatever else on concrete, knowing about your period isn’t going to kill me. If anything, you being in pain is going to hurt me,” he shared, rubbing her waist.

Eden laid there studying his face. “Are you going to let me give you a facial and braid your hair?”

“Yes, after you eat, after you sleep, after you feel better. Give me your leg.” Eden groaned begrudgingly as she lifted her leg and draped it over him. “Good, go to sleep, I’ll listen out for the door.”

He felt on top of the world last night with her in his arms; he felt steady, strong, reassured, and most importantly, grounded.

No source of anxiety penetrating his being.

No stomach pains, no tightening of his chest. No chain-smoking blunts to keep himself settled.

He was wrapped in her aura all day. Facials, hair braided, laid up watching reality tv and movies.

“Don’t answer it,” Maximus groaned, balanced between another nap and watching the movie.

“It’s Staysha.”

“I know, she’s been calling me all day. I’m not working today.”

Eden answered the phone at the tail end of Maximus’ grumbled sentence.

“Then I won’t tell your grumpy ass shit,” Staysha huffed. “Y’all been hungover and acting old all day. Wake up to hear this good news!”

Both Eden and Maximus popped their eyes open.

“Why is she so loud?” Eden questioned.

“She’s your sister.”

“You hired her for your brand,” Eden grumbled.

“Mm mm. That was Keon,” Maximus huffed. “Where is your nigga and why are you bothering us?”

“Nigga, I will hang this phone up,” Staysha threatened. “I just got off the phone with Daysha Gallalucci, so you can hear the news, or I can call her back and tell her you said nah.”

“Pipe yo’ ass down,” Maximus spoke. “What’s going on?”

“You, Trae Way MB, have been officially invited to grace the JoyCloud stage at Mic Check Hip Hop Awards.”

Eden jumped up off the couch and started leaping up and down. A screech of excitement exited her body. “Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!”

Maximus sat up in disbelief, holding Eden’s phone and rubbing his freshly-braided head underneath the bonnet. “Yo, you serious?”

“As I am pretty,” Staysha hummed. “Congratulations, MB, the world is watching.”

Eden plopped down beside him and hugged his neck, kissing his face. “Congratulations, baby.”

“You sure you read that shit right?” he continued to question.

“Boy, get off my phone. You have four weeks to prepare your set. We’ll go over it when you come up for air. Congratulations, we’re proud of you,” Staysha shared. “Eden, talk to your man.”

The call ended, and Eden held his face in her palms. “Maximus. Look at me.”

His eyes found hers.

“This is not the time you start doubting yourself and your ability. Those days are over. You are exactly where you’re supposed to be, doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing. You’re him. There’s no one better. Hear me?”

“Heard you,” he rumbled before cracking a smile. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. I’ll believe in you when you can’t do it for yourself.”

He grunted. “If you weren’t out of commission, girl.”

She swatted at him. “Boy, leave me alone, chubs still needs a break.”

Settling back on the couch, he laughed. “Don’t ever call it chubs again.”

Eden smirked, wrapping his arms back around her. “I’ll call it what I want. It’s mine.”

“Touché.”

“Figured you see it my way. Get another nap, we’re going to have a family dinner tonight to celebrate this news.

“That ain’t necessary.”

“It is and will always be necessary to celebrate your wins. Absolutely necessary.”

“That means we celebrating yours too.”

“I suppose so.”

“Know that shit. We win together, we lose together, we bounce back together. That’s on Trae Way.”

“Go to sleep before I find another use for my mouth.”

He laughed and held her tighter. “I love you, E.”

Her head popped up. “What’d you say?”

“You heard me. I love you. Going to keep loving you, too. This only gets better. We only get better. Together, separately, in business. All of that.”

“Max,” she softly hummed, stroking his beard and gazing down at him. “You serious?”

“Ain’t never been so sure.”

She bit her lip. “I’ve never had this before, and I like it. I don’t want it to be snatched away either.”

“Won’t happen.”

Eden lowered her face to his and gently placed a series of kisses to his tinted lips. “I love you, too.”

Eden was nestled between Maximus and Brody, Staysha and Keon sat across the table. Across the table were a row of sides, different cuts of meat, two bottles of champagne, and glass bottles of still water. Before the team could dig in, Maximus cleared his throat.

“Ay, before we get started, I just want to take a minute and thank you niggas and the ladies for seeing the vision. We ain’t at the top yet, nowhere close, but all the moments are worth celebrating; at least that’s what I've been told. Just know I got y’all like y’all got me.”

“Eden, what you do to this nigga. Got him all sentimental and shit?” Keon questioned with a silly smirk.

Brody blew. “That nigga gettin’ loved on. I can feel it. That shit beautiful, man.”

“I can’t understand how you’re so big but so soft,” Staysha replied. “Nigga, are you crying?”

Brody dabbed away fake tears and winked at Staysha. “I told you if you ever need a nigga to keep you warm at night you know where to find me.”

Keon cut his eyes from Eden to Brody. “Nigga, you ever got your meaty ass head turned the fuck around?”

Maximus shook his head and draped his arm over Eden’s shoulder. “Brody gon’ fuck around and go missin’. Keon got a thing for deserts and thick forests.”

Eden giggled. “Keon is not playing with him. Look how red he’s getting.”

“Nigga nostrils flared back like wings on a damn jet,” Maximus cracked back. “Fuck a crash out, he finna take off.”

“Nah, actually, ain’t no one ever been bold enough to do it,” Brody replied.

“I told you he was gon’ fuck yo ass up,” Staysha laughed.

“Fuck y’all do to these niggas? And where can I sign up?” Brody continued. “Y’all niggas all happy and shit. Except him. Keon look like he smack the hat off niggas’ heads just for thinkin’.”

Keon balled his mouth up trying not to laugh. “I can’t stand yo’ ass for real.”

“I might have someone for you,” Staysha shared.

“Who?” the table chimed.

Staysha smirked and looked at Eden. “Fatima.”

Eden, Maximus, and Keon looked at each other, then at Staysha. “Hell nah!”

“Why not?” Staysha asked. “Word on the Street posted Rudy out with some woman, it’s only a matter of time before she finally quits his ass.”

“So, you saw it and didn’t reach out to check on her?” Eden queried.

“Nah, I checked on her and she pretended like she knew, and she was okay with it, like she’s been doing. That nigga has been embarrassing her left and right.”

Maximus looked over Eden’s head at Brody. “Don’t you put your ass in the middle of that shit, nigga. Rudy might be small but his ass ain’t wrapped too fuckin’ tight.”

“Yeah, leave that shit alone. Rudy is an amazing DJ and producer, but the nigga is out of his fucking mind though. You get on my fuckin’ nerves but I don’t want to have to stomp a Lord Farquaad nigga out,” Keon added, making Brody pat his chest. “Cut it out.”

“I knew you loved me, nigga.” Brody’s grumble was accompanied with a wink and kiss blown in Keon’s direction.

“Fuck you, nigga” Keon muttered. “Leave me alone.”

While the group went back and forth in harmless banter, Eden found the blog Staysha mentioned and fell into a rabbit hole.