Page 9 of Intentional Foul (The Complexity of Love #2)

Moe was right, as my life was my music. Our kisses flooded my thoughts as my heart fluttered with excitement.

I allowed myself to feel the things that should be forbidden.

This entire situation was fucked up but’s all I had.

No man had ever kissed me with that level of passion, including my cheating ass ex.

Moe moved through the beats until the sound of guitar caught my attention.

I paused him with my hand, and he restarted the track.

The words moved through my body as if they were the blood pumping through my veins.

My heart opened and I released the words into the mic.

Lying in bed at my hotel, I kept the drapes open, taking in the view of downtown Kansas City. I dipped my spoon into my vanilla ice cream and rocked my head from side to side to the music.

Your heart may be in it, but our love is forbidden, played through my headphones.

We finished the first track on my album today.

Moe and I were in the groove, connected on the same level we were for “A Timeless Love Can Wait.” I remember us stealing studio time.

We pieced together the tracks, believing my debut album would change our lives.

Little did we know, our love for music and manifestation would take us places.

I listened to this track twice before I texted Moe.

Me

Moe, this is a banger.

Moe

I knew it. We were in the zone.

Me

Yeah, I’ma be here for a while.

Moe

Cool. KC wants a feature.

My eyes widened at the name. KC was the biggest rapper in the Midwest and pushing into other markets. He’s the most requested for features and remixes. Kansas City went hard for him, and being in his city, I had to show love.

Me

Hell yeah.

Moe

Aight he gon’ come through tomorrow.

I pulled in half of my bottom lip, thinking about KC’s fine ass.

His dark chocolate skin, gold teeth, and fade had the girls screaming, and I was one of them.

As fine as he was, he came with crazy women and kids, something I wanted no parts of.

Hovering my hand over the replay button of “Forbidden,” another text came through and I stared at the phone as if it was going to hop out of my hand.

Malcolm

Jhae

Malcolm

Where are you?

Malcolm

Avoiding me isn’t going to stop me from loving you.

Starve him out , I thought to myself.

Marquise

Jhae. Malcolm is approaching a crash out.

I chuckled at the text, but I didn’t respond. I’ve seen them use each other’s phones, responding to text messages.

Marquise

What I do? I can’t get a response?

I covered my mouth, wondering if this was Marquise, he probably had his arms folded. A FaceTime call came through with Marquise’s name, but I silenced it. If I could trust it, I would’ve answered. Someone needed to get through to Malcolm, leaving me calling in the big gun.

Me

Are you awake?

It took five minutes, but the three bubbles appeared.

Bestie

I’m always awake. What’s going on?

Me

I think the boys are butt dialing me or something. Can you check on them?

Bestie

Okay.

I tossed the phone next to me and flipped through the channels. Once they heard Anissa’s voice, it should shut down activity for tonight. Not even five minutes later, my phone flashed.

Bestie

Everybody is okay, but Malcolm is upset about his Music Note.

My body tensed at the name. I tossed my head backward, allowing my eyes to focus on the inlay of the ceiling above. The vibration of my hand grabbed my attention.

Malcolm

I’m a grown man. Telling Mommy changes nothing. Jhae, stop playing with me.

Marquise

Damn, Jhae, you called Mrs. Shaw -Jefferies? I swear I love this shit.

I powered down my phone to finish off my ice cream as I pondered Moe’s words.

Malcolm needed to be stopped, but I didn’t know how.

Anissa was the only weapon I had, and she’s proven not to hold much weight.

I’ll keep running until it’s basketball season again.

By then, I might even be on tour. Separation was the answer, at least I hope it was.

“KC, it’s me and you,” I sang into the mic in a low and soft voice.

Moe and KC slapped their hands. I smiled as Moe replayed the track in my ears. The partnership of his raspy voice and my soft tone spelled magic. Removing the headphones from my ears, I exited the booth.

“Jhae, I can’t wait to drop this. Your pipes are serious,” KC praised, and I blushed.

Moe replayed the track again, and we bounced to the beat, rehearsing our parts.

“This one gon’ be hot,” Moe said.

“I told you nobody could lay the verse but Jhae,” KC said, reaching for my hand.

The Kansas City rapper had been flirting with me from go. He found some small way to touch my hand or arm.

“I need some food,” KC said. “You down for some BBQ?” he asked me.

With those brown eyes, muscular build, and gold teething shining, I could always use some food.

“I’m down,” I said.

Moe stood and slapped hands with KC. “I’ll send the track over. Jhae, tomorrow?” Moe said and I shook my head yes.

I followed KC out to his black two door old school, and he opened the door for me. Resting in the passenger side, he climbed in and switched on the ignition. The pipes hummed as he revved it, and I bit down on my bottom lip. KC’s eyes scanned my body, and he winked before pulling off.

We pulled into what KC named the best BBQ in the Midwest, Char and Barrel.

Stepping inside the crowded restaurant, I cuffed my arm in his as we followed the hostess.

People turned in their seats, whispered, and angled their phones in our direction.

Char and Barrel held a nice vibe with its caramel leather seats, wooden tables, and low recess lights.

We landed at our table and KC, being a gentleman, encouraged me to sit in the booth.

Before he could walk to the opposite side, I seized his hand, pulling him to me, and he smiled.

Before we ordered food, he wrapped his arm around me.

The cameras flashed, doing exactly what I needed them to do.

Later tonight, the pictures of us should be viral.

“Damn L.A. gon’ lose this one. I rock with the twins,” KC said as the waitress placed the menus in front of us and I shrugged.

If this doesn’t get Malcolm to back off, I don’t know what will.

Malcolm

The media team ushered us away from the table after the press conference ended.

Thankfully, Marquise overcompensated, pulling the attention to him because my mind was on Jhae.

I couldn’t get a shot to go inside a swimming pool tonight.

For the first time, I used Jhae’s spare key and combed through her condo to find it empty last night.

She wouldn’t respond to my phone calls or text messages. Marquise couldn’t get her to respond, either. When Mom called, accusing me of butt dialing Jhae, I gritted my teeth. She continued to use my mother to tame me, and it pissed me off.

Climbing in the back seat, I made a mental note to stop by Jhae’s condo. If she wasn’t there, I would have Ivey track her phone.

“Aw shit. I found Jhae,” Marquise said.

He turned his phone in my direction, showing a picture of my wife walking into Char and Barrel with KC, the rapper. I confiscated the phone from Marquise’s hand and scrolled through the comments.

Jhae you are cool but KC belongs to me.

I see y’all. Album gon’ be fire.

KC, you got to nail down Jhae’s fine ass.

“Pack your shit. We going to Kansas City,” I said.

“Why I got to go?” Marquise asked as I tossed him back his phone.

I glowered in his direction, and he chuckled. “Alright, I heard those Midwest women are thick, anyway. I’m sure Jhae is going to be happy to see us,” he teased.

Finding my own phone, I called my favorite hacker, Ivey.

“Yes, Malcolm,” she said.

“Baby sis, I need the package,” I said.

Ivey snickered on the phone. “Already on it. You should have it in one minute,” she said.

My phone pinged with my info. “Use my card and buy whatever you want,” I said.

“I do that anyway. She is staying at The Lounge in downtown Kansas City, suite 504. Your room is booked. Tell Sis-in-law I said hi,” Ivey teased.

After hanging up, I received my room confirmation email and a credit card notification. Ivey purchased herself a new pair of shades from Parker PK.

“Kansas City, we on the way,” Marquise said.

I tapped on Jhae’s hotel room door, holding three dozen yellow roses. I loved that she didn’t prefer the traditional red roses.

“Coming,” she announced, confirming she was in her room without checking the peephole first. I counted to five before I said anything.

“Jhae, open the door. You messed up when you answered,” I said.

When she didn’t say anything, I tapped on the door again. “If KC is in the room with you, I’m going to beat his ass,” I said.

Jhae remained quiet, and I chuckled.

“I’m going to get louder, Jhae,” I threatened.

The door opened to my woman on the phone in a pink fluffy bathrobe. I roamed her body with my eyes, smiling at the sight.

“Hey, Anissa. How are things in L.A.?” she said with a tightened face.

I extended the roses in her direction, but she slapped them away.

“How did the twins take the loss?” Jhae said.

Stepping inside, I removed the phone from Jhae’s hand, and her eyes ballooned. She allowed the hotel room door to slam. I needed to show her that the mommy threat didn’t work on me.

“Hey, Mom,” I said.

Jhae’s entire body froze as fear flashed in her eyes. I noticed her hand trembling the longer I held the phone.

“Malcolm, how did you get on the line?” Mom asked.

I squinted in Jhae’s direction, communicating with my eyes. Either she gets on board or I was going to spill everything. I passed her the roses again, and she reluctantly accepted them this time around.

“Jhae must have patched me in by mistake. Where is Khaira?”

“Taking her morning nap.”