Page 60 of Love's Most Wanted

“Why? You all seem so close.” Her brows dipped.

“We are. We are.” I nodded, pondering. “You just make me feel comfortable, baby. Not that they don’t but although we brothers, we still men. Naturally niggas are tough in front of each other. This ain’t no tough nigga story to be telling. Lowkey, I shouldn’t have even toldyouthis shit…” I ran my hand down my face.

Grabbing my hand she said, “I still think you’re pretty tough. But there is more to being a man than being the tough guy. A real man can be vulnerable at times.”

The calm that had taken over me wasn’t new. Kabrina talking was like a soft lullaby or white noise for a nigga in the way it relaxed me. I could listen to her all fucking day and actually listen too.

Once that half an hour mark hit, Kabrina kicked my ass out. It didn’t matter that I told her I would be breaking shit off with both Aurora and Daisy. She explained until I did, she didn’t want me coming around or in her fucking space, and I had to respect it. Kind of like it. Sometimes you needed a woman who would check yo’ ass and that was KK.

The entire drive home, I tried to think of how I planned to do the shit. Did I want to break it off with them separately? Together? I wasn’t even fucking sure. I wanted to do it as soon as fucking possible, though, so I could focus solely on Kabrina. I shook my head at the thought with a titter—if Asif heard my fucking thoughts right now…

When I got home, I stepped out into the backyard to light one up since the ladies were asleep. I needed more thinking time, and it couldn’t have been more perfect that their asses weren’t awake.

But as I inhaled on the blunt for the third time, I heard the sliding door that led to the backyard open, causing me to shut my eyes in exhaustion. I prayed it wasn’t Daisy because she took a lot of my fucking energy.

After a while, I noticed no one had walked up, making me glance over my shoulder to see Aurora standing there just watching a nigga.

Before I could say a word, she asked, “You like her in the romantic way, don’t you?”

Clasping my hands carefully to avoid burning myself with the blunt, I simply nodded, then looked up from the ground to catch her eyes. Without saying a word, she ventured back inside of the house.

* * *

THE NEXT MORNING…

Walking into the conference room at the studio, I was a bit on edge. The last meeting we had was to inform everyone that I was being promoted, so I was confused as fuck as to what called for another meeting. Even worse, it was only the producers in the room this time and none of the other actors nor Tamira.

I started to run through my mind of all the things that could’ve gone wrong whilst reading their faces, but I got nothing.

“Unique, welcome.” The main producer, Stanton, stood and reached to shake my hand. The others followed suit before we all sat down.

“Everything aight?”

“Well, no.” Stanton huffed. “AJ has informed us, through his agent, of course, that he can no longer film with you.”

“He can’t film with me?” I chuckled humorlessly. “How the fuck is the show gon’ work if he can’t film with me? Especially with Ramonté out?” I felt my heart thundering in my fucking chest.

“Yeah, that’s the issue.” The co-producer, Nikki, folded her lips in, showing her distress.

This type of shit was how shows got canceled, and I still needed more fromDough Boyzbefore that shit could happen. If it got canceled now, I would have to work overtime to keep my name alive, and that would be difficult as fuck. The last thing I wanted to be was one of those up and comers who never quite got there.

“So for now, shooting is going to be pushed back until we can figure out how to shoot the season with you two being separate. Ramonté is gone, so the plan for season six was to have yours and AJ’s character kind of take over as a team. But don’t worry, Unique. Kiki and the writer’s room has already begun reworking things to make it work. It’s just we won’t resume filming when planned.”

“This shit won’t get canceled, right?” I quizzed.

“No, because we’ve already signed contracts with the network, but we can’t say we will be renewed for a seventh season if what we produce isn’t up to snuff.” Stanton shrugged.

This nigga shrugged. IfDough Boyzgot canceled, he’d go on to produce some other shit and be just fine. That was why the muthafucka was shrugging.

“Aight.” I stood. “Keep me and Audrey posted,” I said, referencing my agent.

“Will do.”

Leaving the conference room, I unintentionally balled and un-balled my fists in anger. I wanted to put hands and muthafuckin’ feet on AJ’s bitch ass. It was always that one pussy nigga to ruin shit, and it was usually always over females.

And that wasn’t to say Kabrina wasn’t worth it, but I’d never been the type of nigga to let women derail my money or career. If she didn’t wanna be with me, cool. But Unique Compton wasn’t going broke over nobody, especially not a woman that didn’t want my ass. That was insanity—real shit.

And AJ was doing this shit because of Kabrina.