16. Yolani

I'd heard Avery and Tilsa come in as I lay there talking with Cemone, so as I stepped from my bedroom, I stormed right to Avery's. Walking in without knocking, I watched as Tilsa hopped up like she was about to do something, holding a bag of frozen peas she'd been pressing to the swollen half of his face. Cemone had done a number on him, while the former only bore a single bloody nostril.

"You took Cemone to the club to set him up?" I asked, already infuriated. No matter what he said, unless the truth, I wouldn't believe his ass. I just knew Cemone wasn't lying and wouldn't tell me some shit like that unless he knew for sure.

Sitting up and wincing, letting me know his body was in pain, Avery replied dryly, "I did it for you, Lani."

"For me?" I laughed, unsure if this nigga had actually said that shit. "How is setting my boyfriend up to possibly cheat, for me? Please explain."

Exhaling heavily, like he hated to have to explain, he said, "I wanted to show you he wasn't shit. I knew telling you anything wouldn't work because you swinging from his balls at this point. But I figured if I took him down there and got proof that he hadn't changed, no matter what his ass been saying, you couldn't deny the shit."

"You didn't figure shit! That's why the fucking plan didn't work, Avery! You don't know shit about Cemone or our relationship, and if you had, you would've known your whole plan was going to fail!"

"It only failed 'cause we out here! Had I took that nigga out while we was at home in LA, he would've fucked around on you!" Avery hopped up, flinching some at the pain his abrupt movements had caused.

"Oh my gosh! You are so fucking stupid!" I roared.

"You are so ungrateful, Yolani! All the shit Avery does for you, even going so far as trying to protect you, and you have the nerve to come in here like this!" Tilsa screamed.

"Bitch, you better watch it. Right now, I'm ready and willing to catch an assault case," I warned her.

"No, I'm not gonna watch it! You're only acting out because you want my nigga, and he don't want you!"

"Tilsa." Avery tried to interject.

"Oh, is that right?" I chuckled and saw the panic in Avery's face when I glanced his way briefly before closing the space between Tilsa and me. "You really need to shut the fuck up because you have no idea what you're talking about, Tilsa. Trust me."

"I do!" She snatched from Avery, who tried to grab her arm and calm her down. "You mad because you think every nigga around you should want you, even a nigga raised as your brother, but he doesn't! He wants me!"

"Hmm, did he tell you he told me he was in love with me when we were teenagers?" I asked, cocking my head as her lips parted slightly in astonishment. "Oh, and he didn't come up with this plan just to help me; he did it after he walked in on Cemone and I about to fuck. That's what set his ass off." I had now focused my eyes on Avery, and by the way his nose flared on and off, I knew I was right.

"What the fuck is she talking about, Avery?" Tilsa looked his way, chest heaving from going off or as an early sign of a damn panic attack.

"You so damn stupid!" Avery barked at me. "How many niggas gotta play you before you catch the fuck on!" He jammed his pointer finger into his temple. "You let that nigga fuck knowing you probably ain't gon' even hear from his ass once we land at LAX! I don't fucking get it, Lani! You not special to him! He doing all this shit to get just what the fuck you gave him already! And I heard what he said about not wrapping that shit up! You trying to be his third baby mama too!" Avery ranted, damn near foaming at the mouth, and I let him, allowing Tilsa to see how invested he was, not me.

Her eyes glazed over as her mouth hung open long enough to allow flies to enter, watching her man pace and rant about what I did with my body and another nigga.

"Apologize for what you just said, nigga." Cemone's calm but deadly tenor rang out over the room despite him being so tranquil as he leaned in the doorway.

"What?" Avery frowned deeply, the left side of his face looking deformed as he did it.

"Apologize before I close ya right eye too. Only reason they ain't peeling me off you right now is because I'm trying to be respectful of her people, so thank 'em the next time you see 'em."

Silence hung in the air as Avery stood there, battered lips pursed tightly like he would jump over me and bite Cemone at any moment. Both Tilsa and I were on edge as Cemone kept his eyes on Avery, calmer than ever but at the same time looking fed up.

"I'm sorry, Lani. He right. I shouldn't have said all that to you. I just… I don't fucking know." He plopped down onto the bed, carefully rubbing his hands up and down his face.

"You still haven't answered me about?—"

"I'm done with you, Avery, for good. Personally and professionally." I sighed.

His head flew up as he stared into my eyes.

"Yolani—"

"Tone, muthafucka," Cemone commanded.

"Yolani," Avery calmed down, "don't do this. I apologize. I went too far. I did but I only want what's best for you, baby girl."

"I meant what I said." I turned to leave, and Cemone trailed me as I listened to Tilsa slam the bedroom door and continue to interrogate Avery about my previous statement.

As Cemone sat on my bed, I began pacing, making him stop me, then tug me to stand between his legs in the semi-dark bedroom.

"What I tell you?"

"I know. I just… Before you, he never showed signs of having any romantic feelings for me. He always stayed out of my personal life, only making occasional comments that any brother would. But he has never been so vocal, involved, and bothered," I said, looking off out the window that showed a glimpse of the vast backyard.

"That's because before, he never saw no real shit, but us… he see it, and he scared. He scared of losing you and his chance, forever, but what he gon' fuck around and do is lose his life. He think he don't play ‘bout you; he ‘bout to learn who really fucking don't."

I simply nodded, knowing already how serious Cemone was. I also recognized how bad shit could go if Avery didn't just go on about his way. That would be difficult, considering he wasn't just my former booking agent. He was my god brother, and my parents weren't just going to disown him and write him off because he and I weren't cool anymore. By saying that, Avery would always be in my life, sadly.

Cemone and I chilled for a second before our chill session naturally turned into sex. We then took our night shower together, brushed our teeth, and shared an insurmountable amount of kisses before he left to his bedroom to sleep.

I was about to doze off after lying there thinking for ten minutes straight about tonight's events, but remembered I'd told Cemone I wanted to come with him in the morning. I didn't like waking up and him being gone. I wanted to have every opportunity to be with him.

Reaching onto my nightstand, I felt around for my phone in order to set my alarm but realized I'd left it in the bathroom since we listened to music while we showered. Creeping out of my bed since the floors here were quite creaky, I padded to the bathroom to get it. I noticed on the way that Cemone's door was ajar, which was odd because everyone here, including him, slept with it closed. It was only cracked a very tiny bit, so he probably thought he shut it, but it hadn't quite latched.

As I went to close it, I noticed movement, so I swung it open to find Tilsa about to get into his bed.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I charged her, startling Cemone awake and making Tilsa scramble to her feet.

"Avery!" She called and tried to run around me, but I gripped her hair at the scalp, making her fall on her ass. "Avery!" She yelped as I began dragging her from the bedroom, through the living room, and down the concrete steps into the grassy yard.

She hurried to her feet as if that would help her, while wailing about the pain she was enduring.

"Bitch, you been begging for it, so let's go." I hit her dead in the nose, making her head fly back.

In my peripheral, I saw people filing out of my grandparents' house, but I stayed focused on this stupid bitch.

"My nose!" She grabbed a handful of my hair and swung, so I proceeded to pound her head in.

She kept swinging but couldn't land a hit because she wouldn't face me, so next thing I knew, I had her against the car, raining blows on her face as she tried to block them.

She escaped me, running, but tripped, so I grabbed her hair and proceeded to hammer her face repeatedly, not caring about the wetness I began to feel. I knew it was her blood. And no matter how much she writhed and twisted to get her hair from my grip, I wore her face out with back-to-back punches until I saw my feet hovering the ground.

I could smell Cemone as he chuckled, saying, "That's enough, Mayweather."

Tilsa was sobbing as she sat in the grass, hair all over her head, some sticking to her face because of how much I had her leaking.

"Don't cry now, bitch! You been asking for it!" I gripped the door's threshold to keep Cemone from taking me into the house as more neighbors began to come outside to see what was happening.

"What in God's name?" my grandma asked, wearing a baffled expression.

"Aye, let me help you!" Avery snapped at Tilsa when she tried to stop him from assisting her in standing. "Fuck is all this for, Lani!" He yelled to me as he stood outside with my family, while Cemone and I stood in the living room.

"She tried to fuck my nigga!" I started to run back, but before I could even make a bit of progress, Cemone grabbed me again.

I hated how strong he was and how easily he kept me pinned to him without so much as a flinch as I twirled and moved to get loose.

"No! He been flirting with me since I got here! I was mad at this nigga, so I said why not! Like Avery said, he got what he wanted from you, now move out the fucking way!" Tilsa hollered.

"I wouldn't fuck you even if you did have yo' side teeth, bitch," Cemone spat, and though the moment was tense, everyone outside, including my mama and grandparents laughed.

"Cemone, let me go," I spoke through gritted teeth, still pissed and ready to give her some more.

"Nah, baby, you gon' kill her. Look at her." He turned around and carried me to the bedroom against my will. "You staying in here with me." He locked the door, then approached me to inspect my face. "Damn, killa, I don't see shit."

I tried not to, but I snickered lightly as I looked up into his pretty eyes. That warm pecan skin, beautiful smile, beard, and staggering height always did it for me. I just loved having such a big boyfriend.

"I can't believe her stupid ass." I flopped down onto the bed.

"Who knew pretty ass Yolani had hands like that." He laughed. "I was so shocked when I walked out there to see you beating her ass I couldn't even say shit."

"Oddly enough, people used to try to make fun of me for singing because I would do competitions and YouTube, and kids are mean. So, a few times, I had to fight and then just perfected my craft over the years. I haven't had to fight since I've been this famous, so it felt good."

"That's funny." He lay down and made me get under the covers with him. "Kids make fun of you for anything for real."

"Right? I used to be so bothered by it, and now I look back, wondering why."

We were face to face, lying on the pillows.

He kissed me. "You ain't believe the shit was she saying, right?"

"No, I didn't. Not even a little bit. Plus, you weren't even awake when she was creeping in your bed." As he stared at me, I continued, "She's not even your type. She's ugly. Your baby mamas may be thirsty and liars, but they're not ugly."

He chuckled but then let it fade before saying, "Even if she was my exact type, though, that shit wouldn't be true."

"I know." Our lips gravitated toward one another's, and once our tongues tangled, he reached under my night dress for the band of my panties. "I'm wore out." I giggled.

I didn't get how I could be sore and still be so turned on. As his hands graced my skin, I felt the area between my legs dampen some.

Tossing the covers back, he lifted my dress and continued peeling my panties down as he sucked and bit my bare hip.

"I'm obsessed with you. I told you that shit."

"Clearly, because you're Mr. One-Night Stand." I smiled, enjoying the sensation his lips brought me.

"Let me have some fun then." He kissed downward, turning me onto my back as he threw my panties to the floor and put my thighs on his shoulders.

I loved the way Cemone ate pussy. It was nasty, and he wasn't afraid to get in there. No matter how much I wet his mouth, he got it in.

"Clit is perfect." He sucked on it, making me arch my back and coo.

And for the next half hour, Cemone licked and sucked me into oblivion, leaving my legs trembling so that I couldn't get up to clean myself. He had to do it for me along with changing the sheets.

" G rab your apron." My grandmother got ready to put me on duty.

"I thought you and Mama were cooking, and I was off the hook."

"April conveniently isn't feeling well," she replied, making me suck my teeth and chuckle.

"Conveniently is right." I came and stood next to her to assist in shaping her home-made biscuits.

"So when is the wedding?"

"To whom?" I wouldn't look at her, but I couldn't help the smile on my face.

"To Cemone." I could feel her glance my way. She had a sparkle in her eye, which meant she approved. "I like him, in case you were wondering. I know a lot of people don't, but I hope you focus on how you feel and what you think."

"Of course, Ma." I nodded, placing the shape onto the greased baking sheet. "I like him too. Love him. He makes me feel all girly."

We laughed.

"I know what you mean. That's good. It means he makes it easy for you to bask in your feminine energy. A man that makes you feel like a man isn't a man at all."

"Very true." My mother floated into the kitchen. "You're not used to it, so it probably seems weird." She tied an apron on. "I felt bad about abandoning the cooking ship." She answered our question as to why she was even in the kitchen when she was supposedly sick.

"Good," my grandmother replied, pointing to the pot of water on the stove. "But your mother is right, Lani. Because those other men, though I hadn't had the chance to meet them, weren't bright enough to shine next to you."

I nodded, focusing on the biscuits.

With my exes, things were always off, but I didn't know why until I met Cemone. I never had a man take care of me in that way or feel the need to protect me, because they were always threatened by my career and who I was. I was this big superstar and, therefore, didn't need taking care of. I was always too rich, too famous, too pretty, and my exes were too focused on being jealous and feeling emasculated. It was like some niggas needed you to be broke, desolate, or in need to be a man to you.

Not Cemone though. He didn't give a damn how powerful my name was. He handled me with care as he would have a normal woman.

Once the food was done, I made a plate for Cemone and myself, then carried it outside to the back where he was putting together Yailey's shed.

"She is gonna be so happy." I smiled, seeing he'd already painted some pieces a bright pink just like she wanted.

"I hope so." He smirked, spotting the plate.

"I can't wait to tell everybody the NBA legend Cemone Compton fixed my back and front porch steps, my shed, and built a shed for my grand baby." My grandpa beamed, patting Cemone on the back before heading to the sliding doors.

We laughed at his comment as he went inside to eat with everyone else.

As I set our plates on the table, Cemone washed his hands at the large farmhouse sink outside, then came to sit down.

"Granny went all out for you." I pointed to the plate.

"I see. Shit look good too." He kept his eyes on it as he took his silverware from the napkin.

We dug into our food, the tastiness of it causing us to be silent for a little bit.

"How is it?" I asked.

"You know it's good. You too far though." He turned his chair some, so I got up with my plate and went to sit in his lap.

"I never thought I would settle down and be all domestic, but you make me want to," I half joked, biting a piece of bacon as I stared down into his beautiful face.

"That's because you recognize you in the presence of yo' husband." He put his glass of juice to his face. "I honestly never had a woman I gave a fuck about protecting that wasn't related to me like my moms, sister, and sisters-in-law. I mean, I ain't gon' stand by while a nigga slaps his bitch around, but I would never go out of my fucking way to make a woman feel safe, not until you.

"Ain't nothing gon' ever bother you or touch you while I'm on this muthafuckin' planet, Yolani. I'll go out guns blazing before I let even a hair of yours be out of place."

Our lips gravitated to one another's, like always.

"I like being special." I smiled.

"Well, you are. In every fucking way." He eyed me up and down. "I love you, girl."

"I love you too."

FEW DAYS LATER…

"Sandcastle Disco" by Solange flooded the backyard as my grandfather worked the grill while everyone else enjoyed the pool and jacuzzi. It was hot as hell, though, so the jacuzzi was only filled with my grandma who was sipping some fruity alcoholic drink she'd concocted herself.

I carried the buns for the burgers and hot dogs toward my grandfather, catching a glimpse of Cemone in the pool with Yailey and his kids, Callen and Blakely. They were so adorable, but as I watched them, I wondered who they favored. They bore Cemone's almond complexion, but that was about it.

Shaking the thoughts from my mind, I delivered the buns to my grateful grandpa, then made my way to the pool to join the festivities.

Jumping in, I spent a good half an hour playing with the babies who were so smart and sweet. They weren't standoffish like some babies could be when meeting new people, and Yailey was obsessed with Callen, who was a teeny bit nicer than his sister on certain occasions. Us women always had a little bit more attitude as children though.

"Okay, I'm about to lay out and dry." I kissed Cemone then started to leave the pool.

"I like what I see, Mrs. Compton," Cemone called behind me, making me simper over my shoulder at him.

I hated to be one of those bitches, but I loved when he called me that. A wise woman once said, only men who saw you in their future spoke in the future.

Lying back on the lawn chair, I chuckled, seeing Yailey and the babies attack Cemone in the pool. It was nice seeing him this way, and I wished everyone else could too. He wasn't the man the world thought he was… Well, he was a little, but not all the way. He was just a passionate man. Or it could've been that I was making excuses because I loved him.

"I like him for you, but do not tell Darrell." My mother laid a towel down and lay on it in her blue one-piece.

I giggled.

"Shouldn't you be allowed to have your own opinion, or is that not proper when you get married?" I looked her way.

"No, it is allowed, but to keep peace in the home, sometimes you have to pick your battles." She watched Yailey and him for a minute. "Men are like children sometimes, Lani. You'll learn. It takes the right woman not to get them on track, but to make them want to get themselves on the right track. I think you were that woman for him because while here with him, I don't see what your father or everyone else has been saying about him. I mean sure, he can get a little crazy, but at least he had good reason, in my opinion."

"He did." I watched him in the pool some more.

"Women are such warriors you know, and it takes the right man to come in, remove that armor, and wear it for us. That's what he did for you. I see how calm you are and how you physically relax just from him being in the room."

"It's true. I won't deny it." I half smiled.

"Now, you need to make up with your brother."

"God brother and no. What he did was messed up. I can't just forgive that so easily. He promised me he would try to get along with Cemone, just to do the opposite."

"While I understand that, Lani, he meant well. He was trying to help and didn't want you becoming wrapped up in a man that meant you no good. Had Cemone actually fell for the plan, would you have been thankful then?"

I thought for a second, shaking my head.

"No, because I don't need him to do that." I scoffed. "How would that have helped me? Exposing Cemone for being a cheater while he is staying with my family and after… just yeah, it would've been a horrible time for me to find something like that out. So no, I wouldn't have been thankful. I have never had to go looking in the past.

"When a man was doing dirt, it always fell into my lap. God got me. I don't need plans, ploys, and schemes." Shaking my head more, I added, "The fact that he didn't even care about the type of pain that would've brought me while I'm out here on vacation and when the man is visiting my family, is why I can't forgive."

"Yeah, that wasn't good timing, I agree. Still, his intentions were pure."

"Mama, I appreciate this, but there are things you don't know, and I can promise you, the intention behind Avery's actions were not pure."

I felt her watching me, brows kissing, but before she could pry further, Cemone got out of the pool, rushing toward me. I couldn't get up fast enough before he scooped me up and plunged us both into the pool.

The backyard festivities continued, and it was a lot of fun since Avery and Tilsa decided to do their own thing instead of attending. Afterwards, everyone showered, and I helped Cemone bathe his kids before he let Yailey read them to sleep.

We then left them to rest and went to the roof for a little bit, enjoying the fact that it was warm at night, something that didn't happen back home in LA.

As I lay back on the blanket, Cemone lay between my legs, his chin pressed to my stomach.

"You get prettier every time I see yo' ass."

"Lies."

"I swear." He kept a serious face, pretty eyes drinking me in.

"Are those eyes dominant in your family?" I questioned.

"Mm, I guess so, yeah. Me and my brother's got them from our mother's father. My mama don't have these eyes though."

"Hmm, so it can skip the kids I see."

"Yeah, that's why I said I guess." He pressed a soft peck to the exposed portion of my stomach. "Why? Wanna make sure our kids got 'em?"

"Yep," I lied, running my hands over his soft, low-cut hair.

Truthfully, I was wondering since his children didn't have them. But maybe his nieces and nephews didn't either. I didn't want to ask too many questions because I didn't want to come off as that girl, especially because I wasn't that type. And I was sure if Cemone had claimed them as his kids, it was because paternity tests had been done through the courts, which was as official as you could get.

"Probably will. All my nieces and nephews have 'em. My stepdad got 'em, too, but that's just a coincidence and shit."

I tensed a bit but changed the subject because, at the end of the day, the eye color meant nothing. His own mother didn't have his eyes and his stepfather did, proving just that.

"You're such a good daddy. I can't wait until we have one."

In the past, I was never interested in men with kids, but I always said if I did get with one, he had to be the type that could keep his baby mama in check. That was surely Cemone because after he'd put Solene in her place for posting me, she'd been on her best behavior. I had her ass blocked, but that didn't stop me from being tagged whenever the blogs posted her and her antics, and there had been none.

I assumed Cemone put the fear of God in her ass because she hadn't been posting about him like she usually did either.

"I never thought the man who would treat me the best would be you."

"Damn." He chuckled sexily.

"Not like that. Just never saw a rich, famous, womanizing, professional one-night stander, and asshole being the best man I've ever experienced. This is crazy."

We chortled in unison.

"When you put it like that, hell yeah." He laid his head on my stomach, and I inhaled his cologne. "I never thought a little pretty, feisty singer that I only planned to smash would turn a nigga every which way but loose and have me out here on some Jodeci shit."

Laughter erupted from us both as he got up to come kiss me.

"I want you to know no matter what people say or think, you're a wonderful man, Cemone."

No more words were exchanged as we proceeded to make love right there on the roof. So much for not fucking in my family's home. Cemone and I had done things just about everywhere around this damn house.