29. Yolani

"Hey, sweetheart." My father smiled as I stepped down into the den, carefully moving Yailey's head from laying in his lap.

"Hi." I walked and sat down on the couch adjacent to him. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Of course." He gave me a soft smile. "Is everything good with married life? And this break you've been on." I could hear the slight disdain in his voice.

"It's great, but I need you to make an effort to get to know my husband."

"Lani—"

"I love him, and we are gonna be married for the rest of my life. And I will not go the rest of my life with you two being at odds. Honestly, though, it's just you. He's doing what he can to include you and get along with you, but nothing is good enough it seems, and we have to change that today."

"I understand that, baby, but I don't want you with a man who has his reputation and one that causes you to lose important people in your life."

"Important people like who? Avery?" I frowned.

"Yes. I know he isn't your brother in the literal sense, but he is your brother. He's my godson, and I signed up to raise and protect him as my own when he was born to my best friend. Therefore, as my daughter, you are his sister. Avery loves you and has had your back since you were a teen, so for you to discard him over Cemone doesn't sit right with me." He shook his head.

Exhaling because I didn't want to tell my dad everything, I replied, "Daddy, when Avery and I were younger, eighteen and sixteen respectively, he told me he was in love with me. When we went out of town for that video equipment, that was when he admitted it."

Face bunched up out of confusion, betrayal, and anger, he said, "Why are you just now telling me this?"

"Because I was young and stupid at the time and figured it didn't mean anything. Even as I got older, because he never acted on it or mentioned it again, I figured things were okay, and it was just a passing crush he had from being around me all the time."

"But Lani?—"

"Also," I cut him off, "he'd helped me with something, and I feared that if I told you what he said, he might tell you what he helped me with."

"Which was?"

I felt like I could see my dad's heart beating out of his chest as his breathing became slightly labored.

"That pregnancy story that came out recently, it wasn't a rumor, Daddy."

"Yolani."

"I know. It was an accident. Brandon and I used an expired condom, and back then, I didn't know that would make a difference. But it did, and Avery was the only person I knew who would help me and had the means to pay for the termination."

"Oh my God." My father ran his hands down his face in exasperation.

"Avery is also the one who told the whole world about it. He was the source the article kept referring to."

"I could kick his stupid ass." My father shook his head, mouth twisting in anger as he pondered on the situation. "While I don't approve of what Avery did and understand your cutting him off, Cemone still is not the man I want for you."

"What kind of man do you want me with?"

"Someone who respects you, takes care of you, supports you, is faithful, respects relationships, family, and makes you happy."

"That's him," I said, and my father scoffed with a subtle chuckle as if I was a fool for saying such a thing. "He's only about me, Dad. Ever since things got serious between us, way before intimacy was involved, he has only been about me. He respects me, you know he protects me because most of his altercations as of late have been because of me, and you know he makes me happy.

"I have never had a man who felt the need to spoil me, buy me flowers or gifts, fly me out, and take me to nice restaurants just because and not because it was my birthday or due to cameras being around to capture it. I have never had a man who hasn't tried to diminish my light and tell me I will never have a long-lasting relationship unless I quit music. I have never had a man who wasn't jealous of my success and therefore felt the need to cheat or put his hands on me to bring me down a peg. Cemone is the first.

"He legit treats me like a queen, as cliche as that sounds. It's true though. I don't worry when he has to be away from me, thinking he is with someone else or messing around. Do you know how comforting it is to have a man that no woman can rattle you about? No woman could ever tell me anything about being with Cemone and I believe it. That is something money can't buy."

My father watched me, regarding me as if trying to see if what I was saying was true. When he eventually nodded sullenly, I knew he understood.

"I get it."

"So can you just try? Come be around us at the least. Nothing formal or stuffy like dinner. Just be around and see for yourself. Actually, have a conversation with him. You like Prime. That man raised him. You don't think they're similar at all?"

"They are." My mother entered the room, arms folded as she leaned in the doorway. "Listen to her, Darrell. I told you I saw them in Mississippi, and everything she's telling you is true. And you know full well I would never get behind Yolani being with the man you think Cemone is."

"Okay. I will. Because again, I don't want to be the one holding things up. I would prefer to be close with your husband anyway, instead of being at odds." He gave me a closed mouth smile.

"Good, because we're having a baby soon."

"Oh my gosh!" My mother shrieked so loudly it made Yailey stir as she rushed over to hug me tightly.

"Baby girl." My dad got up to come do the same. I could tell this was bittersweet for him. He looked elated about having a grandchild but bothered by its father. "That nigga didn't waste no time I see. But I can't wait." He embraced me again then kissed my temple. "But um?—"

"A baby, huh?" Avery limped into the den, kissing my mom's cheek on the way. She was too floored to respond right away, eventually giving him a delayed greeting.

Avery and I made elongated eye contact before he went to sit down. His eye was messed up, and it looked painful, so whatever type of punch Cemone hit him with, he shouldn't want another one.

"That's what I was gonna say. When you told me you were coming, sweetheart, I invited Avery, hoping you two could talk it out."

"Daddy, what the?—"

"That was before you told me what you just told me." He bowed his head to me, wanting me to understand, so I just nodded.

"Told you what?" Avery asked. He looked like his whole body was in pain.

"Nothing, nigga." I stood up. "Just know you're being looked for." I started out of the den, but I could feel him following me. His same cologne that'd he worn for years was a clear indicator as well.

"Yolani, hear me out one last time."

"No." I kept walking through the foyer. "Wait, tell me all my exes are lying about you." I flipped around, wanting to fuck up his other eye.

"They not." He sunk his hands down into his jeans, trying to appear somber. "Part of that is because yeah, I loved you and wanted you for myself. Other part is, I knew them niggas weren't about shit, hence why they fell right into the trap."

"Yep, they all did, but the one who matters most isn't and didn't."

"Like I said, had we been here," he pointed down, meaning Los Angeles, "he would have. He not as dumb as Tilsa, acting up while visiting yo' significant other's family."

"You are sick for real. You are too fucking invested. We were raised as siblings."

"Why you mad when I helped you out? Had I not put them niggas in the pressure cooker, you would've never known they was cheating on you!" He laughed maniacally.

"You don't get it! You had me thinking for years that something was wrong with me because all of these niggas were going out the fucking same!" I yelled. "Yes, a real man wouldn't have fallen for the shit, like Cemone didn't, but still. You were supposed to be on my side, my brother, not contributing to my depleted self-esteem all because you were pining after me. That is some psycho shit, and I can't ever fuck with you because of it!" I snapped.

"Get out, Avery." My father's voice echoed off the large foyer walls.

"Darrell—"

"I said get out, nigga."

Avery stared at us all for a moment before swaggering out, pausing at the door to say, "Tell yo' nigga to catch me if he can or better yet before I catch him ." He slammed the door.

I thought of texting Cemone or calling him, but if shit hit the fan, I didn't want them finding the trail back to my phone. So I kissed my parents goodbye and hurried home to let Cemone know Avery was possibly in the area.

J ust because I was on break didn't mean that I didn't still get creative. After recording a few songs for the soundtrack to the movie I'd be starring in, I got the itch to write some new material. I found it easier to write about love now that I had experienced something real.

A couple knocks sounded off before Cemone entered, looking lickable per usual. He was only clothed in a pair of black joggers, wife beater, socks, and corduroy slippers. He smelled so damn good, and that pecan complexion adorned with tattoos always did it for me. His hair, mustache, and beard were always groomed to perfection.

"What you doing? I thought you was on break."

"I am, but I still get the itch sometimes. I can save this for when I come back from break." I giggled as he pulled my chair toward his to kiss me.

"Let me see."

"No." I hugged my notebook after closing it up.

"Damn, I can't get no exclusives?" His brows furrowed sexily.

"Nope."

"Let me just read the lyrics then. You ain't gotta perform it."

"No." I laughed when he bucked his eyes and grunted. "It's about you, and it's not perfected yet."

"About me?" He grinned, palming his chest. "Damn, you thought a nigga was cocky before? I'm really feeling myself now. I got the most beautiful woman in the industry to be my wife, even after claiming she would never fuck with me. I got her pregnant, and now my own song. I don't know, man."

"Shut up, nigga." I laughed. "You are not flattered."

"I am." He took my hand, gently pulling me from my chair to his. "To go from being obsessed with yo' pretty ass, still am, to having you in love and writing songs about me is… wild, in a good way, baby." He stared up into my eyes, stroking my hair. "You the girl of my dreams, you know that?"

I couldn't help but to blush as he kissed my shoulder.

"I am?"

"Yeah, and I can't wait until our baby gets here." He touched my abdomen, something he did all the time, even though there wasn't much of anything there. "I've had kids, kind of, but never been there for this part, actually seeing my fucking seed in there."

He'd come up with the idea to take monthly pictures of me to watch my belly progress. I loved how excited he was.

"And it's actually your seed."

"Right." He joined me in a chuckle. "I for real made a person with the love of my fucking life. Shit don't get no better than that."

"I know. I feel the same." I leaned into him, kissing his lips. "I prayed for a man like you and almost blocked my blessing."

"You did, but I wasn't gon' let you." He pressed his full lips to mine as I hugged his neck. "You perfect."

"Only God is perfect."

"Don't they say God is a woman?"

" F uck," I groaned as Nelly fanned me. "This is terrible."

I had been throwing up all damn day it seemed, and just when I thought it would be done for the day, it returned as I sat in my dressing room, trying to get myself together to perform.

This was my last performance, booked a year ago, and then I would be done and officially on my music break. But I wasn't prepared to tell the world I was pregnant yet, so me throwing up and looking sickly on stage wouldn't be good for me at all.

"Drink this club soda, babe. I know you hate it, but it should help, according to my mom." She handed me the small glass bottle.

Frowning because I knew it would only taste like the toothpaste I'd just used, I gulped some down just as someone knocked on the door. When Milaysia peered into my dressing room, I closed my eyes to calm myself down, mainly because I would probably throw up on her before I could actually hit the bitch, and that would be embarrassing as hell.

"Everything okay, Lani?" she inquired, trying to appear worried.

"Yes, please leave." I huffed as Nelly moved toward the door, gripping the handle to usher her ass out.

"Hm, you probably should've made him marry you before you let him knock you up." She shrugged, clearly still pissed that she didn't have Cemone and that I made her lose that magazine shoot.

Milaysia's career had been stagnant for years, though, and she'd only gotten that magazine because she was my label mate, and Gina tried to help her by selling it as a two for one deal to get me.

Milaysia's problem, though, was that she was too focused on the life being a celebrity provided instead of actually working. She wanted to party, date rich and typically unattainable and famous men, and floss the little money she did make. Because of that, she would always be B list.

"Okay—"

"Yolani, here is your stuff." The stage coordinator slipped in past Milaysia, cutting Nelly off and handing my mic over.

"Thank you. I will be right out." I smiled before she sauntered away, waving at Nelly and Milaysia on her way out.

"By the way, bitch, he did marry me. I'm not wearing this big rock for fun." I gave Milaysia a cunning smile once her eyes shot up from my ring, the realization hitting her.

Most people assumed Cemone had given me some promise diamond, but a few people had figured it out, commenting that they felt like I actually married Cemone since he had on a band as well.

"I doubt it's a real marriage." She laughed stupidly. "But bitches like you let niggas make them believe anything."

"Oh, really?"

"Yolani!" Nelly called out as she saw me advance on Milaysia and clock her upside the head with the microphone.

I continued playing Whac-A-Mole on that bitch's head, holding on tightly to her dress so she couldn't scurry away, while Nelly tried her damnedest to pull us apart.

"Oh my gosh, the mic is on!" The stage coordinator came rushing into the room. "They can hear all this!"

I only saw red, so I continued pounding that bitch upside the head, even slamming it into the side of her face a few times as she screamed and cried. Moments later, I could smell Cemone and feel his arms as he pulled me away, and security picked up a crying, bloody, and now wig-less Milaysia.

"I kept telling you, bitch!" I called out, pointing at her with the microphone before Nelly took it, attempting to smother her laughter.

She shut the door after getting help from the stage coordinator, Fallon, to assist her in cutting the mic off.

"What happened?" Cemone asked, also trying not to laugh. "I can't take yo' ass nowhere. You 'posed to be back here getting ready to perform, and all muthafuckas start hearing is the mic slamming into something hard."

Laughing, Nelly said, "I'm sorry. I couldn't hold it anymore. The sound of the mic as you hit her ass in the head was about to take me out."

"She was talking shit, so it was that and the fact that I'm tired of her. Plus, I know she's gonna tell the world I'm pregnant before I can get a chance too."

"She not," Cemone said with finality.

"Yes she will. She looked like the damn cat who got the cream, Cemone."

"She not. I promise."

He was so sure that I couldn't think of a rebuttal, so I simply nodded. He stayed backstage with me until I finished getting ready while the show figured out a way to cover up the fact that I was supposed to be on stage five minutes ago.

Once I left the dressing room to get in position, Cemone left to go sit with my father. I purposefully wanted them both here, alone, and made sure the show sat them together. It was either going to go well or horrible, but nothing could be worse than people hearing me beat someone or something with my mic.

The performance went off without a hitch, and during, I had completely forgotten about the fight I'd just had backstage. It wasn't until I was finished, and Nelly told me Milaysia had to go to the hospital for stitches, and someone else had to present an award in her place, that it came back to me. That worked perfectly, because they had the bitch presenting to me.

After cleaning up, winning every category, I was free to go backstage with my entourage so I could change and go home. All I wanted to do was let my barely there stomach out, eat some ice cream, and have sex. Being pregnant had me extra horny, causing me to bum-rush Cemone in the shower a few times and wake him in the middle of the night for it. Thankfully, he was always down, even if he was in a rush to be somewhere.

"The story is already out." My father came into my dressing room once I was changed and removing my makeup.

Cemone was getting the car from the secured parking lot for celebrities and bringing it right to the back exit so I could just hop in.

"What story?"

"About you almost killing Milaysia."

I whipped around to chide him, but he was smiling, so I knew he was messing with me.

"I was about to say."

"No, you didn't almost kill her, but the story is everywhere about how you two got into a squabble that ended with her needing stitches. My phone and Kim's is already blowing up."

"Well." I shrugged, packing my bag.

"What happened?"

"Don't wanna talk about it really, especially not with you. You'll just make it Cemone's fault."

My father started toward me, leaning against the counter as I looked in the mirror so we would be face to face.

"No I won't." He smirked.

"Why are you so smiley all of a sudden when you've been sitting next to your arch nemesis all night."

"He's not my arch nemesis. He's my son-in-law." He folded his arms. "You were right, about Cemone that is."

"I know."

"I took your mother's advice and just decided to talk with him as if I didn't know anything about him from the media, and he is a lot like Mr. St. Thomas."

"Told you."

"Then I paid attention to you two when you came to sit on the other side of him, and he loves you. He pays you close attention, the way he touches you isn't necessarily sexual but intimate, and the way he lit up seeing you perform and accept your awards, especially while thanking him, even though I did all the work."

"Daddy." I laughed. "I thanked you too."

"I'm just kidding, and I know… You always do." He chuckled as if he was reimagining what he was about say. "My favorite part, though, was him telling some rapper guy behind us to shut the fuck up when he was talking during your speech and how if he said anything else, he'd see to it to have his shit wired shut by sunrise. He apologized to me after, but I appreciated it. I like knowing my baby girl is going to someone who will look out for her like that, even if the method is a bit violent."

I laughed at Cemone, wanting to ask who it was, but as deep in the music business as my father was, I was sure he wouldn't know.

"I know. I love him." I simpered, handing my duffel bag to my dad so he could carry it out.

"What he told me right as we waited for you to come backstage stood out to me most, though, and it was then I knew you'd made the right decision."

"What did he tell you?"

"Ask him." My dad pulled the door open for me, and I walked through.

We tread all the way to the car, and Cemone got out to help me in. I smiled seeing the two men hug and exchange comments plus smiles before Cemone rounded the truck to hop in on the driver's side.

"You did good with my father. He likes you."

"First time that's happened."

Chuckling, I said, "Yeah, because the only other fathers you met were when they caught you fucking their daughters under their roofs."

"Possibly." He smirked salaciously.

"What did you say to my father while waiting backstage?" I couldn't help but to hop right to it.

"Why?" He glanced over at me briefly as he hopped onto the freeway.

"Whatever you said did it for him. I wanna know what it was."

"I just told him I knew you were the one because I no longer felt like the prize, in a good way. That in the past, I cockily always felt like women were lucky to even engage with a nigga, let alone get fucked, but the narrative switched when I met you. Except you weren't cocky about the shit, you were just you, and I just naturally felt thankful , blessed, appreciative, all that good shit to be able to be with you, experience you, be loved by you. Minus all the fucking curse words.

"He told me every father wants to know their daughter is with a man who feels thankful to be loved by her."

I was speechless for a moment because I didn't know what the hell to say to something as sweet as that, that wouldn't sound underwhelming.

So I settled for the only thing I felt. "I'm so in love with you."

"You better be." He smirked, sexy and still cocky as ever, but I loved it.