33. Yolani

Tonight was the single release party for Khari's artist Coco. I was excited to see my sisters-in-law again and just be able to have fun and be at someone else's single release. I always got so much anxiety at mine, hoping people liked my new song.

Cemone and I entered through the back and the intimate but filled out venue was already in full swing. There was a no phone policy, but Cemone promised me we could keep ours since Khari was his brother. He just advised me not to pull it out.

I typically didn't care about phones at my single release parties, but I figured Khari didn't enact that policy to protect the song as much as he did to make these celebrities feel comfortable fucking off.

"Hey!" The ladies and I clamored in unison when we all saw each other.

I hugged them each, including Bambi, then whipped my head around to see Nelly coming from the bathroom. We exchanged hugs as well, before his brothers greeted me.

I kissed Cemone and went to sit with the girls, giving him time to talk with his brothers like always.

We chatted for a little bit, and like always, Bambi was hilarious. Her dating stories made me feel like I hadn't lived because of all the shit she ran into. Like I thought, she and Nelly were getting along well, bonding over the fact that niggas weren't shit and how Bambi needed to luck up like us with a Compton.

"Well, the choices are dwindling right before my eyes," Bambi said.

"Yes, because Cemone is surely off the market." I simpered. "I wanted to tell you guys before everyone else finds out months from now, but Cemone and I are having a baby."

They all shrieked before I could even finish, making me giggle. Hugs were delivered right after as well as congratulations.

"Good luck, girl, because I know we like these tall men, but it makes a difference carrying babies with their genetics!" Presley widened her eyes, and the ladies agreed with her, high-fiving.

"Please do not tell me that." I palmed my face with a laugh.

"Right, like why are you five feet, four inches and you only two months old, boy?" Couture asked, sending us all into a fit of laughter.

We continued talking, joking, and laughing until a photographer came around, wanting a group shot of us. They then wanted one of couples only in our section, and I couldn't help but to kiss Cemone during ours. He'd had his hand on my stomach, though, so even though it didn't look like anything was growing there, I knew what it would imply, so we decided to keep that one for ourselves.

We took one more, and after the photographer sent us the shot over Wi-Fi via the camera app, I posted it to my social media, tagging Cemone and captioning it Mr. however, surprisingly, the feedback wasn't as scathing as it would've been six months ago. Now, it seemed people were here for the Yolani and Cemone combo.

By the time the party was coming to an end, Cemone and I already had several fan couple pages created, tagging us in shit, which was crazy. As long as I'd been famous, I'd never had that, and I guessed it was partially due to how I'd presented all my relationships in the past.

I usually kept them as private as I could and didn't do any PDA of any kind. But with Cemone, it was different and hard not to show my love to him every time we were together. I wouldn't even think about cameras and people seeing whenever we kissed in public, and I guess that was because it was the real deal.

After partying all night with my newfound in-laws and friends, I ended it with the freaky, toe curling, sheet grabbing, and leg trembling sex only Cemone could provide.

A s I stepped out the shower, I noticed a bouquet of white roses with a red card in the middle. Tightening my towel, I frowned as I made my way to it, tugging the card from its holder. Opening it, I read what Cemone had put inside.

Congratulations on deciding to open up ya bar. Let's celebrate. Pack one bag and make the shit light.

-CC

I wanted to ask questions, but honestly, I didn't need to. Cemone rarely if ever gave bad surprises, so I quickly got dressed and packed only one bag as directed. It was difficult, but I made sure to get my makeup, a couple outfits for different occasions, and then some bathing suits just in case.

As soon as I finished, Cemone was coming into the bedroom, nodding at the fact that I had followed directions and was even ready to go.

"So where is my surprise destination?" I smiled, letting him kiss me.

"You gon' see." He took my hand and my bag, then led me out to his car.

We ended up at the same private airport we always went to when flying on a jet and then boarded the plane. I tried to get some clues as to where we'd be going, but nothing was there.

For the two-hour plus plane ride, we relaxed, ate an amazing meal, had a quickie in the back, and then played a few games of Dominoes before it was time to land and get off.

I realized we were in Mexico, and I couldn't be more excited. I'd only been a few times, but it was always for work. I would find a little time to squeeze in a dinner or beach visit, but nothing to where I could actually enjoy being here.

We were greeted by the car service Cemone had set up, and he then drove us for a while until we ended up at a big, beautiful home with a cobblestone driveway and trees lining it. I initially thought it was a hotel, until I saw the front door that definitely let me know this was a residential spot.

"This is it?" I bucked my eyes, taking the vast home in.

"Yeah. What you think?" Cemone smiled, referring to his home he had here in Cabo.

"It's beautiful," I whispered as he got out, helping me along.

He got our bags out of the car, tipped the driver, and then we entered where he gave me a tour.

"This is yo' shit, too, just like my crib back in the States," he announced as I took in the large den with a bar, fireplace, area rugs, and plush couches.

"So I can come whenever I want? Even like on a girls' vacation?" I quizzed, and he nodded.

"You my wife. What's mine is yours." He removed an envelope from his luggage and dangled it.

I took it from him and opened it to see my name had been added to the deed, so he wasn't just talking. This was mine too.

"Oh my gosh. I can't wait to get the girls out here," I said, making him laugh.

"So fuck me, huh?"

"Yeah, I plan too." I half smiled, changing his entire mood in a positive way.

"It's time to sell yo' crib back in LA, pocket that money and shit. You already be in my spot twenty-four seven. No sense in keeping the shit." He brought me into him, kissing my forehead. "I even got a case built for yo' fifty-leven Grammys already."

"Okay."

"Now what you was saying about fucking me?" He backed me to the couch.

"Do you ever get tired?" I giggled, feeling his soft lips graze my neck as his hands gripped my body.

"Of you, never. That's how I knew you was the one, baby." He pulled back to look in my eyes. "I ain't never lost interest, and I won't. Ever. Sex hit different when a nigga got feelings for you."

Saying nothing, I pecked him slowly while pushing down his joggers, before descending onto my knees.

We stayed in Cabo for three days straight, and it was different but a fun experience. I was used to coming out here and staying in hotels, but having a house here put you right in the middle of something different.

All we did was eat, have sex, talk as if we had never talked before, and then run baby names back and forth to each other.

The best part, though, was waking up before him, admiring him as he slept, thanking God for our baby in my belly, and thanking him again for not allowing me to pass up the best man I ever knew, because I surely did try.

L ife had been pretty busy now that I was doing movies, traveling with Cemone a lot for his games, and finally opening up my first café to sell my matcha products, all the while being pregnant. So the fact that today would only consist of attending Cemone's brother Asif's yearly yacht party had me elated. I would get to see the family, my girls, and just relax.

As Cemone and I stepped on, we greeted everyone, who all rushed up to gawk at my stomach that was now showing. I had on a two-piece bathing suit with the sarong, so it was very visible at this point.

"My granddaughter, I can't wait." Lisara touched my stomach as I laughed.

"Could be a boy." Prime shrugged.

"Don't say that, please. I don't need another boy for the next two decades," she said, everyone responding with cackles.

"Right. I need more nieces." Banks agreed.

I knew we would have to wait to break the news to them that this was in fact a boy, so I just nodded and smiled in response. Cemone didn't even know yet, though, but I planned to surprise him.

"This is my sister, Anastazia or Stazi. Stazi?—"

"Girl, I know you weren't about to try to tell me who this is." Stazi cut Analicia off.

"Nice to meet you," I said.

"You too. I did not know you were pregnant. Congratulations." She hugged me.

"Thank you." I smiled.

"Yeah, I didn't feel right telling her when you hadn't announced it to the world yet," Analicia let me know.

"Well, I appreciate that."

Like always, the girls and guys split up to do our own things for a while, since we would all come back together soon to kick it. There were just conversations we wanted to have and ones they wanted to have, and neither of us wanted the opposite gender's input.

Some of the women, the ones we didn't know, hung around the men but were sure to keep a good distance from the taken brothers; we made sure of the shit.

"Why is she always looking over here?" one of them asked loudly, clearly wanting everyone to hear.

We all looked that way, seeing it was the girl who'd been hanging off Asif the whole time, following him around like a trained puppy.

"I know you not talking about me," Stazi replied, ignoring her sister who tried to stop her from standing up.

"I am." The girl nodded, and by this time, everyone who hadn't been privy to what was going on, was now.

"You wouldn't know where the fuck I was looking if your ass wasn't looking at me. And give the nigga some breathing room, bitch. The thirst doesn't suit you," Stazi retorted, and I found myself grinning at her reply for some reason.

"For real," Scotland mumbled, causing the group of us to giggle. Our laughter pissed her off further.

"You hos need to shut up. Except Yolani. I love you and your music, but them other bitches can get it!"

"Okay, alright!" Lisara chimed in, good timing, because all the ladies had stood up, ready to get into it.

Before she could say anything further, Asif had already begun lowly chiding her, causing the girl to pout and then nod as if she were going to obey whatever he was laying down to her.

This caused the ladies to sit and everyone to slowly return to what they had been doing prior to the exchange.

"Aye, cut the fucking music back on!" Asif barked irritably, and the deejay did just that.

We stayed on the yacht a couple more hours, and besides a few sneers, no more arguments happened.

As the captain docked us, I noticed a burly man, only a few inches shorter than Cemone, standing there. He was in a T-shirt, dark jeans, and sneakers, so clearly, he wasn't an attendee that had been left behind. That or he didn't get the memo that this was a swimwear attire type party.

"Stazi!" He growled, making me look back at her. She appeared fearful, but in a way that told me she was familiar with him. He was either her man or a very overprotective brother. But since he'd only called her out and not Analicia, I could surmise it was the former.

"Cedric, what's going on?" she asked guiltily, making it clear he either told her she couldn't come, or she didn't tell him.

Cemone immediately came behind me, kissing my temple before placing me behind him. I then noticed all the boys had done the same with their wives, Asif approaching the entrance where Cedric was.

"Fuck you mean what's going on?" He sized Asif up briefly before focusing back on her. "I thought we discussed you wasn't following yo' fucking sister around, who clearly wanna hook you up with another nigga!" He stepped up like he was coming to get her, but Asif shoved him back roughly.

"You can't approach my muthafuckin' territory without permission, nigga," he stated sternly, making me forget how young he was at twenty-five. He was only a year younger than me, but he had the demeanor of a thirty-year old.

Cedric didn't look old, but he was older than us.

"I suggest you wait until yo' wife gets off unless you want it to be round two, nigga," Bashar called out, surprising me since he was usually the calmer, quieter one.

"Or two rounds, nigga," Cemone called out, moving his shirt a smidgen to expose his gun in his waist.

"How many niggas you trying to get fucked up by?" Lequay quizzed, giving that look he always seemed to have in the face of an adversary like he thought the person he was speaking to was a complete idiot but hoped they made different decisions from this point forward.

Ignoring them all, which in my opinion was the smarter choice, Cedric said to his wife, "If you want a husband when you get home, bring yo' ass."

With that said, he walked off. Suddenly, a can of soda hit him in the back, and we soon realized it was Unique's ignorant ass. Cedric turned back slightly like he wanted to do something but thought better of it, knowing he couldn't win. Unique was young, but he didn't look it in the slightest. Not to mention, if he did happen to get the better of him, he had six big crazy niggas willing to have to his back.

"Stazi—" Analicia tried to speak, grabbing her sister's arm.

"I'm gonna call you." She hurried to the steps and started down.

I didn't miss the way Asif watched her, before his lady friend snatched his attention with a kiss to the face.