𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐲, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ¹

forty five.

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE
enemies

Hakeem

next day

Hakeem was laid up with Tiana in her bedroom. He had spent the night there because he didn't want to be home right now. Cookie was still pissed with him, and he could tell Lucious was disappointed too.

Their anger was misdirected. If Jamal would've never talked shit about Hakeem to the reporters, he wouldn't have caused a scene at Empire. But Lucious was right; they needed to keep it professional at work, and Hakeem would do that.

But he did know where Jamal lived, so he better not make Hakeem show up at his doorstep.

Tiana laid on his chest and she seemed bothered by something. "Something's been on my mind, Hakeem."

"What?"

"Blake." Hakeem gave her the dirtiest look ever. Why the hell was his homie on her mind? "Not like that!" Tiana said. "I just don't like him anymore."

"He's our friend though."

Tiana thought otherwise. "I don't think I want him as a friend. The way he disrespects Ro isn't cool."

His ears perked up. "Hold up, disrespect?"

"Yup. They got into an argument yesterday because she has to perform Let Me Rock. The way Blake was yelling at her was scary. He turns into a monster when he's angry."

"What was he saying?"

"That Ro makes him go back to his old ways. And she's defiant, and that she should obey him, not Lucious." Tiana looked at him seriously. "He's controlling and manipulative as hell, Hakeem."

Hakeem brushed it off. "Chill. He just loves hard."

Tiana hit him. "I'm serious, Hakeem! I'm scared for Ro! You need to interfere!" But Hakeem still didn't think Blake meant any harm. He just loved hard. Then Tiana said, "He was disrespecting me too!"

Now he was listening. "What?"

"Yeah! You still not gonna interfere?"

"What did he say?!"

"He yelled at me, and told me to my mind my business. That's what made Ro say he was going back to his old ways."

"I'm not about to let him talk to my girl all types of crazy, homie or not. I'mma talk to him," Hakeem told her.

Tiana was relieved. "Thank you."

"Yeah. I gotta get to Empire and rehearse though."

Tiana sat up. "Yeah. I gotta come up with some choreography for Royalty and I."

"You're performing with her?"

"I'm in the song, am I not?"

"Yeah, in the background."

"Oh trust me, I'm never just in the background," Tiana bragged. "You should know this by now." Then she got up to get ready, and he chuckled because she was right. His baby wasn't meant to be in the back. She was meant for the spotlight, and so was he.

That was why they were so damn good for each other.

-

Hakeem tried to find Blake, but he didn't see him yet, so he was rehearsing Power Of the Empire. Cookie came walking in angrily and he huffed. Here we go again.

"Wassup, Ma. Here to yell at me some more?"

"You're calling off the hit," was all she said.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I said so. I'm tired of seeing those bodyguards breathing down Jamal's neck, and I know Jamal's tired of it too."

"Maybe if he didn't-"

Cookie didn't let him finish. "Call off the hit, boy! Now!"

Hakeem wanted to say no, but she wasn't about to take no for an answer. She was going to stand there until he did it, and Hakeem really didn't have time to waste. He needed to rehearse, so whatever. He'd call off the damn hit.

He and Jamal still weren't cool though.

Hakeem went on Instagram live again and spoke to the fans. "Wassup y'all. I'm here to talk about what I said the other day about Jamal. I now realize I was wrong for that. My beef is between me and him, and I shouldn't have involved y'all. So if you see my brother, please do not touch him, or we're gonna have problems."

He saw everyone say okay, and Cookie was relieved. Hakeem said bye and ended the live. "There. All done."

Cookie smiled faintly. "Thank you. And stay your ass off Instagram. You're letting the fame get to your head." She flicked his forehead and walked off, and Hakeem just rolled his eyes and rehearsed some more.

Stay off Instagram, his ass.

Blake

Blake was heading out to lunch. He would invite Hakeem, but he didn't know where he was. He obviously couldn't invite his girlfriend because she'd rather rehearse her little diss song.

Royalty really pissed him off. The fact that she wanted to humiliate him in front of everyone said a lot about her character. She kept saying she didn't have a choice, but she did. All she had to do was stand up to Lucious for once in her fucking life. She needed to stop being a good little princess. It was annoying.

But it was cool. If she wanted to do him dirty, then Blake could do her dirty right back. And he wasn't talking about a diss song.

"Yo, Blake!" Blake turned around and saw Hakeem storming up to him. "We needa talk!"

"Oh wassup, Hakeem. You wanna get some lunch with me?"

Hakeem turned him down. "Na, I gotta rehearse, but I heard you was disrespecting Tiana?"

The fuck? "Whoever told you that is a liar."

"Tiana told me. You were yelling at her?"

Of course she told him. "I only yelled at her because she wasn't minding her business. Every time Royalty and I argue, Tiana always tries to insert herself. I don't like it."

"You and my sister don't need to be arguing. She has to perform the song. Get over it."

That made Blake angry. "Get over it? How am I supposed to get over a diss song? I don't like disrespect."

"You don't like disrespect, but you're the one being disrespectful. How does that make sense?"

Blake scowled. "Wow. So now Royalty has you thinking I'm the bad guy too? When she provokes me?"

"I don't care who's right and who's wrong. I'mma always be on my sister's side."

"Really? You're picking her side when I've been your friend for three years?"

"She's been my sister for eighteen," Hakeem countered. "Blood is thicker than water, Blake. You ain't know that?"

"Go to your blood then. I'm better on my own anyway."

"I'm not saying I want beef with you again. I just want you to control your emotions and-"

Blake cut him off. "You picked your side. Go to your blood."

"So that's it? We enemies again?"

All Blake did was walk out. Did that answer his fucking question?