𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ²

seven.

CHAPTER SEVEN
not done yet

Tiana

Tiana was in the recording booth, singing her new song Do Something With It. She knew she was always singing, but that was just how her schedule was. She was constantly releasing songs and constantly performing them. That was how she kept her title of Empire's top artist.

She quickly stopped singing when Blake came into the studio all menacingly. He looked mad as hell, Tiana was being real cautious right now.

"Oh, don't stop because I'm here. Please keep going," Blake said cooly.

"I'm not singing anything until you leave."

Blake shrugged. "That's fine. It wasn't that good anyway. And it's another song about Hakeem? You're that thirsty?"

"Bitch, I don't have to be thirsty for him because he's my man! And if I want to write songs about him, then I can do that!" she snapped. "And you should be the last person talking about thirsty. Weren't you crying when Royalty didn't want to date you at first?"

"But she did date me, and I know you're wishing she didn't."

"I know she's wishing that she didn't too, because it was a waste of time."

"It wasn't a waste of time. She and I should still be together, but you and your shit talking ruined everything," Blake said angrily. "Now she doesn't want me!"

"She doesn't want you because you're a cheating ass-"

"I didn't cheat!" Blake roared as he knocked down equipment.

Tiana flinched hard. "Do I need to call security on your ass?!"

He came closer while pointing at her. "Your mouth ruined my relationship, Tiana. You called me toxic, and you made Royalty believe it. So yeah, you better call security because what I'm about to do to you isn't gonna be pretty at all."

Then he ran at her like the psycho he was. Tiana quickly ran out of the booth, but Blake tried to cut her off. She had to throw a damn chair at him to slow him down a bit. Then she ran out of the studio and screamed for help. "Help! Help!"

Jamal and Hakeem quickly ran out of one of the studios. She ran into Hakeem's arms, and he held her tight. "What the hell is going on?!"

Lucious and some security guards came running. "Tiana! Was that you screaming?!"

"Yes! Blake was trying to hurt me!"

Hakeem was pissed. "What the fuck?"

They looked and saw Blake standing in front of them. He spoke jokingly. "Oh wow. I guess you did get security, after all."

Hakeem let go of her. "You tried to hurt my girl?! You fucking crazy?!"

Hakeem tried to fight Blake, but Lucious held Hakeem back. "Security, get Blake's ass outta here! And he ain't welcome back!"

Blake didn't care. "That's fine. I'll go to a different label."

"No label is going to want you after this gets out. You're blacklisted."

"We'll see about that." Then the guards forced Blake out.

Lucious quickly focused on Tiana. "Did he touch you?!"

Hakeem answered for her. "Na, his ass would be laid out on this floor if he did."

"I know that's right," Jamal said.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. I care about you like you're one of my own, Tiana. No one is going to touch you inside of Empire, or outside. I promise that."

She smiled weakly. "Thanks, Lucious."

Lucious spoke to Jamal now. "Jamal, get your sister. We all need to talk."

-

Tiana, Lucious, and Hakeem were in the studio. Tiana was sitting down, still shaken up. Hakeem had his arm around her and she could tell he was livid.

Tiana believed that deep down, Blake's recent actions hurt Hakeem because he had seen a best friend in Blake. Tiana did too, once upon a time, but fuck him. He was a monster.

Jamal and Royalty came in, and Royalty looked at Tiana. "What happened?!"

"Your crazy ex tried to attack my girl. That's what happened," Hakeem shouted.

"Don't go there, Hakeem. He's your crazy former best friend."

"I'm glad we all agree he's crazy," Jamal commented.

Lucious spoke. "Which is why his ass is no longer an Empire artist. He's not going to be an artist anywhere."

"Wait, you fired him?" Ro asked.

"Hell yeah I did. He's a menace. And Ro, if he tried to hurt Tiana, I think it's safe to say he might try to hurt you too."

Jamal didn't like that. "Please let him try."

"That's not gonna end well for him," Hakeem promised.

Lucious agreed. "It won't. But to stay on the safe side, Ro, you're gonna need bodyguards like Jamal."

"Or she can have my bodyguards because I don't need them," Jamal said.

"No."

Jamal sucked his teeth. "Dad, seriously. I don't need bodyguards. No one is after me."

Hakeem shifted in his seat and Tiana looked over at him. She saw him swallow hard. Was he hiding something?

Lucious argued with Jamal. "I don't care. I'm not taking any chances, so you and Ro are going to have bodyguards, and that's final."

"I don't need bodyguards, right?" Hakeem asked.

"No. I don't think Blake is coming after you. He seems to target women."

Jamal muttered under his breath. "Punk ass."

Tiana slowly raised her hand. "Um, would it be too much to ask for some bodyguards for myself?"

Hakeem quickly objected. "You don't need bodyguards. You got me. I'm not gonna let Blake come anywhere near you again. You're straight."

She wasn't straight because she really didn't think Blake was done with her just yet...