𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ²

eight.

CHAPTER EIGHT
only for so long

Jamal

next day

It was bad enough Jamal despised Andre right now. Then he had to come home to more tension because he and Mateo hadn't been on good terms ever since their argument. They literally hadn't talked in two days.

They still slept in the same bed, but they stayed far away from each other because Mateo had really pissed Jamal off with his insecurities. He was threatened by a woman, and it made no sense because Jamal was gay. He was tired of saying it over and over. It was exhausting.

Jamal got ready for the day, not paying Mateo any mind. He guessed Mateo didn't like the cold shoulder treatment. "So we're not gonna talk?"

"I'd rather not, because you're just gonna talk about Tory."

Mateo huffed. "Jamal, that was two days ago. Why are you still mad?"

"It wasn't just two days ago. You talk about her all the time," Jamal snapped. "And I'm more mad at the fact that you were trying to tell me what my own sexuality is."

Mateo knew he was wrong. "I'll admit that I was wrong for that. If you're telling me you're gay, I need to respect that. But I'll be honest, you having sex with Tory leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

"It's never gonna happen again."

"I know that, but it's still imprinted in my mind. I just don't wanna lose you, Jamal."

Jamal threw his hands up angrily. "This is what I'm talking about. How can you lose me to a woman? I'm into men!"

Mateo stared at him seriously. "You should fix that sentence."

Jamal rolled his eyes and corrected himself. "I'm into you. Not Tory. It's gonna stay that way, so please stop with your insecurities because that is what's gonna make you lose me."

"Okay, I'll stop. I'm sorry." Mateo put his hands up in defeat. "So, what's the plan for today?"

"Hakeem promised his fans we'd make a song together, so we've been working on that."

Mateo was shocked. "Never in my life did I think you two would be making a song together."

"We're not beefing anymore, so why not? We should've never had beef, but stupid ass Andre-"

Mateo cut him off. "I'm really sorry he messed up your chances of being CEO."

"Yeah, but he also messed up his own chance, so I'm happy about that."

"You will forgive him one day, right?"

Was he crazy? "Why would I do that?"

"Because he's your brother."

No he wasn't. "I only have one brother, and his name damn sure ain't Andre."

"Jamal-"

Jamal snapped at him again. "Don't try to change my mind, Mateo. What happened between Hakeem, Andre, and I is none of your business anyway, so just stay out of it."

Then he brushed past him and left the condo. Jamal saw Mateo looking at him with hurt in his eyes. Jamal didn't mean to be so rude, but he'd been annoying Jamal lately. Everything's been annoying him lately, and it was so hard not to snap sometimes. But he guessed he just did.

Mateo had Andre to thank for that.

Hakeem

"So you're telling me Blake tried to attack Tiana at our company? Now my daughter needs bodyguards because of it?" Cookie asked angrily.

Ro nodded. "That's exactly what happened."

Cookie was pissed. "I swear to god, if I see that boy on the street-"

Lucious cut her off. "You need to relax. You already went to jail once."

"I'm serious, Lucious! If he tries to attack my daughter, he's dying!"

Hakeem agreed. "He sure is! I'mma-"

"The both of you aren't gonna do shit because Blake isn't going to attack Ro. She's gonna be protected at all times," Lucious declared.

Ro wasn't happy about that. "Bye bye privacy."

Cookie shook her head. "Everyone's sounding like Jamal lately."

As soon as she said that, the front door opened and Hakeem was expecting it to be Jamal, but it was fake ass Andre. He came running into the house. "Hey! I heard what happened to Tiana! Is she okay?"

"Oh hell na. What is he doing in our house, Pop?" Hakeem demanded to know.

Andre answered. "He told me to come."

"Why?!" Hakeem and Royalty exclaimed.

"Because I need a favor from him," Lucious said.

"A favor? We don't ask snakes for favors."

Royalty curious though. "What kind of favor?"

Andre changed the topic. "Can someone answer my question first? Is Tiana okay?"

Hakeem spoke with an attitude. "Don't act like you care about her. You don't even care about us!"

Andre sighed. "I care about all of you, Hakeem. I made a mistake."

Cookie answered him. "To answer your question, yes, Tiana is okay. Blake tried to attack her in the studio, but she escaped."

Andre frowned. "Damn. I wish I was there to stop it."

Royalty scoffed. "Oh bye, Andre. How would you have stopped it? With your mind games?"

Cookie scolded her. "That's enough, Ro."

"No. Let her keep going because I'm tired of his fake ass acting like he cares about somebody. He don't care about no fucking body!" Hakeem yelled.

"Just because I didn't want you to be CEO, doesn't mean I don't care about you, Hakeem. I was being selfish. That's all," Andre said. "But if something happened to any of you, I'd be devastated."

Cookie spoke. "Well we're trying to make sure nothing happens to Ro because Blake might be after her next."

"Then she needs protection."

"And she's getting it. I also want you to keep your eye on her too, Andre," Lucious ordered.

"Me?"

"Yes. I actually want you to mentor Royalty."

Royalty quickly disagreed. "He doesn't need to mentor me."

"Yes he does. You and your mother are going to be Co-CEOs, and Andre knows the company inside and out. He can help you prepare."

"Why can't you help me?"

"Because I have other things to do, but Andre doesn't. So if you do this for me, Andre, then maybe it'll prove you can be trusted after all."

Andre nodded. "You got it, Pop."

"Be careful, Ro. He might try to sabotage you too," Hakeem warned.

Andre rolled his eyes. "Pop already made his decision, Hakeem. There's nothing to sabotage."

"What the fuck ever. I'mma go talk to my real brother." Hakeem left the room because he didn't want to be near Andre's snake ass. He was about to call Jamal, but he got a text from an unknown number once again.

From his biggest fan.

They sent him a picture of Jamal walking around with his bodyguards behind him. Then they said, He looks so oblivious, doesn't he? You should warn him.

Hakeem stared down at the picture in horror because this person was stalking Jamal now? What the fuck, man! Why couldn't they leave him alone?!

Hakeem proceeded to call Jamal because he was worried! Jamal answered normally, so Hakeem knew that person hadn't gotten to him yet. Jamal told him he was heading to Empire, and Hakeem was heading there too because he needed to make sure Jamal stayed safe.

But he could only keep Jamal safe for so long...