Twins of Empire

No Apologies

Episode 2-The Outspoken King

Lucious sat behind the desk on his phone.

A guilty Hakeem standing in front of the step down from his desk.
Mercedes spared a side eye from the couch as she sat with her arms folded. All she wanted to do was stay out of all of it but because she went to get Hakeem, she was right in the middle.

"Mr. President, I am so-so sorry." Their father apologized. "You know how he feels about you. He loves you. I love you. We all love you." Lucious glares at Hakeem. "He's just young and stupid and had a little too much to drink." Hakeem looks down. "Come on, Barack. You know you don't have to use that kind of language with..." the dial tone cut him off quickly. "Hello?"

Lucious hangs up the phone, not taking his glare off of his son.

"Do you know the world that we live in today?" He stood up and walked over to him. "What if your sister had not shown up?"

"Da-"

"You put her in the middle of this!" He pushed Hakeem on the floor. "Do you have any idea what those cops could have done to your entitled ass?!"

Mercedes was the first to stop him. "Dad!" She held him back. "Daddy stop it!"

"He could have gotten you both killed!" Lucious yells.

"But he didn't, he didn't. Okay?" Mercedes shakes her head. "I'm okay. We are both okay. I made it there."

Anika comes in to help Mercedes with him. "Lucious! Stop this!" He tried to move but she held his arm. "Stop this."

"Dad, let me explain." Hakeem gets up.

"What about your sister?" Lucius asked him. A point to Hakeem. "If she would have gotten hurt in your mess..." Mercedes held her fathers arm. "Get out of here."

Mercedes looks at her brother. "Hakeem go on, I'll just catch up with you later."

Hakeem nods as he backs up and leaves.

"Look at me." Anika gets Lucious attention as Mercedes found it safe to let him go. "Chill out."
She laughs under her breath. "You're not gonna believe this, but press RSVPS for the Laviticus opening have quadrupled." Mercedes looks back. "Everyone wants to see Hakeem perform since that video went up."

Mercedes frown said it all. "Say huh?"

"This bad boy thing has launched him." Anika sighs.

"Launched?" Mercedes leans forward, a wide eyed blinked.

"I don't like it." Lucious says.

"You shouldn't like it and neither should he." Mercedes interjects to a look from of them. "This is not good for him."

"We know Mariah," Anika motions for her to calm down. "But image-"

"Is everything." She finished for her. "My brother isn't some gangster." Mercedes says, she gives Anika a look. "Hakeem don't know a damn thing about any streets, or about cops. He only knows to call them which he barley should be doing that. Bless is his heart though." Her hands up in defense. "But he isn't some damn bad boy and you shouldn't market him that way."

"Well we know that he isn't." Anika scoffs. "But this could-"

"Get him hurt." Mercedes tells her. "You know what's worse than being a so called 'thug' as the media calls it. Being a fake one. I love Hakeem, but he is not from the same streets as our father."

Anika shrugs. "Well neither are you."

"No, I'm not and I don't market myself like I am. Little side note for you, I was born into them but wasn't raised. I chose to learn about them because those streets play a part in business and where my music comes from." Mercedes tells her. A slight proud look from Lucious as his gaze went to his daughter. "I'm book smart and street smart. That I always made sure."