Love In the Red Zone (Connecticut Kings Book 1) (13 page)

I felt the smile splitting my face as I tried balancing my drink before it tipped from my quick movements.

“Shit, man. You scared me!” I went to give him a shoulder dap with my available arm and hand.

“Yooooo! I can’t believe you out here, man. We been tryin’ to scoop you!”

It was my man, Swizz Beats. I should have known I’d see him. This art shit is his scene. I also knew Azmir Jacobs knew everybody there was to know in entertainment, and those he didn’t, wanted to know him. That hiked my anxiety. But Swizz had always been good people.

I scratched my head, glancing away. “Well, you know… Sometimes you gotta put yourself on timeout to know what time it is.”

“Yeah, I hear that. You here alone? Where’s Brielle? JJ?”

Why her?

“I don’t know if Jordan’s here.” My eyes swept around. “I just got here. He said he may stop through, but I don’t know.” I purposely didn’t answer about Brielle. “Where AKeys? You solo tonight?”

“Yeah, man. She’s getting ready to tour, so she in that zone. You know how it is.”

“Okay.” I smiled. “I feel you.”

“I’mma go get something from my assistant waiting outside. I’ll see you up there. Everybody up there: Divine, Hov, Rozay… your man, Jackson. It’s mad lit. They gon’ be gassed as hell to see you!”

I nodded humbly, stomach flipping on the low. I had no idea where this anxiety shit came from, but I hated it. I turned to head up the stairs to the main event. It was an open floor plan with exhibits planted across the long and wide room and paintings on the white walls. I saw familiar faces right away. Those that weren’t, smiled the same. Of course, people wanting small talk when all I wanted was to be posted on the couch, challenging a six-year-old on a PlayStation game. That sobering thought had me reaching for another tumbler of brown juice from a passing tray. I needed to loosen up.

When I was done talking to a model I knew from Cambodia, I noticed Jackson over by a small exhibit. It was a gold tree trunk and on top was a black book. The book was encased in glass, I guessed to protect it. As I grew closer to Jackson, I noticed on the pages were handwritten names and numbers. Before I could look for the name of it, Jackson was reaching to embrace me.

“Glad you made it, man!” His smile was as genuine as it’d been since the day we met.

“Y’all coming down on the kid; I had to.” I joked about him and Divine making it a big deal.

“Well, you know…” He scoffed. “You’re family. We need everybody’s support.”

I tossed my chin. “This you? The event?” I clarified.

“Nah. I’m here as a supporter and honorary exhibitor.” He pivoted, opening up space to the black book display. “Divine procured my pop’s first networking book.”

That’s when it hit me. “Oh, shi…” My eyes ballooned. “This is…?” I couldn’t finish the question.

I didn’t have to. Jackson nodded. “Yeah. Quincy Hunter’s connect Bible. It’s what he used when he first got into the business. Pops would be proud.”

Quincy Hunter was now dead, but from what I’d heard over the years, he left a huge legacy in black entertainment. He was similar to Azmir, only he worked to secure careers in the business. He had a public relations company, the one I was signed to. Strange thing was the agency was for corporations, but Quincy was making connections for celebrities unofficially. When he passed, Jackson took over the business and brought his father’s legacy to fruition, opening a subsidiary for individual brand names as opposed to corporations.

“That’s what’s up, man. Your old man deserves this recognition,” I offered humbly. “I never met him, but always felt his legend. He was huge.”

It was true. All of the older ballers talked about Quincy’s work. He was close with StentRo, too. I heard he died while they were together.

“Yeah, man. He would’ve called your pretty ass and told you to get here tonight, too.” Jackson pointed at me. “He probably would’ve come to the crib to snatch you out of that monster-sized mansion.”

I laughed at that one, and before I could respond, I felt another slap on my back.

“His ass had better been here!” I heard from behind me and knew who it was right away.

As I turned, I joked, “You wanted me out for this corny shit, man!” I extended my hand as I faced him.

“Yeah, a’ight!” Divine smacked my palm and pulled me into him. “Good to see you out, duke.”

“It’s good to be seen. This is a good look!” I tossed my eyes around the room.

“I’m sure the ladies are having fun right now. All light skinned and shit,” Jackson joked. “I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing that I left my lady home tonight.”

“Ah,” I sighed, fighting my humor when I recognized Divine was laughing so hard that his pretty as pearls teeth were all exposed. “Here we go. You can’t talk, Jax. The ladies’re so into your suave ass they don’t give two fucks about you being fifty years younger than them.” All attending parties could appreciate that insider jab. “Still can’t believe you settled with somebody that ain’t go to high school with your great grams.” They stayed hooting it the hell up. I turned to acknowledge Divine. “And your black ass can’t talk. I may’ve been down in the pen, but I heard the ladies still love A.D., wit’ yo suave ass. You married, but that only turned up the subscribers list. Don’t get me started.”

I couldn’t help my grin while they cracked the hell up. This moment eased my nerves—either that or the brandy started kicking in. I also realized it was wrong of me to shut them out when going through my dark spell.

“Thanks for the unintended compliment,” Jackson saluted me. “Elle ain’t so far off my norms. She’s home nursing a migraine, but I’ll tell her you’re missing her half as much as I am tonight.” He glanced around the room. “It’s odd being at events like this without her, though.” A smile broke across his face. “Listen to my bitch ass.”

That was all it took for us to go up again, laughing.

“Tell me about it. I’ve been away for almost a week. The wife’s bringing her ass to the East Coast tomorrow, like it or not. This travel shit ain’t what it used to be,” Azmir spoke with ghosted eyes.

“I feel you, man. I thought it would be cool, seeing that we’re in the same business,” Jackson shared, blowing out a deep breath. I now knew he was with Elle, my new public relations point person. But for a while, I didn’t know he had a lady because apparently it all went down while I was away. “My dumb ass put her on my biggest cases because I know she’s capable. That’s backfiring. She has to be so many places, all at once.” He snorted. “You talking about flying Rayna’s ass out here for a special treatment: my bitch ass be popping up in Atlanta, Philly, and L.A. when
that
ass is away for more than five days!”

We all fell into a loud ass laugh. I’d never heard Jackson speak so freely. This dude was never short on women. They all loved him, though I noticed he’d only go for the older ones.

“That’s your cycle?” Divine asked, trying to slow his laughter. “Man, mine is three, so you can imagine how a nigga is hurting.” He shook his head for dramatic flair. I wasn’t used to seeing this expressive side of Divine either, and definitely not about a woman. He’d had a woman when I met him, and I didn’t know because he was that low key with it.

Jackson gestured to me. “You’re laughing all cool and shit, TB. I remember having a similar conversation of heeding with this dude”—he referred to Divine—“abou
t…
three years ago at his crib. I thought I was exempt or had years before I had to be concerned with it. Yeah, right. The next year, I ran into this exotic afro-blonde that’s had my damn nose wide open since day two. You better hope that “bug” don’t bite your ass soon.”

Although we were talking shit, Jackson was a couple of years older than me and had always carried himself like an O.G., so I didn’t blow him off. Being in a relationship was way off my radar, but I respected his word.

“Indee
d…
But, wait.” Divine’s face wrinkled. “You said L.A.? Does that setting appeal to Elle? I’ve seen her work.
ADJ Enterprise
could use her talent. We could even work out a split or distance location agreement.”

Jackson sobered. “The hell you could. My lady will be blackballed before I let her go over there.” Someone called Jackson from behind us. He turned to acknowledged them, asking them to wait a second. “And not even for contractual work for Rayna. So, you can give her the heads up.” Then he walked off.

Divine and I exchanged glances and busted out laughing again.

“Dudes get sensitive about their women,” I warned, still laughing.

“No. Men are protective over their pussy. There’s an inherent distinction between the two. And don’t limit my reference to the act. We’ve all had talented ass, and arguably more gifted than what we settle down with. But the true measure of a man’s pickings is good head, great ass, and exceptional guardianship over his heart, portfolio, and legacy. That”—he pointed to Jackson’s back—“is a man who is no longer in possession of his heart. Elle has it.”

I nodded, though not having the experience to fully appreciate it.

“And here’s another with his heart on his arm,” Divine spoke while looking behind me. I turned to find Stenton and Zoey approaching. “Look at the beautiful breakout artist, Zoey Barrett-Rogers, making her debut tonigh
t…
oh, and with her retired husband, the king of the NBA,” he spoke even louder for them to hear.

At that, my thoughts automatically went to the piece I saw when I came in.

I guess I was righ
t
…

Stenton greeted Divine first, and Zoey, me.

“Hey, Trent.” She smiled. “Good to see you off the block.”

“Hey, neighbor,” I returned with a quiet chuckle.

They’d started moving all their things into the house, transitioning from Philly to Jersey. It was good having them there more often now. StentRo, a renown shooting guard for the NBA, was in his last season with the 76’ers and transitioning from their condo in Philadelphia to living in their home across the road from me. Zoey sent food every once in a while. And when I was over kicking it with StentRo, she was always hospitable. He had him a real one in Zo.

“TB!” Stenton turned to embrace me with a dap while Divine and Zoey exchanged greetings. “Glad you made it.”

“Well,” I sighed. “You know. The big homie calls and I represent,” I made it sound a lot simpler than it was.

Almost an hour before leaving the crib, I decided I’d stay home. It was really a tossup of another weird night at home with a stranger I found attractive, but had no desire to explore, or come out and at least post up for my O.G.

“Hey, I see someone over there I want to chat with,” Zoey told StentRo, her eyes fixed across the room.

He glanced in the direction she was looking with a raised brow. “Who and where?”

Immediately, I scratched my chin, and lowered my head at his growl. Divine must’ve caught it, too, because he elbowed me and mouthed, ‘Pussy Protection’, with stretched brows. I tried to hide my amusement.

Zo caught it, too. Her face wrinkled a bit. “Oh, dear,” she murmured dryly. “Are you concerned that because in just a matter of months, you’ll be an old retired man while I’m still in my baby making prime, I’ll lose interest and go with a younger, more zestful sugar daddy, Stent
Ro
?”

My eyes ballooned. Zoey didn’t even crack a smile to soften the blow of that jab.

“Would you cut that shit, Niña,” he whined under his breath with slanted eyes.

Yo!
This was some shit I’d never seen: StentRo tucking his tail between his legs. I remember seeing him on the news back when I was in high school. He got arrested for bar fights and swinging on paparazzo when they photographed him, drunk and turned the hell up. Or the time he was caught on tape, breaking off two model chicks. He was the tatted rock boy of the mid-2000s. Extremely talented, no one knew if his career would survive his zero-to-sixty temper and lifestyle. Now, he was letting a soft, beautiful—and apparently witty—femme pimp him in public.

The hell?

My eyes blinked on their own to clear my vision.

“I’ll be back, Stent,” Zoey’s voice turned less hostile.

She even stroked his mouth with her index finger to sooth the burn of her pimping before taking off. StentRo stared after her for a few seconds after Zoey left. The moment he turned back to us, I flipped my eyes in the opposite direction.

“The fuck y’all staring at?” he growled again.

“Yo, didn’t you just tell me last week, over dinner, you gave your life to Christ?” Divine asked, his forehead creased. “Why the fuck’re you basing at us like that?”

“Yeah,” I added with my own scowl. “I was just about to say… Ezra would be real proud of how you handled getting your dick snipped by your old lady in public.”

“Bitch, didn’t you make a spiritual
and
religious switch yourself? A total damn conversion?” StentRo countered to Divine. “And you?” His hard eyes were on me. “Don’t fuckin’ judge me.”

I didn’t feel threatened. It was a man thing. His wings had just been clipped by his lady in front of his boys. He was trying to rebound. He was also right. We all exchanged glances for a minute before busting the hell out laughing. Stenton didn’t join in, but did smile to indicate he was in the moment with us.