𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐲, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ¹

thirty

CHAPTER THIRTY
stuck with him

Blake

next day

Blake had told Royalty he could never be mad at her, but he was mad at her. He was absolutely livid because she'd been moving different. It was pissing him off.

He had went out of his way to buy her a beautiful necklace, and she repaid him by rejecting him? That was such a slap to the face, and he was heated. That was why he had texted Hakeem, telling him to link up so they could talk. Maybe he could give Blake some advice on how to win Royalty over because nothing was working, and he was getting tight.

He just wanted his princess, man.

Hakeem finally arrived. "Wassup, Blake. You not hitting the studio today?"

"I might after this because the things I'm going through..." Blake sighed.

Hakeem was concerned. "What happened?"

"I'mma be honest with you. Your sister and I have been on and off lately. I don't know if she's playing hard to get, or if she's leading me on, or..."

"Oh boy." Hakeem had to sit down for this. "Okay. I'm listening."

Blake sat down too. "We first got into an argument last week because she wasn't responding fast enough. We got over that because I understand crazy shit happens at home, and she gets distracted. But then I saw what you did with Tiana and I was like damn...what if I did that too?"

"You proposed to her?"

"No. I bought her a beautiful necklace, and she loved it."

"So what's the problem?"

"The problem is that she doesn't love me!" Blake exclaimed. "I asked her out afterwards, and she straight up curved my shit. Said she isn't ready."

Hakeem had a straight face. "I don't see the problem."

"The problem is that she won't date me!"

"It's not like she said never. She just isn't ready right now."

"But I want her to be ready. I'm ready."

Hakeem just huffed. "Can I be honest with you? It sounds like you're tryna force her."

Blake shook his head. "I'm not trying to do that. I don't like forcing people."

"Then let her rock."

"I can't do that either. What if I let her rock and someone else scoops her up?"

Hakeem laughed. "Okay, I'm pretty sure my sister has no other options."

"Which is why she should date me!" Blake said. "She keeps telling me she's never had a boyfriend before, but now she has the opportunity and she's not taking it?"

"So what do you want me to do?" Hakeem wondered.

"I want you to talk to her. Convince her to date me."

"Blake-"

Blake begged him. "Come on, I'd do it for you!"

Hakeem knew that was true. "Fine. I'll talk you up, but at the end of the day, the decision is up to her. If she still isn't ready, let it be."

Blake agreed. "You got it."

Hakeem stood up now. "Well, I'll talk to her later. I gotta talk to someone else first."

"Who?"

"My mother."

Cookie

Cookie was staying at Candace's house for a couple of days because she didn't want to be anywhere near Lucifer. Candace was concerned. "Is there a reason why you're no longer staying with Lucious?"

The thought of Lucifer angered Cookie. "That man is nothing but bad vibes, Candace. Even daddy knew it. I should've listened to him."

Candace's eyes widened. "Okay...this must be serious. What happened?"

Cookie explained. "Jamal wrote a song for me, and Lucious threw a fit like the entitled baby he is. He basically said I don't deserve a song because I was gone for seventeen years."

"Let me guess, he thinks he deserves one instead?" Candace assumed.

"He sure does, which is hilarious because he doesn't even like Jamal! Never did!"

"Well, you're right. He is an entitled baby. And you're also right; you should've listened to daddy."

Cookie frowned. "I know. He'd still be alive right now if I never messed with Lucious. I even told Lucious that."

"And what'd he say?"

"He looked hurt, but I don't care. It's the truth."

That made Candace say, "Okay, can I say something? I think you still love that man."

Cookie gave her the craziest look ever. "You must be out of your-"

"And can I say something else? I think he loves you too," she finished.

"What the hell makes you think that?!"

"Because you said he looked hurt afterwards," Candace answered.

"Anyone would be hurt by that."

Candace disagreed. "Not a lot of things hurt Lucious. If they do, he doesn't let it show. But he did with you."

That still didn't make sense. "If he loved me, he wouldn't be doing the things he's doing, Candace."

"You didn't deny that you still love him, though."

That made Cookie take a deep breath because now she had to explain herself. "Look, Lucious and I were good these past couple of days. He was defending me, telling Hakeem to respect me and everything. He was showing his good side, so yeah, maybe I thought the man I fell in love with all those years ago was still in there. But clearly I was fooled. So no, I don't love him. I can't love the devil."

Candace frowned. "It pains me to say this sis, but I see you and Lucious getting back together."

"Alright, I'm going upstairs."

Candace grabbed her arm. "I'm serious! You and Lucious are always on and off, but one of these times you're going to stay on permanently."

"Like I said, I can't love the devil."

"Why not? You already sinned for him," Candace matched.

Cookie stared at her, a little alarmed, because that was exactly what had Lucious called her: a sinner. It was all because of him, so if he was going straight to hell, she guessed she was going there too.

Damn. She was gonna be stuck with him in the afterlife? She couldn't get away from that man.

Cookie sucked her teeth as her phone vibrated. She read the text as Candace said, "Let me guess, that's Lucious."

But she was very wrong. "No. It's Hakeem."