Streets

21. Curious Endeavor

Adina was ready as was her boutique. She was waiting on her shipment from Nicki who was sending over some freshly sewn fashions and she was waiting for another shipment from a designer in Milan that she was close with. In the meantime she has the girls ready for the photo shoot. Vanessa was there with Lucky who was her unofficial manager if she were to take her modeling serious. Lea was also there as was Monica and they were taking the time to catch up while Luther sat in the background, "So I have you all coordinated by color, Milk girl you gonna wear gold, Lea you are the hot pink and Monica...purple." Luther nodded in agreement as he looked through the clothes hung up on a rack marked for Monica. Luther had a lot on his mind, he was just glad he could be there to witness Monica do something besides shake her ass for money.
As Monica grabbed her first outfit to get ready she noticed Lucious walk in and call out to Luther who nodded and headed out to him, she wanted to know what information he got for Luther, "So Monica, is Luther your man?" Vanessa asked, and Monica smirked, "I know he's older than me but he's very sweet and I don't know he makes me feel different." Lea laughed as she walked past, "Different as in he knows how to make that pussy purr." Monica smirked and gave her the finger as they got ready for the shoot.
Luther walked outside to Lucious who lit up a cigarette, "Well?" Luther asked and Lucious exhaled, "This Omar dude, he has a file with us damn near as thick as the Bible." Luther nodded and lit his own cigarette, "Give me more information then that." Luscious continued as he smoked his cigarette, "Full name Omar Evens, he was born and raised in the backwoods of this great state of Georgia, no mama and a drunk drug addict father who was Mississippi's first serial killer." Luther damn near choked, "You talkin bout Semore Evens the child killer?" Luscious nodded as he dropped the cigarette butt and put it out with his shoe, "He was more than a killer, this man was a monster. They found 20 fucking body's of little girls skinned and hung up in his damn bedroom, 10 more little girls dead, raped and mutilated. This fucker was sick and Omar wanted to be just like him. I mean he got cases that dates back to when he was 8 years old, molesting toddlers." Luther felt like he was going to be sick, "Where is he now?" Lucious shrugged, "No one knows. They said after his last case was dismissed due to lack of evidence he been laying low in Mob City, all the stuff I got on him are drug related." Luther put out his cigarette, "Now the Mona woman, she just a known crack head and prostitute, turned to drugs when her fiancé walked out on her. Then she turned to prostitution when she lost her job and then ended up pregnant. Child protective services was on her ass about her daughter so she stayed functional enough until her daughter could take care of her." Luther looked at Monica who looked beautiful posing for the camera, "Yea well her crack headed ass is livin in my house getting clean, and her daughter is my woman." Luscious sighed, "Look I gave you my information and now you hold up your end, tomorrow night we are meeting at the building across the street." Luther looked at him, "Who is we?" Luscious smirked, "Don't worry about that, just worry about having that money." Luther chuckled and walked back inside. Luscious looked through the window just as Lea walked past and she looked at him and smirked, leaning forward she breathed against the window causing it to fog up and drew a heart in the fog. He winked at her and walked away whistling in the night.

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Tiggs Records
Ballad Recording Room

Marcus was sitting at the piano in the recording room that was filled with different instruments, ever since he was a little boy he visualized music with everything he did and anything he saw. Being raised in the hood was all he knew, and being in a gang came with the territory. However he never felt like he had someone who understood how it felt to feel alone, or even how it felt to constantly be scrutinized because of where you come from. His mother wanted something better for himself, even when she got locked up, she made him promise that if he could find a way out he would take it. He finally got his way out but now that it's staring him in the face, he lacks the inspiration. He didn't even hear the door to the recording room open until he felt a presence beside him on the piano chair, "Penny for your thoughts?" He looked up to see Clover and he smirked, he saw her before but never up close and something made his heart skip a beat, "Writers block." She nodded, "That happened to me when I was being rushed into my Ep. I didn't even think it was gonna make it." He chuckled with slight confusion, "Girl your Ep been on the billboard charts for months every song been number 1 at least twice and you got nominated for a best pop single award." She smiled, "You keeping tabs on me?" He shrugged, "I'm a fan, so what I did my research." They laughed together and her smile, it melted him right then and there, and it was as if time stood still, music rushed into him and he just began to play the piano and hum a melody and the lyrics just being burned into his head. Clover watched in amazement and nodded her head to the beautiful sound he was making on the piano. He stopped and knew immediately, he found his inspiration, however he also knew Benny had a thing for her and he didn't wanna ruin that for his friend. "How does it feel?" She looked at him in curiosity, "How does what feel?" He continued, "The fame, the spotlight. Being able to perfume music, your music." She looked down and smiled, looking at him she began to explain her crazy fame story, "It's crazy because if I would have stayed being on my dads label, I wouldn't have gotten very far. Not saying the same will happen for you and Benny but just, try to be independent or at least release something on your own and see who bites. My dad obviously has invested most of his time with Benny, but what about you?" Marcus realized how right she was, Samuel hadn't even printed out a contract for Marcus yet. At this point he felt like he should go on his own with the music and see where it takes him. Marcus asked Clover one last thing, "Why did you come back? If there is bad blood between you and your father?" She looked off in the distance, a sad seriousness washed over her face, "My mom is missing. And I know he had something to do with it. I'm here to find out what happened and where she is." Marcus was beginning to regret encouraging Benny to sign with Tiggs Records, and unfortunately it was too late. For the rest of the moment between Marcus and Clover they played music and enjoyed deep conversation with each other. Time flew by and before they knew it, they spent all of 5 hours together in a beautiful jam session.
Dorian and Ashawntee were out on another amazing date. So far Ashawntee has been able to be distracted from the great loss from Chris's death. Dorian is exciting and passionate and the perfect gentleman, however there has been something on her mind since the meeting that she had been meaning to ask him. As they sat at the table, enjoying dinner in the most expensive restaurant on all of Mob City, she took a sip of her wine and glanced in his direction. There eyes met and again that burning flame inside of her grew, "So, Mr. Fairchild, you have big plans for the Grove." He smiled at her use of his last name, "Well yes I do. I always keep my promises and I made promises to the people of the Grove. They will have the opportunity to be bigger than this city of greed and corruption and they will be bigger without having to buy out anyone's land and leave them rot in poverty." She smiled, it was about time the grove got the recognition and the money funded into them that they deserved, "When I was little, my mother didn't spend much time with me. She was struggling with her own mental issues and finding herself but one thing was she was always working. No matter how hard she worked, her hours would get longer and the pay shorter and I never understood that maybe cause I was younger but the real reason was because Mob City was bleeding the Grove dry of all resources. Even the people." Dorian frowned at the sad memory that Ashawntee shared, it made him even more thirsty to end the bond between the Grove and the city. He reached over and grabbed her hand, "I promise you I will do everything in my power to make sure the people of the Grove never feel that way again." She smiled at him and they continued to enjoy their dinner, until a chair pulled up and Ricky plopped down at their table.
Ricky was on a mission to make sure his place of business was still up and running and to find investors to keep it looking amazing with lots or money. He saw his opportunity as he was scoping out Mob City and walked passed Lumont's, a high class restaurant on the north side of downtown Mob City. Walking in he strutted up to Ashawntee and Dorian's table and pulled up a chair, much to Ashawntee's shock and slight irritation, "Ricky. Is there a reason you are sitting at my table while I'm on a date?" Ricky looked at Dorian and smirked, "Mmm he cute, and he taking you out to the expensive places, I definitely approve." Dorian smiled, "Uhh I don't think we have met, I'm.." Ricky interrupted, "Oh I know who you are sweetie, I seen you sitting next to the Grove's new soon to be elected mayor. Seeing as how no one else is gonna run against him. Which would be good, for y'all." Dorian responded, "Well it would be good for all of the Grove, being able to be funded by money, more money in their pockets better jobs with benefits and better housing." Ricky grabbed Ashawntee's wine and took a sip and she sucked her teeth, "As good as that sounds, what does that mean for the people of the Grove. What I mean by that is people like me, who work and do work under the table. You see I run a club, a strip club. And a damn good one might I add and Raymond was funding so much damn money into my club because of all the money I was making. So, again I say, where does this new election and new city, leave me and the other people who make their money by any means." Dorian sat back and marinated in the question, he understood that the people of the Grove had to do what they had to do but they wouldn't need to anymore, "Well, if we bring in better paying jobs then...who would really need to do anything illegal? And as far as your club is concerned, as long as you make the money needed to keep it running and it's a nice place for the people to congregate, I don't see any reason to get rid of it." Ricky leaned forward, "And my funding?" Dorian chuckled, "Are you asking for money?" Ricky smiled, "Hell to the yeah I'm asking for money. You want high class bitches shaking ass we need high class poles and bars and not to mention liquor." Ashawntee was so embarrassed, she began to hide her face, "Oh girl stop acting like you embarrassed of your daddy." Dorian looked shocked, "Daddy?" Ricky nodded, "Yea she came from my nutsack, that's my sperm manifested and it'll be the only one to manifest but that's a long story for another dinner." Dorian cleared his throat, "How about you come down to my office, it's right at pacific avenue which is the base of where downtown Grove City will begin to manifest. We can talk all you want about funding and the people of the Grove." Ricky nodded and stood up, chugging down the rest of the wine and sets the glass down. "He a keeper girl. I'll be seeing you." He left and Ashawntee wanted to crawl under the table and die. Dorian however was humored by the whole exchange and felt he would soon enjoy many of humorous moments from the society in the grove.