The Unusual Suspects Book 2

Iris

"Hey old friend." I said as I walked up on the Ave to talk to Clive.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Ms. Lady?" he said with a smirk.
"We got some business to discuss."
"Cease is no longer affiliated." he said.
"I'm aware. This has nothing to do with Cease, has everything to do with my artist." I said as he lead me in the opposite direction and shit. "Right right, you know that boy brings in hella revenue sis. That's a hard pass."
"Listen, I know how the game works and everything you already know. What I'm saying is we need to find a common ground. You need him to make your sales and I need him to sell records. We don't have to clash on this, I just need some form of an agreement." I said.
"What are you proposing?" he said as we posted up in front of the projects and everybody moved away. I loved the respect they had for Clive, but he wasn't even the type you gotta run from in public. It's when he find out you ain't loyal that you gotta worry.
"Either I need some days freed up for studio time or we can pull him out the streets and pull you into the 2 year deal as his manager and then you make 15% off whatever he sells." Clive looked at me and then looked on down the block.
"That's a hell of a bargaining strategy, but say for instance he doesn't sell. Then I lost out on money and that's bad for business." he said to me. "Let me show you something." I waved Riek down the street and he came with a briefcase that was full of what we had made from the artists thus far. He held it open and I pulled out a copy and placed it in his hand. "So as you can see, he already pulled in revenue. I don't know if you've ever given his music a listen, but he's what the industry is looking for." I said confidently. "I hear you, but what if he's not ready to give this up. This here life is all he knows, born and bred for this." Clive said to me, I hadn't thought of that.
"See...that's the problem, he was born and bred for this. He wasn't given a chance to be himself. But you know his pops, right? Danger." Chuckie said walking up. Clive smiled. "Always do your homework, that's why I like yall." he said as he lit his blunt.
"Stay ready, never have to get ready. Listen you know how we do business, I just feel like no one has to take any Ls around here. It's a lucrative deal that's gonna make all of us wealthy. The ball is in your court though bruh." Charles said smoothly. We all kinda had a stare off.
"Here's my one issue, nothing in this life is guaranteed."
"True, so then here's our other option: we are willing to buy him out the organization." I told him. He raised a brow at that one and looked around again for a moment and then nodded. "Yall like to make deals that a nigga can't refuse, huh?" We all laughed a lil.
"Business is business, right?" Chuckie said to him and they shook hands.
"Listen, I'm willing to back yall on this, so I'll pull him out the streets and you can just put me on as a manager. If yall willing to put everything on the line for him and I know yall have good judgment, Imma let the kid be great. But yall better mold him into that artist he needs to be." he said to us. "Say less." I said to him.
"Give Widow my best yall." Clive said.
"Of course, but not before we make this all official." Riek said as he handed Clive a pen and the contract.
"Where yall get this one? I like him, man of few words but down for business."
"Another artist and henchman." Chuckie said and Clive looked him over.
"Okay then, thoroughbred. He's dangerous, you got that whole Geoffrey from Bel Air thing going on."
"You trying to recruit my people C?" I said to him jokingly and he laughed at my antics as usual. "Naw mamacita I don't want no smoke. But Widow is smart and strategic with choices. Yall got it!" he said after it was signed and everything.
"Pleasure doing business with you." Riek said as he put the contract in the briefcase and we all parted ways.
"Smooth." I said as we got back in the car to head back.
"See how marketable you are. Everybody be loving you." Charles said to Riek as we all shared a laugh.
"I guess so. I don't think I received as many compliments in my whole life as I've done since linking with yall. I guess you were right when you told me you was gonna change my mfn life, huh?" Riek said. Man that right there I know was music to Chuckie's ears. All he ever wanted was to be able to change lives, that was an instant nostalgic moment.
"Always serious bruh. Glad I was able to assist with that." he said.
"Thank you! So what we gotta do now, check in with Jay & them)" Riek said.
"Hell yeah, all the hotheads are together." Chuckie said as I called Tony's phone and he answered.
"What's good?" Tony said calmly.
"How yall end looking brody?" I asked him and there was a weird pause. "T?"
"Just come back to the spot, it's better to see than say, you feel me?" he said.
"Say less." I said as I hung up and we headed over to the warehouse. I had this uneasy feeling overcoming me, but I was ready for whatever for sure.
"Was it just me or did that sound cryptic as fuck?" Riek asked. "Definitely wasn't just you. Tony is the quiet type when shit is going down so this might be wild for real." Chuckie said. He was right though, he was the strong silent type and this effects his life for real. I can only imagine what him and Jay have cooked up at this point.