ꨄThe Debutanteꨄ

101.

...

Two Days Later

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Cookie nodded after the banner was centered perfectly above the stage. "Right there! Perfect. Thank you!" She called to the workers. "This is going to be perfect tonight." She said, looking down at her tablet and checking a few more tasks on the checklist. Lucious grinned over at her. "Well if I'm not mistaken it seems like you're more excited about this event than the damn performers are." He said.

Cookie glared over at him. "Well after all, this is the first time that an album by Treasure has gone platinum. It shows that she actually started handling her damn business as an artist instead of fighting over Hakeem with Tianna." She replied. Lucious nodded.

"You sure did whip her ass into shape, didn't you? I'm proud." He said. Cookie squinted at him. Lucious never said he was proud, not unless he had something conniving up his sleeve to compete about later.

She still couldn't look at him directly without feeling some sort of anger. Knowing the things he did to Anika and all of the tension he caused because her sons and her family regarding her and Anika's relationship. He was such an evil bastard yet...he still didn't get into another relationship. At least he didn't tell her about it. It seems like after Anika, he didn't try to parade other women in Cookies face or try to make her jealous.

He was still being so nice towards her, nicer now, in fact. Since she's been back at Empire, he's become more of a gentleman. Holding and opening doors for her, paying for her tab at the company dinners, buying her drinks at the Leviticus dinners, not asking her to stay later behind to finish work but sometimes even suggesting she leaves early. But where was all of this when she needed it most? If he was always like this, perhaps she and him could have...

She looked away from him and back at the tablet. "Yeah, you better be. I ain't get her ass together for nothing." Cookie said. "That fire in you will never leave, will it?" He asked. She looked at him with a grimace. "Never. So don't get to close or you'll get burned too." She said, then walking away.

He watched her, putting his thumb onto his goatee.

...

Cookie slumped down into her office chair, still cursing in her head about how small the room was. In the middle of her thoughts, she got a text from Anika. She checked it, immediately starting to become giddy and shy after reading it.

Anika: Goodmorning beautiful. Are you still feeling sore from that day?

Cookie put her hair behind her ear, curling her lip.

Cookie: How could you ask me that at work? You're so bold...

Anika: Not like anyone else besides us knows what happened.. ;)

Cookie couldn't help but think back to what Anika was referring to.

...

Two Days Ago

...

Anika came out of the bathroom, running her hands through her hair and shaking the water off of her fingers. On her waist, was a toy strapped to the front of her. Anika bit her lip as she stared at Cookie laying on the bed, her legs closed but her curves showing just as prominently.

Anika approached her, kissing her calve. "Are you ready, baby?" She asked, continuing to leave kisses on her lower legs. Cookie stared down at the toy, her hair sprawling out on the bed. She covered her mouth, nodding shyly. Anika chuckled, then suddenly re-adjusting Cookies position by pulling her closer to the edge of the bed.