𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑋𝑜𝑛𝑒

𝑋𝑋𝑋𝐼𝐼

"You're the finest model in the industry," she murmured, lying beneath me with her head nestled into the pillow, her dark eyes softened with admiration.

I leaned over her, taking in every detail of her face, every curve that made her so uniquely Janet. There was no one like her, no one who moved, spoke, or smiled the way she did. It was her distinct beauty that drove me wild, that magnetic pull I could never resist.

I bit down on my lip, trying to keep the blush from surfacing. "I'm serious," she said, her gaze steady as she looked up at me. "So, what's next for you?"

"I want to do my first fashion show," I replied, the excitement bubbling up just thinking about it.

Her face lit up, and she gave me a look that made my heart skip. "That'd be amazing. I wanna be in the front row with my camera out, taking pictures of my girl."

"Your girl?" I raised my brows playfully, a smirk tugging at my lips.

"Mmhmm," she hummed, a sly grin spreading across her face. Her hands slid up to my waist, pulling me closer. "This is all mine." Her touch was possessive, grounding me in the moment, making me feel like I was exactly where I belonged.

"Is this all for me?" I asked, my fingers tracing softly along her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my touch.

She looked up at me, her voice a gentle whisper. "It's all for you."

"And what's next for you?" I asked, letting my hand glide down to rest on her shoulder. "Another movie, maybe?"

She paused, her gaze thoughtful. "I've been looking at a few scripts, but... I think it might be a good time for another album. Tina's trying to convince me to go on tour again, but I'm just not sure."

I shifted, laying my arms across her toned stomach and resting my chin on them, gazing up at her. "What's stopping you?" I asked softly.

She adjusted herself so she could meet my eyes, a hint of vulnerability in her expression. "There are a lot of things. For one, there's Shawn. I'm afraid to have that conversation with her, to ask if she can stay professional, you know, if we toured again. I'd hate to replace her; she's one of my best dancers, and the whole team loves her. They're like family, my dancers, my manager, Jimmy, Terry... everyone's close."

"That's tough," I said, my fingers tracing gentle circles on her abs. "But is she the only thing holding you back?"

"No... there's also Rene." Her voice softened, a hint of sadness there. "He wasn't just my husband; he was my business partner, too. He helped me shape every tour up until Velvet Rope. It would be so strange without him by my side. I don't even know where I'd start."

I smiled, leaning up a little closer to her face. "You're one of the smartest people I know. You'll figure it out. And Tina's there for you too. I think she'd love to help."

She gave a small nod, though her eyes grew a bit distant. "She's so talented, she's got so many opportunities outside of me. I've told her to take them, that I don't want to hold her back from working with other artists."

Sitting up, I straddled her, brushing her hair back from her face before leaning down to press a soft kiss on her lips. When I pulled back, I looked her in the eyes, feeling a surge of love and pride. "I believe in you," I said softly.

Her hands slid slowly up my back, starting at the small of my spine, her fingers grazing just above my waist. Each touch sent a warm shiver up my spine, waves of excitement and intimacy flowing between us.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice filled with a sincerity that made my heart skip. "Thank you for believing in me. And I believe in you too, you're going to be the best model, slash Oscar winning actress." She grinned, her eyes sparkling, and I couldn't help but giggle, caught between laughter and the warmth of her words.