Page 19 of Love's Free Will

Brianna: Logan Zarelli sent me the listing Ave. He said the label was paying for it. But if you want me to find another place…

I sighed shaking my head. Logan was an asshole.

Me: Don’t worry about it. You’re still fired.

Brianna: Okay, sure.

I was half-joking, but this was completely unacceptable. I could not—would not—be running into Royal’s annoying ass every time I left my apartment.

As the elevator began descending, he glanced at me out the corner of his eye. “Damn, Shawty. You that pressed? I’m the one should be mad, seems like you’re fuckin’ everywhere.”

I crossed my arms. “I just don’t like surprises.”

He chuckled. “Nah, you just don’t like me.”

I turned my head, narrowing my eyes at him. “You’re right. I don’t.” His smirk never faltered. In fact, that low sexy chuckle escaped his lips… Why was everything he did so fucking sexy? Ugh, I hated him. The doors slid open at the lobby, and before stepping out, I let out a tired sigh and muttered under my breath, “I should’ve stayed in LA.”

I didn’t even need to look to know Royal was still smirking behind me.

This was going to be hell.

6

ROYAL

Ever since Averi moved into my building, I’d made it my mission to fuck with her daily. Not in a serious way. But just enough to piss her off and make it fun for me kind of way. I don’t know what it was about getting under her skin, but something about it was entertaining as fuck.

Maybe it was the way she would roll her eyes so hard she damn near saw her ancestors. Or how she’d purse those pretty- pouty ass lips, take a deep breath like she was practicing patience, and then let out some smart-ass comment that made me smirk. Whatever it was, I wasn’t about to stop anytime soon.

She sat across from me in the dim glow of the studio, legs crossed, deep in concentration as she scribbled something down in her notebook. The way she zoned out when she was working was actually kinda dope to watch. Not that I’d ever say that out loud.

The track she had sent me a few weeks ago—a slow R&B-style melody with an edge—had been playing in my head non-stop. Something about the way it flowed, the way it demanded something sensual, something raw, had me writing shit I probably shouldn’t have been writing. Not just about any woman, though…about her.

I had no idea why she was my inspiration, but I wasn’t about to sit here and unpack that shit. Instead, I did what I do best. I put it in the music. I cleared my throat and placed the headphones over my ear.

“Run that back, I’mma do it one more time.” I told Malachi and he nodded from the other side of the booth. In my ear I could hear the music play and suddenly, my voice filled the room and my ears, deep and smooth over the bass-heavy beat:

Attitude on mean, but I bet I could tame it…

Body like a sin, swear to God I’m tryna claim it…

Say she hate me, but I know that she fakin’…

Lip-biting every time I got her shakin’…

I continued the rest of the song, stopping once I got to the part where the hook was going to go before placing my headphones on the chair inside the booth and stepping out.

“Play it back, so I can hear it.” Again, Malachi pressed a few buttons, and the song played. I glanced over at Averi, waiting for her reaction. Her brows lifted slightly, but she nodded along, unimpressed but interested.

“Hmmm.” She tilted her head. “This is actually… really good.”

I smirked. “Obviously.”

She ignored me. “Who’s it about?”

I shrugged. “Nobody, just a song Shawty.”

Her lips twitched, like she knew I was bullshitting. “Mmm.”

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