Page 32 of Are You Going to Love Me

As irritation flooded her being, Eden cut through the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and stomped out onto the terrace. The terrace ran the length of the back of the house, overlooking a lit pool and gathering area. The moon shone brightly over the lake, allowing its reflections to cool her frustration.

Finding a pair of unoccupied seats, Eden plopped down, crossed her legs over one another, and pulled out her phone. At the very least, she could post a few pictures of the outside setup and a catchy hashtag. Once that task was done, she took in the chatter along with the music playing. A faint flick of a lighter made her turn her head.

She took in the figure at the other end of the terrace. Tall, buff, and under the low light intricate tattoos over his neck and arms. Black cap-covered head, with the tucked ends of his braids showing from the bottom. Familiarity.

Eden didn’t know how long she was studying that man, but his turn and eye contact proved that it was longer than it needed to be. He offered her a faint smile, and she returned an almost shy wave. More like embarrassed she was caught staring.

He moved closer. Eden took in his swagger – confident, easy going, with a touch of arrogance, like he knew he was fine. The more he entered the light, Eden discovered why she was here and who he was.

The few pictures she’d seen of him didn’t do any justice. Trae Way MB. Lean but muscular physique proving that he passed his prison time on the yard lifting weights, his legs matched his upper body, which was impressive because most men focused on how broad and bulky the upper body was while leaving their toothpicks for legs struggling to hold them up.

“Why you out here and not in there with everyone else?” his raspy voice filled her ears just like the melodies of his raps – hypnotic. Each word he spoke pushed the flow of smoke through his tinted lips.

Eden rubbed the back of her neck and attempted to refocus on something else. Back on the pool to avoid the power of familiar presence. “I’m not really the most liked influencer here, so I’m just in my corner until it’s time to go.”

Trae Way MB took a seat next to her, observing how she attempted to play cool. He smirked softly and took another hit of his blunt before offering her a puff. “You smoke?”

Eden shook her head. “No, I’m good, thanks though. Why aren’t you enjoying your party?”

He adjusted his body in the seat, slouching down just a bit. “To be honest, I didn’t even want this shit. But my manager andsome pushy chick named Staysha thought it would be a good idea to have a fresh out kickback.”

“Fresh out kickback, is a hell of a name.”

“Tell me about it. They’re trying to create some buzz, I guess, but it’s more like they fuckin’ and need a reason to sneak away.”

“Oh, I’ve witnessed the tension. They’re definitely doing something,” Eden shared, feeling his deep-set eyes on her. Eden offered him her eyes momentarily. “Staysha is my baby sister. And yes, she is pushy.”

“Ohh,” he mused, not looking away. “You’re @GardenofEden.”

“That would be me.”

He smiled. It was so damn charismatic that Eden forgot she was sitting for a moment. How could a smile unleash a swarm of nerves in her stomach and make her feel like she was levitating at the same time? Probably the same way his voice had her hearing colors and seeing sounds. “I felt like I knew you from somewhere. I feel like a thank you is in order.”

“You don’t have to thank me. Your music is good. Not that stupid ass ‘I still want to be a gangsta all my life’ mumble rap. It’s real.”

“You don’t strike me as the type that knows gangsta rap,” he said, wanting to keep the conversation flowing as long as possible.

“I don’t know if I should be offended by that or not,” Eden stated with feigned shock. “What type do I strike you as?”

“You asking ‘cause you want to hear me compliment your ass or you really want to know how people see you through their lenses?”

“I don’t like compliments for real,” Eden softly shared. “The people who praise you in one breath, tear you down in the next. I’m interested in knowing how I’m seen in someone else’s lenses.”

Trae Way MB nodded ever-so-slightly as he licked his lips. He grunted before turning away, hitting the black paper-wrapped blunt and blowing the smoke into the night air. “You seem soft. Not like you pussy or nothing, just soft. Kept. Talked to a certain way. Definitely not like you know your way around Trae Way.”

“Would it surprise you to know that I am from Trae Way? 34thto be exact.”

“Stop bullshittin’ with me,” he rumbled in laughter. “You not from the ‘hood.”

“I most definitely am.”

“You affiliated?”

Eden shook her head, keeping her father’s and her grandmother’s identities to herself. “Nope, just a regular degular girl from around the way.”

“That’s some wild shit. Whole time I was just thinkin’ you were a shorty with a pretty face that loved that gangsta shit. Turns out you know that gangsta shit.”

“I do. Speaking of which, and if I’m in your business, you can tell me to stop, but the mixtape…that’s all we get, or is there something else in the works?”

---