Page 32 of Love U Down II

Me: I’m glad Charm got her.

Wifey: Me too.

I chuckled, locked my phone, and focused back on Shade and his recording.

It took a few hours for us to take care of what we wanted done, and when he finished recording, I played the final version for him and his friends and watched him bob his head.

“How you feeling?” I asked as the song faded out.

“It sounds good.” He nodded. “I’m fucking with it.”

“Good doing business with you.”

“Speaking of doing business, I’m going to shoot you that text in a few hours.”

“A’ight. Cool.”

“And when did you want to get in the booth again so we could lay down our track for the company album?”

“I’m not sure but I think I have a beat you would kill in my vault. Give me a few days to dig through my drives and I’ll send it to you when I find it.”

“A’ight. Just let me know when it’s sent over and I’ll check it out.” He yawned as he tapped his phone screen. “I need to do anything else or I’m good?”

“You’re good.”

“Have a good night then.”

Shade hopped up and dapped me before he and his friends headed out.

I settled at the soundboard and started messing with my own music. I wanted my album to come out soon. I’d narrowed it down to my top thirty songs but I definitely needed to cut thatdown. There was shit I knew I’d keep, and since I’d released my first album with no features, I was real picky about whose name I would let make it on this second one.

I’d rearranged the order about twenty times but the same perfectionist shit I preached to the people I worked with I lived by myself.

It was nearly five in the evening when I got a text message from Shade.

Shade: 812 Newhaven Dr. She works tonight till ten.

Me: Good looking out.

Shade: Show me that shit via some extra cash on my check.

Me: I’ll see what I can do.

Shade: Bet.

The address Shade gave me took me to a small, hole-in-the-wall bar on the opposite side of town. Men and women alike crowded the front door and parking lot.

I looked at Rome and he looked at me.

“You sure this is the spot?”

“This is the address I was given.” I double checked the text message against the address. “Why? You don’t want to be my backup anymore? You scary?” I teased.

“Fuck out of here.” Rome sucked his teeth. “Ain’t nobody scared to fight no fucking crackhead.”

“Nah. It do look like crackhead territory out here.” I cut my engine. “We’ll be in and out though.”

“Yeah, alright.” Rome checked his gun. “Let’s get this shit over with.”