Page 37 of Love's Free Will

She sighed, shaking her head. “Anyway, it’s this big ass celebration and what not—” she hesitated and I nodded, wanting her to get to her point.

“And… what?” I asked, watching her carefully. “You tryna invite me?”

She rolled her eyes. “Nigga, don’t flatter yourself.”

I smirked, tilting my head. “Sound like you want me there.”

She scoffed. “You said you had to go to LA to play some tracks for Logan and pick the single—even though I think it should be Westlake Ave?—.”

I leaned back in my chair, studying her. So that’s how she was gonna play it. Act like this was about business. Act like she wasn’t trying to spend time with me outside our normal setting.

I tapped my fingers against my thigh. “Get to the point Averi. What you need a date or something?”

She let out a breath. “I’m saying, since you were gonna be in LA anyway, you might as well come to the wedding with me. Or don’t. I really don’t care.”

Lying-ass.

I smirked, dragging my tongue across my bottom lip. “Aight, I’ll go.” She blinked, surprised that I agreed so easily. For a second, she looked like she was about to take the offer back. I grinned. “Don’t look so shocked, Shawty. You ain't tryna go alone, I get it. You need Daddy to come to your rescue, I got you.”

She shook her head, muttering, “I really fuckin’ hate you.”

Later that night, I was at the crib throwing shit into a duffle bag when King walked in, arms crossed. He glanced at my half-packed bag, then smirked. “So, you a wedding nigga now?”

I cut my eyes at him. “Nigga, shut yo ugly ass up.”

Zay strolled in behind him, laughing. “Nah, ‘cause I know damn well you ain’t flyin’ across the country to be somebody’s plus one.”

I zipped up my bag, ignoring them.

King shook his head, grinning. “This boyfriend behavior, Ro.”

I grabbed my phone off the dresser scoffing. “Y’all got me fucked up.”

Zay laughed. “Nah, Averi got you fucked up.” I shot him a glare, but he was already doubled over laughing.

King clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Be easy, lil’ bro. Just say you like her and keep it pushin’.”

I moved his hand off me, scowling. “Nigga, I don’t like shit. She needed somebody to go with, so I said I would go with her, plus I’mma meet Logan while I’m there and play him some of the shit I been working on. It’s just business.”

King and Zay exchanged a knowing look shaking their heads before leaving my room. I grabbed my bag and my phone. I didn’t know why I was scared to admit it to them that I had feelings for Averi. At this point they already knew and there was no denying it. Still, I kept up the front that this trip was about business.

Not her.

Soon as we landed,we stopped by her place in downtown LA putting up our bags and freshening up from the long flight before I had to make a stop to see Logan. We had a few days in LA before the wedding and although I had been out here a few times, I wanted to experience things through her eyes.

An hour after getting to her house, freshening up and heading back out, Averi and I pulled up to LA Records. I could tell she was still trying to act normal—like she wasn’t hyper-aware of the fact that we’d spent five hours sitting next to eachother on a plane, making it impossible to ignore the tension between us. She had barely looked at me the whole flight. I didn’t press it. She was gonna crack eventually.

Inside the studio, Logan was already waiting for us. He greeted us with a nod, sitting back in his chair, arms crossed. “Lemme hear it.”

I plugged in the USB, hitting play. The beat hit first—smooth, melodic, darker than my usual shit. Then, my voice came through the speakers.

I watched as Logan leaned forward; his expression unreadable as he listened. Averi sat beside me, head bobbing slightly, a small satisfied smirk on her lips. Finally, when the last note faded, Logan exhaled, rubbing his jaw.

“This…” He nodded slowly. “This shit fire.”

I smirked. “Of course it is.”

Logan glanced at Averi lifting a brow. “You definitely did your thing on this.”

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