Beautiful Noise

Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

E zren.

A few days had passed since our bullshit ass friend deal. Things ran smoothly for the most part but I wasn’t blind to the way Kori did her best to stay out of my way. She spent a lot of time in her room but I also spent the majority of my time in the studio.

She fed me and I loved that shit. Lunch, which she left for me in the kitchen, and dinner in the studio last night after she brought it to me. I kept telling her I would be up soon but the song I was working on kept fucking with me. The lyrics didn’t fall like I needed them to and there was something off about the melody. Eventually, when I didn’t show, she brought the food, plates, and soda to me.

Homemade pizza from scratch, which was my mother's recipe. She nailed it down to the layers of mozzarella, mushrooms, and full leaves of basil. The chicken was marinated and grilled to perfection.

My mother thought she was slick. Feeding me through Kori’s hands was intentional. She knew how much I loved to eat and she made sure the woman in charge of feeding me had all my favorites.

Regardless of my mother’s intentions, Kori and I were just friends. I wanted to be friends with benefits but she remained steady on the just friends part. Her ass was even fully dressed at all times. I swear she went to bed with a full fit each night just to prove a point. I laughed at the thought because her ass was just that stubborn.

Shaking my head in amusement, I glanced over my shoulder to find Kori stepping out of the kitchen with a dish towel tossed over her shoulder. I frowned when she ended up beside me.

Kori cooking and cleaning around here irritated my spirit. If this were our house—a thought I considered far more times than needed—and she was a resident, not a guest, it wouldn’t have bothered me so much. But the current set up made it feel like she had to work to stay and that wasn’t the case. She was simply stubborn as hell and wanted to assert her independence. I respected her hustle but also wanted her to accept that I wanted her here.

“What are you doing?” she asked, voice chipper but then again she was always in a good mood which was why I didn’t mind having her around.

“Trying to decide what to do with this living room.”

“What do you mean?”

I brushed a hand over my head and examined the sea of gray. I loved the sofa and most of the stuff I purchased to go with it. At the time, it seemed like a great idea but now all I could see was gray. I blamed my mother for putting that shit in my head.

“You don’t think it’s bland?” I muttered, then turned my head when I felt her rock back on her heels beside me. I wasn’t feeling the smug grin on her face or the way she pulled her lip between her teeth to hide it. Okay, maybe I was feeling the lip thing, but not that smug ass grin.

“Say what’s on your mind, Ri.”

Her eyes darted toward the living room and back to my face. “It’s nice…”

“But…”

Her brows pinched and her smile grew. “But, it’s just gray. A lot of gray.”

“You don’t like it?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it, I would just like it more if there was some character. It looks like a model home. Safe. Just enough to show what you can do with the space but nothing to personalize so the buyer would not be able to visualize it for themselves.”

“You just made my living room sound bland as fuck.”

She grinned and shrugged. “Friends are honest.”

Fuck this friend shit.

“Friends are also helpful so I’m about to call the furniture store and set up an appointment for us to go figure out how to add some character in here.”

“I might be able to pencil you in.”

“Might?”

“I’m a really good friend. I’m poppin’ out here in these streets. Hangout requests are out of control.”

I chuckled. “Yeah I bet. I’m going to get dressed, let me know if you can move some shit around to pencil me in.”

“Give me thirty minutes and I’ll be ready.”

Thirty minutes ended up being forty-eight but she met me in the living room dressed and ready to go, so I appreciated the effort. I fully intended to go look at furniture, but after the call I received, I decided that could wait and mentioned to Kori there would be a change in plans. She reluctantly agreed but that didn’t mean she did so quietly.

“Can you at least tell me where we’re going?” I didn’t bother offering my full attention but could feel her eyes on me from the passenger seat of my Range. We were ten minutes out from the rec center where I spent as much of my free time as possible. One thing I learned about offering the world your soul was that they tended to suck you dry. I had to find ways to refuel and the kids did that for me.

“No.”

Nothing, not a peep. She didn’t bother offering an argument and her eyes were no longer on me so I stole a quick glance at her instead.

I almost laughed at the visual. Kori’s eyes were squinted and straight ahead while her jaw was set tight. She was pissed but chose not to vocalize that she was. I appreciated that too. One of my least favorite things was people questioning me and a close second was arguing.

When I arrived at my intended location, by pulling in the back off a side street and parking right at the rear door, I could see the questions firing off in her head. Her attention darted around the parking lot before searching the rear of the unmarked building where we were.

I climbed out the truck and she followed. Surprisingly she still hadn’t said one word but I noticed how she inched impossibly close after I held the door open and followed her inside. We took a long hallway to a stairwell, climbing up one flight before I yanked open a second metal door which opened into another hallway. By the time we reached the administration office, Kori obviously had enough because she finally spoke up.

“Where are we?”

“Took your ass long enough. You should have asked five minutes ago.” The curious expression she wore was completely replaced by one a lot sharper and less friendly.

“I was trying to give you space.”

“Your current role in my life is to intrude. Isn’t that the opposite of giving space?”

“Yes but…”

“Then you’re definitely not good at what you do, Ri. Maybe I should hit Gwendolyn up and let her know she missed the mark with you.”

I was just fucking with her. If I chased Kori away, my mother would pull out the heavy guns and there would be no telling who I would end up with. She was fed up with my reluctance to commit to one woman and although I never imagined this would be her warfare, she had pulled one over on me.

My current shadow wasn’t necessarily appreciated, but at the very least she was easy on the eyes and had followed instructions so far. She stayed out of the way and didn’t harass me about the field trip I forced on her. I couldn’t guarantee the next person would be as user friendly and there would be a next person if I got rid of the current.

“You really are an ass,” she grated, following me into the office while I ignored her most recent assessment.

“Morning, Bev. I need an extra pass today, if that’s alright. I have a shadow that I can’t shake.”

“ You invited me ?” she ground out and I laughed lightly.

Beverly Stewart, the rec center’s admin, offered up a smile I’d grown to appreciate, then looked past me at Kori before I had her attention again.

“You know the rules, Ezren.”

“I do and I’ll vouch for her. She’s on staff with my mother and has gone through all the necessary background checks. You know Gwendolyn wouldn’t let the president near me without proper vetting.”

“Ezren…” Beverly didn’t want to bend the rules and I respected her position. The kids were important and it was her job to keep them safe. That meant not allowing anyone access who could potentially put them in harm’s way.

“I’m taking full responsibility for her.”

Beverly snatched open a drawer near her left side and removed two lanyards that held visitors’ passes. Without them, security would be escorting our asses right out the building, no questions asked.

“Here, and they’re all waiting. The new equipment came in last week so you know they’re dying to get you in there. Thanks for that. You’ve got these kids spoiled.”

I grinned and accepted the passes, handing one off to Kori before I responded. “I’m only giving what I wished I’d had access to. Who knows? Maybe the next Eccentric is right here under this roof.” I winked and Beverly chuckled.

“Not likely because you’re one of a kind and from what I’ve heard, those kids are awful.”

I threw my head back and laughed. “Don’t let them hear you say that. You’re supposed to encourage them, not break them down.”

“Me being honest is me encouraging them. What good am I to these kids if I provide false hope? They get enough of that with the ‘everybody gets a trophy’ mentality the world has adopted.”

“I agree, but still, give me time to fine tune them. There’s a few hidden gems here.”

“Yep, good luck with that.” Her eyes shot over to Kori. “Welcome to the jungle.”

“Uh, thanks.” Beverly laughed and Kori seemed genuinely confused by the greeting but she’d learn soon enough. After we were in the hallway, she was at my side, her short legs attempting to keep the pace of my long stride.

“So obviously there are kids here, but where exactly are we?”

“Jordan Recreation Center.”

When she didn’t respond, I cut my eyes slightly to the left to find hers on me but she kept quiet so I did as well until I pushed through the doors of the music room where my kids were waiting.

I was greeted as usual with a bunch of smiles, high-fives, and a few hugs. All of which I graciously returned, but today the chatter about the new equipment was what took over.

Six acoustic guitars, six electric ones with amps. Twelve digital pianos and an acoustic upright piano which sat in the corner. All of which had been donated by me because the rec center couldn’t fit extras into their budget and I wanted the kids to be afforded every possible opportunity. That meant learning on equipment that wasn’t thrifted or on its last leg.

For the next three hours I planned on ignoring Kori which would be easy to accomplish considering the thirteen eager minds who currently wanted my attention.

Kori had been quiet since we’d left the rec center. I knew she had questions because regardless of the fact that she wasn’t talking, her silence was extremely loud. She also kept stealing glances at me which was another dead giveaway.

“Ask?”

“Ask what?”

“Whatever the hell is dancing around in your head. Your thoughts are loud as fuck. I’m blessed with many talents but mind reading isn’t one of them. Ask your questions so we can get this over with.”

She stared me down for a long minute—eyes narrowed, face tight. Likely because she didn’t want me to be right and damn sure didn’t want to have to admit I was.

Stubborn ass.

Eventually the curiosity won because she gave in. “I’m surprised no one knows you tutor those kids. There’s no press, not even a leaked photo? How is that possible, considering how your team operates?”

“They know what I tell them which isn’t much outside of promoting me and my music.”

“But why keep this a secret? What you do with those kids is amazing and if people knew…”

My eyes cut in her direction. “Then what? A write up online or a three-minute segment on the evening news. I don’t need that shit. I get enough press by just taking a piss on a regular Monday.”

She flinched at the clipped tone I used. I shouldn’t have been so annoyed but those kids were a sacred part of my life. I didn’t want their images flashed all over the news as Ezren Shaw’s charity cases, because they weren’t. And I knew exactly what that felt like. Damn sure didn’t feel good.

“I was going to say that if people knew, maybe more who possess your privilege would consider offering the same to similar kids. They could fund a music program instead of popping bottles at a club or making it rain at a strip club or whatever the hell you rich assholes do to waste money.” She grinned briefly before turning straight ahead again. Her posture was stiff as fuck which didn’t match her normal, easygoing personality.

“Not a fan of rich people, I take it.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Why?”

“Because most are entitled and arrogant. And selfish. And mean.” She frowned as if trying extremely hard to think of another insult but she surprised me when she whispered, “Nothing like the person I saw today.”

I was amused and couldn’t let that go. Nope, because I was an asshole most days. “What person, Ri?”

She cut her eyes my way, not wanting to say but eventually she gave in. “You. The way you were with those kids was…a nice surprise.”

I chuckled. “Even Lucifer was a fallen angel. Everyone has layers.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“I showed you mine. You gonna show me yours?”

She frowned hard and I smiled at how easily it was to irritate her. This friendship arrangement might not be so terrible after all. At least I’d get some entertainment dealing with Kori. “I have no idea what that means, but it sounds extremely inappropriate, which is not my job.”

“Being inappropriate with me isn’t part of your job? Damn, I need to get a copy of whatever contract you signed with Elite. My mother knows me better than anyone. I’m sure she has something in there about you and me being inappropriate with each other.”

Kori snorted but kept her focus straight ahead which irritated me just a little. I wasn’t sure what it was about this woman that allowed her to get under my skin so easily, but she did and I didn’t like how that felt.

“I only meant…”

“I don’t care what you meant. I’m not here to provide you with extras. My only job is to make sure you don’t overdose on take out and ruin that perfect R&B body of yours. That’s it. Anything else you’re thinking, count me out. We’re friends, Ezren .”

“Good to know because neither am I. It’s why you got the job, Ri. My mother knows my type and you’re not it. Not even fucking close, which made you a good business decision.”

That was a lie, but I was annoyed that she was sticking to this “friend who feeds me” thing.

Her head whipped in my direction and for a split second I noticed what appeared to be a brief moment of vulnerability. I’d hurt her feelings and that had me incredibly uncomfortable. Women never made me uncomfortable and I wasn’t one who necessarily cared about their feelings. But knowing I’d hurt Kori’s…

Well fuck.

And to complicate things just a bit more, I wanted to fix it.

“Since I disrupted your day, how about I treat you to dinner? It’s late…”

“I can make something simple, so being late is not an issue. I have a job to do, remember?” she muttered, cutting me off.

“You could, but I’m offering an alternative. You good with seafood?”

“Yep.”

I smirked, shaking my head. “I apologize for saying you’re not my type, we both know that’s a lie. I’m just trying my best to remain in the box you forced me in, friend .”

“By insulting me?”

“Yeah, it’s either insult you to try and trick my mind into not wanting you or it’s fuck this friend shit and I fuck you. You decide.”

In my peripheral I caught the slight roll of her eyes and the ghost of a smile that stole her expression. I accepted both as a truce and instead of heading to the house, I drove us to Vulture.