Rapper's Delight: The Mogul Series Book One Read online

  Rapper's Delight

  The Mogul Series Book One

  Kenya Goree-Bell

  Illustrated by

  Whimsical Designs LLC

  Copyright © 2020 by Kenya Goree-Bell

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  For mom always for you

  I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself. ~ D. H. Lawrence

  Oh but my joy today

  Is that we can all be proud to say

  To be young gifted and Black

  Is where it’s at.

  ~Nina Simone

  Contents

  Foreword

  Rapper's Delight

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by Kenya Goree-Bell

  Foreword

  Thank you for choosing Rapper’s Delight!

  I wanted to take a moment to share the following Content Warning.

  This story contains gun violence, survivors remorse, loss of sibling, and love scenes that involve choking.

  Rapper's Delight

  Get ready Book One of the Mogul Series

  Tragedy separated them for twelve years…

  Can they finally have the love promised?

  Or will betrayal be their undoing.

  Welcome to the world of The Mogul Series where the Young, Gifted and Black are met with intrigue and passion. Where fame is no guarantee of happiness but love may hold all the possibilities.

  Meet Delightful Howard and FADE Carrington as they embark on a journey that promises passion as they try to reclaim what they lost in RAPPER’S DELIGHT.

  FADE is the biggest rap star in the world and he has everything he ever wanted but his best friend’s sister.

  Delightful Howard is coming off the biggest win any writer can imagine but she will never rest until she knows all the secrets FADE holds.

  Promises were made

  Now it’s time to deliver.

  STOP. FUCKING. RUNNING.

  Enter the world of The Mogul Series where smart women and ruthless men collide...

  Power

  Fame

  Music

  Passion

  Prologue

  Justice Denied

  12 years before…

  “Ok, I’m going to let you go with me but don’t be acting so goo-goo eyed this time. It’s super embarrassing seeing my sister looking at my best friend like he’s her favorite caramel cupcake.” Justice shook his head, looking at her so pitifully that Delightful couldn’t help but attempt to smack the smirk from his lips one good time.

  Leaping from her built-in wall desk, she almost had him too.

  “Ha- ha! You missed shrimp!” He backed away with his arms shot forward in an attempt to ward her off. Try as she might Delightful knew that she would never reach Justice’s face which at six-foot was way out of of her little five-foot swinging range.

  “Don’t worry punk, I got you,” she huffed.

  “Come-on, we need to get down there. FADE has already been blowing up my phone. That boy is a workaholic.” Justice’s grin took any censure out of his voice as he reached up and gripped the top of the door frame.

  “You know you love it too. The music you guys make is hot, and it's important.” Nodding to him as she walked past, she winked, “Who’d have thought y’all nerds were even capable of such coolness?” She winked at him, tucking her notebook into her bag.

  “Carry this for me?” He canted his head, giving her his signature, “Do me this on solid,” look that he knew she couldn’t resist.

  “Ok, but this is it. You’re not weighing me down with your snacks.” She rolled her eyes and swept past him and down the wide creaky stairs that led right into the parlor. The fact that they actually called it a parlor always made her giggle, mom insisted on it since that was what it was with its opening up to the dedicated living room. Her mom loved that room and everything about their century’s old home so much she had a daddy to buy her a set of furniture that never got sat on which made daddy roll his eyes every time she chided anyone for sitting in there. Which is exactly what Delightful did as she sat down to lace up her Chucks.

  “Oh, going with me has gone straight to your head, huh?” Justice shook his head his eyes rounded big like she’d lost her ever loving mind.

  “Shhhh!” She hushed him and jumped up quick as she could making the plastic cover squeak.

  “You better not be on my settee, Delightful!” mom called from somewhere in the back of the house.

  “No ma’am,” she called and licked her tongue out at Justice who ran a finger over his throat.

  “You know she’s going to come and check. You better make sure there isn’t a booty print on there.” He stood and stretched. Daddy called them growing pains. Justice hadn’t seemed to stop growing since he turned fourteen and hit his growth spurt. He was constantly twisting this and turning, learning how to get comfortable in his ever changing body.

  “Mommy, we’re about to leave,” he called over his shoulder once he’d finally settled.

  “Be careful, stay out of those alleyways and call when you’re about to leave. If it’s late, I’ll have your daddy pick you up when he gets home, so you won’t have to walk.” She patted his arm and turned her face so he could put a big smooch on her cheek.

  “Daddy will be tired, mommy. We’ll make it back fine and not too late.”

  “Umhm, you just want to spend time with Fernando. You ain’t fooling anyone. Least of all me.”

  “I am not.” Delightful sidled up and kissed the other cheek.

  “Justice make sure your sister behaves.” Their mother moved aside to let them pass. “And lock those bikes up, so they don’t get stolen.” She moved back to close the door then popped her head back out, “I know you sat on my settee, Delightful!”

  “Sorry, mommy! Love you!” Delightful blew a kiss to her mother waving before gripping her handle bars to maneuver her bike behind her bother’s as they road down the hill in front of the house before banking a left toward the housing community where FADE’s family lived just beyond the football stadium. Their house stood in the shadow of the massive structure, but that never stopped the heat and blaze of the hot southern sun from hitting them at every turn. They pumped the peddles of the bikes down the hill, swerving and jumping curbs to reach their destination.

  “Do you like it?” The deep timbre of FADE’s voice hit Delightful so deep down and forbidden that she was lost for words. She looked up to the deep amber gaze reminiscent of the brandy her daddy drank on special occasions when Alabama won the National Championship. He was looking at her like her he was nervous, like he really cared what she thought about the music he and her brother had been wor
king on for the last two hours.

  “It’s dope. I love it.” She swallowed and dragged her eyes from him to look over to Justice, silently imploring him to save her from further mortification.

  “She’s right man, this one is good for radio and the club.” Justice bopped his head, “Bring up the tempo a little bit, Ghad.” He instructed the kid who nodded and manipulating the controls.

  Delightful closed her eyes, losing herself in the music’s flow, letting it wash over her in waves. She spun around in the office chair, humming to the music. She leaned her head back once she stopped spinning and opened her eyes. Her heart stopped. Fernando Anthony Duke Ellington Carrington, aka FADE — the most popular, most talented, the most everything boy at Garnet Senior High School was staring at her. Her heart could not take it. Then he laid that crooked smile on her. She squirmed. This was too much. Her heart was beating harder than the beat Ghadi was mixing.

  “Are you going to prom, Delightful?” He eased off the wall where he’d been posted most of the evening and came to stand beside her chair.

  “I… umm,” Delightful was lost. Was he just asking or about to ask her?

  “Nah, man. My pops ain’t about to let Delightful go to the prom this year.”

  “He might if I take her. You want to go to the prom with me, baby?” He reached down and tugged her braid.

  “Since when are you going to the prom, FADE? I thought you said it was whack?” Ghadi, whose name, Flower, their little sister told Delightful was supposed to be Ghandi, but the nurse left the N off his birth certificate chimed in as only he could–- completely out of order.

  “Yeah, but I’ve changed my mind. So what’s up Didi? You want to go to the prom with me or what?” He smiled at her then and the only thing she could do was smile and nod “Yes” because the words would not come. She thought they could be together fifty years and she would still find the words hard to come by whenever he smiled at her like that.

  “You better ask my dad before your feelings get hurt,” Justice advised giving his friend a hard look, “Don’t make me kick your ass over my sister, bro.”

  “Nah, man, it’s cool, I have sisters too. I’d fuck a bitch up over Flower and Willow. Trust that.” He tipped his head to acknowledge his friend.

  “Yup, yup,” Ghadi called from where he was mixing a new sequence of percussions, “Straight up murder.”

  Everyone laughed, knowing good and well that Ghadi was always the first to make peace. Even at fifteen, he showed more wisdom than most adults. Stopping fights and brokering peace had gotten him the moniker ‘Ghad of Peace’.

  Both boys had been offered elite scholarships along with Justice to a private boarding school on the other side of town, but they had all chosen to stay at their beloved high school. Delightful wished they’d went. She definitely would have gone to Southern Ivy Academy if she had that opportunity. She was a hard worker, but she had to work that was her gift as her mom often told her Justice’s and her younger sisters were just more apparent with Justice’s poetry, Lovie-Belle’s writing and Miracle’s photographic memory.

  On the way to FADE’s house, they saw that it was getting increasingly worse in the neighborhood. Word around the neighborhood was gangs from up north were infiltrating the area. The community was besieged on one side by constant policing and the other by emerging gangs.

  She knew that this was a powder keg ready to explode. Her family was up the hill a few blocks away, but it may as well have been another planet. She knew FADE’s parents were talking about moving. They were torn because their dad was the pastor of the neighborhood church and he felt that it was part of his ministry to live in the community.

  Looking at their mother this afternoon talking about a recent encounter she had with some boys hanging out on the corner made Delightful think his stance wouldn’t hold long. She hoped they moved up on the hill near them. It was way safer and then she could see FADE more. It would be so awesome if they could live next door instead of her eccentric cousins, but she knew that would never happen. Their house was even older than hers and they claimed it had been in the family since freedom, so no one was moving out of “The Love Palace”. She went over there but never stayed long because they weren’t being supervised properly since their parents tragic “accident” and only their great-grandma on their daddy’s side was watching them and she made money by selling moonshine her mom said. She knew her mom would have no problem with her visiting the Carrington house if they moved up by them since their daddy was a preacher and all.

  “Hey my little daydreamer, you ready? I’m going to ride up with y’all to ask your dad about prom.” He pulled her out of the chair. With a quick look over her shoulder, she glimpsed that Justice and Ghadi had gathered their things and were heading out. Her body came flush with his. She knew she should step back but didn’t.

  He slouched down to her level, and she leaned into him. He felt so hard — all wiry muscle. He had to lean down because he was taller than Justice, she’d say around six-two. His skin was the color of crushed topaz, almost golden in hue, his locks swirly. He was probably the most beautiful thing that she’d ever seen and had thought so from the moment he entered her home to play Xbox with her brother when she was eight. She had loved him from day one and could never think of a time when she wouldn’t. And the icing on the caramel cupcake that Justice teased her about was he smelled so dang good. It was not a stinky, over-the-counter scent. It was just him being exceptionally clean. She closed her eyes and inhaled, taking in as much of him as she could.

  “Can I kiss you, Didi? I really have been wanting to kiss you for a while now.” His words were whispered soft in her ear and it made her shiver. She felt her body respond almost painfully.

  “I promise only a kiss. Is that ok?” He tilted her chin up and looked into her eyes.

  “Why now?” Her voice sounded like a whisper to her own ears because she knew he was well aware how much she liked him.

  “I had to make sure Justice was cool with us being together.” His eyes darted to the door as he lowered his voice which seem to rub along the inside of her body leaving cinders in its wake.

  “Oh, really?” She quirked her eyebrow in challenge. “You had to get his permission?”

  “Yeah,” He eyes slid away like the spot on her neck was a magnet he couldn’t drag his eyes away from.

  “Because you didn’t want to ruin your friendship over a girl, you were just dating for a while?” She stepped back. He stepped forward now she was pressed against the desk with him a wall in front of her. She exhaled, and her chest rubbed against him. He took a quick step back. He was just light enough that she could see the blush infuse his face.

  “You know he would never go for that. He grilled me. I had to be honest.” His gaze was raw. Imploring.

  “So what made him say ok?’ She crossed her arms tilting her chin up, wondering how upset she should be that her brother felt it was his duty to manage her dating life.

  “I told him…” He cleared his throat and threw his head back and sighed, scrunching his eyes closed tightly exhaling. Her eyes went straight to the corded muscles in his throat. She was going to like kissing him there. She bit her lip at the naughty thought. After he took a couple deep breaths, he steadied his feet and cupped her face in his big hands. “I told him that this is the beginning of forever, Delightful. You and me — this is forever.”

  “FADE.” She cupped her hands around his neck and brought his lips to hers. For years she’d dreamed of kissing FADE. He was her crush, her brother’s best friend, and at this moment Delightful could not be bothered to care because kissing FADE was better than any caramel cupcake.

  “Mom said not to go in the alleyway.” Delightful caught up with Justice and grabbed his arm when he turned his bike into the corridor.

  “Yeah and she told you to behave but I know you were kissing FADE just now.” He winked at her and laughed when she smacked his arm.

  “Yeah, and we need to talk about how you t
hink folks have to check with you before asking me out.” She poked his chest, putting her foot back on the peddle.

  “Right because you’re my kid sis and I look out for you.” He was so unapologetic and proud that she couldn’t help but shake her head at his tone.

  “Oh, and like you don’t kiss and do more with Lyric? She doesn’t have a big brother to look out for her.” She countered, daring him to deny it.

  “She doesn’t need one, we’ve been together since six grade. I’m marrying her as soon as I graduate.” He held his hands up like so what before grabbing the handlebars again. “Then we are going on tour. To get our music out.”

  “What about school?” her voice raised at news he had been holding out on.

  “What about it?” He scrunched up his face.

  “Boy, mom and daddy are going to be so mad at you if you pass up a music scholarship to go on the road and run off and marry Lyric!” Her eyes darted to FADE who been at the mouth of the ally stopped and looked back to them.

  “Did you know about this FADE?” His immediately closed off expression told her everything she needed to know. “Oh, you’re in on it too. No wonder y’all have had this mad rush to make music.”

  “Listen, Delightful. There is something you have to understand. When you have a gift like mine and what FADE has, you can’t be boxed in. A promoter with the summer music festivals contacted us after seeing one of our YouTube videos and offered us a spot. We’ll be back before school starts.” He patted her on the shoulder and turned away from her back toward the alley.