The basement was a humid sanctuary, insulated from the biting Toronto wind. A single red bulb in the corner cast a sultry, crimson haze over the room, turning the sweat on their bodies into glistening rubies. Aubrey's(Drake) world had narrowed down to the woman beneath him and the rhythm they were creating on the low-slung mattress.
He had his hands locked firmly under her thighs, hoisting her hips to meet him as he drove into her with a slow, deliberate heat. Kiki's back arched off the sheets, her fingers digging deep into the muscles of his shoulders, her nails scraping against his skin in a desperate search for friction. Every time their bodies collided, the air left her lungs in a sharp, melodic gasp that echoed off the concrete walls.
Aubrey watched her, his hooded eyes locked onto hers, watching the way her expression blurred between pleasure and a sort of beautiful agony. He leaned down, his chest grazing her breasts, and buried his face in the crook of her neck. The scent of her—a mix of shea butter and salt—was intoxicating. He bit down gently on the sensitive skin just below her ear, eliciting a high, sharp moan that made his blood roar.
He shifted his weight, his movements becoming more urgent, more primal. He could feel the vibration of her heart hammering against his ribs as she wrapped her legs around his waist, locking him in, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them. The friction was a slow burn, building until the heat in the room felt like it was going to combust. He watched the way her head thrashed against the pillow, her eyes half-closed as she called out his name, her voice a ragged plea that broke the silence of the basement.
As the climax hit, it felt like a physical takeover. Aubrey tensed, his grip tightening on her as he felt the wave crash over them both. He let out a low, gravelly sound, his forehead dropping onto her shoulder as he exhaled the built-up tension of a thousand failed auditions and empty pockets.
For those few minutes, he wasn't a kid trying to be a star. He was just a man, grounded and real.
"Aubrey..." she breathed, her voice a thready whisper as she tried to catch her breath. She ran a shaking hand through his hair, her touch lingering on the back of his neck. "Stay like this. Don't go back to that computer."
She shifted, sliding her leg against his, her body still warm and pliant. She began to trail her lips along his jawline, her hand wandering down to the small of his back, trying to pull him back into the haze. "We could do it again. Just one more time... forget the music for tonight."
She was persuading him with everything she had, her body a soft, tempting trap. Aubrey felt the pull—the desire to stay in the comfort of her arms rather than face the cold reality of his career.
But then, the silence was broken. His BlackBerry, sitting on a stack of lyric sheets on the floor, began to vibrate. The harsh, mechanical buzz cut through the erotic fog of the room.
Aubrey pulled back slightly, his eyes drifting to the glowing screen.
"Aubrey, ignore it," Kiki whispered, her voice tinged with a sudden, sharp jealousy. She tried to pull his face back to hers. "It's 3:00 AM. Whoever it is can wait."
He didn't listen. He reached out, his fingers still slick, and snatched the phone. The light blinded him for a second.
1 New Message: Jas Prince
"Stop what you're doing. Wayne just called me back. He's obsessed with the hook on 'Brand New.' He's in Houston at the studio right now. I've got a flight for you at 9:00 AM. This is your one shot, Aubrey. Pick up your damn phone."
The heat in his body turned to ice-water adrenaline. He sat up abruptly, leaving Kiki's side as he stared at the words. The "toast" was beginning. The life of a lover was being traded for the life of a legend.
"I can't stay," Aubrey said, his voice cold, the warmth of the last hour evaporating. He stood up, naked and unashamed in the dim light, and looked at his suitcase in the corner. "I'm leaving the city."
Aubrey's mind was racing—five hours to pack everything into one bag and get to Pearson International. He still had to tell his mum, Sandi, that he was leaving for Houston with a man he'd never even met. And then there was Kiki,he still had to deal with how she'd react to him leaving her behind. Just as these thoughts crowded his head, Kiki interrupted, pulling him out of his spiral.