I Like Choices @adder-lykel - Tumblr Blog

Aug 9, 2019

Felices Los 4 (M!Raleigh x MC)

Summary: Inspired by Maluma’s Felices Los 4. Raleigh and Cadence need some time to finally figure out exactly what they are.

Warning: Explicit language. Some references to sex.

Word Count: 3200

Si conmigo te quedas O con otro tú te vas No me importa un carajo Porque sé que volverás

Raleigh woke up to emptiness by his side. He grimaced as he rolled over, soaking in the fading warmth that Cadence left behind when she awoke at the break of dawn and snuck out of his hotel room before they got caught. Two months after the ‘break up’ and he still could not stay away from her. He didn’t mind the risks, after all hooking up adds to his bad boy persona. But if Cadence got caught, well her image would be ruined. This was all this was right? Hooking up. He was used to sleeping around, not remembering all the names of the women he had been with, but for a while now the only woman on his mind and in his sheets was Cadence Dorian. God, did he wish things were different.

He grimaced as he reached the bedside, hundreds of text filling the screen. At the top was one from

Cadence“Had a good time last night, sorry I didn’t wake you up. You just looked too cute sleeping ;)” His cheeks warmed as he smiled.

He texted back, “Don’t have too much fun with your bf” To which she shot back,

“Hopefully Jaylen ‘Notice me Raleigh’ Riaz doesn’t get on your nerves too much”

He rolled his eyes groaning as he remembered that his new girlfriend was none other than Jaylen Riaz. Boy was she annoying. The only thing he liked about that woman was her singing voice, but by now even that annoyed him.

Jaylen squealed as she lept into Raleigh arms outside the hotel, the bright flashing lights making him grimace. Or maybe she was. On cue he pulled her in for a deep kiss. He pulled away, putting on his sunglasses as Jaylen looped her arm with his and walked through with a flashing smile.

“Raleigh how do you feel about Cadence making it official with her One in a Million mentor Avery Wilshire!”

Raleigh sneered, about to answer when Jaylen interrupted, “Well you know I’m the winner here.” She let out a giggle and snuggled against Raleigh who forced a smirk as he winked at the cameras through his glasses.

“Jaylen how do you feel about being Raleigh’s sloppy seconds?” Raleigh had to stop himself from laughing as a look of shock spread across Jaylen’s face. Of course it was his favorite pap. She looked at Raleigh for defense who sighed and rolled her eyes, “How does Avery feel about being Cadence’s sloppy seconds? Don’t be sexist.”

Frankly he did not like that Avery was Cadence’s rebound. Raleigh was not one to get jealous, but there was a part of him who knew that Avery would be a better match for Cadence. He swore there wasn’t a single bad cell in that man’s body, except that maybe he was too nice. But maybe there was something that Cadence didn’t see in Avery, because nearly every night she was in Raleigh’s bed. Raleigh swore that by the time these relationships passed they would get together, and he would do things right. But life had other plans as time went on, and he found his bed getting colder more often.

It started with Cadence’s tour and Raleigh’s Vegas residency. Raleigh was practically stuck in a place that was made for him, while Avery could basically tail and support Cadence.

One night he found himself texting, “I miss you, come back to me. Wish I was with you.” But he deleted it quickly and instead sent,

Raleigh: “How’s Paris”

Cadence: “Gorgeous, everything I’ve ever dreamed.” Raleigh turned on his side, grimacing as he tortured himself over not being there.

“Call me.” I miss you

“Can’t Avery is taking me on a date on the Eiffel Tower”

“How cliché”

She didn’t respond. Figures, she must have been falling deeply in love with that Ken doll of a boyfriend.

Raleigh sat up, reaching for the bottle of bourbon next to his bedside and taking a swig of it. There wasn’t a label for him and Cadence, hell they’ve never even said ‘I love you’ to each other. He knew that she had her needs too, and he couldn’t hold her back. The world is a lonely place for people like them, and he was sure that she had probably hooked up with Avery a few times.

He grimaced at the thought of this, and took a longer swig of the bourbon before slamming it down and grabbing his phone. He checked to see if Cadence responded. She didn’t. Instead he scrolled down to Jaylen sending a rather regrettable text now that he thought of it, but she was in town and they were still fake dating.

“Come over.” He typed, suddenly not caring that he disliked every fiber in her being just for one escape.

He should have known better than to give Jaylen attention. They were at the Grammys and of course they were seated next to Cadence and Avery for the drama. Cadence grinned over at him, and he couldn’t help but smile to as he went to say hi, when Jaylen interrupted him.

Grinning, she grabbed Cadence and squealed, “I don’t see why you broke up with Raleigh, Cadence! I mean he is just…intoxicating.” Avery cringed behind Cadence as he shot Raleigh a look. What was that for? He wasn’t doing anything wrong.

Cadence forced a smile, before saying shakily, “Trust me, I know, but uh good luck.” She gave Raleigh a prying glance before softly pushing Avery to sit on her other side, creating a wall between her and Jaylen.

How could she be mad at him? While she was doing worse things with Avery. They were backstage, about to present with Cadence Best Rap album. She was silent as she stared ahead. He reached out touch her, “Cadence?”

“Did you sleep with her?” she said coolly, still not looking at him.

“What? Hello to you too.”

“Answer me Raleigh.”

“Sleep with who?”

“Don’t play dumb. Jaylen.”

Raleigh took in a deep breath, “Yes.”

“For how long?”

“Well, geez do you want me to give you a whole report?” Raleigh chuckled as Cadence shot him an icy glare. “What don’t act like you haven’t slept around too?” Cadence scoffed as she rolled her eyes, “With who? Shane who still hates me? Or Avery? I haven’t in fact, not yet.”

“Why are you so twisted then?”

“Because you hate Jaylen!” And you love me, she thought. She guessed not.

“There is such a thing as hate sex you know. Besides it means nothing to me. Also we’re not even a thing…” Raleigh trailed off as he saw tears well up in Cadence’s eyes.

Maybe she was wrong about everything, maybe what they had was only a spark. She choked on her tears, trying hold them back in order to not ruin her make up. He reached for her, and she numbly pushed him off. Walking towards the stage, leaving him trailing behind her. Maybe she should have known better to think that what they’ve had could be love. She read the words on the teleprompter with a forced smile, not turning to Raleigh when the fake banter came. She knew she looked stiff. She knew this was going to spin out as an awkward ex encounter in the papers. She didn’t care anymore.

When they went back stage she pushed past him, gripping her gown as she scurried off, away from everything, away from all of the fake surrounding them.

Avery found her crying in some diner that night, and she let him comfort her that night.

“You know he’s no good for you.” Avery said as he wrapped an arm around her waist as they laid in bed together.

“I just thought that what we had was real.” Cadence replied as she tried to focus on the man in front of her. But she couldn’t. She knew that if she could choose she would be with Raleigh now, but she had to give Avery a chance.

“It’s hard to find what’s real in this industry that’s why I love you.” Avery said, not minding that that word slipped out of his mouth. Cadence didn’t know what to say, so instead she pulled him in for a kiss.

Two months passed by, and Raleigh was now sitting up in bed, Jaylen snoring soundly as he grabbed his phone. He went to his old messages and looked at Cadence’s name sorrowfully. Why does he ache like this? It’s been two months and he still misses her, still yearns for her to just say hi to him. Unbeknownst to him Cadence was thinking the same thing,

Finally he texted, “I miss you, can we talk?”

20 minutes passed and finally responded, “No.”

“Then why did you respond.”

“Because I wanted to annoy you.”

“Funny, but seriously?”

“K”

“Cadence, I want you to know that I can’t stop thinking about you. I care about you in so many ways. And I understand if you are falling for Avery, he’s a good guy. I’m just grateful to be that spiteful yet friendly fake ex in your life. Just let me back in.” Raleigh texted, his heart beating in his throat. Was he in love with her. She responded, “I overreacted, I know I wasn’t fair about you and Jaylen. I just couldn’t help but feel jealous at the time. But Avery’s been good to me, and Jaylen’s been trying for you. It wouldn’t be fair for either of them to go back to what we were doing.”

Fuck everybody else Raleigh almost typed, but instead he replied, “I know, just let me be there for you.” I love you. He was desperate, he wanted her, he needed her.

“Meet me for coffee at 9.”

Raleigh and Jaylen were scheduled for an late night interview, while Avery was going to take Cadence out on a date that would change her life.

Cadence giggled as Avery lead her down the beach. “I still don’t understand where we’re going.” She adored Avery, she really did. He made her feel safe.

“We’ll get there when we get there now come along.” He lead to a secluded spot, where there were candles all around and a white blanket. “Sex on the beach? Nice”

Avery rolled his eyes as he pulled her towards him, “No that comes later.” he winked. In one fluid motion he grabbed her hand and knelt on the ground. Hopefully Raleigh’s advice will pull through.

“Cadence Dorian, the way you make me feel is the realest I’ve in a long time. You’re my muse, my everything. And these past few months have been far from fake. There is not one thing in the world that holds me back from asking you…will you marry me?”

Raleigh straightened himself out as he sauntered onto the couch with Jaylen next to him for Leland St. James. He smirked at the cameras, trying not to think about Cadence’s important night. Of course he knew, he helped Avery. Didn’t mean he hated every single bit of it.

He tuned out most of the monologue until Leland asked, “Now, Raleigh would you say things are getting pretty serious between you and Jaylen? Could we be looking at a possible Mrs. Carrera?”

Raleigh chuckled shaking his head while Jaylen elbowed his side and said with a smile, “Well I think things are pretty serious, right babe?” Raleigh just nodded and said, “Might keep this one for a while.”

“Yes well it has been a while. I mean this is your longest girlfriend! Come on put a ring on it.” Jaylen blushed, giggling as she cuddled next to Raleigh.

“So Jaylen I’ve heard you’ve been working on a new album. Give us all the details.”

Jaylen smiled and said, “Well, I wanted to take a more romantic approach.” She did not write a single word in that album.

“Are we getting a collab?”

“Well I guess you’ll just have to find out.”

“Anyway, on to the juicy stuff,” said Leland, “Jaylen how do you feel about Cadence’s romance with former mentor Avery Wilshere?”

Jaylen rolled her eyes and said with a smirk, “We all know Cadence is well…A temptress. I mean she seduced Raleigh, and now she’s returning the favor to Avery. Simple as that. Nothing real like me and Raleigh have. Besides, had she not used her…skills…I would have won, right Raleigh.”

Raleigh grimaced. He knew this was coming, and he knew what he had to say. He knew he had to bash Cadence’s image in order to boost his. And yet he sat there quietly as Jaylen and Leland looked at him expectantly.

“No.”

Cadence said as her heart sake to her stomach. She knew she loved Avery in some way, but not like this. Avery’s faced dropped as he stood up, and looking at her face he understood. She didn’t love him the way he wanted to see it.

“Avery I’m sorry, I love you so much, but I’m not sure…” Cadence trailed off as she searched for anything in Avery’s face. Betrayal, hurt, sorrow, anything.

Avery wished she could finish that sentenced. He wanted to hear “I’m not sure if I’m ready.” That would have given him hope. No he was sure she the end would be “I’m not sure if I’m in love with you that way.”

“You don’t have to finish,” Avery said softly as he cupped her face. She looked up, tears brimming her eyes. She wished she could say yes. She wished she was in love with him like he was in love with her.

“I’m sorry.” She choked out.

“Hey, it’s okay I get it. It’s not my first heart break.” Well, actually this heart break is the one that hurts the most.

“No, I want to love you, I want to ride off with you into the sunset and get married and live this fantasy but,”

“But that isn’t your story.” Avery cooed as he tried to focus his energy on comforting the woman that he loved that didn’t love him back. “I get it Cadence. I’m just grateful I threw my hat in the rink for you…But Raleigh is hard to get through.”

Cadence looked up in shock. How did he know? Avery shook his head. Of course he knew.

She wiped her tears away, “I know. But I want to fight for him. I don’t care if I have to go through Fiona, if I have to find a new label, or if I have pry Jaylen Riaz off of him. That’s what you do, you fight for people you love.”

Avery nodded backing away, “Well, go get him then.” I hope he fights for you to.

“Like now?”

“I mean, I kind of need my own heart break right now?”

“Oh, yeah sorry…Are you going to be okay?”

“Nothing a few break up songs won’t fix. I think you’ve inspired me.” He chuckled. Cadence gave him a quick peck on the cheek, “Thank you Avery.” She scurried off, and Avery finally allowed himself to break when she was out of sight.

“No,” Raleigh repeated as he glared over at Leland and Jaylen pulling himself from Jaylen in disgust. The studio fell silent.

“I’m sorry?” Leland started as Jaylen hissed, “Babe?”

“No, I refused to partake in this stupid media circus. And refuse to drag Cadence Dorian,” Raleigh stood up. “Actually if anything that is fake it is this stupid relationship between this girl and me. I mean it’s like some deity had it out there for me and decided to pair me up with the most annoying girl on the planet. I swear, every time you open your mouth I want to vomit. No offense” Jaylen looked up at him in shock while Leland looked straight into the camera. No way he wasn’t going to stop filming. He was capturing a Carrera break down.

“Fuck this, fuck all of you!” Raleigh barked as he pointed his finger at the room. “Cadence Dorian is the realest person in the industry, she is able to write amazing songs, unlike this girl who probably hasn’t lifted a single pen in her life. She is a kind soul, who just wants to sing. Isn’t that enough for you people? Do you want me to drag her into the mud? Because I can’t. And I refuse to be anyone’s puppet. To tell the truth all of my relationships have been fake. But even when Cadence and I were faking it felt real. You want me to judge her and Avery’s relationship I can’t. I know Avery Wilshere is a good guy who would hold himself back when he was her mentor. I know that any guy Cadence is forced to be with is going to fall in love with her like I have.” That was it, he knew it all along, he was still in love with Cadence.

“And you know what? Maybe instead wasting your lives admiring stupid celebrities like us why don’t you—” the show cut off before Raleigh used all of his swear words.

He knew he was in trouble, he knew that this public breakdown could be spun so many different ways. Fiona chewed him out as he was escorted off stage but he didn’t care. For the first time in his life, he felt real with himself.

Cadence woke up that morning to a pap pick of her and Avery with the caption, “Trouble in Paradise? Cadence Dorian rejects Avery Wilshere’s proposal, living heartthrob in the dust.” That was fair. What she didn’t expect to see was the side headline, “Raleigh Carrera has a meltdown on TV. Was it drugs? Alcohol? Or something else?” This intrigued her and she went straight to the source and watched Leland’s show.

Cadence: “Can we talk?”

Raleigh: “Hey look we’re headline buddies.”

Raleigh: “Sure. I’ll head to your place”

Within minutes he was at her door, and she pulled him inside. “You’re an idiot.”

“I know.”

“You might have ruined your career.”

“I know, and you rejected the perfect man.”

“I know. But he wasn’t for me.”

“Then who is perfect enough for you,” Raleigh said he pulled in closer, his hand softly touching her elbow as he tried to make eye contact instead of looking at the lips he missed so much.

“I don’t know, might be a bad boy Puerto Rican who would risk it all to defend me honor.” Cadence smirked as she edged closer to him.

Raleigh’s breath caught in his throat, and he finally said softly, “I love you Cadence Dorian, always have. Always will. But I’m not good for you or your image.”

“And I love you Raleigh Carrera. And you know both know that the whole world could eat our--” she was cut off as she was pulled by him into a long, hungry kiss. He wrapped his arms around, holding her close, absorbing her warmth and taking in the beautiful scent of her hair.

Y siempre que se va, regresa a mí No importa el que dirán, somos tal para cual

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