“Dangerous Bonds”
Last Week: Jamal is living on his own without Lucious’ money, Cookie gets her own office and Tiana as a new client, Hakeem continues his affairs with Camilla and is caught by Tiana who is surprisingly okay with it, and Lucious reveals to Anika that he has ALS.
Tiana and Hakeem discuss with the press that Hakeem will be more than just his father’s name. On their way home Hakeem asks Tiana to come over but she opts to go home instead and we see that she has a female companion waiting for her.
Lucious asks Anika to marry him and she accepts. However, they decide to keep it under wraps until they tell their families.
Jamal and Cookie head over to a rundown studio where Jamal plans to record his album. He still denies money from Lucious and wants to do this on his own with the money he has.
Agent Carter goes to Cookie to tell her that she needs protection and that her testimony to a grand jury will be sealed and no one will know. They’re trying to stop a man named Frank Gathers get out of prison.
Hakeem plays his new single for Lucious and he likes it. Hakeem also tells him that he wants to reinvent himself and gives plans for his video but Andre says that the video is $1 million over budget. Lucious tells Andre to find the money or else he will not have a purpose at Empire.
Rhonda is with Andre at a photo shoot she’s covering and they talk about finding money for Hakeem’s video. Rhonda shows Andre that Tiana is involved with another girl and they plan to use that to their advantage.
Cookie meets with a grand jury about witnessing a murder during a drug deal. She names the shooter as Frank Gathers for shooting a Federal Agent. Cookie is upset with Agent Carter for not telling her that the dealer was an undercover, so now she fears even more for her life but Agent Carter assures her that she will be safe.
Andre tells Lucious that the only way they can pay for Hakeem’s video is by putting Tiana in it with him and using her promotions as part of the budget. However, they’ll have to go through Cookie.
Vernon tells Lucious that unless he is healthy and has aa doctor sign on it, then they won’t be able to get their IPO, but he doesn’t know that Lucious has ALS. Lucious tells Vernon that he proposed to Anika and that her father is a doctor.
Cookie is leaving her apartment when she finds a rose on her floor. She calls Carter who doesn’t answer and leaves, taking her gun with her. When she opens her door again Andre is there holding the rose. He asks her about getting Tiana to guest on Hakeem’s video. She tells him that she wants to be a part of their board, then they’ll get Tiana.
Jamal is recording his new album at the studio and is waiting for Cookie. She calls him and tells him that she has to go and handle something, but gives him some tips on his song.
Hakeem and Tiana are shooting the video and Andre is there watching. He goes outside to tell Rhonda to post the video of Tiana with another woman on all the websites that follow Hakeem and Tiana’s relationship.
Portia sees the video first and shows Hakeem’s crew. Hakeem sees it and confronts Tiana during her rehearsals and he calls off the video.
He calls Rhonda and decides to take things a step further by sending Hakeem’s crew to his studio, confident that Jamal won’t get hurt but they show up and pull guns, shooting one of the guys in the studio. Jamal believes that Hakeem sent them and they leave after the owner comes in with a shotgun.
Cookie goes to her little sister, Carol and tells her that Frank is trying to kill her. Carol tells her about Teddy McNally, Frank’s guy on the outside.
Everyone at the studio is bailing on Jamal and he tells Cookie. She also gets a call from Tiana about Hakeem finding out about her girlfriend. She tells the record producer to give Jamal some rookies and tells Tiana that she must continue with the shoot.
Lucious tells Cookie to have Tiana’s girlfriend to the set and she agrees.
Lucious and Anika are with her parents and Lucious is talking to her father about his ALS and Anika is arguing with her mother who believes Lucious isn’t right for her. Lucious tells Steve, Anika’s father, that he’ll need him to certify that he’s in good health, but Steve refuses until Lucious tells him that if he dies, then Anika will inherit all of his money.
Cookie talks with Jermel, Carol’s husband, about getting McNally to stop. She gives him $5,000.
Jamal gets his new crew and tries to manage them at the same time they record.
At the shoot, Tiana brings her girlfriend, India, and Lucious tells Hakeem to use that as his inspiration for his song and video and they continue to shoot.
At the studio, Jamal’s song is also coming together and Cookie finally shows up, proud of where things are going.
Jamal shows up at Hakeem’s place and tells him about the studio blowout. They get into a scuffle and Jamal punches Hakeem.
Hakeem asks Andre for some money so he can drop his video before Jamal’s song comes out.
Lucious shows up at Cookie’s place. She finds out that he was the one who gave her the rose and calls Carol to call of the shooting, but she’s too late, Jermel already shot McNally, now another war is brewing.
Next Week: Lucious reveals his engagement to everyone, Jamal records his song and Vernon is suspicious of Lucious’ involvement with Bunkie’s death.
image courtesy of INFphoto.com