“What’s the problem?” I asked, already following the path of her scrutiny.
“There isn’t a problem . . . yet. You better check your girl about staring me down.”
It took a few seconds, but I peeped who Essen was referring to. Just like she said, the pecan-colored brickhouse who liked to deep-throat my dick snarled at us.
“Melli is harmless.” I shrugged. “She’s probably just jealous.”
“Of what? I don’t want you.” Essen snickered. “You have a lot of growing up to do.”
“I’m grown, woman.”
She lifted a brow and traced me with a humored countenance. “Barely.”
“Whatever. Melli isn’t my lady,” I responded, changing the subject. “I wish you would stop staying that shit. The last timeyou made that announcement, my other bitch was close enough to hear you.”
“Eww. You are disgusting.”
“I’m honest. They know what it is.”
“That doesn’t make it better.”
“Yeah, but it makes a difference,” I suggested. “Yo’ ass loves worrying about everybody else. Where are you sneaking off to after this?”
“I don’t like that word.”
“That’s what I think when I see your chocolate ass.”
“You believe all women are sneaky. I’ve listened to you speak on it for years. Someone broke your heart, and now you move like she made you a ho.”
My top lip got sharp on the end. “Now I remember why I don’t talk to you for too long. What happened to the holiday cheer bullshit?”
“Whaaa?” She played shocked. “Maybe I should’ve said, ho! Ho! Ho?”
I tried to stay firm, but when Essen giggled, my frown dropped to my feet.
“When can we meet about the party?” I asked when I saw Melli wandering in our direction.
“I’m ready when you are. You know I love your parents. Their love reminds me that good thingsdolast.” She threw back her drink then slammed the glass on the wooden surface. “Send me a copy of our dinner reservations once you have them set in stone.”
I watched Essen until she only left her sassy strut in her wake. I saw a few members of S.O.E in my mix, but I played it cool. I tried to harden my expression, hoping it would dismiss the idea that I was eye fucking my best friend’s sister, but I didn’t have faith it worked when Junior shook his head. I flipped himoff, then started to face the bar, yet a pair of hands slithered up my sides.
“It took you long enough to come see me,” I commented.
Melli eased to my side and placed her hands flat on the bar top. “Don’t act like you don’t know why I waited. You were talking to Essen’s stuck-up ass.”
“Watch that sly shit, Melli. You think Essen is stuck up because she’s selective. Don’t be mad because she doesn’t play about her pussy or reputation.”
She tossed her long, blonde weave off her shoulder. “A pussy you’ll never get, so stop drooling.”
“Knock it off. Essen is family.”
“Ha! I’ve heard that before. Unless you two share the same blood, you can share a bed.” She connected her hip to my side. “Enough about her. Are you ready to get out of here?”
I fucked with different women who hung at the clubhouse, but Melli was my favorite. She had been around the Sons of Eshu since we purchased our spot, and though we weren’t in a relationship, everybody in our circle knew her pussy belonged to me when we were in the same room.
“Let me run to the bathroom, then we can head to the hotel.”
“I’ll go with you.”
