Vega leanedagainst the bar taking in the work which had been completed in his club. There was still a lot more to be done, but even now, he could see the difference. The main floor was now separated into sections, some filled with red leather sectionals which were VIP while others housed black leather sectionals for the general population. The brand-new stage carried the same red and black theme as did the other accents on the walls and columns throughout the building. The place looked brand new, and had Vega not been in such a fucked-up mood, he would have smiled at the progress.
He pulled heavily from the blunt he sparked up to calm his nerves after the meeting with his brother and father. After holding the smoke in a little longer than necessary, Vega allowed it to seep through his lips while he watched the construction team he hired moving around the building.
“It looks good in here.” Nene posted up next to Vega and looked around the building. He watched her profile with a scowl on his face which only deepened when she finally gave him her full attention, smiling seductively.
“The fuck you doing here?” His words flowed calmly with ease as he pulled from his blunt again, waiting for her answer. With his movements being limited to business and Nyelle, Vega had been off the grid where most were concerned. In his past, his nights were spent getting high at clubs and blowing money while women blew him. These days he was home before midnight so he could be up by sunrise to hit the streets to buy low and sell high. Properties now versus drugs. Although he still had his hands in the streets, Dix was in charge of delegating to Brink and Timmy who delegated to the foot soldiers under them.
“You won’t come see me, so I had to swallow my pride and come see you.” Nene pouted slightly but she was being sincere. She hadn’t seen or heard from Vega since the day he showed up at the pool hall and embarrassed her about sexing his boys while he was locked away. It took her a minute to get over it, but she missed Vega, or rather what Vega had to offer, and she was willing to grovel to fall into his good graces once more.
“Most would take that as a sign that I didn’t want to be seen, yet here you are. How you even know how to find me?”
Very few people knew his moves and Vega wasn’t concerned about any of his people running their mouths about them, so Nene had to have really been looking for him.
“I dance here.” He frowned at her while she smiled hard at him. “Or at least I used to until you snatched up the place and shut it down.”
“Your name isn’t on the list of people I’m paying while we’re closed.”
“Do you even know my name? Myrealname?” Nene rolled her eyes, already aware of the answer. Vega knew what it felt liketo lay between her thighs and how great her head was, but she was positive that was all he knew about her.
Chuckling to himself about her question, he shook his head and pulled from the blunt, speaking as he released the smoke. “Nah, I don’t. It wasn’t necessary or important to me.”
“Wow.” Nene wanted to be surprised but she wasn’t. Instead she stepped in front of him and reached for his belt. “But I’m sure you remember some other things. Maybe I can remind you.”
Vega smirked and knocked her hand away, causing Nene’s expression to harden.
“Are you really that upset with me because of Dix and Timmy?”
“Nah, not at all. The fuck I need to be upset about? You were never mine. You couldn’t be because you were for the whole team. Even before I went in. I might not know your name, but I know your résumé. We were cool, shorty, but never going to be more than we were. I’m sure you knew that, so I’m confused about why you’re here trying to suck my dick for a come up.”
Nene’s mouth opened and closed several times because she was at a loss and had no argument to defend herself from his evaluation.
“That’s what I thought.” Vega looked her dead in her eyes. “If we had any chance of anything, which we don’t, you killed that shit when I got locked up and you said fuck me and moved on to my people. I would have never rocked with you on no real shit, but I might have considered looking out for you had you looked out for me. It got lonely as fuck in there. Just to see someone’s face to know they cared would have been worth a lot.”
“I didn’t know it would have mattered.”
“Well, too late to worry about it now. I’m good on you, Nene. Good luck with life but I can’t do shit for you.”
She stared at him in disbelief but eventually tucked her tail between her legs and walked away. Just before she reached the door, she heard Vega’s voice one last time.
“Oh, and when we reopen, you’re still good to work here if you want, as long as you know it’s just business. The second I feel otherwise, that shit ends too.”
Nene didn’t bother to respond. She simply left the club knowing she had fucked up the one good thing she ever had. Vega, on the other hand, could only think of one thing, or person.Nyelle. There was no doubt in his mind that his decision to build a future with her was the best move he had made in a long time and one he would never regret. Nene was simply a reminder of the alternative and Vega had no interest in the life he used to love so much.
29
“Hey,” Joi looked over her shoulder as she eased off her bed and away from East. She had been awake for the past hour while he was still out cold. Her eyes swept his body one last time, taking in his broad shoulders and defined back along with the rest of his toned physique. The man was gorgeous and fine as hell.And in my bed.
“Why are you whispering?” Ria was quickly alarmed.
“East is here, I’m trying not to wake him,” Joi explained, still whispering to Ria as she tiptoed to the sliding door that led to her tiny balcony. Considering the fact that her apartment was a studio, it was the only place she could speak in peace without risk of waking him. After the situation at her shop, she and East had gone to her place. They both showered then climbed in her bed. East was out in a matter of minutes and Joi watched him sleeping until she dozed off herself. That had been hours ago and he was still out.
“Can you talk?” Ria really hoped Joi would say yes, she needed a voice of reason.
“Yeah, I’m on the balcony.” Joi’s voice was still low, but she was no longer whispering. “What’s up?”
“So I kinda don’t know what to do.”
“About?”
