“I will. Lock up.”
East chuckled and followed her. “You know I’m on it.”
After she was gone, he headed to the room he had decorated for his sister and got her in bed. After hanging for a minute to make sure she was actually asleep, he then retreated to his master suite to shower and chill for a minute, praying he didn’t fall asleep. The plan to head to Presidential was looking more and more like a no go with each second that passed.
3
“Damn, it’s crowded in here.” Nyelle surveyed the scene around them as she moved through the club.
Joi was by her side as the two women who looked as sexy as they felt followed the bottle girl guiding them to their section. The two didn’t go out much, but they refused to do gen pop when they did. Neither was rich, but they were straight financially most days, so they splurged to have their own space. After looking around the crowded club and individual VIP areas, Nyelle was grateful she had reserved one of the secluded sections for the two of them.
“Is someone performing tonight?”
Joi’s eyes scanned the floor after they entered the roped-off area sectioned into ten mini lounges. Each one was full besides the one in the center. When they reached the area, Joi and Nyelle both frowned as they looked around again. Joi addressed the woman who removed the reserved sign from the brushed nickel podium where she stopped with the two of them.
“No, we have a DJ tonight, but someone bought out this entire floor. He wanted yours too, but you had already reserved it.”
“Who ishe?” Nyelle questioned, assuming it was a celebrity.
“Umm, that’s him.”
The bottle girl pointed to a guy chilling three sections over, arms stretched wide and extended across the back of the sofa he was on. He was alone in a sea of people considering that there were at least twenty women and an equal number of men standing and sitting around him. The small red sofa he sat on could accommodate three but was void of anyone but him. The man was older, possibly mid to late forties, but still very handsome and dressed nicely in black jeans, a Balenciaga sweatshirt and matching black Balenciaga sneakers. Simple, but he still made a statement.
“Drug dealer,” Joi and Nyelle said at the same time after their observation.
“Probably. It’s a ‘my little brother just touched down from a three-year bid’ party.” The bottle girl rolled her eyes before she stepped out of the way and allowed Nyelle and Joi room to enter their section. “It doesn’t matter to me, though. They’re throwing hundreds around like it’s confetti and their bottle order is up to five grand already. My rent is going to be paid for the next two months after tonight.” She grinned then glanced over her shoulder. “We gave you this section for the same price as the smaller one since he booked all of them. What are you drinking?”
“Umm…” Joi and Nyelle looked at each other for a minute. “Bring two double shots of Cîroc for now. Watermelon and piña colada.” Joi ordered their favorite, knowing it would give them a buzz but not have them wasted.
“No mixer or chaser?”
“No, but bring bottled water,” Joi instructed.
Joi knew she and Nyelle would be taking down Cîroc shots most of the night, so water would be necessary to balance them as the night progressed.
“Got it. By the way, my name is Mali and I’ll be working your section tonight. Have fun, and if you need anything, just type in your order and your table number.” Mali pointed to the keypad on the table, but Joi and Nyelle had been there enough to know how things worked, so they both nodded with a smile.
“Thanks, boo,” Nyelle stated just as Mali left the two of them there to settle in.
The ladies did just that and no longer than it took for them to relax and start vibing to the loud music that thundered around them, Mali was back with their shots along with bottled water and a bucket of ice.” She hurried into their section and placed everything down on the table while balancing four other bottles on the tray she was carrying.
Joi and Nyelle watched her head straight to the section where the so-called boss was with his entourage of people before they focused on their own situation.
“You know what time it is?” Nyelle stated as she wrapped her hand around the glass that had a chunk of watermelon on the side, while Joi lifted the one with the slice of pineapple.
Joi grinned and held up her glass.
“Shot, shot, shot, shot, shot, shot,” she sang while Nyelle laughed and held up her glass as well.
“To us, because we don’t give a fuck.”
“Ay, no fucks to give, boo,” Joi stated.
The two allowed their glasses to touch, then turned them up and downed the clear liquid. Both their faces balled up, thanks to the burn, but shortly after, smiles surfaced.
“Damn, that’s strong.”
“Yeah, it is, now let’s go dance.”
