"You're a buzzkill. I need another drink."
Ree tossed her hand in the air and flagged the bartender. The bartender held her hand up and offered a smile to let them know she needed a minute. While Ree kept her eyes glued to the bartender, Samari's swept the club again. She was looking for him.
It didn't take long to locate him. He was on the upper level, looking down at the crowd below. He seemed royal up there. His eyes swept the crowd, and as she watched him, something felt familiar. She wasn't sure what it was until she felt a pull.
They connected. His gaze fell on her and she recognized that familiarity. He was the guy she’d run into at Carver's lastnight. The one she’d only had a small encounter with but his energy felt like a hit of something potent straight through her veins, traveling a path to intrigue she’d locked away years ago. Men didn’t move her, no matter how fine, but this one did. She dropped her eyes briefly, and when they rolled up to him again, his were still on her. A cocky smile appeared before he turned his back to the railing as if dismissing her.
5
"Ay, who dat?"Asao heard Dom behind him but didn't respond right away. His eyes were fixed on that pretty ass face and he didn't want to look away. The way she stared let him know she’d recognized him. He wasn't sure if it was from their run in at Carver’s or what.
"Nobody." He brushed it off and scanned the area. It wasn't VIP. He didn't want attention but it was still packed with people who wanted to be in his space. He was grateful they respected his privacy enough to only stare and capture pictures he was sure would be circulating within minutes after they were posted. Itwas why he hated this clubbing thing. At least Niles made sure the DJ didn't do a shoutout to bring additional attention his way. For now, he was able to just be.
"She's fine as shit. She looks familiar too. Her face. Might be somebody." Dom was shoulder to shoulder with him but facing the railing while Asao’s back rested against it. He knew Dom was checking her out. Hell, he wanted to. She was fine as hell and barely dressed. The shorts thing she wore was...short. Her long, toned, chocolate legs extended from it and all he could think about was pushing between them. There was a lot of skin exposed, what little fabric covered her body didn’t leave much to the imagination, but he wasn't upset about that. She was nice to look at. She was gotdamn fine.
"I might have to see what's up with her." Dom's voice elevated slightly with a bit of confidence. Asao wasn't surprised. Neither of them had issues pulling women. Not even Niles’s angry ass. For some reason, women gravitated toward him. Niles always said he wasn’t bullying for pussy, but whatever the case, he had his fair share.
"Ay, Sao. Somebody wants to rap with you for a minute." Niles made his way over with a kid, or who Asao assumed was a kid, following closely. Stopping a few feet away, Niles ushered the kid in front of him, putting him in Asao's personal space. He examined the kid who housed a blank expression, but his eyes shone with the excitement of being near Asao.
"This is Leeks. I caught one of his shows at Cap’s place, told him he was nice and that I wanted him to holla at you about a few things," Niles explained, causing Asao’s eyes to leave the kid and land on Niles. His face tightened and Niles knew exactly why. This was a damn setup. Niles was trying to gently push the issue of Asao working with artists. He wasn't feeling it but Niles didn't care.
"What's good, youngin'?" he greeted with a nod. Leeks’s smile dropped from his eyes to his mouth but it was still subtle.
"Ain’t shit. Just trying to get to where you are. I mean, I know I have a lot of work ahead of me but I'm hungry."
His stance was wide, eyes determined and voice confident. Asao respected that. Leeks wasn't having a fan moment, simply had been presented an opportunity. This kid believed he had something to offer Asao and was shooting his shot.
"What you do?"
"A little of everything. I write my own shit. I rap, I sing. Just for my hooks and shit when needed and I do a little production. I like having control of what I do, how I sound, you know." Leeks’s eyes darted over to Dom. "But I'm not nice like him. Just starting out and self-taught. I know what I'm good at. Writing and performing is my lane but when you're trying to make it, you have to be resourceful." He offered a nod to Dom then flashed Asao a cocky smile.
The kid was either slick with it or smart. He was saying all the right things and acknowledging their journey with an admiration that hit home. Asao chuckled under his breath before allowing his chin to dip slightly.
"How old are you?" Leeks was dressed down—jeans, hoodie, Js, no jewelry or anything flashy. Lowkey, but that could have been from lack of funds.
"Twenty-two. Be twenty-three in a month. Been at it since I was a kid though. Recorded my first one in my mama's bathroom." A sneaky grin inched in place, causing Asao to laugh under his breath again.
"He got your info?" Asao’s eyes shot past Leeks to Niles.
The kid's eyes shone again, hopeful.
"Yeah, he knows how to find me."
Offering a slight motion of his head, Asao gave Leeks what he wanted, a possibility. "I'll check you out."
He wasn't offering Leeks anything other than a possibility. No commitment, no promise of anything other than Asao listening to his work, but that was enough.
"’Preciate it. I'm gonna head out. You're a real one, Sao. Everyone knows it." The kid walked off satisfied and Asao glared at Niles who was unbothered.
"What the hell was that?" he barked, causing Dom to chuckle and step away. He and Niles were in the same space with this new business opportunity but Dom would never openly choose sides. So he left the argument between Asao and Niles.
"You know what it was. The kid is nice. Real nice," Niles said nonchalantly.
Asao’s eyes stayed on Niles who was looking down at the crowd when he spoke again. "Cobra hit him up a few days ago. Offered him a bullshit ass deal. On the surface it looks good but you know it's a fucking trap." Niles was on him again. His face tight. "Cobra is gonna fuck that kid with no lube."
It was true but it wasn't Asao’s problem. "I don't have a gotdamn cape."
Niles grunted then flashed Asao the resemblance of what could be considered a smile. "You calling the kid a hoe?"
