She laughed and shook her head. “Mmhmm, whatever is right.”
I smiled at her, then caught my reflection in the glossy wall panels.Damn, I do look good.
The music swelled, and the crowd cheered.
With the energy of the club coursing around me, I moved deeper into Ocean’s world, ready to be a part of it, ready to be with him, and ready to hold onto this moment for as long as it lasted.
44
OCEAN
The night air hit me as I stepped outside.
Melina stood in front of me, her eyes wide and frantic. Her breath came quick, uneven, and she waved her phone at me like it was some kind of weapon.
“He knows!” she blurted out, her voice shaky. “My husband…he saw the messages! He knows about us!”
I leaned back slightly. “You’re going to have to deal with that yourself. I don’t care.”
She blinked at me, then shook her head violently. “You...you can’t just say that! He’s going to kill you!”
I smirked. “I’m not scared of that nigga. Not even a little bit.”
Before she could fire back, the sound of footsteps trampling against asphalt cut through the night. I turned slowly, seeing Waylon come around the corner, his chest puffed, eyes wild.
The moment he saw me, he didn’t hesitate.
He swung first.
The punch landed clean across my jaw. I staggered slightly, tasting blood, but I didn’t waver. I caught his wrist, twisted it, shoved him hard into the wall of the club. Security stepped forward, but I waved them back. “Back the fuck up. I got this.”
They hesitated, then reluctantly backed off, giving me room.
I didn’t need help. I needed to rock this nigga’s shit and get back to my night.
“You want do this?” I asked, venom dripping from every word. “Let’s do this.”
He glared, teeth gritted, ready to throw another punch. “I’m going to fuck you up.”
I leaned in close enough for my voice to cut deep. “Nah, but I don’t blame you for wanting to. Ididfuck the shit out of your wife, and I did it just to fuck with you. To remind you what it feels like to watch your life crumble and know someone’s going to enjoy the perks of your mistakes while you rot in the shadows.”
His eyes went wide, fury flaring, and I saw Melina behind him, screaming, going off like a hurricane.
“You piece of—” he started, lunging at me.
I moved with precision, shoving him backward out into the parking lot. Asphalt cold beneath my shoes, lights flickering above us. He came at me again, fists swinging, but I was ready. Every jab, every block, every movement was calculated to wear him down.
I ripped my shirt off, tossing it aside, feeling the night air on my skin, adrenaline pumping.
I unhooked my gun and handed it to Shade, who’d just randomly appeared like he always did.
“Handle this nigga if he gets stupid,” I said.
Waylon scowled, swinging wildly. I blocked, caught his arm, twisted it. The fight was brutal, raw, and messy. He threw punches, missed, cursed like he’d never cursed before. I wasn’t holding back. I wasn’t worried about appearances. By the time I landed the last strike, he was on the pavement, blood dripping down his face, teeth cracked, and his fury replaced by disbelief.
“Stay down,” I said, stepping back, chest heaving. “Next time, think twice before you try to swing on me.”
“Fuck you!” He spat blood.
