“You know I had to put that shit on. This artist is about to make us some major bankroll, and if things work out the way I plan, I’ll be booked for the rest of the year. I’m trying to buy you the biggest ring the jewelry store has to offer, so I need thisyear to go right.” Que was a music producer, and I was so proud of him. He worked his ass off in the music business, and it was finally starting to pay off.
“It’ll happen, baby. You’re one of the dopest producers out there, and the world will see it soon enough. Now let’s get out of here because you know the lounge is about to be packed tonight.” I rolled my eyes at the thought of being in a room full of hundreds of people. Being with a man like Que meant I had to suck it up, but that didn’t mean I had to like it.
“You’re right about that. I just got off the phone with Ritz and Nucci, and they were trying to find a place to park. We were blessed to get special parking passes, but it will be nothing but chaos out there when it’s time to leave.”
I nodded in agreement. I always left the club before closing time because the traffic got crazy.
We headed outside to his car, and I texted my best friends to make sure they were on their way. Nova and Dominique were never on time for anything. I started lying to them about the times so they could show up late and they would still fuck it up.
Nova:Bitch, we’re in the car. Damn.
Dominique:Tell her friend. She has no faith in us.
Me:Not a lick of faith. The last time you heffas told me you were on the way, you showed up an hour later. Don’t try to act innocent now.
Dominique:Let’s leave the past in the past. It’s time to heal, love.
Me:Boy, fuck you. That was last Tuesday!
Dominique:Exactly. The past. Be healed, beloved.
Nova:Tell her, Dom. We are trying to be better today than we were yesterday. Let us live.
I giggled at their foolishness before placing my phone back into my handbag. Tonight was a big night for Que, but I would much rather have been at home. I sent a text to Mrs. Bryant, Que’s mother, to check in with her. Of course, she told me to leave her alone and to have a good night. She also told me that she hoped we would make a baby tonight, but that was the last thing on my mind.
When we made it to the venue, I gripped my seat belt when I noticed the number of people waiting to get inside. Thankfully, we were going through the back doors because I would have gone back home.
Que led me to the entrance as people called his name and snapped photos of us. I would never get used to the flashing lights in public places. Que loved the spotlight, but I preferred a private life. Once you were in the public eye, there was no privacy. It might be beneficial when things in life were going well, but when shit hit the fan, you wouldn’t be able to escape it.
“What’s up, brodie. You see this turn out?” Que’s business partner, Stunna, commented as the two of them shook hands. I never cared for Sunna, but I tolerated him because of their relationship. He didn’t speak to me, but it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Whenever I would mention his behavior to Que, he would brush me off and tell me I was overthinking.
“Hell yeah. Ol’ boy brought the people out tonight. I’m praying this album does numbers next week. I have a good feeling about it.”
“Yeah, I can’t even lie, with your beats and his lyrics and flow, it’s gonna hit the top of the charts. Honestly, he might get that number one spot. The bitches are going crazy, and they haven’t even seen him yet.”
“At first I thought it was a stupid idea, but after seeing the hype around it, I’m glad he chose to keep his identity hidden.” Que and Stunna continued to talk about the mystery artist we were here to celebrate.
Everyone was talking about the mystery rapper with the sexy voice. For some reason, he chose to keep his identity a secret until now. There was a whole rollout in place for him to reveal himself, which was why there were so many people at the venue. Tonight would be the first time the public would see his face. All of social media had been buzzing about whether he was as fine as his voice. The women were drooling and offering their wombs for a man they had never seen before, and I found it hilarious. I had never listened to his music, so I was curious to see if he was worth all of the hype. "Clear the way!” One of the security guards yelled out as we reached the door. I sent another message to my people to see where they were. I wore heels and didn’t want to have to come get them once I made it inside.
“Ari!” I turned when I heard my name being called. A smile formed when I laid eyes on my friends.
Nova and Dominique came dressed to impress, but that was no surprise. My friends loved to get fly when it was time to step out.
“Yes, bitch! Serving face, body, and a tight pum pum with no smell!”
Dominique cheered, turning me around so he could see my ass. I laughed because his ass never cared where we were or what came out of his mouth. I loved his extra ass. He was the kind of friend you couldn’t have on speakerphone, because you never knew what he would say next.
“Thank you, baby. I see you ain’t come to play with these folks. You look like you’re ready to snatch a few niggas from their bitches tonight!”
I adjusted my white corset, then pulled up my leather pants. While the rest of my body was slim, my ass had a mind of its own, so it was hard to find good pants. I kept my tailor in business all year round from all the alterations I had to get on my clothes. There were no complaints on my end because I loved my figure. The heels I wore were cute, but I made sure to bring a pair of flats for later.
We continued to gas each other up as we stepped into the building. We were early, so the party hadn’t officially started. However, they were playing music and serving drinks as soon as we stepped inside.
This lounge was much bigger than I realized, and I found myself staring at the decor. It had a classic feel to it that I appreciated. The booths were large with a decent sized table in the middle. Que stepped back so the three of us could take a seat. The waiter came and took our drink orders. I ordered some wings and fries to soak up the alcohol I would be consuming because I wasn’t trying to get fucked up.
“I can’t wait to see Bankroll Keyz. Dominique played his songs on the ride over, and his voice kind of reminds me of Pop Smoke. It seemed kind of familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. After listening to a few songs, I just know he fucks good and ruins bitches’ credit!” Nova exclaimed. I never heard of him until Que told me about the new artist he was working with. According to him, his sound was unique and gritty. I was more of a ’90s Rap and R&B girl, but if my man thought he was talented, then I believed him.
“Bitch! Why would you say something like that?” I snorted, laughing so hard, my belly tightened.
