Page 12 of Solomon’s Temple

“Temp!” I turned to see Marlo approaching me.

“What’s up?”

“Boss lady wants to see you upstairs.” I nodded, walked back down the corridor, and opened the door that led up the stairs to the boss lady’s palace. I wouldn’t lie and say that Ms. Arie didn’t intimidate me sometimes. Her aura just screamed I’m a boss bitch and I’ll kill a bitch without a second thought. She had calmed down a lot since getting married and having a baby, but it still didn’t completely exemplify her dominant aura.

I reached the top of the stairway and turned right to the double doors at the end of the hall. Once I approached, I tapped lightly on the door until her voice told me to enter.

“Hey! You wanted to see me?” I asked, poking my head inside. I could see Angel, Vanilla Rose, and Dominican Barbie sitting on the couch along the wall, and Ms. Arie’s bodyguards, Mayani and Megan, sitting in the chairs across from her.

“I know Marlo told you I did, didn’t he?” she asked with a light smirk on her face.

I chuckled lightly. “I just had to be sure.”

“Come in and close the door.”

I walked inside, doing as I was told, then stood in the middle of the floor, clutching my bag.

“You good?” Arie asked me.

“I am.”

“Then sit your ass down, girl. You acting like a Fed right now.”

I laughed and found a seat in the chair next to the couch.

“We got a call last minute from Knowledge and Kema P.’s manager, saying they wanted their after-party to be here once their concert is over. Since you four are my best dancers, I need y’all in those VIP sections. The tip out increases by five percent tonight only, then back to twenty percent after tonight,” she explained, and we all nodded.

“Will I still be headlining?” I asked.

“Yeah, but not at your original time slot. I want you last on the stage, so one o’clock is your new time slot. I need you to close out the show. I hate how many motherfuckas are in my club right now. I’m getting overstimulated, so I’m about to take my ass home and enjoy some peace before my baby gets home tomorrow.” She stood from her desk as her guards followed. “Y’all ladies can go get dressed and hit the floor. Give the percentage to Deb at the end of the night, and don’t forget to make me proud. Y’all are dismissed.”

I stood and followed my coworkers out of the office. Dominican Barbie turned to me once we made it to the staircase leading to the dressing rooms.

“Try not to step on our toes tonight, youngin’.”

“Right. We know you’re the club’s favorite and shit. Let us make some of that cash,” Angel countered as they laughed.

I frowned, but didn’t respond. It was crazy how these hoes were always worried about me. It wasn’t my fault men gravitated toward me when I stepped on the scene. These were the very few dancers that rarely showed up but had the audacity to tell me not to get my coins.

Fuck these ol’ washed-up hos, Temp. Don’t even respond.

I continued on my way to my locker to get dressed. Tonight was about to be crazy, but I anticipated it.

“Move” by Mello Bucks blared through the club’s speakers as I bounced up and down on stage. Vanilla, Diamond, and Gucci had joined me on stage, and my eyes were glued to the VIP where Knowledge, Kema P., and their entourage had just entered the club. I climbed to the top of the pole as Gucci followed me. She stretched her limbs out horizontally, and I came down, placing my heeled feet on her while she spun and I shook my ass. Money came raining down on us, and that prompted me to go harder.

Once the song faded out and “Pop Dat Thang” by DaBaby queued, I got down off the pole and worked the stage. After the fourth song, Marlo summoned me off the stage.

“They want you in VIP in thirty minutes. I’ll collect your money for you.”

“Thanks, Marlo.” I didn’t have to worry about Marlo skimming me because he was solid. Plus, I could always run the camera back to see if his ass shorted me. Since I was sweaty and needed to freshen up and change my outfit, I headed toward the dressing room. While maneuvering my way through the club, I felt someone grab my arm. I looked over to see Nathan’s ass, smiling wide at me.

“What’s up, bae? Why I ain’t heard from you in two days?” he asked.

“Because I haven’t needed you in two days.”

“Damn. Can I see you tonight?”

“You see me now. I gotta go. I’m working,” I told him, attempting to walk away.