Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
Yanna waved her hand in front of her face, attempting to fan away the thick cloud of weed smoke.
With her other hand, she swatted away the wayward hands of men trying to cop a feel as she pranced her way through the club.
Though Yanna enjoyed working as a bottle girl, she’d long ago gotten tired of the flirting men and catty women.
The money was good, but it was starting to not be worth the headache.
She wondered how long it would be before she called it quits and found other means of employment.
With a shot of Don Julio in her hand, she marched her way to the DJ booth.
When she approached, Destin tossed her a smile that wasn’t as panty wetting as Kas’ but still dazzling enough to produce one of her own.
“Hey, Des,” she greeted once she reached the booth.
“Fine ass Yanna, what up? I missed you.”
“Boy, quit wailing, you know damn well you ain’t miss me. I was just with you a week ago.”
“Why I didn’t? All these other bottle girls in here be thirsty as hell, always up on a nigga knowing damn well it’s only one person in here I want.”
“Yea? And who would that be?”
“You know exactly who that is.”
Yanna smiled again, admiring Destin’s honey brown skin, sharp facial features, and almond shaped penny brown eyes.
He was right, she knew he was speaking of her, because he’d made his attraction for her evident several times before.
Though she liked Destin and found him to be fine as hell, she had no desire to take things between them beyond friendship.
“You don’t want me, Des, trust me.”
“The hell I don’t. All you gotta do is give a nigga a chance. Let me take you out. And I don’t mean you coming over and crashing on my couch for a few hours, or us going to a crowded ass bar.”
“No. I like our friendship way too much, and I don’t want to ruin it. I’d probably make you hate me.”
“I doubt that, but you telling me no ain’t doing nothing but making me want yo ass more.”
“There’s a word for that.”
“Persistent?”
“No… stupid.” Yanna laughed. “Here, I brought this over here for you.” She placed the shot of Don Julio in front of him. Destin accepted the shot, downing it and scrunching his face at the repugnant taste as he started a new song.
Snatched by Big Boss Vette began to flow through the club’s speakers, and Yanna bent, twirling her hips as she mouthed the words to the song.
“Then you gone fucking tease me, but you only want to be my friend, though.” Destin stated, shaking his head while he watched Yanna balance the drink tray as she twerked.
“Yanna!” Nisha called, approaching Yanna and tapping her on the shoulder.
“What’s up?”
“That fine ass, country ass producer on his way in here. I just saw him pull up outside.”
Knowing Nisha was speaking of Kas and not wanting him to come in and find her putting on a show for Destin, Yanna quickly backed away from the DJ booth.
“Thanks, Nisha. Des, you gone be here tomorrow night?”
“Yea, I’ll be here.”
“Cool, I’ll see you then,” she replied, making her way down the stairs that led to the main area of the club.
When she reached the main level, Kas had just walked through the door.
Women stopped what they were doing to catch a glimpse of the rugged pretty boy strolling through as if he owned the place.
Head high, chest puffed, gaze forward, sight focused only on the woman he’d come to see.
Light Purple label jeans, a white V-neck tee shirt, Bathing Ape varsity jacket and Nike Dunk Lows made up his ensemble.
Yanna didn’t doubt that Kas knew he was fine as hell.
That much was evident by the swagger in his gait and the confident smirk he sported as he approached her.
“Yanna boo, I miss you.” Grabbing onto her hand, Kas pulled Yanna into a hug.
“I was just with you this morning.”
“And? That’s too long,” he affirmed, head swiveling so he could take in the club’s crowd. His face twisted into a scowl, noticing the ratio of men to women was way off. “It’s too many niggas in here, I don’t like that shit.”
“Yea, it is a lot of them. They tip me well, though.” Yanna reached into the apron tied around her waist and pulled out a stack of money. Smiling, she waved it in Kas’ face.
Kas returned her smile, pulling out a wad of cash triple the size of hers. “But none of these niggas getting money like me. Remember that shit.”
“Boy, why in the hell do you have all this cash on you? You just asking for somebody to rob your ass,” Yanna fussed, snatching Kas’ money from him, and sticking it in her apron.
Kas reached in and retrieved both stacks of money from her pocket. Placing their money in his pants pocket, he pulled out his black card and dropped it into the apron.
“I’ll put yo money up in my house until you ready to deposit it. If you need something before then just use my card. Don’t lose my shit either.”
“Lose it? Shit, I’m about to get me those new fall LV boots and the matching bag, on you.”
“I don’t give a damn what you do as long as you get me something too.”
“I’ll think about it,” Yanna joked as Kas’ phone lit up in his hand. “Who is that?”
“It’s my brother… see, look.” Turning his phone, Kas held it up to Yanna’s face so she could see it was Onyx calling him before answering. “What’s up, Nyx?”
“Aye, boy, where the hell you at?”
“Up here at this club fucking with my Yanna boo.”
“Oh, ight, when you finish, come meet me and Baby at the studio. I got that new singer coming through to record off yo reference track, so we need to finish it.”
“Ight, bet. I’mma leave now, it should only take me like 25 minutes to get there from Richmond.”
“Cool,” Onyx responded before hanging up.
“What his big head ass want?”
“He need me at the studio. You ready?”
“Ready for what?”
“To leave. I just said we going to the studio.”
“Kas, I can’t just leave in the middle of my shift. I’ll come to the label when I get off. Won’t be but another few hours.”
“Ight, hurry up though. Gimme a kiss.” Not waiting for Yanna to accept or deny his request, Kas swathed his arm around her waist and pulled her body into his. With his free hand, he tilted her chin, pressing his lips to hers.
Like they were the only ones in the room, the two engaged in a kiss. His hand traveled down her waist, landing on her ass as he gave a squeeze. A soft moan escaped her lips when his lips voyaged to her neck, prompting her to push him away.
“Alright, gone on before I have you meet me in the bathroom.”
“Shit, come on.”
“Kas, no.” She giggled. “I’ll see you later.”
“Not too much later, though.” He demanded, planting one last peck on her lips. “Now tell me you love me.”
Yanna’s cackle could be heard over the music as she backed away.
He knew damn well she wasn’t going to say it.
For Yanna, uttering those three words were forbidden.
Like a student at Hogwarts who wouldn’t say Lord Voldemort aloud.
It was the sentiment that shall not be named.
She felt as soon as she let the words leave her lips, it would grant Kas some sort of superpower.
As if he'd suddenly know the perfect way to use the words against her.
Irrational, but Yanna's emotions typically only made sense to her.
“Bye, Kas.”
“That’s ight, you ain’t gotta say it. I love yo sexy ass though!”
“I know,” Yanna stated with a shake of her head, disappearing into the crowd.
The three hits of an 808 signaling Kas’ producer tag cracked through the confines of the studio suite, located inside the headquarters for the Wonder City Music Group record label.
Kas’ head nodded, and pride filled him. The hedonistic sound skillfully mixing in with a classic R&B melody was a fusion of Kas’ raw talent and Yanna’s unique ear for beat building.
Onyx immediately loved the track and put his pen to it.
Currently, Troi was in the booth laying her vocals and bringing it all to life.
Since she’d sworn off the music industry as an artist, they would be using the song as a reference track to be rerecorded.
Kas released an exaggerated scoff, cutting the track and pressing the intercom to speak into the booth.
“Nyx, nigga damn, can you leave her alone?”
Onyx was inside the booth with Troi, and they kept having to stop because he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off her.
Every time she hit a note a specific way, Onyx seemed to be entranced, compelling his hands to touch her, subsequently messing Troi up.
She’d just executed a run so smooth, Kas could understand why his brother became excited.
“My bad, my bad. Baby, don’t be singing for me at home like talking about, so I feel like I’m at my own private show right now. She know how I get when me and her in the booth together.”
“Well, control yo self until y’all get home, muh’fucka. You keep fucking her up. Troi baby, have some willpower or something, damn.”
“Alright, Nyx, keep your lips off me so I can finish. I usually kill these tracks in one or two takes, and you messing up my record. Let’s get through this last verse and adlibs.”
“You got it, baby,” Onyx replied. Giving Troi a look that said she was in for a time when they got home that night.
Onyx managed to contain himself long enough for Troi to finish the final verse, but as soon as she recorded the adlibs, he lost it again.
It was Troi’s own fault. She knew Onyx loved when she sang his music, and her mimicking one of his popular adlibs had him gripping her waist, causing her to giggle.
“Get the fuck out, Nyx!”
“Ight, I’m coming. Give us a minute.”
“Nigga, hell nah. Bring yo’ ass out my booth right the fuck now.”
“Ight, here I come. Aye, baby, when I get you home, girl.” Onyx let his words linger, knowing she knew what it was. “And what the hell you mean yo booth, nigga, this my shit.”
“It’s my shit when I’m in here, bitch. Tender dick ass nigga.”