Chapter 24
When I arrived at the party, cars were lined up and down the street, all of which were so nice that the BMWs here looked cheap.
I valeted my car in the front and stepped into line where people stood waiting to get their names checked off a list.
As I waited patiently in the line outside the party, I heard someone call my name,
“Bria! What are you doing in line, girl?”
I turned and saw Ciara gliding toward me in a gown that glittered like crushed diamonds and touched the floor so gracefully, I swear it floated.
Her hair was long, straight, parted down the middle, and for the first time since I’d met her, she had extra-long weave in.
It looked good on her, though. She is absolutely stunning with little effort, and I can see why Hov is crazy about her.
"Hi Ciara! You look beautiful."
"So do you, darling, and this dress. O-m-g.” She made me do a little spin.
“Thanks, girl.”
“Oh, you are more than welcome, but don’t wait in line. You are a VIP guest. Let’s go inside. I just stepped outside to make sure the Valet was running smoothly since the parking is so limited around here.”
She grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs to the Cascade Hall.
When we walked through the doors, I was blown away because the whole building looked like a movie. There were chandeliers dripping light, gold accents everywhere, velvet drapes, and marble floors. Money had definitely been poured into this event, and it instantly elevated my mood.
Straight ahead, near a table up front, Hov sat, leaning back in his chair, that same cool, calm demeanor he always carried like a second skin.
The guys Scotty and Bam, whom I recognized from my case studies, were around him.
Hov looked like he was actually enjoying himself, and his smile widened even more when he saw us walking up.
“Wifey. I was wondering when you were going to come back to me.”
He stood and kissed Ciara on her forehead, then looked at me with that slow nod he always gave.
“Ms. Bria, I’m glad you could make it out, too.”
He pulled me into a side hug.
“Bria, Bria, Bria?” one of the guys said, eyeing me up and down.
“Don’t even think about it, Bam,” Hov warned, laughing.
“She’ll never get with you for anything but a piece of French toast.”
They all cracked up.
“Fuck you nigga! How are you doing, though, miss lady?”
“I’m fine, thank you for asking,” I said smoothly.
“But Ciara, are there any drinks that I can grab? It’s been a long day.”
I switched the conversation quickly because of the look Bam was giving me, and I didn’t plan to entertain him. I only had eyes for one bad boy as of now, and I hated that they were even on him, to be honest.
"Yes, there is a full bar in each corner and a champagne tower in the middle of the dance floor," Ciara answered.
"Okay, if you will all excuse me. I’ll go partake in a beverage." I rubbed my hand against Ciara's shoulder before I walked over to the champagne tower and reached for a glass.
I sipped on my drink right by the tower, enjoying the smooth burn of the champagne.
When I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around, Crew was standing there in a tailored suit, which I couldn't believe I was seeing.
Black tie suited gangsters always looked perfect in my opinion.
They showed the best of both worlds, and there was nothing sexier than tattoos sliding out of the top of a tux, or cufflinks sitting on wrists decorated in ink.
“I see you made it after all.”
“Yeah, I threw something together and decided to come. Happy to see you here, Crew. You look nice.”
“And you look, well, I’m sure you’ve passed a mirror tonight, so I don’t have to say much.”
I smiled bashfully.
“But I’m about to go holler at the boys over there. I hope you save a dance for me sometime tonight.”
“Oh, you dance?”
He licked his lips as his eyes seemed to dance over my frame.
“I do it all, baby, so don’t run off, and if you do, leave a slipper, Cinderella.”
He made me smile as he walked away from me.
The feeling forming inside of me was so dangerous that I had to grab another glass and walk away.
I kept telling myself he was no good for me, but my attraction to him was so hard to ignore.
It’s the way he smelled, the way he smiled, the way he just looked at me and made my lady parts shake like I was feigning for him inside me.
I hated to feel like this, true enough, but that didn’t mean I could stop it. This champagne also wasn’t helping.
I found a table near the chocolate fountain in the corner and sat there sipping my champagne and enjoying the music until the DJ started playing songs that had the entire party on the dance floor, and soon Ciara was coming my way to grab my arm.
“Come on chick, let lose. It’s a celebration, and my best friend couldn't make it, so it's you and me tonight.”
She smiled, and her interactions with me were always so genuine that I felt like I was dealing with an actual homegirl.
The DJ was playing Before I Let Go and because we’d all grown up on that song, we were all singing it like we’d seen our grandmothers and aunts do.
The DJ then mixed in Beyonce's newer version, and we all really started letting loose, and I admit I was having a great time. The waiters were continuously serving the drinks, and I wasn’t passing up any while Ciara was having sober fun.
When the constant drinks started to run through me, I excused myself from the dance floor and walked off towards the restroom.
I walked outside the doors and into the hallway, almost knocking the door down when I got to it.
After I was done, I washed my hands before looking in the mirror, making sure I hadn’t messed up my hair.
When I stepped back into the hallway, the strong scent of weed mixed with a bunch of different expensive colognes hit my nose.
Of course, I looked around to see where the scent of marijuana was coming from, and in the corner to my right was Crew, standing next to a large picture of Hov, smoking a blunt.
I cleared my throat behind him, and he turned around, smiling, before blowing the smoke in the opposite direction of my face.
“What are you doing out here? You trying to hit this too?”
The smirk on his face told me he was being slightly fresh with me, if you will.
“Not at all. I actually had to use the restroom. I guess you smoke anywhere you want to, huh?”
“Of course. This is my best friend's party, and I’m sure he doesn’t give a fuck what I do.”
“Yeah, I’m sure he doesn’t. He seems to be having a good time tonight.”
“Well, you seem to be having a good time, too. I’m happy to see you smiling.”
“Yeah, it’s been fun. I'm just happy that I'm able to take my mind off of things, you know.”
“Yeah, there is nothing like a distraction that’s beneficial to your mind, body, and soul. Of course, I don’t know if the party is doing all that, but I am sure other things can do it tonight.”
His words were calm and seductive, almost.
I eyed him up and down, sucking my teeth.
“What’s on your mind, Bria?” He stepped up closer to me.
“You don't even want to know what's on my mind, Crew.”
“I guarantee you I do now.”
“I'm sure you do, because if I tell you, you may want to act on it, and I can’t let you.”
“And why can’t you? You scared of something?”
“Not necessarily. I'm just not about to put myself in a position to get hurt.”
“Nothing is going to hurt you. Well, after like five minutes or so.”
Crew replied, and his phone rang in his pocket.
“Hold on a minute, let me take this.”
He put the phone to his ear and turned away from me.
“What up, P?”
He talked calmly and coolly with the same demeanor he had when talking to me. I hope this wasn’t a female because if it were, I wouldn’t feel as special. I don’t know why I did it in the first place. He is probably just running game on me. I have to keep reminding myself.
“Look, I'll be there in about two hours. If you're that hungry, just get on DoorDash and use that card number I gave you.”
“All right, talk to you later.”
He hung up the phone.
“Who was that, your girlfriend?”
“Not at all, but what were we talking about?”
“I don’t know. Nothing important, but I am going to go back inside. You coming?”
“Right behind you.” Chills went right up my spine, almost like his words were cold air.
I turned and walked away, and I could feel Crew’s eyes on me, and that made me walk even more slowly, even more seductive.
Crew and I went back into the party, and both joined the dance floor.
It seemed like as soon as we got out there, the DJ decided he was going to slow the music down and started playing “Surrender” by Kut Klose.
This was my song, and it almost made me sad because I remembered singing it at the top of my lungs in the backseat of my mom's car as a kid. It still gave me that high I couldn’t explain.
Back then, I used to want to surrender to whatever that feeling was.
I didn’t truly understand the meaning of the song back then, but now I do.
I too want to surrender to someone. To the person standing a few feet away from me.
When Crew and I met eyes, he walked up behind me, putting his arm around my waist, but at a close distance.
“Can I dance with you now or is that too much to ask pretty lady?” he asked, pressing his body up against mine slowly.
“No, it’s not Crew. I would love to.”
I started to turn around, but he stopped me.
“Nah, let me hold you from the back first. You can turn around in a minute. I need this close up view of your sexy ass back in this dress first. God damn Bria. Your ass driving me crazy.”
He leaned in, lips hovering over my neck. I rolled my hips, singing along to the song, lost in the vibe. The lights were dim, and couples were slow dancing all around us.