5. Rory
RORY
Aquarter after eight, my cab pulled in front of the address Aasim sent me earlier.
I decided not to drive because I didn’t want to worry about parking the car.
A cab ride allowed me to settle my nerves and not stress about my car.
The spot was a cigar lounge that took up half the block.
There were motorcycles lined up in front of the lounge.
I tried not to let my nerves deter me from going back home.
Regardless of what happened tonight, I knew I looked and smelled good.
My black, satin, wrap-around dress hugged me in all the right places. It gave just enough cleavage and showed off plenty of leg. I paired black strappy sandals on my feet with a black clutch. My earrings were gold and dangling. I paired them with a stack of gold bracelets on my wrist.
I stepped out of the cab and walked toward the large, gray, smoked-glass doors.
Empire Lounge was written in script across the doors.
As I entered the space, cigar smoke hit my nose, but so did the smell of vanilla and amber.
The bar was so large that it covered an entire wall.
Wooden floors in a chevron design covered the entire space.
Several chandeliers were suspended throughout the space and were slightly dimmed.
I felt the chill vibe of the spot from the moment I stepped inside.
While I continued to check out my surroundings, I looked around to see if I could spot Aasim.
When I didn’t see him, I walked over to the bar.
“Hey. What can I get you?” The bartender greeted me.
“I’m actually looking for Aasim. Do you know him?”
“He’s in his office in the back. Go straight and make a left. You can’t miss it.”
“Thank you.” I followed her directions and made my way toward the office. As I got closer to the office, anticipation of seeing Aasim filled me. Once outside the door, I gently knocked.
“Come in,” he said through the door.
I turned the doorknob as Aasim looked up at me from behind the desk. His expression was a mixture of surprise and lust. I knew I looked good, but the way he looked at me made me feel like he was undressing me with his eyes.
“The bartender told me I could find you back here.” I took in his handsome face as he took me in. A wave of heat went over my body as he continued to stare.
“You look beautiful tonight, sweetheart,” he said as he stood up from behind the desk. The moment he was in proximity, he pulled me in for a hug. “And you smell delicious.”
The giggle that escaped my lips was a surprise as he complimented me. I typically would return the compliment, but under Aasim’s gaze, I folded like a teenage girl.
“I knew you would show up,” he said.
“Cocky much?”
“Not cocky. Just confident that you felt the same spark I did last night.”
“I plead the fifth,” I replied.
“Real cute, counselor. Come on.”
Aasim took my hand and led me to a secluded area in the lounge.
The dim lighting was reminiscent of the front area of the lounge.
There was a beige-colored loveseat with small end tables on either side of the seat.
One table had a few finger foods like fried shrimp with what looked like a chili sauce, chicken sliders, and french fries.
The other table had a couple of slices of strawberry cheesecake and a box of Cuban cigars.
I had my eye on the strawberry cheesecake.
“I hope the spread is okay. If you want something else, I can have a server bring it out,” Aasim said.
“I’m good. What are we drinking? I’m an amaretto sour kind of girl.”
“That’s a little soft for my liking. I’ll get a shot of whiskey for myself,” he said.
Aasim took out his phone and sent a text message. I took a seat on the sofa, and he sat down next to me. He stared at me as I felt myself melt under his gaze.
“I’m happy you came,” he admitted.
“I am too. I really like the vibe here. How did you find this spot?”
“I own it. This is one of many businesses.”
“Impressive. What made you open a cigar lounge?”
“Every business I have is something that interests me. My love for cigars started in my early twenties. The lounge was perfect because it’s a cool place for people looking for a chill spot.
I also own a supermarket because I wanted to bring healthy food options to the neighborhood I grew up in.
The gambling spot is a place for men to be men. ”
I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Men to be men, huh? That’s cute. What’s your dream business? Assuming you don’t already have it.”
I watched a wide smile spread across his face as his eyes brightened.
“My dream is to own the community center I used to go to as a child.”
He caught me off guard with that one. I didn’t know what to expect, but that wasn’t it.
“When I was in middle school, I couldn’t stay out of trouble.
There wasn’t a day that went by where I wasn’t throwing hands.
One day, I walked past the community center, and Mr. Jacob stopped me.
He told me if I wanted to do something other than fight to come see him.
Days went by before I took him up on his offer.
The first time I went there, he changed my life.
I never knew my father, so he became a father figure.
I’ve learned a lot from him over the years.
He made me promise that when he was ready to retire, I would take over.
After all, he poured into me over the years.
I plan to do everything in my power to honor that. ”
Whatever previous reservations about him seemed judgmental. I felt myself relax a little. The way his face lit up talking about his childhood and Mr. Jacob was touching. I didn’t know what to expect when I came here, but we were off to a good start.
A server appeared with our drinks. After she left, I lifted my glass. “A toast to getting to know each other.”
Aasim’s glass met mine. We each took a sip of our drinks.
“What made you become an attorney?” he asked.
“My Uncle Al. When I was nine, they arrested him for a crime he didn’t commit. He was part of a motorcycle crew. My uncle took the fall for another member of the crew. I dreamed of becoming a criminal defense attorney and getting him free from prison. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.”
“Why not?”
I took a moment to regulate my emotions. If I didn’t, I would cry, and I hated to cry. It was always so hard to talk about Uncle Al. Besides my mother, he was my favorite person in the world. My uncle was the only father figure I had. Someone else’s mistake took him away from me.
“He died in prison from a heart attack right before I went to college. While I couldn’t save my uncle, I can do my best to help others.”
Aasim gave me the same look everyone did whenever I told them my reason for practicing law.
Sometimes, I felt guilty for sharing something so sad.
I worked so hard in my career to honor my uncle.
It took me years to let go of the fact that I couldn’t help him.
Each victory for one of my clients was a silent victory for Uncle Al.
“Damn, sweetheart. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I can’t believe I shared that with you,” I said as I nervously laughed.
“Now I see why you hesitated to give me your number. Your uncle sounds like a real OG who followed the code of brotherhood. You should be proud of him. He sounds like he was loyal to his crew.”
“I guess that’s one way of looking at it.” I took a sip of my drink as silence found us.
I stared at Aasim and wondered if I should let my guard down.
He didn’t seem like a bad dude. Could I really involve myself with someone involved in club life?
It was a loaded question because I could tell from our conversation there was more to him than I initially thought.
The handsome, rugged stranger before me had me intrigued.
“Come on. I want to take you somewhere,” Aasim said as he reached for my hand. He must have sensed my hesitation because I didn’t move. “I think you’ll like it. I promise. Scout’s honor,” he said with a smile.
If I sat any longer, I probably wouldn’t go.
I gave him my hand as I got up from my seat.
Neither of us moved momentarily as we locked eyes.
The way he looked at me sent a sensation through my body I’d never felt.
Aasim winked at me as he broke our stare.
The anticipation of where he was taking me slowly turned into excitement.