Chapter 8
Neptune
Tonight was supposed to be a celebration for Echo and Pluto’s birthday, but an urgent matter led us into a private cigar lounge in the casino. My father and uncles sat quietly around the room as we walked in, but it was obvious they had been talking about something serious.
“About time y’all got here.” My uncle Luke grimaced at his sons.
Echo flopped down on a leather couch beside him. “I’ve been here. You must be talking about Pluto’s drunk ass.”
“You’re a fucking snitch,” Pluto replied. “It’s my birthday, and this meeting came out of nowhere. What’s the problem?”
My dad opened his mouth to speak, but a violent cough replaced his words. I charged across the room to grab him a bottle of water while my uncles moved to comfort him. As usual, he waved us off and downplayed whatever had him moving slower.
“Give me some space, and let’s get back to business,” the bullheaded man declared. “We got a call from a member of the Denver family. They want to do business.”
My top lip sharpened on the end. “First, it was Kilo, and now, it’s the Denver family. Why are we considering a partnership? We haven’t fucked with them since I was a kid.”
An unreadable expression passed between the old Sinner men. The look was one I had seen when I was a kid, walking in while they were discussing something they didn’t want me to know.
Pluto grumbled as he moved to the center of the room. “Stop with all the secretive shit, and tell us what’s going on. If y’all were going to keep shit below the surface, there wasn’t no point in this meeting.”
Uncle Lester nodded as he went to sit beside Echo. “We have never made it a secret that we don’t fuck with the Denvers, because they sell hard drugs and pussy. God knows I don’t have the patience to tame no hos.”
“Then what are we talking about?” Pluto asked.
“When we first started The Sinner’s Spot, Lee Denver helped us with a deal that could’ve went bad. He set up connections that allowed us to thrive the way we do, but now, his family is in a bind.”
“So the casino is in debt because of a favor,” I concluded, lighting my blunt. “Ain’t that some shit? Now that y’all are retiring, we owe niggas.”
“Don’t make it sound like we’re on the next family’s payroll.” Levi’s daddy mugged me.
“That’s what it sounds like to me. It sounds like a crew we haven’t fucked with in years can now dictate how we move because they gave us a helping hand.”
Echo lifted his hand, garnering everyone’s attention. “What are they asking us to do?”
“To push a little work through the casino.”
My response to the truth wasn’t visible on the surface, but on the inside, I was fuming. In a split second, men I had held in high regard had fallen from their pedestals. We had always been careful about how we moved, and I felt the partnership was reckless.
Pluto groaned. “All these years, we’ve only dealt with guns, pills, and money. Why’re we risking everything for a fucking favor?”
“I never thought I would see the day.” I chimed in. “You want to know where we stand on the situation? We ain’t going for it.”
The elders continued to speak their piece, but I contributed nothing else to the conversation.
No matter what the Denver family handled on our behalf, I wouldn’t agree to adding a tail to a business I was soon to inherit.
Once the conversation was done, I waited outside of the room until my cousins joined me.
“The story they’re telling sounds flawed,” Echo suggested.
“Yeah, it’s more to it, but I won’t press it. No matter the reason, I’m not giving my blessing for the next man to move work in my shit, especially when I’m not getting a cut.”
Pluto playfully jabbed his brother in the chest. “Fuck all that. It’s our fucking birthday. I’m ready to get fucked on and fucked up.”
I laughed when the round man two-stepped around his brother and me.
My cousins knew I wasn’t a fan of being on the party scene, but they also knew I would show up for them.
The twins were turning thirty-three, and with the trouble they used to get into, I thanked God they would be around to be my business partners in a few months.
When I returned to the casino floor, the twins went to change clothes.
The guests had doubled since we’d stepped away, and most of them were women.
Just for the night, The Sinner’s Spot went from a casino to a strip club.
Tables we made millions off of were still on the floor, but we added stripper poles to the room.
A long, curved stage reached from one side of the room to the other, separating private sections from the rest of the crowd.
Since Pluto insisted on a theme, the servers and most guests were dressed like they were at the Playboy mansion.
I didn’t take part in the theme, though I was spiffy in my Tom Ford pieces.
I tried not to drift into work mode when I walked through the club, yet my eyes hunted the room like a hawk.
Along with Pluto and Echo, a trail of big-booty bitches entered the reserved area.
About ten of our cousins and the twins’ best friends filled the area, and a stripper flocked to each one of us.
I relaxed on the couch with a drink in my hand and watched the ladies earn their money.
Naturally, my eyes roamed to the section across from us, and to my surprise, Kannon was there.
I would never say a lap dance was a form of cheating, but I felt guilty having another woman’s ass in my hands.
I didn’t push the dancer off, but I moved too quick for her to question me.
Kannon didn’t seem shocked when I approached her.
As if testing me, Kannon didn’t come to me until I reached out and helped her off the couch.
“This is an invite-only establishment.”
“Good thing someone invited me,” she slurred, sending the scent of alcohol to my nose. “Your cousin invited a friend of Nola’s, and she invited me. What’s wrong? You not happy to see me, Tune?”
A small laugh rocked my chest. “Stop playing with me. You should’ve told me you would be here.”
“Aww, you’re mad.” She pranced around in a circle like a ballerina. “I guess you don’t like my costume.”
I soaked in her red one-piece, sheer robe and clear heels similar to the strippers. She wore bunny ears like most of the women in the casino, but she exchanged the bow tie for a diamond choker.
“You’re beautiful but bold. You think the family ties don’t matter? This function isn’t like the Delano’s party.”
“I’m fucking the boss. I think I’m good.” Her head slanted to one side as if her thoughts were too heavy to carry. “Are you mad I’m here because your other bitches are in here?”
“You’re my only bitch. I thought I made that clear the last time you questioned me.”
She shrugged. “Sometimes a girl needs a little extra reassurance.”
“Yeah, okay. You’re questioning me when you got all that ass out. I’on like that. If you piss me off by having somebody in your face, I’m going to ruin your night.”
I snatched Kannon to me by her neck. When she stuck out her tongue, I covered it with my lips like I planned to do with her clit.
I could feel folks watching us, so I didn’t let her pull away when she tried.
I wanted anyone minding our business to know, Kannon belonged to me.
It took us a second to part ways, but when I returned to my cousin’s section, I wished I’d stayed where I was.
“What the hell is Levi doing here?” I quizzed, watching him walk in our direction.
“No fucking clue,” Echo said, gripping his gun. “He’s about to come over here with the bullshit.”
Levi stumbled over with a stack of dollars in one hand and a bottle of 1942 in the other.
Nothing about his demeanor resembled a wanted man, and the flashy jewelry made me believe he was still up to no good.
I swallowed a mouthful of liquor to busy my lips.
The burn in my chest distracted me from the insult on the tip of my tongue.
“Y’all not gon’ speak to me?” He jabbed his finger in Pluto’s direction. “I popped out just for you and your stuck-up-ass twin. Happy Birthday, Cuzzo!”
Pluto nodded. “I’m surprised. We ain’t talked to you in months.”
“Yeah, I needed a break from the streets.” Levi’s jolly demeanor went chill when he glanced my way. “What’s good, Neptune? You ain’t speaking?”
I grilled him, then zeroed in on my phone. I wasn’t playing nice with somebody I didn’t like, and knowing how foul Levi could be put me on guard.
“All right then, Nep. We’ll talk later.”
“Indeed.”
If I had it my way, I would’ve booked Jeezy to perform at the function, but Echo requested Eric Bellinger, and Pluto paid for YG to perform some of his classics from his first album.
A few dancers stayed on stage when the West Coast singer walked out.
Some ladies did tricks while the others popped pussy like they were in Magic City.
Folks in the audience flocked to one another, pairing together and treating the casino like a nightclub.
A stripper in our section tried to put her ass on me, but I sidestepped her, stopping her from getting comfortable.
The only ass cheeks I wanted on my dick were the ones that belonged to Kannon.
As the live R&B flowed through the speakers, I found Kannon amongst the party. Her back was to me when I entered her bubble, yet my presence caused her to face me. Up close, she wrapped her arms around my neck. My hands roped around her waist, drawing her chest to mine.
“You were waiting on me?” I asked.
“Yeah. I knew I wouldn’t have to wait long.”
She urged me to sip from her cup, and I tossed it back. The burn that followed almost sent the drink back up my throat.
“Damn, Kitty. No wonder you’re over here shaking ass and walking sideways. Tequila with no chaser?”
“I don’t have nights like these often. Let me be.”
“I’m not mad at you. I love to see you smile.” I leaned down and sniffed her neck. “You smell so fucking good.”
“My pussy smells better.”