4. Chapter 3
Marcus kicked his feet up on the desk in his office at Heaven's Door while the bass from downstairs vibrated through the walls. Every few seconds, purple and blue light flickered through the blinds from the club floor outside. Steelo sat laid back on the couch across from him with a blunt burning in the ashtray. The smell of Marcus’s homegrown “Confetti” filled the room.
“Yo, Steelo,” Marcus said as he pulled from the blunt, “I ain’t even gonna front. That new girl, June… she somethin’ else man.”
Steelo smirked while taking a puff. “Oh yeah? She got you twisted like that, my nigga?”
Marcus exhaled the smoke. “Man, she… badder than a mothafucka, bro. And it ain’t just her looks either.
She got that energy and that fire that them other girls don't have. When she walks in a room, the whole club feel her. I ain’t ever seen no shit like that before man.
” He tapped the blunt against the ashtray and grinned.
“And I ain’t even mad about it. Baby girl got it. She knows how to work that shit.”
Steelo laughed, shaking his head. “You sound like yo ass already wrapped around her finger, bro.”
“Nah nigga,” Marcus said. “I’m just appreciatin’ the art.” He inhaled again letting the sweet, rich scent of Confetti fill his lungs. “You remember this strain? Confetti. Every time you smoke, it feel like a fucking celebration. You feel me?”
Steelo took a hit and then blew the smoke out. “Damn, bro I ain't gon' lie, this some good shit. I see why you call it that.”
Marcus chuckled. “Exactly. I supply only the good shit. Gotta keep the mind right for girls like June. She got potential, man. Either she gon' take that stage to another level or she gon have somebody ready to throw hands every other night. Either way, I’m kickin' back and enjoying the show.”
Steelo nearly spit his smoke out laughing. “That's why I can't ever try to tell you nothin', cause you see a red flag and yo ass start walkin' right toward it. But you da boss so Imma let you rock out.”
Marcus gave a half-smile. “Fucking right. Now keep it chill. The club’s runnin’ smooth tonight, so my attention’s on the new girl. Let’s see what she’s really made of.”
June walked into the Heaven's Door preparing for her first night on stage. The club was already busy, and she could feel people looking her way before she even reached the dressing room. She wasn't worried about that though. June came to work.
“Yo, Lucy Liu!” a loud, mocking voice behind her had cut through the music.
June stopped and turned around. Allure had just come into the dressing room and she stood a few inches away from June with her hip cocked to the side like she had been waiting for June to show up to say something to her.
“It's your first night here and you already walkin' around like you own the fuckin' place.”
June’s jaw tightened. “Lucy Liu? Really bitch? You tryna be smart or just racist?”
Allure laughed like June had said something stupid.
“C’mon, girl. You know what I mean. Little Asian girl think she can roll her ass up in here and take over shit witcha cute little outfit and ya tight little moves…
You got a few oooh's and ahhh's from the crowd or whatever, but don’t start thinkin' that stage belongs to you boo.”
June stepped closer until they were standing face-to-face. “Oh, I know who the fucking stage belongs too. But right now, you sound like a hater because I worked that shit better than you ever did.”
Allure scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Better? Bitch, please. You just lucky Marcus got his eyes all over you. Tryin’ to be all sexy and shit when yo ass don’t even know the rules.”
June replied back with attitude. “Oh bitch, I know the rules and I'm already playin' them better than you.”
The crowd around the dressing area started to gather, sensing some shit was about to pop off. Allure shoved June hard enough to make her stumble back a little.
June was done talking. She pushed Allure so hard that she fell into a row of lockers. “Bitch don’t you ever put your fucking hands on me!!!”
Allure pushed off the lockers and swung, but the punch missed June by a few inches.
June then followed up with a few punches of her own.
Allure stumbled backward, knocking over a makeup stand.
Lip glosses and brushes scattered across the floor.
After that it was a bunch of swinging, cussing, and whoever could get the better shot in first.
“You lucky I ain’t knock yo ass out right here ho!” Allure hissed.
“I’m luckier than you think bitch,” June shot back as she landed a harsh blow to Allure’s torso. Allure bent over in pain, holding herself.
By the time the other dancers and a couple of bouncers pulled them apart, Allure looked ready to break loose and start swinging again. June stepped back wiping a strand of hair from her face.
“You better keep my name out your mouth, bitch,” June spat as she started walking toward the stage. “Cause once I perform, the crowd won't give a fuck about who you are anymore. They gon care about who’s taking over the game and killing it, and that’s gon be me bitch.”
Allure was seething as she watched June strut toward the stage. If anything, the fight seemed to put an extra bounce in her step. The night had just started, and June was already claiming her territory.
June stepped onto the stage and grabbed the pole.
Waka Flocka's Round of Applause came through the speakers, and the same men from before moved closer to the stage.
June smiled to herself. She knew that song all too well and she knew exactly what to do with it.
By the time she started moving her thick hips to the beat, men were already reaching for their money.
When Drake's part came on June smirked and then turned around with her back to the audience and she put her index finger in her mouth and jiggled her thighs together making her ass cheeks clap back and forth.
The people in the VIP section went crazy.
Money started flying on the stage from every direction.
“Goddamn, shawty!” somebody yelled from the crowd.
“You got all that backyard with no dog in it!” The men around him howled with laughter while throwing even more money.
June even laughed at that comment and then she continued on with her performance.
Every move she did looked effortless like she'd been performing to this song her whole life.
From the VIP section, a tall figure caught her eye.
STG Maverick, Philly's newest and upcoming rapper known for selling out arenas and making women cream in their panties just by walking in a room had his eyes on her. He was a sexy mocha colored 6 foot nigga with long curly hair, hella tattoos, and a fine ass body. He looked good as fuck standing there watching June perform. June’s grin widened, she was proud that she caught the attention of a famous rapper from Philly.
She turned it up a notch by moving her body seductively and doing a small whine of her hips, teasing him, letting her light brown eyes lock with his.
The crowd screamed, oblivious to the chemistry building between the two of them.
June’s heart was racing with excitement.
She climbed up the pole just a little and then slid down in one slow motion as the lyrics washed over her.
Her body followed the melody and several billed fluttered onto the stage.
Every word from the song felt like another tease, and every glance felt like another dare for her to keep doing her thing.
The men were mesmerized by June's beauty and her skills.
They started throwing more money and it floated in the air like confetti landing at June's feet.
But June only saw one person. STG Maverick leaned back in his seat with his hands holding his already hard dick, biting his bottom lip as if he could feel every move she made.
From the shadows by the bar, Marcus watched.
His jaw flexed and he felt the anger building up his chest. Marcus thought he had dancers with talent, but June was different.
The way she moved, and the way she ate up the attention, it wasn’t just lust. It was power.
And the way STG Maverick looked at her? Marcus didn’t like that shit one bit.
“Boss, you good?” Steelo murmured as he lit up a fresh blunt of Confetti, “You lookin’ like you ready to shoot the nigga.”
Marcus didn’t answer. His eyes stayed locked on STG Maverick. “Handle that spill near VIP,” he said in a low voice.
Steelo caught the look and did a quick head nod.
Within minutes, one of the barbacks “accidentally” knocked over a bottle of champagne near STG Maverick’s section.
Chairs scraped the floor as people turned to see what happened and a few people jumped out of the way while others started laughing and pointing.
The DJ quickly stopped the music. June looked confused once she saw security moving through the crowd.
She glanced towards VIP and saw several people getting out of their seats.
Then she climbed down from the stage to see what the hell was going on.
Marcus was waiting near the back hallway with his arms folded. “You good shawty?” he asked.
June blew out a breath as she wiped sweat from her brow. “Yeah, shit just got wild out there. The crowd's on some shit tonight.”
He bit his bottom lip while admiring her bomb ass body. “You looked good out there.”
"Thanks," she said, meeting his gaze. "That song always put me in my bag."
Marcus’ lips twitched. “I could definitely tell. Or maybe you just got that effect.” His voice dropped a few octaves. “Just be careful who you point it at.”
June’s brow lifted. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He stepped closer making the space between them smaller. “I'm just sayin’, some of these dudes don’t just look. They take.”
June didn’t flinch. “I'm a grown ass woman Marcus, I can handle myself.”
Marcus rubbed his forehead. “Yeah,” he said softly, as he stared at her pretty face. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”