Legacy
LEGACY
As soon as I felt like the past was behind me, God showed me different because my past wasn’t behind me at all. She was up above me, standing on the second floor against the railing, in that dread-head nigga’s face. I had been able to spot Bless, her guy, Sky and JayShawn above us when a strobe light scanned their faces. It had only been for a second, but I would know Bless anywhere.
Luckily, after spotting her, Vibe was ready to bounce. So, I had been able to hide my frustration in getting him securely out of the club.
Guiding Vibe through the club was like navigating through a violent storm. The crowd was tight, and the fans were rowdier and more intoxicated by then. I kept Vibe close, pushing past the fans with the club bouncers forming a protective circle around us. My mind kept drifting back to Bless and her date, the vision of them together clouding my focus and stoking my anger.
We finally got outside and started making our way toward Vibe's sprinter. Chantel was close behind, sticking to us like glue. Just as we were about to reach the van, a guy appeared out of nowhere, approaching Vibe with a wild look in his eyes. He wasn't a part of Vibe's entourage, and something about his demeanor didn’t sit right with me.
As soon as he reached in his pocket, I reacted. My fist connected with his face before he had a chance to react. He staggered, and I followed up with a hard punch to his gut, sending him to his knees. The crowd around us erupted in chaos, the entourage freaking out as the bouncers pulled me back, stopping me from stomping the guy out.
Vibe looked at me, shock and admiration on his face. "Damn, !"
“Fuck,” the guy winced as he spit out blood. “I just wanted an autograph, nigga.”
I finally focused on what was in his hand. It was an old poster of Vibe when he first became famous.
The entourage and Vibe laughed as my head lowered in shame. I had to get it together. Bless had me tripping.
I reached out for the guy’s hand. He looked up at me, obviously reluctant. “My bad, dawg,” I told him, making everyone laugh around us.
“I just wanted a fucking autograph,” he whimpered as he took my hand.
Standing him up, I felt bad. Now that I was focused on him, shorty wasn’t even that old, obviously too young to get in the club so he had stayed outside waiting on his chance to meet Vibe,
“Shit. I’m sorry, young blood.”
Vibe stepped in. “My bodyguard was just doing his job. You can’t walk up on niggas going in your pocket. You should know that.”
“My bad.” He winced.
Vibe put his arm around him, taking the photo that was in his hand. “I got you on the autograph.”
Vibe then went over and beyond, obviously to make up for my aggression. He signed the old poster. He then took a picture with the fan with his phone. He even did a quick video with the young dude so he could post it on his social media.
“Thank you so much.” By the time Vibe was done laying it on thick, the shorty was smiling.
“You’re welcome. I’m going to send you those free backstage passes to Summerfest. I promise,” Vibe told him.
The fan was grinning even harder now. “Cool!”
As he bounced away, Vibe looked at me grinning teasingly. “You gotta relax, my nigga.”
“My bad.” I shrugged, feeling my adrenaline still pumping. "Gotta protect the boss.” I laughed to ease the chaos of emotions rushing through me.
Chantel reached out, touching my arm. "Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes wide with concern.
"I'm fine," I replied, giving her a reassuring nod. "Just doing my job."
We got Vibe into the sprinter, and the bouncers closed the doors behind us. I leaned back against the seat, trying to calm my racing heart. The vision of Bless and her date was still there, gnawing at me.
Vibe clapped me on the shoulder with a grin spreading across his face. "I knew I made the right choice bringing you on board."
"Always got your back," I said, returning his grin.
I sat at my desk, struggling to keep my eyes open. My head felt heavy and my eyelids were like lead weights. I’d partied hard with Vibe and Chantel last night. After leaving the club, me and Chantel followed the entourage up to Vibe’s penthouse where the party continued. Chantel had been all over me. She was so awestruck that she was in Vibe Stone’s crib. That shit had earned me major pussy points. She had given me another session in one of his many bathrooms.
We didn’t leave Vibe’s penthouse until four in the morning. Even then, the party was still in full swing. Now, here I was, trying to focus on a Facetime meeting with Ekon about the Houston branch of Protection Solutions.
Ekon didn’t look much better than I felt. His eyes were bloodshot, and there were dark circles under them. He was updating me on a few new contracts he had obtained from local businesses in Houston, but I could tell something was off.
“Man, you look like you need some sleep,” I said, trying to stifle a yawn.
Ekon chuckled, but it lacked his usual energy. “You’re one to talk, bro. You look like you’re about to pass out yourself.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “Yeah, last night was wild.”
“I still can’t believe you were partying with Vibe Stone. I gotta get up there to kick it with y’all.”
“Fa sho. It seems like he really fucks with me and the company, so I’m sure he’ll hire me for another gig. So, just tell me when.” My eyes narrowed as I focused on him. “But seriously, are you okay?”
Ekon’s smile faded a bit, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m fine, just a little worn out. It’s been a hectic week, you know? But I’ll be good after some rest.”
I wasn’t convinced. Ekon’s usual spark was missing. “You sure, man? You look like you’ve been running on fumes.”
He sighed, glancing away from the camera for a moment. “Yeah, just need to catch up on sleep. Been pushing hard to get these contracts sorted out and keep things running smoothly.”
I nodded, understanding the grind all too well. “We both need some sleep, no doubt about that. But don’t burn yourself out. We can’t afford to have you running on empty.”
Ekon managed a weak smile. “I hear you. Don’t worry. I’ll be back to my usual self soon. Just need to recharge.”
We continued discussing the new contracts and some other business matters, but my mind kept drifting back to how off Ekon looked. I knew he was dedicated, but I also knew the toll this job could take on him. Ekon might have said he was fine, but I knew better. I’d have to keep an eye on him and make sure he wasn’t pushing himself too hard. We’d both been through too much and come too far to fuck up now.