CHAPTER TEN
I walked into the club by myself wearing a little blue dress that barely covered my ass and a pair of heels I knew I would regret by the end of the night.
I didn't care because I looked good.
The club was already packed, with people crowded around the bar and every section filled. I made my way through the crowd, scanning the room until I spotted exactly who I came to see.
Todd stood near the entrance to VIP dressed in all black with his arms folded across his chest. He was talking to one of the other security guards when his eyes landed on me. That smile told me everything I needed to know. I smiled back and kept walking.
Todd said something to the guard beside him before pushing away from the wall and meeting me halfway.
"Well, damn."
I smiled and did a slow turn in front of him.
"What?"
"You came in here dressed like that by yourself?"
I looked down at my dress.
"You don't like it?"
"You know damn well I like it."
His eyes traveled slowly over my body before coming back to my face.
"That's why I'm trying to figure out who you wore it for. The only nigga pulling that off is me."
I stepped closer.
"Who you think?"
Todd's smile widened.
"Me."
"Then why are you asking questions you already know the answer to?"
"Just wanted to hear you say it."
"I didn't say shit."
"You didn't have to."
I laughed and shook my head.
"You so damn cocky."
"Nah. You just easy to read."
"Am I?"
"Tonight you are."
He glanced behind me before looking back at me.
"Where your sister at?"
"With your boss."
"So, you came by yourself?"
"Mhm."
"To my job."
"Mhm."
"Wearing that."
I looked down at myself again.
"Is there a problem?"
"Hell yeah."
"What?"
He stepped closer until there was barely any space between us.
"I gotta stand in this bitch all night and watch niggas look at you."
I grinned.
"Sounds personal."
"It is."
"That's unfortunate."
"For them."
I laughed.
"See, this why I came to see you."
Todd raised his eyebrows.
"There it is."
"What?"
"You finally admitted it."
"I never denied it."
"You definitely would've."
"Well, I'm here now."
His eyes dropped to my lips.
"Fuckin’ right."
He just stood there looking at me. I could feel the tension between us, and from the way Todd was looking at me, I knew he felt that shit too.
My mind went straight to the fire head be giving me.
He ate my pussy like the last supper. The dick was good too.
I couldn’t front. Malcolm wasn’t eating and beating like Todd, so that’s why I was here.
Malcolm handled the bills. Todd handled everything Malcolm couldn't. As far as I was concerned, I had one perfect man split between two bodies.
One man was never going to have everything I needed. That was why I believed in teamwork.
"You working all night?"
"Why?"
"Because I might come over and feed you later."
Todd's eyebrows lifted.
"Oh, now we getting somewhere."
"Don't get too excited. I said might."
"Armani, you left your house, got dressed, and came to my job by yourself. That might never existed."
I laughed.
"You swear you know everything."
"I know enough."
"Like what?"
He leaned down close to my ear.
"Like you want me."
I turned my head until our faces were inches apart.
"Maybe I do."
His smile slowly spread.
"That's all I needed to hear."
I ran my finger down the front of his shirt before stepping around him.
"Now get me a drink."
Todd caught my hand before I could get too far.
"Reposado?"
I looked back at him and smiled.
"Maybe you do know me."
"Better than you think."
"Don't push it."
He released my hand.
"Go sit that pretty ass down. I got you."
I walked toward the bar with a smile I didn't even bother trying to hide. Yeah, I came to see Todd. And apparently, I wasn't doing a very good job of pretending otherwise.
Todd came back a few minutes later carrying an entire bottle of Reposado instead of the drink I asked for. I looked at the bottle and laughed.
"Well, damn. I asked for a drink."
"I know."
"So, why you bring the whole bottle?"
Todd set it down in front of me.
"I wanna make sure you enjoy yourself."
I looked up at him and smiled.
"Oh, I'm definitely planning to."
"I figured."
He poured me a shot before sliding it toward me.
"Don't get me drunk."
"You're grown."
"That ain't what I said."
“You freakier when you drunk.”
Todd laughed and walked away to get back to work. I picked up the shot and tossed it back. By the time I made it halfway through my second drink, I was feeling good. The music sounded better, my heels didn't bother me anymore, and every time Todd looked in my direction, I caught him smiling.
Eventually, I got tired of sitting down. Todd was posted against the wall near VIP when I walked over to him.
"You supposed to be working?"
"I am working."
I stepped in front of him.
"Don't look like it."
"What I'm supposed to be doing?"
"Whatever Jokah paying you to do."
"He’s paying me to keep shit under control."
"Can you keep me under control?"
Todd looked me up and down.
"Probably not."
"Smart man."
He leaned down and whispered in my ear. “I control that pussy though.”
“Correction! You handle it.”
I turned around as the song changed and started dancing in front of him.
Todd stayed against the wall while I was moving to the music, his hands eventually settling on my hips.
The liquor had me feeling myself, and knowing Todd was enjoying the show only made me turn up more.
I bent over in front of him and started clapping my cheeks.
My dress rode up as I moved, and Todd's hand slid over my bare ass.
He immediately leaned forward.
"You ain't got no panties on?"
I looked back at him over my shoulder.
"Nope."
Todd shook his head.
"You came up here starting shit."
"I came to have fun."
"Yeah, just like I’m gon’ have fun tearing that pussy up tonight."
“Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
I laughed and kept dancing.
A few minutes later, a woman walked up beside us.
"Todd."
He looked over.
"Wassup?"
She smiled like I wasn't standing directly in front of him.
"You ain't answer my text."
I straightened up and looked between them.
Todd didn't have a chance to respond before I smiled at her. "Todd taken for tonight."
Her eyes moved to me.
"Excuse me?"
I wrapped my arm around Todd's neck.
"This the only pussy he eating tonight."
Todd busted out laughing and the angry bitch looked me up and down.
"Girl, please. You can have him for tonight. Just don't start thinking you special."
"Says the woman confronting a man who already got pussy in his lap," I clapped back.
She stared at me like she expected more. I didn't have anything else for her. Todd nodded toward me.
"You heard her."
The bitch rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Enjoy your little night."
"I plan to," he replied.
"Whatever. Have fun babysitting. I’m sure she has school tomorrow."
I laughed. "Babysitting? Bitch, you look like you should be home babysitting your grandkids."
Her face dropped.
"Now go be somebody grandma somewhere else."
She turned and disappeared into the crowd. I immediately started dancing again. I didn't ask him who she was. There wasn't shit to discuss. Tonight, he was mine. Tomorrow wasn't none of my business. The DJ switched songs, and I threw my hands up before turning around again.
"Come here."
Todd laughed.
"I'm already right here."
"Then act like it."
I backed into him and started dancing again. Todd leaned against the wall while I bent over in front of him, moving my hips to the beat and clapping my cheeks against him. He couldn’t keep his hands off of me.
When I looked up. My body froze. Malcolm was standing directly in front of me. Malcolm didn't say anything at first. He just stood there staring at me. I slowly stood up and pulled my dress back down over my ass.
"Hey."
His eyebrows lifted.
"Hey?"
I smiled.
"What?"
Todd looked between us before his eyes settled on Malcolm. Malcolm ignored him completely.
"Let's go."
I frowned.
"Let's go where?"
"Armani, don't do this. Come on."
"I'm not going nowhere."
His jaw tightened.
"Let's go."
"I said I'm not going nowhere."
Malcolm reached for my arm, but before his hand could fully close around it, Todd caught his wrist and that’s when everything changed. Malcolm looked down at Todd's hand before slowly looking up at him.
"Take your hand off me."
Todd released him, but stepped between us.
"Don't grab her."
Malcolm stared at him. Todd stared right back. And I stood behind Todd looking between the two of them. This was not part of the fucking plan.
"Todd."
He glanced back at me.
"I'm good," I reassured him.
"You sure?"
"Yes."
Malcolm laughed, but there wasn't anything funny about it. "So, this what we doing?"
I stepped from behind Todd.
"What are YOU doing? You followed me."
"I didn't follow you. You told me exactly where you were going."
Well, shit. He had me there.
"That still don't explain why you're here."
"I came to get you."
"Did I ask you to?"
"No."
"Then why would you think I was leaving with you?"
Malcolm stared at me like he couldn't believe the words coming out of my mouth. Honestly, I didn't know why. He had known me long enough.
"I'm not about to stand here and argue with you, Armani. Get your shit and let's go."
"I'm staying."
"You're drunk."
"I'm having fun."
"You're bent over in the middle of a fucking club with your dress around your waist."
I looked down and pulled it another inch lower.
"There. Problem solved."
Todd turned his head to hide his laugh and Malcolm caught it. "And you think this shit funny?"
Todd looked at him.
"I ain't got nothing to do with whatever y'all got going on."
"Then stay the fuck out of it."
Todd's expression changed.
"I'm staying out of it until you put your hands on her."
"You don't know me." Malcolm stepped closer.
"And you don't know me."
"I know enough."
"Then you know I ain't the one."
Oh, shit! I stepped between them before Malcolm Grant ended up catching a charge, he would have to represent himself for.
"Okay. That's enough."
Malcolm looked down at me.
"I'm leaving. You coming?"
"No."
His eyes stayed on mine for several seconds.
"You're really staying?"
"Yes."
"With him?"
I folded my arms.
"I'm staying at the club."
"That wasn't what I asked."
"And that's the answer you're getting."
Malcolm nodded slowly.
"Cool."
He looked over at Todd before bringing his attention back to me.
"Stay. Have fun."
Something about the way he said it made my stomach tighten. He had said almost the same thing before I left his house. I should have known his ass wasn't done then. Apparently, he still wasn't. Malcolm started to turn away before stopping. He looked at Todd. Then at me.
"He know about me?"
My entire body went still. Oh, fuck!
Todd looked at Malcolm before slowly turning his head toward me.
"Know what about you?"
Nobody said anything. The music was still blasting around us, people were still dancing and drinks were still being poured.
The whole club was carrying on like Malcolm hadn't just walked over and dropped a fucking grenade at my feet.
I looked at Malcolm. His expression told me he knew exactly what he had done. Petty motherfucker.
"Malcolm."
"What?"
"You know what."
"No, I don't. You got so much to say tonight. Go ahead."
Todd turned fully toward me.
"Armani."
I closed my eyes for a second. This was some straight up bullshit. Why the fuck would this nigga blow up my spot like this? One thing I don’t like is being embarrassed and he was trying to do just that. But fuck it, I didn’t belong to either one of them.
All I wanted to do was come to the club, drink my Reposado, dance on Todd, and possibly go home with him afterward.
Nobody told Malcolm to come fucking up the rotation.
I opened my eyes and he was still standing there.
Todd was still waiting and for the first time all night, I didn't have a slick answer ready.
Malcolm smiled.
"Exactly."
He adjusted the cuff of his shirt.
"Stay. Have fun."
Then he turned and walked away. I watched him disappear into the crowd before slowly looking over at Todd. This nigga was staring at me hard as fuck, so I smiled at him. He didn't return it.
"Who the fuck is Malcolm?"