CHAPTER TWELVE
"Who the fuck is Malcolm?"
I watched Malcolm disappear into the crowd before looking back at Todd. I knew this conversation was coming the second Malcolm opened his big-ass mouth. I just didn't expect Todd to look more curious than pissed.
"He's somebody I deal with."
Todd stared at me.
"Somebody you deal with?"
"That's what I said."
He looked toward the direction Malcolm had walked off in before bringing his attention back to me.
"That nigga just came in here trying to drag you out the club like your man."
"Well, he ain't."
And that was the truth. Malcolm and I had never sat down and agreed to be in a relationship. Somewhere along the way, he had obviously started feeling different, but that sounded like a conversation Malcolm needed to have with himself.
Todd slowly nodded his head as a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.
"Ohhhh. So, this the type of time you on."
I frowned.
"What type of time am I on?"
"You tell me."
"I just did."
"Nah. You told me that's somebody you deal with. I'm trying to figure out what the fuck that mean."
"It means Malcolm do what Malcolm do, and you do what you do."
Todd's eyebrows lifted.
"And what exactly do I do?"
I looked him up and down. Malcolm might have had the money, but Todd had already proven exactly why I kept finding my way back to him.
"You know what you do."
A smile slowly spread across his face.
"Yeah, I do."
"Okay then."
"But that still doesn’t answer my question."
"What question?"
"Do he know he ain't your man?"
I laughed.
"Yes."
"You sure?"
"Very."
"Because that nigga didn't look like he got the memo."
"That's Malcolm's problem."
As far as I was concerned, everybody knew their position. I had never promised Malcolm exclusivity, and I damn sure hadn't promised it to Todd. If either one of them had created some imaginary relationship in their head, I didn't see how that became my problem.
Todd shook his head, still smiling.
"So that's Mr. Money Bags?"
My head snapped toward him.
"Who?"
"You heard me."
"Why you calling him that?"
"Look at him."
I laughed.
"What does that mean?"
"That nigga came in here looking like he bills by the hour."
I busted out laughing.
"He is an attorney."
"I fucking knew it."
"How?"
"The nigga got lawyer written all over him."
I grabbed my drink from the table and took a sip. The liquor had me feeling too good to let Malcolm ruin my night, and Todd wasn't acting nearly as bothered as I thought he might be.
Todd watched me for a few seconds.
"So, what he do for you?"
"Why you being nosy?"
"I'm curious."
"About?"
"You."
That caught me off guard. I covered it by taking another sip of my drink.
"Well, stop."
"Nah."
"Todd."
"I'm just trying to understand the rotation."
I almost choked on my drink.
"What rotation?"
"The one I apparently just found out I'm in."
I laughed.
"You are so fucking stupid."
"I'm serious."
"No, you're not."
Todd stepped closer.
"Long as you ain't lying to me, Armani."
The smile on my face faded a little. That was the first thing he'd said that made me take him seriously. Todd and I had never discussed being exclusive because there hadn't been a reason to. We had fun together, and neither one of us asked too many questions. I liked it that way.
"I ain't never told you I wasn't dealing with nobody."
He thought about it for a second before nodding.
"You right."
"Exactly."
"And I ain't never asked you to stop."
"Exactly."
"So we good."
"We been good."
And just like that, the tension left my body. This was why dealing with Todd was easy. He wasn't trying to put a title on anything or turn tonight into some relationship conversation. Malcolm could learn a thing or two from him.
Todd looked toward the crowd again before turning back to me. "Just don't have that nigga coming up here putting his hands on you again."
I smiled.
Now that was interesting.
"Awww. You care about me?"
"Don't start."
"You do."
"Drink your damn liquor."
I laughed and lifted my glass to my lips. He could pretend all he wanted, but I caught the way his whole demeanor changed when Malcolm grabbed me.
Todd shook his head and started to walk away.
"Todd."
He turned around.
"What?"
"You jealous?"
"Hell nah."
"You sure?"
"Positive."
"Because you asking a whole lot of questions for somebody who ain't jealous."
Todd walked backward with a grin on his face.
"I'm just making sure I understand the rules."
"What rules?"
"Your little teamwork shit."
My mouth fell open.
"I ain't tell you nothing about no teamwork."
"You ain't have to."
He pointed at me.
"Like I told you earlier, you easy to read."
"Boy, fuck you."
"Maybe later."
I couldn't stop myself from smiling.
Todd turned around and went back to work while I took another sip of my drink. I watched him for a few seconds before turning back toward the bar.
I liked Todd more than I probably should have. I wasn't about to admit that shit to him, though. What we had worked because it was easy, and I wasn't interested in complicating it.
Malcolm was probably somewhere pissed the fuck off, but he'd get over it. Todd wasn't mad, I still had my drink, and my night wasn't ruined.
As far as I was concerned, the situation had handled itself perfectly. Todd wasn't mad. Malcolm already knew what it was. And I still had both of them. Teamwork.
I stayed at the club until Todd's shift was almost over. By then, I had slowed down on the liquor, my feet were killing me, and Malcolm hadn't come back.
Good.
I wasn't dealing with his attitude tonight.
Todd walked over while I was sitting at the bar scrolling through my phone.
"You still here?"
I looked up at him.
"You see me, don't you?"
"I figured Mr. Money Bags would've sent a search party by now."
I rolled my eyes.
"Leave Malcolm alone."
"Oh, now you defending him?"
"I'm not defending anybody. I'm telling you to mind your business."
Todd laughed and leaned against the bar.
"My business standing right in front of me."
I smiled.
"That was smooth."
"I have my moments."
"What time you get off?"
He looked at his watch.
"About twenty minutes."
"Okay."
"Why?"
I stared at him.
Todd stared back.
"Why you think?"
His smile slowly spread.
"Just making sure the plans ain't changed."
"What plans?"
"The ones you came in here talking about."
I pretended to think about it.
"I don't remember."
"Oh, you don't?"
"Nope."
Todd stepped closer.
"You want me to remind you?"
I smiled and pushed him away from me.
"Go finish working."
He laughed.
"That's what I thought."
Todd walked away, and I watched him until he disappeared into the crowd.
The plans hadn't changed.
If anything, Malcolm showing up had made me more determined to do exactly what I wanted to do. I wasn't going to let either one of them start thinking they could make decisions for me.
Twenty minutes later, Todd came back with his keys in his hand.
"You ready?"
I grabbed my purse.
"Been ready."
We walked out of the club together, and the warm night air hit me as soon as we stepped outside. Todd stayed beside me while we headed toward the parking lot.
"Where you parked?"
I pointed toward my car.
"Over there."
"You good to drive?"
"Yeah. I stopped drinking a while ago."
"Aight. Follow me."
I stopped walking.
"Follow you where?"
Todd looked at me like I was stupid.
"My house."
I smiled.
"Oh. You just assumed I was coming home with you?"
He stepped closer.
"Armani."
"What?"
"You sat in that club until I got off."
"So?"
"You asked what time I get off."
"And?"
"You already told me what you came to do."
I bit back a smile.
"That still don't mean I'm coming."
Todd reached around me and opened my car door.
"Get your lying ass in the car."
I laughed.
"You swear you know me."
"I know enough."
I started to get inside before turning back around.
"Todd."
"What?"
"I might change my mind."
"You won't."
"How you know?"
He leaned down until his mouth was close to my ear.
"Because this was your plan before you even walked through that door tonight."
He wasn't wrong, so I smiled and slid into my car.
"Drive safe."
Todd laughed before closing my door. I watched him walk toward his car and shook my head.
"Cocky ass."
The problem was that he had every reason to be. I had left Malcolm's bed, put on that little blue dress, and driven across town specifically to see Todd. Going home with him had always been the plan. Malcolm showing up hadn't changed shit.