Kenyon
Kross: Your girl is showing her ass. What do you want me to do?
Me: I’m on my way.
My grip tightened on the steering wheel, and I pressed the gas harder, weaving through the late-night traffic. Turning into the parking lot didn’t take long, but parking was nonexistent. Thankfully I had a designated spot because, without it, I might’ve been fucked.
“Damn, you wasted no time, huh?” Kross joked when I walked in the door.
“Fuck you, nigga. I was already on my way. What happened?”
“A ‘lil tussle with Phoenix. She’s in my office.”
“Did she win?”
Kross tilted his head and chuckled, “What fuckin’ difference does it make?”
“I can’t be telling people my girl will fuck you up, and she can’t hold her own.”
“ Your girl ? It’s like that now?”
According to Zara, I hadn’t asked her to be my girlfriend. The shit sounded stupid, so we were at an impasse on the subject.
“ Your girl or not, she can’t come to work and do what she wants, Keyes. You know that.”
“Yours is,” I replied, exposing the lines on his forehead. “Why does Megan keep putting Zara on days?”
“ Zara ?”
“Nigga can you focus?”
“I don’t know. I’ll talk to Megan about it.”
“Handle it because you don’t want me to.”
“What happened to staying in our lane?”
“The rules don’t apply to her,” I shrugged.
Ignoring all the offers to turn my frown upside down, I walked into Kross’s office, ready to lay into Zara. The words I had lined up disappeared, watching her adjust her silver outfit. The tiny halter top was drenched in sequins and rhinestones, lifting her chest just enough to tease.
“Don’t come in here fussing. I don’t need that tonight,” Zara anticipated, raising an eyebrow like she knew exactly what I was thinking.
“Then what does the Silver Surfer need?”
She spun around, likely shocked that I didn’t fuss anyway, but I knew Zara and all of her faces well. She was extra fidgety and didn’t need my mouth right now.
“I don’t know. I solved one problem, and now it feels like I have gained more. Brandy is a wreck because Otto is in jail. Megan is still on my ass, and hitting Phoenix didn’t help.” she bounced between emotions like she was ready to either scream or cry. “Now I have to perform, and it feels like a million people out there. I can’t afford to fuck up, but it’s so much shit on my mind, and I just.”
Her breathing sped up like she was struggling to catch it between sentences.
“You don’t have to perform tonight. In case you forgot, I’m the boss. That’s an easy fix.”
Zara relaxed her shoulders and summoned me with her finger, and like a puppy, I obliged.
“I know that’s hard for you to understand, but I don’t need you to solve all my problems. Sometimes, I just need you to be here while I solve them. If or when I can’t, I’ll come to you.”
Hearing that made me want to solve her problems even more. Not because she wasn’t capable of handling her own. She was just that special to me that she didn’t deserve the stress that came with doing so.
“I can’t make any promises, but I hear you, Babygirl."
“I love that you always want to help me, but I’ll be okay.”
“Did you just say you love me?”
Zara snorted a little as a laugh escaped. “I did not say that.”
“Then I guess you better get out there and make my money. The first is around the corner, and rent is due,” I grabbed her neck and slid my tongue in her mouth because I was all out of self-restraint, but Zara pushed away and laughed.
“If you think I’m paying you rent, you’ve lost your mind.”
“You’re not my girl, remember? So yeah, you are unless it’s something I need to know.”
“What are you gonna do? Evict me,” she taunted.
“That might work in my favor.”
“You are insane.”
“Real shit, it doesn’t matter how many people are out there. You’re the star. I’ve never seen you more fearless and confident than when you’re dancing. You got it, and if you don’t, I’m here. I’ll never let you fall.” I wasn’t even sure where those words came from. I surprised myself, but it wasn’t anything I didn’t mean.
“Thanks, .”
“Unless you don’t have my rent. Then your ass is going to fall to homeless.”
“Yeah, right,” Zara rolled her eyes and headed for the door.
“Oh, and no more fighting at work before your ass is fired,” I plucked her neck, circling back to my original reason for coming here.
The club was alive tonight, more electric than usual. Utopia had a certain energy that always drew people in, but with Aire Kesson's 21st birthday going down, it was on another level. People were packed in every corner, and even though I was tucked in my section away from the madness, I could still feel the heat from the crowd.
“I’m surprised to see you here tonight,” Shaudi said, dapping me up before he sat down.
“You thought he wouldn’t? It’s millions of dollars in this bitch, and Babygirl is performing. He damn sure wasn’t going to be anywhere else,” Nolan joked.
“Watch your mouth, nigga.”
“Shit is crazy packed!” Shaudi’s eyes were wide with excitement, but he was younger than Nolan and me, so I didn’t expect anything less.
“It is, so keep your head on a swivel,” I replied, signaling one of the bottle girls.
Kross had ordered extra security because you could never be too careful. Rich nigga’s often got stupid, and stupidity could lead to problems we didn’t need. I was enjoying my drink when Sydney walked in as if she owned the place. When our eyes locked, something flickered between us, but neither of us moved. No nod. No smile. Just tension hanging in the air, heavy from our last argument. Then her messy-ass homegirl, Asha, pointed me out as if Sydney hadn’t already seen me.
Throwing my hand up, Sydney rolled her eyes and grabbed Asha’s hand.
“What was that?” Nolan asked because he'd never seen that look between us.
“Syd is in her feelings. She’ll be aite, though,” I replied, keeping my expression neutral as I took another sip of my drink.
Phoenix walked over, all curves and confidence, with that look in her eye like she knew exactly what she was doing.
“Hey baby, you wanna have some fun tonight?” Phoenix asked, throwing her arm around my neck in a low and sultry voice.
“Nah I’m good.”
She huffed at me, peeling it off and taking a step back.
“Damn, why are you being so cold?”
“I can’t fuck with somebody that doesn’t fuck with Nova.”
Phoenix stared off, wondering what I meant until it clicked.
“Since when do you let a bitch run you?”
“It’s about respect, try getting you a nigga with some.” Phoenix sucked her teeth while Shaudi chuckled, adding to her embarrassment. “And watch your fuckin’ mouth too.”
Phoenix remained for a second, hoping I’d change my mind. Until the lights lowered and the DJ announced Zara’s performance. She stomped away like a child not getting her way while Aire leaned back in his chair.
Nova stepped onto the stage in that silver outfit, and the crowd hushed for a second. Her hands swept through the air like a conductor leading an orchestra, and her body followed in perfect rhythm.
She climbed the pole, holding herself on the same shoulders that carried her world just a few hours ago. But you couldn’t tell how Zara twisted her body and slid down the pole as the crowd erupted.
Zara often asked what more I wanted out of life. I wasn’t entirely sure because more was no longer realistic. Now, watching her dance and the smile on her face when she did it topped the list. What I wanted felt less important. Maybe I wasn’t meant to achieve my goals but to help Zara reach hers.