Chapter 5
"Ay, who dat?" Asao heard Dom behind him but didn't respond right away. His eyes were fixed on that pretty ass face and he didn't want to look away. The way she stared let him know she’d recognized him. He wasn't sure if it was from their run in at Carver’s or what.
"Nobody." He brushed it off and scanned the area.
It wasn't VIP. He didn't want attention but it was still packed with people who wanted to be in his space.
He was grateful they respected his privacy enough to only stare and capture pictures he was sure would be circulating within minutes after they were posted.
It was why he hated this clubbing thing.
At least Niles made sure the DJ didn't do a shoutout to bring additional attention his way. For now, he was able to just be.
"She's fine as shit. She looks familiar too. Her face. Might be somebody." Dom was shoulder to shoulder with him but facing the railing while Asao’s back rested against it. He knew Dom was checking her out. Hell, he wanted to. She was fine as hell and barely dressed. The shorts thing she wore was...short. Her long, toned, chocolate legs extended from it and all he could think about was pushing between them. There was a lot of skin exposed, what little fabric covered her body didn’t leave much to the imagination, but he wasn't upset about that.
She was nice to look at. She was gotdamn fine.
"I might have to see what's up with her.
" Dom's voice elevated slightly with a bit of confidence. Asao wasn't surprised. Neither of them had issues pulling women. Not even Niles’s angry ass. For some reason, women gravitated toward him. Niles always said he wasn’t bullying for pussy, but whatever the case, he had his fair share.
"Ay, Sao. Somebody wants to rap with you for a minute.
" Niles made his way over with a kid, or who Asao assumed was a kid, following closely.
Stopping a few feet away, Niles ushered the kid in front of him, putting him in Asao's personal space.
He examined the kid who housed a blank expression, but his eyes shone with the excitement of being near Asao.
"This is Leeks. I caught one of his shows at Cap’s place, told him he was nice and that I wanted him to holla at you about a few things," Niles explained, causing Asao’s eyes to leave the kid and land on Niles.
His face tightened and Niles knew exactly why.
This was a damn setup. Niles was trying to gently push the issue of Asao working with artists.
He wasn't feeling it but Niles didn't care.
"What's good, youngin'?" he greeted with a nod. Leeks’s smile dropped from his eyes to his mouth but it was still subtle.
"Ain’t shit. Just trying to get to where you are. I mean, I know I have a lot of work ahead of me but I'm hungry."
His stance was wide, eyes determined and voice confident. Asao respected that. Leeks wasn't having a fan moment, simply had been presented an opportunity. This kid believed he had something to offer Asao and was shooting his shot.
"What you do?"
"A little of everything. I write my own shit.
I rap, I sing. Just for my hooks and shit when needed and I do a little production.
I like having control of what I do, how I sound, you know.
" Leeks’s eyes darted over to Dom. "But I'm not nice like him.
Just starting out and self-taught. I know what I'm good at.
Writing and performing is my lane but when you're trying to make it, you have to be resourceful.
" He offered a nod to Dom then flashed Asao a cocky smile.
The kid was either slick with it or smart. He was saying all the right things and acknowledging their journey with an admiration that hit home. Asao chuckled under his breath before allowing his chin to dip slightly.
"How old are you?" Leeks was dressed down—jeans, hoodie, Js, no jewelry or anything flashy. Lowkey, but that could have been from lack of funds.
"Twenty-two. Be twenty-three in a month. Been at it since I was a kid though. Recorded my first one in my mama's bathroom." A sneaky grin inched in place, causing Asao to laugh under his breath again.
"He got your info?" Asao’s eyes shot past Leeks to Niles.
The kid's eyes shone again, hopeful.
"Yeah, he knows how to find me."
Offering a slight motion of his head, Asao gave Leeks what he wanted, a possibility. "I'll check you out."
He wasn't offering Leeks anything other than a possibility. No commitment, no promise of anything other than Asao listening to his work, but that was enough.
"’Preciate it. I'm gonna head out. You're a real one, Sao. Everyone knows it." The kid walked off satisfied and Asao glared at Niles who was unbothered.
"What the hell was that?" he barked, causing Dom to chuckle and step away. He and Niles were in the same space with this new business opportunity but Dom would never openly choose sides. So he left the argument between Asao and Niles.
"You know what it was. The kid is nice. Real nice," Niles said nonchalantly.
Asao’s eyes stayed on Niles who was looking down at the crowd when he spoke again. "Cobra hit him up a few days ago. Offered him a bullshit ass deal. On the surface it looks good but you know it's a fucking trap." Niles was on him again. His face tight. "Cobra is gonna fuck that kid with no lube."
It was true but it wasn't Asao’s problem. "I don't have a gotdamn cape."
Niles grunted then flashed Asao the resemblance of what could be considered a smile. "You calling the kid a hoe?"
"Apparently, if you're trying to get me to save his ass."
"I'll let it rest for now. Just think about it."
Asao started moving again. "Ay, don't do that shit again. Give me warning and let me decide," he yelled behind him, elevating his voice to reach Niles over the music.
Niles’s hand went in the air along with his chin as clarity that he wouldn't ambush Asao again as he locked in his destination, a pretty little thing who had been following his movements.
When he was close enough, Niles leaned down and whispered something into her ear that put all thirty-two of her teeth on display.
Asao wasn't sure if they had communication before that interaction but whatever the case, Niles had his hand on her back and guided her through the crowd to the bar.
Dom was nearby with his body pressed against a little baddie who he now had pinned between him and the space where she stood next to the wall.
Asao decided to use the opportunity to check out something of his own.
Moving through the crowd, he chopped it up with a few industry people.
None of them were artists but folks who moved behind the scenes.
Every so often he swept the club, trying to make sure she was still in the same spot at the bar.
Her face was relaxed and she smiled a lot as she chatted with the woman at her side.
He could tell her girl was a little past her limit from the way she clumsily moved on the stool where the two were posted up.
He got caught up a few times on his way with mindless conversations, mostly people wanting to be seen with him or asking for favors he wouldn't agree to or deliver on.
When he finally shook free and reached the bar, she was gone.
A wave of irritation hit him out of nowhere which had Asao laughing at his own damn self.
Why the hell am I so pressed about this woman?
There was no logical answer, not one that would justify the effort he put in.
Like now, he was heading to the main dance floor.
Women loved to get drunk then do too much.
It brought the wrong kind of attention, which set them off because men loved crossing lines and disrespecting them.
How could it be avoided when she was dressed like a damn vixen, body tight, eyes low from the alcohol, and moving like…
"Shit," he whispered under his breath. There she was, one arm folded across her stomach while the other waved in a lazy motion above her head.
The way she seductively hugged her waist and moved her hips had his pants growing tight.
Her girl was moving sensually next to her, but in a more clumsy manner.
She was drunk off her ass, but it was cute, not sloppy.
Maybe because the homegirl was equally sexy but nothing like her.
As soon as the thought cleared his mind, her low eyes were on him.
Those full lips parted slightly and he watched her move.
It was a little more defined, like she wanted to prove a point.
Shit, she did. He didn't dance; it wasn't his thing.
He wasn't even sure if he could but the thought of touching her had him considering it. Then…
Hands circled his waist from behind and he felt the warmth of a body. His face tightened when he looked over his shoulder to find Tori. The fuck?
He quickly peeled her arms from him, holding firmly to the right and pulling her into view. "You know better," he grated, teeth clenched and eyes tight.
"What?" The fake ass innocent act didn't help her case. She knew the deal. This wasn't it.
"Get the fuck away from me before I embarrass you." He kept his voice even, but the way her breath hitched was a clear sign that his eyes expressed his true sentiment.
"Is this what we are now? I can't even speak to you in public, Sao." She was whiny, almost childlike, but her feelings were also hurt.
He peered at her through angry eyes, which caused Tori to drop hers. "You didn't speak. I've never stopped you from being cordial. You walked up and threw your body against mine as if we’re cool on that level. Not the same and you know it; so chill with the pity party."