Soul Ties, page 21
“I wouldn’t miss it, especially if it means I get to see the lovely Nina again.”
Those words compelled Chance to stop dead in his tracks. “I really like how we’re getting this money, my nigga. Don’t fuck it up for yourself,” he warned Zidane without even turning around.
Adjusting the jacket to his suit, Chance opened the door to the restaurant and exited. As he got into his coupe, he noticed a black Suburban speeding off from the curb in front of the restaurant. He didn’t give the speeding truck much thought as he reversed out of the parking lot.
* * *
“This shit is lit!” Nina exclaimed as David pulled the Wraith up to the valet parking area of the club. The entire block was filled with people trying to enter the club. Nikko had brought almost all of Miami to celebrate with him tonight.
“Oh, we’re going to have a good time.” Miami smiled devilishly as she looked out to the crowd. She was dressed down in a liquid Fendi printed bodysuit that literally looked like it was painted on her. Her slim waist and fat ass were on full display. Miami’s curly tresses were pressed bone straight.
David opened the door and helped the two women out of the luxury vehicle. Cameras instantly flashed as Nina stepped foot on the gold carpet, which led to the entrance of the club. She and Miami posed for a second then proceeded to enter the club. It paid to have VIP treatment when there were long lines like tonight.
Cameo was known to host some of the best parties Miami Beach had to offer. Nikko had teamed up with one of the biggest promoters in the industry. Nina had to admit the outcome of all the planning had turned out well.
Miami locked arms with Nina as they entered the club and saw the thick crowd of people already on the dance floor. Future’s newest hit, “Racks Blue,” vibrated through the entire club. Both women bobbed their heads to the beat as they navigated through the crowd. They stopped by the first bar in their sight.
“Two shots of Hennessy for me and my girl,” Miami shouted to the bartender as she placed a blue face hundred-dollar bill on the bar.
Nina placed a blue face of her own on the bar after the male bartender slid her the two shots. “Keep the change.” She knew employees of the club didn’t mind working tonight. It was plenty of money floating around. Nina and Miami had plenty of it, so they didn’t mind sharing. Like Future said, What you supposed to do when the racks is blue?
“You want to go to VIP now, or chill this way for a while?” Miami whispered loudly into Nina’s ear.
“Yeah,” Nina answered as she surveyed her surroundings. There were security guards at every entrance and exit. The exclusive crowd was moving into the club faster, leaving the regular folks outside, hoping to get in.
A familiar face entered the club.
“Let’s go to VIP.” Nina quickly turned her head, hoping to not be seen. She locked arms with Miami and held tightly.
“You good?” Miami asked as she looked at Nina for a second.
Nodding, Nina eased her arm’s grip a little. She kicked herself for leaving her gun at home. Unwanted guests could come in and ruin the party at any moment.
Please let everyone be on their best behavior, Nina prayed silently.
“Miami, is that you?” A dark-skinned woman grabbed Miami by the wrists. She had high cheekbones and dark, alluring eyes.
“Remy?” Miami asked as she took a good look at the woman. “You look good, bitch!” she exclaimed as she pulled the woman into an embrace.
“So the fuck do you!” The woman had a strong New York accent, so Nina figured she was an old friend.
“How’s Houston treating you?” Miami asked.
Remy spun around, rubbing her hands down her petite body. “Great, as you can see,” she said. “My country nigga treating me even better.” She showed off a diamond ring on her left hand.
“Fuck outta here!” Miami exclaimed as she brought her hand to her heart. “Bitch, we gotta catch up.” She turned her attention to Nina. “You don’t mind if I chop it up with my homegirl? I’ll meet you in VIP.”
“A’ight, call me if you need me.” Nina continued to push through the crowd to get to VIP. She felt a hand on the small of her back and rolled her eyes because she already knew who it was.
“Long time no see.” A smiling Yasin greeted Nina.
“Boy, fuck you.” Nina sucked her teeth as she attempted to walk pass Yasin. However, he blocked her path. The crowd was so thick she couldn’t move at the moment. “What are you doing here?” Nina finally asked after realizing Yasin wouldn’t leave her alone.
Yasin smirked as he moved a flying piece of hair out of Nina’s face. She flinched at his touch, but he ignored it. “I came to enjoy my weekend just like everyone else.”
Nina rolled her eyes again and looked around for a familiar face to save her. It had to be apparent that she was uncomfortable.
“You don’t have to fuck with me, shorty. I just want to see my son.”
Nina laughed as if someone had told her a joke. She didn’t trust Yasin at all. This calm, cool, and collected front he put on was almost believable. However, Nina knew better. She had spent almost three years with Yasin only to find out she never knew the real him. Nina blamed herself for it all, though.
“That’s not happening.”
“Why not?” he asked before taking a step closer to Nina.
“Nasim isn’t your son. When the fuck you gon’ get that through your head? I had a DNA test done. My son is a McKnight,” Nina replied bluntly.
Yasin’s nostrils flared as the words left Nina’s mouth. The music in the club was loud, but Yasin heard every word Nina said. “Oh, and let me guess. You back with that flaw-ass nigga Chance?” Yasin asked aggressively, grabbing Nina by the elbow.
Nina gritted her teeth and snatched away from Yasin. “First off, keep your motherfucking hands off of me. Secondly, ain’t no flaw in my nigga. Watch ya mouth.” Nina dusted her arm off. “Lastly, it’s none of your fucking business. I’m not with you. I’m not your baby moms. I have no tire with you. I’m good.”
Quan had been watching the encounter from across the club. He opted to stay out of it until he saw Yasin put his hands on Nina. Now, he was headed to confront this nigga Yasin.
“Yo, sis, you good?” Quan got to Nina and Yasin within thirty seconds. He stood toe to toe with Yasin and looked him straight in the eyes. He had never liked the nigga. He prayed for the day he got to end his shit. In the past, he’d killed niggas for less, so he wouldn’t mind sending Yasin to meet his maker for fucking with Nina.
Yasin looked Quan up and down. “We good, bro. This a grown woman right here. She can handle herself. Right, Nina?”
Nina hesitated to answer. She didn’t know if a threat lurked behind Yasin’s words or not. All she could think about was the deranged look in his eyes when she said she wanted no ties.
“I could give a fuck about what you saying. She don’t want no dealing with you, nigga. I suggest you leave her alone.” Quan nodded down to his stomach as he lifted the jacket to his suit enough for Yasin to see the .45 tucked safely against his waist.
Yasin chuckled. “Damn, my nigga, was I fucking her or you?” Yasin always expected Quan to have feelings for Nina, and this confirmed it. “No offense,” he said sarcastically.
Nina placed her hand on Quan’s shoulders. “We good, bro.” She tried not to make a big deal out of Yasin’s words because she knew there was some truth to what he was hinting at. A woman knows when a man has feelings for her. Nina suspected Quan loved her more than he let on years ago. She was grateful he never acted on his feelings because she could only see him as a brother.
By this time, Miami had found her way back to Nina. She noticed the tension between the three people and figured her girl needed saving. “Nina, I have someone I want you to meet.” Miami was quick on her feet with an excuse to rescue Nina from the awkward encounter.
Nina nodded and grabbed Miami’s hand. The women disappeared into the crowd.
Yasin looked at Quan with a smirk on his face. “What would ya mans say if he knew you were in love with his ol’ lady?” Yasin stood there for a second after asking his question. “At least I got a piece of that. You’ll never even taste the pussy. Sucks to be you, my nigga.” Yasin patted Quan on the back before disappearing into the crowd.
What a way to start the night, Nina thought. But her night was about to get more interesting, as she spotted Yasmine at the bar with a familiar-looking dark-skinned chick. Nina could have sworn the girl looked exactly like the chick she had caught Chance in the bed with. Nah, the world can’t be that fucking small. Or can it? She made sure to keep the woman in her eyesight as she took a seat in VIP.
* * *
Chance, Cassidy, and Nikko arrived at Cameo two hours later. Fashionably late was the perfect term for the three men as they walked through the main entrance of the club. Each man looked different in appearance, but they were equally dashing in their designer suits.
Yasmine spotted Chance’s handsome face easily from the bar. If she wasn’t so set on bringing Chance down, she really would have fallen in love with him.
“There he is.” Yasmine nodded her head in the direction of the men. “Here’s the plan: don’t let Chance see us together. I want you to try and get close to his right-hand man, Quan. He’s too loyal to Nina. We need to sever that bond,” Yasmine explained. As long as Quan was close to Chance and Nina, it would be nearly impossible for Yasmine to execute her plan.
“Isn’t this risky for you? Like, aren’t you scared what could happen if they found out? You don’t know what these men are capable of,” Naomi said nervously.
“I cover my tracks very well. I’ve been close to Chance for about two years now. I’ve gotten way too far for any slip-ups, and I won’t let anyone ruin this for me. So, please tell me you aren’t getting second thoughts, because if you blow my cover or fuck this up in any way for me, that’ll be your ass,” Yasmine stated calmly. “Now, go get Quan, and don’t come back until you have something I can work with.”
Naomi rolled her eyes as she walked away from the bar. She devised a plan in her head to get close to Quan. She didn’t know much about Quan except for what Tiana had told her about him: “He’s loyal as fuck and overprotective of Nina. Pussy don’t excite him. Money and violence do.” Naomi recalled the conversation she’d had with Tiana earlier that night. “Be careful, Na,” were her final words.
* * *
The men made their way to VIP after greeting a few important guests. Chance noticed Nina sitting by herself, looking around. “A beautiful woman like you should never be alone in a club,” Chance whispered in her ear from behind.
A wide smile spread across Nina’s face at the sound of her lover’s voice. “Where have you been?” she asked as she turned around and kissed his lips softly.
“Handling business, but I’m here now. Everything good?” Chance asked.
Nina shook her head. “I spoke to Yasin.” She drank the remaining champagne that sat in front of her. It wouldn’t be long before she was throwed, so Nina decided that was her last drink. “He didn’t take the news well.”
“Fuck him. We’ll deal with him later.” Chance took both of Nina’s hands in his and stood her up. “Tonight ain’t for any of the bullshit. Yasin better tread lightly,” Chance responded before pulling Nina into a hug. “I wanna marry you,” Chance whispered into Nina’s ear.
“You must be in a good mood.” Nina laughed as she shook her head. She didn’t think Chance was serious since they’d just gotten back on track. Nina waved him off.
Chance nodded and smirked. He was going to let Nina think he was playing for now. He would let his actions speak for themselves. “I’m in a great mood.” Thoughts of the money they were about to come into lingered in Chance’s mind. “Let’s mingle, baby. You sitting by yourself and shit. I’m surprised you ain’t with Miami.”
Chance’s brows furrowed. He didn’t like the fact that Yasin’s presence had control over Nina. “I’m here now. Let’s see if Yasin got that same energy.” Still holding Nina’s hand, Chance walked over to where the rest of the crew was.
“Wassup, Nina,” Cassidy said with a blunt in his right hand and a stack of hundred-dollar bills in his left. Miami was right by his side with a bottle of Hennessy in her hands.
“Wassup, Cash.” Nina greeted him as she hugged Maiya, who was seated beside her man. Nina had never had a problem with Maiya. Even though she was Yasmine’s friend, she had always shown Nina love. Nina figured Yasmine was using the poor girl anyway. She made a mental note to search Chance’s condo for any evidence on the bitch.
“Hey, Nikko.” Nina greeted the last of the men’s trio.
“You good, mami?” Miami asked as Nina took a seat beside her.
Nina nodded her head. “I just needed a few minutes to myself. I’m ’bout tipsy now, though.” She laughed. The music was literally vibrating through her. It was a feeling she always got when she was drinking around loud music.
Chance placed his hands on Nina’s thigh and gave it a light squeeze. The liquor had Chance looking edible in Nina’s eyes. She could eat him up right there in front of everyone.
“Where Quan at?” Chance asked, noticing his brother wasn’t anywhere in the VIP section.
“I haven’t seen him since earlier,” Nina said, thinking back to her encounter with Yasin and Quan. “He in here somewhere.”
Nodding, Chance took a pull from the backwood Cassidy rolled. He figured Yasin would show his face sooner or later.
Miami slid the bottle of Hennessy to Nina. “I take a shot. You take a shot. Then we go to the dance floor,” she proposed with a smirk on her face.
“Dancing sounds good.” Nina shrugged her shoulders before taking the bottle to the head. “Whew.” She scrunched her face up as the liquor hit the back of her throat. Hennessy was nasty in her opinion, but it always got her drunk with no hangovers the next day.
She passed the bottle back to Miami, who took a shot without hesitation. Miami and Cassidy were about that life when it came to drinking Hennessy.
“I’ll be back, baby,” Nina told Chance before being pulled to the dance floor by Miami.
* * *
Naomi spotted Quan sitting by himself at a booth on the second floor of the club. She thought of a quick way to access him without arousing any suspicions. This was her best opportunity to get close to Quan, so it was now or never. Thinking on her feet, Naomi purchased a bottle of Ace of Spades from the bar. Security at the entrance of VIP didn’t give Naomi a hard time because she posed as a bottle girl.
“It’s do or die,” she said to herself quietly and took a deep breath.
Adding an extra sway in her steps, Naomi sauntered over to Quan. “You mind if I join you?” Naomi asked, announcing her presence. Her perky C-cup breasts were sitting pretty in her Tom Ford mini dress.
Quan checked Naomi out and was impressed by what he saw. Shorty was thick and pretty in the face. “Sit down.” Quan nodded to the open seat across from him. “That for me?” he asked as he nodded to the bottle in her hands.
The dark-skinned beauty laughed as she slid the bottle across the table. Naomi licked her lips as she leaned across the table. “That and whatever you see that you like,” she said seductively. “Courtesy of Nikko.” She added a small lie to kill any of Quan’s suspicions.
Naomi had to admit that the pictures she’d seen of Quan didn’t do him any justice. He looked even better in person. He was just as handsome as Chance, but his vibe was different. He had a dangerous yet alluring aura about him that made Naomi want to test his fire.
Leaning back and crossing her arms, Naomi studied Quan from across the table. “So, what’s up with you?”
“What’s your name, beautiful?” Quan asked as he popped the top to the bottle of Ace. He poured a glass for Naomi and himself. Big Bank by YG blasted throughout the club. From their position in the club, you could look down and see everyone on the dance floor. It was a lituation tonight.
“I’m Na.” She held her hand out for him to shake. “Quan, right?”
Quan nodded, but his eyes were focused on the dance floor. He spotted Nina dancing with Miami. He couldn’t help but notice how effortlessly Nina’s body movements matched the beat of the music. Guilt crept into his mind as he thought of Yasin’s words.
“Can I ask you something?” Quan asked. He needed to get this off his chest. What better person to vent to than a beautiful stranger? “What do you do when you love a person that you can never have?”
Naomi sighed as she rolled her eyes. It was a topic she knew all too well. “Love someone else,” Naomi suggested. The question had caught her off guard. As good as she looked, she didn’t understand why Quan didn’t ask her to go home with him. “Distractions help,” she added, speaking from experience. She knew this because she had fallen for Chance when it was clear she would never have his heart. “I could be your distraction. I don’t mind. I, uh, actually need one of those myself.”
Quan’s eyes surveyed the dance floor as he laughed. “I already have one of those,” he said, referring to his girlfriend back in Charlotte. It was harsh for Quan to think of Jade as a distraction, but it was the truth. Jade wanted something that Quan just couldn’t provide to her: his undivided love. In another lifetime, Quan hoped he would have his shot at love with Nina. He fought a constant battle with his feelings for her. He indeed loved Nina like a sister, but he couldn’t ignore his deeper feelings that brewed beneath the surface. Fighting the feelings was his only option. What did being in love with his best friend’s woman say about him?
“Who’s the special girl?” Naomi asked curiously. She looked in the direction of the dance floor that Quan was focused on. Coincidentally, Naomi recognized Nina on the dance floor instantly.
Oooo, I know Nina isn’t the woman he’s talking about. What that bitch got that make niggas go crazy over her? Naomi thought.
Eyeing Naomi suspiciously, Quan wondered why she was so interested in his business. “What’s up with all of the questions?”
Naomi figured Quan was referring to Nina. “I mean, you asked for my opinion,” she explained with a slight attitude. “But I’m sorry if I offended you. Enjoy the drink.” Naomi abruptly stood up and walked away from Quan. She smirked as she thought about how easy Quan had made her task. He gave her all the leverage she needed to save her ass. She pulled out her phone and shot Yasmine a quick text.
