Chapter SIXTEEN || Troy

 

 

I almost had to fuck dude up when I approached and saw that nigga with his hand on Taija’s wrist all aggressive and shit. I was already behind her when she was shaking that ass to the music and bouncing her head. I was feeling territorial and knew there would be niggas tryin’ to holler, so I was just gonna meet her pretty ass when she came out the bathroom.

But then here comes this fool. I watched for a second to see how she would handle herself, but when I saw that she wasn’t fuckin’ with dude and how he was all up in her space, I had to step in. I knew that nigga too. Been at a few of the parties, so he knew what was good when I walked up.

I won’t even lie; it kinda did something to me seeing him with his hands on her like that though.

“What was up back there, babe? You good?” I asked her, when she came out the bathroom.

“Yeah, I’m good,” she said, rubbing her hand across her wrist, and smiling. “It was nothing.”

“You know Ramon?”

“I knew Ramon. From a long time ago. We had some kiddie shit. Like, I was young—sixteen years young. I guess he recognized me from back then and thought it was cool to spark up some old ass conversation. But it ain’t…” she said, looking up at me with those pretty ass eyes of hers. “How do you know him?” she queried.

“He comes to a few of the parties,” I answered. “I think he rides too, but he ain’t a part of our club. He’s usually with a few broads, always having too much to drink, and then gettin’ his ass escorted out. Same story different night.”

“A few parties. So you come to these a lot, then?” she asked me.

“Yep. I come to just about all of them. They usually happen second and fourth Fridays, and then two Saturdays out the month.”

“Ohh…these are your parties, then?”

“You could say that. It’s kinda on some Martin Lawrence/Bobby Brown shit, in Thin Line Between Love and Hate,” I said, laughing.

“Well, shit! Ain’t no stalker ass Brandi Webb up in this bitch is it?” she joked.

“Aww shit! She knows the movie!” I guffawed.

“I know a lil’ sumthin’,” she smiled.

“That’s on the all-time-favorites list,” I confided. 

“Ugh! Don’t be tryin’ to like a movie just because I do,” she teased.

This girl didn’t even know the affect she was having on me already. Shit, I didn’t even understand that shit. But, whatever.

“But nah…tell me the rest,” she said. “…about the Martin Lawrence/Bobby Brown stuff.”

I liked that she was really interested. She came right back to the subject. I was diggin’ that. Usually, a chick was half-ass listening, or too busy talking about herself. But not her.

“This is my uncle’s spot. He’s owned it since like the 80’s and him and his woman remodeled it about two years ago and revamped the whole thing. It wasn’t this big at first. They added hella square footage because it was becoming a safety hazard with the large crowds.”

“Yeah, it is pretty big in here,” she commented, looking around. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in a club this big before. But I’m not really a club hopper either though.”

Point score just went up. A club chick is not the chick I want under my arm.

I smiled at her again, and she smiled back. I could tell that were vibing…at least I hoped so. “So, aside from that,” I continued. “he’s also President of the LavRix.”

“Now, LavRix…what’s that exactly?”

“That’s the name of the motorcycle club we all belong to. Hopefully, you’ll get on the back of the Kawasaki, with me one day. Make that thang even prettier than it already is,” I said, flirting.

“I might get on. Could be a nice ride.”

“Yep, I’ll make sure that it is,” I said, shooting subliminals.

She smiled at me, then asked: “So, he’s grooming y’all for Mecca takeover, or y’all taking over the bike club?”

“He don’t really have to do too much grooming. I’m a businessman at heart, so I got this. It’s just him wanting to make sure it’s run like he runs it. But he’ll understand soon enough that new owners, mean new rules,” I laughed.

“Well, alright then, Mr. Businessman! Which one does he want y’all to take over?” she said, cheesing.

“It’s for Mecca. As far as LavRix; that would be a hell no!” I guffawed. “That dude is gonna run the bike club until the day he dies, and he ain’t goin’ nowhere anytime soon. He’s trying to make the switch happen in the next year or so.”

“So this here is your thing? This club? Or do you do something outside of this and ride your bike?” she asked.

I decided in that moment, to keep it clean. I didn’t let too many people in on my business dealings that I didn’t know. There were people close to me who didn’t even know, and as much as I was digging Taija, it was way too soon for that.

“It got a little side business,” I responded, giving her a watered down version.

“Oh, okay. I feel you.”

Somehow the look that she gave me, had me thinking that she already knew.

“Well,” she sighed. “Is your uncle here? I mean does he come to the club at all?”

“Nope, he’s not here. I half expected him to be though. He just got to a point where he didn’t pop up at the parties, so the trust is there on some level, you know?”

“I got you,” she responded, with a thin smile.

 

~*~*~

 

It was almost two in the morning when the club was almost emptied out. There were still a few people there, but for the most part, everybody had cleared. Of course the lot was still poppin’ since that’s where all the after hour random hook ups happened.

“So what y’all about to get into?” I asked the group.

“I’m getting ready to head to the house,” Malina responded.

“You should go to my place for the night, until we handle that,” Malik said. I knew what he meant, but of course Taija and her sister didn’t.

“I’m going home, Malik. That nigga knows better than to be there. He knows who my brother is,” she said, laughing. “I ain’t bothered.”

“Well, I’m gonna send Ox with you to make sure you get in the house okay. I ain’t takin’ no chances. Then call me when you get all the way inside and locked down,” Malik insisted.

“Okay, okay…!” she surrendered. “It was nice meeting y’all,” she said, to Paris and Taija, before kissing me on the cheek. “See you later, cousin.”

“Late.”

Once Malina had left, it was just me, Taija, Paris and Malik, and we had all decided to go to Denny’s to have breakfast. I wasn’t ready to let Taija go yet and when we all sat down to eat, I saw exactly why. She was cool as fuck. Not only was she pretty, but she was smart and funny too. It wasn’t like I hadn’t had females who had those qualities—but it was rare when they all came in one package.

Her sister and Malik seemed to be getting along too, and had moved to their own booth not far from ours. I was waiting to tease that nigga later because I saw the looks he was giving Paris. I couldn’t remember ever seeing the nigga so soft on a female…ever. Like he wanted to eat her all the way up in that damn restaurant. He caught me watching him a few times and tried to turn his head back hella quick.

I see you, nigga!

“So what’s up with Taija? Now that the music is off, and all the people are gone, what you wanna tell me about yourself? What you like to do? When was your last relationship? Who’s the closest person to you? And how long I gotta wait for you to be my girl?”

I could see her blush as soon as I asked that last question. She tried her best not to show it, but that bronze tone on her told the whole story. I smiled at her and she smiled back and grabbed her napkin off the table and started nervously fidgeting with it.

“Why you do that, Troy?” she asked, still smiling.

“Do what?”

“You know what! Look what you got me doing! I can’t even stop smiling and shit. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“What? Me asking you to tell me about yourself? Or when your last relationship was? Or what you like to do? I just asked because I wanna know.”

“You are silly, and cute, you know that?” she asked. “You make me wanna answer all your questions and not even in that order either.”

Now, I was the one smiling. She had a way with her delivery that was sexy as hell.

“Let me see…” she started. “It’s not that much to me, really. I like to go shopping when I’m depressed or just thinking about life. I work for the County. Been there since I was nineteen, but I kinda hate it. At first I thought I wanted to go back to school, but I did twelve years of that, so I think I already did my time. I keep trying to figure out if I should stick it out, or do I look for something that I really like to do? Let’s see…I love reading good books. And I read scary shit. Shit that have me sleeping with the light or the TV on!” she exclaimed, laughing. “Then…let’s see…what else? Oh! Uhmm…last relationship…haven’t really had one. I thought I did. Wasn’t a love situation or nothing like that, just some basic ass, non muthafuckin factor shit that I never should’ve even dealt with in the first place. Closest person to me? That would be that chick over there with Malik. The one that can’t stop smiling,” she chuckled. “That’s my ride or die. Love that girl. She’s been there for me since day one. Had a best friend, but I told you about that already. Soooo, that’s it!”

“Now you know you got another question that I really need the answer to,” I told her.

“What?” she queried, playfully.

“You know what, girl. You said you wanted to answer all my questions,” I joked.

She got quiet for a minute, picked up her napkin again and started to twirl it in both her hands. I watched as she licked her lips and then finally looked up at me.

“Troy, how do you know you want me to be your girl? We just met—today.”

“It don’t take a man long to know when he wants a woman. I know.”

“I may not be that good of a choice,” she said, solemnly. “I might be something like damaged goods or something.”

I reached across the table to put my hand on hers, so that I could stop her from playing with the napkin she was using as her distraction. “Why don’t you let me figure that out for myself. I’m willing to take the chance. You seem worth it to me. I swear, I ain’t never just took to a female this quick before. I wanna see where it goes.”

She exhaled a deep breath, and it seemed like she was relieved, but when she didn’t answer right away, I wasn’t sure what she was thinking. “Okay…” I said, moving my hand away from hers. “I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you think about it, and let me know. But I’mma tell you this: I’m dead ass serious. I ain’t perfect either. I ain’t never even set out to find perfect, and I damn sure don’t expect it from somebody I’m with, but I like you though. So, I’ll wait and let you tell me when you think you’re ready—or not. You good with that?”

She lowered her eyes, and responded, “I’m good with that.”

Just then Paris and Malik walked up. “You ready T?” her sister asked. “It’s damn near four in the morning,” she said half yawning, half smiling.

“I’m ready…” Taija answered, looking at me. “Thanks for the party, and for breakfast.”

“It’s all good, Caramel-coated,” I said. “Get at me, okay?”

“I will…” she said, walking off with her sister. Just like earlier, she turned back around to look at me and wave again, and I found myself hoping that it wasn’t the last time I would see that.