Malek smiled, but then it quickly disappeared at the thought of what he had become. He looked around and noticed he was in the midst of killers and hustlers, something his deceased mother and stepfather had forbid him to become. Everything in his life seemed to happen so quickly that he couldn’t even remember changing into the person he was today.
Making his way away from the crowd, Malek walked over to the window that overlooked the main floor and noticed a group of women maneuvering through the crowd. He smiled as he saw Halleigh, looking beautiful, on her way up to VIP. “There my girl go,” he said. He gripped the Moët bottle by its neck and took another swig.
Moments later, Tasha, Mimi, and Halleigh made their way to VIP, and after being searched by one of the bouncers, they were let in. Immediately after entering the room, the girls noticed the more relaxed environment that the VIP offered. Nice, slow music was playing and the oval, oversized couches were full with people relaxing and drinking.
Halleigh and Malek were instantly drawn to one another. They locked eyes, and it seemed as if there was no one else in the room but them. They slowly walked toward each other, neither trying to seem too anxious. As they neared each other, Halleigh smiled, and Malek returned the gesture. They stood face to face, staring at each other, not knowing what to say.
“I miss you,” Halleigh said.
“I miss you like crazy too,” Malek replied.
The two kind of chuckled and then embraced. Just the three little words, I miss you, were the beginning of the mending of their relationship. So many words had danced through each of their minds about what they would say to each other once they met up again, but none of those words even mattered now. Everything was like water under the bridge.
Malek and Halleigh, still embracing each other, slowly rocked back and forth. The warmth of Malek’s body and embrace felt so good to Halleigh. Malek led her toward the back, and they sat on the couch.
Halleigh looked closely at Malek and noticed a lot had changed with him. It was the first time she’d noticed the tattoo on his neck. It had the name of his deceased mother, and on his forearm, the words North Side were embedded in his skin.
“You’re all tatted up now, huh?” She gave him a sexy grin.
Malek looked down at his forearm and then back at Halleigh. “Yeah, a li’l somethin’-somethin’,” he said softly, smiling back at her. “Look, Halleigh, I gotta be honest. I’m still in love with you, and I think about you constantly, nah mean?”
“I feel the same way, Malek. I don’t want to play games. I want to be for real with you, and my love for you is real. It always has been. You know that. And us being apart—”
“Look, I can’t take this no more either, Halleigh. You supposed to be with me, girl.” Malek grabbed her hand and looked deep into her brown eyes.
Halleigh had been waiting to hear those words come out of Malek’s mouth for a very long time. She’d dreamed of hearing those words, and now her dream was becoming a reality. Under the control of Manolo, Halleigh wasn’t able to be with her love, but with Manolo now out of the picture, she was ready to be where she belonged. “I want to be with you too, Malek.”
“We’ve wasted enough time, Hal. A lot of things are going to change. I’m coming into big things right now, and I want you to be a part of it.”
“What do you mean?”
“I want you to be my woman. I want us to look forward and forget about the past.”
“Are you serious?”
“I’m dead serious. We’ve wasted enough time. The life you living is not for you. Let me take care of you. I’m about to be over all of this.” Malek waved his hand over the room.
A confused Halleigh asked, “All of what? This club?”
“No,” Malek corrected her, “this whole side of town.” He looked around again. “The North Side is mine, baby.” He looked into Halleigh’s eyes. “It’s ours.”
Halleigh had to make sure she was hearing him correctly. “You taking over for Jamaica Joe?”
Malek nodded his head humbly. Now that he had Halleigh’s attention, he wasn’t going to let her slip away. He was ready to make her his main woman, and he wasn’t taking no for an answer.
Tears started to form in Halleigh’s eyes. Tears of joy. Halleigh had waited so long to be at that point with Malek. She’d finally linked back up with her soul mate and wasn’t going to squander the chance. “Okay. Promise to always take care of me.” Halleigh inched closer to Malek.
“I promise.”
They embraced each other.
Malek wasted no time. He instructed her to go home and pack her stuff so she could be with him. He knew that she’d been through a lot. He didn’t care what she’d done in her life before that point. From that moment on, she was his woman.
Halleigh asked, “What am I supposed to do about my girls? I came here with them.”
“It’s me and you against the world. You have to leave that lifestyle alone and turn over a new leaf. How about this? After I handle a little business, I will book us a vacation, so we can start this off right.”
“Are you for real?” Halleigh said excitedly.
Malek nodded his head. “I always told you that I would take you away from Flint, didn’t I? Even if it is just for a moment. A promise is a promise, right?” Malek smiled.
“Right.” Halleigh smiled back.
Malek went into his pocket and pulled out a wad of money, nothing but large faces. “Go home and get your things. I will meet up with you after I drop Joe off at the airport.” Malek gave Halleigh his cell phone number.
Halleigh couldn’t believe everything that was happening to her right now. It was as if a prince had come and swept her off her feet. Manolo had treated her so bad, she forgot how it felt to have a man’s love, but she was witnessing it firsthand.
Without even saying a word to Mimi and Tasha, Halleigh crept out the back of the club along with Malek. He walked to the curb and hailed a cab for her.
“Go ’head and get your things and wait for me. I will have one of my boys bring me to you.” Malek opened up the cab door for her.
“Okay,” Halleigh said as she got in.
“It’s me and you against the world. I’m coming for you.”
“I love you, Malek Johnson.”
Malek smiled and closed the door for her. After he dropped Jamaica Joe off, he was going to get his woman. It was their time now.
Chapter Sixteen
While Tasha was drinking and mingling, Mimi was doing just the opposite. She was playing the back, trying to see who had the deepest pockets so she could lure them to Maury. She watched as Tasha became the center of attention, and it was obvious that she was well known and respected. The men gave Tasha respect. They weren’t on her like vultures, and all seemed to be just enjoying her company.
Mimi looked around for Halleigh and didn’t see her. She then looked around for Malek and didn’t notice him either. They must have ducked out for a minute, she thought as she continued to scan the VIP room.
Jamaica Joe sat at the bar, talking to a fair-skinned woman with green eyes. She was by far the most beautiful woman up in the club, if not the city of Flint. Her island accent only added to her sexiness. They had been engrossed in deep conversation for the past hour. He’d just met her that night, and they clicked. Although the woman had a good conversation game, Joe was trying to see her without them clothes on. He sat talking to her, scoping her whole body out and stopping at her inner thighs. Her dress had risen up, slightly revealing her red lace panties
“You’re a bad boy,” the woman said in a sexy voice. “I see your eyes wandering down there.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t help but look. You are a beautiful woman.”
“Well, maybe we should go somewhere private after the party to show you how beautiful I really am.” She licked her lips seductively.
Joe’s manhood began to jump instantly at the sexy woman’s advance. He hated that he had a flight out of town later that night. He wante
d nothing more than to take her up on her offer, leave with her right then and there, but then he thought, I can’t leave my own party. “I have plans tonight, but we will get it in soon.” He couldn’t believe what he was saying as he looked her up and down again.
He watched as she spread her legs, causing her dress to come up higher and expose her vagina.
“Very soon,” he added, his manhood rock-hard.
“Well, let me just give you a little something to tide you over until you can find the time for me, papí.” The woman stood up and began to sway her hips to the music.
Joe watched as the mystery woman seductively danced to a slow rhythm. He was totally in a trance. He didn’t know if it was the liquor or his imagination, but she was looking more like a goddess than just a beautiful woman. She slowly wound her ass up against his now erect penis and was giving him a lap dance while he sat comfortably on the club’s loveseat. He looked around for Malek and noticed that he had left the VIP section. Where my nigga at? He frowned up, but quickly focused back on the fat backside of the mystery woman.
Malek returned inside the club with Halleigh on his mind. He was ready to make it work for them. His entire life seemed to be about new beginnings right now. He thought about the sudden change in his life. He was about to become the boss, and he had finally gotten his woman back. He maneuvered through the packed club, trying to reach the VIP section. That’s when he bumped into Mimi.
“Malek, what’s good?” Mimi rested her hand on his chest.
“What’s up with you? Cece, right?” Malek asked, trying to recall Mimi’s name.
“No, boy! You know my name is Mimi.” She playfully hit him, one hand on her hip.
Malek wasn’t really trying to make small talk, so he smiled and began to walk away. But before he could leave, he felt her grab his arm. He turned back toward her to see what she wanted.
“I need to holla at you about something,” she yelled, trying to be heard over the loud music.
“Maybe later.” Malek freed his arm and began to leave.
Mimi knew she had to act fast if her plan was to go smoothly, so she said the first thing that came to mind that she thought would catch his attention. “It’s about Halleigh. Someone is trying to kill her!” she blurted out, staring at Malek, hoping he would go for it.
“What?” he said as he frowned up and got closer to hear her better.
Mimi was smiling inside. She knew he’d taken her bait. “Let’s go over here and talk.” She grabbed his hand and led him to an empty table.
They sat down, and Mimi began to work her improvisation skills. She knew that Maury was outside waiting for her to bring a victim out so he could get them. Maury had told her to find a “get-money” nigga and he would handle the rest, explaining to her that he would kill whoever she put him on, so retaliation wasn’t a worry for her.
She saw Malek as prey. Why not get the next nigga in charge? This game ain’t fair, and I’m out for self. She waved the waiter over to their table. “Gimme two shots of Patron,” she said, then focused her attention back to Malek.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Malek asked.
“Well, it’s this nigga that Halleigh used to trick with.” Mimi paused and grabbed the drinks the waiter was handing to her. “One of her old tricks, he is after her. Malek, I think he’s gonna kill her. He’s nuts.”
“What? Who?” Malek asked, growing more enraged at the sound of someone bringing harm to Halleigh. He had made a vow that he would never allow anyone to hurt her again, not under his watch.
Malek was so busy trying to figure out what was going on that he didn’t see Mimi drop the crushed-up Ecstasy pills into his drink. She discreetly shook it up to hide the substance.
“Here, take a drink. You need one for what I’m about to tell you,” Mimi said, hoping that he would follow her instructions. She turned her head to make sure no one was keeping an eye on them, and by the time she turned back around, Malek had downed the drink and was wiping his mouth.
Malek, wanting to know more about this person trying to harm Halleigh, wiped his mouth and focused back on Mimi. “What the fuck are you talking about? Who got a beef with Halleigh?”
I got ’im, Mimi thought as she made up a false story.
Maury sat outside in the car, patiently waiting for Mimi to come out of the club with a victim. This bitch bullshitting. I hope she don’t back out. He took a puff of the weed-filled blunt that hung out of his mouth. He saw the cars and bling that the men had on as they were coming in and out of the club, and he was like a fat kid at the candy store.
“I’m about to shake this mu’fucka up. Word to my mother!” he said to himself as he smiled sinisterly. Just as he finished his sentence, he saw Mimi coming out of the club with a man who seemed to be drunk.
“Bingo!” he said as he realized that Mimi had come through for him. That’s the nigga that Halleigh bumped into the other day, he thought.
He knew that he’d hit the jackpot, because on that day, he saw that Malek was driving a Range Rover, one of the more expensive luxury SUVs. He also knew from the way the man was staggering that Mimi had slipped him the pills that he’d supplied her. He knew that a man with a hard dick and a blurred thought process was easy money. He just hoped that this nigga was a real baller and not some wannabe flashy punk, so he could lead him to a stash spot. Maury was a professional at what he did and was ready to introduce Flint to his honed craft.
Maury started up his vehicle and watched. Mimi had her arm around the man’s waist as he openly groped her breasts. They walked two buildings down to the motel that Maury had booked earlier that day. He pulled the vehicle into the parking lot of the motel as Mimi practically dragged Malek into the room.
He cocked his pistol and caught a hard-on, something that happened every time he was about to hit a caper. “Let’s get it,” he whispered as he exited the car with a rolled-up ski mask on top of his head.
Chapter Seventeen
Sweets and the Shottah Boyz loaded up the clips to their pistols and prepared to make it rain bullets inside the club where Joe and the North Side crew were getting their party on. They approached the door, which was guarded by only one of Joe’s henchmen. Before the henchman realized who was approaching him, Lynch sent a hollow-tip slug through his forehead, killing him instantly. They made their way into the club, about to set it off.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Shots rang out one after another and sent Celebrations into complete pandemonium. Joe, by habit, reached for his pistol and got low. He pulled the mystery woman to the floor with him, and then everyone in the VIP followed suit.
Sweets and the Shottah Boyz stood in the middle of the club, letting their assault rifles go off. They weren’t aiming at anyone in particular. They just shot at the ceiling to try to lure Jamaica Joe out of the building, so their scheme would succeed.
Joe looked onto the main floor and saw Sweets and his crew letting off rounds. “Yo, go get at them niggas!” he said as he grabbed the girl and ran to the private entrance through the back of the club. He had routed a getaway path just in case something like this went down. The woman Joe was with gripped his hand as he led her to his truck, which was parked in the back right by the door.
Chapter Eighteen
Mimi watched as Malek clumsily stumbled onto the motel’s bed and lay flat on his back. He gripped his rock-hard dick and Mimi almost felt sorry for him. She knew that Maury would kill him after he got him to take him to his stash spot, but greed pushed her to let the scene unfold. She seductively walked over to Malek and dropped to her knees. She then began to unbutton his Evisu jeans as he tried to pull away.
“What you doing, ma?’ he said almost incoherently, slurring each syllable.
“Just relax, Malek. Your mouth is saying no, but your friend down here is saying yes,” Mimi said just before she took Malek’s ten inches into her mouth.
She had purposely left the door unlocked so Maury could creep in. Where this nigga at? He�
��s taking all day, she thought as she continued to go up and down on Malek’s shaft. She grabbed his rock-hard pipe and began playing with the tip of it with her tongue.
She paused to look at Malek, and as she looked up, what she saw scared the living shit out of her. Malek was smiling with his pistol in his hand. His demeanor had totally changed. He no longer looked distraught and confused, like he had been moments before.
“You look surprised,” Malek said just before he struck her in the temple, causing her to fly onto the motel’s carpeted floor.
She gripped her bloody forehead in agony, and her vision became temporarily blurred.
“You thought I didn’t see you try to slip me that spiked drink, ma? Huh? I ain’t new to this, I’m true to this!” Malek yelled as he stood up and put his pipe back in his jeans.
Only moments before he’d pretended to drink the spiked liquor, but had quickly poured it on the floor when Mimi’s head was turned.
He pointed his gun at Mimi. “Now look at you! That’s why niggas can’t trust these hoes out here! I know a nigga is about to come in here any second now. I saw yo’ dumb ass leave the lock unlocked, and I peeped you scoping out that blue car that followed us in here.”
“Malek, wait! I—”
Malek struck her again in the head with the butt of the gun. He aimed the gun at Mimi’s head. “Who is trying to hurt Halleigh? Were you telling the truth?”
Mimi, scared to lie, tried to tell the truth. “No, it was a—”
Before Mimi could get out her sentence, Malek sent a hollow-tip through her chest with his silenced pistol. He heard all he needed to hear.
To his surprise, he wasn’t even afraid of catching his second body. The rage inside of him made the situation easier. Now his only concern was the guy that was scheduled to come in the room any second.
Halleigh couldn’t wipe the smile off of her face if she wanted to. She was so happy about Malek’s proposition, and she couldn’t wait to move forward and leave her current lifestyle in the dust. She rummaged through her clothes, trying to stuff all she could into her luggage. Malek had made her feel like a new woman, and she couldn’t wait to start her life with him.
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