Page 26 of Tainted

“I think you’re enjoying it enough for the both of us.”

When Sydney didn’t fire back with a rebuttal, my head turned to see what had her attention.

“Damn,” Sydney mumbled.

“Relax, Babygirl got you way too excited tonight.”

Honestly, Zara had that effect on everybody tonight. I was just better at concealing mine.

“Are you jealous?” Sydney poked.

“Jealousy isn’t my game. I’m chillin’. What your thirsty ass needs to be doing.”

Sydney slapped my arm but couldn’t pull herself from the show Zara put on.

“I want her for us tonight,” Sydney declared, watching Zara’s body twist and arch.

“It’s my birthday, and you’re telling me what you want?”

“I know you want that, too.”

I did.A lotand that was the problem.

“If only your parents knew the shit that comes out of your mouth.”

“They’d die, and so would Michael,” Sydney grimaced, referring to her father’s campaign manager before focusing on her plan. “Are you down?”

“It isn’t me you need to convince.”

“Then convince her,” Sydney pleaded. “Make it happen.”

“I’ll try, but that ain’t happening tonight.”

“Fine, I guess it’s on to plan B. For now.”

Quiet as kept, I was partied out and biding time for the night to end. Then I found Kross, near VIP, in full boss mode, trying to defuse a drunk patron. My brother could handle his own, but sometime nigga’s liked to get stupid, so I stood by just in case.

Retiring to the bar, Kross poured himself a drink because he hated people. He wasn’t always that way, but he had a short fuse these days. Between Kross pouring drinks back, Sydney told me she was heading to the hotel to set up my surprise.

“What the fuck y’all got going on?” Kross asked after she pecked my lips and pranced toward the exit.

“Who knows.”

“Everything straight with y’all?”

Our arrangement had never beenstraight, so I wasn’t sure how to answer that question.

“Where did you find the new girl?”

“Nova?” Kross asked because, despite a few others, she was the only newbie in attendance. “She found us. She moved back and eager to find work.”

He looked at her, but I couldn’t read his expression.

“Why are you asking about Nova?”

“I felt like it. You have a problem with that?”

He smirked, “Yeah, I do. I don’t fuck the help, and you shouldn’t either.”

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