“Is somebody dead?” she asked neglecting to say hello.

“No. why would you ask that?”

“Because the last time you called me at this time of day that disgusting pet rat that Dorie had died.” She giggled at her own stupidity.

“No, my mama just kidnapped my child and basically told me to get a life.”

She cackled at my pain for a good thirty seconds, before she finally said anything legible. “Alright then, let’s get you a life bitch.”

Chapter Two

Jovie

Lowkey I was glad my girl called me the other day, because the bitches I usually fucked with was getting on my nerves. Unlike the females that I partied with, Virtue was actually my girl. Pre-school familiar closeness best friend type of girl, but I understood that she was a mother and couldn’t party with me like she used to. I got that, so I kept females like Tay, Jessica, and Gema around. It wasn’t too deep or anything, they were just there when I wanted to hit up a club or even check out a hood function. Bitches like them would go across the world for a paid ass nigga while all I wanted to do was shake my ass a little, and maybe give out my number at the end of the night. Too bad when I did give my number out I wasn’t giving a nigga the time of day. I valued my peace and loved being left the fuck alone. I didn’t really have time to be out here playing Uncle Willie with the dog catcher trope. It wasn’t in me. Mama chased my sperm donor my whole childhood for him to still end up with her sister, a bitch that he didn’t run crazy. While Mama ended up in the ground they lived happily ever after.

“Where are we going, Jovie?” Virtue asked the moment she hopped her old acting ass in the car.

“To shake ass. Now get off that old shit and let’s get in there.” I parked and stared at my best friend for about thirty seconds before I turned my car off and reached down to put my shoes on. I hated driving in shoes, so I often took them off and drove barefoot.

Once out of the car we walked toward the front doors ofthe popular lounge. I bypassed the entire line and went straight up to the bouncer. Lloyd was cool as hell and also Gema’s brother, so he knew me.

“Jo.” He nodded, before opening the door.

When we walked in the spot it was live and packed damn near to capacity. Grabbing Virtue’s hand I pulled her in the direction of the stairs. Jessica, Taylor, and Gema was up there. So was Cartier’s fine ass. We locked eyes the moment I walked in, but like always I was the first to break. Couldn’t get caught staring at him for too long, shit threatened to happen. He’d invited me here, but if course I declined out of respect for Tay who thought she was his girl. Nah, I wasn’t being catty or anything like that but long story short me and Cartier fucked a few months back and both kept it moving. No bad blood, we were just drunk and both horny, so it happened. Then he messed around with Taylor who is my girl, and thought he’d double back on me. I was cool on those types of parties, and I let that be known, ultimately telling him it was fun, but that one night was all it would be. From my end there was no bad blood, but Cartier was an Ace boy… He was used to getting what he wanted at any cost. I won’t lie, the dick was fire but not enough for me to be sharing with the home girl. For the most part we coexisted, but he was him and that made it hard at some points. Lowkey that’s why at first I wasn’t gonna come through, but I had a hard day at work and needed a release. Plus, the fact that we kind of ran in the same circles would make it difficult to avoid the man forever, so I didn’t try. I literally just kept it moving.

When we reached the bar, I looked up at the balcony and locked eyes with Cartier before Tay rushed me.

“Took you long enough, bitch.” She hugged and kissed my cheek. “What’s up, Vee? She finally got you to come out and hang with the big dogs?”

Virtue laughed. “I guess so.”

“Lotta begging and pleading.” I cut my eyes at my girl, before looking around the space again. I felt watched, like a pair of eyes were burning holes through my body.I knew who those eyes belonged to, but I was determined to ignore them. Determined to enjoy my time with my girl tonight and not find myself in his space for too long. Every single time I got cornered by him in settings like this, I always struggled to keep it together. By no means was I some weak bitch, spineless to these niggas but it was something about him. As well as the fact that I knew what that mouth did. I know how deep the stroke game was too, but then again so did the bitches I called myself associating with. That was a number one no for me, because I didn’t share dick with nobody. Didn’t matter though, because I knew what happened with Cartier and I could never happen again, it was one reckless ass night that I’d probably never forget no matter how much I lied to myself claiming I wanted to. Good dick made you lie to yo’self.

Cartier

The moment Jovie walked in the spot my shit was on brick. The lil’ thin ass orange dress that she wore had me ready to walk over and snatch her ass up. But I couldn’t, she was firm with that not fucking with me mess and I didn’t understand. How was I supposed to know she wouldn’t fuck with me if I fucked Taylor? As far as I knew bitches shared niggas, but Jovie wasn’t bitches. She was different and I hated that shit. Why couldn’t she be other bitches? Shit, Taylor didn’t care about sharing, hell she knew I wanted Jovie, but still swallowed balls when I called. As a matter of fact I had Taylor invite her tonight because she turned me down. I just wanted to see her thick ass even if she was momentarily telling me no.

“Yo, ain’t that Linny’s sister next to Jovie?” my brother asked, making me remove my eyes from Jovie for the first time since she entered the club. They landed on the pretty brown beauty that was indeed Linny’s sister. “Yeah, that’s her fine ass.” She looked good as fuck too, but the way she was close to Jovie let me know they were close, so I wasn’t attempting it. I already had to maneuver this Taylor shit, because I don’t know who the fuck Jovie thought she was turning me down like I was about totake that. She knew who the fuck I was and what I was about, so whatever was on her mind she could dead it all.

“Shorty’s shape is sick as fuck.” Trek took a sip from his drink, before allowing his eyes to lull over the room.

“Is. She find out it was you who sent the computer to her crib yet, old stalking ass nigga?” I cut my eyes in his direction before focusing on Jovie again.

I felt his eyes on me. “Fuck you all in my business for?”

“Because nigga you are my business, and for sure I didn’t think you’d be the bleeding-heart type, after ever?—”

“Just a computer. Cool yo’ ass down and keep pining over Jovie. Shorty ain’t giving you no play no matter how many times you put yo’self in the same room with her.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Nope, but I do wanna sit here and enjoy my drink before I get outta here. Can I do that in peace or you want me to replace your computer too?”

I chuckled. “Naw bitch, but I’ll keep that in mind for future references. I’ll be right back, though.”

He smirked. “Yeah, alright. You need to leave that girl alone.”

I probably did, but that didn’t mean I would. Jovie had me like a crackhead trying to get my next fix. Shit I don’t even eat pussy, but I ate her shit from the back, the side, shit upside down. And all of the fucking above.