Page 5 of Next Level
She squeals, grabbing her friends.
“Do they need a ride? I can have Jay come back with the truck.”
She shakes her head. “No, Amanda’s mom will drop them off.”
Most of Sammie’s friends’ parents know me and know that their kids are safe with me. They’ve all been to our house and the clubhouse. They see where their girls sleep and know I don’t let the partying get anywhere near them. She mostly wants someone up at the house with her so she isn’t alone.
“Okay, let’s go.”
TINKLE TIME
The clubhouse is packed with members, hang-arounds, club girls, and friends from the car show. It’s late, and the girls are already up at the house, so the party has gotten a bit wilder with adult activities all around.
Sammie knows that when it’s a party like this, it’s best to stay at the house. If she needs anything, she’ll text me or call down to the clubhouse. We have a landline so she can get in touch with someone in the clubhouse if I’m in the middle of something or someone.
I’m sitting at the bar with Dawg next to me. Jay’s behind us, handling the drinks for everyone.
I scan the room and catch Tink looking over in my direction.
Damn, she looks good tonight.My pants tighten in my groin area.
Tink is my father’s best friend’s daughter. Stacey’s her real name, and she grew up with me around the compound. Stacey got her nickname because she was the only girl running around here, and she always had to go to the bathroom. When she had to go, she would say she had to tinkle. So she was Tinkle for years until she became a teenager, and we shortened it to Tink.
When our fathers died a couple of years back, we went from friends to more than friends. She has warmed my bed morethan a few times. She’s a good woman, but I’ve always told her there would be nothing more than a friends-with-benefits arrangement between us. At the time, it was good with her, but lately, I’ve been getting the vibe she wants more.
She’s got a tight little body and grew up to be a bombshell, but most of the members stay away from her, thinking she’s mine. I don’t want her to become a club girl, but if she wants to fuck someone, then by all means, she can.
I lick my lips before taking a swig of beer. She doesn’t break eye contact as she sits across the room with her best friend, Cracker, and Lazy’s ol’ lady, Siren.
Dawg lights up a blunt, watching me eye-fuck her from across the room.
“You thinking about fucking that tonight?” Dawg inquires, exhaling smoke and handing me the blunt.
As I take it, I reply, “Thinking about it.”
Dawg’s lived at the compound since right after we graduated from high school and became prospects. I lived down here mostly with him, except when I have Sammie. When my father died, my ma couldn’t handle being alone, so we both started staying at the house where Sammie has always had a room.
“Well, tell your dick to figure it out. You thinking a duo tonight?” he says, motioning over at her friend, Cracker.
Cracker got her name because when she was younger, every time she came to hang out with Tink, she would have a box of Cracker Jack. She loved the shit. Now every time she’s around, we always seem to have popcorn. It kind of suits her. If you get her hot enough, she pops off like a fucking firecracker. She may be small, but damn, she can fight. Cracker has been Tink’s best friend for years, so wherever Tink is, Cracker isn’t far behind.
Dawg and I have shared the girls before. We’re practically brothers. We’ve shared girls, been with one at the same time, and even switched before. There isn’t much I haven’t done withor around this fucker. We don’t hide anything from each other either.
We continue to sit with our backs to the bar, looking around the clubhouse. I’m always the levelheaded one. I don’t get out of hand very often. And I level people with one punch. Hence the name Level. My father wanted me to become a boxer, but I disagreed. I liked my face too much.
“Nah, I’m thinking low-key tonight. I have the girls up at the house. I’ll be staying up there.” I pause, glancing over at my brother. “Plus, I thought Sunshine was coming through to play some beats?”
Dawg shrugs. “She hasn’t reached out, and it’s already almost midnight. I doubt she’s coming.”
“I’d give her a text before you go diving into someone else, and she shows up.”
Dawg agrees with a silent gesture but doesn’t reply. I scan the room again, watching my brothers enjoy themselves. It’s been almost six months since we’ve had any drama or problems. Things have been going well for everyone.
Business was good on all fronts. Everyone has a legitimate job around here, plus our side hustles. Our main hookup is from the Port of Oakland. We handle a lot of transportation in and out of there, mainly the shit the union boys don’t want to get hit for.
“It’s about that time, Dawg!” Chewy yells across the room.
We both look over and immediately know what’s about to happen when we see him charging over. On cue, the song “Smoke Dope and Rap” by Dre Dog begins to play throughout the clubhouse. All the members shout out, with a few getting up and moving toward us.
