Friend-Zoned (17 page)

I move to the edge of the
VIP area where a short barrier overlooks the dance floor.
The girls are dancing their asses off in the most stupid ways
possible. They look ridiculous. I chuckle at them.
Mimi does the sprinkler, Lola does pulp fiction, Nat does the
robot, and Tina does the running man.
They are laughing so hard they can’t even finish their moves. I
shake my head and smile to myself.
These girls are the shit.
They love to have fun and don’t care if people think they look
crazy. They just want to make each other laugh. They’re good
friends to have. I am lucky to have them.
You sure as shit are, and don’t forget
it.
They take a break. Nat, Lola, and
Mimi make their way to the ladies room while Tina waits at the
bar.
I see a guy approach her and extend his hand for her to shake it.
She does.
Get your hands off my girl,
asshole.
When she shakes her head and
he puts a hand over his chest and looks pathetically at her, I know
she refused whatever he just offered her. He concedes but not
before taking her hand and kissing it. Tina smiles politely and the
guy walks away.
That’s right,
jerkoff. Keep walking.
I see another
man approach her, this one African American. He extends his hand to
her and she takes it, smiling politely yet again. The man turns to
the side and I freeze.
FUUUUUUUUUCK
ME!
***

After refusing a drink
from a man I don’t know (yeah, not that stupid!), I felt a hand on
my arm. I turn to a very handsome African American man. He looks
about my age and wears his hair in short, neat dreadlocks. He’s
dressed nicely in black jeans and a tight white t-shirt and his
eyes are the color of toffee, warm and easy.
He smiles at me and I’m temporarily blinded. This guy has a killer
smile! Its wide and his teeth are bright and gleaming.
He says, “Excuse me, miss. I couldn’t help but notice you were with
an old friend of mine upstairs. Nikolai Leokov.”
His voice is smooth as aged whisky. I like it.
I take his extended hand in mine and shake it. I confirm, “Yes,
you’d be right. I’m a friend of Nik’s.”
He smiles wider and says, “That’s great. My name’s Omarr. Nice to
meet you.”
I respond “Nice to meet you too, Omarr. I’m Tina.”
“Tina.” He says it like he’s trying it out and I like the way it
sounds in his voice. He asks, “Can I get you a drink, Tina?”
I explain, “Thanks but I’m a VIP so my drinks are on the house.” I
give him a small shrug.
He chuckles and shakes his head, “You don’t make it easy for a guy
to get an in, do you?”
Uh,
What?
Confusion settles over me. I
ask, “Um, sorry…what?”
He steps closer to me responds quietly, “I think you’re beautiful.
I want to get to know you. And I definitely want you in my bed,
mami.” I felt myself shrink away from him. The odd thing is what he
just said appealed to me. He leans even closer and whispers, “The
things I could do to you, baby.”
Wow…Maybe he’ll help you get over
Nik?
Yes.
No.
No.
Maybe.
Possibly?
I was about to excuse myself when I felt an arm around my
waist.
Oh, thank god.
Nik found me.
I’m stunned to see Ghost when I look up and he is glaring at
Omarr.
His voice is steely as he says, “You in the wrong hood, O.”
All the warmth I saw in Omarr’s eyes seconds ago fizzles. With hard
eyes he says, “Ghost. Haven’t seen you in an age, man.” With a chin
lift in my direction he continues, “This one yours?”
Ghost replies, “We don’t play that way anymore. Tina is hers. Not
ours.”
I am
so
confused.
Omarr smiles a completely ugly smile so different from the one I
saw just a minute ago that I wonder who this man really is. He
utters, “Then she’s free rein and you know it.”
Ghost’s body stiffens and he moves to step closer to him. I quickly
put a hand on Ghosts chest.
I say softly, “Ghost, honey, let’s go back upstairs now. I don’t
want to dance anymore.” I end on a whisper.
Ghost’s eyes soften when he looks at me. “Yeah.”
Omarr stops me with a hand on my arm. He offers, “I meant what I
said. Think about it.”
He hands me a business card and I take it more to placate him than
anything. Ghost looks like he wants to pound this guy into the
ground.
Ghost doesn’t let go of my waist til we’re upstairs. He drops his
arm but takes my hand in his and walks quickly. When I dig my heels
in to stop him from taking me wherever in the hell he’s trying to
take me, he turns to face me and says urgently, “We need to talk.
Now.” When I still hesitate, he goes on, “I can carry you across
the goddamn club, Tina. Your choice.”
Okey Dokey!
I nod. Ghost drags
me along to a hidden door in the corner of the club. He’s angry and
I’m not sure what I’ve done wrong here.
He opens the door and we step inside the security room. My eyes
widen in wonder.
I whisper an astonished, “Wow.”
Before I’m given a chance to press buttons and break things, Ghost
ushers me into a chair.
He sits opposite me and drags my chair forward til I’m face to face
with him.
Then he sits there leaning forward with his elbows on his legs and
his hands pressed together on his lips for a long while.
I’m freaking out!
My neck is hot and itchy. Just as I’m about to confess to whatever
crime he accuses me of just to get out of there, he speaks, “Ever
met that man before?”
I quickly shake my head no.
He sighs, “Damn it, Tina. Out of all the guys in the club.”
He stops suddenly and I lean closer to him wide eyed hoping he’d
continue. He does but it’s not what I was hoping to hear. “Omarr
wants to claim you. He wants you to be one of his girls.”
When my brow furrows and I purse my lips is disgust, he keeps
talking, “Oh yeah,
one
of his girls. One of many. He contacts you again, you need to
call me. I don’t care what time of day, just fuckin’ call. You feel
me?”
I can’t speak. I’m temporarily voiceless. So, I just nod.
He holds out his hand and I give him the business card Omarr gave
me. He puts it in his pocket.
Ghost opens the door and guides me to it. As I’m about to exit, he
says, “I’ll text you my numbers. Be smart, Tina, and be
safe.”
I look at him like
what the heck is that
meant to mean?
He gives me a curt nod and closes the door behind
him.
Jiminy
Crickets!
***

I’m back at the booth and
everyone is chatting away.
I look around for Nik.
My mood has changed dramatically and I’m sure everyone at the booth
can feel it. There is a huge tension in me that I can’t shake and
Nik has disappeared on me. I really need a hug. Not from just
anyone. From Nik. I need a warm, comforting embrace.
Right. Now.
I feel the booth cushion depress and Nik slides in next to me. He
hasn’t been in the booth a second before I’m on him. I’m not
entirely sure why but I feel like I’m about to burst into
tears.
And I do.
The first of the tears streak my face and I bury my face in Nik’s
neck. Nik stands, holds me close to his side and leads me to the
door behind the bar. When we’re in the familiar hall Nik stops,
picks me up bridal style and carries me over to the sofa in the
‘chill out’ room. As soon as we sit, I cry a river.
Nik coos in my ear and gently rocks me, “You’re breakin’ my heart,
sweetheart. I’m so sorry. He’s not even allowed here, I let his
uncle know and he’s pissed as hell.”
“He- he- he- he said he was your fr- fr- friend!” I hiccup my
reply.
Nik strokes my hair and says, “He lied, baby. Omarr is bad people.
I need to know what he said to you. Can you tell me?”
I nod. Still crying, I respond, “He asked if I was one of your
women, th- th- then he told Ghost I was free rein a- a- and he told
me he wanted me in his b- b- bed!” I finish on a wail.
When I mention the last bit, I feel Nik’s body stiffen so solid I’m
sure he’s turned to bronze.
Nik would look
great
as a bronzed statue.
Getting
off the subject, my dear.
Nik says
carefully, “If that’s something you don’t want to happen, Tina.
I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen. Omarr doesn’t take the word no
very easily though, so he might need some persuading.”
I sputter, “Th- th- this is why you need the gun, isn’t it?”
I lift my head and I see conflicted emotions run across Nik’s face.
He whispers, “There are a lot of things you don’t know about me,
Tina. I’ll tell you all about ‘em one day, I promise. But not
yet.”
I nod under his chin and whisper back, “Okay, Niki.”

Chapter Fourteen
Sleepover

After my sob fest on Nik’s
lap at the club on Sunday night, he held me in a way I’ve never
been held before. It was so loving and almost desperate.
I’m developing some pretty intense feelings for Nik. And while this
scares the bejeezus out of me I remind myself that everything will
be alright as long as he never finds out.
I find myself watching him when he’s not looking, just doing
everyday mundane things like how he stirs his coffee clockwise then
counter clockwise. Or how his eyes narrow and he scratches him chin
when he’s thinking hard about something. Or how he rolls up his
shirt sleeves to his elbows when he’s stressed out.
I can’t believe I’ve worked across the street from The White Rabbit
for two years and never knew him. All that time I could’ve known
him seems wasted.
That makes me sad.
But I was a different person two years ago. There is no way I
would’ve let him in then the way I have now. I’m glad he’s a part
of my life now. I’m not letting him go.
And Omarr can shove it!
There is something about being played by someone that leaves you
feeling broken. I’m sure that’s why I was so emotional on Sunday
after the Omarr fiasco. I remember similar feelings from a long
time past. It just triggered a rush of emotions in me that I
couldn’t halt. I felt overwhelmed.
Nik came to my rescue.
My dark knight in Versace armor.
We held each other for a long time before I told him I wanted to
leave. He got me back to my girls and we left a little after
midnight.
This morning Nat and I open up the store and a little past nine a
flower arrangement delivery comes to the store.
I smile because I assume it’s for Lola from Trick. Things are
heating up between them and I wish they’d just get together
already. They’re smitten.
I sign for the delivery and Nat bounds over. I set the arrangement
on the counter and we both take a good look at it. There are
approximately eighteen perfectly white lilies surrounded by baby’s
breath.
Good going,
Trick!
That’s an expensive
arrangement. At least two hundred dollars’ worth of lilies.
Nat and I look at each other and smile huge. She takes the card,
looks over it then hands it to me.
I take in her frown and hard eyes. This is not going to be
good.
Think about what I said. You can do
better than him. I can give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of.
Come see me. –O
Oh, for the love of all things holy!
They’re from bad guy Omarr. I don’t like the situation he’s putting
me in. He’s coming between me and my friend. I hate that!
I told Nat what had happened and she was livid. I told her Ghost
and Nik took care of me and she seemed slightly placated. I think
she didn’t like to think about me being upset while everyone else
was having a good time.
We look at each other a long time before she motions to the
phone.
I sigh and walk over to the phone, dial the number and wait.
“Ghost? Yeah, I’m okay. Can you come over here please?
Thanks.”
Within a minute Ghost is at the store with a garbage bag in hand.
He doesn’t greet us, just walks straight over to the beautiful
arrangement and shoves it roughly into the garbage bag. Then he
walks over to me and says in a kind voice, “Good girl.” Then he
leaves, garbage bag in tow.
***

“
I’m going to kill that
motherfucker!” I roar.
Max puts a hand on my shoulder and quietly replies “Calm down, bro.
You know Tina, he isn’t gonna take her away from us. No way. We’re
family.”
Omarr is a dead man.
First, he comes into my club knowing he isn’t meant to be there.
Second, he comes on to my girl.
…not that she knows she’s my girl. But, anyway…
Third, tries to treat my girl like a free rein whore. And, lastly,
sends her expensive flowers with promises when he really just wants
to fuck her and leave her broken as a message to me.
The only thing Omarr wants is for me to suffer. He blames me for
his brother’s death. This all goes way back to when I was just a
teenager. Dad had just died and I was given a choice to join
Chaos.
Chaos are a Russian-American gang. My dad was what you could call
the vice president of the gang. They were criminals but my dad was
a good man. I joined them and to my complete disapproval, so did
Ghost and Max. We we’re just kids doing the hard lifting for old
men. When I say hard lifting, I mean we were enforcers. We would go
out and collect drug money, debt money, and bribes. They would give
us a list and we would collect. By any means necessary. Mom was
devastated when she found out. She didn’t want that life for us. My
dad was trying to get out when he died.
Omarr is a part of the Sixes. Most of them went to school with me
and we were all cool til Marcus died.
Marcus was Omarr’s older brother. He broke into our family home to
steal something Chaos related from my dad’s office. My dad shot him
and he died in hospital later that night. My dad was going to go to
jail. I had to do something. Just as the officers asked who fired
the first shot, I spoke up and said, “I did.”
I was just about to turn sixteen. I got a suspended sentence. I
would do it again in a heartbeat. Anything for my dad.
Ghost, Max, and Trick all know this. Ghost and Max were there. I
told Trick some years later.
Omarr is out for revenge. His uncle has forbidden any retaliation
on me.
Uncle Jerm leads the sixes. The first time we met he questioned me
about Marcus’ death. I know he knows I didn’t kill Marcus. I was
flustered and defensive. I left too many questions unanswered
because I simply didn’t know the answers to them. This is why Uncle
Jerm has forbidden any vengeance. He knows I didn’t do it. But I
confessed. I’ve made my bed, now I have to lie in it.
It never bothered me before. Just carry a gun and hope for them
best.
This is different.
This affects Tina.
Ghost and Trick are delivering a garbage bag of half dead flowers
to Uncle Jerm right now. If Omarr keeps going against Jerm, he’ll
end up dead.
The anger makes my voice harder than it should be, “Yeah. I know,
Max. But he’s toying with her. Fucking with Tina. I don’t like
it.”
Max shakes his head and concedes, “Me either. But let Uncle Jerm
take care of it. You know he’ll fix it.”
I do. I know Uncle Jerm is good people.
You see, there are good people who do bad things out of obligation.
That’s Uncle Jerm. He looks after his family. His family are the
Sixes.
As soon as I recognized Omarr on Sunday night I sent Ghost to get
Tina the fuck away from him.
I knew he wouldn’t touch Ghost. If I had gone down there, anything
could’ve gone down and there was no way I was putting Tina in
danger.
Omarr is what you would call unstable.
I left the booth to cool off. Once I had got myself under control,
I went back. I saw Tina’s face on the way. She looked lost. So
fragile and miserable. It broke my heart.
Once I sat, she threw herself at me and I felt her tears on my
neck. I took her to the ‘chill out’ room to hold her on the sofa
and comfort her. As soon as we sat, the dam burst.
The fucker told Tina we we’re friends. And that he wanted her in
his bed.
Rage boils in the center of me.
That
cocky asshole is going to pay.
***