“I know, but I’m sure it’ll all be ok.” Baby didn’t want to let her friend know what she was thinking. Phillipe ran in the same circle as Slade, and right now Slade was on the defense. These two things together spelled nothing but trouble.

Baby and Ma’Linn finished their breakfast and said their good-byes. The rest of the day was a blur as she busied herself, counting down the hours until she saw Lucky again. Simply thinking about him made her wet.

***

Baby Jade had an extra bounce in her step while walking to work. She was excited to get through the night and spend as much time as possible with Lucky. Seeing his bike parked on the curb gave her butterflies. Knowing he was that close made her heart thud louder. After the night they had spent together, and things they had shared, Baby had no idea what to expect. Would he treat her differently in front of people? Would he be embarrassed or ashamed? Did he regret it? Intimacy scared the hell out of her.

Baby chickened out and decided to use the back entrance of the club. She wasn’t ready to face the inevitable bullshit.

She heard the chatter as she opened the door.

“Well, surprised to see you came back.” Jewella sat at Baby’s dressing table.

“Get the hell out of my chair.” Baby Jade hissed as she stalked over to the table and dropped her bag, with one hand on her hip.

“Damn, no need to be such a bitch.” Her bony fingers flicked the long ash from her cigarette right into one of Baby’s trinket boxes. Jewella was trying to get her to lose her temper, and it was working.

She knocked Jewella’s stick legs off her table and rolled the chair away. Tossing her bag in the bottom drawer, Baby went about her business, refusing to give the skank the time of day.

Jewella scoffed. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Too scared to back that shit up. What’d I tell ya, girls? Baby’s losing her touch.”

Baby looked around the room. Barbie sat on the dressing table next to Jewella, cackling every time her mentor opened her mouth. She was dressed in a cheap teddy that looked like it could use a good washing. She was smearing on another thick layer of slut-red lipstick.

Lolli smirked from her own table. She was a beautiful girl, but something had changed. Her eyes glazed over and the plastic smile never moved. Looking closely, Baby saw the blemishes starting to form and her teeth were a new shade of yellow. Whatever Slade had her on, it was a heavy dose.

“I couldn’t care less what any of you think. I’m here to do my fucking job.” Baby applied some fresh makeup and flipped her head over to give her hair a shake, giving it extra volume. She stripped away her street clothes until she was wearing nothing but a burgundy thong. She pulled a matching corset out of the middle drawer and slipped it on. The silky fabric molded to her body like a glove. The deep color set off her dark skin. The black lace trimming enhanced all her curves. She slid her feet into a pair of black peep-toe stilettos, making her about five feet ten.

“You’re such a snooty bitch,” Barbie snapped.

“You don’t want to go there with me. The best thing you can do is keep your head down and your nose stuck right up Jewella’s ass.” Baby Jade stepped closer, towering over both women. They pretended to be tough, but Baby saw the way the younger girl clutched the table, her white knuckles leading to her long, pointy fingernails.

Baby brushed past Lolli. She couldn’t bear to look at her in the face. She was too far-gone. The poor girl beamed at Slade as if he was her only saving grace.

She headed upstairs. Music filled the packed room. She made out the top of Coral’s red hair peeping from one of the private sections giving a lap dance. Lolli came up the stairwell from behind, shoving Baby in the shoulder.

“Hey, I don’t know what kinda shit you’re trying to pull, but you need to keep your grimy paws off Slade. He’s mine.” Lolli cocked one hip to the side and wagged her finger in Baby’s face.

Baby’s lips pressed together as she leveled her stare. “You’re out of your fucking mind. I don’t want anything to do with that asshole. He’s all yours.” She was getting sick of the drama, and the last thing she needed was to get mixed up in more of Slade’s bullshit.

“You’re not fooling anybody. I see the way you try to play all innocent. It’s not gonna work. You need to find some other dick to ride because that one is taken,” the young girl sneered.

Baby snatched Lolli by the throat, slamming her into the wall. She squeezed tight enough to see the girls glazed over eyes widen. “You are such a fucking little twat. You want to sell yourself for a piece of shit crack rock, that’s your fucking business. But you lay one more fucking hand on me and I’m gonna splatter your ass across the fucking floor. No one would ever want to touch you again, including Slade. You understand what I’m saying?”

Lolli’s heartbeat thumped against Baby’s hand. She felt the girl’s neck move as she swallowed before attempting to nod.

“Good.” Baby let go of Lolli’s throat and brushed off her hands before she turned and sashayed away, silently daring the girl, or anyone else to say one more snide comment. Her adrenaline was pumping and she was ready to kick some ass.

Some other cock to ride? Who the hell talks like that? Lolli had seriously transformed into Slade’s newest plaything. It wasn’t that long ago when she was a scared little newbie. Now she was taking the bull by the horns. Of course, Baby was ready to knock those horns in the dirt. It is going to be a sad day when Slade decides to take her down a notch or two.

Mickey did a quick introduction for Barbie, who came out from behind the drapes looking flustered, before he met Baby Jade in the middle of the room. “What was that all about?” He threw a thumb toward Lolli.

“It was nothing. That girl has some loose wires.”

“Whatever, but there better not be any shit started tonight.” Mickey’s face was hard and his eyes were serious. Baby knew he was trying to refrain from blowing up about the night before.

“It won’t be coming from me. I’m not usually the one to start crap around here anyway. Look, I know I shouldn’t have run out last night. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t dance with Slade showing his ass like that.”

“I get it, but you also know you don’t want me picking sides when it comes to you and Slade. You will lose.” Mickey’s tense forehead softened. “You owe me hours from last night. Now go ahead and get to work. Don’t forget to babysit the stud over there. Keep Jewella out of arms reach.”

“Are you serious?”

Mickey’s silence was the only answer she needed.

She placed her hands on both hips and tilted her head to the side. “Fine. I guess I’m in no position to argue.”

Mickey’s eyebrows shot up and he rubbed his hands together. “Oh, we can work on finding that position.”

“No thanks.” Baby walked away, her stomach rolling from his ogling stare. She searched the room for Lucky. He was at a table a few feet from the entrance. A group of men still wearing construction uniforms surrounded the table and one of the gophers was helping clean up shards of glass from the floor. From Lucky’s hand gestures, she could make out that he was trying to diffuse a situation. One of the men stumbled backward, sending a beer bottle crashing to the floor.

Lucky clenched his fists, opening and closing them every few seconds. He took one step forward and stood with his legs planted like a predator ready to pounce. Baby made her way to his side as he released the breath of air he had been holding. His nostrils flared and she could see the toll the restraint was taking on his pride.

“Hey, fellas. What’s the trouble?” Baby flashed her flirty smile and tossed her hair to one side. The group of men stopped bickering and stared at her.