Lolli squeezed past him and planted a kiss on his neck, always playing right into his hands. The poor girl was his number one pawn and she had no idea. On the other hand, maybe she did and simply didn’t care. Too bad Lolli didn’t know what the price would be when he no longer needed her to play his game.
The way Slade fixated his stare on Baby, it was clear he wanted her to see the entire pathetic display. He traipsed across the room, and with his long legs, it didn’t take long. He smoothed his hair back and wrapped it with a hair tie. His Under Armour shirt looked three sizes too small. It was pulled snug across his chest and tucked into his tight jeans, the brand that Baby Jade unkindly referred to as “bedazzled.” She wanted to tell him how ridiculous he looked, but it was pointless. The more the girls fawned over him, the more it fed his ego.
“My girl. I was worried I wouldn’t see you tonight before I got a chance to ask if you received my gift,” Slade said, ignoring Lucky. His firm palms caressed her arms. Baby froze, unable to move as he looked down toward her face. It was happening exactly the way it had a dozen times before. “Baby. Look at me.” His words were short and gentle, yet full of command.
Powerless, she lifted her head until her green eyes met his cold blue ones, forgetting about Lucky standing directly behind her.
“I’ve missed you.” His hands still making their way up and down her arms, digging into her flesh as they reach the top, each time a little harder. “I know you’ve missed me too.”
His touch paralyzed Baby. All the tiny hairs on her arms stood on end. Her throat tightened and she couldn’t speak. Everything seemed to be playing out in slow motion.
“I hope you liked your present. You know I’ll always take care of my girl, right?”
“What a crock of shit. You can’t be taking this asshole seriously?” Lucky moved to her side. Slade didn’t budge. It was his greatest weapon, treating others as if they were nobodies. Insignificant.
He leaned in with his hand on the back of her neck and whispered into Baby’s ear, causing her stomach to visibly lurch as she tried not to vomit. “I won’t wait long before I take matters into my own hands, love.” His hand slid from her neck around to the front and grazed the top of her leather corset, discreetly tucking another baggie of coke in between her breasts. His lips brushed her cheek, but before he had a chance to stand upright, Lucky shoved him in the shoulder.
For the first time, Slade eyeballed Lucky, laughing. He was almost twice his size. Looking at the two side by side, Slade oozed slime ball, all the way down to the oil he used to slick back his hair. There was no way he would be ok with someone as fuckable as Lucky working in the club.
“Son, you have lost your fucking mind. Who the hell are you to touch me?” Slade spewed in Lucky’s direction.
“I don’t give a shit who you are. Don’t touch the girls!” Lucky never cowered. He stood with legs planted shoulder width apart, balling his fists. His stance implied he wouldn’t be the first to back down. A couple of Slade’s goons from the crowd stepped forward, but he shot up his hand signaling for them to stop.
His lips turned up into an evil grin. “You must be the new lackey I’ve heard about. Bucky, is it?”
Lucky didn’t answer.
“You think you’re a badass, huh?” Slade chuckled. “Unfortunately for you, that kinda attitude can get you killed around here.”
“Bring it on, asswipe.” Lucky’s gaze was hard and his jaw clenched.
The words must have been too much for Slade because his eyes glazed over and he lunged for Lucky. The uproar brought Baby Jade out of the trance like state she had been in and she jumped between the two men.
“Stop!” she yelled. She surveyed the room hoping for some kind of backup. Mickey came barreling out of his office. Jewella and Barbie were both doubled over from laughter. Coral was giving a half-ass performance because the crowd had lost interest, something that happened often when Slade walked into the room. Lolli stood off to the side, doe-eyed. Her already pale face was extra ashen and wet from the recent tears.
“Please, stop. Both of you.” Baby tried to break up the clusterfuck before it got out of hand.
Mickey wasn’t quick to jump in since Slade wasn’t a customer. He was more like Mickey’s lifeline. “What’s going on here? The new guy causing a problem?”
Lucky probably would have knocked Mickey on his ass, but Baby knew he wasn’t going to be the one to break the staring contest. A few seconds passed before Slade let out a small snicker and slapped Lucky on the shoulder. “Naw, man. We’re all good here. Isn’t that right, podna?”
Lucky’s gritted his teeth.
Mickey stepped between both men. Facing Lucky, he forced him to take a step backward. Baby stepped toward him and snaked her arm through his. The brazen move shut Jewella up. As soon as she quit laughing, Barbie did too, like a good little mockingbird. Mickey’s eyes narrowed and he turned away, clearly pissed at her gesture.
Lucky’s body was stiff, and his knuckles were stark white from his clenched fists. The veins in his arms strained against his skin. She squeezed his arm tighter, tugging it toward her chest. He eased a little, but still didn’t move.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. All right, Baby get your ass back to work. You’re on next.” Mickey stepped to the side. “We good here? You need anything, man?” he asked Slade, turning his back to Lucky.
Slade ran his hand over his own chest, his top lipped curled up as if he smelled something foul. “Hmm, I was getting ready to head out, but I think I’ll stay for the show. Get me my bottle.” He walked away and sent one of his goons to fetch a spare chair, which he used to belly up to the center of the catwalk—directly in front of the pole.
The bartender slid a bottle of Maker’s Mark across the countertop to Barbie. She took that as her cue to flaunt herself over to Slade, click-clacking her fluorescent heels the whole way. She perched herself on the arm of his velvet chair. Her teased hair made her easy to spot. Baby watched her wrap her suntanned hands around the bottle, her ridiculously long, fire-red nails trailing down Slade’s back.
Mickey had slithered his way over to Jewella, and they were groping each other, tongue, and all. It was scary to think of the things that turned those two on. Lolli mingled with a group of tables by the jukebox, leaving Baby and Lucky alone. He quickly snatched his arm from hers and stepped aside.
“What the fuck was that?” he asked, through a strained whisper.
Baby knew what he was asking. Why did she freeze like that? How did Slade still hold any kind of power of her? She had no words to piece together an explanation. She looked up into Lucky’s eyes, dark and angry, and then she glanced over to Slade. The thought of dancing for him while feeling this vulnerable made the measly contents of her stomach slosh around.
She felt weak and confined as if the walls were closing in. There was no way she could tell Lucky about her addiction to both Slade and his idea of a good time. Baby lowered her head and stared at the hunter-green nail polish on her toes, none of that neon shit like some of the other girls.
Baby’s heart jumped into her throat. She knew Mickey would have her head, but she couldn’t take it anymore and bolted right out the front door, leather clad and alone.
Chapter Twelve
Lucky
What the fuck happened?