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It was time to make an appearance.
I shot Maite and Keira both texts to give them a heads up that I was going. I knew security would need to know so they could get me there safely, but Keira actually volunteered to pick me up, which I appreciated.
I could use the moral support.
She came through with it too, coming though my door an hour later and declaring,“Damn bitch, you meant it when you said you were showing up, huh?”
“So I look decent?” I asked, earning myself sucked teeth and rolled eyes.
“Decent?Decent?” she countered, frowning as she shook her head and looped an arm through mine to head out the door. “Stop playing with me and bring your pretty ass on here.”
In the car, we fell right into a club-ready vibe—Vanity, Meg, Doja, Nicki, all the usual bad bitch anthems that never failed to get us hyped. Even so, the closer we got to the bar, the more and more nervous I felt, until we pulled into the parking lot.
“I’m going to throw up,” I told Keira, who rolled her eyes at me.
“Vomit in my shit and you’re gonna have to beat my ass, babe,” she said, getting out and then coming around to my side to open my door. “Consider it immersion therapy,” she told me, reaching over me to unbuckle my seat belt. “That bar is full of people who adore you; you’re going to be just fine. Unless… youaren’tfine,” she said, stepping closer and getting very serious. “’Cause I’ll get right back in and drive you home if—”
“No,” I told her, pushing out a deep breath. “I can do it. I think I can do it.”
“You kinda look too good not to, so…”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.” I laughed, not feeling any less like I was about to puke, but still climbing my ass out of the car. “I just need to get it over with.”
“I agree.” Keira grinned. “Come on.”
InsideBottoms, I wasn’t that surprised by the reception I received.
I wasdefinitelyembarrassed about the round of fucking applause, but I swallowed it in favor of smiling and waving and accepting mywelcome backwith grace.
One time, my father had gotten stabbed and had to spend a bit of time out. When he came back, the club members made a sort of fuss about it, which Iknewhe hated. But he grinned and bore it because, as he told me later, a good leader allowed their club to show them affection.
They neverdemandedit, but theyallowedit, and they accepted it, courteously.
I saw the difference it’d made in our club culture versus some of the others, and I didn’t want to be the one to buck the energy. So I accepted the love and I had Erica do a round of shots, for the whole bar, on the house.
People were staring at me, which was initially uncomfortable. I knew the club members weren’t the only patrons, and some of these people were likely confused as to why my presence was a big deal, but damn.
I had to remind myself though, that peoplealwaysstared at me, because I was big and fine, I made a fucking impression, I got attention.
What was new?
I perched myself at my usual corner booth with Keira and no more than a few minutes had passed before Brandon showed up with Nessa on his arm.
“Hey!” I greeted her warmly, honestly excited to see her after what felt like a long while. I kept expecting to feel weird about Brandon getting serious about someone else, considering that he’d been so close with Tali, but I really loved Nessa for him. She’d passed nearly four years ago at this point; he needed someone, in my opinion. There was a weird bitch he’d dealt with not long before Nessa who Ithoughtwas going to be a problem. Luckily, that was short-lived and then this one came along.
This onewas really good for him.
She gave him balance.
“Listen to me,” Nessa said, bending to give me a hug, “I know Brandon already passed this message along, but if you needanythingfrom me or mine? Just say the word.” She leaned in a little more, telling me in my ear, “I’ve got people too, okay?”
“I appreciate you,” I told her, squeezing her tight before I released her so she could stand up. “Brandon finally let you come back out here, huh?”
She rolled her eyes at him as he hooked an arm around her shoulder. “Girl. All over me aboutsecurityas if the Hamiltons don’t shoot back.”
“I keep trying to get you to understand, these ain’t the usual shooters, gorgeous,” he said. “This shit is different.”
“Two to the dome takes anybody down, doesn’t it?” she asked, innocently batting her eyelashes at him as he bit his lip.
