Page 13 of Half Sight Whole Heart

“Maaaan,” he guffawed with his fist to his mouth. “Stop fuckin’ playin’, ma. You slept with that muhfucka to your damn chest. You gon quit playin’ wit’ me, for real.” With a cocky smirk, he said, “Say it. Say you slept wit’ it.”

That shit made my core throb. It caused me to shift my weight to the other leg. “I slept with it,” I said lowly, causing his smirk to spread into a wide grin. The craters in his cheeks appeared.

Zyro’s hand slipped off the knob, and he took two steps toward me until he was towering over me. I think I stopped breathing then.

“Sleep wit’ it a lil’ closer tonight,” he leaned down and said into my ear. His lips were touching my ear as he spoke. I reached out and grabbed onto the wall. Zyro simpered and tweaked my chin. “Have a good night, Eriss.”

He turned back around, unlocked the door, and opened it.

“You too. Be safe,” I managed to get out.

“Always,” Zyro replied, and I shut the door, locking it. With my back against it, I slid down because what the hell was he doing to me?

Instead of driving, Mahlia offered to get dressed at my house and to drive us. We rapped to Crown Heart as we rolled down the highway. Because I told Mahlia everything, I told her about the bear, and I told her how I damn near lost control of my legs last night. Of course, she clowned me.

Mahlia swerved around a slow driver, causing me to hold on to the seat. I gave her a look, making me wish I had driven myself. Mahlia knew that if she got drunk that I wasn’t letting her behind the wheel. She’d have to stay at my place until the morning.

The closer we got to The Dollhouse, the more my nerves tangled up.

Meeting Zyleek had my stomach flipping, just because Mahlia already put me on the fact that he spoke before thinking, and said he meant no harm—sometimes.

She told me not to take anything he said to me personally.

She said he was a loose cannon, but with Zyro around, he might not act like a fool.

“I just can’t wait to see you and Zyro around each other again. The back-and-forth banter yesterday was so cute,” she cooed, bringing me to roll my eyes.

“Girl, it ain’t even that serious, I promise. You know I don’t really feed into shit a nigga say,” I told her. I bit down on my lip and looked out the window.

“Aight,” Mahlia squealed out. “I keep telling you my cousin ain’t like these other niggas, Eriss. I guess he gon have to show you since you’re not trying to take my word for it. From what you told me, he is on you bad!”

We pulled into the club lot, pink neon lights glowing off the cars already parked. My stomach fluttered again, a mix of excitement and nerves. Mahlia found a spot, killed the engine, and then turned to me, grinning and twerking in her seat.

“You ready, friend?”

“I guess,” I laughed.

We stepped out, and I pulled down the black mini shirt that I paired with a black crop top and strappy heels.

A red purse was draped across my body for a pop of color.

My hair was down in loose beach curls. The only makeup I wore was mascara and lip gloss.

I wore rings, a necklace, and hoop earrings.

Mahlia wore a bright pink dress with clear heels. Her hair was in fresh braids and in a high ponytail. She had a full glam on her face.

Together, we ambled to the entrance of The Dollhouse, where Mahlia said the guys were already inside. I decided not to wear a patch over my eye tonight, but the moment we entered the club after showing identification, I instantly regretted it. Men stared and women frowned.

“Ignore them, Eriss. These hoes just mad because you’re beautiful with your clothes on!” Mahlia hollered over the music, loud enough for the women around to hear her.

The bass from the music rattled my body.

Weed smoke was thick in the air. Holding onto Mahlia’s hand, she led me to a section where I spotted Zyro instantly.

There was another man beside him. Light-skinned, but I could tell they were brothers.

Zyro had a fresh cut. His waves shine under the light.

His brother had a short curly top, faded on the sides.

Zyro was dripped out in jewelry tonight.

There were at least two or three necklaces around his neck, one a diamond Cuban link, rings, and his ears.

I was sure his fangs were in. He wore black jeans with a Gucci shirt that was unbuttoned.

They were standing side by side, both throwing money at dancers, who were bent over, shaking ass.

His brother was hyping up the dancers, his deep voice carrying over the rap song.

As soon as Mahlia’s foot hit the step to climb up toward the section, Zyro’s head turned in our direction.

I couldn’t tell where his eyes were since he wore dark shades, but I felt them zooming in on me.

Zyleek craned his neck to see what had Zyro’s attention, and he grinned.

Both the top and bottom rows of teeth were gold.

“‘Bout time!” he yelled. Zyro placed a kiss on Mahlia’s forehead, and Zyleek squeezed the hell out of her in a hug. I smiled, seeing how close they all were.

“‘Sup, baby girl,” Zyro said, his rasp causing my stomach to clench to keep the throb from beating as loud as the music.

“Hey,” I smiled with a little wave.

‘This her?” Zyleek asked, moving Mahlia out of the way to get to me. “This who got your nose wide open, nigga?” He lifted his shades from his eyes. His low, red eyes rolled over to my cloudy eye and lingered on it for a moment. Then they ran down my body. “She’s fine as fuck. Real pretty,” he said.

“Aight, nigga,” Zyro gritted, pushing his brother with an elbow. “Not too fuckin’ much.”

Zyleek chortled, pointing at Zyro with a finger. “See. Nigga in looooove.”

He and Mahlia cackled. Zyro just shook his head, his jaw clenching. He moved closer to me and leaned over. “You look nice. My brother is right. You’re fine as fuck and really pretty.” He rose with a grin, running his tongue along his top row. The fangs were intact.

“I want a grill,” I stated.

Zyro’s grin widened. “Aight. I’ll take you to get one. Let’s me spend more time witcha.”

“Give us some of that bread so we can pay a bitch rent!” Mahlia said, tickling me. I swatted her hand away.

When I noticed the stacks of banded money on a table, my eyes stretched.

“You’re spending all of that in here?” I screeched, causing all three to laugh.

“Hell yeah, spend it and get it back!” Zyleek yelled. “Ain’t shit broke ‘bout us!”

I held my hands up in surrender.

“Girl, ignore him, cause he’s definitely going broke behind his baby mamas,” Mahlia joked. Zyleek mushed her head, and the two of them went back and forth.

“Here.” Zyro held out a stack of money to me after pulling the rubber band off. “Aye!” he called out to a dancer. She happily brought her ass over. Zyro motioned toward me with his head. “She wants a dance.”

The dancer, a real curvy woman with honey-colored skin and long curls down her back, switched her hips over.

“Have a seat,” she purred, her voice silky.

Mahlia sniggered. “Shit, I want one too.”

My feet didn’t move until Zyro gently spun me around and walked me to the red velvet chairs with his front pressed against me, his dick sitting right at the top of my ass. It turned me on immediately.

“Just have fun,” he murmured. “Throw that money on her and slap her ass.”

The song switched to Crown Heart’s new banger, Get It Out the Mud, and the niggas in the club began rapping along with him, including Zyleek and Zyro.

Zyleek was wild with it, but Zyro…he was smooth, moving his hands and arms around, and rapping to me.

His lips, wet from him licking them, shone and were so kissable.

The dancer straddled me with her back facing me and began to shake her ass to the beat. Her ass was moving like water. With one hand, I raised a few of the bills above her and began to swipe with my thumb, letting the bills rain down on her. I glanced up at Zyro, and he nodded in approval.

Another dancer was grabbing her ankles in front of Mahlia. She was rubbing the dancer’s ass as she shook it. The thin material the dancers wore didn’t leave anything to the imagination. I looked away briefly to see Zyro extending a red cup to me.

“What is this?” I asked.

“Pineapple and vodka.”

I did love pineapple in my drinks. I wondered if Mahlia had told him. Taking the red cup, I placed it to my lips and took a small sip. Very fruity, less alcohol…just how I liked it.

“Thanks,” I mouthed and sipped some more while grabbing more bills to toss at the dancer.

The night went on just like that. Dancers coming and going. Drinks were being made, and money was being thrown. I was really enjoying myself, but I missed my baby. It was late, so I figured he’d be asleep by now. I’d call Ermias in the morning. I was ready for him to come home already.

Zyro had bought us buffalo wings to put on our stomachs since we were drinking.

I was on my fourth cup of pineapple and vodka.

It was so good. Zyleek had rolled a blunt, and I even took a few hits.

I was being careless tonight, and I needed this.

Tomorrow, I’ll probably wake up regretting everything I did tonight, but right now, in this moment… I was living my best life.

It was still dark when my eyes popped open.

My stomach was making weird noises, and my mouth was watering.

Removing the bedding from my body, I jolted up and swung my feet over the edge of the bed, taking off toward my bathroom.

I made it to the toilet by the skin of my teeth.

Wings and alcohol. How was I going to work like this?

I flushed the toilet and almost jumped out of my skin when I heard footsteps. They weren’t padding the feet of a little boy either.

My baseball bat was in my room. There wasn’t anything I could use in the bathroom to fight an intruder. I barely had the money to offer them if that was what they were looking for.