Page 7 of Perfect Rhythm

NYX

I was annoyed as shit, and the only thing I wanted to do was go home. Skye and Mecca’s mess had already drained me. But going home wasn’t an option. Instead, I was stuck playing dress up at some fancy restaurant with Eli.

“Oh my God, Eli Grant?” A petite woman squealed as she came to our table. “What a nice surprise. I didn’t know you would be dining here this evening.”

I didn’t know her name, but I’d definitely seen her before.

Leaning slightly to the side, I glanced over Eli’s shoulder toward the area she’d just come from. The long table was surrounded by several other familiar faces.

“Of course,” I whispered, recognizing that every individual at that table was a blogger from Fame and Dirty Laundry, a well-known celebrity news outlet in Bigg City.

“Yeah, just trying to have a quiet evening out with my girlfriend.” He nodded in my direction.

Quiet evening my ass. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that he knew they were going to be here tonight.

“Oh, I see,” the blogger said before looking over at me, then back at him. “Wait, so you two are still together?”

“That’s right,” he answered.

“Hmm...interesting. I thought maybe you and Nimah Watts were a thing now. You guys have been seen out and about quite a bit lately. Oh, and the other night?—”

“It’s just business. We’re colleagues.”

“Just business, huh?”

“That’s what I said.”

She looked at me. “Has it seemed like just business to you?”

My brows shot up. Oh, this one isn’t holding back, I see.

“This isn’t about what she thinks,” Eli jumped in. “This is about what I said.”

“Excuse me?” I tilted my head, waiting for him to clear up the bullshit that he’d just spewed from his mouth.

But he didn’t budge. He stood by it, and he purposely didn’t look my way.

Stunned, I nodded slowly and stood up from the table. “I’m going to the ladies’ room.”

“Oh, before you go,” the blogger said, “is there something going on with you and Shade? Have the two of you been secretly seeing each other while on the road? Do you and Eli have an open relationship?”

“What? No.” I frowned. “No, to all of that.”

“Are you sure? Because that viral clip of you dancing on Shade is saying otherwise. Are you going to tell me that it’s just business, too? If so?—”

“Move!” I snapped as I shoved her out of my way and rushed to the bathroom.

I was done answering her ridiculous ass questions, and I was even more done with Eli. What the hell was he thinking? Being seen together while everything was still fresh was a horrible idea. Especially at a place that was filled with FDL vultures.

I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, my hands gripping the sink.

Suddenly, a wet gag came from one of the stalls. Then came a violent heave followed by a splash that hit the toilet bowl with a disgusting smack.

I wrinkled my nose. “Are you okay in there?”

“I...I’m fine,” a soft voice replied.

But she didn’t sound fine. She sounded like she was seconds away from dying on the bathroom floor.

“You sure? Is there someone I can get for you?”

“No!” She fired back. “I said I’m fine.”

“Uh...okay.” I backed off. “Well, I suggest you get off the floor. I mean, I know this is a nice restaurant, but this is still a bathroom. There’s no telling what’s on that floor.”

The stall door swung open, and out walked Brookia Fletcher.

Well, at least it appeared to be her. I wasn’t used to seeing her with mascara smeared around her eyes and strands of hair sticking to her damp forehead.

She looked exhausted, and she also looked like she’d lost some weight since the last time I’d seen her at the dance studio.

“Damn, girl, you look like shit,” I said with a chuckle.

“Fuck you, Nyx. What the hell are you doing here?”

“This is a restaurant,” I replied sarcastically. “I came here to eat like everyone else.”

“Oh, right.” She struggled to hold her head up. “Well, I wouldn’t know. I haven’t been able to eat anything since we got here. I should’ve stayed my ass at home.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Because I’m trying to impress my future in-laws. King begged me to come to dinner tonight, so I agreed.”

“Sounds like you’re in the same boat I’m in. Eli begged me to come out too. I just got off the road, so that’s the last thing I wanted to do tonight.”

“Oh, that’s right. You’ve been on tour with Shade, huh? How was it?”

“It was great,” I said. “I wish you would’ve auditioned. Me and Skye had a good time.”

“Trust me, I wanted to. But my schedule was crazy as hell. I was booked for several shows, and I had to do Mecca’s music video.” She popped her lips and twirled her braided ponytail. “I was the leading lady, so you know I couldn’t pass that up.”

I rolled my eyes at the mention of his name. “How did that go?”

“It was cool. I did my thing like always.”

“Babe, you good in there?” I heard Eli call out from the other side of the bathroom door.

“Well, I guess that’s my cue,” I said. “It was good seeing you.”

“Good seeing you too, girl. Oh, and quick question.”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“Are you and Shade fucking?”

I let out an exhausted sigh and shook my head. “Bye, Brookia.”

“Girl, you can tell me. I know how hard it is to keep your hands off these fine ass?—”

Ignoring her, I yanked the door open and walked out.

Eli stumbled back. “You good? You were in there a long time.”

“I’m fine. Can we please leave? I’m tired and I’m not really hungry anymore.”

He scoffed. “Yeah, sure.”

“What’s all that about?” I asked, confused by his change in attitude.

“Nothing.”

“No, apparently it’s something. What’s the deal?”

“I don’t know, you tell me. You’re the one that left me at the table to fight off accusations about you fucking another nigga.”

“What? I didn’t leave you to fight off anything. I answered her questions.”

“Yeah, but your ass walked away like you were guilty.”

“No, I walked away because I was pissed off for even being put in that situation. Eli, you knew they were going to be here tonight. You wanted to prove a point, and that shit backfired.”

“It only backfired because you didn’t stand your ground and make it clear?—”

“You know what? I’m done listening to this. You’re not about to make your piss poor judgment my fault.”

“My piss poor judgement?” he spat. “You were the one dry humping your boss at the club on your birthday.”

Heat shot through my chest.

I clenched my jaw, tempted to swing on him, but held back. “Let’s just go.”

“You sure? Because I’m thinking we should go our separate ways tonight.”

“Wait, what?” My voice cracked. “Are you seriously talking about leaving me here?”

“Nah, I’ll call you a car and make sure you get home.”

I didn’t move. I just stared at him, waiting for him to tell me he was bullshitting.

But he didn’t.

“You know what?” I said flatly. “Don’t even worry about it. I’m good.”

“Nyx—”

“I said I’m good, Eli.” I turned away, my heart pounding.

And he really did it. He walked away like I meant nothing.

Fucking asshole.

Stepping outside, I pulled out my phone, contemplating if I should call Skye to pick me up. But I’d had enough of her for one day, and I knew she would probably bring Mecca.

I’ll just call a Ryde On.

“Nyx?”

I looked up, surprised to see Shade standing in front of me.

His easy grin was enough to send a rush of heat through my chest, but I quickly shoved the feeling aside.

“Shade...hey,” I said, forcing a half-smile.

“What’s up? What are you doing out here? It’s cold as shit.”

Tell me something I don’t know.

I glanced down at my phone. According to the Ryde On app, it was going to be another fifteen minutes before my car showed up, and this wasn’t the kind of weather I wanted to be waiting in.

“Yeah, I know. I’m just waiting for my car.”

He frowned. “Waiting for your car? You’re here alone?”

“Well, I wasn’t at first, but...” I stopped myself. “It’s a long story.”

He glanced at Trace, then back at me before snatching my phone.

“What are you doing?” I spat.

“Canceling your car. I’m taking you home.”