The Pink Palace 2

  I ended up making a little over $6,000 at Birthday Bash night at The Pink Palace. Not bad for one night of work. The only down side was Nikki. I probably would have made more money if her ass wasn’t there getting so much attention on the main stage. I couldn’t believe I let her get under my skin, but the weird thing about it was that she acted like she really didn’t want to be there. So what did Malachi have on her?

  I knew curiosity killed the cat, but I couldn’t help but wonder. Malachi called me up to his office, so he probably wanted some ass, and as long as he hit me off for my service, that was cool with me.

  Security at The Palace was still deeper than a muthafucka as I went up the stairs to his office. Bump opened the door for me, and I saw Malachi on the phone, screaming at his workers.

  “I don’t want fucking excuses! Just find out who this Don P is,” he growled. Then he ended the call and tossed his cell on his desk.

  “Are you okay, baby?”

  He looked at me and then grinned. “Don’t you worry about it, sweet Jasmine. I have other concerns for you.”

  I raised my eyebrow. “Other concerns? Like what?”

  “My dumb-ass brother Reggie’s birthday is this Sunday night, and I need you and some of the girls to put on a show for him.” I frowned. He smiled and continued. “Just show him a good time, and I’ll make sure you’ll be well compensated for your services. This is going to be a closed-door event, so ask a couple of other girls to join you.”

  “As much as I like to make you feel good, daddy, I’m gonna have to decline the offer. I really don’t like him.”

  Malachi chuckled. “I told him you would say no. Are you sure you don’t wanna make some extra cash?”

  “I’ll pass, but I’m sure Hester or Jade will jump on it.”

  “As you wish.”

  I walked around his desk and sat in his lap. “Now, is there any extra services I can do for you?” I purred in his ear as I felt his hard dick press on my ass.

  “Always,” he droned as he unzipped his slacks and pulled out his one-eyed monster. I slid down to my knees and gave him a deep oral massage.

  * * *

  After I was done servicing Malachi, I went back downstairs and saw Nikki coming in to work. Maybe I’d been going about it all wrong. I assumed Malachi had brought her in there to take my place, but I may have jumped the gun a bit.

  She walked back to the locker room and started to get undressed, and I followed her. She peeped my reflection in the mirror behind her and shook her head.

  “Hey, Nikki.” She simply gave me a head nod. “Listen. I know we haven’t gotten off on the right foot.”

  “We don’t have to get off on any foot, Jasmine. I’m here to work, not make friends. But can I ask you a question?”

  She sighed. “What?”

  “Why are you here?”

  She turned and looked at me but didn’t respond.

  “Okay, here’s a better question: What does Malachi have over your head?”

  “Why do you wanna know so bad?”

  “I’m just curious.”

  “Listen, Jasmine, don’t worry about me. If I were you, I would try and put as much distance between yourself and Malachi as possible. Whoever is gunning from him isn’t gonna care who’s standing next to him,” Nikki warned.

  “You mean his beef with Don P? What do you know about it?”

  “Nothing much, and the less is the better. I gotta get dressed, Jasmine,” she said and turned and continued to get undressed.

  I walked over to my dressing table and sat down. Whoever this Don P was seemed to have Malachi taking extra precautions. Why did it feel like Nikki was more involved in all of this than she was letting on?

  NIKKI

  I didn’t know why Jasmine was trying so hard to find out my business with Malachi, but she needed to stay out of it. I didn’t trust her or anybody there in the club. For all I knew, Malachi could have been telling her to keep an eye on me in there. For that reason alone, I had a razor blade on me at all times, hidden on me just in case a bitch got rowdy. But she did confirm what Polo had told me the other night, that somebody called Don P was coming after Malachi. If he put a bullet in Malachi’s head, I would be happy as hell.

  What else had been playing on my mind was Polo. It seemed like he wanted to protect me more than anything else. He had almost kissed me. I never knew he felt that way for me, but with Dre somewhere out there in FBI protection, I couldn’t even consider doing anything with him.

  Just as I was getting ready to go out front and dance on stage, Bump stepped to me. This nigga looked like a linebacker for the Falcons with his huge self.

  “Malachi wants to see you in his office.”

  I frowned. “For what?”

  “I don’t know. C’mon,” he ordered.

  I had no choice, so I followed him up the stairs to Malachi’s office. He opened the door, and I walked in. There he was, sitting behind his big desk, smoking a cigar. I hoped he didn’t think I was going to give him some ass. I had something for him if he thought that was going down again.

  He exhaled a cloud of gray smoke from his mouth and grinned at me. Then he placed his cigar in his marble ashtray. “Come have a seat, Nikki.”

  I did as he said and sat in the chair. Malachi sat back in his black Ralph Lauren suit and continued to puff on his cigar. “I need you to come to a private party Sunday night for my little brother.”

  “Private party? I don’t fuck for cash, Malachi,” I said firmly.

  “No one is asking you to. I just need you to be here at The Palace Sunday night and entertain Reggie.”

  “And if I don’t want to?”

  Malachi glared at me. “It’s not a request.”

  “Fine.” I got up and turned toward the door.

  “Sit. I didn’t dismiss you,” Malachi said coldly.

  I wanted to run, but I knew I wouldn’t get far. I sat back down.

  He stood up and walked around his desk and stood behind me. “I sent Ricky to check out your story about Dre being dead.”

  My heart sped up in my chest. Did he know that Dre was in FBI protection?

  “It turns out you were telling me the truth.”

  “I have no reason to lie.”

  “Not anymore,” he retorted. He placed his hands on my shoulders and caressed me. “I can’t help but think about our wonderful night together. You were magnificent.”

  I felt so disgusted thinking about him being all over me that night. “If you say so.”

  “I do. You could be more than just a dancer in my club if you behave. I can make you a queen, Nikki. You need to forget about your past, because I am your future.”

  I pulled away from his touch and stood up. “Can I leave now?”

  Malachi grinned, then with one swift motion, grabbed me by my arm and pulled me close to him. His other hand slapped and grabbed my ass roughly. I could feel his warm breath on my neck as he whispered in my ear, “I love your spirit, Nikki, and you may not believe it now, but you will be mines.” He kissed my neck. “And yes, you can leave now.”

  He let me go, and I backed away from him. I would have spit in his face if I thought I could get away with it. Instead, I hastily walked past him and out the door and down the stairs.

  If that stupid muthafucka really thought I was going to be his lady, then he must have been getting high off his own supply! Ugly-ass muthafucka! Now he had me going to some birthday/fuck party for his stupid brother Reggie. Malachi was running my life like it was his to control, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I needed to find a way out of there and out of Malachi’s life.

  Perhaps I hadn’t really explored all my options? Polo. I knew he was still being supplied by Malachi, but he didn’t have any love for him either. Maybe there was something he could do.

  After I get off of working at The Pink Palace, I made a phone call to Polo. He picked up on the second ring.

  “Who this?” he answered.

  “It’s me.”r />
  “Nikki, are you okay?”

  “Yeah. I need to see you.”

  “Okay. I’m over in Camp Creek right now.”

  “I can meet you at Chili’s in ten minutes?”

  “Cool. I’ll see you then.”

  “Okay,” I replied and ended the call.

  * * *

  I exited off of I-20 onto 285 South and head toward Camp Creek on Exit 2.

  I’d known Polo for as long as I’d known Dre. His real name was Teddy, but he got the nickname Polo because he always wore polo shirts. He’d been Dre’s best friend since high school, and whatever Dre decided to do, Polo was always right there by his side. The only thing Polo didn’t do was get out of the drug game when Dre did three years ago. Dre encouraged him to do so but understood that Polo was a grown man, and the game and fast money could be addictive. It must’ve been during that time that Polo started getting his supply directly from Malachi.

  I pulled into the Camp Creek Marketplace and into the parking lot of Chili’s and parked. I got out and went inside, and the hostess greeted me. I then spotted Polo at a booth near the bar and made my way over to him and had a seat.

  “Hey, Nikki, you look good.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I ordered some wings for us already. What you drinking?”

  “A blue Margarita would be nice,” I replied.

  Once the waitress came over with the wings, Polo placed my drink order. I started to munch on the hot wings. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until I was on my fifth wing.

  “I’m sorry, Polo. I’m just eating all your wings.”

  He smiled. “Don’t worry about it.”

  The waitress came with my drink and another beer for Polo.

  “I heard about Dre passing away.” Polo paused then looked me in the eyes. “I’m so sorry, Nikki.”

  I wished I could tell him the truth, but the less he knew about Dre’s whereabouts with the FBI, the better off he’d be. “It’s not your fault, Polo. Malachi is to blame for all of this.”

  “So what’s going on, Nikki? After our talk the other night, I didn’t think you wanted to see me again.”

  I took a sip of my drink. “Polo, I don’t know who’s watching me in the club. I didn’t want you to get in trouble being seen with me. Besides, I don’t know who I can trust.”

  “Don’t worry about me. You sounded kinda distressed over the phone. Is Malachi making you—”

  “No . . . not yet.” I cut him off.

  Polo frowned. “I don’t want you going back there, Nikki. I can take you out of town until things get settled with Malachi.”

  I couldn’t leave town yet without knowing where Dre was. “No, I . . . I got too much invested here in Atlanta: friends, family, a business, and Tyler. Besides, Malachi would only try and track me down, or worse, go after my family here in Atlanta.” I took another gulp of my Margarita. “What do you know about the niggas coming after Malachi?”

  Polo took a sip of his beer. “I know they got that nigga Malachi scared shitless. It’s just a matter of time before they get his ass.” Polo said that with a smile on his face.

  “I heard that it’s somebody called Don P coming after him. Have you ever heard of him?”

  “Naw, never heard of him,” he said with a smile.

  I stared at Polo and then it dawned on me and I put my drink down on the table. “Polo . . . are you Don P?” Polo took another sip of his beer. “Oh my God . . . Polo. Why didn’t you tell me you were going to do this?”

  Polo leaned in closer. “Keep your voice down, Nikki.” He looked around and focused back on me, “I was going to tell you, but you kinda went off the grid. That nigga Malachi was supposed to be already dead by now, but after shit went wrong in Lenox Mall, he was rolling with almost an army around him.”

  I was shook. I didn’t know Polo was plotting this hostile takeover this whole time. “You were behind that hit at Lenox? My God, Polo. A lot of innocent people got hurt.”

  “It wasn’t supposed to go down like that. The niggas I got to do the job got sloppy, and that nigga Malachi is no fool.” He took a sip of his beer. “Once he took out the first nigga, he was ready for war and was shooting first and asking questions later. Four of the six niggas I sent in didn’t make it back.”

  I finished off my Margarita. “So that’s why you’ve been hanging out at the Pink Palace so much?”

  “Yeah, I been getting close to his idiot brother Reggie, finding out what Malachi’s been doing for months now,” Polo explained.

  I looked at him with amazement. “For months! You’ve been planning this for months? Did Dre know about this?”

  “No. Dre would never let me do this, so I had to put this in motion without him. I just never thought Malachi would put a hit on Dre before I could take his ass out.”

  I felt so bad now. “So that day at the hospital when I called you a coward for not going after Malachi, you were already planning to do just that. I’m so sorry, Polo.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Nikki. I wanted to tell you so bad, but I didn’t want to put you in danger. But then you started dancing in the club, and that’s the last thing I wanted to see. How did that happen?”

  I leaned back in my seat. “At the time, Dre was laid up in the hospital and Malachi was sending niggas to check up on his condition. I was afraid he was going to send somebody to finish the job on Dre, so I volunteered to do whatever to spare his life, and now he’s dead and Malachi is holding his debt over my head.”

  Polo took my hand. “Don’t worry, Nikki. I’m gonna make sure that nigga is dead if it’s the last thing I do.”

  I looked in his eyes and I knew he meant every word.

  “Nikki, I know you’re still hurting from Dre’s death, but I’m always going to be here to take care of you. I need to tell you this.”

  Now I felt so guilty for not telling Polo the truth about Dre being alive. “Polo . . .”

  “I know, Nikki, but just hear me out. You were my best friend’s lady, and I know I’m wrong for feeling like this, but I can’t help it. I’ve been in love with you for years, Nikki.”

  “Oh God, Polo, you don’t love me.”

  “But I do. I just couldn’t say it because you were Dre’s lady, so I didn’t want to betray him like that. I’m not expecting you to say you feel the same way about me right now, but in the next few weeks, things are going to change. That nigga Malachi is gonna be dead, and I’m going to be the man running these streets.”

  “Polo . . . I don’t know what to say.”

  He placed his finger on my lips and stood up. “You don’t have to say a word. In the days to come, you’ll see that everything I’m doing now, I’m doing it for us.”

  Polo kissed me then he pulled away and took a fifty-dollar bill out of his pocket and put it on the table. “Just keep on making Malachi think you’re there for him, and give me whatever information you can on his whereabouts. It’ll make it easy for me to finish him off.”

  I stared at Polo, still in shock. “Okay.”

  “I’ll be in touch, Nikki.”

  He walked away, and I felt so guilty, like I was leading him on. I couldn’t tell him Dre was still alive, not after he had said all that to me. Polo had orchestrated this whole takeover of Malachi and was my only way to deal with him for good. I couldn’t say anything to him yet because he had to stay focused and finish the job on Malachi. But what was I going to do after that?

  14

  Private Party

  Atlanta, GA

  NIKKI

  The last two days had been a blur since Polo revealed to me everything he’d been doing and how he felt for me. I never knew he’d been carrying a torch for all those years. I didn’t know what was more shocking: the fact that he was in love with me, or that he was Don P, gunning for Malachi. I never would have suspected that he’d been masterminding that whole takeover by himself. I mean, Polo was not stupid, but running game on this level, I never would have thought. I had to keep the f
act that Dre was still alive a secret until this was over.

  It was Sunday night, and Malachi was throwing a private party for his ugly little brother Reggie. Now, back in my day, I’d fucked with niggas a lot more unattractive than Reggie, but there was something about this little foul nigga I just didn’t like. Maybe it was the way he was always harassing the other dancers, the lustful looks he gave me, or maybe because he was Malachi’s brother, but he really turned me off.

  The Pink Palace was closed to the general public by six o’clock, and by eight o’clock, a bunch of Reggie’s friends and street niggas came in. Malachi wasn’t there, and that was a relief. I didn’t have to look at his ass. A few other girls were already giving niggas dances, and I spotted a couple of girls getting fucked in the private VIP rooms. Back in the day, that would have been me tricking up in that room for the right amount of cash, but them days were long gone for me.

  I was hoping to see Polo there that night, but I guessed he didn’t make the guest list. Reggie was dressed in black jeans and a long-sleeve T-shirt with three platinum chains around his neck, acting like he was a don or some shit. With Malachi gone, I guessed he thought he was heir to the throne.

  Reggie jumped up with a bottle of Nuvo in his hands. “Listen here, niggas! All these bitches here tonight are here for your entertainment, but I get the first lap dance from all of them hoes!”

  Straight retard. This idiot and his boys got pissy drunk for the next couple of hours. I spent most of my time hanging with Gina at the bar, avoiding the horny niggas trying to rub on my ass.

  I looked and saw Kandi, Jasmine’s homegirl, with Hester and Jade, sitting at a table with some of Reggie’s niggas, Chaz and them, snorting cocaine. Damn, I could tell she was being sucked into the lifestyle, and she was not going to last long at that rate.

  When I had first brought Mo’Nique into The Pink Palace back in the day, I kept her clear of shit like that. Jasmine was not even there or I knew she would have objected to Kandi doing that. I would have said something, but it was not my place. I was just there to do a job, so that was what I was going to do and get the hell up outta there!