Dre shook a bottle of Belair before popping the cork and placing his thumb over the opening of the bottle, spraying the bubbly champagne all over their section. " BELAIR BOYZ!" He exclaimed as Joseph tried to shield himself from the champagne shower.
" Yo ass tweakin boa!" Tre shouted over the loud music. " You finna get that shit on my sneaks,"
" Fuck them sneakers nigga! We rich, I'll buy you a shoe store!" Dre said, pouring the Belair into his own mouth. Dre was ecstatic to have Joseph home. He'd gotten released over a week ago and had been laying low getting his life together, purchasing a new home and car, getting his finances in order.
Joseph commended Dre for finally stepping up to the plate. This was Dre's first time really having to manage everything alone— the business, the club, Joseph's real estate property and supplying the new drug trade that he established through the jail system.
After having some business discussions upon Joseph's release, Joseph and Dre made the decision to completely rule out their business and only run their drugs through the jail system with the help of Rico. Rico had a lot of knowledge and experience that Joseph and Dre could benefit from and Joseph trusted Rico, he looked up to him and wanted to be able to continue keeping in contacting and looking out for him. Rico had made a bigger impact on Joseph's life in the past four years than he knew, helping to forge him into the powerful man he was today and Joseph would forever respect him for it.
Rico was what Joseph longed for Max to be his whole life but Max only treated Joseph as a puppet, trying to break him down every chance he got because he didn't want Joseph to over power him. Max saw Joseph's capabilities as a young boy, he'd always been different and new if he ever reached his full potential he'd be a threat. This was the life Joseph was built for, to hold the power and control— it practically ran in his blood. Joseph had now grown into that roll with the help of Rico and was richer than he'd ever been before— running with the likes of Freeway Rick Ross and Frank Lucas. Now it was time to reestablish his authority over the streets, he was home.
" Don't move, stay just like that this is perfect!" Destiny exclaimed snapping photos of Grace in the bathroom. Grace had to use the restroom as all the tequila they'd been drinking was running through her like the tomb raider and Destiny offered to accompany her. " I love these!" She exclaimed, handing Grace her phone back to look at the pictures herself.
Destiny was Graces twin personality wise. They were both super girly, very pure and sweet at heart, work-a-holics and loved doing things like getting dressed up just to go out to eat— Destiny was just a little more outgoing where Grace was still more reserved. Grace met Destiny after she started going to her dental office whenever she needed work done. Grace complimented the decor one time, thus them bonding instantly over esthetically pleasing things.
" So how do you like the girls?" Destiny asked, applying a layer of Buxom lip gloss to her full lips, looking at Grace through the mirror. Tonight was Destiny's 25th birthday and had invited Grace to go eat and clubbing with them.
" They're— nice," Grace said, mustering up a smile.
" You're lying," Destiny laughed. " I can see it on your face,"
Grace imitated her laugh. " They're just kind of loud that's all," She said. Destinys friend group was younger, all 22-24 years old. The women were in their rambunctious partying phases— loud, danced on tables and loved to be in mens faces. Grace understood though, she remembered when she was that age always going out and getting shit faced drunk at some brunch restaurant in the middle of the afternoon. Working as much as she does, Grace was at the point in her life now where she preferred to spend her off time home alone rewatching Pretty Little Liars where as before when she was younger she couldn't wait to get dressed up and go out with Prie.
" You just need more to drink, come on," Destiny laughed, grabbing Graces hand and leading her out of the bathroom back to the section they'd had reserved for Destiny's birthday.
" We were waiting on you guys, here! It's Don Julio," One of Destiny's friends said, handing Destiny and Grace a shot each. Grace could feel her stomach begin to churn at the smell of the tequila giving her war flash backs of fighting for her life with her face in the toilet.
" Cheers!" They all exclaimed, clinking their glasses together. Grace threw the shot back immediately chasing it with some cranberry juice. She dabbed her chin with the back of hand careful not to mess up her makeup as some alcohol dripped down her face.
" Grace?"
Grace raised a brow, turning to see Michael— Icons original club manager. She was surprised to see him still working there.
" Michael!" Grace exclaimed with a smile. " Oh my gosh how are you? I didn't even know you still worked here," She beamed, giving him a hug. The liquor was starting to kick in and she was coming out of her reserved shell.
" Of course doll, you know this place would be nothing without me," He chuckled, waving his hand. " Long time no see how are you!?"
" I'm great! I'm actually doing good," She said truthfully, smiling warmly and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. For the first time in a long time she could genuinely say she was doing well. Her career was going well, the entanglement she called her love life was decent, her friends and family were all healthy and well.
" What do you want to drink? I'll have a bottle sent over for you guys," He offered.
" Don Julio please! I'm the birthday girl Destiny," Destiny smiled, shaking his hand.
" You got it gorgeous!" He replied, sashaying away through the crowd.
" You sure do know a lot of people for not going out a lot like you claim," Destiny jested, taking a sip of her cranberry juice through a cocktail straw as they danced to the music.
" I know who owns this club," Grace admitted with a giggle.
" Wow bitch don't you think that would've been nice to know before I paid $1,000 for this section?"
" He's my nephews dad! I don't really talk to him like that anymore since my sister broke up with him,"
" Well tell him I want my money back," Destiny yelled over the loud music making Grace laugh. " Will do," She said.
Bottle girls flooded their section with sparklers and their bottle carrying signs that read 'Happy Birthday' on them. The group of women began going in on the bottle taking shot after shot, dancing on each other and having a good time. Graces mind began dissociating as she stopped dancing, holding onto one of the couches in their section looking around the club not believing she'd gotten that drunk. Grace was the queen of mixing liquor on an empty stomach when she was younger, it seemed as if she didn't hold that title anymore. The loud bass of the music booming through the club caused her head to thump as everything started to spin.
As she looked around trying to regain her bearings, her eyes landed on a pair that were all too familiar— a pair she'd grown to love and adore years ago. A frigid chill instantly ran through her body like she'd stuck her finger in an electrical socket.
It was Joseph.
Out of all the people in the club he'd somehow spotted her, his hooded eyes were fixed on her boring a hole in the side of her face. He sat on the second floor VIP surrounded by random women and his friends.
Startled, she lost her balance almost falling off the couch. Destiny quickly grabbed her arm helping her to regain her balance. " Are you okay?" She laughed. " I-I'm fine," Grace said in dismay, looking back up but he was gone— no longer in the place she thought she'd just saw him. Grace rubbed her head. There was no way she'd just seen Joseph, her eyes had to be playing tricks on her. She just had to be way too drunk, there was no way— it was impossible.
Grace quickly grabbed her cup and tasted the alcohol. " Taste this," She said, shoving the cup in Destiny's hands. She had a bad habit of leaving her cup unattended sometimes, maybe someone spiked her drink and it was making her hallucinate.
" It tastes fine to me. Grace are you okay, really?" Destiny asked concerned, pushing her brows together.
" I'm fine, I just think I need to go home. I drank too much," She said, not being able to get the image of his dark eyes glaring at her so intensely out of her mind. Grace felt like she was losing her mind.
" I'll call you an Uber," Destiny offered.
Grace knocked on Prie's door patiently waiting for her to answer. " Do you know what time it is?" Prie whispered, wrapping her robe around herself tightly as she let Grace in. Prie frowned seeing the visibly shaken expression on Graces face.
" Prie tell me I'm not crazy," Grace said looking up at the ceiling.
" What are you talking about? Are you drunk?" Prie asked.
" I just saw Joseph, well I thought I did bu-," She rambled frantically still in shock.
" You didn't know?" Prie asked, interrupting Grace's rambling. " He's home.."