Author POV
May 11,2020
Atlanta, Georgia
"Sir I can assure you, Clinton Grey hired me a couple of days ago. I am the new bartender girl Jasmine Howard ," she stressed for the hundredth time.
It was currently 7 pm, hot and stuffy outside, and Jasmine was frustrated. She was supposed to be inside around 6:30 pm but the security never allowed her in. Every since the shooting that took place at Red house that weekend, Ace made sure to double up on security that following weekday. With 12 dead and 10 injured, Ace couldn't afford for anyone to get into his strip club without him knowing. So, after the shooting, he had Clinton email all of the worker at the club about the new security system and they were all mailed a card to scan in. Unfortunately that bald fucker forgot to include Jasmine in the email nor was she mailed a card to allow her in the club with her name attached.
"Look ma'am, yo name ain't on the fuckin list and you don't have a card to scan in-
"Jasmine girl you're here!" Miracle excitedly pulled Jasmine into a hug.
"Miracle girlll," Jasmine smiled. "Can you please tell this man that I work here?"
Miracle frowned not understanding her current situation. She didn't understand why Jasmine would need her to explain such things if everyone had an ID to scan in.
"You didn't show him your card?" She asked pulling out her fresh unused ID which displayed her government name, age, number, race, and stripper name.
"I didn't know I was suppose to have one-
"Of course Clinton dumb ass didn't send you one. Excuse me....Ajero?" She questionably read the big guys name tag. "This is Jasmine, she's our new bartender girl. She was hired last week by Clinton-
"And she does not have a card....can't get in," he shrugged his shoulders.
"Mannn if y'all don't come the fuck on," a stripper named Faded spoke in an exasperating manner causing other stripper behind in line to agree.
"The front entrance is getting packed out, we need an extra body up here," a voice spoke from the walkie talkie resting on Ajero's hip.
"10-4," another voice responded.
"Uh- did you at least ask Ace if he knew who she was?" Miracle frowned. "You know..from your walkie talkie"
Ajero smacked his lips, reluctantly pulling the device from his waste and pressing on speaking button, " Ace do you know a..-
"Jasmine Howard," she smiled.
"Do you know a Jasmine Howard. She say she was recently hired but doesn't have a card to get in,"
"Let her in," Ace's thick raspy voice poured into the strippers nearby ears and sent water between their legs.
Each unconsciously crossed their legs while holding on to their belongings tight. Once they noticed, they all laughed and stood back correctly. After all, he did have that effect but he was for one woman and one woman only.
"Why the fuck you hoe's ain't inside yet?" Quinn pushed pass all of the girls in line, making her way to the front. "Who the fuck are you?" She mugged Jasmine.
"Will you stop being rude, this is Jasmine the new girl-
Quinn scrunched her face up at the brown-eyed beauty in front of her. Quinn allowed her eyes to dance on the girl from head to toe. She was beautiful; a real life doll. Why the hell would she be working here. Not to say the girls that worked at Ace's Diamond were trashy and ugly, but the woman standing before her was definitely something special. She could tell she didn't belong, her bougieness oozed from her pores as Jasmine wrapped her arms around her body, nervously watching her surroundings.
"Ain't nobody told me nothing," Quinn mugged Jasmine waiting and expecting a clap-back from her. But she got nothing....only a shy smile. Oh yeah....this girl was different.
"Mann come the fuck on," another stripper sighed after being held up for more than thirty minutes.
"Come on Jas, Ace said you can come in," Miracle softly pushed her pass the security.
Finally the two made it inside with Quinn hot on their tails. She was foaming at the mouth like a rabies infected dog while staring down at Jasmine. Who hired this bad bitch? She thought. She became angry...but more nervous. Nervous for her position in Ace life. The last time a bad bitch showed up in her life, she lost her bestfriend...her man, now, while she managed to get him back....she wasn't too sure about this one.
"So Jasmine, this is Minnie. She works at the bar most of the time so y'all will be around each other a lot. Minnie this is Jasmine, she's new," Miracle smiled as they walked over to the bar.
"Hi it's nice to meet you," Jasmine smiled.
"Likewise. I'm happy you've joined the family," Minnie smiled back causing Quinn to scoff. "Now I have to warn you, sometimes I work on the pole so you'll be at the bar alone. None of the other strippers wanna waste their time at the bar"
Jasmine frowned folding her arms, "well why not"
"Jas girl I'm trynna tell you...the bar doesn't get you that type of money the pole gets you," miracle chuckled as Minnie poured her a drink.
Minnie laughed in agreement, "what are you doing here anyways. This doesn't seem like your-
"I know you fuckin lying," Quinn smacked her lips looking off in the distance causing the other to do the same. In their view, aside from big booty strippers and paying customers having a ball, there the boss, head huncho, the man of the hour, Ace. Dressed in a white sweatsuit, with white Oreo 4s, white bucket hat, and silver jewelry to top it off. He was a walking god. While Quinn frowned at Ace, Minnie cheesed at the two who were behind him, and Miracle held a confused expression, Jasmine was a pool by the mouth as she watched the god walk her way...well their way.
"What the fuck is this Ace. Why are these bitches here?" Quinn questioned her man before mugging Milano and Veronica who smiled back.
"Mind your business bookie," Milano flashed a toothless smile before mugging her.
"Bitch this is my business, fuck is you talm b-
"Mannn don't start this shit," Ace frowned. " I just came out to give new girl her card," it pulled it out his pocket.
Reaching his arm out to Jasmine, Ace held the card between his index and middle finger waiting for her to grab it. The intoxicating scent of Burberry Touch danced off of Ace's body, seduced Jasmines nose causing a faint heartbeat between her legs. Jesus! She slowly grabbed the car, allowing her medium length acrylics to brush on his two tatted fingers. His nails..they were trimmed and clean..Jesus! From that point on, it felt like everything was moving in slow motion to Jasmine. She pulled away with the card and slowly looked up at his face. Aww...he has freckles..Jesus! Aww and he has-
"Don't even think about it," Minnie whispers nudging Jasmine out of the trance Ace had placed her in.
The loud music allowed only Jasmine to hear Minnie since they were standing directly next to each other. Jasmine frowned confused as to what Minnie meant, Quinn spoke before her.
"Look here new bitch, this is MY man...I don't wanna-
"Anyways," Ace shook his head. He paid none of this any mind. He's always had this effect on bitches so this was nothing new to him neither was Quinn's rude behavior. "Jasmine, this is Ronnie, she'll be workin with you at the bar. Sometimes she's on the pole though-
"You're letting these bitches back-
Irritated with Quinn constant interruptions, Ace exhales pinching the bridge of nose before roughly grabbing her arm and pulling her back to his office.
"Well....that was interesting," Minnie chuckled breaking the silence between the ladies.
"I-I ...did I do something wrong?" Jasmine frowned, confused on why Quinn came at her the way she did.
" Jas, we all saw you drooling over that man," Miracle chuckled.
"And you should stop while you're ahead. If you aren't part of Clinton's plan you'll never get with Ace...or stay with him," Milano stepped in front of Ronnie coming to face Jasmine.
"Plan?...what are you talking about?"
"Just st-
Miracle scrunched her face up on annoyance cutting her off, "will everyone just leave her alone..DAMN! When did you even start back working here?"
"Hey can I just get a drink?" They could hear a customer ask.
"Alright, come on Jasmine I can train you," Minnie stated before leading the way behind the bar.
Ronnie followed behind leaving Miracle and Milano on the other side.
"Does mom and dad know you work here?"Miracle folded her arms already knowing the answer.
"Do they know about you're working here...or are you still a grown ass bitch that no longer live with her parents, afraid of what they'll say," Milano smirked mimicking Miracles posture.
"What are you doing back Milano?" She asked completely ignoring what she said and not allowing it to get to her.
"What, I just miss the club and the money," she shrugged her shoulders walking off towards the locker room.
"Well that's all it need to be...you shouldn't get back involved with Ace....it wouldn't be good for your mental health"
"....yeah....I know"
While everyone went about their business, wether that was lounging in the locker room, performing on stage, private rooms, or at the bar, the security out at the main entrance was having trouble with a certain little man.
"Man I'm telling you...just let me in the damn club. I know Ace. We go wayyyy back," Terrell tried to convince for the fifth time.
"Nigga you don't have any money...broke Niggas aren't allowed," the security laughed at the 5'5 nigga.
"That's my problem...I'm just trynna talk to Ace about a job man...come on," he smacked his lips as paying customer moved around him and made their way in the club.
"NO! You fuckin midget ass nigga. Step the fuck away fuh I beat yo ass"
"Man fuck y'all," Terrell had finally given up.
He stomped away like the angry little man he was. He had failed his mother once again. First he gambled on his childhood home; lost that. Then spent all their rent on drugs; got evicted. And now they're homeless...all because of his greedy ways. He felt even worst because his mother stood by his side through it all. His pops abandoned them when he was just five, so it's always just been him and his mom.
Angrily walking away from the club, Terrell began to brainstorm money-making ideas as he walk to the shelter his moms was staying. His thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of his phone. Pulling it from his pocket, he saw that he had a message from an unknown number.
His heart rate went through the roof as he stared at a picture of his mom at the shelter. What and who the fuck he thought. This is real....this shit is the real deal....this is really Ghost. The notorious Ghost; drug lord slash murder whose been dominating since the 90s. If you receive a message from him...just know that it's life or death. And that's what Terrell was realizing at that very moment. He continued on his walk and replied after twenty minutes of contemplating on the decision.
Terrell would have never imagined but he was now Ghost's little bitch. It was that or die. Or...would it be death both ways? Terrell thought about the possibilities of Ace killing him first in the process of his mission. And then that would make the task at hand a failure, which will result to Ghost having Terrell's mother killed. Terrell couldn't have that. So, on the way to the shelter Terrell thought of different ways to kill Rich ...and anyone who got in his way.
2035 words