Tongue out and twerking with a bottle of Ace of Spades in hand, Ermias and the team had the VIP section packed with men and women partying.

"Dumps in the truck, thighs like what" I shouted the lyrics feeling good and having way too much fun by myself since Ermias found the need to distance himself from me after the talk we had about keeping this professional " Ain't nann hoe got more booty in the butt"

"Fuck it up"

J-Roc tipsy ass hyped my drunk ass up dancing to Trina, I tilted my head back taking the Ace of Spades to the head.

"White jump suit, baby girl you going off!" The DJ spoke into the mic " This for you baby girl"

He scratched the record all fancy before he changed over the song, I went to the railing over looking into the crowd, everybody had phones pointed up at Ermias while he talked to the guys around him.

"Real ass bitch give a fuck bout a nigga!" I leaned over the railing to rap the lyrics with the few women down below hyping me up.

A long ass arm wrapped around my waist pulling me back slightly, I smiled up at him my eyes barely opening.

"Come get some water, you gotta slow down or you gonna be knocked soon" He talked in my ear easing the bottle out of my hand putting it down on the table while pulling me to the personal bar area getting me a cup of water "I wanna introduce you to my baby sister real quick"

Ermias called over a beautiful woman, her skin glowing even though the club was dimly lit and her curly hair pushed up into a pineapple shape.

"Sammy this Kierra, Kierra this my sister Samantha"

"I apologize I'm drunk so we are going to do this introduction again when I'm sober"

We laughed she held up the bottle of tequila.

"Girl me too, sorry E I'm gonna steal her from you because ya'll niggas acting too stuck up tonight" Sammy linked arms with me dragging me back over to the railing "Put your head back"

Sammy tapped my chin, I put my head back slightly opening my mouth taking the waterfall of tequila, the DJ was on point with the music making the crowd below go crazy.

"Fuck them other niggas cause I'm down for my niggas, what!"

I rapped with my finger pointed like a gun, there went that long arm wrapping around my waist, this time Ermias wasn't snatching me away instead he was smiling and rapping along with his sister.

My body was beginning to heat up just from his touch, I fanned myself feeling the sweat beads forming. unexpectedly Ermias grabbed a napkin from the table behind us coming back to dab my forehead with it.

"You need some water"

"I'm just a little hot right now" I yelled in his ear over the music.

"Come on"

Ermias gently took my hand raising his hand up at J-Roc while we descended down the steps to the back exit, the light breeze hit me.

"You straight?"

"Yeah the air helps" I slurred swaying side to side, I was fucked up and it felt good to finally not feel worry or fear.

"I think you had enough tonight, let's get you home"

I stepped away from him the last thing I wanted him to do was take me home and get a glimpse of the dump I lived at.

"You hosting tonight if you could kindly call the car service for me and I can ride back"

"You sure you gonna be alright on your own?" I nodded quickly not wanting him to think he had to ride along with me to my place " Alright he's coming now to drop you off, you text me as soon as you step foot in your crib"

"Sure, thank you for everything Ermias, tonight and giving me a job I'm so grateful"

"Your welcome, now go home and get you some rest we got work to handle in the afternoon"

The car pulled up, Ermias opened the back door for me letting me slide inside. He reached inside putting my seat belt on before closing the door back.

"Remember hit me up when you get home" That shit was not home for me.

"Okay"

He shut the door and stood back watching us pull away, the driver slowed at the stop sign turning around to me.

"You sure you want me to drop you back off at the same spot I picked you up from?"

"Yes thank you"

I was too embarrassed for anyone to see where I stayed, instead of the driver picking me up from there I took a twenty minute walk to a local grocery store parking lot.

"You sure? it's really late out here"

"I'm sure" I closed my eyes to stop the feeling of my head spinning.

This was going to be a long ass walk home.

----------------------------------------

All my niggas stood outside the club getting into all the cars parked out front, I got in the back seat along side Sammy who was slumped down half sleep in the seat.

"Everything good with dropping Kierra off?"

"Yeah" shaking his head caught my attention.

"Why you shaking your head? she get sick?"

"The ride wasn't long enough for her to get sick Nip" I frowned.

"She live a good minute from here, so did you drop her home?

He shrugged making me sober up, I checked my phone and I hadn't gotten a text yet from her.

"What you mean you don't know? you dropped her off at home?"

"Nip, I dropped her off the same spot she had me pick her up from"

I clenched my jaw rechecking my calls and text just in case I overlooked hers.

"And where the fuck was that?"

"In the parking lot beside Caribbean Market"

"Fuck you mean a parking lot? cuz I know you ain't drop her off this late by herself" I called her phone but got sent straight to voicemail " Go back that way and you ain't gonna stop driving until we find her"

"Aight"

I was livid that Kierra thought it was cool to walk drunk by herself past one in the morning, I had her address on paper so there was no need for her to hide it from me out of shame I didn't give a fuck about her address that didn't make her less of a good person.

Sammy fell asleep while we rode around Crenshaw Boulevard trying to find Kierra.I squinted my eyes at a woman in all white holding her heels in her hand sitting at the bus stop sleep.

"Pull over" I hopped out with the car still rolling " Kierra"

"Hmmm?" She moaned, vomit was on the ground and her skin was pale.

"Kierra what you doing out here?"

She stayed quiet with her head bowed, I knew there was no way I could get an answer out of her while she was this drunk. I reached down scooping her up in my arms walking back to the car.

"You gonna take Sammy home first then drop us off at her spot I got the address"

I put Kierra in the backseat and hopped up front, this night was not ending it how I wanted to and shit irritated me and would have to talk to Kierra about it in the morning.

"Come on drunk ass" I joked helping Sammy out the car taking her up to her house " I'll see you later"

I waited for her to stumble her way inside.

"Lock yo shit Sammy" I waited for her to lock her door up before heading back to the car to ride to Kierra's spot.

"She live at the Turner Apartments on Hoover"

That area was known for violence and drugs and I got why she ain't want nobody to see where she truly lived at, I got her fear of somebody finding out where she was really from and using it as a way to prejudge who she was.

I wasn't afraid to go to any hoods, my name held weight and I got respect and love by every hood and gang member.

"Pick us back up around noon" I got out the front seat going to the back seat to retrieve Kierra "Yo keys in your clutch?"

She nodded opening it up and getting out the key that read F3, I picked her up carrying her into the court yard looking at the letters on the doors.

"Upstairs" She mumbled into my chest, I climbed the flight of steps seeing her door directly in the middle, I put her down on her feet to unlock it.

For a hood ass apartment her spot was clean and neat not to mention missing furniture and a television, only a bed sat in the middle of the room with plastic containers as dressers and a night stand.

"I'm gonna use your bathroom"

She stumbled around in the dark turning on battery operated candles that you got from the dollar store, it hadn't clicked that her lights wasn't on.

"Sorry I haven't got a chance to get them cut back on, I just got my water going"

I grabbed a candle leading me to the bathroom. Kierra was honorable in my eyes she did what she could to at least keep a roof over her and her sons head.

"What made you think it was cool to walk all the way back here?" I waited for her reply and got nothing " Kierra?"

I finished using the bathroom and found her sprawled out on the bed, I found some extra covers and a pillow, taking off my chains and shirt laying them in a pile beside me. I got down on the floor to sleep, we could discuss this shit later.

----------------------------------------------

My head popped up with all my hair in my face at the sound of my front door opening and closing, plastic bags being sat down made me grab the 9 millimeter from the back of my bed, I got up slowly with it by my side seeing the tall shadow in my kitchen.

"Who the fuck is here?" I raised the gun up making Ermias spin around pointing his own gun back at me, we lowered them slowly at the same time " How did you get in my apartment?"

"I ain't answering no questions until you put that shit up"

I looked down at the gun putting it down on the counter top, he put his back in his waistband turning back to whatever was in the bags.

"What makes you think it was cool for you to walk home last night?"

"I-I

"You got embarrassed about where you stay at and got dropped off in a sketchy part of town by yourself in the middle of the night after I specifically told you before not to go out here late at night on your own"

"I didn't want you to see where I live and think differently about me" I bit my bottom lip leaning back on the counter.

"Fuck you think I came from? I ain't always had money like this I struggled too, even if I did I don't judge people I'm not God"

Ermias went to a light switch making me nervous knowing I hadn't paid that bill off yet, he flicked it up and the lights came on.

"How-

"Put your groceries in yo fridge how you want them to be"

He stepped aside from the bags he was blocking, I hesitantly approached them taking out all the food he had gotten for my fridge.

"Thank you"

"After you done get in the shower and get ready we got a long day of work ahead"

I could tell what I had done really bothered him, I wasn't used to someone looking out for me so much and I guess I needed to stop being hard headed and just listen for once.

"I'm sorry for ignoring your rules, I was drunk and not properly thinking"

"You got an hour to get ready before the car get here" He sat on the edge of my bed going through his phone ignoring my apology

Now I was getting the could shoulder, thanks a lot self!