“Well, this is new,” Trace said as he met me near the window.
“What?”
“You’re nervous.”
Damn, is it that obvious?
I took in a deep breath and counted to ten. I needed to get my shit together before Nyx got here. It was one thing for her to know that I was feeling her, but it was another for her to know that she had control over my emotions.
“Trust me, I wish I could explain it, but I can’t.”
“Oh, I know you can’t. But don’t you think this is a dangerous game you’re playing?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re trying to get your hooks into someone else’s woman. If another nigga tried to do that shit to you, you would be ready to kill his ass.”
“You damn right. But I would have every right to.”
Trace let out a hearty laugh, his gaze focusing even more on me. “Really? Please explain.”
“For starters, I’m not a self-absorbed asshole, and before you give me some lecture on me not knowing anything about that lame ass nigga she’s with, just know that I know enough. He doesn’t deserve her, and he doesn’t support what she does.”
“Hmm...interesting. So the shit she does with you on stage, you would be cool with her doing with someone else?”
I shrugged. “I don’t see what the issue is. She’s doing what she’s paid to do. Now, the lap dance, that’s another story. But shit like that wouldn’t happen if she was getting what she needed, and that’s a problem I’m prepared to fix.”
He nodded slowly, seeming to somewhat accept the explanation I’d given him. But I knew Trace. He was a man of logic and reason. He didn’t make a habit of stepping into someone else’s territory. He was big on respecting others, but if he felt like he wasn’t getting the same thing in return, that nice guy shit was a wrap.
Trace glanced down at his phone. “Well, it looks like your little guest has arrived. You want me to send her up?”
I looked around my penthouse, making sure nothing was out of place. “Yeah, it’s cool.”
Trace nodded and walked toward the private elevator.
Realizing that Jassi and Xandie should’ve arrived at the party by now, I grabbed the remote from the armrest of my couch and aimed it at the cabinet that blended into the wall. One press of the green button, and the panels slid apart, exposing several screens. Each one flickered on, showing my sister and her friend as they got out of the car.
I frowned, irritated by the attire my sister had chosen for the evening. Although her legs were fully covered, her damn stomach wasn’t. She was wearing a long-sleeve crop top with high-waisted jeans.
“When the fuck did she get a belly ring?” I questioned, my eyes bulging from their sockets.
“Oh, so this is what you do in your free time?” I turned around, the sound of Nyx’s voice soothing my insides and freeing me from the infuriating thought of random ass niggas seeing Jassi’s belly button. “You use your security team to spy on random women at parties?”
A smirk tugged at my lips. “First of all, they’re not just random women. That’s my sister and her best friend. Second, I don’t like to call it spying. I prefer to call it looking out.”
“Hmm...okay. It definitely looks like spying, though.”
“Well, clearly, we don’t share the same perception.”
“No, I guess we don’t. But I’m sure your sister would see it my way. Does she know about your little televised event?”
My grin widened, pleasantly surprised by her line of questioning. “Some things she’s better off not knowing.”
“If you say so.” Nyx shrugged, then walked around my living room. “This is nice. I must say, I thought you would be in a house by the water or something.”
“I am. But only in the summer months. The penthouse is where I like to spend my time in the winter. I enjoy the breeze and a balcony view when it’s cold outside.”
She nodded. “I can understand that. It’s one of my favorite things about my place. Of course, that’s nothing in comparison to this.”
