Groovy continued to tell Slick what he had learned about the young man named Jah and the more he talked, the bigger the ball of ice forming in Slick’s stomach got. Thanks to Ralph, he had a problem he didn’t need or want. He was sure that he had more guns and more soldiers than the youngster, and would eventually get to him, but how much would he lose in exchange? Knuckleheads like Jah didn’t think like rational people. They were impulsive and acted without thinking. It was sure to be a headache, but he’d have to deal with Jah eventually. As they walked toward the VIP line, Slick weighed the pros and cons of his predicament.

“Name?” Bear asked, looking at the three men standing outside the rope.

“Slick,” the leader said casually.

Bear glanced at his list. “Don’t see your name up here.”

“Maybe you missed it, player. Why don’t you look again?” Slick said, a little more assertively.

“And what was your name again?”

Before Slick could open his mouth, Rel stepped up. “Yo, come on, man. This is Big Slick from uptown, stop acting like you don’t know.” His entire body language was hostile, changing the vibe of the conversation.

Bear tucked the clipboard under his arm and stepped to Rel. “Shorty, who the fuck do you think you’re talking to? Yo duke, I’ll pound you the fuck out!”

Seeing the situation about to get ugly, Slick stepped in the middle of the two men. “Easy, big man.” He laid a hand on Bear’s chest, which he slapped away. “We ain’t come here for that, my dude. My homegirl Ariel invited us down, and I wouldn’t let my peoples shit on her name by coming down here like that.”

Bear slacked up a bit, but he let his angry glare linger on Rel longer than necessary. He looked at the list again and tapped a name with his finger. “Yeah, she put y’all niggaz under her comp. Give me twenty a piece,” Bear told them spitefully.

Groovy frowned. “Twenty cash? I thought we was comped?”

“She’s comped, you niggaz is guests.” Bear folded his arms and waited for their next move.

Rel looked like he was about to start again, but Slick silenced him with a gesture. Slick dug in his pocket and reluctantly handed Bear sixty dollars. When they were being searched, the giant made sure he was extra rough with Rel, slamming his palm into his crotch and pushing him roughly when he was done. When the three men entered the party area, all the drama they’d gone through disappeared and there was only the stage.

18