Zero Degrees Part 1

Chapter 8



“Girl, you goin’ have to get used to walking in heels,” Peaches said in response to me whining about how bad my feet were hurting.

“But I’m saying girl. How in the hell did you learn how to walk in heels so good? You wore sneakers just like me for years.” I’d been walking around the apartment for an hour in three inch stiletto heels trying to get a feel for them. My feet were killing me and we hadn’t even gone out yet. Peaches had already mastered the art of walking in high heels.

“It didn’t take me long because I wore heels before we went to juvie. I told you that I wasn’t the average teenaged girl. I thought I was grown. You’ll get used to it. You might as well, ‘cause no matter what he say Zeus don’t want to see you in sneakers and flats all the time. High heels are sexy,” she said plopping down on the sofa.

I had to admit that I loved the purple and black ankle length boots. I’d bought them to wear with the black hip hugging jeans and sexy, silk purple low cut top that stopped slightly above my belly button. It was what I planned to wear out later that night.

“Zeus is gonna be all over you tonight when you wear that outfit. I’m telling you. Oh, and for future reference, whenever he gives you money make sure to put something aside for a rainy day. You never know when and why the money might get cut off,” she advised.

She never ceased to amaze me. What had happened to the sweet, naïve girl I was locked up with? Well, she was long gone and had been replaced by Miss Sophisticated and a little conniving. I could remember a time when she needed my advice or opinion about everything. I guess she’d grown up. Money could make a person change quick. When I zoned back in I realized that she was still talking.

“What did you say?” I asked.

“I said that we both know that Zeus and Buff own Club Trois. They renovated it and I can’t lie girl. It be some bad bitches in there and some ballin’ ass money getting niggas. Therefore it’s going to be plenty of groupie bitches there who either f*cked them or wanna f*ck them. You already know how to handle that shit, right?” She was standing up with her hands on her hour glass hips.

“Hell yeah,” I said.

“How?” She asked me with a skeptical look on her face.

“Don’t test me bitch. I know how to handle me. I’m gonna just chill and act nonchalant about the shit. I already know where I stand with Zeus, besides dudes goin’ be dudes. As long as he respects me in my face, I don’t give a f*ck about no bitch ice grilling. They will know exactly who the real bitch is tonight.” I had my diva attitude turned up.

Peaches smiled all proud like and nodded in approval. “Okay, you’re feeling me. I’m glad we’re on the same page. For a minute there I thought you were goin’ be on some thugged out wanna fight a bitch bullshit. I ain’t even for none of that tonight. Hell no. I’m goin’ be too damn flyy and too high for that shit. Let a bitch hate. If bitches ain’t hating on you, you ain’t doin’ something right. We are gonna be flossing with some real bosses tonight.”

“Have you been to the club before?”

“Yeah, plenty of times. That muthaf*cka is hot as hell. Just wait until you see it. Everybody be dressed to the T and it don’t be nothing but hot, tricked out rides in the parking lot. The last time I was there it was a few NBA players in the VIP section making it rain with the dope boys. Those niggas are always surrounded by groupies though. The trip part is that niggas be on those niggas’ dicks harder than the bitches.” She laughed. “That shit is crazy.”

“You’re clowning right now,” I laughed too.

“I’m dead ass. Believe me. Niggas be kissing their asses that hard. That’s so lame,” she said.

I just shook my head at how shameless niggas were over money.

“How does Buff handle the attention from other women when you’re around?” I asked. I was getting excited.

Peaches retrieved a rolled blunt from a drawer, sat back down on the sofa and lit it. “Come sit down and take those shoes off. We’ll be sitting down in the VIP anyway. All you need to be able to do is walk up in the club without falling on your face.”

I sat down beside her and took the boots off happily. I rubbed my feet in an attempt to get the feeling back.

“Buff is smooth and he relies on his fitness game. I can’t lie. He can charm the panties off a bitch, but I been peeped it. He’s a natural born business man. He flirts on the sly like any nigga, but he respects me. That nigga lets them hoes know when I’m in the club by keeping his focus on me to make sure that I’m happy.” She blew the smoke out of her nose. “Don’t you want to know the same about Zeus?” She watched my reaction to her question.

I kept a straight face. “In a way yes, but in a way no. I would like to see for myself.”

“If you do, I’ll tell you. If you don’t, I won’t.”

“Tell me.”

“Zeus is really not fazed at all by the attention he gets from women. He ignores muthaf*ckas period. I saw him talk to a few women, but he was just thanking them for coming out to the club. His ass is very, very picky. You’ve got the pick of the litter Ze. Do what you want to do with it, but get that paper.” She smiled as she passed me the blunt.

I grabbed the blunt and inhaled it gratefully. I needed it to calm my nerves. I was kind of afraid that I wouldn’t be able to keep my cool if a bitch disrespected me.

“I hope Teena really comes this weekend,” Peaches said suddenly.

I looked at Peaches. “Yeah, me too. I miss that crazy bitch.”

Peaches laughed. “I remember when you beat her big ass. She didn’t know what had hit her. She told me that she had never lost a fight before or got her ass kicked like that. It made her respect you. I can’t believe you two became so close.”

“I know. I had already told myself that was what I’d do if a bitch came at me wrong. Now that I know how it feels to be with a man I know for sure,” I laughed. “Whatever floats her boat is her business, but I wasn’t trying to float that way. She invaded my personal space and I had to dead that shit before it even started. I’m glad I got to know her though. That’s my bitch.”

“Well, it’s almost ten, so let’s get dressed so we’ll be ready when they get back,” Peaches said.

I put the blunt out and noticed that my phone was vibrating.

“Hello,” I answered.

“Hey babe,” Zeus said.

“Hi baby.” A smile automatically decorated my face.

“What’s my baby up to?” He asked.

“Not much. We were just about to get ready.”

“Okay cool. We’ll meet ya’ll at the club in about an hour. Can’t wait to see you sexy. Tell Peaches Buff wanna talk to her.”

“I can’t wait to see you either. Later baby.” I gave Peaches the phone and went to get dressed.

* * *

We pulled up to Club Trois, in Peaches’s Mercedes. There was a line down the street and around the block. The night was alive and vibrant and there were people galore. It looked like a car show as we drove up. For some reason my breath lodged in my throat as I watched all the people who were in party mode, moving to the rhythm of the beats coming from inside the club.

There were dudes parking lot pimping in nice ass whips hollering at chicks as they strutted by in groups dressed like super models. For some reason I stared bug eyed. I was not prepared for the scene. It made me self-conscious about what I was wearing. I was eighteen years old and it was my first time going inside a club. The pulsating music was beating so hard it felt like I could feel it in my soul. The delicious aroma of fried food wafted in the air with the potent scent of good weed. The concoction was intoxicating.

We had our cars valet parked and strolled all the way to the front of the line. It felt like the longest walk of my life in those damn high heeled shoes. I prayed that I didn’t stumble and fall, because all eyes were on us.

At the entrance there were several chicks dressed provocatively in miniskirts. One of them had blonde hair. She was cinnamon complexioned, dressed in a lacey, yellow outfit with a nice figure and a bad attitude.

“Come on Bunny, stop playing. Let us in,” she flirted as she jumped up and down making her small perky breasts bounce. She wasn’t wearing a bra and one of her nipples was slightly showing.

The bouncer was a huge, mammoth looking dude who stood about six eight and weighed about three hundred, solid pounds. He was blue black and had a shiny bald head with a big dent on the side of it.

“What you goin’ give me?” He smiled with big pink lips and a mouth full of gold that looked like tarnished cooper as he stared at her breasts.

“Uhh, excuse us!” Peaches yelled over the sound of loud music as we brushed pass the chicks.

“Who da f*ck they think they is?” The red head chick grumbled. We were so close that I could see the cheap, caked up make up starting to smear on her face.

“Hi Peaches!” The bouncer said in a throaty, deep baritone as he let us in. Hoes were hating already and we hadn’t even made all the way inside the club yet.

Club Trois was HUGE. Zeus and Buff named it Club Trois because it had three levels and was like three clubs in one. Just like Peaches had said the club was hot, but I was not expecting what I saw. Chicks were walking around prancing half naked, damn near nude with big asses as they served drinks. I looked on stage and saw two chicks bumping and grinding. There were even bitches dancing on a pool table. They were doing some acrobatic shit that would have made a gymnast blush.

They had audacious curves, banging ass bodies and long flowing hair. Biggie Small’s song, “Hynpnotize” was pumping with a heavy bass line. I couldn’t help but stare in amazement. I was captivated. The chicks had big old ghetto booties that gyrated and bounced to the pulsating beat. One chick bent all the way down making her ass cheeks clap on the way as dudes tossed lots of money at her.

I squinted my eyes as I walked into a cloud of weed smoke, loud laughter and a strobe, neon light. Fascination took over because I had never seen anything like it in my life. I watched a dude shove a wad of cash in the crack of some chick’s ass. She grabbed it with her butt cheeks and bounced before she hit the floor in a full split.

“I told you this shit was bangin’!” Peaches hollered as we navigated through the club. She was greeting people like she was the first lady. I had never seen anything like it in my life. Multi colored lights flashed, keeping me spell bound in a hypnotic trance. There were swinging chairs, a bar and a DJ on each level. The first level played straight up hip hop hits, the second level played house and reggae and the third level played a mixture and was where the VIP section was. It was only twelve am and it was already packed wall to wall. It was ladies night and the women had showed up to show out.

One of the strippers, an exotic looking dark skinned chick, had a sculptured body. She had a short stylish haircut with bangs. Her eyes were slanted, like she was mixed with Chinese and both of her eyebrows were pierced. A large tattoo of a snake was embellished across her ample chest and toned abs. The serpent’s head stopped right above her crotch. She clapped her ass cheeks and pumped her pelvis with her big ass coconut, shaped breasts bouncing at us. By law, North Carolina was topless only for strippers. That chick moved her panties to the side to show the tongue of the serpent that was tattooed on her hairless p-ssy. I was a little self-conscious to be actually enjoying that shit. I looked around and noticed that most of the strippers were breaking the topless only rule.

To my astonishment Peaches yelled out. “Heyyyy China Black!” She reached into her Gucci bag and gave the girl a bunch of ones. I stepped off because I didn’t want people to think that I was into chicks shaking their asses.

Peaches quickly caught up with me. That bitch was all hyped up.

“Have some fun girl, damn. Throw some money at those hoes. Shit, bitches can make it rain too,” she said and handed me a wad of cash. She then threw a bunch of bills up in the air and several strippers flocked to the money. I realized that it was kind of fun. There was a table to my right full of chicks popping bottles of Moet and Alize’. They were talking shit to some dudes at the next table who were throwing money at the strippers, wildin’ out and having a ball. A smile tugged at my lips when I saw one of the strippers giving a female patron a lap dance as her girls cheered her on.

F*ck it, timidly I threw the money that Peaches had given me up in the air and made it rain. The strippers damn near caused a stampede as they picked it up, laughing and giggling. People cheered them on and the chicks at the table applauded me. That was when I realized that they were in competition with the dudes at the next table.

“Give me some more money,” I said with my hand out.

“Bitch please, you better use your own money,” she said.

I had forgotten all about the money in my purse, reached inside and tossed up some bills. The strippers almost knocked each other over as they picked the money up. I got a kick out of that shit.

We walked to another section. ‘I never knew that so many gorgeous women worked as strippers,’ I thought as we strolled through the fabulous club. It was so many dudes trying to get my attention that Peaches had to take my hand and tow me through the crowd of people. I was looking for Zeus the entire time.

Finally Peaches and I made a pit stop at the bar. Thank God, because my feet were killing me. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and liked what I saw as we ordered shots of Patron and tossed them down back to back. I already had a nice buzz as the rhythm of the music soothed me. I bounced my shoulders, doing my own version of the Bankhead Bounce as Tupac’s, “I Get Around”, bumped through the speakers. That was my shit!

Eventually we made our way up to the third level to the VIP section. Instantly I was impressed even more with the attractive decor and ambience. It was decorated in plush crystal and mirrors with maroon colored carpeting. I was surprised to see more diverse looking black women dancing on stripper poles to the sensual reggae beat of an old Bob Marley song. The heavy scent of weed penetrated the air. That was when it finally dawned on me that Zeus and Buff really were official when it came to getting money.

Peaches instantly started doing her impromptu version of winding as she danced off beat. I couldn’t help but crack up at her goofy ass. She was drunk and so was I. That was until I looked over and saw Zeus talking to some chick by the bar. They were standing really close. The chick was all touchy feely as she put her hand on his chest. She was stunningly beautiful and was dressed in a chic, skin tight black Prada dress that hugged every inch of the generous curves. The low cleavage of her dress showed more than a little bit of her full, round breasts.

Her skin was the color of mocha that seemed to radiate and glow with the flashing lights. As she laughed, she rested her hand on Zeus’s shoulder, causing her long black silky hair to cascade over her large, round breasts. I stopped in my tracks as some dude pushed up on me. He was handsome with long dreads and one of those sexy trim jobs running down the sides of his face.

“What’s up shawty? Lemme holla at you for a sec.” He had a drink in his hand, sporting an iced out Jesus piece and earrings that sparkled like chandeliers.

Peaches turned to look at him and drawled, “Dayum, he’s fine as f*ck.”

I ignored them both. I was stuck taking in the scene of Zeus talking to that chick. The two of them appeared to be having a good time. I felt a pang of jealously consume me. The dude standing next to me was talking to me about leaving and going to his crib. I could smell alcohol on his breath. I felt his hand on the small of my back and then he palmed my ass. I shoved him off and began to walk toward Zeus and the chick when Peaches grabbed my arm.

“Where’re you goin’ bitch?”

I nodded toward Zeus and the beautiful women. Peaches frowned at me and said, “Remember I told you that this is how they make their money. This is their element. Chill baby. At the end of the night all that matters is that he goes home with you.”

That shit sounded good in theory, but in reality it didn’t make any damn sense. I stalked across the dance floor to Zeus like a Russian missile about to explode. I intentionally bumped into the bitch that he was talking to just as she was about to take a sip from her drink. The abrupt movement caused her to spill the liquid on her designer dress.

“Hey baby, I’ve been looking all around for you,” I said and then planted a big wet kiss on his lips. The woman stared at me in disbelief as she gave me a hard glare with her hazel eyes. They burned with rage as she wiped at the stain on her dress.

“Who is she!?” She spat over the loud music with her pristine face all balled up.

“I’m his woman! Who the f*ck are you?”

She just looked at me in awe, with her mouth forming an O like she couldn’t believe what I had just said.

“Baby, this is an old friend we went to school

together,” Zeus said to me with a generic smile. He kissed me on the check. I could tell that he was trying his best to extinguish the situation.

The chick just glowered at me. “Ugh, I can’t ..!” She was about to say something, but instead she gritted her teeth and abruptly turned and walked off.

Zeus wrapped his arm around me. “Listen baby this is how a nigga eat. You can’t be tripping like that. ”

I smiled between clinched teeth. I knew that I was wrong, so I blamed it on the alcohol. Plus people were watching us, but still my womanly instincts were telling me that something was wrong.

“You’re right, but when that bitch put her hands on you wit’ that touchy feely shit was where I drew the line. Just like you would do if a dude was all touchy feely on me.”

He stared at me for a minute. I saw the passion in

his handsome brown eyes as he looked at me and nodded.

“Yes, you’re right baby,” he said and looked up as Buff approached us. He was dressed right, rocking a gray FUBU outfit with a black silk t-shirt and a big ass platinum diamond chain. Peaches was at his side smiling at me, like she just knew that I had just snapped on Zeus.

“You’re looking some kinda good girl,” Buff complimented me and winked.

“Thank you,” I said smiling and hurting in those damn heels. I was looking good though and Peaches was too. She and Buff made a good couple. She was looking divalicious in a very tight, short, light blue designer jean dress. It was so tight and short that it barely covered her ass cleavage. Not only that, but she was walking the hell out of a pair of four inch, spike heeled, black snake skin, thigh high Gucci boots.

“I’ll be right back baby.” Zeus kissed me and walked off. He was killing it in a brown, tan and cream Coogi sweater, light blue Coogi jeans and butter Timberlands. I noticed that he was stopped many times by females. One of them tried to hug him. He cast a glance over his shoulder at me and gave the chick a hand shake instead. It seemed like every chick in the club wanted a piece of his chocolate, money making ass. He’d stop for a second, say hello, flash a friendly smile and keep it moving. There were no hugs, or other signs of that touchy feely shit that I had warned him about earlier. It took him a while to get to the other side of the club, because even dudes were stopping him like Peaches had said. He’d give them a nod or a hand shake. It was like he was a local celebrity.

I glanced at Buff, who was holding Peaches around the waist tightly. I guess he wasn’t going to let her out of his sight in that skimpy outfit. He had a tight look on his face like he’d knock out the first nigga who looked at her wrong.

“What up Buff?” A sexy, tall, bronze complexioned nigga with cornrows and a gold grill greeted him. They chest bumped, while giving each other dap.

I remembered Money from back in the day. He was actually Buff’s and Zeus’s best friend. He had a gorgeous, tall dark skinned chick at his side. She looked exquisite with a deep mahogany complexion like an African Queen. Her long hair was thick and hung down to her ass. She was bowlegged and thick in a pair of skin tight white Dolce and Gabbana jeans. She had on some nice Jimmy Choo, laced up ankle stiletto boots.

Money was dressed in white linen Versace with a diamond Presidential Rolex on his wrist and a big ass gold chain on his neck that looked like it cost a fortune. He and his chick looked like “Money”. Everything about them screamed hood legion in the making. He was their lieutenant who oversaw the manufacturing and trafficking of the product. He also made sure that the coke was cooked up, cut up and distributed on the streets.

“Ain’t shit Money. What’s going on with you mane?” Buff asked as he pounded him up again.

“Oh, so you don’t remember me?” Money’s companion asked Buff. As she did, she smiled at Peaches and me politely.

“You didn’t give me a chance to speak Desiree’,” Buff said apologetically.

“Hi Buff.”

“What’s going on?” Buff asked.

“Ya’ll already met my girl Peaches,” he added.

“Yo, what’s up?” He nodded with a dazzling smile, dimples and handsome features that reminded me of the singer Baby Face.

“Hey girl.” Desiree grinned.

“Hey Money and Desi,” Peaches said smiling right back in his face.

“And you remember my good friend Ze,” he refreshed Money’s memory.

“Oh yeah.” He nodded at me and licked his lips.

We exchanged pleasantries, but my mind was elsewhere.

* * *

Afterwards we were all seated at a table in the VIP having a ball. I was caught up in the happy sound of laugher, good weed and being in love. Ever so often Zeus would kiss and smoother me with affectionate hugs as he ran his hand up and down my inner thigh. Then something strange happened. For a quick second while Buff told a joke and Zeus had his head, I thought I saw Peaches giving Money some type of nod, or signal. I quickly tossed the thought out of my mind.

We drank some more Moet, partied, and got f*cked up until the wee hours of the morning. Even then the club was still banging with people arriving at 4 am. I could see why the zoning inspector was pissed at club owners. Zeus and Buff were in violation of everything.

* * *



As Peaches drove back to our crib, she was unusually quiet. I gazed up at the night sky and there was a full moon. Dawn was starting to peek over the starry horizon and traffic was practically none existent. I looked in the review mirror and saw Buff and Zeus trailing us home in the Benz SUV. In the club Zeus had whispered to me that he wanted to try something freaky that night. Well I had a trick for his ass. I was going to come out of my shell and experiment with his dick. I was full of lust as I rubbed my aching feet that rested on top of the dashboard.

I turned the music down.

“Why’re you so f*ckin quiet?” I asked Peaches. She’d been so adamant about us staying at the apartment that night, but it did make sense. We usually spent most of our time with them at their house, but she reasoned that the apartment was closer to the club. Since we all were really drunk we didn’t have to drive so far. She’d also suggested that they start stashing the money at our apartment until they built another money room. It was a low key spot that nobody really knew about.

“Shit, my f*ckin’ head hurts. I shouldn’t have mixed all that liquor,” she groaned looking like she was about to vomit in the car.

“Bitch, you just can’t handle your liquor, stop playing,” I clowned her.

As soon as we pulled up in front of the town house apartments and parked, Buff and Zeus rolled up right behind us. I hopped out of the car. The night air was bitter cold on my damp skin as I walked bare foot with my shoes in my hand. Buff and Zeus got out of the car and Buff strode over to Peaches.

Zeus had that big ass Gucci duffle bag. As usual it was stuffed with the night’s earnings from the club and dope money. Strangely, I remembered him dragging it against the ground because it was so heavy. He had a mischievous grin on his face as he looked at me. It was the sexiest smile I had ever seen. Things suddenly seemed to happen in slow motion. The tall bushes next to the apartment moved and two gunmen in Freddy Kruger masks rushed us with AK-47’s. Both Buff and Zeus had their backs turned.

“Freeze muthuf*ckas! Put yo hands up!!”

Fear gripped my chest like a tight fist. My scream resonated an echo in the night as Zeus turned and reached for his strap a second too late.

Boom!!

The shot lifted him off his feet and nearly flipped him backwards. The sound was deafening, like thunder. Before Buff knew what was happening one of the gunmen was on him with the assault rifle pointed at his head.

“Buck nigga and I’ll bust yo ass!!” He threatened with deadly intent.

“OH, shit, oh, shit!” Peaches whimpered as she shuffled her feet like she wanted to run.

I knew that wouldn’t be a good idea.

“Shut up bitch before I bust a cap in your ass. Now let’s drag this nigga inside.”

“Man you shot my brother…” Buff started

The other gunman struck him in the head with the butt of the assault rifle instantly opening up a gash that spewed blood. Buff bent over in pain. Droplets of blood soiled Peaches’s shoes as placed her hands over her mouth to stifle a scream.

“Pah –please, don’t hurt us!” She pleaded.

“Shut up bitch and open the door so we can drag that nigga in the house.” He gestured toward Zeus who lay on the ground, groaning in agony. Buff staggered over to help his brother inside the apartment. The short gunman shoved me and I almost stumbled and fell. That’s when I remembered that the 9.mm Buff had given me was in my purse.