“So do you always sit on the side lines of your own party?” Toya spoke up glancing over her shoulder at him as he took another gulp of his drink.

“I don’t throw them necessarily, this is my spot and that’s about it when it comes to these things.”

“Hmm.” She sounded as she crossed her legs and rolled her ankle around in circles. Justin licked his lips and sat up in his seat.

“You don’t seem like the partying type.”

“I’m not.”

“Why did you come?”

She tucked a curl behind her hair and shrugged,” I guess you can say it was suggested I act my age.”

“What age is that?”

"24."

He scoffed in pure disbelief, "Bullshit."

She now turned her body a bit towards him with a humorous smile," How old do you think I am?"

"I would give you 29 judging by the way you carry yourself. Looks 26."

She shook her head turning back around," Nope, 24."

"I guess they were right then."

"They?" She inquired turning her attention to him again.

Whoever told you that you needed to act your age? You are making yourself old before your time. That stick you had in there when I first met you for starters." He chugged the last of his beer before sitting it down on the ground beside him.

"Ah there is the cocky bastard, I was wondering when he was going to show up." She rolled her eyes giving him her full back this time. She crossed her legs a little tighter, which Justin took notice of and her leg bounced a little more. It signaled only one thing. She was irritated by him.

He grew a small smirk,” I never left."

She didn't give him a response just kept looking forward and glancing at the time on her watch. She wandered when the game was going to be over so she make her way back to the house. She had a okay time up until this point.

"Got somewhere to be?"

No response.

He leaned forward in his chair until he was just barely touching her shoulder with his chin," Past your bed time?"

She slowly turned her head glaring at him," Back. The fuck off me."

Every word oozed with heavy accent surprisingly turning him on, which made him sit all the way back in his seat. He never had any girl talk to him like that before for as long as he could remember. He watched as she shot up from her seat and charge her way across the parking lot.

Charlie watched as Toya bee lined it back to Angie’s car opening the passenger side and disappeared inside with a slam of the door. He turned his attention back to his brother who was raising from his seat, heading over to one of the steel barrels filled with beer and grabbed two and followed Toya's trail. He just shook his head and continued on with his conversation.

Justin slowly approached Angie's car as she was leaned in the passenger door talking to Toya," Girl come on get out of the car.."

Justin walked around to the opposite and threw his glance to Oscar's direction and nodded. Oscar smirked and walked up behind Angie, tugging at her waist," Come on Ang, let her cool off why don't come with me and shake a little something."

Angie shrugged Oscar off annoyingly while peering at Justin with weary eyes as he opened the driver side door and slipped inside.

Toya was tossing back her third shot since she been in the car when Justin slipped into the driver seat. She rolled her eyes swallowing down the hard liquor with a hiss. Justin didn’t look at her but popped open the tops to the beer and handing her one.

When she didn’t accept right away, his eyes met hers.

A burst of heat coursed through her body surely making her cheeks redden, forcing her to take the cold beverage, taking a couple of gulps before resting against her seat. Justin watched as she rubbed the glass bottle against the side of her neck letting little ringlets of water cascade down chest and in between the valleys of her breasts disappearing.

He shifted and took a drink.

As they sat there in quiet, Toya began to chuckle softly shaking her head. Justin turned to look at her with a raised brow. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

“You have no idea, how common you are to me?”

“Common?”

She shook her beer in hand,” This is your way of apologizing.”

He scoffed,” You look like you needed to cool off.”

She disregarded his smart remark,” I know your type all too well. I’ve... I’ve been around your type for a long time.”

“Enlighten me on what my type is.”

She shifted in her seat pressing her back up against the passenger door and clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth,” The type that knows they run shit, but like to pretend like they are just a little fly on the wall.”

Justin “hmph’d” in response, tipping his bottle back up against his lips.

“People around here look at as some type of American Gangster want to be. You have this false illusion that you are helping your community and that everyone loves, but they live in secret fear of you because they know what you are capable of. You think you can’t be denied anything when you through your weight around. Especially when it comes to women.”

He just watched her as she continued to ramble on about how she thought she knew him and his so called type. She moved her hands as she talked taking a sip of beer in between, her accent came in heavy the more she talked. She definitely had some rough edges, he could tell by the things she was saying, some of them true, some them not, but her words definitely spoke from experience.

She definitely had been exposed to his lifestyle.

Toya knew she was drunk because she got really smart at the mouth, bold, aggressive and talkative. It didn’t help that it had been a long time since she had consumed this much alcohol in one setting.  He looked at her with a calmness in his eyes, as though he wanted to know what she actually thought him.

Or it could just be the liquor.

Her mouth was running a mile minute until she glanced down at the near empty patron bottle.

Yeah it was definitely the liquor.

She abruptly stop talking and they sat in silence for a while.

Justin let out deep chuckle glazing out at the scene before him,” I definitely give it to you, there is some truth to what you said. But let me explain something to you.  I get no glory for any of this. I don’t feel like no king, or boss, or gangster. What I am is a business man. I am in a business, that I can guess you could say I inherited. So, with being the business man that I am. I am responsible for a lot of people. I don’t claim to be no hero or hood Robin Hood. I do whatever it takes to keep the money flowing in this city. I put money in these dudes pockets so they can pay rent, pay their child support, pay their court fees, and put food on their tables and clothes on their back. “

She felt the heat crawl around the back of her neck as began to flush because of embarrassment. She didn’t expect a response from him nor did she expect a serious one. His tone was low, but it held definitely confidence and authority. He meant what he was saying.

“As far as the women go. I am a man, but half naked, desperate women with money signs in their eyes don’t appeal to me. Half of them couldn’t make it a few hours in my world. I am unpredictable, I like my privacy. I don’t like a woman on my arm all the time. I separate my life from my business as much as I can and sometimes, more often than none. It ain’t easy.”

She knew exactly what he meant.

He chug down the last of his beer and motioned to the party scene before them, drawing Toya’s attention to it as well,” These women out here, don’t want nothing but money and a title. They think being the woman of someone in my inner circle is like striking gold. Guarantee protection, guarantee respect and money, but they forget their a guarantee target. Not just them, but anyone and everyone that they are personally connected with. Being with me isn’t a walk in a park and my life isn’t for the faint at heart.”

Silence drew over them again.

"So tell me about you."

Toya glanced over at him and smirked," I'm sure you know all about me."

She reached down grabbing her purse from the floor and began rummage through it until she found her cell phone. She went through her message box and began to text her brother to see there whereabouts.

Damion simply replied," I'm good sis. We chillin'."

She couldn't help, but smile. He wasn't going to give her any reason to come home early and she knew that about him.

"Look I know we got off on a bad start, I'm really just trying to make conversation with you."

"I don't need conversation. I'm drunk."

He chuckled lightly and nodded," Yeah you really polished off that bottle. Yet you manage to hold a conversation really good. I'm impressed."

She rolled her eyes and finished off the last shot, emptying the bottle completely. She laid back against seat pressing back her curls from her damp face. The heat from their bodies and mouths began to fog up the windows of the car. She closed her eyes for a few moments before popping them back open.

She was starting to get sleepy and that meant it was time to go.  She sat up in her seat sighing," I need to get Angie,  It's time for me to go home before I pass out."

" I'll take you home." Justin offered sincerely.

She cut her eyes towards him as if that was the most absurd thing she had heard, but his offered still stands.

She waved him off and shook her head,"  No, I'll get her. She will take me home."

Justin turned around noticing body laying on the back of her chair, while Oscar practically laid on top of her drying humping her. He turned back around and scoffed," Good luck with that. If she goes anywhere it won't be home."

Toya glanced back in the direction he was just looking and groaned at the sight. She cursed underneath her breath.

"Look  how about I get Charlie to take you home. You are more comfortable with him. He won't mind."

He didn't give her a chance to protest before he was closing the door shut to the car.  She sighed guessing she had no choice in the matter. It was a few minutes before Justin was opening her door and offering her his hand in assistances out the car. She was in the middle of texting Michael that she was on her way home and that she would see them when they got there.

Charlie stood there grinning with a chemise cat," Look at you lightweight."

She couldn't help, but smile glancing over at Justin as he held onto her arm firmly, more concerned with balancing her than paying attention to Charlie's playful banter. Even though she hadn't even taken a step. But she certainly felt the laws of gravity.

" Not typically my style and I'm sure I'm going to regret it in the morning."

Charlie smiled and nodded towards to Justin as he offered his arm to Toya. They began to make their way across the yard patiently making sure not to move too quick along the gravel.

Justin already ahs someone pull his car out for them. It sat idle, as Charlie and Justin traced her off so Justin could help her inside the truck. Angie came around back," Hey, what's going on."

Toya stepped into the car as Justin firmly held onto her waist to steady her. Justin glanced over at her with a bit of a scorn, causing Angie to step back at the look. Toya sat down in the car smiled lightly at her," I'm going home I had way too much to drink. Justin and Charlie offered me a ride home so you can stay here with Oscar."

Justin stood in the door way watching as Toya clumsily buckled her seat belt.

"I could have taken you home, didn't know you were readying to go. I thought--" She glanced between her and Justin."

"I'll get her home Ang, don't sweat it." Charlie called out from the driver seat shifting it into drive and nodding towards Justin. That was Justin's cue to close the door and lean over in the window completely cutting the conversation between Toya and Angie off.

Toya looked at Justin with glossed eyes as he reached for her phone that she held in her hands. He was too quick or she was too drunk to object. He quickly typed away and then handed it back to her.

"Let me know you okay in the morning." Justin muttered quickly between them and then nodded at Charlie give him the 'ok'.

Toya back in her seat and closed her eyes as  they slowly made their way out, glancing into the rearview mirror, Charlie watched as her brother turn around and quickly grab hold of Angie's arm and marched her out of sight.

Charlie shook his head and looked over to Toya as she was fast asleep.