Life at the Club Read online

  Life at the Club

  Adrianne

  www.urbanbooks.net

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Book Remarks

  1 - Nova: My Beginnings

  2 - Montezz: Puppy Love

  3 - Marvin: The Battle Cry

  4 - Nova: Survivin’

  5 - Montezz: That’s Tha Way Love Goes

  6 - Marvin: In the Line of Fire

  7 - Nova: In Transition

  8 - Montezz: Playtime Is Ova’

  9 - Marvin: Fightin’ a Losin’ Battle

  10 - Nova: More Dollars and Sense

  11 - Montezz: Happy but Wanting More

  12 - Nova: Tired of the Same Ol’ Same

  13 - Montezz: She Got Me Curious

  14 - Marvin: Fightin’ a Losin’ Battle

  15 - Nova: Caught in the Middle

  16 - Montezz: It’s a Family Affair

  17 - Marvin: A Double-edged Sword

  18 - Nova: Back to Reality

  19 - Mia: Played by a Real Playa

  20 - Nova: A Man of My Own

  21 - Montezz: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

  22 - Marvin: Weathering the Storm

  23 - Mia: Keepin’ My Enemies Closer

  24 - Nova: Holding It Down

  25 - Montezz: Facing My Fear

  26 - Mia: Killin’ Her Softly

  27 - Montezz: She Wants That Ol’ Thang Back

  28 - Marvin: Tryin’ Not to Drown

  29 - Nova: About My Bag

  30 - Montezz: Right Back at One

  31 - Mia: Pleasure As Well As Business

  32 - Marvin: Something Old for Something New

  33 - Montezz: Gotta Face the Music

  34 - Mia: Stickin’ to tha Plan

  35 - Nova: Tryin’ Not to Lose

  36 - Montezz: Two Options but One Right Choice

  37 - Marvin: Mesmerized by Something New

  38 - Mia: Where tha Party At?

  39 - Nova: The Morning After

  Epilogue - Mia: Tellin’ It Like It Is

  Urban Books, LLC

  300 Farmingdale Road, N.Y.-Route 109

  Farmingdale, NY 11735

  Life at the Club Copyright © 2022 Adrianne

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior consent of the Publisher, except brief quotes used in reviews.

  ISBN: 978-1-6455-6373-0

  ISBN 13: 978-1-64556-374-7

  ISBN 10:1-64556-374-X

  This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people, living or dead, or to real locales are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is entirely coincidental.

  Distributed by Kensington Publishing Corp.

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  Book Remarks

  I want to thank my readers for their undying support throughout my writing career. I want to give a shout-out to my amazing publishing company, Racquel Williams Presents. Thank you for always believing in me and allowing me to be under your seasoned umbrella. I hope you all love this novel as much as the others, and I promise I have more great reads to come! Special thanks to the incredible Carl Weber for taking a chance on me. I have complete admiration for your craft, and I appreciate you very much. I want to give a special shout-out to Ms. Neka Bellamy. You stayed up late at night and brainstormed this concept with me. I hope I did us both proud. I love you, sissy!

  I want to give a special dedication to two incredibly special people I lost in 2020. My aunt Yvonne Holden. Thank you for always believing in me and loving me unconditionally in every aspect of my life. You always had a kind word for all of the family, never picked sides but loved us equally. And even when you felt your worst, you were always concerned about our feelings instead of your own. I will always miss you, and I hope I continue to make you proud of me. I love you always and forever!

  My homie, Travonne Lancaster. Man, I don’t have a problem giving you a shout-out in one of my books, but never did I imagine you would be gone so soon. Twenty-plus years of memories, laughs, and cries that could never be replaced or erased. Thank you for always checking me and checking up on me. A real friend will always call you on your shit, right or wrong, and you did that time and time again. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to know such a great guy, and it still hurts my heart to know that you are gone. I will never forget you, friend. Living legends don’t die, they just rest in peace! Rest on, my friend, right on! Love ya, Von!

  1

  Nova: My Beginnings

  My body melted like butter in his arms. Montezz Raymond was the man of my dreams, and more than anything, I wanted to be the only woman in his life. He kissed me slowly and with the passion of a vigorous lion hunting its prey. I tightened my arms around his neck and dug my nails into his muscular back. We both moaned with such ecstasy while we succumbed to one another time and again.

  Hello, and welcome to the good part of my life, the part I worked so very hard to achieve, although I’m not proud of everything. I’ve made some mistakes along the way. But I had to do what I had to do for my son, Markus. His no-count daddy created a new life and not with him in it.

  But enough of all that. Where are my damn manners? My name is Nova, Ja’Nova Majesty Jacobs. I was born and raised in a small town in Alabama, population “just family” and north of farmland. My mom died after having my little brother, Jacques, and Daddy worked like a dog to support us. By age 16, I had dropped out of school and got a job to help Daddy with the bills. Jacques was the nerdy type and thrived in all his classes. I wished for better days but knew that those dreams would have to be on hold because my family needed me. Daddy did his very best, but there were times that I knew how much he missed our momma. He would play old records, look at family pictures, and cradle a fifth of Jack Daniel’s. Those were the times that I stayed locked up in my room or down the street at Phillip’s house.

  Phillip was my childhood sweetie and best friend. His mom worked the night shift, so it was easy to sneak to his house when Daddy got weird. Phillip and I experienced all of our first times with one another. But the first time we had sex was the most uncomfortable. Neither one of us knew what to put where, and Phillip busted more than one condom when he tried to practice safe sex.

  “Maybe we should just give up, Nova!” Phillip nervously placed yet another condom over his shaft. I shrieked and held my stomach as I imagined his beastly member inside of my untamed guts. “We don’t have to do this tonight!”

  “No.” I frowned and grabbed his face. “I’m ready and we might as well do it now. If not now, when?”

  “Okay.” Phillip was successful that time and climbed between my legs once more. “I will try to go very slow. I’m sorry if I hurt you earlier. Why did you bleed like that?”

  “Chelley said that’s normal for the first time you do it.” I fidgeted underneath him and made sure I was comfortable. “She said it’s only for the first time a guy is in the pussy. And she said it’s supposed to feel better after that.”

  “You would ask the school slut!” Phillip snickered and placed his dickhead inside of me.

  I let out a loud moan, and Phillip covered my mouth with the palm of his hand.

  “How does that feel?” he whispered, and I grabbed his shoulders.

  “It hurts,” I mumbled. “But it does feel better than before.”

  * * *

  Life is neve
r like the fairy-tale crap we as girls watch on our color TVs. Me and Phillip had some great times together, and he was there for me when my family life got rocky. But we were young, and life got the best of us at times. After two years of fucking, we slipped up and got pregnant. I wanted an abortion, but Phillip talked me out of it. He said he didn’t want to murder his seed. He was supposed to graduate from high school that year. Phillip was an all-star in football and awaited college offers from a few schools. I maintained my assistant manager position at a local grocery store. Jacques was a sophomore in high school and was set on becoming an attorney one day.

  “How are you feeling today, Nova?” Phillip called me after another one of his football practices. The team prepared for a tournament bowl, and all odds were in their favor. “Did my son kick you today?”

  “My feet are killing me.” I was stretched out on the living room sofa. I was on maternity leave from my job, and my ankles were so swollen. “And yes, Markus kicked the hell outta me. He’s been nonstop for the past hour now. I hope he’s ready to come out soon!”

  “Don’t be rushin’ my baby,” Phillip laughed, and I heard a car door slam shut. “He will be here when he’s ready.”

  “I’m ready for him right now!” I sighed and flicked through the television channels. “So, where are you headed?”

  “Going home to take a shower,” Phillip replied.

  “And after that?” I paused.

  “I thought I would come by and bug you,” Phillip laughed. “Maybe rub your feet or something like that.”

  “Sounds great to me.” I smiled and rubbed my protruding belly.

  “Nova . . .” Phillip hesitated for a moment.

  “Yes?” I smiled. “What is it? Oh, can you bring me some potato chips? You know the kind I like.”

  “Sure,” Phillip answered. “And I have something I need to talk to you about.”

  “Something like what?” I questioned and sat up on the couch.

  “I will tell you when I get there,” Phillip said, trying his best to change the subject. “Anything else besides the chips?”

  “A big cherry slushy,” I blurted out. “And why can’t you just tell me whatever it is? You know I don’t like surprises. Just say what’s on your mind.”

  “I just wanted to say it face-to-face,” Phillip huffed, and I heard him cut off his car. “I’m just so confused about a lot of shit right now, Nova. And now, there’s you and our son. I just don’t know what to do anymore.”

  “What are you talkin’ about, Phillip?” I frowned and felt more emotional. “Where is all of this coming from?”

  “I was going to make the announcement this Monday.” Phillip stalled. “But since we are best friends, I know I can tell you right now. I got a full scholarship to Stanford University. It’s a football scholarship. They want me to come up there ASAP and start warming up with the team. Graduation is in a few weeks, and they will want me in California by July!”

  “And when were you going to tell me all of this shit?” I felt lightheaded. “I’m due any day now and you mean to tell me that you will be leaving soon? So, I will have to deal with our son on my own?”

  “See?” Phillip interjected. “I knew you would react like this. It’s always gotta be about you, Nova! When will it ever be about me? You knew that football was my ticket outta this dead-end town. All I ever wanted to do was play ball and make a better life for me and my family. I always included you in that, but you want me to turn down this opportunity!”

  “I didn’t say turn it down.” I halted my next thoughts because I didn’t want him to leave.

  “So, what are you saying?” Phillip continued. “Because if I don’t take the scholarship to Stanford, I’m looking at junior college, and you know they don’t have a team at all. I’m accepting the offer, I just wanted you to be the first to know. I love you, and I love our son. This will be the best for all of us, I promise you that!”

  “Yeah, I hear you,” I sobbed and blew my nose in some tissues. “It doesn’t matter that I placed all of my dreams on hold for the ones I love. By all means, go after your dreams and be great!”

  “Why are you doing this shit?” Phillip grew angry. “Why can’t you see the positive in anything? Why does it always have to be about you, Nova? I swear, you can be the most selfish bitch I’ve ever seen!”

  “Bitch?” I fumed. “I know you didn’t go there with me, muthafucka!”

  “That’s how you act sometimes,” Phillip said, defending his statement. “You know I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Oh, but I think you did!” I was so hurt and angry. “You know what? Please leave and have a great life in California! Me and Markus will be just fine without your in-the-damn-closet ass! I want Markus to be raised around a real man, not a man who don’t know what end he wants to get fucked from!”

  “That was way harsh, Nova.” Phillip fumbled over his words. I guessed he had forgotten our heart-to-heart talks about his bisexuality. It was one of his demons that he fought with on a daily basis. “I thought we were best friends! I never expected you to pass judgment on me like this!”

  “Fuck you, fuck-boy!” I hollered on. “Forget my number and forget about my son! We don’t need your sweet ass in our lives!”

  I hung up the phone and made sure all his numbers were blocked. I went out of my way to avoid Phillip even after the baby was born. After a while, Phillip stopped trying to stay in contact with us. I didn’t shed a tear the day he left for California. I knew life without a father would be hard for my son, but my pride wouldn’t let me admit that at the time. I would do the best I could for mine. What other choice did I have?

  2

  Montezz: Puppy Love

  Nova was my second favorite girl next to my daughter, Myesha, of course! Hello, my name is Montezz Trenton Alexander. In case you forgot, I was the nigga who gave Nova’s pussy a pounding in the beginning of this story. Yeah, I was always a pro at laying down the pipe, but I also knew that good dick wouldn’t keep a chick. I guess the best way to prove that would be to discuss Myesha’s momma. Now that is a story in and of itself.

  It was the fall of my freshman year at Abbott High School. Me and my crew were excited about going to high school, mostly because of the high school girls. We all had older siblings, and they all had stories about how easy the chicks were in high school. I had just begun humpin’ around and my hormones were all over the damn place.

  “What are you wearing today, my peoples?” James joked with me that morning. He was my best friend and had been down with me since grade school.

  “I got some of my Js and the Nike outfit to match.” I had my clothes laid out on my bed. “What about you?”

  “Same page, bruh,” James cackled. “My colors are black and gold though.”

  “That’s cool.” I smiled and added a pair of fresh new socks. “I got blue and gray today.”

  “We gon’ be the freshest niggas in the freshman class,” James cheered.

  “And you know this.” I applauded. “I will meet you at the bus stop in a few.”

  “A’ight then,” James replied. “I’ma call the rest of the squad, and we will see you at seven thirty.”

  I got dressed, sat at the kitchen table with my three sisters, and spoke to my parents about my new school situation. Everyone reminisced about their first day of school, and I tuned most of it out that day. I remember looking out of the kitchen window, and I saw her for the first time.

  “Who is that?” I pointed through the window and turned my face sideways. “And why is she dressed so funny?”

  “Where?” My mother turned to look and ultimately smiled at me. “That’s Kyomo. She’s going to be a new exchange student at Abbott this year.”

  “Kyomo?” I laughed. “What kind of name is that?”

  “She’s from China, idiot!” My older sister, Koran, threw a sugar packet at my head. “That’s Ms. Sue’s niece. I met her a few times at the corner store she owns on Twelfth Street.”

&nbsp
; “That’s still a weird name.” I frowned and threw the packet back at her.

  “I don’t think she speaks much English,” Koran continued.

  “Since she will be in your grade,” my other sister, Tasha, added, “why don’t you show her around, Montezz? Since she stays right across the street from us, it would be a big help to Ms. Sue. She’s been so nice to us girls, giving us summer jobs and whatnot.”

  “So, because she helps you guys,” I blurted out, “I’m supposed to deal with her ass?”

  “Language!” Momma scolded me. “It’s not such a terrible idea.”

  Pops walked in the kitchen fully dressed and headed to the coffeepot. “Good morning, all.” He glanced at each of us. “What’s the heated discussion about this morning?”

  “The girls were just suggesting that Montezz show Ms. Sue’s niece around the school and neighborhood. You know, she’s a new exchange student from China.”

  “Sounds harmless enough.” Pops sipped his coffee and grabbed his breakfast sandwich, which Momma had prepared for him. “That would be nice of you, Tezz! Well, I gotta get going. We got a lot of cars to work on at the shop today.”

  Momma walked Pops to his work truck and kissed him goodbye. Pops owned one of the best auto-body shops in the northern Birmingham area. He had billboards and a few commercial ads. His hours were long on most nights, but the old man loved every moment of it. He had always wished that I would get as excited about the family business, but at the moment, I was only interested in girls.

  “I don’t wanna be bothered with her,” I pouted and finished my cereal. “My boys will be laughing and joking about how crazy she looks.”

  “Your friends are so childish and stupid.” My younger sister, Carol, stuck her tongue out at me. “I swear, I’m more mature than they are, and I’m only twelve.”

  “Leave my crew alone,” I defended them and washed my breakfast dishes. “Be quiet before I tell Rashad how much you like him!”