Stone stepped in front of me and the woman took a swing that made me reach around Stone to try to hit her too.
“Man, calm that bitch down!” some nigga screeched as he grabbed the other woman.
“Ay.” Stone turned toward him. “Watch yo’ mothafuckin’ mouth before it end up being a 2v2 in this bitch.”
I reached around him and hit ol’ girl again, right in her nose, successfully knocking her head back. She started swinging again.
Kiano looked, in pure shock, as he made it to the entrance of the club, no doubt just to meet us as he usually did after work.
“Damn! What's going on?” Kiano shoved his way in, grabbed me by my waist, and jerked me backwards. I kicked a little bit as he pulled me further into the club.
He got me to a vacant table, set me on my feet, spun me around, and grabbed my face. He looked at the door where the woman was still screaming, then back at me, confusion etched on his face.
“What’s going on, Jiselle?”
“That bitch was rubbing on Stone’s chest and he was just standing there looking fucking stupid.” I crossed my arms over my chest and did my best to ignore the way tears threatened to spill from my eyes.
Stone was right. I was acting slightly crazy but I couldn’t help it. The sheer thought of him cheating on me with some random woman from the bar was enough for me to lose it on him and her. Plus, if there was a man in the bar rubbing my chest, I knew for a fact he wouldn’t be okay with it. He’d thrown people out of the bar onto their necks for less.
“She was rubbing his chest?” Kiano repeated.
“Yeah.”
“No,” Stone said as he came up behind me. “She wasn’t rubbing my chest.”
“I’d hope not,” Kiano deadpanned.
“Not you too. Please,” Stone said. He leaned in and kissed Kiano briefly before gripping me by my waist and yanking me. “She wasn’t rubbing my chest,” he appealed. “I mean, yeah, she had a hand on my chest but she wasn’t rubbing and plenty of women have touched my chest on this job, Selle. They be drunk and unbalanced. The bitch asked my opinion on a drink by screaming in my damn ear and had a whole ass nigga with her. And even if she didn’t, you know how I feel about you and Kiano. I wouldn’t even play like that.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“Baby,” Stone said carefully. “We’ve worked together for years. Have you ever seen me take someone home from the bar?”
I just blinked at him. Stone was always personable and joked with everyone but he definitely didn’t bring anyone home whether they were customers or other bartenders. It wasn’t from a lack of offers either.
I crossed my arms over my chest and pouted. He grinned.
“Stop smiling at me like that.”
“I can’t help it. I like that crazy shit.” He licked his lips and I turned my head to stop him from seeing me grin. “All jokes aside, Jiselle. I love you, baby, and I know you’re used to seeing someone not care about their commitments or marriage but that’s not me and it’ll never be us. I just want you to know that.”
“Okay.” I exhaled and nodded. “I hear you.”
I looked at Kiano when he placed a hand on the small of my back.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” I nodded and gave him a small smile. “I’m okay.”
“Good..”
“Ay!” The bar’s manager whistled to get me and Stone’s attention and waved us over.
Stone’s hands fell away from me and I rolled my eyes.
“We’ll be right back.”
Stone grabbed my hand and we waded through the crowd together to get to our manager’s office. She’d left it open so we just walked inside. Stone closed the door behind us.