Turned Out Saga (22 page)

When Thomas entered the VIP room, it seemed like the first person he spotted was Champagne. She was with two men and if his eyes weren't deceiving him, there was Alexis, who was wearing a dress that hugged every curve on her body even with her sitting down. She appeared to be laughing and touching on the man that sat next to her.

“What the fuck?” Thomas swore. This was the last thing he needed to see especially after learning that Louis Johnson, one of Rutgers University's top basketball players had decided to sign with another sports agent. He'd been trying to win him over for months with dinners and the promise of more money than he could spend, only to have his rival James Giovanni sign him.

“What? What's wrong?” the young lady he came upstairs with asked.

Playing it off he said, “What the hell is my boy's lady doing sitting with those knuckleheads?”

Although his initial reaction was because of Alexis touching a man that was not him, he was also curious why Champagne was out and sitting with these two men.

Where the hell was Zyair? Was he in Atlanta? Did he know that while he was in Atlanta checking on his restaurant that Champagne was out with another man? This shit was not cool and Thomas was going to let them all know it. He was definitely going to inform them of his presence.

Thomas looked at Alexis and wondered if this was why she hadn't returned any of his phone calls? Was it because she'd found someone to replace Khalil so soon. What happened to her heartache over Khalil? Not that he wanted her to be heartbroken over what another man did or how another man treated her. He didn't want that at all. What he did want, he had to admit even to himself is to be her knight in shining armor, the one who came to her rescue.

“I'll be right back,” he told the young lady he was with.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

He looked in Champagne and Alexis' direction. “Over there.”

Of course the young lady he was with didn't like it one bit but she really didn't have much of a choice.

“For what?”

“They're good friends of mine and I want to make sure everything is okay.”

She looked in Champagne and Alexis' direction and told Thomas, “They look fine to me.”

Not wanting to disrespect her because Thomas was trying to change his ways, he told her, “Well, looks can be deceiving. I'll be right back.”

“Why don't I go with you?” She was persistent. Thomas had to give her that.

“Listen . . .” he couldn't say her name because he couldn't think of it and he hoped she didn't catch it, but she did.

“My name is Luscious,” she told him with her hands on her hips, pissed that he would even forget.

“Listen Luscious, why don't you wait for me by the bar and I'll be right back. Get whatever you want.”

Luscious was pissed. She placed her hands on her hips again and told him, “Well, don't think I'm going to wait too long.”

Thomas, who wasn't in the mood for attitude, especially after seeing who he hoped would one day be his future wife up in another man's face, told her, “Do what you have to, we're not a couple,” and walked away.

He thought about the day after the airport incident when he told Zyair that he was going to end up marrying Alexis. He had laughed and asked him didn't he think he was jumping to conclusions. He told him he was being prophetic.

The second Thomas was up on the table, he asked, “So, what do we have here?”

When Champagne heard his voice, she jumped out of her seat so fast that it appeared as if she'd either been busted or was waiting on him to come over.

“Thomas, hey.” She hugged him and whispered in his ear, “I am not having a good time. Alexis has lost all her mind. Get me out of here.”

Not knowing if it was because she was caught in the company of another man or if these, what he assumed to be knuckleheads were bothering her, he told her, “Your man just called me,” loud enough for all to hear.

On that note Alexis stood up, “Excuse me, fellas.” She looked at Champagne and asked, “Do you mind if I steal Thomas for a second?”

Champagne moved to the side as Alexis grabbed Thomas' arm and pulled him a short distance away.

“What are you doing?” Alexis asked him with much attitude and with her hands on her hips and neck snapping.

Thomas started laughing.

“What the hell is so funny?”

“You,” Thomas told her.

“What's so funny about me?”

Thomas, who was a bit amused, asked her, “What's up with the street attitude? You know damn well that's not you.”

“What do you mean it's not me? You don't know me.” Alexis knew she was just acting out.

“I know enough about you to know that you're not street and that you're a lady. I also know enough to know that you might have had one too many drinks.”

Alexis rolled her eyes.

Thomas started laughing again.

This time Alexis stomped her right foot. “Why are you still laughing?”

Thomas didn't bother responding. He looked over toward Champagne who looked bored by whatever the two men were talking about. “I think your girl is ready to leave.”

“No, she's not.” Alexis looked at Champagne and saw her unease. “We're having a good time.”

“Maybe you are but she's not and I think you should let her leave. As a matter of fact I think you both should leave.”

Alexis looked at Thomas like,
how dare you.

“And I think you should leave with me.”

Alexis looked in Thomas' face, only to see that he was dead serious. “First you come and interrupt my good time and now you're trying to steal me away.”

“Exactly.” Thomas wasn't beating around the bush. “Come home with me.”

“For what? Sex? I'm not fucking you.”

Thomas was surprised that Alexis used the word fucking. He had never heard her use profanity before and it must have shown on his face.

“That's right, I'm not fucking you.”

Before Thomas could respond, Luscious was up on them. “So, who's your friend?”

Thomas turned around and said, “I thought I asked you to wait by the bar.”

“You did and I told you I wasn't going to wait forever.” She was eyeing Alexis the whole time.

Alexis stepped back and told Thomas, “I see you have your hands full. I'll leave you two alone.”

When she turned to walk back toward Shamel, Thomas took her arm and told her, “No, you stay right here.”

“Oh,” Luscious said, “you're just going to disrespect me like that.”

Thomas let go of Alexis and told her, “You know what. We didn't come here together, so there's really no need to act like we did. You're up here in VIP where you wanted to be, so go do your thing.”

“You know you are so right. I just used you to get in here anyway. There are other men that have it going on in more ways than you.”

Thomas didn't bother responding. He wasn't with that ghetto shit.

Luscious looked around and recognized several ball players and celebrities. The same ones Champagne noticed when she walked into VIP and the few new ones that had arrived. She faced Thomas, “Shit, there are better looking men in here than you, with more money anyway,” and walked off.

Alexis was still standing there when Thomas faced her.

“So that's your type?”

“No, you're my type,” he told her as he wondered how he was going to get her to spend the rest of the evening with him.

Off to the side, Khalil was watching everything and he could feel his pressure rising. What he wanted to do was go and knock Thomas the fuck out for ruining what he had with Alexis. He knew that he handled the situation at the airport wrong. He was thrown off guard. He would have never thought that Alexis' crew would dig into his past and pull out his wife. Yes, he was married, but he was also in the process of leaving her. He regretted not telling Alexis, but he knew that she had morals and beliefs and one of those was married men were off limits. He knew this because she told him that during one of their conversations. He wasn't playing with her mind. He'd fallen in love with her, with her innocence, with her vulnerability, and with her sense of right and wrong. It was something he missed in women. It was something he missed in his wife. He wanted an opportunity to speak with Alexis to explain his side. To apologize.

Khalil looked over at their table and every fiber in his being wanted to knock Thomas the fuck out. However, he knew that wouldn't do anything but soothe his ego and piss Alexis off. Now was not the time, it would have to wait. He also knew from the first time he met Thomas over Champagne and Zyair's house that this Thomas character was feeling Alexis. It was all in the way he looked at Alexis and sneered at him.

Khalil needed to come up with something that would destroy Thomas but he knew that would take some time and time was all he had.

Khalil had spotted Alexis and Champagne the second they walked through the door. He chose not to approach them just yet because he wasn't sure what he wanted to say. He watched them as they headed upstairs to the VIP section and made the decision to follow them. His boy who was working the entryway let him in.

His first thought when he looked at Alexis was,
She is looking fine as hell.
His second was,
Why the hell did she have on that tight-ass outfit?
He knew Alexis, hell he loved Alexis and when they were together tight clothes was not her style. He wondered if she was looking for trouble and his third thought was,
Would she want me back if she knew I was physically separated from my wife?

Yes, he never told her he was married. He would have eventually changed that, all he needed was time and because of Thomas, his time had run out.

He watched Alexis approach Shamel. He watched Shamel and his friend take them up to VIP and he followed them. He stayed just a few people behind.

The plan was to approach Alexis the second he had a chance. Like all women did, he knew that eventually she would have to go to the ladies room and that's when he would make his move. The thing of it was, it appeared like it was never going to happen. Right when he'd just about made up his mind to just walk over there, who approached her but Thomas?

I'm a man just like he's a man. I'm stepping up.
Khalil made the decision to approach the both of them, Alexis and Thomas. Whatever the hell went down was just going to go down.

“No, you're my type.” Khalil heard Thomas say.

“Alexis,” Khalil said.

Alexis looked past Thomas, who turned around with swiftness.

“Oh, hell no! You need to step the fuck back!” Thomas said as Khalil stepped up. He was two seconds away from punching him in the face once again but Alexis placed her hand on his arm.

Khalil ignored Thomas and looked directly at Alexis. “Can I talk to you?”

Alexis was in shock. Her heart was pounding and she felt like she was about to start hyperventilating.
This cannot be happening . . . This cannot be happening.

At the exact same time, Champagne just happened to look in their direction. When she saw what was taking place she stood and headed over in their direction to protect her girl.

Shamel and True also stood. Shamel was wondering what was going on and if he should intercept.

“Please, I just want to apologize. I want to explain.”

Thomas, who was two seconds off Khalil's ass told him, “I'm going to say it one more time–step . . . the . . . fuck . . . back.”

By this time Shamel, True, and Champagne were up on them. “Is everything okay, Alexis?” Shamel asked.

Alexis placed her hand on Thomas' shoulder. “It's okay.”

Thomas didn't think it was okay and he didn't want to let it go.

“Is there a problem?” Shamel asked Thomas.

“I don't know. Is there?” Thomas had not taken his eyes off Khalil.

“All right y'all, this shit is getting out of hand. Khalil, you need to leave,” Champagne said.

“Please, will everyone let me speak?” Alexis asked.

No one said a word, they just looked at her.

“Khalil, there is absolutely nothing you can say to me to justify what you did or how you hurt me, so please just leave, please.”

The tone in her voice sounded wounded and Khalil could hear it.

“Please,” she begged. “Please just go, I don't want any trouble.”

Khalil took a step toward her but Shamel and Thomas took a step toward him.

Khalil looked at Shamel, “Who the hell are you supposed to be?”

“A friend,” Shamel answered.

Thomas looked at Shamel as well. “Man, I got this.”

Shamel didn't move. He stood his ground. “I'll step off when Alexis tells me to step off.”

“Khalil, please just go,” Alexis said.

Khalil looked at them and knew to leave well enough alone for now. He didn't say a word; he just turned around and walked away. It would be the one and only time he'd ever done that or planned on doing it.

Alexis then turned to Shamel, “Shamel, it was a pleasure meeting you–”

Shamel cut her off, “Are you dismissing me? I thought we were going to get to know one another.”

“I'm not dismissing you or telling you I don't want to get to know you. I'm just letting you know that this night is over for me and I'll call you.”

“Damn, man. She ain't worth it,” True said.

“Man, shut up,” Shamel told him and looked over at Thomas, who looked familiar. Shamel had never had this happen to him before. He'd never been dismissed and he contemplated making a scene but what would be the point. It was evident Alexis didn't like drama. He'd just look like an ass. Plus, he and Alexis had just met. So he told her, “You make sure you do that,” and walked away with True behind him talking shit.

“Come on girl, let's go.” Champagne took Alexis' hand and tried to pull her along.

“No. I'm going to stay here and talk to Thomas.”

“Huh?” Thomas and Champagne said at the same time.

Alexis looked at Thomas, “We'll be back.”

Alexis started walking away with Champagne following behind her. They were headed toward the ladies' room.

“What's up?” Champagne asked the second they walked through the door.

Alexis looked at Champagne, she opened her mouth to speak, but the next thing she knew, she was crying.

Champagne knew there was no reason to ask why she was crying, it was obviously because of all the drama that just took place. The only thing she could think of to do was pull her friend close to her and tell her, “Let it all out, it's all right, that's what I'm here for.”

A short while later Alexis pulled away. “I'm sorry, it's just that seeing Khalil made me realize there was never any closure and maybe I should talk to him. Maybe I need to find out why he wasn't honest with me.”

“What! Are you crazy? You need to leave well enough alone, you need to just let his ass go and move on.”

“It's not that easy Champagne. I was in love with him.”

“I understand all that, but what I don't understand is why you're staying here with Thomas.”

“Maybe it's to spite Khalil. Maybe it's because Thomas obviously cares for me and I feel like I owe him an explanation for the kiss. Maybe it's because you've been ready to leave for quite some time and I'm not.”

Champagne didn't say a word. She realized there was nothing she could say. This was Alexis' moment and she was going to let her have it; even if it meant biting her tongue.

“I'll be all right. I'm with Thomas. I'm sure he won't let anything happen to me.”

Champagne gave Alexis a tight hug. “I'm sure he won't. Just be careful. I love you and I know you lost someone you cared about because of our actions and I apologize. I'm sorry if I'm being insensitive. It's just that I want what's best for you. That's why I did what I did; searched his background and shit. Please forgive me.”

Alexis hugged her back, but she couldn't forgive her just yet. She still felt it could have been handled better. “I love you too, sweetie.”

They stepped away from one another. Champagne wanted to know, “So, are you ready to leave?”

Alexis laughed. “I told you, I'm going to stay here and hang out with Thomas for a little while.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I'm sure. I never got a chance to thank him for trying to be there for me.” Alexis couldn't help but notice the worried look on Champagne's face. “I'll be all right. I'm a big girl.”

“Well, I just want you and him to know that if he does anything stupid, I will kick his ass.”

Alexis laughed. “I'm sure you will.”