Ep. 6 - Friday Night, Pt. 3 - Crime Boss Shows Up

Pulling up in front of the club, Malia snapped out of her trance-like state. Erica drove up and stopped in front of the red carpet. The line to get into the club was down the block! The flashing lights from the paparazzi’s camera were startling to Malia. The experience was truly like being at an award show, a red carpet event. As soon as the ladies stepped out of Erica’s rich, old, Jamaican man’s Bentley, people took notice of them. “Here!” Erica yelled at the parking attendant.

“Park my car……..don’t hit anything and you better not scratch my shit! Do you understand me? This car is very expensive and I know your broke ass can’t afford to fix my shit! BE CAREFUL!” Dangling the key fob in the valet’s face. The valet replied,

”Yes, I understand ma'am. ” As his voice cracked from sheer embarrassment. As soon as the club bouncers saw the ladies, they immediately opened the doors for them to go in. It was 10:55 p.m. and the club was already jumping inside.

“Oooooh, Antonio has really outdone himself!” Erica said, looking impressed.

“Hello, ladies!” The host greeted them very warmly.

“You all have full VIP access, compliments of the owner, Mr. Lucas. Let me escort you to your table. Right this way please.”

Antonio was beyond excited to invite his girls out to the grand opening. The three ladies showed up looking spectacular. They were all dressed to the nine. Antonio even had security escort them to VIP. All eyes were on anyone and everyone who sat in the VIP area. As the ladies took their seats, a bottle of Belaire was brought out to them with appetizers. The ladies made their way to the dance floor and were living it up. Antonio pulled out all the stops to make this event hot. He invited basketball players from the Trail Blazers, actors, models, rappers, popular bloggers, and a few well-known social media influencers to host the event. Chan, a very special guest of Antonio’s, was invited to this event as well. His birthday had been a week earlier, so Antonio wanted to do something extra special for his boy. Tonight was also the night Antonio had to give all of Chan’s money back from the loan he had given him. A while back, Antonio decided he needed to buy a large piece of property to set up businesses to help maintain his facade. His drug and gun business had recently started pulling in nearly five million a month. He knew he had to find a better way to clean his money since he wanted to expand his drug empire. Antonio’s big vision for a five-story building centered in the heart of downtown Portland, included a nightclub, two fine-dining restaurants, a jazz lounge, and a Vegas-style casino. His vision didn’t quite match the budget he was given from his bank loan. He needed additional capital to get the club and the rest of his businesses off of the ground. Antonio could not use the money from his other businesses because it was dirty, so he called on Chan Kong, a very strong ally, to help him. He knew Chan could help him get the money he needed and fast. Chan was a young, powerful member of the Chinese Triad. His father’s failing health had pushed him to the forefront of their organization sooner than anyone would have imagined, but Chan was well prepared and ready to lead. His non-traditional approach to doing business with outsiders gave him a greater advantage over his competition. He had greater authority and greater control over the other triad families of the organized crime underworld. Chan’s family had taken over the market and pushed everyone out. Antonio reached out to Chan for a significant size loan from one of Chan’s legal businesses, an investment company. They set it up so that he would be the investor for Antonio’s businesses. Since Antonio already bought all of his guns and drugs directly from Chan’s organization, putting these businesses in place would be the perfect camouflage to hide the money his illegal business was bringing in. Borrowing this money from Chan would help him get on track legally while hiding his nefarious acts from the feds. Chan had a vested interest in Antonio’s affairs since he was making a great deal of money off him. To him, this was smart business because it would continue putting as much money in his pockets as possible. For Chan, it was not all about money since he was set for life; it was about the power he had over people that truly excited him. Antonio knew Chan was not the kind of person to play with about his money! In Antonio’s eyes, paying him tonight was killing two birds with one stone. His restaurants, jazz lounge, and casino were open and doing amazingly well. The club was the last of the businesses to be opened and now he was able to pay Chan all of his money back.

In the VIP area, Malia, Erica, and Eva were creating a major scene while dancing. A few ballplayers danced with the ladies, yet Malia was not really into it. Once pictures started being taken of her dancing with one of the starting players of the Blazers, she nicely walked away from him and sat back down in the VIP area. She knew it would make the news that he was having a night out on the town and she didn’t want to be associated as the mystery woman. Erica, on the other hand, was in her element for sure and did not mind dancing with two to three guys at a time. Eva was having fun too, but no one was having more fun than Erica. She was the center of attention and she loved it. Erica’s party girl ways were front and center, and Eva and Malia could not hang. Erica’s dark gray, Tom Ford, latex dress was short and low cut in the front and backless. She had on a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti, winged high heels that were the envy of most of the women there. While sipping champagne, Malia checked her phone and saw she had a few text messages. She also went through her work emails and answered questions from her vendors. She noticed an unfamiliar number come up on her phone. “Hey…..you really look amazing tonight!” She stared at her phone strangely

“Who the hell is this??? I don’t know this number.” She looked around the club with an eerie expression on her face.

“Ummm who is this? I don’t know anyone with this number.” She replied back to the text. Within seconds her phone dinged. She looked down at the text message,

“It's the man of your dreams!” Her heart sank when she read that response and suddenly fear set in as she looked across the crowded room.

When Chan Kong arrived, he made quite the scene. He had five well-dressed, handsome, Asian bodyguards surrounding him. Everyone's eyes were on them trying to figure out who they were. These men commanded attention and respect with the way they dressed and walked. Anyone who saw them clearly knew they were a force to be reckoned with. As soon as they got there, Antonio had them escorted to his office right away, so they could conduct their business. Chan’s bodyguards opened the briefcase. Two of the men quickly counted the money and nodded

“Dōu zài zhèlǐ ”in Chinese meaning “It's all here.” Antonio looked around the room slightly confused at everyone. No one spoke a word after the men who counted the money said something in a language he did not understand.

“So, are we good now?” He asked Chan. “Yeah, everything is good. You paid me back my money in full plus interest.” The two men walked over to each other and shook hands.

“Well let's party bro! I am glad to have you here at my grand opening!” Antonio was excited and it showed.

“Lead the way, it is your club!” Extending his hand toward the door, Chan walked beside Antonio.

“Yo, the ladies are in the house tonight Chan. You should really let me introduce you to some of these freaks!”

“No no no! I am okay!” Said Chan sarcastically, putting up one hand.

“Man, all you do is work. I have never seen you look at a woman while working, at all. I know you like beautiful women. I saw you a few years ago at that gala with a gorgeous Asian woman on your arm.” The mention of Chan’s ex disturbed him. She was a person he worked long and hard to forget. He had not dated anyone since things went very badly between them. The pain she caused him was a good reminder to never let anyone get too close.

“It’s time to turn up a little bit bro! You just had your 32 birthday, and now our business is done. So, no more work tonight! The night is young. Let me get one of these lovely ladies here to work on you tonight, so what’s up bro?” Both men laughed. Antonio and Chan were standing on the 2nd level of the club when Antonio said

“Any woman you see in this club, I will get her for you tonight.” Chan looked at Antonio like he did not really believe him.

”So, you got it like that, huh?” Antonio looked shocked.

“Yeah dog…… I DO! Psss…… man, any female in this place is yours! Pick one or even three if you can hang and they are yours for tonight!!” Antonio sounded confident and eager, but Chan was not so convinced or interested. He did not need anyone’s help being set up, but he played along with Antonio anyway.

“Okay!” Chan said, nodding his head. Looking over the crowd for a few seconds. Wait wait wait……….that’s her! No no no! It can’t be her can it? She looks like the one I have been dreaming about. It has to be her, I know it! Chan did not know how he knew it was her, but something deep down inside told him she was the one, without even seeing her face. He only saw her from the back, but the way she sat, the way her legs were crossed, and the way her hair looked told Chan it had to be her. She was more regal and elegant in person, he thought. Chan felt confused and excited. I am not sure about any of this. This seems crazy as fuck. Shaking his head. When we meet will she feel the way I feel or will she even know who I am? After all, it has only been just dreams, hasn’t it? He suddenly remembered the prophecy of an old wise lady. Something in him told him to listen to her. He knew he had to meet this woman from his dreams. Chan never saw her face while dreaming, but he knew her body. He remembered the way she moved. Chan felt his heartbeat racing out of control. He started to get hot from the excitement of her being so close to him. He knew one thing, he had to have her and he would not stop until he did.

“What about her in the black dress, over there with the long black, curly hair.” Antonio, alarmed, said

“WHO? HER? Malia? HER RIGHT THERE IN THE BLACK DRESS? NOOOOO!” Pointing to Malia in a surprised manner he started to laugh. Her name is Malia!

“She’s very beautiful. The woman in the black dress, is that going to be a problem for you?” Chan turned his body towards him. Antonio let out a big sigh and shook his head. This is not going the way I thought it would, damn! Chan waited for an answer, but Antonio was speechless.

“So have you dated this woman in the past? What's the issue here?” Chan asked more aggressively. He stared at Antonio, knowing there was something he was not telling him about her. Chan sensed Antonio’s hesitation and it angered him.

“No, no…. it’s not like that.” He cleared his throat.

“I have never dated her. I know her well though. She is a little different from most women in their 20s. She has her shit together. She is beautiful, independent, well educated, and she owns her own businesses. She will be NO FUN, trust me, she rarely leaves the house because she works so damn much!” Giving him a look like he knew firsthand, Chan would not get very far with her.

“Look for another woman. If you want to get laid tonight, she is NOT the one for you! Fucking her on the first night is not happening.”

“You said ANY woman in this club I saw I could have. Maila is the one I want! GET HER!” Chan looked at Antonio like he was seriously irritated. Antonio looked back at Chan like he was worried. He knew Malia would walk off if he did something she didn’t like. He saw how she ghosted Justin that night when they went out.

What the fuck is wrong with this goofy nigga? This will not end well for him tonight, but I warned his ass. What the fuck does he want with Malia anyway??? I just told him she is not like these hoes out in these streets!! DAMN!

“Alright if that’s who you want, let's go, but let the record show, I warned you beforehand! Come downstairs and let me introduce you to her. She is really old-fashioned type of woman. I am telling you she is not the loose type at all. She can be a hard nut to crack, I have known her since she was a kid, and not much has changed.”

“I like old-fashioned women!” Chan said with a cocky smile on his face. Antonio turned to Chan with an alarmed look on his face,

“Maybe not your kind of old-fashioned, if you get what I mean!”

After getting that strange text message, Malia felt the need to get up and walk over to the bar. She wanted some water since she worked up a sweat on the dancefloor. The champagne she had been drinking did not quench her thirst. Malia was not a big drinker, so she wanted to keep it simple with some water. There were way too many guys coming up to them in the VIP area, so she knew she needed to get away, and fast. “What can I get you?” The bartender asked.

“One glass of water with a lime wedge, and light ice please.”

“One water coming up!” “Most people don’t leave the VIP area when they have full service at their disposal such as you.” Said a familiar, mysterious, male voice from behind her.