Andy|

I never liked clubbing that much, but it was part of the life I lived. After a long day at work, all most gangsters wanted was a drink and someone to take back home. Nightclubs fulfilled both of those needs usually. So it only made sense that Jimmy opened his own nightclub. He named it, Poison and the grand opening was tonight. The profit for this club was going to be huge. He was the head honcho of the city, so of course all of the members of the family were going to make Poison their designated club; no matter how sh-tty it was. Where the gangsters went, most of the people who wanted to be cool followed and so did a bunch of girls with daddy issues. His club was sure to be a success, but I wouldn't be going there much.

The only reason I was going tonight was because it was the grand opening and if I didn't show my face then Jimmy would take it as a form of disrespect. He never got over my speech to the gang and I could tell he was still upset about the fact that Delaney didn't shake his hand that day. I still couldn't believe that myself. She was a straight savage for that.

Leo, Lin and Rafael was going to the grand opening too, but I needed someone to really occupy my time and make being in the club more bearable: Delaney. She really didn't want to see Jimmy either but she sucked it up and got dressed. Now, that's what I call loyalty.

When we walked into the club, I made sure to keep a tight grip on Delaney's hand. Gangsters didn't give a f-ck. They'd snatch your girl right off your arm if you let them. Trust me. I've been there, done that. I stole a lot of girls from their fearful boyfriends. It was like stealing candy from a baby. The nightclub was packed with familiar faces. While walking up to V.I.P., I had to give numerous handshakes and head nods. It was a nice turnout for the first night.

"Finally, you made it," Leo yelled when we made it up to V.I.P. It was a little less crowded but quite a few people were up there. A whole crowd was surrounding a couch. I couldn't see who was sitting down, but it was most likely Jimmy. I bet everyone was kissing his ass as usual. Putting my arm around Delaney's waist, I pulled her closer and used my other hand to give a handshake to all of my friends. We had a gang handshake, but Leo, Lin, Rafael and I had our own. It was way more elaborate and kind of extra, but cool. We tried to make a new one up every year to keep it fresh.

"I was waiting for this one to get ready," I told them as I nodded over to Delaney. She rolled her eyes playfully and surprisingly she spoke to my friends.

"Hey, guys." Usually, she made sure she only spoke strictly towards Lin and Rafael. She hadn't exactly warmed up to Leo's shenanigans yet but I liked to think she was slowly progressing. A general hello was better than nothing, I guess.

"Be honest, Delaney. Did it take you long to get ready or was it Andy taking forever by putting all that damn gel in her hair," Leo teased. She reached over and tried to ruffle my hair but I moved my head swiftly. There was no way I was going to let her mess up my hair. I took pride in my hairstyle and it took quite some time to get my hair exactly the way I wanted it. I admit it. I'm a little vain when it comes to my hair and other things, but at least I know it.

Leo, on the other hand, was vain as hell and she had no clue. She was the type to check out her reflection in a spoon or every glass window she passed by on the street. One time she even went as far to say that if she ever dated a girl then she has to be less attractive than her, which made no sense to me. I wanted my girl to be equally as good looking and hopefully better. In Leo's eyes, she was as good looking as it got, I guess. In my eyes, I thought I was a little more attractive but that was a debate for another time. Sh-t, maybe I am as vain as her.

"Andy takes forever to get ready. She's such a pretty girl," Lin jumped in. "Oh my God, guys don't touch my hair! It took me an hour to get it this perfect," she mocked me.

"Remember in high school when Andy got in a fist fight with the guy that beat her for 'Best Hairstyle' junior year?"

"Hey, that guy was me," Rafael pointed out.

Everyone was laughing and I tried to act pissed off, but I couldn't help but laugh too. Rafael did have pretty sick hair. He had long, curly brown hair that was longer than most girls so I guess he deserved to win that award junior year. Besides I won every other year. Sometimes you have to share the wealth.

"What's so funny over here," a familiar voice asked from behind me. I rolled my eyes before turning to face Jimmy. He had a soft smirk on his face and a glass of whiskey in his hand. His eyes met Delaney's and I knew he remembered her. The girl who openly disrespected him. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to have her around him.

"We're just laughing about Andy's hair." Rafael dismissed our conversation as if it was nothing even though we were really getting a kick out of it.

"Her hair is pretty stupid looking, right? You put so much gel in it, kid," he said as he proceeded to ruffle my hair. I tried to keep my composure. I literally hated when people f-cked up my hair. It was equally as annoying when girls stole my hats when I wore them. I didn't wear a f-cking hat just for you take it off my gotdamn head. F-ck, I needed a smoke. "Hey, Andy. Let me talk to you in private for a second."

I tried to act like I wasn't completely irritated and moved my arm from around Delaney. "I'll be back," I told her before following Jimmy over to a far corner. When we got there, he lit a cigarette and leaned back against the wall.

"What's her name again," he asked me as he looked past me at Delaney. I looked back at Delaney and my friends. She was actually enjoying herself and laughing at stupid sh-t that Leo probably said. A small smile was present for a few seconds, before I quickly erased it when I looked back at Jimmy. "F-ck it. I don't care what her name is. Is she your girl?"

"She's my friend."

"Friend? You think I can hit that?" I laughed at Jimmy. His chances with Delaney didn't exist at all. He had to be joking. She openly didn't like him. "Come on. Go over there and tell her I want a dance."

"Jim-"

"Andy, don't hold out on me. I want a dance." I bit my lower lip. Jimmy wasn't asking anymore. He was commanding. I gave him a simple nod before walking back over to Delaney.

"Look whose back," she said as she grabbed onto my arm. "What did that asshole want?"

Jimmy's eagerness got the best of him. Before I could answer, he walked over to Delaney. "Can I get a dance?" Delaney looked from me and then to Jimmy. I shrugged my shoulders. It was her choice if she wanted to dance with him. I would 100% understand and prefer if she didn't.

"I don't even want to shake your hand. What makes you think I want to dance with you?" Jesus. She was ruthless. I tried to keep a straight face but when I heard Leo snicker and tastefully walk away, I let a small grin show.

Jimmy groaned. His face was turning red and I swear whenever he got angry that scar on his face began throbbing. "You know, I don't take kindly to disrespect."

"I don't want to dance with you. That's that. I'm here with Andy, not you." The way Delaney stared right in his eyes with nothing but sass and attitude was honestly a turn on. Was she not scared of anything?

"Oh, is this your p-ssy, Andy? I could've sworn you just f-cking said-"

"Look, she can do what she wants. Unfortunately, she doesn't want to dance with you so back the f-ck off," I told Jimmy as I took a step towards him. It was actually my first time talking to him in that kind of manner. He was shocked from it. His eyes widened and looked around at everyone in the V.I.P. section who was looking towards us. He had to prove himself. I stepped out of line, and so he did. He punched me right in the f-cking nose.

"Don't f-cking disrespect me like that again. Take your f-cking slut and get out of my face!" A swarm of Jimmy's d-ck riders began crowding not only me and Delaney but Lin, Leo and Rafael too.

"Let's go, darlin'."

Delaney made me go to the nearest bathroom to get myself cleaned up. Apparently, my nose was bleeding. She made me sit on a counter and I tipped my head forward as she pinched my nose with a paper towel. Luckily, she found the situation funny. "Oh, is this your p-ssy," she mocked him with a deep voice. "What a jerk." I chuckled.

"He's the boss. He's supposed to be."

"You should be the head honcho."

"That's what everyone says, but it's too much work. Too many enemies. Jimmy would never give up his spot either. I would have to kill him. Which leads me back to it being too much work." Sometimes I did think about being the head honcho but it only lasted for a few minutes before I denounced it as foolish.

"You're fair and sweet, Andy. You'd be an amazing leader. You should think about it."

"I will."

That night, I ended up staying over Delaney's place. One thing about Delaney, she was such a tease. Every time I spent the night there, she always led me on to think something major was going to happen but all we did was cuddle. It really didn't matter to me though. Sex was one of the best things in the world, but I enjoyed her conversation and her company just as much as the sex. It was probably good that she wasn't giving it up too much. If she was then I'd be more whip then I already was.

When morning came, I found myself on the balcony smoking a cigarette. Delaney's condo had a pretty nice view. The beach was off in the distance and down below, you could just sit there and watch the city come alive. People were running off to work or coming back in from their one night stands. More and more cars started to fill the streets as time passed. It was calming in a way to just people watch.

The glass door behind me slid open and I plucked the cigarette over the balcony. "I'm sorry, darlin'. I know you hate smoke," I said as I turned around.

Mia laughed at me. "Yeah, I'm not Delaney," she said as she closed the sliding door. My cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "That's cute, though. She hates smoke so you stop smoking around her. That's goals." She took a seat in one of the chairs and I decided to follow suit. I could tell she had some things on her mind that she wanted to address. She sat across from me and stared at me with a straight face. I was ready to get badgered with the overprotective best friend questions.

"So, what's up," I asked.

"I'm just going to cut to the chase. I've been with a gangster before. He treated me like sh-t. He cheated on me all the time, tried to sleep with my little sister, always told me how stupid I was and he was all around controlling. The sad thing is that I still love him. It's a sick f-cking mentality. I'm not saying that you're automatically like him too, but I worry. I don't want Delaney to ever go through what I went through, especially after she already went through the bullsh-t with Eric. So, I need you to tell me. What are your intentions?"

"It sucks that you went through that, but I'm not that kind of person. I'm not a cheater. I don't get off on making my girl feel like sh-t. That's just not me. I really like Delaney, like a lot. I see us having a future. My intentions are good. I don't know what to really say. I can't promise you anything. All I can tell you is that I'm really feeling her right now."

Mia's eyes never left me. I've had plenty of friends question my intention with their best friend. Usually, my intentions were just to f-ck so I lied and said some sweet sh-t but this time I was honest. And this time, Mia actually kind of instilled fear in me. Delaney was crazy so she had to be just as crazy. "So it's more than just sex?"

"Of course. Way more. We only did it once. Well, we did it one night but a lot of times but," I trailed off and cleared my throat. "It's not about sex," I decided to just end it there.

I got a giggle from Mia. "She loves to hold out. Get used to it."

I raised up an eyebrow. "Really?"

Mia giggled harder. "No. I'm just f-cking with you." I laughed a bit uncomfortably but also whole-heartedly. "Okay, I'm sorry if this is weird. I know you're probably like 'why is this b-tch all in my business?' But Delaney is like a sister to me. I want her to be happy."

"That's understandable."

"Do you really think your future and Delaney's future can link up? You guys are going two separate routes. She wants to be a doctor and you want to...do what gangsters do. You really think that could work."

"Yeah," I said simply.

"So, you never cheated?"

"I mean, I have but I'm not proud of it. I wouldn't do it again, especially to Delaney. She'd probably kick my ass," I half-joked. I honestly think Delaney would knock the sh-t out of me if she ever caught me cheating. Mia laughed because she knew it was true.

"She would. I'd help her too. I don't know, Andy. You seem genuine. I have my doubts but only because of my past. I know you can prove me wrong though. I trust in you so I'm going to give you a heads up on something."

I squinted my eyes. "A heads up?"

"Delaney's birthday is coming soon. She'll never tell you. She hates celebrating her birthday. It's a long story behind it and I'll let her tell you because it's personal but I think you should do something special for her on her birthday. It might just make her look forward to birthdays again if you do it right."

"When's her birthday?"

"Tomorrow."

"Some heads up! How am I going to prepare-"

Mia laughed. "Chill. I'm f-cking with you. You're gullible as hell, man. It's June 27th. So you have a couple of weeks to think of something."

"June 27th? Oh, I already know what I'm going to do," I told Mia with a smirk.

-

Do you think it was smart move for Delaney and Andy to 'disrespect' Jimmy?

Do you think Mia has a right to be questioning Andy?

What do you think Andy has planned for Delaney's birthday?