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Troy Marshall needed a plan But when the Brooklyn Monarchs’ vice president of e that the professional basketball teahtclub, he hadn’t stopped to think He’d simply reacted
He navigated the hot, s bodies in the darkened don club The bass of a popular urban song pounded in his chest, echoing his heartbeat
Me years came back to him Another lifeti to prove? Trying to hold on to an ie and a lifestyle he’d lost
Troy mounted the stairs to the club’s VIP floor Twoas men secured the perimeter of the team captain’s private section Their stony stares dared him to approach thelas’s voice defused the standoff
“He’s OK” The Monarchs’ captain shouted his grudging approval above the driving beat of the club music His voice was slurred
Troy’s irritation rose Shit There were a lot of places he’d rather be at two o’clock on a weekdayfeht alone for now He watched impatiently as Kilimanjaro on his left unhooked the purple velvet rope barrier to allow hie security guard as he walked through
One of the wo herself from the pack She moved toward him with practiced sensuality Her stilettos’ thin heels spotted her an extra five inches The silver satin of her stingy dress wrapped her generous curves and shihts, Troy could see the avarice in her dark eyes
“Who are you?” The groupie stood too close She raised her voice above the club’s entertainment
“A friend of Bling’s” Troy looked toward the NBA player Hopefully using Barron’s nickname would reassure him that Troy was there as a friend, not a representative of the franchise’s front office
“Are you a basketball player?”
The woister in her head tallying the cost of his cream silk jersey, black pants, and Italian loafers Did she think every tall, physically fit, and financially comfortable African American male played basketball?
“No” Troy started to move around her
She shifted to block hi hold of his arm “What do you do?”
Troy glanced from her to Barron and back “I look after the players” As an NBAexecutive, that wasn’t part of his job Then as he here?
Her brown brow creased in confusion “Like a babysitter or so?”
“Or so”
The groupie’s greedy gaze considered hiet paid a lot to do that?”
“Not enough”
“Do you want to babysit h her offer needed clarification
In the past, it hadn’t mattered whether a woman was interested in him or his wallet But it mattered now Troy removed her small hand from his arm “No Thank you”
Ignoring the groupie’s disappointed pout, he continued toward Barron He stopped beside the table Barron scratched his scalp, bared between his thick cornrows From the sheen in Barron’s dark brown eyes, Troy feared alcohol wasn’t the only contributor to the player’s unnatural high “Bling, let’s talk”
Barron stared through Troy His gaze wasn’t quite focused His lass and took a healthy s of its brown contents He put the drink doith a thud “Talk”