Chapter 45: Karma POV

**“Dance first. Think later. It’s the natural order.” — Samuel Beckett**

I did not hear my alarm go off. Good thing Lance woke me up. I ran out of the room to go to the bathroom to shower. I did not realize that I was topless when I saw Jake's face staring at my chest. I wet my hair and left it in its wash-and-go. I ran back out to go to the room and finish dressing.

I pulled out a black bandage fabric that stretched, it is embellished detail placed, and a zipper that reached all the way to my ass.
Once I got dressed, I realized I had forgotten my shoes in the car. I put on my sneakers and told Jake I was going to my car. When I got off the elevator, one of the security guards was waiting for me.

“Hey Hank”, I said, waving,
“Hey Karma, where are you going looking amazing?”, he asked.
“I am going to my car really quickly to get my shoes”, I said to him.
“Wait, I will go with you. The boss is not going to want you to leave without security", Hank said.
“Why?", I asked, confused.
“Something about you having a crazy ex. And by the way, you look, I do not blame the ex. Girl if I was some years younger”, Hank said, and I laughed.
“Yeah, you mean thirty years younger”, I said, cracking up.

Hank and I walked to my car. Inside the trunk is my bag of shoes. How the hell I left them I am not sure. Hank walked me back into the office. I need to have a talk with Lance about this. Mike may be unreasonable, but he is not stupid to do anything that could land him in jail. I started by pouring a drink and making small talk.

“So, what is this about me having to have security walk me in and out of the building? Something about me having a crazy ex”, I said.
“Well, you do have a crazy ex. So, as long as he is in town you work here, security will be escorting you in and out of the building if you are not with me or Jake”, Lance said, not taking his eyes off me.

The ride to Vincent's house was not long at all, it was on the wooded side of Wayne. And his house is not what I was expecting. There were cars parked on both sides of the street. And all of them are for Vincent's house because it is the only house on the block. Lance gets out and opens the door for me. The music is loud. We can hear it from the sidewalk. Lance walks in first and the house seems to be packed.

“Tie me up like I'm surprised. Let's role-play. I wear a disguise. I want you to park that big Mack truck right in this little garage. Make it cream, make me scream. Out in public, make a scene. I don't cook, I don't clean. But let me tell you, I got this ring (ayy, ayy)”, I said, singing along, walking inside.
“Damn Karma, you got bars”, Jake said, laughing.
This is my song playing. I started dancing out of nowhere. I looked over and saw Jake and Lance looking at me. Jake is smiling, Lance looks like he is shocked to see me. I saw Vincent through the crowd and walked towards him before. I did not get far before Lance stopped me. He grabbed my hand and walked me towards Vincent with Jake walking behind us.

“Karma, damn you look hot”, Vincent said.
“Damn, he is right”, Dan said out of nowhere.
“Sup, Dan,” I said, and then Lance cleared his throat beside me.
“Hello, Mr.Logi”, Dan and Vincent said.
“Hey, everyone”, Jake said, lifting the bottles to Vincent.
“Dan, Vincent”, Lance said with a nod.
“Thanks for the booze, Mr. Logi”, Vincent said, taking the bottles from Jake.
“Come on, let me show you to the kitchen. It is serving as the bar tonight’, Vincent said.

We followed him to the bar and, sure enough, he had bottles lined up on the counter with labels that showed which country they came from. Alcohol from Cuba, Russia, the Dominican Republic, Asia, Egypt, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, Jamaica, France, and Italy. I stayed away from all liquor other than rum, whiskey, and bourbon. I am not a vodka drinker.

“Wow, I love your set up Vincent”, I said, smiling.
“I must say this is a good idea. And I am sure it is profitable”, Lance said.
“It is, I make more at one of these a night than I make a week at work. No offense Mr. Logi”, Vincent said, and me and Jake laughed.
“I would think so one hundred dollars a head”, I said, giggling.
“Really, I counted about thirty people, not counting the three of us”, Jake said, his eyes wide.
“Hell, Vincent could quit and be good. All he has to do is once a month”, I said, laughing.
“How about we open up the bottle? My cousin was kind enough to hand it out like it didn’t cost a grip”, Jake said.

Lance did the honors and opened the bottle. Vincent, the liquor connoisseur, pulled out four crystal taster glasses. Lance poured us a nice amount; we cheered and took a slip. The taste was beyond what I expected. Vincent announced the new liquor and everyone ran to the kitchen for a taste.

“Karma, do you want to dance?”, Dan asked me.
“Hell, yeah let's go”, I said, and we walked to the dance floor.

I like big butts and I cannot lie.
Your other brothers can't deny
That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist
And a round thing in your face
You get sprung, want to pull up tough
'Cause you noticed that butt was stuffed
Deep in the jeans she's wearing

Sir Mix-a-lot came on while Dan and I were dancing. He is a good dancer. Dan grabs my hips and grinds on me while the music plays. During the second verse, Vincent came and danced in front of me. So now I am sandwiched between the two next door and the guy all little girls are warned about. I will leave it to you to determine which one is which. We get lost in the music. When the song goes off, I go back into the kitchen to get another drink. Lance and Jake are not here I guess they are having fun too.