Page 1 of Pills and Potions: Kase
Chapter 1
Kase Madoxx
It was lit tonight in Magnolia Valley, and judging from the crowd, a nigga was getting shown major love. But it was me, so what did I expect? Tonight was the grand opening of my second club,Knights, and yeah, I popped out like the whole night was mine, 'cause it was. Lights flashing, women dressed like they came to get chosen, and the line was wrapped around the damn block. I could already hear the bass from inside, damn near shaking the pavement. Security was deep, black suits, arms crossed, eyes scanning like they had orders to shoot first at any punk-ass nigga who wanted to get out of line and fuck up my shit. I ain’t grind this long just to let somebody come and fuck it up. I built this shit again from nothing. No loans, no favors. Just hustle, vision, and a bigfuck youto everybody who ever doubted me. For years, I was the man behind the curtain, the club promoter who turned everybody else’s weak-ass venues into hotspots. But when it came time to build my own empire, the same niggas I put on didn’t return the favor. That shit didn’t break me, it built me. Because I’m KaseMadoxx, and I didn’t beg for a seat when I could buy the whole damn table.
I sat back for a second in my matte black Lamborghini Aventador Convertible, watching the crowd react like they feltmy presence before I even stepped out. Cameras were already flashing. Girls were pointing, whispering, and damn near tripping over their heels trying to get a better look. One even slid her phone out to snap a pic, biting her lip like she was already fantasizing about a steamy, sex-filled night that just might happen,ifher ass could make it through those doors. Another chick leaned over to her friend and spoke seductively.
“Damn… that’s him. That’s Kase.”
Her friend replied,“I’d let that man ruin my life.”
I just shook my head, and then I climbed out, fresh-cut glistening under the streetlights, with the baddest chick in the city on my arm, Diana Frost. She was an Instagram model. We hit the red carpet like royalty. Diana knew who she was with by the bright smile she had plastered on her face, showing all thirty-two. Phones went up, and the crowd shifted like the energy just changed, because it did whenever I was in anyone’s presence. I didn’t just walk into the spotlight. Shit, I wasthespotlight. As I made my way toward the entrance, I caught sight of my brother Jace posted off to the side. My Irish twin, only a year apart, but we’ve been tight since day one. He was there with his girl, Tuesday, and her cousin, Blyss. They weren’t really into the flashing lights vibe, nor were they into all the cameras and noise. But they still pulled up to show love. That’s the kind of shit I noticed, real ones didn’t have to be front and center to ride. Even though Jace wasn’t trying to take pictures, I wasn’t letting him slide out the moment like that. Not tonight. I waved him over as he tried to duck behind one of the pillars like I didn’t just catch his ass hiding.
“Yo! Bring your scary ass over here,” I called out, smirking. “Let’s get this photo for the culture.”
Of course, Jace came, shaking his head like I was doing too much, with Tuesday on his arm. She had her own kind of style, a vintage, low-key artsy vibe, as if she had probably thriftedher whole outfit on purpose to make it look intentional. Retro shades, bold lipstick, and just enough attitude to pull it off. Confident in her weird way. That was Tuesday all day.
Then there was Blyss, aka “Wheels,” ‘cause shawty stayed rollin’ with the couple, blockin’ like a damn traffic cone. She was a different kind of geeky. Soft-spoken and pretty, but didn’t move like she knew it. Big-ass glasses, curls puffed into some wild cloud, and this nervous vibe like she wasn’t sure if she belonged or just didn’t wanna take up too much space. For as long as I could remember, Blyss had been nerdy. I always fucked with her 'cause I knew it got under her damn skin.
We all grew up together, but let’s just say, some things didn’t change.
“Damn, Wheels,” I said, letting my eyes drag down her frame and back up slowly. “They finally talked you into coming outside, huh?”
“Y-yeah,” she said, fumbling a little. “This place is, um… pretty rad.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Naw, shawty. It’sdope as fuck. Just like me.”
She laughed awkwardly, cheeks already pink. The photographer motioned for us to pose, and I pulled Jace and the girls in. But just before the flash went off, I glanced over at Blyss and shook my head.
“Nah,” I said, stepping in front of her. “You not messin’ up my photo with them big-ass goggles.”
Before she could even react, I reached up and slid her glasses off like I owned the moment. No way I was letting shawty mess up my pictures. These were going on my club site, and I had to keep up my image. It was already bad enough she showed up dressed like swagger skipped her closet, so I damn sure wasn’t letting her rock them big-ass glasses on her face too.
“Relax,” I said, smirking. “I’ll give ‘em back after the cameras stop rolling. I just can’t have folks thinkin’ I’m launching a tutoring program out here. That’s not the vibe I built.”
Blyss’s mouth parted slightly, caught between shock and struggle. I could tell instantly, she couldn’t seeshit. She blinked up at me like I was a shadow and tried to hold it together. We took the picture, I stepped back showcasing my designer fit, Jace tight-lipped, Tuesday flawless in her own way, and Blyss squinting like she was searching for salvation. Soon as the flash went off, she turned to walk and damn near hit the floor. With no depth perception, she caught air and tumbled forward. Knees down, palms out, curls bouncing, right there on my damn red carpet. Gasps. Clicks. A few too-loud laughs.
“Damn,” I muttered, walking over. “Onmycarpet, though?”
I reached down and pulled her up, steady but easy, as my hand landed on the small of her back. She was red as hell, face lit up like a stop sign, and wouldn’t look at nobody. Even her brown skin couldn’t hide that blush. Eye contact meant everything to me, so I used my index finger to lift her chin and make her look at me.
My touch had her eyes widening, like she ain’t expect it to feel that good.
“You aight?” I asked, brushing off her arms.
“I—I can’t see,” she muttered.
I leaned in, real close to her ear, dropped my voice low. “So you really blind without these, huh?” I held up these thick ass binoculars she called glasses.
She nodded, flustered.
I smirked, leaned closer. “Guess you like the other women just out here falling for a nigga… Literally.” I said with a slight wink and a smirk, while blowing Bylss a kiss, just to see if she saw it.
Her eyes snapped to mine, wide, as I handed her the glasses, and I watched her fumble to place them back on. Well, I guess she saw that, I chuckled to myself. Then I stepped back, like I didn’t just rock her whole night with one little move and a big-ass ego. After Jace, Tuesday, and Blyss stepped to the side to dodge more pictures, I finally let my date take one with me. Diana was posing hard as hell, chin up, hand on her hip like it was her red-carpet moment. I stood there, cool as ever, letting her shine. My attention? It meant everything to her. But that’s the thing, it always did to women who I entertained temporarily. Out the corner of my eye, I caught Blyss watching. She tried to act like she wasn’t, but I peeped it. So did Diana, who damn near frowned her lashes off tryin’ to decode the moment.
"Who is that chick?" she asked, with a hint of attitude.
I slid my arm around her waist, lips close to her ear.
