Mitchel's POV
On the day I visited the club house, inside Velvet Crown rolled through the room like thunder, heavy and deep. From where I sat, the whole club spread out in front of me lights flashing, people dancing, glasses clinking. Nights like this reminded me of the need for power and position.
On the small table in front of me sat a tall glass of champagne. The bubbles rose slowly to the top, catching the purple light from the club sign. I lifted the glass, turning it slightly. Champagne always reminded me of victory. Not that I celebrated often. In this empire, celebration makes a man boastful.
Across the dance floor, I saw Luca leaning against the bar. My younger brother never stayed still. Even when he tried to look relaxed, his eyes kept moving, checking faces in the crowd. That was Luca. Loyal. Loud sometimes. But loyal. He finally noticed me watching him and walked over. "Mitchell," Luca said, pulling a chair and sitting down. "Tonight calm well well. Money dey flow."
I hissed " mttchew" and then I took a small sip from the champagne before answering. "That's how it should be." Luca looked around the club and nodded with satisfaction."See crowd. Velvet Crown dey hot tonight." I followed his gaze across the room.
Then I saw a beautiful girl that looks like my sister. She moved between the tables with easy confidence, laughing with a group of customers before stepping away toward the bar. The silver dress she wore caught the lights again as she walked. Something about her presence always changed the air around me.
Luca noticed the direction of my eyes and smirked. "Ah… Mitchell," he said with a quiet laugh. "No be that miscreant be that." I didn't answer immediately. The girls, where she was seated glanced toward our table and gave a small smile before turning back to each other.
Luca shook his head. "Boss... wait ooo, na that girl dey distract you like this." I finally looked back at him. "You talk too much." Luca raised both hands jokingly. "Alright, alright. I keep quiet." I leaned back in my chair again, letting my eyes move across the club.
My eyes drifted toward the far corner of the club near the main entrance, it started with shouting. Two men sat at a small table playing cards. One slammed his hand on the table, sending the cards sliding. "You cheat me!" the first man shouted. The other man pushed his chair back, angry.
"Watch your mouth," he replied. "You just dey lose." The first man stood up quickly, knocking his chair backward. "Na my money you dey play with!"
Before anyone could calm them down, the first punch flew. The second man staggered back and grabbed a bottle from the table. "Try that again!" he yelled.
Then the bottle smashed across the first man's shoulder. Glass shattered everywhere. People nearby screamed and jumped away from the table. Within seconds, their friends rushed in.
"Leave am alone!" one of them shouted. Another man threw a chair across the floor. The music stopped suddenly as the fight spread across the club. Bottles flew through the air. Tables flipped. Someone crashed into the bar, sending glasses crashing to the floor. "Everybody move back!" one of my men shouted. But by then the whole place had turned into chaos.
A woman screamed as another bottle smashed against the wall. Then the sound of sirens cut through the night outside minutes later, police officers burst through the entrance. "Police! Stop right there!" one officer shouted. The fighting slowly died down as people backed away with their hands raised.
"You still remember about that riot, abi?" he asked, calling me from my deep thoughts. One of the reasons why I love my brother is his ability to read through the human mind, I usually find it hard to hide something from him. He's so much gifted with that. Vicado use to be my close friend but on the day he confessed he had wanted to kill me. I remembered It was my brother that revealed it first. I nodded slightly. "That night nearly shut the club down." Luca snorted.
"Na small thing." I quickly added. "If not for the police," I replied. I could still hear the inspector's voice clearly in my mind. He had stood in front of my desk, flipping through a small notebook. "Mr. Mitchell," the inspector had said calmly, "a riot like this does not just happen in a place like yours." I remembered leaning back in my chair, watching him carefully. "People drink," I told him. "People fight." The inspector closed his notebook slowly.
"That may be true," he said, "but if this club becomes a problem for the city again, we will shut it down." Luca laughed suddenly, pulling me back to the present. "That girt too like to talk," Luca said. I lifted my champagne glass again. "He was doing his job." Luca shook his head. "Still… Velvet Crown stronger now." I looked around the room again. The crowd was bigger. The music louder. Everything in good shape.
I left Luca immediately and danced around the beautiful girl, "what's your name, I questioned" She replied almost immediately "I'm Sophie..." My heart skipped. Few days from now I had a fight with Sofia. She insisted, she's getting married to one of my rivalry. That eruption, dug a spring of bitterness and hatred towards my own biological mother, who birthed us out of holy matrimony. It should not be Vicado of all people that Sofia will fall in love with.
"Baba nla… which means Big man. Are you okay, or make I get more for you" as Lucas points an empty glass of champagne towards me. I smiled and turn to the beautiful girl "can I take you out on a date?" Without hesitation, she speaks further "yes.." with her beauty radiating a spot light around her where she's seated. Then I extended my left hand, towards her to pull her up from the spot. It was obvious I was obsessed. Looking at Lucas direction and reaction I quickly wave him away " how far... Carlo must have got some delays, go check him out" then I left hurriedly with Sophie to another table alone.