Now here I sit arms stretched out across the back of the couch facing the beauty and fuck if I don’t get an inkling in the pit of my stomach; however, I ignore it as she turns around. Her eyes widen as if she knows me or some shit.
The song had started the woman seemed to be frozen in place as she stares at me before she shakes her head and darts out of the room like her ass was on fire.
What the fuck?
Guess I’ll keep my grand then.
“Sorry about that,” Lawson states as he comes in the room at the same time I stand up and straighten my vest.
“It’s all good. Was worth a try. She’s a beauty,” I state, with a grin, ignoring the inkling that something with that woman wasn’t right.
“Yeah that Glacier is. She is our best dancer here. I better go see if she’s good. I’ll make sure my guys give you a full refund as well as give you drinks on the house once you get back to your table,” Lawson declares, reaching a hand out to me.
Taking it, I shake his hand. “Thanks, but I think I’ll just get my brothers and head on out. Ugh, I guess tell your girl I didn’t mean to scare her,” I mutter.
“I’ll let her know,” Lawson grins as he steps back and leaves.
Making my way back to the front where my brothers were sitting, I find them grinning at me.
“That was the quickest lap dance in history,” Brake says, his lip tipped up at the side as he grins at me.
“Shut the fuck up. Bitch freaked and ran before it even started. Come on let’s go,” I state, still standing.
“Yeah, I’m ready to go myself,” Fuse mutters strangely.
“I gotta say that one stripper looked familiar,” Tyres declares after downing the rest of his beer.
“She did, I just can’t put my finger on it,” Pitch Black says.
“She looks like Faith,” I grumble before stalking away.
Is this what I’ve come down to? Finding a woman who looks like my wife and trying to get a lap dance from her? I’m fuckin’ pathetic if that’s the case and need my head examined.
It’s not like I’ll ever see the woman again unless I look her up and that’s something I’m not going to do. I hurt her by demanding she leave. I might have been able to fix things back then but too much time has passed and I’m to fuckin’ stubborn to even cross that bridge.
Outside, I head for my bike ignoring my brothers’ banter when something out of the corner of my eye catches my attention. Tilting my head, I notice it’s Lawson and the chick I’d wanted to give me a lap dance. The two of them stop at a car near the end of the parking lot and the woman reaches up and whips what I’d figured was a wig off her head. I didn’t expect to hear the tears even from here.
“It was him, Lawson. How did he find me?” she cries.
Wait a minute that voice, I know it.
“Brother, come on,” Fuse calls out.
“Hang on,” I call out as I take a step forward in the direction of the woman.
At my voice she twists her head and thanks to the streetlight it’s confirmed.
Faith.
My wife.
She’s working in a strip club.
Fuck.
Before I can call out her name, she hurries into her car and darts out of the parking lot. Shit, it’s the same fuckin’ car I’d bought for her when I was nineteen. At the time it was all we could afford, and I intended to give her a new one the night everything went to shit.
I stare at Lawson as he approaches me.
“You Alex?” he asks cautiously.
“Yep.” I don’t even bother asking him how he knew. He seemed to be close to Faith and I’m curious to know just how close.
“Should fuckin’ beat your ass for what you did to her, but she’d kill me if I did. All I can do is tell you don’t go down that road unless you intend to do something about it that heals the pain she carries with her.” Did he really just say that.
“So, you and her . . .” Lawson shakes his head stopping me from saying anything further.
“That woman, she doesn’t want no man. Hates working here. But here she gets the flexibility she needs and the protection I give her. Faith is family and I’ll again repeat I should fuckin’ beat your ass,” Lawson sneers.
Well fuck.
Now what do I do?
Chapter Three
Faith
Oh my God. I can’t deal with this right now. Not only did I walk into a room where the man I married when I was eighteen sat waiting for me to give him a lap dance, I ran out of the room freaked beyond belief. Hurt by seeing him again. Confused as to why he’s here.
Did he know it was me?
No, he couldn’t have. I don’t look the same when I’m wearing the wig and in full-on makeup. I do that so no one knows me.
Then Lawson came to talk to me. Urged me to go on home, which I didn’t have a problem doing. Not one bit. He escorted me to my car himself, where he and I stood talking. Well me more along the lines of crying my eyes out because he knew about Alex. Knew what happened four years ago.
Besides Lyrica he’s my best friend and I didn’t keep anything from him.
As we stood there, him speaking soothing words to me, I’d whipped the wig right off my head. I needed to feel like me. To not being in character. Not right then when the pain in my chest was at a high while I clutched the rings I’d slipped back on when I’d gotten dressed.
I didn’t even realize Alex was in the parking lot
