“I don’t even know you,” she spits out.
“Well, that makes two of us, then. I don’t really fucking know you either, but guess what, baby, now’s the chance where we start.”
“Fuck you.” She flinches right after she says it, almost expecting that I’m like Rage and will beat her into a bloody pulp for talking back to me. I love her spit fire spirit, if it was my choice it would have started to come out of her a lot sooner.
“I’ll leave you two to have your lovers’ quarrel in private. The clubhouse is packed, and there aren’t any open beds, I just had renovations done to the basement in the house. You two pick a couple rooms and meet us for breakfast in the morning. I think we have quite a bit to discuss.”
I look over and see Fist’s house, it’s a little hike to get to but it won’t kill us.
“Wait. Where are my parents?” Kat asks her uncle.
“They’re in Canada at the moment and will be back tomorrow night. Until then, rest up, and I’ll see you in the morning.” Fist walks away and heads in the clubhouse behind him.
“I will never hit you,” I tell her firmly. “Never will I lay a hand on you for saying what you feel. Do you understand that?”
“I don’t know anything about you. How can I trust anything you say? You lied to me, even when you didn’t have to anymore. You could have told me everything in the motel last night, and you didn’t! You didn’t tell me a god damned thing. Instead you brought me here and let me be blindsided in front of everyone. Do you know how that makes me feel? Or do you even care?”
“Yeah, right. I don’t fucking care,” I snap out at her, right now I don’t give a shit. I risked so much for her and she’s too blind to see it. “All I have fucking done is cared about you. Don’t get shit twisted. I cared when I shouldn’t have. I cared when I wasn’t fucking supposed to. I have cared about you since before I even knew who you were. If I didn’t give a shit about you I would have dropped you off at the door and fucking left. Did I do that? No. You want to know what I want, Kat? I want you. It is that simple. I fucking want you. I have wanted you for a long ass time, and by the looks of it, you fucking want me to.” I growl it out, grabbing her quickly and slam my lips down onto her with such force that I could’ve broken teeth. She has me furious, angered more than I’ve been in years.
If I don’t walk away now, I will scar her for the rest of her fucking life. She has no idea what I’m capable of right now. All I want to do is throw her up against the side of that clubhouse and hate fuck her like she’s never been fucked before.
So, I do the only thing I can.
I walk the fuck away.
***
KAT
He cursed at me, professed all of his deepest, darkest attractions and then left me standing in the middle of a god damned parking lot. Alone. Granted, he knew I was safe at this point, but what a damn dick move.
I’m pissed, and I have every fucking right to be!
I thought he was bringing me home for me, when in reality he was doing it because he had to. Because my family wanted me back. I’m glad to be back. I am so glad to be out of Rage’s awful, sinister hands, but I thought there was more there. I thought that I was more than just a fucking job, but from the looks of it, that’s all I was.
I was a job.
A job he got attached to.
I made my way into my uncle’s house, walking through the front door that still creaks the same way it did when I was a kid running in and out of his house. By memory I knew exactly where to go, behind the kitchen and down the steps that lead to the basement.
When I hit the bottom steps, I saw him, sitting on a plush cream-colored couch with his hands on his head. Before I even reached the bottom of the stairs he was speaking to me. “You know I care about you, it’s undeniable, so when you said that to me…it hurt. I care about you so much more than I ever should have.”
He was right, on this matter. I shouldn’t have said some of what I did, and implying that he didn’t care about me was immature. It didn’t mean that I didn’t disagree with most of what he did, though. He could have done things differently. I wish he had.
“You’re shaking again,” he comments, and when I stop thinking for a moment, I realize how fucking cold I am. “Come here, baby.”
I listen, and maybe I shouldn’t. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself. Part of me doesn’t want to be anywhere near him because I’m so pissed, but the other part of me wants nothing but to be near him. So, I do the one thing I want to do, I walk towards him and take a seat next to him on the couch.
“I shouldn’t have yelled at you, I’m sorry.”
“You’re damn right you shouldn’t have,” I mumble, sinking in further next to him.
“I won’t take back what I did. I mean it, if I thought it would have been smart to tell you, I would have. You understand that, right?”
“I understand it, but I also don’t think it was right. It wasn’t right.”
“Fine. We’ll just agree to disagree, then.”
“Perfect.” I grumble, and he laughs, cocking his head back he wraps his arms around me and pulls me on top of him.
“What’s so funny?”
“We just had our first fight and survived it.”
“I didn’t realize that was something to laugh over, considering it was a pretty big one, and it’s not like we’re a couple or anything. Fights don’t matter.”
The way he looks at me is like I just slapped him silly. “You don’t think we’re a thing?”
“No, cause we’re not. We had sex. Big woop.”
“Oh, baby. We are a thing. You and I are so much more than just sex, and I know you know that. If you think for one minute I’m not going to be with you, you’re batshit insane. We’ve got a connection, Kat. I’m not giving any of that up. Like I said, I want you. I belong to you, baby.”
I sit there next to him, silent for more minutes than I can count. He’s driving me insane, saying the sweetest things and also being a pain in my ass. I have a feeling there’s much more than just empty promises here. After all, he promised my family he’d bring me back safe and that’s what he did.
“Let’s go to bed, we have breakfast in the morning,” I mutter, taking his hand and heading towards a closed door.
If I knew one thing at all, it’s that I didn’t know anything about what the future held. I could only move forward and try to find out. Guess what? The future starts now.
“Well folks it’s good to see so many of you come out on such a hot evening to support your local football team. This is the last game before the big one so if you’re not here then you better be close to a television because you’re about to witness one of the best games played in history tonight. The New York Jets versus the Atlanta Falcons and Richard I can feel it in my bones that this is sure to be a close one. Wouldn't you agree?”
“Yes, for sure Ken. I mean I’ve seen my fair share of football played at this level, but never have I seen this much hype in the lead up to a game. The atmosphere in here is electric. Both teams have so much on the line tonight and well I’ve got to say, I am finding it hard to pick who is going to win here tonight. It really could go either way.”
“I agree, but I think the Jets might have it over the Falcons tonight simply because the Jets have the best quarterback I have ever seen, Mr. Preston Heat.”
“Preston Heat is sure to ‘bring the heat’ tonight Richard. He is on fire. With an average of five touchdowns per game he is the man to beat. I doubt there will be anyone on the field tonight that will be able to get close to him.”
“Maybe not tonight, but there is one man who may give him a run for his money next weekend if the Jets win tonight. Let’s not forget about young gun, quarterback for the Giants, Gabriel Ryder. Whoever wins this game tonight will go up against tough competition as they fight The New York Giants for fame and glory battling it out in this year’s Super Bowl championship. Gabe’s stats are looking rather impressive at this early stage o
f his career. One thing is for sure Ken, I believe Gabe Ryder is hot on the heels of Preston Heat and I’d bet that Preston Heat knows it.”
“Well looking at his stats at this stage of his professional playing career Richard they’re nearly exactly the same as Preston Heat’s during his first season as a pro footballer.”
“You’re absolutely right. And that is why IF the Jets win this game tonight picking a winner for the Super Bowl sure will be a tough one to pick. The Jets have the best quarterback of the century and the Giants have his shadow, hungry to score for his team, but relatively new to professional football Gabe Ryder if he can keep his nerves in check on Super Bowl Sunday, the Giants may be in with a chance to win this year’s Super Bowl Sunday. One thing is for sure this is going to be a game of epic proportions.”
“Well let’s see if the Jets can win this game tonight first then we’ll worry about what’s going to happen on Super Bowl Sunday.”
PRESTON
“Right, listen up.”
My team doesn’t fuck around, they gather quickly and all take a knee. A sea of faces stares back at me, their eyes filled with a mixture of eagerness, bravado and anxiety. One thing is for sure, they all look like they’re bowing down to me, to their leader. Being the captain of this winning team I’m proud to play that part. In fact, I thrive on it. I was chosen by them to be their captain, the leader amongst this group of men. The one person they can look up to and respect, apart from coach, Joe Jackson of course.
With my back straight, I cast my eyes down, keeping my head tilted high as I begin my ‘let’s bring home the trophy’ speech.
“We have to be the best we can be tonight if we’re to win this game. A win tonight will not only mean a one-way ticket to the Super Bowl, but it will also mean respect. When we win tonight every player, every fan, every woman will respect us because we will be winners. We will be the guys who got the job done, who fought hard right till the end. The winners who never once doubted their ability to kick ass. So, let’s get out there, let’s do our jobs and let’s win this motherfucking game. LET’S WIN TONIGHT THEN GO ON TO BECOME CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!”
The testosterone levels in the room triple, mine more than anyone’s, as everyone jumps to their feet shouting and chanting. Backs and butts are slapped in a show of encouragement. The guys who already have helmets on butt heads, grunting louder and louder as they hit harder and harder.
I’m the first to put my hand in the center of the group, my team follow my lead. This is the moment I love the most. The moment we become one, united by the power of football. United by the power of being a winning team. Right here in this moment as we lay our hands-on top of one another’s and pump the air three times before breaking, is the moment I love the most. Every set of eyes connects with mine. Every set filled with determination, hunger and need. Emotions I inspired within them. Me. Preston Heat. The greatest quarterback in the league. The man every football player aspires to be. The man every football player respects.
“NOW LET’S GO!”
SIANNA
“Hey girl, is tonight your last night here?”
“No. I have one more shift to go after this one then I am out of here.”
“We’re going to miss you around here. What do you plan on doing next?”
“Well considering I will be graduating from law school soon I plan on applying for positions in every law firm in New York.”
Gina’s eyes and mouth droop in a sorrowful yet happy-for-me kind of way. Pushing a tray of drinks in my direction she says, “Well I hope your dreams come true girl.”
They will. I know they will.
Working as a waitress in this strip joint has helped pay my way through college. I can’t say I love the job, or that I’ll miss it, but it’s been fun in a lot of ways. Within these walls I can be anyone I want to be and no one knows any different.
The guys who come in here want two things. Alcohol and pretty girls. Yeah, okay most of them want more, and sometimes they get it. If they can afford it that is, but not me. I don’t sleep with the guys here. I have been known to give a lap dance or two, every now and then, when a high roller comes in, but other than that I simply wait tables. There is one guy who comes in every now and then who has caught my eye, but he’s never approached me. I don’t even know his name. He’s a complete, incredibly gorgeous, mystery to me. He just sits there and watches everything that goes on around him. Sometimes I let my imagination run wild and picture the two of us in bed, but who am I kidding. It’s just a silly daydream of mine. No guy comes in here looking for anything more than tits and ass and a cold bottle of beer.
Besides as much as I enjoy getting my kicks behind closed doors, I’m here to earn money so that I can become a sexual crimes lawyer and put abusive, manipulative men behind bars for good.
A tidal wave of loud noises echoes through the room; it’s coming from the front door. Usually loud shouting and yahooing means that someone is getting thrown out, but as I look up I notice Charlie, the bouncer on the door, high fiving a large group of guys as they enter.
Returning to the bar with my next order Gina, who not only runs the bar but also owns the joint, gives me a nod and says, “Well you’re in luck tonight girl.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because those guys who just come in are players from the New York Jets and they just won the game tonight, so they’ll be spending their cash as quickly as their endorsement money hits their bank accounts.”
Eyeing the group all I can say is “Cha-ching.”
Gina gives me a high five and tells me to go wait their table.
Before I grab the tray of complimentary drinks I hitch my skirt up and scoop my breasts in my tight little top, forcing them to press firmer together. Gina gives me a wink of approval. Carrying the tray of beers in one hand I sway my hips and watch as each and every guy at the table notices my approach. One guy in particular immediately grabs my attention. So much so that I almost stumble as he mentally undresses me with his eyes. I’ve seen him before, he’s my man of mystery. I’ve seen that look in his eyes a thousand times before too, but there is a level on intensity in his gaze tonight that makes me want to pay extra attention to him.
More pieces of the puzzle fall into place. Obviously, he’s a football player and he must be pretty good if he’s a member of the winning team.
Eight fully grown, elite, athletic men sit silently and watch me place their complimentary drinks on the table. I can feel them all staring at my tits and ass as I bend forward, my skimpy uniform showing more skin than I’m usually comfortable with. One guy decides to break the ice and mentions that they haven’t ordered any drinks yet.
“Well then tonight is your lucky night because these drinks are on the house.”
They all cheer, all except my mystery man who is still scanning my body with his deep blue eyes.
“I hear you boys won your game tonight,” I add, hoping to get some extra attention from any of them who want to pay for it as I picture my landlord banging on my door demanding next week’s rent from me.
“Why yes we did,” says one guy who has deep set eyes and short milk chocolate colored hair.
He slaps me on my ass. His actions making me jolt upright. I smile, because I have too, but I can’t say that I condone his actions. As he lines his hand up for another shot my mystery man who hasn’t moved and who hasn’t stopped starting at me since he walked in the door suddenly reaches forward and grabs his friend’s hand.
“Don’t.”
The power that one word seems to hold is evident as all of the guys lean back in their chairs and sip on their drinks. An aura of awkwardness now surrounding them.
The man’s hand is released and he immediately apologizes to me for his bad behavior.
“Well I’ll tell you what. I’ll keep waiting on you tonight as long as you don’t let that happen again. Now how about I go and get some of my friends to come over here and entertain you boys.”
The thought
of getting their dicks played with alters their moods immediately; whether they have to pay big bucks for it or not, they don’t care. They are on a high, cashed up, already fairly drunk and have come to the right place for a good time.
I take my tray and walk back toward the bar to get the next set. Shots this time I think.
Gina already has nine shot glasses lined up and is filling them all with clear liquor.
“Hey there are only eight guys on that table.” I note.
“Yeah I know.”
“So, who is the other shot for?”
“You.”
“Me! Why me?”
“Because you need to loosen up a bit if you’re going to milk these guys for all they’re worth.”
I roll my eyes. It’s not the first time I’ve backed away from the attention of the guys who frequent this establishment and Gina knows it. It’s just not my style, but cash is cash so I guess I’ll be extra nice and hope they tip me well.
“Fine.”
I take my medicine and pick up the tray, but not before Gina places a replacement shot on the tray.
I raise my eyebrows.
“The idea was for you to have the shot with them.”
Damn it.
“Right.”
“Off you go. Oh and pay attention to the guy who is undressing you with his eyes. He’s the league’s best quarterback and he’s clearly interested in you.”
“How would you know that?”
“It’s fairly obvious girl.”
“No, I mean how do you know he’s the league’s best quarterback.”
“I know because I’m a Jets fan.”
How could I forget? Gina has a range of Jets memorabilia on display behind the bar. I never take any notice of things like that because I don’t care that much for football, which is unusual for someone who lives in New York, but that’s just me. Now when I’m in class studying a case I notice every little detail. I have to if I want to help rid this world of scum bags.
I guess sports just aren’t my thing. Knitting is not my thing either, so shoot me. No bodies perfect.