Heart of a Stripper (17 page)

A few hours passed, with him sitting in his car and pondering his next step in life.
A red car pulled up beside him, and Adam hopped out.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he replied stalking to his best friend’s car.

“Am I not allowed to come see my best friend anymore?” he asked and Adam could tell he was hurting.

“Of course, always.
I just mean after yesterday you should be careful. Reporters are still coming around for statements.” Adam assured.

“Yeah.”
Mitchell mumbled.

“It looks like you had a rough night? How long you been sitting out here?” Adam inquired curiously.

“About two hours.” Mitchell muttered.

“Two hours?!
You know sometimes I don’t come straight home from work right? You’re lucky I did today. Let’s go in and get a beer.” Adam insisted and Mitchell obliged.

He wanted to do something to numb his pain, and drinking seemed like the answer.  Heading inside, he sat at the kitchen table and waited for Adam who was removing his suit jacket and tie. Adam was a broker and made a good living on his own. He was a bachelor and always had different women in and out of his place. He and
Mitchell had been best friends since high school started, and had been inseparable ever since.

Even though they were total opposites, it seemed to keep them balanced.
Mitchell had been shy, and Adam had been popular. Same applied with women. Adam was the reason Mitchell had had the many dates that he did. It wasn’t like Mitchell was a bad looking guy, all the women found him attractive, but when it came down to getting to know them, he never knew what to say. His mind had always been in other places and the girls hated that. It was either them or the highway, and that was usually where it ended.

Adam handed
Mitchell a drink and sat beside him.

“Care to fill me in on what the hell happened yesterday?” Adam pushed, opening his beer.

“I got arrested for beating Nevaeh’s dad up.” He replied fiddling with his beer.

Since he wasn’t a true drinker, he was hesitant to take a drink.

“You beat her dad up?!
You? Why? Over her?!” he shouted stunned.

“Yeah, but not for what you’re thinking. He was abusing her and I happened to step in.” he said opening the beer.

“Wow.” Was all Adam could say before taking a drink,

“Yeah.”
Mitchell sighed.

“So, what’s going on with you two?” he flat out asked.

“She dumped me today. I mean not that we were together, but she ended it.” Mitchell muttered.

“
Whoa, didn’t see that coming.” Adam shrugged.

“Yeah, me neither.”
Mitchell replied swigging his beer.

“I’m guessing she didn’t like what you did to her dad?” he asked.

“That’s not it. That happened a few days ago, and she was fine. She said she was toying with me.” He grumbled angrily, but hurt was seeping through the words.

“That’s—wow.” Adam said speechless. “Sorry
Mitchell, but you knew she was a kid. What did you expect?”

“Her to be different.”
He whispered, taking another drink.

“So what’s happening with you and Kate then?
” Adam inquired.

“She wants to fix things.”
Mitchell replied rolling his eyes.

“And do you want to?” he pushed.

“I don’t love her.” He sighed.

“What are you going to do then?” Adam asked.

He hated seeing his friend so broken.

“Marry her.” He replied seriously.

Chapter Fifteen

Mitchell walked into his penthouse and saw Kaitlin planted on his sofa. For the past month, this was how things were. Him coming home after working a late night, and her lounging around his place. He never knew that one person could make you so miserable day in and day out, but she did. He hated seeing her in the morning, and when he came home. He actually liked the days that she had to stay away for work, but lately she was just with him. The wedding had been drawing near. Since Thanksgiving passed, time had flown by.

The wedding was creeping up and had been just around the corner. Spending time with Kate was the last thing on his agenda. Since the whole incident, he had been distant towards her.
There was no way he intended to be intimate with her, especially not after his father touched her. The thought still made him cringe. Even when she cuddled him at night, it made his skin crawl. He was just a vacant shell of himself. Broken and hurt, but on the outside he smiled and went on like the perfect fiancé. She never had to want for anything. And he guessed that’s how the rest of his life would be.

His daily routine
consisted of him getting up super early and slipping out to work. While at school, he watched Nevaeh as she and Jaxon grew close. It tore him apart inside because even though she had broken his heart, his feelings were ever present and accounted for. Seeing her was harder than he thought it would be. He knew it was the fact that he had to see her every day. Ok, granted he didn’t have to see her, but he wanted to. Watching her from afar was torture, but for some reason he put himself through it. They hadn’t spoken since the initial “break up”, and that was due to the fact that she’d done everything to avoid him.

Since home wasn’t a place he desired to be
, he worked late every night hoping that Kate would be asleep by the time they got there. Walking in the house, he always wanted Kate to surprise him and have dinner ready. Maybe that would show him that she changed. Had she truly made an effort to be a better girlfriend he probably would’ve—no, not even then. She was forever going to be known as the woman who broke his heart by sleeping with his father. As much as he hated to deny it, at one point in time he did love her. Not the head over heels type of love, but there still was love. He was hoping to one day learn to love her again.

              But that wasn't the case. Kate was always lounging around either watching TV or texting, and right now she was on the damn phone texting. With her unfaithfulness still looming in the air, and his wounds still raw, he was always suspicious. Setting his things down on the counter, he walked to the fridge.

"Who you talking to?"
He asked as he always did.

Hesitating for a moment, she glared at him, and it was obvious
that she was sick of him asking her that. But she answered anyway.

"Bridgett. She's telling me the plans for my bachelorette party." She giggled.

"Bachelorette party? So you're having one of those?" He asked more than a little annoyed.

Pulling out the chicken he'd left to thaw, he closed the fridge before sitting the pan on the table. Rolling up his sleeves, he began seasoning the chicken. A late night meal always made him feel better
, but having someone else prepare it for him would’ve been ideal.

"Yup, maybe a Vegas trip."
She smiled brightly.

"
Vegas? Let me guess, I'm paying for this expensive trip right?" He asked sarcastically.

"Of course."
She shrugged.

"What a surprise." He said sarcastically.

"Are you trying to pick a fight with me tonight?" She sneered.

Sighing, he sliced the vegetables and bit his tongue. He had to do that a lot lately because of the anger building inside of him. Most days he just wanted to kick her out and be alone. It would be better than being miserable with someone he loathed.

"No, I'm not." He smiled fakely, and she smiled back.

He really couldn't understand why she never picked up on his unhappiness. Or maybe she had, maybe she just didn't care as long as she got what she wanted like his father had made clear.

Nevaeh pushed Jaxon off before sitting upright. They had been in a hot and heavy make out session in his room. His parents weren't home and it was abundantly clear what he wanted. The moment he went to unbutton her pants, she stopped him.

"Nevaeh we've been dating for about a month. I want to
—" he paused and obviously searched for the right words. "make love to you."

Nevaeh shivered at the thought and shook her head.

"I'm not ready." She insisted.

“Babe, come on.” He replied kissing her shoulder.

“I’m not into this right now.” She replied throwing her feet off the bed and standing up.

“What did I do wrong?” he asked and she frowned.

Mitchell immediately popped into her head because he had asked her the same question.

“Nothing.”
She smiled looking at him as he sat on his bed. “You’ve been a perfect boyfriend. I just—I’m not ready to make that step.”

With that, he got up and walked to her. Kissing her passionately, he smiled. It was true; he had been perfect in just about every way possible. He had been everything he had claimed to be. Never failing to open doors for her, he always walked her to class, and so forth. But there was just one thing she couldn’t get past.

He wasn’t
Mitchell.

Mitchell
had been perfect for her. Granted they had a tiny age gap, but nothing too gaping. They’re connection went way beyond physical. There were days where they could just lie in each other’s arms without saying a word, but know what the other was thinking. She was sure he would forever be the love of her life even though she showed otherwise. But at least his life had gone back to normal like his father had promised her. 

“Then I’ll wait ‘til you are.”
He said kissing her softly and she groaned.

“Tummy still bothering you?” he asked grabbing her waist.

“Yeah, just on and off. I’m hungry.” She muttered.

“Do you want to grab something to eat?”
Jaxon insisted.

“Can’t, I need to get to work. Can you give me a lift?”
she asked.

“Sure.” He replied grabbing his keys.

She had him drop her off at a nearby bar because she hadn’t told him she was a stripper. For all he knew she was a bar tender. Being that he was popular in school, and his parents were hard workers, she was sure if he knew her true profession that he would run. But lying to him was exhausting. Easy yes, but very exhausting. As the night got underway, she had grown tired. When it was her time to preform, nausea had taken hold of her, cutting her routine short. Running from the stage, she barely made it to the bathroom before puking her guts out. Honey had noticed and had been waiting for her when she made it to her locker.

“You ok?” she asked as Nevaeh sat on the bench.

“Yeah.” She nodded softly. “Just over working myself I guess.”

“So, you think it’s just you being tired?” Honey pushed.

“Yeah, what else would it be?” she smiled.

“I don’t know. You’ve been tired the past couple of
weeks and sick to your stomach. Maybe you’re pregnant.” She pushed.

“Pregnant? Me?” Nevaeh asked widening her eyes in amazement. “You have to have sex to be pregnant.” She chuckled.

“So you’re not sexually active then?” Honey pushed.

“No.” Nevaeh said biting her bottom lip. “I mean not for a while.”

“A while as in?” Honey inquired.

“A month or so.”
She answered thinking when the last time her period paid her a visit.

“I have a pregnancy test on me if you want it.” Honey replied looking down at her.

“I’m not pregnant.” Nevaeh protested as her stomach did a flip.

Hopping up, she ran back to the bathroom only to heave again. Honey grabbed the test and waited until Nevaeh returned.

“Take it just to be sure Hun.” She insisted, handing the box to her. “But don’t let the girls in here know. They’ll pounce on you for it.” She offered as advice.

“Thanks.” Nevaeh nodded nervously.

Jamming the box in her book bag, she changed her clothes.

“Fantasy, you alright?”
Jimmy asked stalking to her.