Page 2

8 Years Later

“W hat are you doing home? Don’t you have work?” Candy, my asshole roommate, asks before the door has even shut behind me.

Today has been the day from hell, and it seems it will only get worse.

“I did, but my creepy boss sat me down today and told me that I would not be getting my paycheck unless I sucked his cock, so I dick punched him and left.” I sigh. “Why are men such creeps?”

“You should have done it. You need the money. I’m not covering your rent,” she huffs.

She is such a bitch, but she was the only person willing to let me move in with her after the last place kicked me out.

It’s not like it was my fault there was black mold. I only pointed it out to the landlord, and when he wouldn’t do anything about it, I called the county. How did I know they would condemn the place?

Since then, I have regretted living with her. She’s sloppy and doesn’t have a real job. All she ever says is she’s going to the club for the night to make money. I can only assume she is a shot girl. She dresses like one when she leaves.

Not that she has ever actually told me which club she works for. I mean, if that’s what she wants to do, then more power to her. I’d prefer not to dress in my skivvies in order to sell alcohol and get a good tip.

Then again, she never seems to struggle to pay rent.

“I’ll get another job. I just need a few days,” I tell her.

“You have less than twenty-four hours before rent is due. I can’t cover your half.”

“Then let it be a few days late. I’ll pay the late fees.”

She shakes her head. “No way. If you fuck me over, then I’m out a place. Either get me the rent or get out.”

I toss my hands up in the air. “Where in the hell do you think I’m going to get eight hundred and fifty dollars in the next few hours?”

She smirks at me. “You could come to the club with me. Plenty of men are looking for a sweet honey like you to spend their dough on. Shouldn’t be too hard to raise enough to pay rent.”

“Seriously? You think shaking my ass for some men is going to get me that much? Unlikely. Besides, I don’t have anything to wear.”

“Sure you do. That little black dress you wore on that date with fuckface. It will do wonderfully.”

I cringe as I think about the dress. My ex Zach wanted me to wear something form-fitting to his birthday party, so he bought me this little black dress. It barely covered my ass.

“Don’t make that look. It’s either that or your underwear, but I’ve seen what you keep in your drawer, and it’s not sexy at all.”

“Stay out of my shit.” I glare at her.

“I was curious. Besides, I hear the buzzing at night. I thought you might have a toy for me to play with. Imagine my surprise when I saw what you shove up your puss. Girl, you are brave.”

My face flames at what she is insinuating. I have a ten-inch dildo that vibrates in my room. I didn’t start off with one so big, but I love the feel of being so full.

“I swear to God, Candy. I will murder you if you touched it,” I threaten her.

She only smiles at me. “Well, I could only fit the first six inches.”

I do not look good in orange. I do not look good in orange.

I repeat the mantra in my head as I try to calm down. That ten-inch cock cost me a pretty penny. It was my one and only splurge last year. I saved up every damn penny to buy it. Now I have to throw it out. Probably get tested for an STD too.

What a fucking bitch. Who the fuck uses someone else’s dildo?

“So are you in or not? I can get you on the list, but I need to leave by six. Make up your mind and let me know.”

She saunters from the room, making me wish I had the money to move out. I wish I were anywhere but here.

Alas, that’s not the way life works. Instead, it finds every possible way to fuck you in the ass.

So as I go to my room, I consider what she’s said. Could I be a club girl?

From the last time I went to a club with Zach, I remember the girls walking around carrying shots in little holders. They were outgoing. Flirty even.

I remember Zach spending a little too much time looking at one of them. At the time I was jealous, but I understood why she was leaning into him. It was a job for her. She didn’t actually want him.

At least, I hoped she didn’t actually want him.

Pulling out the black dress, I try it on. It’s shorter than I remember. I feel like I can feel the air on my ass cheeks.

Candy meant what she said. She would kick me out.

Candy embodies her name. She is a blonde bimbo with far too big tits and not enough smarts. At least that’s what she would want you to believe.

The girl is manipulative. I actually thought her name was Candy for the longest time. Then I found a piece of mail with Candace on it.

That’s when I realized the truth. Candy will do anything to get you to believe what she wants you to believe.

She’s also ruthless. Her last roommate got kicked out for eating her ice cream. It didn’t matter to her that they replaced it before she noticed. The fact is, she noticed, and she didn’t like it.

If I don’t get this money, I will be on the streets tomorrow.

Sucking up my pride, I make my decision. For the night, I will be a shot girl. I’ll put up with hands on my ass and men drooling over my tits.

I have to.

I refuse to be homeless ever again.

“We miss you, Dad. When do we get to see you again?” Sienna asks.

I smile at her. “I miss you too, girl. This weekend is your mother’s. Next weekend is mine.”

That’s the shitty part about the whole thing. Scott didn’t last long, not that I expected him to. He liked being a stepdaddy when he only had to see the girls every once in a while. Having them move in at three years old made him realize really quickly he didn’t want to be a dad.

Rather than come home with the girls, Miranda started jumping from guy to guy until I finally bought her a place so that she would sit still. Then she demanded I send her child support every week to keep her in the lifestyle she likes. If I don’t, she won’t let me come get the girls. If I try to push, she threatens court.

It’s a revolving door of shit.

I wish I could change it, but even if I were to give up the club, she would still use it against me. There’s no winning with Miranda. That’s the one thing I learned from the past eleven years with her in my life.

I wish I could say I regret ever meeting her, but I don’t. My twin girls ensure I would never wish that.

So instead, I talk to them on the phone I bought them every single night. Then I go out and pretend like my heart isn’t constantly bleeding from missing them. A vicious circle that I am doomed to live in. At least until they are eighteen. Then Miranda is on her own.

“Can we go to the aquarium again?” Selena asks.

My little marine biologist in the making, I swear. She loves spending her time at the aquarium.

“Please can we do literally anything else? I want to go see a show at the Sphere. It’s so nice inside there.”

I took them to see a holiday show last Christmas. They loved it.

“We can figure that out when you get here. No need to argue about it now,” I tell them.

“Fine,” Sienna pouts.

“Girls, bedtime.” I hear Miranda call in the background.

“You better go to bed and hide the phone. I love you both.”

It hurts that I even have to tell them to hide the phone. Miranda is a class A bitch. Last phone I bought them, she ran over with her car when she was pissed I was two days late on child support. It wasn’t my fault that the bank took their sweet time transferring the money to her.

I just keep reminding myself that one day I won’t have to deal with her anymore. She will always be the mother of our children, but she won’t always be in my life. Once they turn eighteen, I hope to never see her again.

“Love you too, Dad,” Selena says sweetly, blowing me a kiss.

“Love you, Daddy,” Sienna says before she hangs up the phone.

As the silence comes over the room, I feel the weight settle back on my chest. I miss my daughters.

I’ve been as involved in their life as I can be. Miranda doesn’t always make it easy, but I haven’t missed a single birthday nor Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. I make all of their parent-teacher conferences and do whatever I can to see them more than I already do.

No one tells you that being separated, it’s fighting to see your kids that hurts the most.

Popping a peppermint candy in my mouth, I tuck my phone in my pocket before leaving my room. I have a house, but I only stay there when the girls are with me. Otherwise it seems too empty. Reminds me that they are gone. I stay here more often than not. Besides, when the silence becomes too much, I can always find a party.

Like tonight. A random Wednesday, and there’s a party going on.

I find my way over to the couch I always sit on. It’s got a good eyeline of all the exits in the room with my back to a wall. Best protection you can get. Even if I’m in a room full of my brothers, I like to be prepared.

Knocking a woman up at nineteen changed me irrevocably. I’m not the party animal I was before. Now I’m all responsible and shit. I grew my business from the ground up. Saved up every extra penny to have a good savings in case the girls need anything.

I changed my entire life for them. I don’t regret it for a moment.

Settling back on the couch, I keep an eye on the room.

“Here, looks like you need this” Wrath hands me a beer as he and Tara sit next to me.

“Thanks. What are you two up to?” I ask.

“Sweet T wanted to hang with Queen Bee, but Reaper kidnapped her. We are about to head out. What about you?” he asks.

“People-watching as always.”

As the words leave my mouth, the door opens. I watch as one of the normal hangarounds walks in. She’s not quite a sweetbutt because she doesn’t live here or dedicate all her time to the club, but she’s around enough that she’s known. She’s approached me a few times, but she looks like trouble in her lacy bra and boy shorts barely covering her vag. She comes here for one thing only.

That’s not what catches my attention, though. It’s the girl at her side. She looks like she can’t be a day over nineteen. She has long blond hair that touches her hips even put up in a ponytail. The black dress is tight and covers all her assets, but it’s so short that one wrong move and the girl will be flashing the room.

What has me on alert is the way she is holding herself. She is not comfortable. She is shying away from everyone as she follows her friend through the crowd. Whisk, one of the old-timers, stops her, making her cringe.

“I’ll be right back,” I mumble, interrupting whatever Wrath was saying.

I can hear him laughing as I stride toward the girl.

“Whisk, my man,” I pat his shoulder.

He looks up at me, smiling. “I was just talking about you. I need to get in and touch up some of my tattoos. Sagging skin and all wreak havoc on the art.”

He winks at the girl, but she is looking for an exit.

I wrap my arm around her. “How about you come in next week, and I’ll take a look for you? I’m sorry to interrupt, but this here is my girl for the night. You understand.”

He looks between us before he smiles big. “Good for you. She’s a sweet-looking thing. Send her my way when you’re done. That’s if you haven’t worn her out.”

“Sure thing.”

I start escorting the girl back to my couch. I let out a breath of relief when I see Wrath and Tara have disappeared.

Sitting down, I pull the girl down next to me. She is shaking so hard I’m sure her bones are rattling inside her.

I hate that she walked through this door. That she looks scared to death right now.

I don’t know what made her come here tonight, but I’ve decided I won’t let her leave here with anyone else. I’ll get her home safe and warn her away from places like this.

Delicate flowers like her shouldn’t play with wolves.