me.
“Freddie, I was hoping to see you tonight after we dealt with Damon.”
“Yeah, about that… No can do. I’ve met someone. It’s serious, and no, I’m not interested in hurting her,” I blurt out in a rush, as Rose and Starr start calling for Damon again.
“What are you doing in front of me, then?”
“I need you to call the girls off Damon. I’ll double whatever Baz is paying you just to do a couple of dances for the other guys, but you’ve got to stay the fuck away from Damon and me.”
“He’s paying us five large—each.”
Fuck, Baz. He has too much fucking money, and nothing better to spend it on.
“Fine. You’ll have to wait till morning when I can sort that kind of cash out.”
Holding out her hand, I take it. “Deal.”
Within seconds, the atmosphere changes, and the dancers begin fussing over the townsfolk.
I find Damon at the bar, and slide onto the stool beside him.
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think Alice would’ve thought too much about you having strippers. I mean, it is expected at your bachelor party.”
Downing the rest of his beer, he slams the empty bottle down and signals for another. “I don’t want to be that guy anymore. I’ve had my fair share of strippers, and I admit, I had fun at the time, living high and loving every minute of it. But now it’s different, because I have Alice. When I’m not around her, I’m thinking about her and what she’s doing, and if she’s okay? My priorities have shifted, and I’m cool with it. Strippers are all the same. They have tits and asses, and make you pay for it. I’m not ruining what I have now for something I’ve already had thousands of times over.”
For once, I completely agree with him. No stripper in the world could distract me from Jamiee. Being with different strippers is all the same, but being with Jamiee is different every time.
“If I’m honest, I don’t even want to be here. This shit doesn’t excite me anymore, and seeing you tonight, I’m pretty sure you feel the same,” he says.
Flipping the bar mat off the edge of the bar, I catch it and weave it around my fingers. “Jamiee’s been through too much for me to hurt her again, no matter how small the transgression. I guess I don’t have it in me anymore either.”
Two beers appear in front of us, and I push mine away. Damon chuckles and scoops mine up with his.
“Come on. We may as well try to enjoy ourselves.”
River, Slate, Gus, and Mr. Coleman are hanging around the pool table, while Baz has Rose and Starr hanging off each side of him. At least he seems happy.
Slate pots the black and starts cheering that he’s won, just as the white ball rolls into the middle pocket.
“Lost again, my friend. That’s what, three in a row? You owe me ten G’s,” Gus says, laughing his ass off.
This has to be the first time I’ve seen Gus this relaxed. Even when we first went platinum, he was an uptight asshole.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll sort it out in the morning.”
“You’re lucky I know you’re good for it,” he chuckles. “Who’s next?”
Tipping my head, I grab the nearest pool cue. “You rack ’em. I need a piss,” he says.
Leaning the cue against the bar, I go to dig around for change when a glass smashes, and Baz’s voice carries over the music.
Damon’s at my side in an instant, and that’s when shit hits the fan. Two locals are angry about something, and as one goes to swing his fist back, Damon and I are held back.
“What the fuck?” I snap at Slate standing behind us.
“You can’t get into any more trouble. There are enough of us here to help that fucking idiot. Go, take Damon with you.”
“Fuck that. Baz needs us.”
We go to help our brother, but Slate tightens his grip on our shirts. From what I can see, the whole bar has turned into a free for all, and Damon and I are being yanked away from it.
“You’re on bail,” he shouts at me, and then at Damon, “And you’re getting married tomorrow. Go back to the ranch. We won’t be far behind. This night is done.”
He opens a side door I didn’t see before, and pushes us outside, slamming it shut in our faces.
“You got keys?” I ask Damon, because I sure as shit don’t.
Digging around in his pocket, he pulls out a set to the