Affliction

“I’ve had the best night, Holly. Thank you for putting all this together.”

“The night’s far from over,” I tell her, knowing the best is yet to come.

“You know I love you?” she says with the biggest smile.

“You only like me ‘cause I booked you the hottest stripper I could find,” I tease, trying to keep the tone light. The last thing we need is emotional Kadence coming out.

“No, I love you because you are my best friend and I’m so thankful to have you in my life,” she starts in on her drunken declaration of love.

“How much have you been drinking?” I laugh, feeling guilty that I’m hiding my friendship with Sy from her.

“You love me too, don’t deny it.” I do love her, so I don’t argue.

“Someone call for a stripper?” Jesse’s voice booms from the top of the stairs and he starts moving his hips in perfect rhythm to the music. Damn, the man is sexy. I’ll give him that.

“Go away, Jesse,” Kelly shouts from the back booth. “We don’t want to see it.”

“Just keeping an eye on you crazy girls,” he winks, walking forward to where Kadence and I sit.

“Jesse,” I warn. “You promised we would be left alone,” I accuse, not in the mood for his games.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. Your stripper just turned up. Just making sure everything is okay,” he explains.

“Okay, well, we are comfortable as you can see, so buzz off.” I swat him away. We don’t need a big-brother act tonight.

“Okay, okay. Enjoy your party,” he laughs, holding up his hands, and backing away to the stairs. “You girls behave now.” He winks before turning and leaving us.

“Let's do another shot,” I shout, ready to get the entertainment started. I order another round from our personal waiter and sit back ready for the hot male stripper I booked two weeks back. My phone beeps in front of me on the table and I pick it up, expecting a text from the stripper. Instead, Sy’s name flashes on the screen.

Sunshine: Enjoy your stripper.

I look at the words, unsure how to respond. Evidently, the guys have been sharing information.

Holly: How did you know about the stripper?

I type back as a fu

Sunshine: I have my ways.

I read the text back and know he’s up to something, but before I can reply the music in the VIP section stops and a deep voice rumbles from the top of the stairs.

“I’m looking for a Kadence Turner,” he shouts, and I nearly fall out of my chair. A large man wearing a worn cop’s uniform stalks to where we sit. His outfit hugs his body tightly, the buttons on the pale blue shirt look dangerous; like they could be a hazard and pop off. I don't know if I want to scream or cry, because instead of muscles that go on for days, and a six pack you want to lick, we're stuck looking at a beast of a man who has to weigh at least three hundred pounds. No six pack in fucking sight. I don’t know who the fuck he is, but I’m willing to bet the boys have something to do with it. Most probably Sy.

“Fucker,” I say, reaching for my phone to call the man in question as the fat guy starts moving to some eighties’ porn song.

“Yes?” Sy answers on the second ring.

“What did you do?” I ask, watching the fat man shake his ass and start stripping down to what I think is a thong.

“You got our present?”

“He has bigger boobs than me,” I shriek, watching the fat-a-gram pick up his gut to reveal a bright green thong hiding underneath it. I’m half-mortified and half-bursting with laughter.

“He does?” he asks before erupting in laughter. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard him laugh. The raucous sound so deep and thick with emotion you can’t help but become addicted to it.

“Are you there?” he asks when I don’t reply, too lost in his rumble.

“Yeah, I’m here.” I smile, making sure I remember every moment of that sound.

“Are you pissed?”

“Umm, my best friend only gets married once and you just ruined her only stripper experience,” I snap down the phone, remembering why I called. Am I pissed? Is this man for real?

“You’re pissed,” he concludes when I don’t answer.

“Of course I’m pissed.”

“Don’t be pissed. It’s a joke. Did you honestly think Nix would ever be okay with some fucker flashing his cock in his woman’s face?”

“Well, when you put it like that, no,” I answer, not denying his point.

“Exactly. Now go enjoy your stripper,” he orders before hanging up. I hold back my laugh at the ridiculousness of it, then hold back the need to vomit as the stripper makes Kadence run her hands down his shiny body.

“Holly, I’m going to kill you,” she shouts, closing her eyes as her hands rub over his slick skin.

“You have your fiancé to thank for this one.” I laugh when her eyes bug out.

“Don’t worry, ladies. The real stripper is downstairs,” Jesse laughs while cringing as he watches the cop do some weird move with his baton. I give up looking; it’s safer that way.

“He is? Send him up, please!” I beg, hoping the fat man runs out of breath soon from his vigorous exercise, or gives up. Either way, I’m happy.

“Sure thing,” he says, heading downstairs. Kadence looks like she is going to pass out from laughing, but I’m just relieved that the real guy is downstairs.

Five minutes later, my life isn’t any better when a redheaded female wearing a nurse's outfit walks up the stairs looking for an injured Kadence. By this point, Kadence doesn’t give a fuck, letting both the guy and woman give her a lap dance. I’m beyond mortified, silently plotting my revenge.

“You do know the boys have a stripper organized for Nix,” Kelly says, sitting back and watching the show.

“They do not,” I say, not liking that shit at all.

“They do,” she confirms, giving them up.

“I’m going to kill them. I’m going to kill them with these very hands,” I threaten, shaking my fists.

“I think we need payback,” Kadence says, not at all creeped out anymore.

“Payback. Those boys need payback!” Kelly laughs and all the girls cheer in agreement.

“Payback! Let's do this then,” I say, eager to screw with their plans. After settling the tab, I tip the outrageously expensive fat-a-gram and the skanky redhead, and then pile everyone into two cabs back to the clubhouse.

“This is war,” I tell Kadence, watching her buzzing next to me as we get closer to the Knights Rebels compound.

“It’s so on,” she agrees and I can’t help the giddiness settling inside of me. I haven’t felt like this in such a long time. A feeling of awareness settles over me like I’ve stepped out in the cool brisk air on an autumn morning. And I realize that this moment outweighs the ugliness. It’s one of the best feelings in the world.

***

“What the fuck is she doing here?” Kadence seethes when we walk into a packed clubhouse ten minutes later. My earlier happiness in the cab ride comes crashing down when I realize who she means.

Tina.

The club whore who happens to be sitting so close to Sy, she’s practically humping his lap. I don’t make eye contact at first, unsure how to play this out. Sy and I haven’t given a name to what is going on with us, and we sure as hell haven’t told anyone about us. Us? Shit, I don’t even know if there is an us, or if I should be losing my shit right now because she just put her grubby paws on his chest. What I do know is that I’m drunk, feeling for the first time in a long time that I don’t even have to fake happiness, and the thought of dealing with this right now in front of a clubhouse of people I barely know has me wanting to retreat. I know I'm stronger now and letting this whore ruin my night is not on the table. I want to make this feeling last forever. So, instead of staking my claim, I turn and try to ignore Sy and focus on keeping the buzz I’ve got happening.

“Let’s do some shots,” I say, trying to keep up the hype. I drag the girls over to the bar.