“What was that, babe?” Adam’s voice made me jump and I met his dancing eyes.
“Nothing,” I said quickly, not needing the hot bartender to know I was talking to myself.
Adam knew me a little. Well, as well as someone as hot as him could know a girl like me. I barely spoke to him on the rare occasion I came here to hang out with Bex. More like she dragged me here when I’d been cooped up in my room for too long studying, or staring at hospital walls. Staring at strip club walls wasn’t much better, but it did serve to take my mind off things. The girls were nice, Adam was the only bartender that spoke to me, all the other males in the joint leered. Including her boss, who made me feel more than a little uncomfortable. Luckily I’d flown under their radar, thanks to the fact I near shrunk into myself every time they tried to talk to me. They quickly lost interest, in a mousy mute.
So, because Adam knew me, his eyes softened slightly. “Want me to call you a cab?” he asked, having to yell over the music.
I did want him to call a cab. I wanted to go home to our four walls with crumbling paint and pretty posters and fairy lights. Though the pictures that decorated those same walls hindered me, that and the promise of solitude. I usually loved it. Now being alone with my thoughts was the last thing I needed. I was worried the silence my own thoughts offered would swallow me up. Plus, Asher was coming. As much as I knew he would mess up my brain, how the attachment I felt to him was unhealthy, my drunken mind didn’t need to focus too hard on that. Only the promise of his touch, his presence. I’d been talking to him on the phone every single day. He’d patiently waited for me to be ready for more. I wanted it. Craved it. But something stopped me. Something that didn’t seem important right now.
“Nah, I’m good,” I grinned at him drunkenly.
He gave me a long look then scanned the room quickly. “You stay here during Becky’s routine, ‘kay darlin’?” he ordered. “Big crowd tonight, a lot of rowdy men lettin’ loose. You’re a sweet girl who’s had a drink too many, it’s like blood in the water to these sharks,” he told me seriously.
I giggled slightly. Adam was protecting my honor. It was sweet. “Don’t worry, men aren’t going to trouble themselves with little old me when there’s women taking off their clothes in front of them,” I said decisively.
Adam gave me a look with furrowed brows. “Just stay here,” he repeated.
I saluted him. “Yes, sir.”
He shook his head and gave a small laugh. His eyes turned slightly sad, and he looked like he was going to say something before someone called him. He gave me a stern look to stay put before he left.
I swirled on my stool, sucking the last of my drink, regarding the scene. Adam was right, the place was packed. Tables full of men crowded the room. Females were peppered throughout these groups, but they were few and far between. It wasn’t exactly the classiest strip club, not that I had much to compare it to. It was dimly lit and the décor and tables dated. Most of the men who worked here were paid extra to convince the waitresses to turn to stripping, and most tried aggressively to get into bed with them. Luckily, Bex didn’t let anyone pressure her into anything, but it didn’t mean I liked the way it was. But it was her choice. She worked here at first to support herself through medical school. Now she just worked here to support herself. Medical school was a distant memory.
“Lily, it’s so good to see you,” a familiar voice drawled.
I inwardly cringed, swiveling on my bar stool.
Bex’s sleazy boss stood in front of me, shamelessly leering. He was wearing black slacks, terrible snakeskin shoes, and a shirt with too many buttons undone. His huge belly protruded over his belt buckle. A tacky gold chain around his neck completed the Sopranos look.
“Tony, so good to see you,” I greeted him with a straight face.
Carlos looked momentarily confused. He wasn’t used to me being so articulate, let alone flippant. His face then turned into a sly grin.
“I’m sure you know by now that it’s Carlos, though, by the looks of it, you’ve indulged in a lot of cocktails, name mix-ups are inevitable,” he nodded to my now empty glass.
I didn’t say anything, merely shrugged my shoulders. I was hoping he’d get bored of me like he normally did.
“When are you going to decide to come and work here?” he asked, stepping into my personal bubble. “You could make a lot more money than you do at that bar. Men like the schoolgirl thing,” he gave me another once over, “the sex kitten thing you’ve got going tonight could make you a lot of money also.” His chubby finger trailed on my bare thigh. “Enough to put you through college and pay any pesky medical bills left over,” he continued, his voice sending shivers down my spine. Not the good ones.