by LK Collins
Moving along with Tracy, I can’t help but laugh at her, she’s fuckin’ cute. I’m not a huge fan of dancing, but she always makes it fun. Following her lead, we move together, and I know tonight will be interesting, and she’ll keep my mind off of Abby.
Music fills the air as we get lost in one another. She kisses my neck and I squeeze her ass, just as a group of girls enters the club, and leading the way is none other than Abby. My heart stops and my stomach climbs into the back of my throat. She looks happy as she is laughing with them and then in slow motion she locks eyes with me and suddenly my world halts. The room spins as she moves past me, neither of us breaking eye contact. My hand is locked on Tracy’s waist as she grinds against my cock. Abby watches us dancing, giving a long stare, and I have no clue what to do.
Like a complete idiot, I just watch her walk by. Shaking out of the daze, I know I have to stop her. This might be my only chance to talk to her about everything that happened. To make sure she’s okay, to tell her how truly sorry I am that we got caught, and to…
6
Abby
Sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at the navy blue wall, I’m more unhappy than I’ve been in years. I can’t sleep and I really never imagined that this is what my life, or marriage, would’ve turned out to be, but it has. As I think about what Darrell said, about never loving me, it hurts like a knife going straight through my heart. That is the last thing I ever expected him to say. I don’t care how mad I was at him, I’d never hurt him like that, no matter what. Even after all the shit he’s put me through.
He still doesn’t take any accountability for anything and never will. He’s just a spoiled fucking bastard. Everyone he’s ever known has kissed his ass his entire life because he can throw a goddamn ball. But to me he’s no different than a bum begging for handouts on the corner.
My phone chimes and I grab it, internally hoping it’s Latch. But it’s Sasha, one of my oldest friends from college. Hey Ab – Chloe, Mandi, and I are in town. We’d love to see you tonight. I went to college with those three girls and as much as I’d love to go out, I can’t. Plus, I’m not good company right now and don’t want to deal with the aftermath if I were to get caught by Darrell.
I wish I could, but I have plans.
No worries, we’ll have to grab coffee before we leave. What was the name of the club you told me about?
I think back to when I recommended somewhere for her to go when they visited and then My Club 20 pops into my head. Latch talked about going there once and he had nothing but good things to say about it.
It’s called My Club 20.
Awesome, thanks, honey! I wish you could come.
From the living room, I can hear Darrell’s snoring. He’s been passed out for hours and I contemplate going out. Maybe some time away from this place, with the girls, is just what I need. Even if he goes ballistic that I’m gone. Guess what? My night just freed up, could you pick me up? I think I can get us all in free. Sasha is quick to text back.
We’ll be there in about an hour, should we come up to your place?
I text her, No, I’ll just meet you out front. I rush into the shower, cleaning myself up for the first time in days and then do my hair and makeup. Getting all done up feels good, and I can’t help but drift off remembering all of the times I’d done it for Latch and how he’d walk through the door looking as hot as a man could and appreciate how sexy I was when I got all dolled up.
Not holding back tonight, I pick a sexy dress, knowing Darrell’d hate it, but I don’t give a shit right now. As I exit the bedroom, he is still passed out on the couch. I turn on the white noise app he has on his phone that helps him sleep when he’s on the road, hoping it’ll keep him dead to the world for the night. Then grab a bottle of tequila out of his stupid bar and fill a shot glass to the top.
Looking at the drink before I knock it back,
what hard liquor does to me, fucking me right up. Here goes nothing! Checking my watch, the girls should be here soon and I’m full of anxiety. I need to loosen up, so I down another one. Christ, it burns. Then refill it again. On a small piece of paper, I leave Darrell a note in case he wakes up. I went out with some girlfriends. I’m not a prisoner of this house.
Setting the note quietly close to him, I finish the last of the tequila, adjusting to the burn inside of my stomach. As I stand there and watch Darrell passed out with his mouth hung open and drool falling out of the side. A vision of punching him square in the face crosses my mind. But I’d never lay a hand on him, which is the opposite of him completely. And I don’t need to, he’s already fucked himself up good, punching cabinets and slamming glasses on the counters. His hand is still a scabby mess. Grabbing his wallet off of the coffee table, I empty the cash so I can take care of the girls tonight without him seeing where we are, if he happens to wake up.
Heading outside, the cool New York breeze is a welcome feeling. The weather this time of year is perfect. It’s about the only good thing I have going in my life right now and that’s fucking sad. Standing on the street corner, I wait on the girls and breathe in the fresh air. I’m glad I decided to go out and soak in the city.
While I wait, I text Sasha, I’m out front! Then fidget around on my phone. “How are you doing, Abby?” Mike, one of the sweet doormen walks up to me and asks, “I haven’t seen you in a few days.”
“Hey, I’m good, been busy. How are you?”
“Not too shabby. You mind if I smoke?”
“Not as long as you share,” I tell him, bumping my shoulder against his. I’m not a smoker unless I’m drinking, and the tequila’s got me buzzed. Typically I’d be worried about the paparazzi, but right now, I don’t give a shit if they see me smoking a cigarette with the door guy to my building or not. He sparks up a menthol and hands it to me first. “What’s new with you?” I ask him. Mike and I always talk when he helps me with my groceries and things.
“I finally got my own place, just outside of Crown Heights. It’s at an old fire house, pretty sweet.”
“Oh, that’s awesome. I have a friend that lives in Crown Heights,” I respond thinking about Latch, and it hits me hard. Latch is the last thing that I want to think about tonight.
I hand him back the cigarette just as the girls pull up in a limo and start to holler and whistle at me. I chuckle at them. “That’s my ride,” I tell Mike, laughing at Chloe as she is hanging out the sunroof with her blonde hair all a jumbled mess. “Here,” I hand him some of the cash that I took from Darrell and say, “Here’s to help buy some furniture for your new place.” There has to easily be a grand there, but I don’t give a shit.
He smiles and says, “Wow, thank you! Have a good night, Abby, and be safe.”
“I will,” I tell him and hop into the limo with the girls. Being with them all again is like a small reunion. It’s been so long – too long. “It’s so good to see you girls,” I say as we all hug and giggle. Sasha pops a bottle of champagne, and the cork hits the ceiling like a rocket.
She pours us each a glass and I take my time drinking it, knowing I’m already pretty tipsy. The cigarette didn’t help either. “So how’s Darrell doing?” Chloe asks.
Taking in a deep breath, I can’t lie to these girls. As much as I don’t want to get into it tonight, I have to.
“We’re going through a rough patch.”
“Did he cheat on you again?”
There is no going back now, so I slam my champagne. Pointing at my chest, I shake my head and respond, “No…I did.” The girls’ jaws all about hit the floor with my confession.
“Why?”
“Because he’s checked out on our marriage. When he’s in New York, he stays in a hotel most of the time, he’s never home, and I got fed up. I’m tired of him not giving me any attention and he’s still cheating on me. Those fucking celebrity gossip shows always post pictures and shit.”
“Why are you still with him?” Mandi asks me.
“Trust me, I ask myself the same question all the
time.”
“Who’d you cheat on him with?” Chloe asks.
“Just some guy.”
“Abby, we know you, you’re a little too particular to be with just some random guy.”
The driver stops the car and I look out to see that we have arrived at My Club 20. I’m not about to go into details and tell these girls that Latch is a male escort. “It was a one-time thing, can we not talk about it anymore tonight?” I end the conversation as the rear door to the car opens and we step out into the refreshing New York City night, music from the club filling the air.
The girls all get out of the car and I ask them, “You ladies ready?”
“Hell yeah!” Walking up to the bouncer at the door, I tell him my name and as soon as he hears it, he unclicks the rope, letting us all shuffle in. Walking through the door, my mind is a mess as I am so buzzed and can’t shake the thoughts of Latch. Why does everything in my life have to be so fucked up? Heading for the bar, I order us a round of Long Island iced teas. Looking out of the corner of my eye, I swear that I see Latch at the end of the bar, but as the guy turns toward me, it’s not him. As much as I wish he was here with me tonight, he’s not. I can want it more than anything, but it’s not going to change a damn thing. Latch and I are like oil and water. Darrell catching us might actually be a good thing, considering that there is no way Latch and I can have a future together. I paid him for sex as a way to convince myself that it wasn’t quite the same as cheating, and that was it. As we wait for our drinks, a hostess comes over to me and asks, “Mrs. McEllrath, would you like a VIP table?”
“Yeah, that’d be great,” I tell her.
“Follow me,” she says as the bartender sets our drinks down, I leave a hundred on the bar and we all take one making our way across the club. Mandi and Chloe follow Sasha and I, excited, already dancing and having a good time. We both laugh at them. Then all at once, my world stops. Out on the dance floor, letting some woman dry hump him is Latch. My stomach tightens watching them together. Watching the way his hands roam her body as hers are wrapped around his neck. I about freeze. It hurts like hell, like I just caught him cheating on me, which is farthest from the truth. I know it’s got to be a client that he’s working with, so I will myself to continue, but it doesn’t make it any easier.
Holy fuck, is this what he does with other women?
His cock looks hard as she grinds against him.
“You okay?” Sasha asks me.
“Yeah.” But who am I kidding? I’m far from fucking okay! After a while longer he’ll be fucking her, and God, imagining that really hurts like hell. I’m not naïve to what he does for a living, but seeing it in front of my face puts things into a whole different perspective. Sasha links her arm through mine and I smile at her looking away from him. “You sure?” she asks as I try to act like everything is normal as we walk towards the VIP section. “I’m great,” I point to the girls and laugh at them.
But my eyes are pulled back to him and this time he looks up. I’m not sure how he saw me with the sea of women all around, including the one dry humping his cock. But he did. Looking across the room, we keep our eyes locked on one another, staring. I yearn for him, like nothing else that I’ve wanted. I can’t focus on anything, just him, his eyes, his lips, his everything.
“Here you ladies go,” the hostess says, stopping in front of a u-shaped booth. “My name is Natalie, if you need anything at all.”
Looking down at my empty glass, shocked that I drank it all already, I respond, “I think we’ll take another round of Long Islands.”
“You got it.”
The girls all sit down, still rowdy and laughing. “Do you mind if I use your name from now on?” Mandi asks jokingly. “I mean, look at where we’re sitting. This is the life.”
“Hey, it’s not mine – it’s Darrell’s. Use it all that you want.” She laughs and I do my best to push the thought of Latch away and keep the conversation off of me, so I ask Sasha. “How long are you guys in the city for anyways?”
“I have a job interview Friday, then we are going to fly out. I thought I told you?”
“I don’t think so.” I can’t recall her telling me at all. I’d remember something like that…wouldn’t I?
Looking up, I spot Latch, standing alone, watching me. He gives me that smile, the one that makes my heart skip a beat and nods me over to him. I freeze, glancing behind me like he is looking at someone else and when there isn’t anyone…I clench my thighs. Fuck, I need him. He chuckles at me shaking his head.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell Sasha with no other explanation and stand. I feel wobbly, but force myself to steady as I walk away towards Latch.
His eyes are all over me as he coolly sips on a beer. As I approach him, he leans down and kisses my cheek and then holds me in a tight hug. My insides break being this close to him again. Fuck, I missed him. “How are you doing?” he asks, concerned.
I shake my head, not able to answer him, I just hold on to him. “I’m sorry that we got caught, Abby. I want you to know that.”
“Me too,” I tell him, inhaling his scent as I’m wrapped in his closeness.
He pulls away and studies my expression with his adoring eyes, putting his hand on my face as I lean into his touch. “He hasn’t hurt you, has he?”
“No, but he won’t leave the house and he won’t let me either.”
“So you’re just going to stay there and be a prisoner?” There is a clear line of aggravation to Latch’s tone.
“What other choice do I have? I have nowhere to go.”
“You can come and stay with me.”
Hi suggestion shocks me. Would he really want that? “I wouldn’t inconvenience you like that.” I can’t even bring myself to look at him.
“Abby, I mean it, my place is always open to you.”
“What about your clients?” I ask with frustration.
“I never take them to my home.”
Just then, the woman Latch was dancing with comes up and pulls him away from me. Her hands are all over him as he stumbles over her to walk. My heart breaks, just when I thought that maybe I was different. That maybe since he welcomed me to his home, I was not like the rest. But, I’m no different than any of the other women that he keeps on speed dial. He’s probably gonna fuck her in his bed tonight.
Walking back to the girls, I sit dumbfounded and I’m not sure why. It’s not like I didn’t know what his job entails. The music is loud and as much as my insides are breaking, I wash it away with more alcohol. Fuck Latch and the goddamn pedestal he lives on.
_____
Exiting the club, I’m not sure what time it is, but we closed the place down and I’ve drunk my fair share, enough to wash away the memory of Latch Teracino or whatever his last name is. “Oh my God, Abby, that was the best night ever,” Sasha says, hanging on to my arm.
I hold her back, both of us wobbly as we stumble along the way, laughing. “We should totally get a hotel,” I tell her, not wanting the night to end.
“Yes, we have to.”
“Abby?” I hear my name called from behind us, and I turn to see Latch leaning against the side of the building. His hands are in his pockets and his one foot is resting on the wall. All the color drains from my face as my blissful buzz washes away. I about lose my breath looking at him and again he nods me over. But this time I don’t move, I flip him off trying to act tough. He pushes himself away from the wall and comes to me. Sasha asks me, “Is that him?” letting go of me.
“Yup,” I respond and swallow hard.
Why is he waiting for me?
He walks towards me with that look, the one that made me give into him in the first place and she says, “We’ll wait for you.” I look behind me as she is getting into the car.
The other girls are all peering out the door and the second that Latch is close enough, he pulls my body against his. I take in a deep breath to try and calm my nerves. He kisses the top of my hair, and the warmth of his hold is so soothin
g that I could cry. I blink heavily, just wanting to let go. Then he looks down at me and smiles…my heart melts. Goddammit, he’s so fucking gorgeous.
“Hey,” he says in his deep, calm voice and I search for mine.
“Hi,” I respond.
“Can we talk?”
“Sure.” I’m on autopilot, letting him take me where he may, like he has so many times before. He wraps his arm around me leading me away from the club and I am stunned watching in slow motion as he hails a cab. The yellow car stops in front of us and Latch opens the door gesturing me inside. A few of the girls pop out of the sunroof and I look at them with a dazed expression, before climbing in. I’m not sure what to do, but when he touches my back, I enter the car. The smooth leather behind my legs reminds me of when he’d spank me with his riding crop. Calmly, he sits next to me and closes the door, then tells the driver, “To Brooklyn, please, Crown Heights.”
“Where are we going?” I ask, “I thought we were gonna talk?”
“We are, at my place.”
“Aren’t you working?”
“No, not anymore. I walked my clients home hours ago and have been waiting for you.”
“Clients?”
“Yes, I work with that woman and her husband.”
My eyebrows scrunch together as all sorts of nasty thoughts cross my mind. “Don’t worry, they hire me just for her.”
I don’t even want to know more. Just the sheer thought of him with someone else makes me sick. Shaking my head, I turn in my seat suddenly questioning everything. He grabs my thigh and I look down at his hand. As much as I love his fingers on me, I can’t do this. I’m just like the rest. I’m not special. “I don’t think I should go back to your place.”
“Why not?”
I let out an exasperated laugh. “Because, Latch, because of you and what you do for a living, I…I can’t look past it, I’m sorry. When it was just me and you alone, I could ignore all the rest of it, but seeing you with her tonight…” I blink a few times, sitting forward to brace myself on the seat. With alcohol coursing through my veins, I tell the driver, “Stop the car.”