Ron and I had been friends since middle school. We grew up in the same neighborhood. He was there when my mom caught us drinking. Well, I should say he was there to drink the liquor but ran like a little girl when my mom ran started to yell.

He didn’t go off to college like the other guys, but he hustles his ass off to make a buck. We didn’t hang out every evening like I did with the guys at work, but we saw each other a couple times a month. He told me he’d started seeing someone new and that she was taking up most of his time, but we could go weeks without speaking and pick right back up where we left off.

Danielle must have told Ron she saw me at Tiffany’s because my phone rang the next day while I was in bed still nursing my wounds and my slight hangover.

“What the fuck happened with Candy, dude?” Ron asked. “Danielle told me that you were both bloody, covered in water, and that the sink was in pieces.”

I laughed thinking about how the room looked as I left last night. “Shitty construction. The fucker wasn’t attached too well to the wall. Guess it wasn’t built to lean on.”

“I guess not. Shit. And the blood?” he asked.

“We both hit the floor when the sink collapsed.”

“Danielle said there was a lot of blood on the floor, more than just a simple fall,” he said.

“We didn’t stop when we fell on the floor.” I laughed. Ron knew that I was an animal and didn’t let simple things stop me in my pursuit of carnal pleasure.

“That’s funny as fuck. I know you’re one crazy-ass motherfucker.” I thought about all the crazy shit Ron and I had done over the years. He was there when Fred dared me to walk into the police station, the liquor, and the endless stream of women in my life. “Candy didn’t seem to mind. She actually bragged to the rest of the girls. Guess you made quite the impression on her. You were the talk of the club last night.”

“It’s hard to believe that chicks are worse than guys when talking about sex. I always thought they didn’t talk much. Man was I totally fucking wrong,” I said.

“I listen to those girls every night when I pick Danielle up from work. Their mouths are so damn filthy. They put us to shame, dude. I can tell you more shit than I ever wanted to know,” he said, making a puking sound. “Candy told all the ladies about your size, bend, and stamina.”

Ron had seen me naked more times than I could count. The wrestling team showered after each meet in a giant room and in gym class. Guys saw each other’s cocks, and eventually, it just became normal. I always felt horrible for the guys with little nubs, the size of a small pickle. They tried to hide it, but the guys just couldn’t help but notice. “Well, as long as she did my cock justice,” I said, smiling at the knowledge that my shit was well-represented and advertised amongst the other ladies at the club.

“Danielle’s off tonight. We’re going out for drinks. I wanted to know if you want to join us tonight. I want her to meet you under other circumstances.”

“Yeah, Ron, I’d love a nice evening out with you two. Anyone else coming?” I asked.

“No, just the three of us. Danielle seemed curious about you after hearing all that Candy had to say. Let’s meet down in Ohio City around eight?” he asked.

“Yeah, where you want to meet?”

“Great Lakes Brewing Company,” he replied.

“I’ll be there, man,” I said before hanging up the phone.

I lay there and thought about Danielle. Something about her caught my eye. She was strikingly beautiful. I was never really attracted to redheads. I’d always been in love with blondes, but Danielle’s look was fiery. I needed to remind myself that she was Ron’s girl, and I needed to keep my hands to myself and remind my cock to behave while in her presence.

My cock already grew hard at the thought of seeing her. I reached under the blankets and wrapped my hand around my stiff cock. I squeezed it, hoping I could get it to go down or behave, but it had a mind of its own. I moved my hand slowly up and down and thought about her glossy red lips wrapped around my shaft. The thought of her mouth touching my skin caused my balls to tingle.

I gripped harder and moved my hand faster, paying extra attention to the head. I stroked it with my eyes closed and thought only of Danielle. I twisted my hand the closer I got to the top, the unusual curve to my cock making a straight up-and-down motion almost impossible. I moved my hips, making the visual in my head match the movements of my body. I had Danielle bent over the sink last night, not Candy. I could almost feel her pussy grip my cock as I increased the speed at which I thrust into my palm. I squeezed the head a little harder with each stroke, chasing the orgasm my body craved. My movement became more fluid, and I touched every inch of my cock with my fingers, twisting and squeezing. My body shook as the orgasm ripped through me, causing my eyes to roll back.

I prayed the release was enough to satisfy my hunger for Danielle when I saw her tonight. A girl was not worth ruining the life-long friendship Ron and I had. I closed my eyes, not ready to face the day and wanting the night to come just a little bit quicker.

The streets of Cleveland were busy, and people lined the sidewalks, sitting at small café tables outside restaurants and coffee shops. I walked in only a few minutes late after searching for a parking spot on the street. Ron and Danielle were at the bar, sitting close together, laughing as I approached. I sat down in the empty high-top chair next to Ron.

“Hey, Ron. Nice to see you again. Hello, Danielle,” I said as I moved my chair.

“We were just talking about you,” Ron said.

“Laughing at me is more like it.” I gave them both a hurt look, but I knew better than to think Ron would be making fun of me.

“Nah, man, Danielle was talking about Candy. You literally fucked her silly. She was a total mess after you left,” Ron said as Danielle touched his arm.

“When she walked in the dressing room, everyone stopped to look at her. You know how she looked when you left her in the bathroom. A total fucking train wreck. She seemed to be talking to herself, mumbling about Kayden. She told the entire story, every second—almost a play by play. She cleaned the cuts on her legs with tears streaming down her face but never stopped talking about you. I can’t explain it, but she was fucked up.” Danielle laughed, and her whole face lit up and her lips seemed to almost kiss the corner of her eyes. “You must have scrambled her brains with that cock of yours.”

I sat there in shock but not about Candy. The casual way Danielle tossed the word cock around was surprising. Women were usually a little more tactful when talking about sexual parts, but I guess in her line of work, it was par for the course. “It was a crazy scene with Candy,” I said as I shrugged my shoulders and started to laugh. “Candy was a trooper through it all. I’m going to be a gentleman and not say anything else.”

“Oh, come on! Candy told us everything. You have no secrets when it comes to sex. Just know, next time you come into the club, every girl knows what’s in your pants,” Danielle said.

I felt uncomfortable talking about my cock with my friend’s girlfriend, especially with him sitting right next to me. It must have been clearly visible on my face. “It’s okay, Kayden. It’s some funny shit. You’re like a rock star at the club,” Ron said.

I swallowed hard as the bartender approached us. “What’ll you guys have?” she asked.

“Shot of Jack and beer for me. What do you guys want?” I asked.

We ordered our drinks and talked about work. I was astounded to find out the amount of money the strippers were pulling down each night. I was definitely in the wrong line of work and lacked the parts necessary to make the crazy cash they were raking in each year. Most of the women were making six figures a year, literally shaking their moneymakers. Many of them were paying their way through school or, like Danielle, trying to bank as much as possible before they aged out of the business.

Ron’s newest hustle involved a rapid weight-loss system in powder form that could be added to any drink to inhibit appetite. I knew his ability to sell, and I was sure a majority of his clients didn’t need to lose an ounce of weight but freely gave their money to Ron with a smile. He could sell anything, but usually, he would burn out on a product before jumping to the next business. Pyramid schemes were usually the type of hustle he was involved in, his current venture included. Not only did he sell the shit out of the product, but he recruited others to sell and kick back a portion of the profit.

“Hey, there’s Kyle Romano over there.” Ron pointed across the bar to a guy who looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place where I knew him from. “I see him downtown all the time. I think he lives around here now. He used to play against us when we wrestled.”

Kyle was a wrestler from our rival high school. I never wrestled against him. He was in a different weight class, but Freddie often went against him and usually lost. “I remember him now. What’s he doing?” I asked as Ron caught Kyle’s eye and motioned him to come over and join us.

“Something you’d never expect, but he’s a salesman like us,” Ron said as Kyle approached our seats.

“Ron, I haven’t seen you in fucking weeks.” Kyle wrapped his arms around Ron, giving him a manly smack on the back. “What the fuck are you up to?”

“Having a drink with my girl and best friend, Kayden. Kayden wrestled with me in high school,” Ron said.

“Hey, Kayden, I remember you. We were at some parties together, but it’s all hazy to me,” Kyle said as he held out his hand for me to shake it.

I thought back to the countless parties I’d attended, but I couldn’t place his face. I was probably shit-faced and had my mind on pussy more than talking with an old rival from high school. “It’s nice to see you again, Kyle.”

“You guys need anything for tonight?” Kyle asked Ron. The question confused me. Did he own the bar?

“Yeah, man, that would be great. Hook us up,” Ron said, reaching into his pocket for some money.

Kyle put his hand on Ron’s arm, “Not here. Meet me in the bathroom after I walk away,” Kyle said, looking around the room.

“What are you doin’ for work, Kayden?” Kyle asked.

“I sell cell phones and install them in cars on the side, and you?” I asked.

“I’m in sales, too. I could use a cell phone. Do you have a card?”

I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my wallet. I always carried a handful of cards—any good salesman always did. “Here, call me anytime. I’ll hook you up.”

Kyle placed the card in his suit jacket. His hair was jet black, and he had blue eyes with a round face. He had a tattoo on his neck, which I found odd. It wasn’t the typical salesman look, but maybe he worked for a company that had lax rules or he was like Ron and hustled for a living. “See you in a minute, Ron. Nice to see you again, Kayden.” He leaned over and kissed Danielle on the cheek, “It’s always a pleasure to see you, Danielle.”

“I’m sure I’ll see you soon, Kyle.” She winked at him as he walked away. She looked at me with a sinful smile, and her eyes were alight with mischief.

Ron fidgeted with his drink and watched as Kyle disappeared through the bathroom door. “I’ll be right back,” Ron said before standing and following the same path.

I moved over to Ron’s seat. “What are they doing in there?” I asked. “What exactly does Kyle sell?”

“Ron went to get us a little something to party with tonight. You’ll see.” She placed her hand on my forearm and said nothing more about Kyle. Her hand was warm, almost scorching my skin. I could smell her perfume, sweet but with a hint of something I couldn’t place. She smelled like cotton candy, edible. My mouth watered, and I could feel my cock growing hard.

“You have a girlfriend, Kayden?” Danielle asked.

“Danielle, if I did, I wouldn’t have fucked Candy last night. I’m a one-woman guy.”

“She has a boyfriend, but that didn’t stop you.”

“I didn’t know anything about that. She’s flirted with me for months. I offered and she accepted, simple as that.” I sipped my drink. “What other people do is their business, but when I’m taken, I’m fucking taken. I’ve never been, nor will I ever be, a cheater.”

“Hmm.” She stared into my eyes and licked her lips. Fuck, she’s killing me. I swallowed hard, watching her tongue glide across her lips, wishing they were licking my cock. This is Ron’s girl; stop the dirty fucking thoughts. I needed to remember who she was and that my cock would never be entering that pretty sweet pussy I knew she would have.

I looked away, unable to take the torture any longer. Ron walked back toward the bar with a stupid-ass grin on his face. I scooted back to my seat and my rightful place. I needed the barrier, the reminder of who Danielle was and that she most certainly wasn’t mine.

“Did Kyle have anything good?” Danielle asked.

“Beautiful shit… clean.” Ron leaned over and kissed Danielle on the lips. I felt a pang of jealousy, a small punch to the gut, watching him kiss her. I thought about all that had transpired and read between the lines. Ron liked to party. He used drugs recreationally and during sex. Ecstasy was becoming the go-to drug, along with cocaine.

I had polished off my drink and needed another. The bartender made her way down to our side of the bar and started to place the clean glasses on the shelf above the liquors. I watched her, trying to take my mind off Danielle. She had a tight ass, and the tramp stamp on her back was black and tribal. I waited patiently for her to turn around, not wanting to be a dick. “Can I get another drink, please?”

“The same?” she asked with a beautiful smile, but it was ruined by the large piercing in her nose. I preferred my women to have piercings that only I could enjoy and that weren’t the most noticeable thing on their face.

I nodded my head and watched as she grabbed the bottles and started to pour. “Finish those off, and let’s get out of here,” Ron said, nudging me in the arm. “We’ll have another round here, too, miss.”

“Where are we going?” I asked, lifting my eyebrows.

“My place, someplace quieter, and we can sample the perfect shit Kyle gave me.” He patted his jacket and grinned.

“I didn’t know you and Kyle were friends. Do you guys hang out often?” I asked.

“I see him at the clubs all the time. He does a lot of business down here.” Ron grabbed his beer and took a sip. “He’s dating a girl that works with Danielle, and her stage name is Sunny.”

Sunny was a stripper who had the same body shape as a Barbie doll. She had big tits, long legs, a tiny waist, and long blond hair. She had plastic surgery to get the look of societal perfection. No one was that perfect naturally. “I don’t think I’ve seen him there.”

“Oh, he’s always in the VIP room or in the back. He doesn’t sit out in the audience. He does a lot of business from there, supplies the girls and owner, so he gets special treatment,” Ron said.

Drugs were a part of the stripper life that was often overlooked and happened in the shadows. Not all the girls were hooked, but many of them were a train wreck. “I’m sure he makes a bundle there.”

Danielle rubbed Ron’s thigh but kept her eyes on me while Ron and I spoke about Kyle and his business venture. We all took different paths in life, but we were all looking to make a buck. Who was I to judge someone on how they make a living? Ron started to talk about his current business and never stopped. He loved to talk about his latest scheme. I pretended to be listening, but I couldn’t help but watch Danielle as she stroked his thigh and squeezed his knee. I was mesmerized.

“Hey, baby, can we get out of here?” Danielle interrupted.

He snapped out of his business mode, turning toward her. “Sorry about that. I get so caught up when I start talking about work. You need to stop me when I get on a roll. Ready to hit it, Kayden?”

If he only knew how fuckin’ true his words were. “Yeah, I could use a little something extra,” I replied. “I’ve got the bill since you took care of the after party.”

Ron and Danielle stood up as I threw a fifty down on the bar. I needed to get the fuck out of here. I needed air and separation from Danielle. I was starting to feel like the biggest asshole in the world. She was Ron’s. I followed them out the door, breathing in the cool evening air. I inhaled deeply, holding it in for a moment before blowing it out slowly. “You want to drive with us or meet us at my place?” Ron asked as we approached his car.

“Nah, man, I’ll meet you there. It’ll be easier later.” I headed down the street to find my car and cursed myself during the walk. Why the fuck are you going to his place? I’m such a fucking moron, a stupid-ass motherfucker. I had to go to Ron’s or else he’d know something was wrong. He knew I liked to party and would never turn down an invitation.