CHAPTER THIRTY

HAYDEN

“Lydia, you are addicted to stripping. You’ve been stripping for four years. You don’t know how to stop.”

“Oh, so I’m supposed to apologize for making a good living. You are only mad because I’m stripping. If I was a criminal defense attorney defending guilty people you wouldn’t give a shit. Fucking rich people! You are only happy with the shady shit you all do. Don’t fucking judge me! Maybe you are right. I’m addicted to providing a good living for me and my family!”

“Baby, I’m asking you to be my family and let me take care of you.”

“Fuck, Hayden. You are going to push me away. I want to be everything you want, but I don’t think I can.”

“Lydia, you act like I’m trying to change who you are. I want you to be the woman you were supposed to be. The woman who was supposed to go to school on a full scholarship and focus on school. I bet your parents were going to take care of you through college.”

She fucking lost it. Her hands flew against my chest as the tears poured down her face. I let her fight the demons from within. They haunted her. The loss of her mother detoured her life. I know she doesn’t want to strip, but in her mind, she has to hold her family together in this manner. I grabbed her wrists. “I’m sorry you lost your mother and this wasn’t supposed to be your life.”

“My parents were scholars and I was their intelligent daughter who was supposed to be stress free and happy.”

The car came to a stop. I reached over grabbing tissues to wipe her face.

“I hate when you cry. You are so wounded. I don’t know if your heart will ever heal. I’m in love with you Lydia. Let me into your heart all the way.” Tell me you will marry me.”

She shook her head no.

“We are here Mr. Gaster.”

“Just a moment, Pete.”

I was going against everything I believed in for this woman. “I’m marrying you no matter what.” I waved my finger toward her as our eyes locked.

“Lydia the stripping stops at the end of summer. I will not tell anyone we are married until you stop stripping. If I announce our marriage beforehand the media and my family will make our life a living hell. Only our small circle of friends will know we are married.”

Her eyes dropped. My index finger slipped under her chin pulling her eyes up to meet mine again. “I won’t give up on you, Lydia.”

“Why? Hayden, you should marry a woman on your social level an heiress, or some rich girl with the same goals as you.”

“Lydia, why do you think you aren’t the woman for me? Is it because you are a stripper? You, use that shit as a crutch. You are intelligent. Give yourself more credit. You deserve the best.”

She stared at me for moment. “I never saw myself getting married this early in my life. But I only want to be with you. My heart would be ripped apart if you were with another woman. I don’t know why I push you away.”

She stared at me a moment longer. Yes, I will marry you.”

My head moved up pulling her lips into mine then to the side sucking her lips like she was my favorite candy. Fuck, what am I saying, she is.

Lydia slipped off my lap, reaching into her clutch for her make-up.

“Baby, I’m going to step outside.”

“Ok.”

The media swarmed me the moment I stepped out. Shit, I thought.

“Mr. Gaster, who is the woman you are seeing?”

“I’m in town on business. I would like to enjoy the rest of the night please in private.”

“Who is the woman?”

“Goodnight.”

I stepped around to the other side of the car, opening the door, I leaned in. “Lydia, the paparazzi is here.” Her face was beautiful you couldn’t tell she’d been crying.

“You’ll have to shield your face.”

“Ok.”

I helped her out of the car. Lydia immediately shielded her face with her nude colored clutch. I held her body against mine. I nodded to the body guards. They pushed the paparazzi back making a pathway allowing Lydia and I to walk past the long line of people and enter the club. I pulled her purse down. “We are fine here. It’s an exclusive club, no one will take your picture here.”

“Mr. Gaster, right this way,” a man stated, wearing a black suit.

We followed him toward VIP. Lydia admired the bright colors throughout, the blues, yellows, and cream colors made the club feel inviting. We were led to a large royal blue velvet open circle couch surrounding a table covered with a yellow table cloth.

“Hayden, how do you deal with the constant scrutiny?”

“I’ve gotten used to it. Being a young Billionaire at Twenty-five is fascinating to the world. They desperately want to know who I’m dating and who I will marry. I really don’t understand why it’s so important. I feel like a normal person. I bleed red like everyone else, I just have a lot of fucking money. I come from old money. I was a billionaire the moment I was born. My family made their fortune in the oil industry. My grandfather’s brother Calvin, however chose to run his own empire. His business is lucrative, yet dangerous so I’ve heard. My family, doesn’t like talking about what he does. Just in case you hear rumors, I thought I’d mention it. My great uncle is an alleged mob boss in New York. He and his family don’t come to holiday dinners. He and my grandfather haven’t spoken in years. I have never seen him in person, only in pictures.

Lydia’s eyebrows arched. “The black sheep of the family, wow.”

“Yeah, I know. Now, that I’ve gotten that out of the way. I’ll share with you how our company began.

My father Harvey has three brothers. Howell, Henderson, and Harrison jr. My father and his brother Harrison are twins.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Gaster what can I get for you and your guest?” the waitress asked.

Lydia scanned the menu. “May I have a plate of boneless honey barbeque wings and a glass of red wine.”

“Bring a bottle of your best red wine, and a bottle of top shelf vodka.”

“Right away sir.” The waitress disappeared.

“Hayden, continue.”

“Where was I? Oh yeah, Uncle Howell and Uncle Henderson run Gaster oil. My father Harvey and Uncle Harrison ran Gaster investment corporation. When they stepped down they agreed to let my sister and I run the company.”

“Does your uncle Harrison have children?”

“Yes, Bryce is his only child. He doesn’t want to work. He lives off the oil fortune. He will probably be a bachelor for life. Sorry, I know he is dating your cousin. I’ll leave that topic alone. I have no idea what kind of relationship they have.

My father and Uncle Harrison moved to Atlanta right after college. They wanted to do something different. My father loves stocks and mutual funds. He has a knack for it. I loved going into the office with my dad, learning all I could.

My grandfather wanted me to go into the oil business, which meant I would have needed to move to Dallas, Texas where my family’s empire dwells. I told him I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps. I didn’t have to. I could have chosen any profession or none. I’m rich regardless. Not sure if I will be able to keep running my father’s company though.” The waitress dropped off our drinks. I poured myself a glass of vodka then swallowed the strong contents.

“Hayden, you should probably rethink marrying me if you will lose your CEO position.”

“Baby, it’s probably for the best. I was supposed to move to L.A. to run that office. My sister is taking over the Atlanta office. Sebastian offered you the chance to train under him in L.A. because he’s aware I am supposed to move there in six months.”

“Hayden.”

I wrapped my arm around her waist. “Don’t you dare run. I can see it in your eyes.”

“Hayden, don’t lose your position for me.”

“Are you willing to move with me to L.A.?”

“I don’t know. I can’t leave my father here.”

“He can move with us Lydia. I can buy him his own house.”

“No!”

I released her.

I held the Waterford crystal glass to my lips, smirked then sipped. “Ok.”

I wasn’t about to argue with her. We will make the decision together before the deadline in October. I don’t know what my father is going to say about me marrying Lydia. I really don’t give a fuck. I also don’t want to ask Lydia to sign a prenup, but I know if I don’t I will be stripped of my fortune. Flying to Dallas next week is my plan. I need to talk to my grandfather.