CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

LYDIA

Not sure how I didn’t see this coming tonight. I didn’t know my husband; my Hayden was capable of that kind of rage. No, I knew. I just never thought he would reveal his anger before the entire club. My husband snapped. I witnessed his eyes turn dark. The killer was in the room at that moment. When Hayden pushed me aside, my legs became jello. Soon my entire body shook with fear. I didn’t want him to go to prison for killing a man over me. I didn’t want to lose my husband. My hands flew over my face when he pointed the gun to Jeremy’s head. I heard every word Hayden said.

His eyes bore into mine. He said the words that was the fuel of his rage. “I’m fed the fuck up!”

All the times he sat in the club watching me dance sent him further over the edge. One night, my eyes met his. Usually he smiles at me making me feel special. That night a chill crept up my spin. I witnessed murder in his eyes. He clinched his fists repeatedly waiting for a customer to make the wrong move with me. The moment the song ended, I gathered my money off the floor, then flew into the dressing room. Karena placed her hands on my shoulders. I jumped.

“Lydia, are you alright?”

I was hyperventilating.

I knew I had to quit before August. Hayden was on the verge of snapping. The last time he was in the club. I informed him I only had to pay off the $75k. Telling him I had to take extra shifts to earn the money was the last straw. I see that now.

Hayden expected me to go home with him after I witnessed him losing his mind. How could I? What else in my life could set him off next time? I wasn’t ever afraid of Hayden hurting me. I couldn’t bare him killing anyone else for me. Hayden had it all thought out. He was going to waltz into the club rescue me from stripping. Telling me he paid off my father’s debt was supposed to make us good?

I know my parents only wanted the best for me. I understand in a perfect world, I was supposed to go to school full time on an academic scholarship. Be my father’s teacher assistant at the University. We were supposed to sit down, have dinner as a family. My mother was supposed to greet us every night. She was supposed to ask me, “Baby how was your day?” My lips tremble and the tears cloud my eyes, as I think about my mother the sweetest woman in the world is gone. She witnesses her daughter strip from the high heavens. Yep, my life was supposed to be perfect. Stripping, never saw it coming.

The once warm air now turning cool. All I could do was sulk in Valens arms. He’s my protector. He’s the representation that my Hayden loves me so much he would never let someone harm me. He left Valen behind to make sure I got home safe. I let my true love walk out of my life, tonight. That was the first time I ever witnessed Hayden back down, give me what I wanted without a fight. I expected him to throw me in the back of the truck and high tail it out of there. Instead he walked away.

Valen grabbed the bag off the seat next to me. “Your clothes are in here.”

I slipped into a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. I sat in the backseat of the truck watching people gossip about me and Hayden. Valen wouldn’t let me go back into the club. He said he couldn’t insure my safety. Valen sent the other bodyguard into the club to retrieve my personal belongings. I was so out of it I didn’t notice Valen had drove us to the Waffle House where Hayden and I had our first date.

My door opened. “Mrs. Gaster, step out of the truck please.”

My heart plummeted and the tears streamed down my face again.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” He placed tissues from the center console in my hand.

I pulled myself together long enough to walk inside and slide into a back-corner booth.

Valen’s eyes scanned the menu. “What do you normally get?”

I sniffled. “Valen, what made you bring me here out of all the Waffle Houses in the city?”

He smirked. “I wanted to bring you to the place you and Hayden had your first date. You had him that night. I remember when he told me about your date. The joy in his eyes. I’ve never seen Hayden that happy. Well, not over a woman any way.”

“May I take your order?” the waitress asked.

Betty wasn’t working tonight. I was relieved. I didn’t want her to see me like this. I’m sure I looked like hell.

After rattling off our orders to the waitress. Valen continued with his story.

“The night Hayden showed up at your apartment. I noticed he was somewhere else in his head. He didn’t want to go out with his friends. He wanted to see you. When a man loves a woman, he will do crazy things for her.”

My eyebrows scrounged together. “He took it too far Valen.”

“No, he didn’t.” His eyes turned dark.

“If it were me, I would have taken care of the asshole later that night. You aren’t stupid you know what I mean.”

“You guys can’t run around doing that.”

A boisterous chuckle came from deep within. “You don’t know us that well. Hayden’s patience can run a little short. Mine even shorter. I’m not going to lie to you. Hayden tried to handle you. He was never going to let you strip until August. Honestly, he planned to end that job when you both returned from your honeymoon. The big fight you two had ruffled his feathers. He backed off for the moment.” He leaned forward.

“You turned my friend into a ticking time bomb.”

The tiny hairs stood on my arms as my eyes closed.

I was alarmed at the sound of our clinking plates hitting the table. “Enjoy.” The waitress walked away.

“I saw it,” I whispered.

“You saw what?”

“The lights go out in his eyes,” I cried again.

“I wish I wouldn’t have ever met him. I destroyed him. He was never supposed to associate with me; a stripper.”

“You don’t mean that. A man loves who he loves, it doesn’t matter the woman’s occupation. Just how she makes him feel inside. You are each other’s life support. Without each other, you both lay in critical condition. Example, the day he found you at the hotel you fell into that man’s arms and clung to him. It touched my heart made me want to fall in love again.”

My eyes widened. “Again?”

He sipped his Coke. “Yeah.” He glanced at my uneaten plate.

“If you began eating, I will tell you about my life.”

I bit into my wheat toast.