Chapter 20

20

Colver

Teddy owns the strip club.

Excuse me - the gentlemen's club.

I'm not a fan of using my celebrity to get my way, but in a situation like this, the text is worth it.

Teddy and two bouncers greet me at the back door and I'm ushered into the club.

As I walk through the back there's a smell of body spray lingering in the air. Sexy, flirty smells, all perfectly designed to make guys temporarily fall in love.

Believe me, I'm not judging and never would.

This is a business. A service. Entertainment, the same as a hockey game.

"Hey, Colver, got anyone in mind?" Teddy asks with a grin. "Anyone you want. She's no charge. I swear."

"I'm good, Teddy. I'm not here for fun tonight."

"Shit. Something going down in the hockey world?"

"Something like that," I say.

Now poor Teddy over here, he's five-foot tall on a good day. He's so goddamn small he looks like a toy. But he's smart, fierce, and rich as hell through his clubs and real estate deals. He's always flanked by guys three times his size who are willing to do battle on Teddy's behalf.

Trust me when I say this - you do not fuck with Teddy.

Some guy tried to screw him over on a property deal last year and Teddy dragged him through the courts so much that this guy is selling vacuums somewhere in Montana.

That's probably a bullshit story, but it sounds cool when Teddy tells it.

Teddy also loves hockey. I think somewhere in his mind he wishes he played. So he tries to live through us guys. Only issue is that if you tell Teddy something he's going to jump online and post on social media. Anything to get some buzz or something to go viral and get attention.

It's a fucked up thing to do, but that's how he is.

Meaning, you just don't tell Teddy a goddamn thing and you'll be fine.

"Hey, I saw that game," Teddy says. "Holy shit, you were fired up. You got kicked out of the damn game."

"That I did."

"That's got to be a great feeling. I love that feeling myself. I've taken on more than a few people myself. Just so you know."

"I don't doubt that, Teddy. You're a wild guy."

Teddy beams with pride.

The women that walk around in the back of the club…

Some know me. Some don't. Some are topless. Some aren't.

I keep my gaze straight ahead.

But if you think for a second I don't look and mentally appreciate, then I don't know what to tell you.

The guys are at their normal corner table.

A rounded booth that keeps them hidden.

Everything in here is dark purples and blacks. It's got a slightly morbid, funeral-ish feel to it. There are two women on the table, dancing against each other. There is nothing dead about that at all.

Dax is the first to see me. He's surprised and elbows Ben.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ben asks.

"No invite tonight for me?" I ask.

Rhett, Turner, and Faust all look now.

"Thought you were in jail," Turner says.

"How'd you enjoy scoring that goal?" I ask. "Fed that to you, huh?"

"Make room for this warrior," Rhett says. "Before he starts throwing punches at us."

"I'd like to see that," Faust says with a cocky grin.

I don't plan on sitting down. I stand at the table.

Long, bare legs in front of me dance. Toenails painted neon green and black. Legs. Nice legs. Thongs. A set of lips tattooed on a right ass cheek.

I finally glance up and see the two women looking down at me.

Two sets of tits. Only one nipple pierced out of the four I'm looking at. Two cute, little, button nipples next to two big, puffy nipples.

My jaw tightens.

"Colver Caspian," Button Nipples says.

"He's the mean one," Puffy Nipples says. "I've always wanted to meet him."

She drops down in a second.

Her lower back and ass stick right out into Turner's face.

"She's ready to pounce on you," Dax says to me. "If I were you… let her…"

Puffy Nipples licks her lips.

My hands tighten into fists. "You should take a break. Take a walk."

"What?"

"I have to talk to these guys about something important."

"What's more important than these?" Puffy Nipples asks.

She cups her well sized tits and presses them together.

"Maybe he wants these instead," Button Nipples says.

She drops down next, right to her knees.

She reaches for me.

I growl in my throat and catch myself ready to step back.

What the fuck? Why? Look at these two beauties. They're just doing their job, that's all. A little playful touching. Harmless flirting. Beautiful bodies. Selling fantasies and the sweet taste of sin.

To my left I hear a voice call out, "Hey! That's my drink!"

"He'll buy you another one!"

That second voice is instantly familiar to me.

I look to my left at the exact second a drink is thrown in my face.

I'm talking drink and glass.

Booze splashing against my face and a glass smacking my nose.

I blink once.

The shock of someone throwing a drink in my face is nothing compared to who threw the drink - and the glass - in my face.

I curl my lip.

What the fuck is Abrielle doing here?

The guys are enjoying the scene.

Along with the women too.

"You fucking left me standing there alone and this is where you come to?" Abrielle shouts.

"This is tense," Dax calls out.

"Shut the fuck up, Dax," I growl.

Button Nipples and Puffy Nipples slip back and off the table, fitting right in between the guys.

I'm sure this isn't the first time they've seen a raging, jealous woman show up looking for blood.

"I tell you I'm pregnant and you go to a strip club!" Abrielle yells.

"Wait, what did she just say?" Ben asks.

"Did she say pregnant ?" Rhett asks.

I reach into my pocket and take out the positive pregnancy test and toss it to the table.

"Oh, fuck," Turner says as he leans forward and looks.

"Did she pee on that?" Dax asks with a curious smile.

"How else do you think I took a fucking pregnancy test?" Abrielle spits at Dax.

He sinks back and shows his hands.

Wow, I've never seen Abrielle rage like this. Ever.

"You're going to be a father," Faust says.

"Yeah," I say. "That's why I came here." I glance at Abrielle and curl my lip. "I wanted to tell you guys in person. Explain what's been going on with me. Maybe get a little advice. Well, not advice. You guys don't know shit about this. Just…"

"Ah, man, you wanted a hug from us," Dax says. "You're secretly a big mush."

"This is so exciting!" Button Nipples calls out.

She hurries to climb across the table and off, reaching for Abrielle.

"My sister just found out last week she's pregnant," Button Nipples says. "Congrats!"

Just like that the first person to congratulate Abrielle and I on the pregnancy is a topless woman with her left nipple pierced.

"I kind of want to hurt you right now," Abrielle says to Button Nipples .

"For what?" Button Nipples asks. "I didn't do anything to your man. Other than a casual introduction. He actually acted like he wanted nothing to do with us. He must really love you."

"Fuck!" I growl.

Love? Fuck no! There is no fucking love…

"This is getting good," Faust says.

I grab the pregnancy test off the table. "Fuck this then. Thought I could tell you guys something going on in my life. Think you guys could go to a bar after a game once in a while?"

"There's a bar here," Faust says.

"Fuck you," I say.

Faust stands right up.

"No fighting at the club," Rhett says.

"Let's go check out the parking lot then," Faust says.

For a goalie, this guy is always angry.

I'm the one who's angry though.

I'm fucking livid right now.

I grab Abrielle's hand and start to walk.

She catches up to my pace and I take her through the back of the club to get out of there.

My teeth clench so tight they hurt.

"Colver, you don't understand," Abrielle says.

I stop and turn to face her.

The hallway is mostly dark.

It smells like a gentlemen's club. Faint music playing.

And I'm staring down at Abrielle.

"You fucking followed me here," I say. "You thought… what? I was bolting on you? To come to a club and pay women to dance naked for me?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I thought. What else was I supposed to think? You didn't say a word to me. You haven't said a word to me. I'm pregnant with your baby!"

"I know!" I growl at her. "I'm not questioning that."

"Then…"

Visuals with me never look good and never will look good.

Abrielle has me so irritated right now… yet she's pregnant with my baby…

It's an emotional tornado tearing through my life. Has been even before she showed up waving a pregnancy test at me.

We have a lot to talk about.

We can talk anytime.

I find myself touching her face and then… kissing her.

Yes, I realize again the visual.

Our first kiss since finding out she's pregnant.

In the back area of a gentlemen's club.

But what would you expect from me?

Flowers and candles?