Does he think I’m joking or something? Fucking idiot.
“Tom, Den.” He nods at them.
The best they offer back is a couple of grunts in his direction.
I have to suppress a smile. To say they don’t like him is putting it mildly. He’s a cocky little fucker who once served his purpose of scoring the best coke around for me.
Not anymore.
Right now, I want this fucker as far away from me as possible. Just knowing what he’ll have in his pocket is scratching at my skin like sharp fucking needles.
I flick a glance in Dave’s direction. He’s at the bar, watching Jase like a hawk.
Meeting my eyes, Dave gives me a silent nod. If I need to get rid of him quick, Dave will see to it for me.
The waitress reappears with our beers. Stepping around Jase, she puts our drinks down for us.
“Thanks,” I say. I return my focus to Jase. “What can I do for you, Jase?” I ask, getting straight to the point. No sense beating around the bush, wasting my time on a piece of shit like him.
“Heard you’re getting married. Wanted to offer my congratulations.”
“Received, and thanks.”
He stares at me for a long moment, then, resting his hand on the back of the seat, leans over and says in my ear, “The boss is missing your business. I got some real good shit on me tonight that has your name written all over it.”
I push him away from me with a firm shove to his shoulder. “Not interested.”
“You sure about that?” He smiles. It’s a cocky smile. One that I want to wipe off his face.
“Never been more so. Now will you fuck off? I’m trying to have a night out with my buddies.” I pick my beer up, tipping my head back. I drink it, but I don’t move my eyes from his.
“I saw a picture of your girl in the papers. Trudy Bennett, right? A real English beauty you got yourself there, Jake. I hear she’s living over here now.”
Slamming my beer down on the table, I stand up, the force shoving the table forward into Jase. Tom and Den are on their feet in an instant.
I see Dave moving toward us, but I put my hand out, telling him I got this.
“Don’t talk about her, motherfucker. Your mouth is nowhere near clean enough to speak my girl’s name.”
“I meant no disrespect,” he says with a smirk, and steps back. “Just letting you know I think your girl is pretty. Real pretty.”
“I know exactly what you’re doing, motherfucker. And I think you’ve forgotten who you’re talking to.” I round the table, squaring up to him. “You know what I’m capable of, so don’t fuck with me,” I hiss in his face. “Forget you ever heard my girl’s name, let alone saw her face. You fuckin’ read me?”
“Loud and clear.” He lifts his hands, backing off. “Like I said, I meant no disrespect, Jake. Enjoy your night.”
I watch him go, blending back into the crowd. My body is thrumming with absolute fucking anger.
“You all right, man?” Denny asks as I sit back down.
I shake my head, taking a pull on my beer.
I’m smarting. Jase fucking Collins, laying a threat near my girl. Fucking bastard. I’ll take his head off.
Tru. She’s at home alone.
I motion Dave over.
“Send Ben over to the house to watch Tru,” I say quietly to him.
“He threaten her?”
“No, just being a clever bastard. But I don’t take any chances where she’s concerned.”
“I’ll call Ben now, and I’ll call the house security to tell them to turn it up a notch.”
Taking my phone out, I’m ready to call her, but then I decide against it. I don’t want to frighten her.
“Let me know when Ben’s at the house,” I say to Dave before he walks off to make the call.
“Was that fuck-wad laying a threat near Tru?” Tom asks me.
“No, just being a cocky fucker.” Even as I say the words, I still feel twitchy as hell. I know his threat was empty, but it still makes me anxious.
“I hate that little shit. You should have kicked his ass years ago, man. Hell, you should kick his ass now.”
“He fuckin’ mentions Tru one more time and I will. Motherfucker,” I utter, taking another swig of my beer.
The downside of being an ex-user is knowing scum of the earth like Jase Collins.
I’m real glad Den and Tom never got mixed up in that shit. Even with the life we lead, and the people we’re around, they’ve managed to never touch drugs. They had the odd joint in college, sure, but they’ve never dabbled in the harder stuff. It’s especially amazing considering how much Jonny and I used to hit it.
I’m glad for it. I got too fucked up on the stuff. I never want that for either of them.
They tried to intervene when I was at my low point, but back then I didn’t want anyone’s help except from the likes of scum like Jase Collins, who could provide me with exactly what I needed.
I never ever want to go back there.
I’m lucky Tom and Den stuck with me. Even more lucky that I have Tru back in my life.
Draining my beer and needing the buzz of more alcohol, I call the waitress over.
It’s a different waitress, I notice. Tits even bigger than the last one’s, and they’re about as fake as her blonde hair. I get a pretty close look as she leans over our table to clear the first round, practically sticking them in my face.
Ignoring her as best I can, I avert my eyes and say, “Bottle of Jack, and another round of beers.”
“I’ll be right back with your order, boys,” she says in a Southern drawl.
Leaning back, hands pressed flat on the table, coming to my eye level, she gives me a “fuck me now” stare, pressing her red lips together. Then turning, making sure I get a good view of her ass, she slowly walks away.
“Now you’re fuckin’ talking with the Jack, man!” Tom bangs his fist on the table, getting my attention. “You up for getting hammered?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.” I’m still feeling wired and twitchy after Jase Collins’s visit, and I need something to take the edge off.
There are only three things that can take the edge off for me—alcohol, cigarettes, and sex. Considering I currently can’t do two of them, I’m hitting the one I can do, hard.
The waitress returns and puts our drinks down on the table.
I let out a laugh at Tom, who’s staring down her top—if it can be called a top. It’s more like a piece of fabric covering her nipples.
He just shrugs and grins at me.
Before leaving she tucks her tray under her arm and runs her fingernails down my biceps in an intimate way.
It pisses me off. I give her a less-than-amused look.
She smiles, apparently not reading my look correctly, then blatantly focuses her stare on my cock, licking her lips, before leaving.
“I fuckin’ love the outfits here,” Tom says, watching her as she walks away. “And the girls in them.”
“Outfits?” Denny laughs, gesturing at the belts as skirts and the half-cut tanks. “What fuckin’ outfits?”
“Exactly.” Tom grins.
I used to think like Tom. It was one of the many reasons I would come here. The waitresses are always half-dressed, and most of them are as easy as fuck.
They’re no different than groupies. They all want on a celeb’s cock in the hope it will lead to more for them. Get them out of those tanks and into designer threads, walking the red carpet.
The reality is less than that. Much less. Most of the guys who come here usually have a girl at home and are looking for an uncomplicated fuck on the side. No strings attached.
It was the same for me, except I had no girl at home waiting for me back then.
If I wanted to get laid and high when I was in LA, Graphics was the best place to come.
Honestly, I don’t know what made me suggest coming here tonight.
“She’s after getting on your cock.” Tom nods in the direction of the blonde waitress who currently has her eyes pinned on our table. More specifically, pinned on me.
Picking my fresh beer up, I say, “She can want on it all she likes. Fact is, it’s not happening.”
“No?” Tom raises his eyebrow.
“No.”
“Gotta say, man, you’re being real faithful to Tru. I couldn’t do it.”
“That’s because you haven’t got her.”
When Tru first came back into my life, it wasn’t that I stopped wanting other women for fear of losing her. The simple fact is I stopped wanting anyone else full stop. I’m not interested in anyone but her. It was weird to me for a long time, but now it makes absolute sense.
She is all I want.
No one gets me like she does. And I love her like I never knew possible.
Sex became about love for me the first night Tru gave herself to me in that hotel room in Copenhagen. I don’t ever want to go back from that.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a guy. I know a hot piece of ass when I see it. The difference is, now I don’t want to tap it.
All I want to do tonight is have some drinks with the guys, then go home to Tru, climb in bed with her, wrap my arms tight around her, and kiss her until I can’t breathe.
That, and lick ice cream off that hot fucking body of hers.
Of course, I’d never say any of this shit out loud. Tom would have my balls checked for me if I did.
Dave comes over to me. “All’s good. Ben’s at the house. Stuart’s there with her watching a movie. She’s fine. No need to worry.”
I feel myself relax. I was considering blowing the night off real soon, but she’d know something was wrong if I did. She’s as sharp as a tack. And to be honest, I just need to be out with the guys for a while.
I get my phone out and type a quick text to her while those two talk shit.
Can’t wait to see you later, beautiful. Keep that ice cream on chill ready for me. x
It beeps back a few seconds later:
That’s not all I’m keeping ready for you ;)
Fuck me. I tap out a response, smiling to myself:
You’re making me hard again.
Another text back:
Keep that ready for me and I’ll see to it later. x
I cast a quick glance at the guys, then reply:
I fuckin love you, hard. x
She responds seconds later:
Love you too, baby. x
“Stop texting Tru, or I’m gonna throw your fuckin’ cell out of the window,” Tom jokes.
“Okay.” I shove it back in my pocket.
“What’s Tru doing tonight?” Denny asks.
“Watching a movie at home with Stuart. She’s missing Simone and their nights out.”
“Simone was saying the other day how much she misses Tru. She’s trying to book a few weeks off work in a month or so to come for a visit. Don’t tell Tru, though. She wants to surprise her.”
“Won’t say a word.” I take another pull on my beer and realize it’s nearly empty. Fuck, these are going down easy.
I line up the glasses the waitress brought with the Jack and pour out three whiskeys.
As I’m pushing the glasses across the table, Tom says, “Been a while since we’ve all been out together like this.”
