Chapter 1
David couldn't believe he'd let Todd talk him into going to
a strip club. He just wasn't into watching women parade
half-naked in front of him, pretending to care about him,
pretending like anything and everything he said was witty
and, or, interesting. It was all very false to him. Besides,
he lived in the real world. He had responsibilities,
priorities, and those did not include getting his jollies
off by paying a woman he didn't know to rub all over him.
He gritted his teeth, a muscle in his jaw ticking. He was
irritated at himself for letting Todd talk him into it, but
he had done so under the pretense that it was a sort of
farewell to the military party and it was the only place
that Todd could get their mutual friends, who were also
getting out, to come together for one night.
He still didn't like it. It just didn't sit well with him,
but he'd done it for Todd, because, although he was a pain
in the ass, he'd been there for him through thick and thin
while they had dogged their way through foreign territory,
and that was something he could never repay. He could at
least oblige him this. And of course, Todd had reminded him
of that.
His rambling thoughts were forgotten as he pulled up into
the gravel parking lot under the bright neon pink lights of
the strip club, Cheaters. Even the name of the club grated
on his nerves. But he wouldn't let his distaste for such
establishments blemish his evening of revelry with his
friends. He'd sit as far away from the stage as possible,
toss back a few beers, and listen to the other guys talk
about which woman they wish they could take home. After
about an hour of doing his part to be social, he'd leave.
He stepped out of his car, grimacing as he noticed the word
Cheaters reflected on the hood of his car. He really didn't
like strip clubs.
Looking around, he noticed Todd's truck was already in the
parking lot, along with several vehicles that belonged to
the other members of their party. It looked like he was the
last one to arrive. He had a feeling they were so
preoccupied by their activities inside that they hadn't even
noticed. Maybe they wouldn't notice if he was also the first
to leave.
Making his way through the dirt path in front of the parking
lot around the small structure to the entrance, David took a
deep, fortifying breath and mentally braced himself for a
night with his rowdy bunch before opening the front door.
His friends had been kicked out of clubs all over the world,
he had a feeling tonight would be not different.
He paid the cover and got stamped by the man up front before
walking through the red velvet curtain that separated him
from the reverberating interior of the club.
Although the place was pretty packed with guys and smoke, it
didn't take him long to spot Todd. It probably helped that
he hollered at him the moment he walked through the curtain.
"Over here David!" Todd yelled at the top of his lungs,
giving a big whoop and waving his arms back and forth in a
completely unnecessary gesture to get David's attention.
David grimaced and rubbed a hand over his face and through
his hair in embarrassment and irritation at his friend's
announcement of his arrival. He was certain that everyone in
the club had a look at him as he made his way to the table
Todd and the others occupied. He tried to remind himself he
didn't care what the other customers thought. But Todd knew
better than to make public displays with him, and he didn't
appreciate the slip. He could tell it was going to be one
hell of a night.
"Hello, Todd," David said through gritted teeth as he made
his way directly behind Todd, giving him a very rough couple
of pats on the back. "I almost didn't see you sitting over
here," his said, his voice noticeably dripping sarcasm.
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