SIX: A Men of the Strip Anthology

by Marie Skye

  My phone rings, startling me and I follow the sound locating it in the hamper. I must’ve dropped it in there when I stripped us both of our puke scented clothes. Forgetting that it’s the middle of the night and no good news ever comes at this hour, I answer the phone. No one responds at first and then I hear my sister sob. Dread churns inside me as my gut clenches and I grasp the edge of the dresser for support.

  “Frankie?” I rasp.

  Rylee moves to my side and the events leading up to this moment fade away. She takes my hand as my sister finally finds her voice.

  “They found him a heart, Gio. They found a heart for my baby.”

  11

  The ride to the hospital is relatively quiet. Mainly because I’m still processing both the anonymous donation and the fact within hours of being put on the list, Matteo will finally get the heart he desperately needs. Rylee says when a heart becomes available they match it to the first compatible person in need and Matteo was probably moved up the list due to his blood type.

  When we arrive at the hospital, Frankie informs us that the heart hasn’t gotten there yet but they’re going to begin to prep him for surgery. Rylee goes and gets a doctor to explain everything about the operation as my sister and I sit with Matteo.

  With tears in my eyes, I watch my sister tell her son that the heart is on its way and his struggles are almost over. He looks at me and asks if it’s true if he’s really going to be okay and all I can manage to do is nod. The emotions are too much and I don’t trust myself not to break. Taking a minute, I turn my head and listen as Frankie and Matteo talk. She tells him she loves him and that she’s so proud of the fighter he has become. He confesses he’s happy he doesn’t have to fight anymore because he’s too tired.

  The doctor comes into the room and asks to speak with Frankie. She kisses Matteo and I move to his side.

  “Remember what you promised me,” he whispers.

  “I remember but, I need you to promise me something now,” I rasp, taking his hand in mine. “Promise me you won’t give up now, not when you’re so close to getting better.”

  “I promise,” he says as he wraps his pinky around mine.

  “That’s my boy,” I reply, bending down to kiss his head. “I love you kid and I’ll be right here when you get out.”

  “I love you too Uncle Gio,” he says, tears falling from the corners of his eyes. “I’m lucky to have you.”

  “I’m the lucky one,” I whisper, squeezing his hand.

  I truly am.

  I’m fortunate enough to be part of this boy’s life, to be his uncle and to be the man guiding him through this crazy thing we call life. I give him one more kiss before Rylee slips inside the room and offers me a smile.

  “Dr. Levinstein is speaking with Frankie and I think you should be there with a second set of ears. I’ll stay with Matteo in the meantime.”

  “Thank you,” I reply.

  She nods before smiling at my nephew and taking my place at his side. Once I find Frankie, my head starts to spin as I take in everything the doctor tells us. He explains the surgery will take a minimum of fourteen hours and once its complete, Matteo won’t be out of the woods. He’ll start a cocktail of anti-rejection meds afterwards and be closely monitored.

  It isn’t long after that when the heart arrives. Hearing those words makes me wonder about the donor and while I don’t voice my questions, I silently pray for the soul of the person who ultimately is giving the gift of life to my nephew. I also send a prayer out to the family who has lost someone they love and hope for them to find some comfort that the life lost is saving one of a precious little boy.

  Matteo is wheeled into the operating room while Frankie, Rylee and I are escorted into a private waiting room.

  “You don’t have to stay, I know you’re exhausted,” I tell her once she takes a seat beside me.

  “I want to,” she whispers, lacing her arm with mine. “Listen, Gio—”

  “Can we not talk about it?” I question, cutting her off. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth Rylee and for what it’s worth, I will understand if you want to stop—”

  “I don’t,” she interrupts. “I get it, Gio. I really do and I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. The fact that you would do whatever you had to do to make sure Matteo got the heart isn’t something you should’ve been criticized for. It’s admirable, so admirable.”

  Taking her hands in mine, I lace our fingers together and glance across the room at my sister.

  “The first night I took you out, my sister told me not to be a douchebag,” I confess. “She told me if I liked you to put in the effort,” I continue, turning my attention back to Rylee. “I want to do that, Rylee. I want to see where this goes.”

  “Even after I puked on you?”

  “Especially after that,” I retort. Winking at her, I push a strand of her hair away from her face and bend my head. Touching my mouth gently to hers, I kiss her and seal our newfound promise to one another.

  The clock ticks, the hours pass and the dawn of a new day rises. When the fourteenth hour hits, anxiety creeps in and the three of us continuously stare at the double doors, awaiting word on Matteo. The longer it takes, the thicker the tension becomes. It’s nearly sixteen hours when the doctor finally emerges with news.

  Clutching both Frankie and Rylee’s hands, we brace ourselves as the doctor removes the paper mask shielding his face and smiles.

  “It looks good, really good.”

  Relief washes over us and Frankie’s knees buckle in response. The doctor goes on to explain the heart is beating strong inside Matteo’s chest and it will be awhile before we can see him. He suggests we all go home and get some rest but his words fall on deaf ears. There is no possible way we can go home without seeing him. Without witnessing the miracle for ourselves.

  After hours of waiting, my sister and I are allowed to see him. He looks even more frail than he did before the surgery and that is a little alarming for us. But, then something beautiful happens. The doctor places a stethoscope around Frankie’s neck and lifts the buds to her ears. He gently places the other end to Matteo’s chest and I watch my sister listen to the sound of her son’s beating heart.

  It’s a beautiful moment.

  And for as long as I live, I’ll always remember the look in her eyes when she realized miracles do exist.

  About Janine

  Janine writes emotionally charged novels with an emphasis on family bonds, strong willed female characters, and alpha male men who will do anything for the women they love. She loves to interact with fans and fellow avid romance readers like herself.

  She is proud of her success as an author and the friendships she’s made in the book community but her greatest accomplishment to date would be her two sons Joseph and Paul.

  Website: http://www.janineinfantebosco.com/

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  Copyright 2017 © Marie Skye

  All Rights Reserved

  Introduction

  Darius represents The Eye of Horus. The ancient Egyptian symbol for protection and royal power. This symbol was chosen, since the name Darius also means to be rich and kingly, as well as the fact that Darius is also a History teacher when he’s not shaking his beautiful ass on stage. As you get to know Darius, you’ll find out that he cares for the people he holds dear to his heart and will stop at nothing to protect them. Whether it’s the five men he shares the stage with or the woman he chooses to give his heart to. He’ll always protect those that matter the most.

  I give you Darius, but you can call him Dare. Be good to him.

  Dare’s Playlist

/>   Marie Plassard - Toxic

  Two Feet- Twisted

  John Rose- Beautiful

  Boy Epic- Wolf

  The Kooks- Bad Habit

  SNDTRKK- Dancehalls

  Ta-Ku- We Were In Love

  EDEN- Wake Up

  Spotify Play List

  1

  I took a deep breath and checked my watch again. I had ten minutes. Ten minutes until my first class started. I smiled as I tucked the bag of cookies my elderly neighbor, Mrs. Harper, insisted I bring with me. She said it would bring me luck, or at least, a girlfriend. Since she was a widow and all alone, I did my neighborly duty by running as many errands as I could for her. In return, her goal in life was to fatten me up.

  I pulled out my phone again, glancing at the picture of the gangly sister of my childhood best friend, Denton, that I was supposed to be keeping an eye on. The message he sent was plain and clear. ‘Keep an eye on my sister, or I’ll fuck you up.’ I smirked. Noted. With those glasses, I imagine she wouldn’t be hard to miss. Or quite the opposite, in fact. I could count on one hand how many times she actually talked in all the years I’ve known them. Like me, Denton and his sister Dani were foster kids, bounced around from place to place. Never quite had that real family most people had, but you either make do, or you get over it.

  I chose to get over it, and made my own family. Eventually at least, and ended up making my family with five of the most fucked-up piece of shit brothers known to man. We laugh together, fight, and even have been known to throw a few punches at each other, and this is after we’re done shedding everything off, making sure our cocks are kept hard as we’re being every woman’s fantasy for a few hours up on stage doing things, they wish their boyfriends, and husbands would do for them at home.

  Since Denton and I were the same age, we were easy to get along with. Dani, on the other hand, was another story. She was mostly quiet, kept to herself, wore oversized glasses, had a bit of a snaggletooth, and always kept her head down when you spoke to her. I enjoyed teasing her because I liked seeing her blush and squirm. My goal in life was to make her blush. After a while, she just tagged along with us, sat in the corner, and read. Now that I think about it, I could barely remember her; it was such a long time ago.

  I took another deep breath. Was I nervous? A little bit. I was hired on as a teacher’s aide, with the chance of that leading to a permanent position. However, because things happen, and the teacher I was essentially aiding had a heart attack, I was asked to take on the actual job until a replacement was brought in. On a teacher’s aide salary, of course. I checked my cuff again, making sure they were both fastened. I couldn’t have any of my arms showing. If the head of the school knew my body was covered in tattoos, I’m almost certain he would ask me to leave…. after he had a heart attack.

  On second thought, the heart attack might come after he found out about my ‘other job.’ I just so happen to be teaching at one of the most prestigious private Catholic high schools in the state of Nevada, which just so happen to be on the cusp in the most sinful city this state had to offer.

  My phone beeped to an incoming text. I stole a quick glance at it, but not before smiling. Danielle. She was facing a mirror, spread eagle, with the tip of her manicured nail dipped into her glistening pussy. It was a little over 24 hours ago I was buried deep in that very pussy. I met Danielle two weeks ago. She basically appeared out of nowhere, and she was fucking dirty. Of course, one of the first times I saw her, my dick was in someone else’s mouth.

  I was just starting my shift at SIX. I was wired, and trying hard to abide by the ‘‘no fucking the clients’’ rule. I’d already broken that rule seventeen times. Before I go on stage, I repeat the mantra to myself. Don’t fuck a client. It was just a matter of looking out at the crowd and taking a pick if you wanted to be honest. Who in the crowd wanted a quick fuck? Of course, the other five guys and I had an unspoken rule about crossing women, unless they truly didn’t care. Don’t fuck a client. But, you’d have to be really fucking stupid, if anyone thought that rule was actually followed.

  "How much time do we have?"

  I rolled my eyes as I pushed her down on her knees where she belonged. "Why don't you make that mouth of yours useful and put it around my cock, and stop talking." I leaned my head back against the brick wall on a moan, as I took a quick glance at my watch, before peering down at the blonde. Fuck, she was horrible. I was better off with my own hand. I really needed to stop doing this. I looked up just as the flash of dark hair walked across the alley. Third time this week. She never came into SIX. I never wanted someone to come into SIX so bad in my fucking life. I would even throw her a freebie. I finally pulled the blonde up, and she tried to lean in for a kiss. Seriously?

  "Why don't you go on in, I'll see you in a bit." I motioned towards the door, then pulled out my phone and acted like I was busy. She sighed before going back into the club, the music blaring when the door opened. I grabbed the rest of my beer and walked to the end of the alley, away from the noise, chaos, and lights that The Strip was everything it was known for.

  Believe it or not, I loved it here. I reveled in it, but I also enjoyed the quiet. I checked my watch again, and it was closer to ten. Always around this time, I always saw the same girl enter the crappy twenty-four-hour movie theatre across the way. And sure enough, there she was, taking a glance at the old as fuck movie posters outside of the theatre, as she pondered over which movie to see. A glass bottle breaking in the distance made her jump, and I instantly went on guard. I had no idea if she went in, meeting someone else. I didn’t know shit about her. But, I fucking wanted to. I watched her go in as I drained the rest of my beer. It didn’t take long for me to suddenly gain an interest in said crappy ass movie theatre because I was very interested in her.

  So, what does one do when you work in the city of sin that never sleeps, and you need to wind down? You head to the movie theatre, that’s in an almost sketchy area that plays movies 24/7 with semi-decent popcorn, and you relax until your eyelids are about to shut. That’s where I first met Danielle. We were the only two in our theatre. The first thing I thought to myself was how a little thing like her was going to eat a jumbo-sized box of popcorn. She proved me wrong. She had the cutest snort she tried to cover up when she laughed too hard, which only made her laugh harder. Not to mention I fucking loved the way she said my name. Darius. Everyone always called me by my stage name Dare, or I usually preferred Dare, when I liked to play.

  Movies after midnight started to become our unspoken ritual. I started to learn a little about her each night. Not much, but just enough. She was here for school. But, that was our agreement. We didn’t want to share too much. She wasn’t looking for anything, and I sure as fuck wasn’t looking for anything, so there wasn’t any need to know anything more. We were just two people, comfortable enough around each other, to watch crappy ass movies and eat popcorn. We were always the only two there, and each night, I always moved a little closer. We kept it casual, although my dick wanted to do much more than that. She always walked home, which unnerved me, no matter how many times she reassured me. But one night, everything changed.

  I was running late and snuck in quietly. The air in the theatre was different. I could make out Danielle in her seat, but she was transfixed with the scene in front of her. Her breathing was heavy, eyes half-lidded. I chanced a glance at the screen. They were fucking. Not movie fucking, you know where it’s clearly fake. But actually fucking. Not porn. Unsimulated sex it’s known by. I’d seen this movie before. Love. And by the looks of it, Danielle was turned on. Instead of moving to her row, I went to the row behind her. I could see her nipples hardened into tiny pebbles under her dress. Her hand was gently teasing her thigh, inching higher and higher, until it was completely under her dress. I would bet the six hundred dollars I had made from tonight that she was fucking drenched. And I wanted to see it. I wanted to taste it.

  She gasped when I whispered in her ear. “You being dirty?” I grasp
ed her wrist before she had a chance to move it. “Don’t stop on my account,” I continued whispering in her ear, even though we were the only two in the theatre. She softly moaned, and I about lost it. Her fingers continued to move, and the sounds she made were a clear indication of how wet she was. “Feels good?”

  She nodded, and I smiled. “Show me.” She paused before pulling her fingers from under her dress and holding her hand up. The lighting from the movie making her fingers glisten. I took her hand in mine, before putting them in my mouth. Fucking heaven. Her eyes widened briefly, as I sucked them clean. I wanted more. So much fucking more. Removing her hand, I kissed each finger. “Your pussy tastes divine Danielle.” Even with the darkness around us, I could still see her blush. I climbed over the seat and raised the armrest. She was still breathing heavily. We both were. “I want to see you.”

  She knew I wasn’t asking her. I was telling her. She held my gaze as she slowly stood up and lifted her dress over her head. My breath hitched at the sight of her. She was fucking beautiful. Her breasts full, hips thick, and a slight thickness in the waist. Exactly how a woman should be. Her skin pebbled from the coolness in the air. Before she had time to even think what she was doing could possibly be a bad idea, I reached out and pulled her to me, lifting her, so she straddled me. My lips crashed against hers. “You are so fucking beautiful; do you know that?” I shifted us to where we both could view the screen, but of course, why would we? I reached up eager for her tits, as I sucked one of her nipples in my mouth. She moaned as I went to the next one, as I pinched the other one with my fingers, pulling hard, and she gasped. The things I wanted to do to her.

  She rocked against me, my cock aching to be inside her, and my hands stilled her hips roughly. “Do you know what you’re asking for, Danielle? Because I like to play. Do you want to play with Dare?”