Heart of a Stripper

by Harris, Cyndi

  “Ok.” He smiled, brushing her hair behind her ear, before kissing her again.

  This time it was for good measure. He was afraid that whoever it was was going to dampen his mood. Knowing that Nevaeh was mature enough to handle this situation put him at ease though. He could she that she wasn’t one to brag or flaunt their “relationship”. Going inside, he headed to the door as she disappeared upstairs. The doorbell sounded again, with a pound this time. Whoever it was had definitely been impatient.

  Taking a deep breath, Mitchell opened the door.

  “What the fuck man?!” Adam asked stalking into the house.

  “What?” Mitchell asked closing the door behind him.

  “All you have to say is what?!” he shouted, glaring at his best friend furiously.

  “You bolted on your engagement party last night!” Adam snapped. “When I said go freshen up, I didn’t mean for you to slip out of the damn party!!” he shouted.

  “Adam don’t fucking shout at me.” Mitchell grumbled.

  Adam narrowed his eyes at his friend because he wasn’t one to throw curse words around. He noticed a huge shift in Mitchell’s attitude lately.

  “You were serious last night then?” Adam inquired.

  “Yeah.” Mitchell nodded.

  “You had everyone worried about you, Kate was freaking out. Your dad was livid to say the least. We all thought something happened to you.” Adam replied.

  “Then why are you the first person to show up and check on me? Where’s Kate?” Mitchell asked sarcastically.

  Adam shrugged as the question ate at him.

  “She never came by here last night?” Adam asked.

  “No. If I were hurt or dead, shouldn’t she have at least come here to check?! She probably got angry as usual and made everything about her right?!” Mitchell yelled.

  “Man, what’s up with you?” Adam asked.

  “What do you mean? You wanted me to dump Kate since day one. Now that I’m doing it you’re “Pro Kaitlin”?” Mitchell snapped.

  “Is this because of Nevaeh? You have been acting weird since you met her.” Adam pushed.

  “No!!” Mitchell shouted. “I just—” he sighed not knowing how to answer.

  “It is her. Look, I like her, I do. But Mitchell, you can’t throw everything away for her.” Adam said seriously.

  “You don’t get it.” Mitchell grumbled.

  “Then make me get it. You’re my best friend, and if you’re not happy I want to know why.” Adam said seriously.

  “I finally see straight for the first time.” Mitchell answered.

  “Ok, be truthful with me. Is this really about Nevaeh?” he asked again.

  “Yes.” Mitchell bit.

  “Are you willing to lose everything for her? Because that’s what you need to ask yourself. Whatever you decide, I got your back. But you need to really think about what you’re doing. You know I’ve always hated Kate, but I thought you loved her.”

  “I thought I did too.” Mitchell sighed as Nevaeh came down the stairs.

  “Hi again.” She smiled at Adam.

  “Hey.” He smiled back.

  “Are you staying for a while?” she asked, walking over to the island.

  Grabbing a plate, she filled it with the food Mitchell made.

  “I can’t.” he answered. “Maybe next time, but can you do me a favor?”

  “Depends on what it is.” She smirked.

  “Take care of my friend.” He insisted, and she frowned as she watched him leave.

  “You told him?” she asked.

  A part of her was happy that she meant that much to him, but the other half was afraid.

  “I didn’t have to say anything. He kind of already knew, he won’t say anything.” He reassured.

  “Why’d he ask me to take care of you?” she inquired as there was another knock on the door.

  Sighing, Mitchell stalked over and opened it. Thinking it to be Adam, he asked “What is it now?”

  “Is that how you talk to your fiancée now?” Kaitlin asked standing in the doorway.

  “What do you want?” He snapped, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

  “You bolt from our engagement party and have the nerve to snap at me?!” she shouted.

  “I called you all night worried!” she shouted.

  “Worried enough to not show up until this morning?”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” she barked.

  “I could have be dead for all you knew and you decide to show up today?!” he shouted.

  “What has gotten into you?!” she shouted looking past him and seeing Nevaeh sitting awkwardly.

  “So that’s it? You’re cheating on me with her?!” she cackled angrily.

  A moment later, she smacked him. The sting was raw and left his cheek ruby red. That left him irate.

  “Get the hell off my step!” he shouted slamming the door in her face.

  “You lied to me.” Nevaeh cried shooting to her feet. “You never broke it off with her.”

  “Nevaeh, no.” he insisted walking over to her.

  “You were never intending to leave her.” She cried as he tried to grab her, but she pulled away.

  “Please listen.” He pleaded.

  “Why should I?” she asked heart broken.

  “Sit down for a minute.” He sighed. “Just give me a minute to explain.”

  He just needed to tell her and get it over with. Sitting on the couch, she frowned nervously.

  “Up until last night I was engaged. I thought I loved Kaitlin, and you know I did everything to stay faithful to her. When I met you—you opened my eyes. You showed me what loving someone really was, and it wasn’t what I had.’’

  “Then why doesn’t she know that you broke up with her?” she asked sarcastically.

  Running a hand through his hair, he sighed.

  “I saw her—she’s been sleeping with my father behind my back.” He bit heartbroken.

  “What?” Nevaeh asked speechless.

  “I saw them together—they didn’t know I was there. And at my own engagement party!” he shouted shooting to his feet.

  “I’m sorry.” Nevaeh responded, standing and going over to him.

  “Maybe I deserved it.” He said softly. “Maybe I was a horrible boyfriend.”

  “You don’t deserve that. She’s a bitch” Nevaeh snapped. “Both of them are selfish horrible people.”

  She pulled him in a held him tight as he began to cry. But one nagging question sat on her gut.

  “Did you use me to get even with her?” she whispered afraid of the answer.

  “No.” he replied drawing back, and staring her in the eyes even though his tears were still present.

  “I was thinking of you the whole time I was at the party, even before I saw them. I thought I was making a huge mistake trying to marry Kate. But seeing them just made it clear I was in the wrong place. It made me realize you were put in my life for a reason.” He reassured.

  “Do you really want me?” she inquired.

  “You’re here aren’t you? I don’t regret us.” He replied holding her tightly.

  Chapter Twelve

  Mitchell kissed Nevaeh as he held onto her waist. She’d stopped in to have lunch with him and he appreciated it. It was something he wasn’t use to having. His days use to be lonely, and he never took time for lunch. He usually worked through it, or headed to the cafeteria to interact with the kids. Having Nevaeh around had definitely showed him how it was to have someone truly care for him, besides Adam.

  He and Nevaeh spent the better part of the weekend getting to know each other in every way that counted intimately. The majority of it was spent on the beach, either watching the waves or making love. He just couldn’t get enough of her, and her of him.

  Nevaeh grabbed at his belt as she pushed him up against his desk, and he moaned. He tangled his hands in her hair as she dipped her hands in his boxers and grabbed hold of his stiff, hard dick. He jerked from plea
sure, and shook his head as he stopped her.

  “Not here.” He whispered in a husky voice as he smiled at her. “Later.”

  She pouted with a teeny smile, and he shook his head once more.

  “That won’t work on me today.” He insisted, smiling down at her before kissing her nose.

  “Couldn’t hurt to try.” She replied, fixing her clothes as he buckled his pants.

  “Don’t worry, you’ll have all of me later.” He assured. “Now get to class.”

  “Bye babe.” She said kissing his cheek before disappearing.

  Looking at the doorway and watching her leave, he saw Bruce standing there. The glare he was giving him was menacing. Mitchell sucked in a breath as his father stormed into the office. Slamming the door, he stood face to face with his son.

  “So what I’ve been hearing is true.” he said as a matter of factly.

  “I don’t know. What have you been hearing?” Mitchell asked smugly, narrowing his eyes at his father.

  Mitchell crossed his arms over his chest as Bruce studied him.

  “That you’re sleeping with a younger woman. Kaitlin came by my house crying her eyes out Saturday morning saying she found you with a girl.” Bruce bit.

  “So, did you fuck her to make her feel better?” Mitchell barked.

  “Excuse me?” Bruce asked through gritted teeth.

  He wasn’t used to his son talking to him in such an unacceptable manor.

  “You heard me. Did you fuck her and make her feel better? Is that why she left my house with no fight? She ran to you and you fucked her brains out?” Mitchell sneered.

  “You watch your mouth when you’re talking to me!” Bruce shouted.

  “Why? We’re all adults here, right?” Mitchell shrugged.

  “So where’d you hear such a thing?” Bruce asked self-satisfied.

  “You can stop pretending. I saw you two at the party.” Mitchell bit.

  Bruce smiled slightly as he stared his son in the eyes coldly.

  “You want the truth? Fine. Yeah, Kate and I have been sleeping together behind your back for months.” Bruce chuckled, and Mitchell bawled his hands into fists.

  Gritting his teeth, Mitchell let the shock of his admission set in. He was shaking with fury and wanted to lay his father on his ass. Staring up into the assholes eyes, he could see that Bruce found his pain amusing. How he got saddled with such a dick for a father, he didn’t know.

  “Why?” Mitchell asked in a whisper as his tears burned his eyes.

  “This is why! I want you to man the fuck up! Instead of hitting me in the mouth, you cry like a woman. Kate’s an amazing woman, and she needs a man like me. Not a boy like you. So either you grow some balls or she’ll always come to me.” Bruce barked glaring at his son.

  “Then why don’t you marry the whore? You two can have each other.” Mitchell replied turning to walk away, but Bruce grabbed him.

  Slamming him up against the wall, he held him tightly by his shirt. Mitchell groaned in pain as he got the wind knocked out of him.

  “You think because you throw some words around that anything’s changed? I own you, I created you. Without me you’d be nothing! So you watch the way you speak about your fiancée. Because you are going to marry her.”

  “I’m not gonna let you run my life anymore.” Mitchell grunted, trying to get free but his father over powered him.

  “Is that so?” Bruce chuckled.

  “Do your worst.” Mitchell bit.

  Bruce finally released him and Mitchell leaned over as he caught his breath.

  “You’re going to regret this.” Bruce smiled striding out of the office.

  Mitchell watched Nevaeh as Jaxon gave her a hug. Jaxon was carrying her books and obviously saying his goodbyes as everyone left school for the day. Mitchell was sitting in his black Chrysler waiting for her. Glaring at them, jealousy ate at him in the deep pit of his gut. He wanted to be the one helping Nevaeh carry her things, but knew that wasn’t possible. They needed things to be discreet if things between them were going to work. But his father’s visit had put him on edge. Kate had spilled her guts to the prick and Mitchell knew they needed to be careful.

  Nevaeh slipped into the car and leaned over to kiss Mitchell on the cheek. Turning to her, he kissed her passionately and that caught her off guard. He wasn’t one to kiss out in public at school. Good thing his windows were tinted enough for no one to notice. A moment later, he pulled out of the parking lot and zoomed away from the school.

  “Seems like you and Jaxon are getting close.” He grumbled.

  Nevaeh glared over to him with a raised eyebrow.

  “We’re just friends. You know that.” She retorted.

  “Are you sure? Because—”

  “Mitchell I’m all yours.” She said, placing her hand on his free one.

  Taking a deep breath, those three words put him at ease. He could feel the jealousy boiling inside of him, and he didn’t like it. It wasn’t him to be suspicious, but what Kate had done had left him ruined to say the least. If she could do that to him right under his nose, and he was none the wiser, it left him analyzing everything. He felt like he couldn’t trust anyone.

  “Why do you want to be with me?” he asked, waiting for her to react the way Kate had.

  “Because Mitchell—every time I’m with you, my heart misses a beat. No matter what you found out about me, you made me feel comfortable, and I can be myself when I’m with you. Besides that, you make me want to be better. You make me want to reach my full potential—whatever that is.” She giggled. “But most of all, being in your arms makes me feel like I will never be lost again.”

  Mitchell’s heart warmed as he listened to her. It was definitely words coming straight from her heart, not some bullshit she pulled out of a hat. She as genuinely in love with him.

  “I want to take you somewhere.” He said kissing her hand.

  “Ok.” She smiled, sitting back for the ride.

  After buying a dozen roses and a bouquet of lilies, they ended up at his family’s private memorial park. The roses were clearly for her, but he left the lilies on the back seat. Hopping out of the car, he led her over to a gazebo. She was spooked to say the least because graveyards weren’t her things, but he’d obviously dragged her there for a reason.

  At least she hoped so.

  Standing over a plot, he kneeled and placed the lilies in its holder after removing some wilted ones.

  “Nevaeh, I wanted you to—meet my mother.” He said running a hand through his hair nervously.

  “Not meet but—”

  “I understand.” She said grabbing his hand as he stood, and she felt him trembling.

  “I’ve never brought anyone here to—to see her. I—it’s a place I come to, to talk to her.” He said swallowing hard because he was nervous.

  It was obviously a sensitive subject to him, and she could tell.

  “You two were close.” Nevaeh muttered.

  “Very.” He whispered “She was the only thing that could clear my head when I had no clue when up was down.”

  “So, you’ve never brought Kate here?” she asked looking up to him, and he shook his head.

  “Never.” He responded softly. “I just didn’t want anyone tarnishing this place for me.”

  “Then why bring me?” she asked still holding his hand tight.

  “I trust you.” He said kissing her.

  That in itself meant a lot to her. Just to know he brought her to his mother’s resting place of all things had showed her where they stood. It was something he never shared with another soul, so for her to share that moment with him meant the world to her. She watched him as he knelt to the tiny headstone, and it broke her heart. Kissing his fingers, he placed it on her headstone and said his goodbyes.

  “Come on.” He replied, getting up and pulling her to leave. “I have one more place to take you.”

  Not too long after, they pulled up at the ‘Gandy Dancer’ restaurant. The place was be
autiful on the outside to say the least. It was layered in old brick and looked fit to be a castle. The sun was setting, and it only added to the places beauty.

  “You’re taking me to dinner?” Nevaeh asked stunned. “In public? I thought we agreed not to—”

  “Would you just trust me?” he asked, staring over at her with a smile planted on his face.

  Getting out of the car, he walked around to her side and opened her door. Grabbing her hand, he helped her out of the car before closing the door behind her.

  “I’m not dressed for a place like this.” She muttered as he held her hand and walked her to the entrance.

  “You look gorgeous,” he assured as they went inside the restaurant.

  Looking around, she saw the place was completely empty. The place was huge and completely mesmerizing. There was a built in water fall that changed colors, and lights everywhere. The place was dim and soft music was playing. Her mouth gaped open slightly as a host walked over to them.

  “Chef Goutier is expecting you.” The short male smiled nodding at them. He was dressed in a penguin suit and had short brunette hair.

  Following them, Nevaeh marveled at the scene in front of her.

  “You did this all for us?” she whispered to Mitchell.

  “No.” he replied, looking over at her. “I did all of this for you.”

  Clutching him tighter, they stopped at a candle lit table. The table cloth was red, and there were rose pedals covering the floor. The table was set perfectly, and there was a gift box in the chair.

  “Mitchell!” they heard a husky voice call in laughter as the chef emerged from the kitchen.

  Releasing Nevaeh, he gave Goutier a handshake. He had long curly black hair and a chef’s jacket on that read ‘Gabriel’. If he hadn’t gone into cooking, there was no doubt that he could’ve been a model. His accent was thick, so Nevaeh could tell he was from France or Italy.

  “It’s been awhile.” Gabriel smiled brightly.

  “Haven’t been able to come out here.” Mitchell replied.

  “So, is this the lovely young lady of the evening?” he asked s they both looked over to her.