Reaper

4

"You're not my type." His words played over again in my head for the umpteenth time. Two days had passed since I last saw Azias, yet I was still so embarrassed and hurt. I didn't know why I had even let myself believe that he would like me in the first place. I was a nobody who couldn't even get her life together. Meanwhile, he looked as if he had a lot going on for him. I could tell that he had money but was also dangerous. More importantly, he was important for whatever reason. Clearly his operations were stirring up great discomfort for whoever the Boss was.

"You okay?" My best friend Rose questioned. "I can't even imagine how hard it must be for you with your dad g-"

Cutting her off, I asked, "Can we not, please?"

Everyone thought a random thief broke into the house and killed my dad, or at least that was the story I perpetuated. That was why I had to stay at a hotel for the night— they had to trash the place and do some other technical stuff, like paying off the cops that my neighbors called, to make the story believable. Then they planted the rumor and had me grow it.

Rose nodded while letting me know, "Anytime you feel like talking about it, I'm here." She had been trying to get me to speak about it since she found out, and I was getting annoyed.

I nodded in response before checking an Uber notification that popped up on my phone. "Let's go."

I was staying by Rose's place because I wasn't brave enough to go home. I knew I'd just relive the nightmare all over again, so I instead chose to avoid confrontation of the truth. I hadn't even visited the hospital to see my mother because I knew she wouldn't agree with the deal I made. She wouldn't want her health being paid for by the same people that killed my father, her husband.

"The Uber's here already?!" Rose frowned, and I nodded.

I hadn't heard anything from Michael or Ricardo since the first time I met Azias. I knew that they'd eventually pop up again, but until then, I wanted to keep myself occupied so that I wouldn't have to think about my predicament. Today, being occupied meant going to Rose's work: a strip club. She had started stripping two years ago and had moved from club to club until she found this one about a month ago. She was convinced that this was the perfect one for her since the clients paid very well, and she wanted me to see the place for myself.

She quickly stuffed her keys in her purse, and then we exited the apartment and got into the Uber.

"How long are you working tonight?" I asked her.

"Three hours, but it'll be over before you even know it," she answered. I highly doubted that. For her, time would probably pass by quickly. She was the wilder one who loved partying and just about anything that didn't restrict her, whereas I was more shy and reserved and would rather have small, intimate hangouts with my favorite people. I knew she enjoyed being a stripper because of the freedom she felt while working the pole.

Although stripping wasn't my cup of tea, if she was happy, I was too. That was just how we rolled. We were polar opposites in many things, but we respected each other's differences and balanced each other out. When she'd be doing too much, I'd be there to calm her down a bit and keep her from doing something crazy. She, on the other hand, was there to push me out of my comfort zone. No matter what, we always had fun together.

After a long ride, we got out in front of the strip club, and by the way the building was designed, I could tell that inside was going to be ostentatious. When we stepped inside, I realized that I wasn't wrong. It was the most upscale strip club I had ever seen, and the women all looked beautiful. I was pleased to see the representation of different body types, races, and skin complexions. Everyone had their own thing going on, and they all looked beautiful in embracing that.

We walked over to the bartender, and I sat as Rose eagerly smiled, "I hear the boss is stopping by today!"

The bartender smiled, "Girl, everybody's in their best suit today. His fine ass..." She poured Rose a glass of liquor before smiling at me, "You're a new face."

Rose introduced, "Melia, this is my best friend Sapphire. Sapphire, this is the crazy ass bartender I was telling you about."

We all chuckled as Melia rolled her eyes. Melia then froze, causing Rose and I to frown. We then turned our gaze towards the front entrance, where none other than Azias came walking in with a few other guys. I didn't recognize any of his friends that were with him. None of them were the same as the guys he was with at the club.

"Damn, Zaddy," Rose teased loud enough for me to hear as she squeezed my wrist. "My shift doesn't start until another five minutes, but..."

I burst out laughing at her ridiculous behavior and turned to face Melia so that Azias wouldn't recognize me.

"Oh, fuck! He's coming over. Y'all better not embarrass me!" Melia warned while adjusting her bra so that her boobs would stand up even more. My eyes rolled out of my head at the thought of him seeing me here and thinking I was stalking him or something. I also wasn't ready to see him after he violated my entire existence.

"The usual," I heard a familiar voice order from behind me, and I just wanted to shrink into disappearance. Please don't recognize me!

Melia answered in a seductive voice, "Of course, Reaper."

"You new here?" Reaper asked, but I didn't know who he was talking to until I heard my best friend answer.

"Yeah. Started last month," Rose informed, and from my peripheral view, I could see her twirling a few strands of hair.

Reaper then asked, "They treating you right?"

"Yes, sir," she replied seductively, and he chuckled. "My shift actually starts now. You might just get to see what I can do if you stick around long enough."

"Is that so?" he flirted back, and I wondered if he'd do all of this and then tell her that she's not his type. Or maybe I just wasn't his type. "You..." I could feel the shift of attention on me, and I mentally cursed. I kept my head forward, hoping that he'd just let it slide, but instead, he pulled out the chair besides mine and sat facing me. "You don't hear me talking to you?" His voice was low, demanding, and threatening all in one, and I hated how heated it made me feel down below. "Yo!"

Waterfall. I hated him for it.

I sighed and turned to face him with an uninterested look on my face. "Yes?" I asked calmly. The last thing I wanted to do was appear bitter.

"You following me or something?" he questioned as he stared into my eyes.

"Was starting to wonder the same thing on your part," I shrugged callously. I could feel Rose's and Melia's eyes burning with questions. Melia handed Azias his drink, and he downed it before putting his glass back for another round.

He then questioned, "What are you doing here?"

"I owe you no explanation," I replied before turning to face Melia again. I could feel the anger radiating off of him as Melia fixed him another drink. I then looked at Rose, who stared at me as if I had gone crazy or something.

"Uh, what she means is-" Rose got out before I cut her off.

I chuckled, "Didn't your shift start? Besides, I meant what I said." I shrugged as I stared into Azias' cold eyes. He looked as if he wanted to rip my head off my shoulders, but I didn't care.

He didn't say anything as he stared into my eyes with his emotionless ones, and right when I thought he'd get up and move somewhere else, he backed out his gun and pressed it against my temple.