CHAPTER FIVE
The Manhattan-based sleazy hub for rich folks who's got money to spend was always alive at night. The ambiance was crazy; there were loud rock music, strange-looking men with piercings, tattoos and Mohawks, and stark-naked gorgeous women at a raised platform, dancing to the music in the background. Some of the women were dancing on a pole, while others were busy making a few dollars by giving lap dances, close-range groove, all for one goal – the dollar bill.
I've never been a fan of strip dancers. Whenever I was in a strip club, it was always to meet clients who had chosen the venue for it. Well, not in this case.
I came a bit earlier than I had arranged, booked a VIP spot, and was whiling away the time on a smooth red wine that cost a few dollars. Before Connor's cocky face appeared in view, I'd been busy telling off some strippers who were poaching me for their trade. I was in no mood for it.
I've learned a lot of things from college days when you're preparing for a meeting like that, always come prepared. Three Italian mafias that I'd helped in the past with their banking problem were hiding in the shadows somewhere in case Connor played dirty.
Men like Connor always played dirty. So, it made sense to expect the worst from them.
Connor booked a seat close to mine. The message was sent to him anonymously, so I also had that advantage over him.
A few minutes later, after he had taken a few shots of tequila, glancing over his head all the time, expecting the anonymous tip to come in from any direction, I eventually killed his curiosity. I walked up to him, and the expression on his face turned from shock to evil, then to shock again.
He didn't think it'd be me of all people. Despite his low attribution of my company and personality, he never knew I had it in me to go thus far.
Three figures appeared from the sides the moment I showed up. He waved them off with his finger. As I expected, he came to play dirty. He called off his thugs because he underrated me too exceedingly.
"You've got some stupid guts in you," he said with his teeth clenched together.
I simply smiled in response. I was 3 steps ahead of him.
His left hand made for his inner suit pocket. My boys appeared out of the shadows, a few yards from the VIP section. I signaled them off too.
"Where are the tapes?"
"Tapes, what tapes?"
"I won't ask again."
"Maybe there are tapes I'm not saying there is, but if what you're saying is true, then I have conditions for you."
He looked on in anger.
"You're going to leave the Bunchilds alone, no more games with them. Tell Thelma the truth, and you'll get what you're looking for."
His left hand slowly came out of his inner suit pocket. I've seen a Smith and Wesson before, and he'd have to reset the magazine click. In a quick motion, I kicked the piece away from his possession. I'd rarely applied my karate lessons back in college, maybe only three times. I had him pinned to the ground; his head bruised under my left shoe.
My boys and his thugs also got busy, making the club lit up in their cross-fire.
It took the sounds of police vans to end the brawl.
*****
I was in the kitchen the next Friday night, cooking risotto, one of my favorites. It was my dad's favorite too. Although dad was the master chef, he would ask mom to prepare risotto whenever he wanted an irregular Italian meal. He said she had the magic touch that made risotto special for him. Somehow, I grew up to believe him, though I get complimented on how well I prepared the dish, I knew mom made it with a special touch.
It had been sleeting since morning, and the temperature was a chilling 10 degrees, forcing me to turn on the central heating. I had dinner all by myself. I would have loved to have Thelma over, but she had made an excuse when I called her. She had said something about having dinner with some friends from work.
I missed her so much that I got into my warmest cardigan, grabbed my winter coat and car keys, and drove towards her apartment. I wanted to surprise her and get freaky with her, hopefully tapping some body heat.
It had stopped sleeting by the time I got very close to her apartment. I parked my car by the curb and was about to step out when I caught sight of Thelma, hand in hand with a man, laughing like she had no care in the world. The shock from observing the two lovebirds was overwhelming. Jealousy swelled in me like popped corn.
The urge to rush in and violently arrest the height of libido ongoing between them was powerful. Thankfully, common sense prevailed, and I waited until they had gone into her apartment as I followed them quietly, my curiosity getting the better part of me. Maybe it wasn't what I was thinking, but I wanted to know what was going on. They walked down the hall, and I followed stealthily, making sure that I kept a safe distance between us.
They got to her door, and Thelma invited the guy to come in for a glass of wine, he declined at the offer at first but gave in after much persuasion. She threw herself onto the mystery guy and started kissing him so passionately. It took a great deal of self-control to restrain myself. I watched quietly as she unlocked her door and led him in, leaving the door a bit ajar. I waited for an opportunity before slipping in quietly. They went into the kitchen to get a bottle of wine from her refrigerator. Things heated up, and clothing got lesser and lesser.
Thelma plopped herself on the couch, putting her arms around his neck, she pulled him unto herself, spreading her legs to accommodate him between her. I heard her begging him to bang her. She sounded so desperate. I was seething in raw anger as I watched him ram into her repeatedly.
In between her loud moans and cheerleading, urging him on, I heard my name.
*****
After their short sex, Thelma went into the kitchen to get some coffee. Then, she cuddled up with the man.
"You're such a sweet guy Reynolds," she said, smiling at him.
Finally, I got to know the bastard's name.
"It's my pleasure, ma'am."
"Reynolds, there's something I want to tell you. I need to get it off my chest before it crushes me."
"Ugh-uh, this isn't exactly a good time," Reynolds replied.
"Please," she pleaded.
"Okay, okay. Shoot"
She went on to tell him about Connor. She was tired of playing the ever dutiful girlfriend. She was worried that Connor had some tricks up his sleeves. And some secrets also. Well, I always thought Connor was a calculating, manipulating bastard. When she talked about how deeply she loved me but couldn't bring herself to commit for fear of being heartbroken, it sounded all too familiar. Thelma told Reynolds she was scared I might go back to my old ways and leave her high and dry.
Meanwhile, she could just hang around me and see what the future brings.
When she finished talking, Reynolds dressed up, and just as he was about to leave, I heard him tell her that whatever they had was over. I watched from my hiding place as her face contorted with sadness, and tears rolled down. I wanted to strangle the guy for fucking my woman and having the nerve to ditch her like a piece of shit, but somehow, I thought she got what she deserved. After all, she was cheating on me with some jerk.
"Why?" Thelma asked.
"When you figure out what you want, you know what to do. Goodbye". Reynolds replied.
Reynolds wanted all or nothing. I felt his pain. Thelma was trying to juggle three men using them to fill her different needs. I didn't even know if I had a stronghold on her heart. Yeah, she loved me, but she wanted someone else or preferably something else.
I was about to sneak out as she sat there crying. I didn't feel like talking to her ever. The high walls I built around her had come crashing down. I was angry, but her heart-wrenching sobs pulled at something inside of me. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I went out of my hiding and hugged her. She was so shocked to see me; she almost screamed in fear.
“What—what are you doing here?” she sobbed.
I told her I had seen everything, and she apologized profusely. “I am sorry. I really am.”
She told me she had met Reynolds at a party she went to with her friends a few months back. She had been attracted to his suave and smooth talk. It appeared Reynolds was not interested in her at first. He had his eyes on one of her friends, who was a talkative blonde. She had managed to weasel his number out of a colleague, and after several calls and coercion, he agreed to have dinner with her. He was just a convenient distraction from Connor and me.
Thelma assured me she felt nothing emotional for Reynolds.