Page 246 of Vegas Heat

Joanie gives me a big hug and thanks me for coming, and I tell everyone I’ll see them tomorrow night.

I head home, my stomach still a little twisted up as I try to get some rest ahead of tomorrow.

Still, I can’t help feeling an ominous sense of gloom as I toss and turn. This Brandi woman sounds like she could cause a lot of trouble for my father, and we’re still trying to keep things relatively stress-free for him as he continues to recover and heads into a very stressful season at his job.

It’s a huge part of the reason why we haven’t confessed our love story to him just yet…and I just wish I could protect him forever. But as it turns out, I can’t.

CHAPTER 24: COOPER

This really isn’t my scene, but I’ve drank enough that I’m starting not to care.

I’ve spent the night on the first floor, though I did venture up to floor two for a bit, which is the floor the gentleman’s club is located since it’s my best friend’s bachelor party and the strippers really put on a show for him.

I declined the lap dances, and Troy wanted to know why.

I told him I was seeing somebody, and then I headed back to the first floor, grabbed some more whiskey, and decided to go out front to call the car to come take me home.

And that’s where I am now, waiting to leave just as Joanie pulls up in a car carrying a few other women. Gabby is noticeably absent.

As she walks by me, she leans in while the other women step inside the front door. “Gabby went home. She seemed quiet. You might want to check on her.”

“Thanks,” I murmur, and just as Joanie turns to head into the club to find her future husband and probably take him up to the third floor where they have some very public sex for the last time as single people, another car pulls up and a woman practically jumps out of the backseat as she stalks up the sidewalk toward Joanie.

“Brandi,” Joanie says, clearly surprised to see her here.

“A bachelorette party and I’m not even invited?” she demands.

I hang back as a witness to whatever’s coming next, and Joanie glances at me. That little glance tells me everything Ineed to know. Whoever this Brandi woman is…she shouldn’t be here.

“Honey, we haven’t spoken in nearly a year,” Joanie says quietly. “You’re not allowed to be here.”

“You could’ve invited me to dinner. Hell, you could’ve invited me to thewedding. Instead you keep it a secret, and after all we shared.” She shakes her head in disgust.

“I’m sorry,” Joanie says gently. “People grow apart as life changes. I don’t know what else to say, but I’m here to see Troy and he’s waiting for me.”

“Remember what we used to get up to on the third floor with Troy, when we’d both be waiting for him? How the tables have turned.”

Joanie blows out a breath, clearly perturbed by this woman’s presence. I’m debating whether to take a step forward and get involved or just leave it be, and that’s when the door bursts open and Troy comes barreling through it.

“Get the fuck out of here,” he snarls, and Jesus this can’t be good for his heart. “You were told in no uncertain terms that your membership was revoked and you were not welcome here. So kindly leave. Now.”

“Troy, honey, it’s okay,” Joanie says. “Look at me.” He finally turns to look at her, and she moves in toward his chest, taking his face between her palms as her body aligns to the front of his. “It’s fine. She’s leaving, and we’re going upstairs.” She presses a kiss to his lips, but he doesn’t budge as he stares down the woman who does not look the least bit intimidated by him.

“If you breathe a word to a soul, I will take everything away from you so goddamn fast your head will spin.” With the threat issued, he grabs onto Joanie’s waist then strides back inside without waiting for her response.

I wonder how many other people he’s had to threaten—and not just him, but Victor and James, the other owners of this club,too. People sign nondisclosure agreements, but every time he invites new people into this club, he’s taking a risk that the word will get out.

It’s meant to be private. Secret. Exclusive.

It’s meant to be a place where people of means can come for a good time, whatever that means to them. It’s a place to indulge in many different ways. It’s out of the prying eyes of the public and the media.

But you can’t keep the snakes out. Where people like us gather, crowds will eventually follow.

Word will eventually get out, whether it’s Brandi or somebody else. And I don’t want to be a part of the fallout. I don’t want to be associated with this place even though my manager certainly will be. It’ll be his issue to deal with.

I decide to have the car take me right to Gabby’s since Troy is otherwise occupied, and I don’t text to let her know I’m coming. Instead, I get out of the car and hope she’s home since the car speeds away as I ring the doorbell.

It takes a minute before she opens it, and she stands in front of me with a freshly scrubbed face in sweatpants and a baggy Vegas Heat sweatshirt, her hair pulled back out of her face. She looks like she’s ready for bed—or like maybe she just rolled out of it when she saw it was me at the door.

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