Chapter Seven
Sophia
Even though she wasn't working that evening, Sophia headed into Hartford and Club Elysium. She'd been working on the computer for so long that she felt like her eyes were crossing, and she seriously needed a break.
She walked into the club and was halfway to the bar to get a drink when Indi intercepted her.
“What on earth are you doing here on your day off?”
“Hey. Getting ready to get a drink and support my co-workers and awesome boss with my presence,” she replied.
“Good answer,” Indi said with a laugh. “Uh oh. Don't look now, but a certain biker is headed this way. Good luck,” she added and walked away.
Sophia groaned silently before she plastered on a fake smile and turned around to face him.
“Hello, Axel.”
“Hey, Sophia. Can we talk?”
“Isn't that what we're doing?” she countered.
“No. I mean in private.”
“If you're here to start more shit—”
“I'm not. Just, please.”
Sighing, she nodded. “Fine. We can talk in the hallway leading to the dressing room. Come on.”
She turned and led him through the front of the club to the door leading to the back area. Once the door was closed behind them, she faced him and crossed her arms.
“You wanted to talk, so talk.”
“Right. Straight to the point. I owe you an apology.”
“Oh? And what exactly are you apologizing for, Axel?”
“I was out of line the other day,” he started.
“You think?” she snarked.
“Damn, you are not going to give me even an inch, are you?
Don't answer that. As I was saying, I was out of line.
I had no right judging you, or suggesting that you weren't respectable because you worked here.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with you being a dancer, regardless of what you wear.
You deserved so much better than the way I acted. I was an asshole and I'm sorry."
“Yeah, you were, but, apology accepted.” Then she poked his chest. “Just don't ever do that shit again, because next time, I won't forgive you.”
“Noted, babygirl." He flashed a grin. “You working tonight?”
“Nope. Just here to support the establishment,” she replied.
“Then how about I buy you a drink and we can enjoy the show together? I mean, we're both here, we might as well share a table, right?”
“Fine. Get me a virgin Daiquiri and I'll grab us a table,” she replied after a moment.
Once back in the front of the club, she found a table and when he joined her she took a sip of her drink before she focused on him.
“Tell me something about you that no one else knows,” she said to him.
Whyyyy?”
He drew the word out and she wanted to laugh. “So suspicious. I'd like to get to know you, that's why. I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”
He was quiet for so long, Sophia wasn't sure he was going to answer.
“I make monthly anonymous donations to Interval House. It's a domestic abuse shelter.”
“I feel like there's a story there,” she said softly.
“That's because there is,” he replied, and she could see the pain in his gaze.
“Hey. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry.”
“No. It's okay. It's just still a painful story. But I'd like to tell you, if you'd like to hear it.”
“I would,” she told him.
She watched as he took a deep breath and had the feeling he was doing it to prepare himself for whatever he had to say.
“I had a girlfriend in high school, Amanda. She was funny, smart, and so damn talented. She had such dreams—she wanted to go into social work and help families in need—and I knew she would succeed, you know?
“What I didn't know was that her father was an abusive piece of shit. He would get drunk multiple times a week and then beat on her mother.
“One night, he got the most violent he'd ever been, and Amanda had finally had enough. She'd gotten the gun he kept in an unlocked box and screamed at him to stop.
“She wasn't planning on shooting him. She just wanted him to stop. When he saw the gun, he charged at her and she had no choice. She shot him.”
“Oh no,” Sophia said softly.
“Yeah. Despite her mother corroborating her story that it was self-defense, Amanda was charged with aggravated homicide.
“The fucking public defender she had was a joke.
He didn't do a damn thing for her. When the DA ripped into her, he didn't even object.
“Fuck. You should have seen her face when she was found guilty. I could tell she felt so betrayed and she looked like her entire world had shattered. I can still hear her sob in my dreams.”
When he paused and shuddered, Sophia knew whatever he was going to say next was bad.
“She was killed two months later by a fellow prisoner. All those dreams she'd had were just… gone, buried in a box with her.”
The pain in his voice hurt her heart so much that she felt the urge to go hug him, but didn't. Instead, she reached over and gently squeezed his hand.
“I am so sorry, Axel. That's horrible. She didn't deserve that. Hell, no one does.”
“No, but it happens more than we realize. Anyway, donating is my way of keeping her memory alive.”
“That's really amazing, Axel. That you keep her memory alive like that.”
“Thank you. I've told you mine, and a deal is a deal,” he pointed out.
“Yeah, it is. Mine isn't as grand as yours. Looking back, it was a bit childish,” she replied and fiddled with the edge of the napkin beneath her drink.
“Oh, now I am intrigued. Hit me with it, babygirl,” he said with a grin. “Whatcha got?”
Every time he called her that, Sophia got a warm and fuzzy feeling. She realized she liked it. A lot. Maybe too much.
“Um, well, one Saturday, when I was sixteen, I wanted to go to the midnight showing of Rocky Horror. You know, the Rocky Horror Picture Show?
“Anyway, some friends had gone the weekend before and couldn't stop talking about it and I wanted to know what the fuss was all about.
“When I told my mom, she told me I wasn't allowed, we got into a fight, and she grounded me.
“So, I waited until she went to bed and snuck out. I had to put my car in neutral and push it down the driveway and a bit down the street so she wouldn't hear me leave.”
Axel laughed and shook his head. “Little badass rebel. Did you make it to the show?”
“Yeah, I did, and it was so good!”
“You know it's on video, right?” he inquired.
“Yes, I know, but there was no way she was going to let me buy it, and besides, it's not the same as seeing it on the big screen,” she pointed out.
“Fair enough.” He took a sip of his drink before he spoke again. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” she replied.
“Why did you wait so long to seek Sinner out?”
Sophia sighed. She should have seen that coming.
“It wasn't by choice. Growing up, I had no idea who my father was.
When I was little, my mother would make up stories for why I'd never met him.
He was a spy, he was in a top secret branch of the military, He was a humanitarian working in third world countries. That kind of thing.
“When I was twelve, she snapped and said it was because he never wanted me. Her exact words were ‘He's not here because he doesn't want you. Why would he want an ungrateful little brat like you?’ I stopped asking after that.”
“What the fuck? That's some fucked up shit to say to a kid,” Axel growled and Sophia was sure he was angry on her behalf.
“Yeah. It took me a long time to figure out that she's a narcissist. Anyway, the night I finally found out the truth, my mother came home completely wasted and started ranting about how she never should have poked holes in his condoms, and let it slip that he didn't even know about me.
“I knew she was from Cornwall, so I figured I'd start here and hoped someone would know or remember him.
“I was so scared though. When I told my mother that I was coming here, she threatened to cut me off. She's a lawyer and makes really good money. She even gave me my own credit card when I was twelve because she didn't want to have to be bothered with mundane things like grocery shopping.
“I mean, I'd been fixing my own food since I was eight, so shopping was a breeze. Whenever I was asked about where my mother was, I always had an excuse ready. I usually said she was in the car, but because she was disabled and all the spots were taken, she couldn't get out to help.
“Back to what I was saying. I'd anticipated her reacting badly, so I'd already gotten a cash advance on the card. Even knowing she would cut me off, I left. If he hadn't welcomed me the way he did, I would have been so screwed.”
“Damn, babygirl. That took guts. A lot of guts,” he said and she could hear the pride in his voice.
Sophia nodded. “I know. I won't diminish what I did by brushing it off. Anyway, now you know.” She finished her drink and debated on heading home.
“Let me buy you one more and we can talk some more,” Axel suggested.
“Sure. Why not? I'd like to get to know you more,” she confessed.
“Good. I'll be right back.”
She watched him go to the bar and enjoyed the view. Even if this was all they had—two people talking over a drink—at least she didn't feel invisible to him anymore.