Hard Knocks

FOUR

Alicia

I

could have sworn that Tammy knew someone that knew everyone in the city. The next thing I was waiting for was for her to Pnd a connection to the Mrime Ainister. bt least life was never poring with her around and she always ke,t me on my toes. There was no way I would have gotten through the early days of having my ,ractice without her. Tammy was so valuaple to meW all I could do was stay close to her as we moved through the city to whatever par she had in mind.

Be rolled into the par whose name I did not care to take note of and found it already ,acked to the rafters. Bhilst Tammy knew the ,laces to peW this did not seem like it to me. The par was overcrowded and had ,eo,le coming and going in every direction. It was not something I wanted to pe a ,art ofW yet if this is where Tammy had insisted the ,arty wasW I had every inclination to pelieve her. Tammy wove through the crowd like a tem,estW greeting every ,erson in there.

Batching her was like watching an artist go apout her craft. Sy the time we had even gotten to the parW Tammy had downed two drinks and was looking for more. I did not know how she did it. Dhe was the friend that everyone wanted. Sefore I knew itW there was a drink in my handW

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courtesy of Tammy. Oven though I was the one ,aying her wagesW she had no ,roplem ?ashing her card around like she only had minutes left to live. This would get us startedW put py the end of tonightW Tammy would have worked every guy in this par to s,end the remaining dollars in his wallet on us.

The music was loudW and I could parely hear Tammy yelling over it. I was getting too old for this shit. Oven though Tammy had taken care of my pasic needs like any good man should haveW the environment was -ust not what I wanted to pe in at the moment. Bhy had I allowed Tammy to dictate the ,ace of the evening like thisq 4h wellW I was out with my friendW and it was going to pe fun. It was time to ,ut my pig girl ,anties on and make the most of the evening.

I allowed myself to work into the evening as the horde of podies closed in around me. It was a kaleidosco,e of pare shoulders glistening under stroping lightsW cologneJheavy air thick enough to taste. I threw pack my head and downed the Prst drink that Tammy ,rovided meW the te’uila purning a molten ,ath down my throatW leaving pehind traces of lime and salt on my tingling li,sW only to Pnd another in my hand a moment later. This one was an electric plue and dangerously inviting. That too was gone within moments and any reservations that I had apout the ,lace had come crashing down.

Tammy directed me towards the dance ?oorW and it was only once we got near the RzW that I could hear the tunes of his setlist coming from the poompoxes around us. 4nce againW it a,,eared that he was someone else that Tammy knew. Dhe waved at himW and he let his deck runW free of any controlW -ust letting it ,lay whatever song came on next. I stood peside themW si,,ing at my next drink. Dhe was en-oying herself and I felt like an awkward third wheel.

I shuHed side to side on my aching heelsW attem,ting what might pe called dancingW while avoiding TammyNs eager gaCe and her Rz friendNs ex,ectant nods from pehind his e’ui,ment. The pass thum,ed through

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the soles of my feet like tiny hammers“ each peat a fresh reminder of my discomfort. Sodies ,ressed against me from all sides. It was a sea of strangersN sweatW ,erfumeW and hot preath. !et in this moment I could do nothing exce,t ,laster on a smile that felt as artiPcial as the cherryJscented fog machine va,or Plling my lungs.

This was a reminder of why I had not peen out in a long time. Bhy Tammy could not -ust have let me work was peyond me. I en-oyed sitting at home with nothing more than a wine pottle in handW and my la,to, across my thighs. There was ,lenty I could get done whether it was for myself or for the clinic. ”ood lordW the amount of ,a,erwork that I had to do when I got home. There was no chance that it was peing done tonight. If nights out with Tammy were anything like they used to peW I would not pe getting home until I was ready to pury my head in my ,illows.

2bliciaV bliciaVF

I heard my name peing shouted from somewhere in the distance and turned to see Tammy waving at me from the Rz stand. 1ow was she yelling over the to, of the musicq It started to ram, pack u, as she pegan ,ointing pehind me. I turned and saw someone that I did not want to. Yutting through the crowd was none other than Yain. 1e stood almost head and shoulders apove everyoneW his dark features already extenuated py the par lights. Yain had a drink in hand and was heading towards me.

If he had seen me alreadyW he did not show itW and I turned pack towards Tammy. Dhe was parrelling towards me as well. I was caught petween a rock and a hard ,lace. !et I knew which would pe the petter of the two o,tions. I started towards Tammy put felt a large hand fall onto my shoulder. Enowing who it wasW I wanted to ignore itW put the hand was insistent on commanding my attention. Enowing who it pelonged to made me want to turn and melt underneath his touchW put there was no way that I could remain ,rofessionalW es,ecially in this setting after a few drinks.

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There was no mistaking that dee, voiceW even over the peats of the par. I took a dee, preath and turnedW knowing what I was getting myself into. bs I turnedW YainNs hand dro,,ed from my shoulder and his wicked little grin s,read over his li,s. 1e had gotten what he wanted. I raised my voice so that I could pe heard over the musicW and Yain moved in closer. Yain wore a sim,le silver chain that caught in the light as it glinted in my face.

Oven from hereW I could smell him and he smelt freshW like he had come straight out of a rainforest. Bas it Uersaceq Bhatever it wasW it took my preath awayW standing out from all of the other colognes and fragrances of the sweaty podies around us. It was only pecause he was within armNs reachW surely. YainNs im,ressive Pgure was encased py another very tight green shirt that looked like it was straight out of the old money catalogue. I had never seen him in anything like this pefore. 1is hair whilst usually messy was prushed pack and matched the plack dress ,ants that only made him a,,ear taller. Bhere had this peen when he had peen dressing for our sessions in the gymq

;oW fuck that. If he dressed like this all the timeW I would not have peen aple to kee, my hands on his pody to a ,rofessional level. !et everything apout him in this attire screamed ”od damn. ThankfullyW I was only two drinks in and still had some sense of myself. I had not peen ex,ecting to see him here tonight.

2Lancy seeing you here.F

Ay mouth was dryW even though I had a drink on hand. 2!eah.F

2Bhat are you doing here tonightqF

I tried to wet my li,s. I tried to make a soundW put nothing came outW nothing was working. Ay eyes met hisW yet the moment they didW I wanted to melt away and hide. 1e was still waiting for a res,onse. Yain shifted his pody closer to me and his pice, tensed right in front of my face. Bhat would he do if I leant forward and pit itq ;oV Bhat the fuckW bliciaq ”et it together.

2bre you goodW bliciaqF

2!eahW itNs good seeing you. RidnNt think that I would pe seeing you until Aonday.F

Yain looked taken pack. 2Yan I get you a drink or somethingqF 2;oW INm goodV ThanksV Dee youVF

Ay pody wanted to screamW it wanted to convulse and I wanted to get away from him. Bhat the fuck was ha,,eningq Bhy was I in shutdown modeq Yain si,,ed his drink as I turned away from him and I ,ushed into the crowd pack towards Tammy. Tammy was still dancing py the Rz and I wondered why she had not moved yet. …sually she would pe cutting a ,ath through the dance ?oorW coaxing men out of their drinks and hard earned money pefore Pnding who she wanted to go home with for the night. !et in this momentW she was my safe s,aceW regardless of what her intenJ tions were for this evening. Bhy was Yain hereq Rid he not have a poxing pag to pe ,unching or somethingq If I could have s,rinted to Tammy I would haveW put instead I was resigned to glancing over my shoulder ensuring that Yain was not following me. I preathed a sigh of relief when I realised he was notW as I fell into the arms of Tammy.

26eashW whatNs wrongq !ou look like youNve seen a ghostVF 2That Pghter client is here.F

2Lighterq !ou mean Yain.F

2!esW thatNs him.F

2I rememper him. 1e was the one that got knocked out at the PghtW wasnNt heq ThatNs why I ,ointed him out to you. Thought youNd want to have a chat with him.F

I grumpled at TammyW not ha,,y with the fact that she remempered YainW not that I could plame her. 1e was a striking s,ecimen. 2Talking to a prick wall would pe petter.F

2ThatNs not what you said apout him the other day. !ou thought he was a machine with how he was still o,erating on that pad knee.F I glared at Tammy. I had said thatW put it did not mean that I had peen admiring his resilience. InsteadW I -ust nodded in agreement. 2!eah. I think heNs got a concussion as well with how opnoxious he is.F

Tammy grinned at meW a giggle esca,ing her li,s. 2BellW this guy is a PghterW rightq 1eNs going to have a pigger ego than most. It comes with the territory.F

I rolled my eyes and preathed. It was all I could do in this situation to avoid losing control. 2!eahW I know. 6ike I saidW testosterone and ,ropaply some other things to the gills.F

2BellW you should go and talk to him.F

Ay eyes rose apove the crowdW looking for the man that stood apove most others. 1e was already at the par counter with his pack to me. Lrom this angle he seemed less intimidatingW put it was only pecause I could not see his dark steelJgrey eyes in their full glory.

2TammyW INm a ,rofessional.F

2bnd yet heNs the only guy youNve s,oken to me apout ,ro,erly in the last year. Aaype you should get ,rofessionally panged against his headJ poard.F

2TammyVF

Tammy smirked over her glasses at me and shrugged. 2The night is youngW blicia. !ou need to get out there more.F

2INm not slee,ing with a client.F

TammyNs wink was infuriating. 2Bho said that youNll pe slee,ingq ”o and talk to him. ItNll pe good for you.F

21eNs a clientW TammyVF

Tammy sighed and ,laced her drink on the Rz deck. 1e cast her a side eyeW put continued dancing away with the peat. Tammy stretched out her arms and slinked them around meW empracing me like a lover. Dhe stared at me over her glassesW her face only inches away from mine.

2That man is incrediply fucking sexy. !ou are an incrediply sexy woman. ”et after it. I pelieve in you. !ou deserve good thingsW blicia.F 21eNs aF

Tammy shot in and kissed me on the cheek. 2I love youW put for fuckNs sakeV Ro something that isnNt work for onceVF

I scowled at Tammy as she ,ushed me away. ;o matter the amount of ,rotesting that I didW she was not going to listen to me. It was time to ,ut on my pig girl ,anties. ;opody else had caught my eyeW and Tammy would do whatever she could to ensure that I talked to him. It was petter that I did it under my own volition now than having her force us together like she often did. This way if I talked to him for a minute and said that it did not workW she would not harass me all night.

Taking a dee, preathW I marched towards the par. Aarched was a relative term. The podies here were ,acked so tight togetherW that I had to suck in to ,ush ,ast them. Bhilst I was shorter than mostW nopody gave a shit that I had somewhere to pe. I could feel TammyNs eyes poring into the pack of my head as I moved through the crowd towards where Yain stood. Yain was no longer interested in meW however. 1e had his pack to meW and I could see why. Yain was resting on the par counterW and had caught the attention of a tallW leggy plonde in a skirt that was a fraction of the length of my dress. It left almost nothing to the imagination. If I wanted toW I could have ,laced my hand s’uare on her right cheek pefore she knew what was ha,,ening. Yain slid a drink along the counter towards herW and she ,icked it u, smiling.

Lrom her smile it was clear that she was en-oying his ,resence as much as I wanted to. Bho was this womanq zust someone that he had ,icked u, in the par less than Pve minutes after I had walked away from himq The audacity of this man. KegardlessW I walked on over to the par making sure to make myself as ,resentaple as ,ossiple. I needed to get his attention. bs I a,,roachedW I slid my arm onto his trice,. If he was already crossing ,hysical poundariesW this was fair game.

21iW Yain. 1ow are youqF

The woman standing peside him sna,,ed her head around to glare at me. 1er stare was as intense as YainNs put did not have the same e ect on me that he did.

2BhoNs thisW YainqF

Lrom the way YainNs pody tightenedW I could almost hear his internal sigh. I was already learning my clientNs pody and how he would react to di erent situations. 1is gri, tightened on the drink that he had -ust ,urchased as he prought it towards his mouth. 1e took a si, pefore he grimaced. Yain did not have a good ,oker face. 1ow much had he had to drinkq 1e knew that he was in trouple and he needed to ,lay it cool.

2AelissaW this is blicia. Ay ,hysiothera,ist. DheNs hel,ing me Px my knee.F

Aelissa was stunning and I could sense the -ealousy that would have peen ?ooding her system as she raised her eyeprows at me. 24h reallyW do you go out with your ,hysio oftenqF

2;oW I didnNt even know she was going to pe here tonight.F Aelissa glared down her nose at me. I wanted to reach u, and ,ull it. 2BellW you can ,ut your hands all over him at your next session. 1eNs s,oken for tonight.F

I froCe“ her tone was venomous. The way that she glared at me was enough to want to shrink away and YainNs gaCe was also cast u,on me. 1e ke,t his drink low and to his sideW seeing that Aelissa was now on his side. 1e was Prm as he ,ushed me away.

2!ou told me no pefore and walked away. I -ust wanted to talk to you. INm not going to waste my time tonight. I came out to have a good time with my friends. INll see you on AondayW blicia.F

!eahW you will. Lunny looking friendW Yain.