Chapter Nine
Ice
W ORK HAS BEEN crazy as hell for the last few days.
I don’t know what’s going on, but it seems as if every single time I turn around there’s another problem.
The girls are getting hurt when they rehearse during the day.
Bambi is still causing problems and friction between the dancers.
My alcohol supplier tried to pull the same damn move and not deliver to us because I supposedly didn’t pay.
I’ve lost my shit more times than I can count when I’m usually too calm and can hold myself back from swearing when I’m at work.
There’s a time and place for curse words and that’s not when you’re at work.
That’s one of the many lessons my grandpa taught me when I was growing up.
He was the first person who heard me swear and laughed his ass off at me.
I think I was six at the time and almost got kicked in the side by a horse when I made a dumb move.
Today, I wasn’t able to hold back and I lost it on everyone.
The one who got the brutal brunt of my rage was the asshole at the liquor supply company.
I went off on him like never before because they’re lying and trying to blame their fuckup on me.
Once again, I sent them a picture as proof that I paid the invoice when the last shipment of alcohol got delivered and then he promised to send it out immediately.
This is the last time this company will try to fuck me over.
I’m not going to play this same game on a weekly basis because they mess up and try to blame the customer for it.
I’ll find someone local who wants my business and won’t play juvenile games.
“Ice, Baby, why don’t you let me help you relax before we open the doors,” Temptation says, strutting up to me as she reaches out and runs her finger down my chest.
“Don’t. Fuckin’. Touch. Me,” I grit out between clenched teeth as I try to turn away from her on the bar stool where I’ve been sitting for the last twenty minutes.
Reaching out, I brush her hand away from me.
Temptation pouts in that way she thinks is sexy as hell but really makes her look like a fish opening and closing its mouth.
She flutters her eye lashes at me and runs one of her hands down her side in a desperate attempt to make me look at her.
I don’t. Temptation has really started to push the boundaries and I’m ready to fire her ass.
She doesn’t know how to leave guys alone when they have no interest in her or climbing into bed for a quick fuck.
“Baby, you don’t mean that. You know you want me,” she desperately tries again as Bambi and Greyson walk closer to us.
“No, I don’t. I have someone and your used up pussy isn’t worth losing her,” I state, thinking of Ruby when I know we’re not together.
I won’t allow this skank to taint what could happen between the two of us though.
“I’ve never once touched a single woman here and you’re not enough for me to change that. ”
“Since when do you have a girl?” she questions me like she has a right to know anything about my personal life.
“That’s none of your fuckin’ business. Get the hell out of my face or leave.
You’re not gonna keep pushin’ up on me and tryin’ to get me to fuck you when it won’t happen, Temptation,” I tell her as I stand from the stool and move my body away from her.
Without another word, I head for my office and lock the door behind me.
No one will get close to me for any reason if I can help it.
I take a seat at my desk and pull out my phone.
For the last three days since we got back from the festival, I’ve been looking at the pictures I managed to get of Ruby.
There are some of her on stage when she was performing and the ones of the two of us I took when we officially met.
I can’t tell you what it is about her, but there’s something different.
It’s not about her looks or how sexy I think she is.
I can see Ruby is someone who truly cares about her fans and loves what she does even when she’s absolutely exhausted.
Or when she rushed off the stage to get to her best friend and hugged her as if it’d been years since they last saw one another.
Every single moment Ruby lives is one to be cherished and spent full of life and love.
She always stays so positive and it’s something that’s pulled me into her orbit and made me want to learn everything about her.
Yes, I still think she’s with Memphis. Anyone who sees the two of them together can recognize the chemistry they have.
It’s not just when they’re on stage performing either.
I got to see the two of them when they weren’t in front of fans or putting on a show.
They’re really close and Memphis watched Ruby like she was his entire world.
No, I would never step on another man’s toes and ruin a relationship because that’s not who I am.
If Ruby’s taken, I’ll admire her from afar and get over whatever this shit is eventually.
If not, maybe I should listen to Death and see where something between the two of us could go.
It’s something I’ve been thinking about for the last few days and I’m not closer to figuring out what I want to do than I was when I first saw Ruby.
Opening up the internet on my computer, I start searching for local supply companies who will bring me alcohol weekly and won’t charge me an arm and a leg because it’s a strip club.
Yes, I’ve had quotes that were outrageous in the past because this is a strip club owned by an MC.
People believe we’re only out to cause problems when that’s the last thing I want to do.
I want to run this place and give men and women a place to enjoy good music, dancers on stage, and a place to have fun.
We stop all fights before they get out of control, the dancers are monitored closely when they’re in private rooms, no drugs are permitted in the club, and we don’t pimp our girls out for any reason.
I take care of my employees and the customers who walk through the door every night we’re open.
Finding a few local suppliers, I submit requests for estimates and close out of my laptop.
Grabbing my phone, I flip through the pictures of Ruby once more.
I can’t get this woman out of my head and I’m not sure what to do about it.
As I look at the pictures, a knock sounds on my office door.
Closing out of the gallery, I set my phone down on my desk and walk over to open the door, fully prepared for another battle with one of the girls or other staff members.
Instead, I find Lock standing outside the door with a smirk on his face.
“What’s up?” I ask my best friend as he enters my office and walks behind me to the desk.
“Thought I’d stop in and see you. You haven’t been around the last few days since we got back from the festival.
What’s goin’ on with you?” he questions me, taking a seat and accepting the bottle of water I have in here.
I don’t drink when I’m at work because I still have to ride back to the clubhouse and I never know what will happen once the doors open for the night.
Having a clear head is the most important thing to me when I’m at work.
“I’ve been busy. Shit here is goin’ crazy every fuckin’ day.
The dancers are restless or some shit and causin’ one drama after another.
My current alcohol supplier tried to skip sendin’ us alcohol again because they said I didn’t pay.
Once I showed them proof I did, it was another excuse why they weren’t gonna make the delivery.
I’ve put them in their place and got the alcohol so we don’t run out this weekend.
I just submitted requests for estimates from a few local suppliers so we’ll see what they have to say.
I’ve just been puttin’ out fires here and then goin’ to the clubhouse to crash so I can get up and do it all over again tomorrow,” I tell Lock as he leans back in his chair and shakes his head.
“Still thinkin’ about Ruby?” he asks me, getting to the real reason he’s here.
“That’s not important. She’s a famous star and I’m the manager of a strip club.
Anythin’ between the two of us would never work.
Yeah, I’d like to see what’s between the two of us, but I don’t know if it’s worth it in the long run.
She’s always on the road or in the studio.
I’m sure she has things to do when she does have an odd day off.
And, I’m pretty sure she’ll end up with Memphis.
The two of them are really close and already have a relationship of sorts.
I’m not gonna step in the middle of that,” I answer Lock as he stares at me with shock written all over his face and I have no clue why.
“I never once thought you were stupid, Ice. You’re one of the smartest men I’ve ever met.
Except in this situation. Ruby was into you when we were at that festival.
I saw the way she touched you and noticed how she always stood just a little closer to you than anyone else when we were walkin’ her anywhere.
Her eyes always found you even when she was on stage performin’ for thousands.
That girl wants you and is waitin’ for you to make the first move.
She just had her heart broken by that fuckin’ security guy and she lit up around you.
You need to message her and ask how she’s doin’ or somethin’.
Don’t let this build up into nothin’ but regret or a missed opportunity at findin’ the love of your life,” he tells me, being serious about something on this rare occasion.
When he’s talking to me, it’s usually to bust my balls about something and make a joke out of it. This time, he’s not doing any of it.