5. The Truth Hurts
5
THE TRUTH HURTS
TYLER
“I’m sorry, you’re who?” I shifted my gaze from the stranger to Nico, dropping my pen on the desk. “Who is this guy?”
After Giovanna went to find Luke, I’d been back in my office going over some plans for my secret project when Nico appeared in the office doorway with a man. He claimed he’d come to Euphoria looking for Giovanna.
The visitor stood confidently, adjusting his posture to appear even taller. “Dario,” he said, emphasizing his name. “She told me she worked here, and I came for—” He glanced over his shoulder with a sly grin before turning back to me. “Well, you know. I was hoping for a dance, but damn, now I might be interested in a membership.”
His jet-black hair was styled in a messy undercut, adding to his mysterious allure. His dark eyes held a hint of malice, and his folded arms flexed. It was clear he wasn’t afraid to intimidate others to get what he wanted. At least he was dressed nicely; a violet button-up shirt paired with black slacks. But that didn’t mean he could just waltz into our exclusive member’s only area at the club. He ran his fingers through his hair and casually tucked a Ferrari key FOB into his pocket.
I could tell Nico was also skeptical of whatever bullshit this guy was bringing into the club, so he spoke up before I could. “He’s the one who lives in your sister’s old apartment.”
Ah yes, the guy Giovanna couldn’t stop talking about. Eye Candy, as she liked to call him whenever she had the chance. All I knew about him was that he was a trauma surgeon at the hospital my family had unfortunately frequented.
Fuck . The last thing I wanted was to pretend to give a shit about some guy showing up to get a lap dance… or more… from her. She was free to do whatever she wanted. Still, I was protective. Just like I was with all our girls at the club.
Reaching for my phone in my pocket, I quickly texted Luke while Nico and Dario continued to chat in Italian. Of course, he’s Italian . Then he mentioned his last name, Rossi. At least it wasn’t anything like Mussolini or Mascoli. Just hearing those names made my blood boil. Instead, I mentally filed away his last name as a reminder to keep an eye on him.
I need you to send Gia back into Luxe asap.
I carefully tucked my phone away and settled back into the chair, crossing my arms over my chest. My attention was fully focused on the two men in front of me. “You’re not allowed to fuck her.”
Their conversation faltered for a moment as Nico flashed a small smile while Dario frowned, his brow furrowing. “Excuse me?” he scoffed.
I rose from my seat, striding toward the edge of my desk, slipping my hands into my pockets. “You haven’t been tested, filled out a waiver, taken a tour, or been approved.” I listed off a few of the necessary steps for newcomers.
He raised his hands in surrender. “I’m not trying to do all that tonight. You have rules, fine, I’ll respect them. But she invited me a long time ago.”
My scowl deepened. “And you chose her first night back in a year to show up?”
“I had no idea she’d been gone, man,” Dario defended himself, stealing a quick glance at Nico before returning his focus to me. “I was out with some buddies after our shift ended this morning. One of them asked what had happened to the hot neighbor girl, and it made me reach out to her.”
Hot neighbor girl? A spark of irritation ignited in me. I found myself gnawing on the inside of my cheek. For fuck’s sake, I was getting more annoyed with every word that exited his mouth.
“Anyway,” Dario continued, oblivious to my internal turmoil, “she texted me she was working tonight, and I should come by.”
Nico was now leaning in the doorway, arms crossed, narrowing his eyes at me ever so slightly.
“And that’s my bad for waiting so long,” Dario chuckled, running his fingers through his hair again. “She’s fucking incredible. I’m shocked she’s still single and wanted to see me. Maybe I’ll see if she wants to come hang out at my place after her shift.”
A laugh burst from Nico, causing me to shoot him an intense glare while Dario turned toward him, an amused smile on his face. I gripped the letter opener on my desk, my rage growing with each passing moment.
Before I could say anything, Giovanna appeared in the doorway, a broad grin on her face. Her eyes widened as she saw Dario. She threw her arms around him, kissing both of his cheeks.
“Ciao, bella,” he greeted her.
“Ciao,” she replied cheerfully, pulling away.
Taking her hand in his, he tilted his head and twirled her around slowly. “Damn, you look gorgeous.”
She playfully shook her hips, a high-pitched giggle escaping her lips. I’d never heard that sound come out of her. “So glad you showed up.”
My stomach coiled with unease at their easy familiarity and the way they seemed to know each other already. What the fuck is going on?
Me too,” he replied, his eyes locked in a magnetic pull toward her.
She reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers and nestling his arm over her shoulder. A mischievous sparkle danced in her eyes as she glanced back at me, winking. “You and Nico are welcome to come watch my show… professionally , of course, Tyler.”
I bit my tongue, knowing that nothing good would come out of my mouth if I spoke. Nico gave me a knowing look as she sauntered out of the room with Dr. Ferrari trailing behind her like a lost puppy. As soon as they were out of sight, Nico let out a chuckle and aimed an amused gaze at me.
“What?” I scoffed.
“Someone in this office likes Gia,” he teased.
Throwing the dagger onto the desk, I ran a palm over my face before resting my hands on my hips. “No, I’m?—”
“Jealous,” he interrupted, still wearing a smug grin. “You’re not even good at hiding it.”
“I’m not jealous.” I stormed out of the room.
“Where are you going?”
“To make sure he doesn’t break the fucking rules.”
“Have fun with that,” he called after me. “I have to go make my rounds.”
Ignoring him, I briskly made my way down the hallway. As I passed Victoria, she emerged from the cage room and grabbed my hand. I stopped in my tracks, turning to face her.
“Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“I have something to handle,” I replied.
Her hand drifted up to caress my jawline. “Do you want a dance?”
I hesitated, glancing down the corridor in search of Giovanna. Finally, I gently removed her hand from my face and dropped it to her side. “I have to go.” I left her standing there alone as I turned and veered to the side, scanning my card before stepping into the dimly lit private viewing hallway.
I looked in each room, my eyes darting back and forth. Finally, I arrived at L3, one of the exclusive private rooms. The bed was placed against the center of the wall, its midnight-blue, silk sheets pristine and unused. A polished metal pole stood tall in one corner, beckoning to be danced upon, while a sleek black leather sitting area occupied the other corner.
They entered the room, and she led him over to the couch, her hand pressed against his chest. He fell back easily into her seductive trap, already under her spell. I felt a twinge of irritation at how easily she manipulated him, knowing she had a personal history with him. It made me wonder if they’d ever been more.
Ever since Mila’s death, I hadn’t touched another woman. Despite being offered endless lap dances, blowjobs, and sex by eager women looking to distract me from my grief, I always declined. But now, seeing Giovanna with someone else stirred up conflicting emotions within me. I felt guilty for even wondering about her sex life.
Just as I reminded myself Mila’s death was all my fault to keep my thoughts in check, Giovanna slid the top of her dress down while swaying her hips to whatever song she was playing in the room. Swallowing hard, I took a deep breath, bringing my hand to my chin.
I work in a strip club and a sex club. This is just my job. It’s nothing I don’t see every night. It’s fine if I watch, right? The place wasn’t Mila’s scene, but she never cared about the fact that I thrived in the atmosphere, and I never wronged her.
Despite the one-way glass barrier between us, I could have sworn her gaze locked onto mine as she ran her fingers over her perky breasts and pinched her pierced nipples with a playful grin. She turned around and bent over in front of him, shaking her ass teasingly in his face before glancing back at me once again.
He reached out, cupping her backside. Gnawing the inside of my cheek, I felt my heart pounding in my chest. I averted my eyes, blinking rapidly, before forcing my gaze back to the room. She was facing him again. He put his hands over hers, and they slid her short dress up, slipping her black thong down her legs. She stepped out of it, and he yanked her on top of his lap again.
A confused feeling simmered inside me. Unable to bear the sight any longer, I stormed down the hallway, my heart thumping loudly in my chest. I reached the end of the corridor, hurling the door open, and stepped into the main hall, nearly colliding with Roxy.
“Hey!” she beamed. “Just the man I was looking for!” Her nose scrunched up in concern as she took a step back. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I shook off the feeling that had come over me, suddenly aware of my body’s betrayal and physical reaction to seeing Giovanna naked. Shit . “What’s going on?”
“Did I see Gia was back?” she asked eagerly.
I nodded once. “Yeah, she’s dancing.”
“That’s awesome!” She pointed behind her toward the office. “There’s a couple waiting for you to sign their paperwork.”
“Thanks.” I patted her shoulder as I made my way past her. Anything to distract myself from what was happening in the other room.
My mind raced with conflicting thoughts; guilt for betraying Mila and memories of the intense night I shared with Giovanna. Then, my mind wandered to the other night, when I helped her back to her apartment.
You didn’t think I was useless when you fucked my every hole. Your body is still as hard as I remember. I like it when you touch me like that , or so it seemed like that’s what she was about to say before she fell asleep.
I didn’t want to tell her all the things she revealed to me while intoxicated. It would only embarrass her, and I wanted to avoid that conversation at all costs. Things had already gotten awkward enough earlier in the hallway.
Trying to keep myself busy with my nightly duties, I glanced down at my watch. She hadn’t returned to the office all night, so I could only imagine what she had been up to. Every night, I joined everyone at the VIP table for the last two or three dances. If I skipped out on her first night back, I’d never hear the end of it.
Chance, Ian, and Luke had already grilled me about things with her. One night, while playing poker, I had a little too much to drink and spilled all but a few details about my night with her. So, now it wasn’t just Luke and Jade who knew.
When I approached the VIP booth, Jenna was sitting on Ian’s lap. I didn’t want to be next to that. It was no secret what went on under that table between the couples; every couple except me. Mila would’ve slapped me. I was pretty certain Ian had those tables built that way just to hide whatever he wanted to do, even before my sister came into the picture.
Noticing my hesitation, Declan scooted closer to them, giving me room to sit on the outside of the booth. On the other side, Chance and Luke were casually sipping their drinks, with Jade sitting between them. The moment I sat down, Chance gave me a knowing smirk.
I shook my head, frustrated and on edge. “Don’t you dare say a fucking word.”
Ian, whose face was buried in Jenna’s neck, pulled away with a smile. “You sure you want to be out here?”
I grabbed the bottle of Grey Goose Vodka in the center of the table and a glass, pouring a triple shot. “If I hadn’t come out here, you guys would’ve given me shit too.”
Luke chuckled. “You can’t win.”
Jenna turned back to us, confused. “What are you all talking about?”
“Just guy stuff,” I barked, sending warning glances to the guys and silently thanking Ian for keeping her out of the loop.
“Whatevs.” She rolled her eyes.
Jade fought back a smile as the lights dimmed. Amber sped by with an order of drinks, waving while shadowed by one of the new waitresses. She stopped, turning to the main stage, cheering with Jade and Jenna. Kirsten appeared next to the table with Nico at her side.
Giovanna’s song started, and she stepped out in her same signature outfit as before. Despite trying to avoid it, my gaze was drawn toward her like a magnet. Her presence alone was enough to make me feel overwhelmed, but when I caught sight of Dr. Douche in the front row drooling at her, my entire body stiffened, and I forced my eyes back to the stage.
Blue, green, purple, and yellow lights pirouetted around her, forming a hypnotic presentation. Purple lasers danced beneath her on the black stage as she grabbed the pole, spread her legs, then flipped herself upside down. She pulled her legs back over her head, still rotating, before she pushed her breasts out, locking her ankles around the rod to stabilize herself.
Her performance was mesmerizing. The more I tried to fight watching her, the more I craved her. My knee bounced up and down with anxiety. I wasn’t just watching any stripper, I was watching Giovanna perform for me .
I knew Ian wouldn’t be mad at me if I lit a cigarette at the table, but the stress and adrenaline coursing through my body were becoming too much. The club atmosphere was too overwhelming at that moment, and it felt like my head was spinning. I needed to get out of there... now.
With a sharp jolt, I abruptly stood from the bench, determined to leave the showroom as quickly as possible. Ignoring any potential followers, I marched through the roped-off, side door and turned right, making my way down the private hallways toward the elevator. Despite my usual nonchalance, I was unable to hide my inner turmoil tonight.
Only two security guards remained outside the executive lobby doors in the hallway. The one on the left pulled open the door for me as I approached. “Mr. Prescott.” He dipped his head as I passed.
Even if I’d wanted to, I couldn’t have replied. Right now, I needed to be alone. As I made my way past my main office, I veered left. At the end of the hall, next to Ian’s secret room, was a staircase with roof access. Up until five months ago, we’d never used it, but one day, he went up there to smoke after a stressful meeting. Then, he decided he wanted to turn it into another place to escape.
Tonight, I was thankful for it. I stepped out onto the roof, instantly hit in the face with a gust of nighttime summer breeze. The door slammed behind me, and I took the pack of cigarettes out of my inside jacket pocket and lit one. Pacing the rooftop area, I stared out at the buildings surrounding the property as I inhaled the cigarette and blew out the smoke repeatedly.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I asked myself, feeling all the guilt coming to a head.
The sound of the metal door opening and slamming summoned my attention, and I spun around mid-inhale. Ignoring Jade, I turned back around, staring down at the front parking lot. A random thought crossed my mind, pulling me away from my misery. How the hell was Ian able to get enough real estate in downtown Boston to provide a private parking place for employees? I remembered the two buildings that used to stand where Euphoria is today. It was nothing like it.
“Are you just going to ignore me?” Jade’s voice interrupted my thoughts as she came to a stop next to me, setting a bottle of water down on the ledge before hooking her arm through mine. She rested her head on my shoulder and let out a sigh. “You need to stop, Ty.”
The vice was clamped between my lips, the sharp taste of smoke filling my mouth. I exhaled slowly, watching as the tendrils of the grey cloud spiraled up into the night sky. “I’ve betrayed her.” My words were laced with self-disgust.
“You and Gia hooked up again?” she asked, still staring ahead with her head resting on me.
I shook my head. “No, same thing. Just feeling guilty.”
She took a step back, folding her arms. “How many times do I have to tell you it wasn’t your fault?” I opened my mouth to reply but she continued, “What happened was no one’s fault, and you know it. She?—”
“Shut the fuck up!” I barked, and she took two steps back. “You have no fucking idea?—”
“You and Mila were toxic for each other,” she interjected with a hint of anger in her voice.
I scoffed, my cigarette to my lips. Slowly, I lowered it, dropping it onto the cement roof. “What the fuck did you just say?”
“Listen, I’m sorry, I just… someone needs to tell you the truth!” She stared up at the sky, the lighting catching the glistening tear running down her cheek. Quickly, she erased it with her fingers before bringing her gaze back to mine. “Ty,” she sighed. “Mila and you might have loved one another, but she didn’t even know if she wanted to stay with you. You begged her to stay. And then, when she stayed, you two lived in different worlds. You weren’t meant to be together, and you know it.”
Avoiding eye contact, I kicked the burnt-out cigarette on the roof.
“I’m not trying to be mean, but for fuck’s sake, it’s time to be blunt with you about shit.” She took a step toward me. “You’re my literal family, and I’m going to always be honest with you because I truly don’t think anyone else in our circle has the guts to be right now. Ian doesn’t care as long as we’re not at each other’s throats, and the rest are too afraid to upset you. Tiptoeing around your emotions is taking a toll on all of us.” She let out another breath. “I love you so much, but continuing to beat yourself up is bad for your mental health. It’s time for you to choose happiness over wallowing in your grief.”
“Damn, Jade. Tell me how you really feel,” I muttered, lighting another cigarette.
She placed her hands on her hips, staring at me sternly. “You want me to be blunt and tell you something you don’t already know? Fine.”
I rolled my eyes. “I was being sarcastic.”
“The sarcastic act isn’t fooling anyone. It’s time to face the truth, I don’t care. I don’t even think you loved Mila toward the end,” she snapped. “Honestly? I think you felt guilty about walking out on the kids because you genuinely loved them and you and her stayed together just for them,” her voice got louder. “But I know for a fucking fact you two weren’t even that happy because she told me. And she didn’t even love you unconditionally. I told her if she hurt you, I’d fucking kill her.”
My blood boiled, and I could feel my whole body shaking with anger. “You conniving bitch! You threatened her? You’re lying!”
“Ty, please calm down. You know I’d never lie to you.” And it was true, she had never lied to me before. I trusted her completely with every fiber of my being. Over the years, we had grown closer, and now she wasn’t just family, but also one of my closest friends. The thought of her lying to me about Mila’s feelings cut deep, but strangely, it also provided some sort of twisted comfort.
“You’re telling me that my wife only stayed with me because you threatened her?”
“But I didn’t kill her,” she added quickly, as if that made it any better.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I replied, a second away from breaking all the pretty patio furniture and plants Jenna had arranged so nicely on the roof.
“Would you have even listened to me?” She lifted her brows.
Ignoring her, I took a drag of the cigarette. The smooth smoke drifted out of the corner of my mouth, swirling around in the wind.
“You know you wouldn’t have.” She took a step over again, wrapping her arms around my neck and holding me tightly against her. “I’m sorry I yelled and got too blunt, but I swear I love you, and I’m just trying to make sure you know the truth but also,” she pulled back, holding my free hand. “I hate seeing you grieve someone who didn’t even deserve you. I’m not saying she was a bad person at all,” she said, rolling her eyes, “even if she wanted to leave you. All I’m saying is, she was from a different world than any of us, and she was never supposed to be your end game. It wasn’t her fault. She just was never meant for our world. I didn’t hate her. I liked her, but I just didn’t want to see you hurt.”
“So threatening people is how you show your affection?” I scoffed, though deep down, her words were starting to make sense. “Never mind, don’t answer that.”
She let go of me, and I could still feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I needed to get away for the night. Away from Euphoria and anyone in my family. Without a word, I dropped my cigarette onto the rooftop and crushed it under my heel.
“I’m leaving,” I announced before walking back into the building with my cousin following close behind. We didn’t exchange another word as we made our way downstairs to the lobby, taking the stairs instead of the elevator. When we reached the ground floor, I turned to her and said, “Tell them I said goodbye, okay?”
She nodded solemnly. “Call me tonight if you need anything.”
I didn’t bother responding, my frustration evident in the unwavering strides that carried me back into Luxe and to the office. Giovanna was already inside, rummaging through her bag as I entered. She whirled around at the sound of my arrival.
“I got off stage and still have my office key, and I let myself in, that’s why—” she paused, her brow furrowed. “Wait, what’s wrong?”
I marched to the desk, yanking the drawer open and grabbing my keys. “Get changed. I’m driving you home. You’re not walking.”