The stripper gave Ian a lap dance and when she turned around, she grabbed his hands and planted them firmly on her ass. Ian looked at me and he knew how pissed I was. He immediately removed his hands from her. After her little dance, the stripper slowly stripped out of her nightie and shoved her tits in Ian’s face. That was the last straw as I bolted up from the couch and walked out of the room. I heard Ian yell my name. I was in tears as I ran down the hallway. I found the ladies’ room and stepped inside. A few moments later, the door opened, and when I looked over, Andrew was standing there with his hand on the knob.

“Get the fuck out of here!” I yelled.

“Rory, calm down. I came to apologize to you.”

“Where’s Ian?”

“I told him I’d come find you and bring you back.”

“You are an asshole. Now get the fuck out of here!” I yelled.

Andrew smiled at me as he started walking towards me. “Come on, Rory. We’re friends. You always forgive your friends.”

“WE.ARE.NOT.FRIENDS! I would never be friends with a scumbag like you.”

“Now, Rory. That’s not nice,” he said as he grabbed my hair. “I like you, and I want to fuck you. I’ve wanted to fuck you since the first day I saw you in Ian’s basement, punching away at that punching bag. But then Ian had to go and fall in love with you. I warned him you were trash and only using him for his money,” he said as his grip on my hair grew tighter.

I was scared, but I needed to remain calm. I could handle him. Suddenly, I heard Adalynn on the other side of the door.

“Rory, why is the door locked? Are you okay? Are you in there?”

“Adalynn!” I yelled as Andrew put his hand over my mouth.

“Rory, what’s wrong?” she asked.

I struggled as Andrew had me tight in his grip. “Just let me fuck you one time. Ian will never know. I have to know what it feels like to be inside you.”

I bit his hand and he yelled as he removed it from my mouth. I turned around and kneed him in the balls. He grabbed himself and fell to the ground. I ran to the door and unlocked it, but as I tried to turn the knob, Andrew grabbed my leg and pulled me down. He threw me on my back and pinned my arms above my head with one hand while the other hand covered my mouth. I was trying to kick, when suddenly, the bathroom door flew open and Ian grabbed Andrew off of me and threw him up against the sink, punching him and then throwing him to the ground.

“What did you do?” Ian screamed at him.

“She’s a fucking whore, Ian. Ever since she walked into your life, you’ve given up everything, including our friendship,” he said as he punched Ian in the mouth.

Adalynn ran to me and hugged me. She helped me up and I stood there and watched Ian beat the shit out of Andrew.

“You piece of shit. You were like a brother to me!” he screamed with each punch. “How could you do this to me and to the woman I love?”

Andrew didn’t say a word. He couldn’t. Daniel went over and pulled Ian off of him.

“That’s enough, Ian. I think he got the message.”

“Don’t you ever, and I mean ever, come near me or Rory again. Do you understand me?!” Ian yelled at Andrew. “Our friendship is over forever!”

Ian wiped the blood from his mouth as he turned around and looked at me. His breathing was rapid. He walked over to me and placed his hands on each side of my face, checking to see if I was hurt.

“Are you okay?” he asked with sadness in his eyes.

I couldn’t cry. Normal people would cry in a situation like this, but I couldn’t. I felt nothing but rage. The rage I used to feel growing up. The numbness was back and it took over my body as if it never left.

“I’m fine,” I whispered as I looked at Ian.

“See, she’s fine,” Andrew said as he stood up.

The rage inside consumed me and I pushed Ian out of my way. I stared at Andrew as I began to walk towards him.

“Rory, what are you doing?” Ian asked.

I approached Andrew and, for a moment, we just stared at each other. I hated him. I hated everything about him. The words that kept going through my mind were “Focus all your energy into your hands. Let it build and then focus when you’re ready to strike.” And that was exactly what I did. I threw a punch across his face and broke his nose. He fell to the ground and held his nose. Blood spilled everywhere. I looked down at him and then I spit on him. “Go to hell, you asshole,” I said and then turned and looked at Ian. “I want to go home.”

Ian put his arm around me and I moved out from under it.

“I’m still pissed at you about the stripper,” I said as I walked ahead of him and out of the bathroom. “Someone needs to call 911 for that asshole in there,” I said to the line of women that were waiting to get inside.

Chapter 23

Ian

“Rory, stop!” I commanded. But she didn’t listen. She kept walking ahead of me and acted like I didn’t exist.

“Ian, now’s not a good time to have an attitude with her. She’s been through a horrible ordeal tonight and, if anything, she just needs you to be calm and take care of her.”

“I do take care of her and I will continue to do so, Adalynn.”

We both said goodbye to Adalynn and Daniel and we walked to the car. I opened the door for her and she climbed in, grabbing the handle and slamming it shut. After I climbed in, I looked at her and she wouldn’t look at me. After I slammed my hands on the steering wheel, she turned her head and looked at me.

“You have no right to be angry with me,” she said. “I’m the one who has the right. I’ve been hurt and humiliated on all levels tonight and I just want to go home.”

The only thing I wanted to do was grab her and hold her tight. But I knew if I tried to touch her, she’d either slap me or she’d get out of the car.

“I’m sorry about the stripper. But that wasn’t my fault. I had no clue that Andrew had hired her. I know now the only reason he did it was to hurt you. Sweetheart, please talk to me. We are not leaving this parking spot until you talk to me.”

She turned her head and looked at me. Her eyes were full of sadness and hurt. I slowly reached for her hand and she let me hold it. “Andrew is out of our lives for good. In fact, tomorrow morning, I want you to press charges against him.”

“No, Ian. I think he learned his lesson. I just want to forget about tonight and go on with my life. He isn’t going to come anywhere near either of us anymore. Can you please drive us home now?”

“Can I have a kiss first?” I asked hesitantly.

She leaned closer and I gave her a warm, loving kiss. As I ran my hand down her cheek and stared into her eyes, I whispered, “I love you and only you.”

“I’m still mad about the stripper,” she said.

“Ugh, Rory. I’ll tell you what. I’m going to get you a male stripper, then we’ll be even, okay?”

She finally gave me her beautiful smile. “The only stripper I want is you.”

I let out a breath. Finally, she wasn’t so pissed off at me anymore. “You got it, sweetheart. I’ll strip for you every night.” I winked.

I started the car and, as I drove us home, I held her hand the whole way. I still couldn’t believe the events of tonight. I knew Andrew was a little emotionally fucked up. But I had no idea he would do something like this. Every time I thought about it, I wanted to go and kill him.

When we arrived home, Rory went upstairs and started the bath. I walked over to the bar and poured some bourbon for me and a glass of wine for her. I took them upstairs and into the bathroom. I set the glass on the edge of the tub as Rory lay back and looked at me.

“Join me,” she said.

“You really want me to?” I asked in disbelief because I thought she wanted to be alone.

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have asked.”

I gave her a smile and stripped out of my clothes. She scooted up so I could climb behind her. I wrapped my arms around her and she rested the back of her head on my chest. “We have so much to talk about, Ian. So much has happened in the past few days between my father, your father, douchebag Andrew.”

“I know, sweetheart,” I said as I kissed her head.

“I want to go back to Paris where it was peaceful and quiet and just the two of us.”

“We’ll go back there soon. I promise. Let’s deal with one issue at a time. We’ve already dealt with Drew, so we can cross him off our list.”

“I wish you’d talk to me about your dad,” she said.

“What’s there to talk about? I’m obviously upset and I’m pissed that he hasn’t told me. It’s hard to take it all in, you know?”

“I know it is, babe. I didn’t tell you earlier, but I love you too,” she said as she turned her head and kissed my lips.

Those words, at that moment, meant everything to me. I kissed her back passionately and we made love in the bathtub before heading to bed.

* * *

“I was so worried about you all night,” Adalynn said as she stormed into the dining room and hugged Rory.

“I’m okay, Adalynn. Thank you for your concern.” She smiled.

“And him? The two of you?” she said as she pointed to Ian and me.

“We’re fine, Adalynn, and good morning to you,” I said.

“Whew, thank God. I thought maybe Rory was going to kick you out on your ass or something because of that stripper whore.”

I looked at her and cocked my head. “That stripper was not my fault, and Rory and I already discussed it and we really don’t want to discuss it again.”

“Fine,” she said as she waved her hand at me. “Coffee, I need coffee.”