“Christ, Scott, Nash is always pissed off about something lately. I doubt there’s anything I could say that would help him.”

Scott’s eyes narrowed on me. “What happened between you two? You’ve been good mates for years and now you’re hardly talking.”

“Nothing, unless you count the fact I told him a little while ago to clean his shit up, and stop fucking every chick he sets eyes on.”

Harlow sucked in a breath. “Really? You said that to him?”

I scowled at the memory. “Yes. Someone had to, because seriously, I’m concerned his dick will need resuscitation soon. Surely that thing has had enough pussy to last it two lifetimes.”

Scott snorted. “Make that three lifetimes and you’re getting close.”

“My point exactly. So yeah, he didn’t take that conversation very well and he’s been avoiding me ever since.”

Scott pulled Harlow close for another kiss and then gave me his attention. “Talk to him; he might surprise the fuck outta you.”

He left me and Harlow alone and I stood staring after him, shaking my head. I didn’t want to talk to Nash for a couple of reasons. Number one was that our friendship really did seem to be dead after I’d said that to him. And the second reason was that he’d actually hurt me by cutting me off. We’d been friends for as long as I’d been working at Indigo; not close, close friends, but when we hung out together at the club we got on really well. There was an easiness to it that I liked, and he was one of the only guys who hadn’t hit on me. Well, he flirted a lot but he’d never put the hard word on me and I loved that about him. I’d felt like our friendship had gotten to the point where we could be open and honest so that’s why I’d said that to him. Nash screwed any woman that would have him and I felt like he deserved better. I knew there was something inside him that made him treat himself the way he did; looking at him some days was like looking in a mirror. I’d been where he was. The only difference was that I now respected myself enough not to do that shit anymore and that’s what I wanted for Nash.

“You gonna talk to him?” Harlow asked.

I sighed. Of course I was; I couldn’t let a friend down. “Yeah.”

She smiled. “Nash is lucky to have you as a friend.”

“He fucking is, but we’ll soon see if he realises that.”

***

I found him ten minutes later, sitting alone in the club watching the stripper who was currently working the stage. It was still early in the night; only a handful of men were here so far. However, the ones that were here recognised me as I walked towards Nash, and whistles and suggestive comments followed me.

One guy yelled out, “I’d like to lick your pussy and then come all over your face before sticking - ”

This shit wasn’t new to me but this guy was a complete dick. I’d seen the way he treated the other strippers and I didn’t like it. I turned and challenged him, “Really? Is that how you sweet talk all your women? Cause I’ve gotta say, it doesn’t turn me on and there’s no way I’d let your tiny dick anywhere near my face.”

His friends laughed and cheered me on, and I watched in satisfaction as his face turned a lovely shade of red. I shook my head in disgust at him and continued on my way to Nash. As I approached him, I realised he was watching me with an intense stare; it kind of unnerved me.

“Remind me never to piss you and your acid tongue off,” he said as I sat next to him.

“Well, you already have.”

His brow arched. “How? I just arrived.”

I leaned in close to him. “You pissed me off awhile ago, Nash, but I decided to let you off from my acid tongue.”

“How the fuck did I piss you off?” His body tensed with anger and frustration which only served to irritate me; I hadn’t said or done anything to warrant the amount of hostility he was projecting.

Sitting back away from him, I replied, “When I was trying to be a friend to you by suggesting you stop screwing around, you cut me off.”

He glowered at me. “Friends don’t tell you how to live your life, Velvet.”

“Then they’re not your real friends,” I threw back at him with no hesitation.

He stood up abruptly. “Fuck, I don’t need this shit from you, too,” he muttered, raking his hand through his hair.

I sat calmly; I wouldn’t allow him to rile me up on the outside, even though my insides were seething with annoyance. “Maybe you do, Nash. If you don’t have any other friends who will be honest with you, then I’d say you do need this shit from me.”

He turned so he was staring directly down at me. Leaning forward, he rested his hands on either side of my chair and shoved his face into mine. His green eyes were blazing with wrath, and he spat his words out. “Today is not the fuckin’ day to mess with me. I’ve had all I can take from my family and I sure as shit don’t need to come here and cop more from you. So keep your fuckin’ mouth shut and leave me the hell alone.” With that, he pushed himself away from me and strode out of the club.

Well, shit. I had no idea what that was all about, but something told me Nash probably needed a friend more than ever right about now. Unfortunately, I started work in ten minutes so it wouldn’t be me helping him tonight. Sadly, I knew he would find solace in the arms of a stranger but it would be temporary solace at best.

Chapter 4

Stupid Boy ~ Keith Urban