I'm in Love With a Stripper (5 page)

“
I’ll be right back. I’m going to change my clothes,” Alena said as she made her way to her bathroom.

Royce
nodded.

He looked around
Alena’s room. It was very neat but she didn’t have a lot of things. There were a lot of pictures of her and her family and friends. He examined a framed picture of her with her mother, grandfather, and brother that was on her dresser. He could tell from the picture that her grandfather was frail, her mother tired, and her brother looked young. Despite their hardships, they were all beaming and smiling in the photograph. Royce grinned a little when he saw a picture of him and Gavin on her nightstand.

Alena
changed into jeans and a soft sweater turtleneck sweater.

The two were able to pack up most of her things fairly quickly since she didn’t have much.

“Why don’t we rent some movies and have a quiet night in? Just me and you? Gavin can stay at Uncle Hubert’s house tonight,” Royce asked.

Alena
smiled, “I’d like that.”

The two
made their way back to Royce’s apartment. Alena put her things in the spare bedroom while Royce ordered them a pizza.

They ate and then watched a movie for awhile.

“Royce?” Alena questioned.

“
Yeah?” he replied.

“
Why are you being so nice to me?” she continued.

“
What do you mean?” he asked puzzled.

“
Well, you’re not your usual grumpy self,” she stated.

“
Feh,” he murmured.

They were both silent for a minute.

“The truth is Alena I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you,” he said.

“
Royce...” Alena said softly.

Royce
looked straight ahead instead of facing her. He couldn’t bear to look at her bruised face.

“
I still just don’t know why you didn’t ask me for the money,” he said coolly.

Alena
remained quiet.

“
Am I really that awful to you that you couldn’t ask me and instead you would work as a stripper?” he continued.

“
You know that feeling Royce? When you have to listen to reason and not your heart?” she replied.

He turned his face to hers.

“It was one of those feelings,” she stated.

“
Alena, I never want you have to do anything like that ever again,” he replied.

“
Royce, I promise it really wasn’t that bad. Blake is the only guy who has ever acted like that with me,” she said.

“
NOT THAT BAD? HE ALMOST FUCKING KILLED YOU!” Royce shouted angrily.

“
Royce! Calm down please!” Alena said shakily.

Royce
stood up, “I can’t Alena. I just can’t. That bastard needs to fucking die. I’d be doing the world a favor by removing him from the gene pool.”

“
Royce, please,” Alena replied softly.

“
No, Alena! It’s not fair what he did to you and I’m not going to let him get away with it!” Royce roared.

Alena
remained silent.

“
Do you think less of me now?” Alena asked quietly.

“
Alena...” Royce began in an apologetic tone.

“
Of course not. I am just disappointed and hurt you didn’t ask me for the money,” Royce sat back down beside her.

“
Am I just a dollar sign to you?” Alena asked.

Royce
sighed, “No Alena, it’s just fucking hard talking about my feelings and shit. I want to do all that I can for you.”

“
I just want to keep you safe,” he continued. “I want you to stay here with me.”

“
Will you stay with me again tonight?” Alena asked quietly.

Royce
remained silent.

“
Please?” she added softly.

“
Yeah, sure. Go get ready for bed,” he replied.

Alena
took a quick shower and then changed into her silky night gown. She came back to Royce’s room to find him sprawled out across the bed. She could not believe how silly he could be sometimes.

“
Royce!” Alena exclaimed.

“
What? I am just getting comfortable,” he grinned.

She giggled,
“Yeah, with no room for me.”

Royce
grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into bed.

“
I guess you’ll just have to snuggle with me again tonight!” he replied.

She
rested her head on his muscular chest and he wrapped his arms around her tiny frame. She closed her eyes and relaxed. It felt unbelievably good to be next to his warm body and to be held by him. She had often wondered what it felt like and it was better than she could have ever imagined.

“
I feel safe with you, Royce,” Alena said.

He smirked,
“Yeah, you can just admit that you need me.”

Alena
giggled as she shook her head. “Right, I need a stubborn, bullheaded jerk like you.”

“
Hey you know I’m not a jerk all the time,” Royce smirked.

“
I know,” she replied.

“
Alena, I am glad you stayed,” Royce said.

“
I am too. I never knew you could be so nice,” Alena replied.

“
Whatever I am nice every day of my life,” Royce retorted.

Alena
giggled.

“
Goodnight Royce,” Alena whispered.

Royce
pulled her closer and shut his eyes.

“
Night Alena,” Royce replied softly.

Royce
laid awake with Alena in his arms. He could feel her small, warm body and the silkiness of her nightgown against his body. The moonlight was shining in through his bedroom window thus allowing him to study the soft features of her beautiful face as she slept. Thoughts ran through his head, he wanted things to be different for him and Alena. He wanted to kill Blake. Royce couldn’t stand it anymore he wasn’t going to be able to sleep. He was far too angry to
sleep.

Royce
carefully got out of bed, making sure he wasn’t disturbing Alena and went to the living room. Royce got out his cell phone and started searching through the numbers until he found one of an old friend.

“
Yeah, it’s Royce,” he said into the phone.

“
I’ve been good but I need a favor,” he continued. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll come over about six tomorrow and I’ll pay in cash. I need to get this taken care of.”

Royce
hung up his cell phone and turned on the TV. Tomorrow would be different. He could finally get that slime ball Blake out of everyone’s life. He had heard all about Blake and how he did the same thing with another girl. He stalked her relentlessly for two years before murdering her in a drunken rage. He wasn’t sure what the exact details were but he assumed Blake’s family ended up paying the cops off. He didn’t want Blake to get in the way of his plans with Alena. He wanted to marry her. He knew that he could take care of her and she could take care of him too.

Royce
watched TV for a few hours and then crawled back into bed with Alena.

Alena
awoke the next morning from a kiss on the forehead from Royce. He was standing above her dressed in his suit.

“
Hey I gotta go into the office for awhile, but I left my credit card on the counter. If you want to get some groceries and if you need anything at all just use it. Also, Uncle Hubert is bringing Gavin over around lunch time,” he said softly.

Alena
sleepily replied, “Mhmm.”

Royce
chuckled,“Bye Alena. I’ll see you when I get home for dinner. I may be a little late because I have an appointment to take care of.”

Alena
woke up a few hours later and got dressed. She did some light housework and made a grocery list. Alena finished just in time for Hubert to ring the doorbell.

Alena
opened the door to reveal a kindly, old man. He had a shorter stature, a head full of gray hair, and he wore thick black glasses.

“
Ahh you must be Alena!” Hubert proclaimed.

“
Alena!” exclaimed Gavin.

“Gavin, I missed you so much!” Alena said as she embraced Gavin in a hug.

“Hubert, won’t you please come in for a bit?” Alena smiled.

Hubert nodded, “I’d love to.”

“I was about to make some sandwiches. Do you want to eat with us? It is the least I can offer since you’ve been watching Gavin,” Alena said.

“Sure!” Hubert replied following Alena and Gavin into the kitchen.

Alena
made a quick lunch of BLTs and potato chips as Gavin set the napkins and plates on the table. Hubert sat down at the table and studied the two.

“
Ah, I can see why Royce talks about you all the time. You are a very beautiful young lady,” Hubert said.

Alena
smiled, “Thank you, Hubert. That’s sweet of you to say”

“
Yeah, he is always talking about you!” Gavin added.

“Really?” Alena questioned.

Hubert
nodded, “Of course. Ever since the day you started here.”

The three continued talking and eating.
Gavin explained all the fun things he did with Hubert. He showed Hubert a few of his new toys and then took a nap. Alena made Hubert a cup of tea and the two sat back down at the kitchen table.

Hubert stirred his tea.

“You know Alena, I have known Royce his entire life. We have always been quite close,” he remarked.

“
Oh, I didn’t know that,” Alena replied.

Alena
sighed, “Actually, I don’t know that much about his past.”

“
He had a hard time growing up. My older brother and his wife, Royce’s parents, came to this country as poor immigrants. They struggled and barely knew English. They saved all the money they earned to care for the boys and then to send for me to come over,” Hubert explained.

He paused to take a sip of his tea.

“You know, Royce—he was close with his brother. They were best friends but his brother passed away when Gavin was only about a year old,” Hubert paused as he took another sip of tea. “Nevertheless, he took in Gavin and he worked hard for everything in his life. When he sets a goal he stops at nothing to achieve it.”

Alena nodded.

“Alena, I may be a silly old man but he needs you. I know he’s well rough around the edges but he has a good heart,” Hubert added.

Alena
smiled, “I know he does.”

Hubert and Alena chatted for awhile and then he left. He promised he would come back soon to visit her and Gavin again. A
lena read over some of her textbooks while Gavin napped.

Gavin woke up from his nap and made his way into the living room. He climbed on the couch to cuddle up next to Alena.

“Alena?” Gavin questioned as he moved a pillow.

“Yeah, Gavin?” Alena replied.

“Are you going to stay here all the time now?” he asked.

Alena smiled,
“Would you want me too?”

Gavin beamed with happiness,
“Yes!”

Alena giggled,
“Well, I’m going to!”

Gavin smiled.

Royce
left work early to go to his appointment at six but on his way he passed by a jewelry store. It looked classy so he popped in and looked at the engagement rings.
Gah, what am I doing?
he thought to himself. He looked over the rings. He knew now wasn’t the right time, but he knew he would come back soon.
If someone traces Blake’s hit back to me, what would happen to Alena and Gavin?
They need me,
Royce realized.

Royce
sighed and got into his car and dialed his friend’s number, “Yeah man, I’ve got things taken care of. It’s off.”

He hung up the phone and began to drive home.
He tried to concentrate on driving but he just couldn’t stop thinking about Alena. He decided that it was about time they went on a proper date. It was time to go out and have a little fun.

Royce
came home to find Gavin and Alena sitting on the couch watching a movie.

“
Royce!” Gavin exclaimed.

“
Oi, runt!” Royce said as he ruffled Gavin’s curly mop of hair.