ROMANCE: The Bad Boy Meeting (38 page)

              Maria had wracked her brain for months, trying to figure out how she’d gotten here. What had led her to this place and the problems that came with it? She had such a promising future and then it was all thrown away and it wasn’t even her fault.

              It felt like so long ago that Maria had been studying to be a professional musician. She’d always loved music. Her entire world had revolved around it for so long. She’d wanted to play music for as long as she could remember and her first instrument had been a piano. Her grandmother played avidly and Maria loved to sit and watch her play. She could sit at her grandma’s feet for hours and just listen to the magical sounds that came from the Baby Grand that was her grandmother’s most prized possession.

              The black lacquer was smooth to the touch and when her grandmother wasn’t playing, Maria liked to run her fingers down the smooth finish and feel the cool material under her fingers. That piano gave her life and even as she blossomed into a beautiful young woman it remained her only interest. She went to school like every other child and got good marks. She was an excellent student and her teachers absolutely adored her.

              Maria took after her mother in beauty and in temperament. She was a quiet storm of passion with bright green eyes and long brown hair that stood out against her fair skin. She was truly a beauty and no one would ever argue it. She had boys from all corners of their city trying to woo her, but she had no interest in them.

              Her grandmother once told her that boys were just temporary and fleeting. Her talent would be forever and so that's what she devoted all of her time to. She perfected her skill on the piano and moved on to other instruments, though she always came back to that Baby Grand. Her long, slender fingers itched for its ivory keys.

              Maria’s love and passion for the piano paid off and she was admitted to Julliard to train with some of the best musicians in the world. Even there she was a prodigy of renowned skill. She was invited to play at balls and political events. The most expensive restaurants in New York wanted her in their lobbies. It was an exhilarating feeling and she never wanted it to go away.

              She would soon learn that the higher you flew the harder you fell.

              A day before the start of her Junior year of college, Maria’s grandmother passed away. The older woman had raised Maria since her parents had been drug addicts with no hope for a future. She’d been left on her grandmother’s door step and the woman had cared for her.

              After her grandmother died, Maria lost the passion for the Baby Grand. Her fingers didn’t itch to play and she didn’t even care to listen to pianos anymore. She watched the world around her crumble when they took the house away and even the piano. Her grandmother had owed money after sending Maria to such an expensive school and her modest life insurance policy couldn’t cover the cost of the debt.

              Maria was thrown into a whirlwind of depression that spiraled down a black hole she couldn’t have prepared herself for. There was no money for school and even if there had been she wouldn’t have gone back. She couldn’t even look at pianos without her heart breaking. She’d never experienced a loss like this and she couldn’t even begin to pick herself back up. There was nowhere for her to go and Maria found herself living in a small, closet sized bedroom that she rented for $200 a month.

              The woman who owned the house that Maria was renting a room in was an older Italian widow. She enjoyed Maria’s company and tried to care for the girl as much as she could but in her old age the best she could do was home cooked meals and a comforting shoulder to cry on. Widow Giovanni was the closest thing to family that Maria had left.

              Debt collectors were vicious animals. Maria didn’t even like calling them human because she didn’t understand how anyone with even a shred of humanity could come after a dead woman’s money. They were like vultures, circling around the corpse of her grandmother’s memory and she couldn’t stand it. She paid them what she could but her minimum wage retail job wasn’t cutting it. They wanted more, more, more but Maria had nothing left to give.

              The more calls and bills she got, the more desperate she became. She passed the neon lights that read ‘live nude’ every night on her way home from work. She never thought she’d step foot in the door of that awful place but when times got tough people seemed to do things they never expected themselves to do.

              It was a world she’d never imagined herself in but now Maria was the headlining act for Crazy Horse, one of the most popular strip clubs in the area. They clients loved her. She had the look of an average girl next door and most men ate that up. They loved her bouncy brown curls and emerald eyes. When she flashed a sad smile they could even see the light flicker behind them. The light in her eyes had died long ago but sometimes she could manage just a little happiness in her gaze.

              Her clients liked the way she touched their hands and encouraged them to talk about their day. They liked her slender hips and perky breasts too, but mostly they liked the kindness that radiated from her and the motherly tone she used when she talked to them. She never drank like the other performers and encouraged them to follow their dreams. She was a bright spot in a dark place and people flocked to her like moths to a flame.

              Maria had plenty of customers because of this brightness, but her most loyal, by far, was a mysterious man by the name of Aaron Madden.

              Aaron was a strange man and Maria didn’t know what to make of him. He wasn’t strange in a way that worried Maria. His strangeness came from his kindness and humanity. You didn’t find that in men when they were around strippers. When you put a naked lady in front of them, most men turned into drooling dogs who would paw at anything that got too close. Aaron wasn’t like that at all.

              The first time they’d met, Maria had been topless and walking the floor and Aaron had waved her over. She sat near him and he’d slid his coat off and put it around her shoulders before speaking to her.

              Aaron was one Maria’s customers who liked one on one time, but he never used that time to flirt or gawk. He actually talked to her like they were equals. He never put her down for her profession and never shamed her. It was a relief that she never expected because she’d never been treated so kindly by other customers.

              They would sit and talk about books, music and movies. He didn’t reveal much about his own personal life and all she knew was that he was a retired Navy Seal who lived just outside of town on a small farm. She was always a little disappointed that he never hinted as to whether he was married or not. She always tried to pull it out of him but never had much luck with it. He was a quiet man and even when they were talking about things he enjoyed he didn’t give up much information.

              It was Friday night and she knew to expect the handsome man. The other dancers were jealous that she received so much attention from such an attractive man. He was perfect in every way, they thought and they all wanted him, but Maria had him. Some of the other girls had even tried to drag him away from her and all they’d gotten for it was an angry glare that sent shivers through them.

              His intense blue stare was unnerving and his strong jaw and thick, muscular arms gave him an air of danger. It was both intoxicating and terrifying. Maria knew, however that he would never hurt her. She didn’t have to worry about that intense stare because he would never raise a hand to her or even his voice. She didn’t know how, but she knew this.

              Even though she knew he’d never hurt her, she had a sneaking suspicion that if you were on the wrong side of a fight with the tall blonde, you’d lose more than your pride. The sense of danger that most people felt around Aaron was more than warranted.

              He wasn’t a normal man and he wasn’t your average Navy Seal. Aaron was a four hundred year old wolf shifter who had spent his time in the army to curb his violence and blood lust. The military had always been a good way for him to keep his violent tendencies in check. He was older now and had better self control, but when he was younger that wasn’t the case.

              He’d been born into one of the most powerful packs in all of Germany. His father was the Alpha and Aaron had been next in line to take the throne. He’d been brought up as a fighter, ready and willing to protect his pack at any cost.

              Before he was old enough to lead the pack, his father, mother and the rest of the tribe had been picked off one by one by human hunters. They went after the pack, thinking the wolves responsible for the disappearances of children and livestock. When someone disappeared or died unexpectedly, the wolves were always assumed to be responsible.

              Aaron had escaped by running. His parents had been with him but he lost them at some point and didn’t discover their bodies for days. The town had massacred every single wolf in his pack except for himself and one young female wolf named Rein.

              The night their pack was murdered Rein and Aaron set out on their own. They were the last pack in Europe and they’d been systematically wiped out by villagers with pitchforks and rudimentary guns. There were other wolves out there but the pack mentality had fallen out of style. It was safer to separate and spread to all corners of the globe, disguising themselves as humans.

              Aaron never forgave the humans for that bloodbath. He spent his younger years in the military of any army who would accept him and reveled in killing humans. He wanted them to pay for the pain they’d caused him and Rein and all the other wolves who had lost their loved ones.

              As time passed, Aaron felt the anger start to fade. He could only hold onto his hatred for so long and eventually, war became too violent for even him. The creation and detonation of the atomic bomb had been a turning point for Aaron. World War II was the last great conflict he ever fought in.

              He’d been a Navy Seal his entire military career and so he never felt like he was lying when he told people he was ex-military. It was the truth. He’d just been retired for over seventy years but that was a detail that people didn’t need to know.

              He and Rein had settled down on a farm in upstate New York and had built a life together there. They loved each other dearly but were not each others soul mates. Aaron was still searching for his Omega and he feared he would never find her. Aaron wanted to build a new pack and to do that, he needed his Omega.                                          Aaron never would have walked into that strip club if he hadn’t smelled Maria. Her aroma was a strangely intoxicating, especially for her being a human. No woman, human or wolf had ever driven him wild like this. He wanted her desperately and he knew he had to get close to her.

              Aaron began to spend his evenings with her, jealous of the men he pawed at her and looked at her with impure intentions. She was meant to be his and he needed to rescue her from this hovel but he needed to be discreet about.

              The last thing he wanted was another fear induced witch hunt.

              Maria knew to expect Aaron late in the evening. He normally came in a few hours before her shift was up. He always went right for the reserved booth, not paying attention to any dancers who might be on stage. His only interest was in Maria and she couldn’t help but feel special for it. She loved his attention just as much as he loved hers.

              She was sitting in their usual booth, wearing a pair of dancing shorts and a tank top. He didn’t like their visits to be conducted when she was in any state of undress. He wanted to talk to her fully clothed. It was a little strange but she didn’t ask questions.

              He arrived right on time and made a beeline for the table, settling in beside her. He never sat across from her and she was more than happy for it. She enjoyed sitting beside him and leaning into the heat of his body. He was a huge man and had to be at least 6’5”, if not taller. 

              When Aaron settled into the seat beside her, she leaned against him, closing her eyes and sighing softly.

              “Hey there. I didn’t think you would show up tonight.”

              “Have I ever not shown up?”

              He had a point. Aaron had been coming to this club for well over six months now and he never missed one of their appointments. They met three days a week and he was always on time. He was so predictable that if he didn’t show up, she might become worried and report him as a missing person. He seemed like the type of guy who was fond of punctuality and a tight schedule.

              She sat up and turned to look at him, running her long pianist’s fingers through his dirty blonde hair. Maria didn’t like it when his hair covered his beautiful eyes. When she looked into them she felt as if she was looking into his soul. It was awe inspiring.

              When Marie could see his face clearly, she smiled and leaned back in her seat, offering him his favorite top shelf whiskey and sipping at her own water. She always drank water on the clock, even if her clients insisted she drink something else. Maria had seen plenty of girls get taken advantage of when they were drunk and she wasn’t going to be one of them.

              Aaron looked over at her and put a hand on her knee, enjoying the physical contact they shared occasionally. “How have things been?” He asked gently, leaning up and kissing her cheek.

              Most of the other dancers never allowed kisses but Maria made an exception for Aaron. He never pushed her past her limits and never pushed her further than she wanted to go. Their kisses were quick, chaste and soft. They always left Maria wanting more.

              She sighed and leaned into the kiss shrugging one pale, slender shoulder. “They usual stuff. Some guy got a little too handsy, though.”

              “Do I need to break someone’s arm?” Aaron grunted, leaning back and looking at her seriously, his thick, well groomed brows furrowed in concern.

              Maria laughed and shook her head. “The bouncers already took care of him. No need for you to worry.” She assured.

              “I always worry. I don’t like you working here.”

              His possessiveness was refreshing and a little exhilarating. Maria didn’t really know what to make of it. She always sensed that he was on the verge of stealing her away but never quite got that far. If he did want to rescue her, he never said it aloud. He only hinted at it briefly.

              “I don’t really have a choice, Aaron...This is how I make a living. It’s fine though. It’s not as bad as most people make it out to be. It’s even kind fun.”

              That was a lie and they both knew it. Aaron's lips pressed into a tight frown but he didn’t argue anymore. He didn’t want her to get suspicious of his intentions. He felt like, for this to work and for her not to run away when she realized exactly what she’d been talking to these past few months, he needed to show her that he was gentle and capable of love. He needed her to fall in love with him.

              Their conversation moved to a much lighter topic and she started telling him about a new book she was reading. It was a horror novel written by Joe Hill and she adored it. it was creepy and full of twists and turns. She offered to bring it in for him to read and he said that he’d like that. He always enjoyed the books she suggested. He had never been much of a reader but he’d do anything to get just a little closer to Maria.

              Their conversation lasted well into the night and the club started to empty. Patrons stumbled out drunk and dancers wrapped up their routines. The newer girls always performed at the tail end of the night and even they were wrapping things up. Maria was always the last one on the floor with a client.

Marie’s green eyes darted over his shoulder to the clock on the opposite wall and she gave him a peck on the cheek as she slid out of the booth.

              “Time to go.” She said, announcing that her shift was up.

Aaron always offered to walk her to her car but she insisted that it wasn’t necessary and sent him on his way. It was the one thing he wouldn’t honor. He always stood just out of sight and made sure she made it to her car safely. It was one of the few things he could do to protect her.