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“You guys can’t run around doing that”

A boisterous chuckle came from deep within “You don’t know us that well Hayden’s patience can run a little short Mine even shorter I’ to lie to you Hayden tried to handle you He was never going to let you strip until August Honestly, he planned to end that job when you both returned froht you two had ruffled his feathers He backed off for the moment” He leaned forward

“You turnedtime bomb”

The tiny hairs stood on my arms as my eyes closed

I was alar the table “Enjoy” The waitress walked away

“I saw it,” I whispered

“You sahat?”

“The lights go out in his eyes,” I cried again

“I wish I wouldn’t have ever met him I destroyed him He was never supposed to associate with me; a stripper”

“You don’t mean that A man loves who he loves, it doesn’t matter the woman’s occupation Just how she makes him feel inside You are each other’s life support Without each other, you both lay in critical condition Example, the day he found you at the hotel you fell into thatto hiain”

My eyes widened “Again?”

He sipped his Coke “Yeah” He glanced at my uneaten plate

“If you began eating, I will tell you about my life”

I bit into my wheat toast

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

LYDIA

I wasthat time, I was Navy-Seal, special forces I’ve seen some of the darkest shit The shit I’ve seen would keep people lying awake for weeks I’overnment job fucked up my life I was never at home My missions were always outside the country

Finally, when I returned hoone She left a sticky note attached to the divorce papers ‘Valen, I’ve n the divorce papers, please’ We’d been together since high school Stupidly, I thought she would have re on year after year though? Letters and Video chatting wasn’t enough I barely got a chance to video chat with her because I was always on so I’m thankful she didn’t mention the divorce before I returned home Not sure if I would have made it home”

My eyes widened again

“After my divorce, I became a private contractor Like I ood friends We got to talking then he introduced ood friends over the years I’ for him and you”

“Valen, you don’t work for me anymore”

“Mrs Gaster…”