Carol glared. I glared.
“Why are you here?”
“I had a big client to entertain. He loves this place. I bring him here every time he visits from Atlanta.”
“What do you want?” I snarled.
He reached inside his suit and pulled out an envelope, which he offered me. Foolishly, I took it.
“I could have had someone else serve you with this, but I told my lawyer I wanted the privilege of doing so. I intended to do it next weekend after I picked up the kids, but since you’re here. I’ll save myself a trip.”
“What is this?”
“Court papers.”
“For what? Why?” My throat tightened as I balled the envelope up in my hand. I heard Carol gasp behind me.
“I’m asking for an adjustment in the child support you’re paying. And after witnessing this tonight,” he said as he motioned to the stage with his arm. “I’m guessing I’ll be asking for more changes in the custody arrangement.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Come on, Regina. You’re stripping. You deal with perverted scumbags in your business. You have no right to raise MY kids. You’re nothing but a slut and a crazy bitch.”
Richard got angrier the more he talked, and I got more intimidated. My anger simmered beneath the surface. I think he would have continued with his rant if a hand on his shoulder hadn’t stopped him.
“I think you should leave,” Dirk said. He squeezed Richard’s shoulder when he tried to pull it away.
Richard jerked away. “Who the hell are you?”
“It’s not important who I am. You’re obviously upsetting the lady. So you should leave.”
“I’ll leave when I’m good and ready. I’m not finished.”
“What else do you have to say, Richard?” I asked. Things were escalating and now the embarrassment of Dirk witnessing this exchange made all the butterflies in my stomach suddenly develop razor sharp wings. They were cutting my insides the more agitated they became.
“I think you should leave now, before you mess up your cheap suit,” Dirk said.
Richard reached out and grabbed Dirk’s suit lapel and bunched it up in his fist. “Look, buddy. I don’t know who you are, but you should stay out of family business.”
The two men were equal in size. Dirk maybe had an inch on Richard, but they both were big and imposing.
“A man should watch his language around a lady.”
“Show me a lady in this joint and I will.” Richard tried to force Dirk away from him with a shove, but Mr. Dark Eyes didn’t budge.
What happened next seemed a blur. Dirk did something with Richard’s thumb and in no time he had him on his knees squealing in pain.
Carol hyperventilated. Some girls in the back room cried out with either a “What the fuck?” or an “Oh my God.”
I found my hands covering my mouth as I stifled a cry of my own. The Cherry Pit bouncer and another big man were coming up the steps to backstage.
Dirk dug a hand into Richard’s shoulder and seemed to lift him from the floor, facing the bouncers. When they arrived, he let him go into their capable hands. They both gave him and me a look, trying to figure out what happened and who to kick out.
“He was harassing Miss Davenport. Please escort him out,” Dirk said. His voice had an authority and crispness of someone used to commanding others.
“You just made a big mistake, buddy. You’re going to regret this.” Richard struggled against the bouncers.
The bouncers turned to me, and I nodded. Within seconds, Richard was out of sight.
