TRAPPED

EDDY

I was leaned against the barman's counter, a glass of scotch between my fingers as I scrolled through the viral pictures of Lola on the internet.

The captions were quite hilarious, and at some point, I couldn't hold my amusement. 

I found myself giggling with every pleasure at the screen of my phone, caring less about the barman's continuous judging glare.

HER STITCHES GAVE WAY. HER CONFIDENCE COULDN'T STAND A CHANCE.

THE NEXT BEST POLE DANCER. A TOTAL JOKE.

The comments sections too didn't spare her.

A lot of people rebuked her for her choice of outfit, and her "insensitive" thought of wanting to pole dance.

There were loads of shit comments about her weight too.

It was pleasing to read.

I sighed with relief, taking in the satisfaction of how pleasing the night had turned out.

I didn't answer Connor's call earlier. I didn't see a need to.

I knew he would be furious, and that was the exact feeling I was looking to spark up in him.

"You started to derail when you began to nurture feelings you were supposed to, Connor. You've truly crossed the line," I muttered, staring at the light orange liquid sitting beneath my glass.

My phone vibrated and a notification popped up.

It was Freddy.

I chuckled.

It was the first time he was contacting me in years. I didn't think he still had my contact.

A low anxiety beating through my chest, I tapped on the message.

"So many people looking out for that bitch," I scoffed, long pressing on the text, and finally clicking the delete button.

I had barely picked up my wine glass to my lips when my phone started to vibrate again.

This time, it was my secretary.

"What do you want?" I spoke impatiently into the receiver.

"Should I reach out to the blog creators? News about the unfortunate incident is getting out of hand."

"Let them be," I replied simply before disconnecting the line.

"Unfortunate news, he said," I muttered, chuckling until the scotch soaked through my lips, wetting my throat with a familiar satisfaction.

I was standing away from the bright lit part of the counter, so the women who strolled up to get their cups filled must not have recognized me as they chatted away about the night's incident.

"She has lost face. I would blame her for whatever she might be passing through," one of them confessed, pulling two fingers up to the barman after selecting an option from the bar menu.

"Eeeish! I still get goosebumps thinking of how her stitches had snapped open just when we thought she was about to deliver a perfect performance."

I couldn't stop the smile that stretched across my face. I had to turn my head away from their view, because they'd be shocked at how I was still smiling in the midst of the chaos as her husband.

My phone began to vibrate loudly again, stirring their attention to where I stood.

I saw the panic in their eyes when they recognized me. They didn't utter any other word as they grabbed their drinks off the barman's table and scurried away.

I sighed.

They didn't have to run. We were on the same side.

Connor was calling me again.

I sighed.

Back in the room, the night was still ongoing, but the stage wasn't busy anymore. The last of the guests just talked in groups over drinks and snacks.

I wasn't sure where Lola was at the moment, but deep down, I had a feeling Connor was looking for me, especially as my car was still parked out, giving away the fact that was still within the building.

I took another sip from my glass and sighed wearily.

"This is becoming old news. Those two need new lessons," I muttered again. 

I watched the barman glance over with a curious expression, then quickly, he withdrew his gaze. I shook my head.

"Eddison Langford, what is the meaning of this?" 

I heard his voice before I saw his figure, trudging relentlessly towards me, his body buffed with an unmistaken anger.

Subconsciously, I took a lazy step backwards. My gaze naturally moved to where the bar man stood. Our gazes locked, but he quickly broke away, concentrating more on wiping down the glasses in front of him.

"I should have known this was exactly what you were up to. Why did you have to do that? It was unnecessary. There was absolutely no honor in pulling that cheap trick."

Connor was standing in front of me now, his words crashing against his heavy breathing, pulling the weight of his anger before delivering through his mouth.

I threw my head back, allowing a lazy moan to escape my throat.

"Excuse me?"

"What do you want, Connor Millow?"

" Cho ty delayesh, Connor?"

"What are you doing? What has she done so wrong?" his voice was laced with bitter concern.

"Ya ne ponimayu!" I replied, unhinged, proud I could par up to him when it comes to Russian.

"Eddy!" he called out, walking closer to where I stood to look me in the eye.

"I have no right to interfere in your family affairs...," his gaze searched my soul.

"But we both know that tonight was your idea, totally. You're my best friend. You never mentioned that something was wrong. Why are you doing this now?"

Connor's words disgusted me.

He sounded like he wouldn't jump on an opportunity to ride my wife to orgasm.

I wanted to ball up his secret thoughts and trash it on his face, but the presence of the bar man left me uneasy.

"Would you try to mind your business? I am sure that is something you can do," I said instead, taking another sip from my glass.

I watched Connor's eyes twitch in an obvious confusion to what to say next.

He grabbed his forehead, shutting his eyes briefly in frustration, before allowing his palm slowly wipe down his face.

"How long have you been like this?"

I chuckled. 

"You have some real guts," I muttered to myself.

He raised a brow in a silent curiosity to what I had said.

"Lola is going to keep getting it until you do what you should do," I finally said, pulling some bills off my pocket and slipping it right under my glass.

I took one last long look at him. I felt the hesitation against his breathing.

Adjusting my jacket, I began to walk away.

I had barely taken three steps when he called out calmly from behind me.

Maybe, finally, he was willing to kick start the grand game of fun.