One Night with the CEO

What's next?

Delilah

I wake up to steady beeping and the smell of disinfectant. I look around and see my uncle Brian in a chair by the bed. I see Mark and Seth on the couch asleep. I nudge Brian’s hand to wake him quietly. He looks at me and smiles.

“What happened?” I whisper.

“You were attacked outside your job. Some drunk from the club. You beat the living s**t out of him and what’s left of him is under arrest for attempted rape. The club cameras got everything on video and the police said your actions were completely justified,” Brian says.

“And those two?” I ask, nodding towards Mark and Seth.

“They haven’t left your side since you got here,” Brian says. “Just look at what happens when someone comes in.”

Brian hits the call button and as soon as the door opens Seth and Mark are in front of my bed in attack mode. The doctor doesn’t look surprised until his eyes land on me.

“Oh good you’re awake,” she says.

Seth and Mark turn and notice me for the first time.

“Can you call off the attack dogs. They’re scaring my nurses,” she says.

“No can do Doc. They’re way too overprotective. But I’m sure I can reign them in some,” I say. “How long was I out?” I ask.

“The longest twenty-four hours of my life,” Seth says.

He sits on my bed and wraps his arms around me. I snuggle into his chest and let him comfort me.

“So when can I get out of here?” I ask.

“I want to keep you for another day. Your wrist is broken and we’ve put you in a cast,” she says motioning towards my arm. “It will take six to eight weeks to heal and you’ll need physical therapy afterwards.”

“So no more dancing for me?” I ask.

“As long as everything heals correctly you should be able to return to life as normal,” she says.

“Nope. Veto. She’s not dancing anymore,” Brian says.

“You can’t decide that for her,” Seth says.

“Everyone calm down. I have six to eight weeks to think about it. Can we please not freak out in front of the nice doctor before she withholds my pain meds,” I say.

“I wouldn’t do that. The police would like to speak with you whenever you are up for it,” she says.

“Ok, you can send them in when they get here,” I say.

After she leaves Brian looks at Seth.

“You the boyfriend?” Brian asks.

Seth and I look at each other and burst out laughing.

“More like the gay best friend,” Seth says.

“And you?” Brian asks Mark.

“He’s my boss,” I say. I look at Mark. “How is Stacy?”

“She’s fine kiddo. She bruised her ass pretty good falling off the stage but she’s ok. The girls have been worried sick about you,” Mark says.

“I’m ok. I promise,” I say.

“You’re not ok, Rae,” Seth says. “You said you were raped last night but the doctor didn’t find any signs of s****l assault.”

“It didn’t happen last night,” I say. I look over at my uncle Brian and he holds my hand.

“It's ok Lilah. You can tell them when you’re ready,” Brian says.

“Why does he keep calling you Lilah? He’s been calling you Lilah since last night,” Seth asks.

There is a knock on the door and two detectives walk in. I recognized one of them from two years ago.

“Hello again Detective Taylor,” I say.

He stares at me like he’s trying to recognize me.

“It’s ok that you don’t recognize me. I made a lot of changes in the last two years,” I look over at Seth. “Please don’t be mad at me.”

I begin to recount the events of two years ago to Seth and Mark. I tell them everything about my mother’s drug dealer shooting my dad and raping me in front of him and he bled to death. I told them how I got away and ended up at Mark’s club. How I changed my looks and started going by my middle name but Brian still calls me Lilah, just like my dad used to. Seth cried a couple of times and I know Mark was trying to be strong for me.

“What happens now, detective?” I ask.

“You’ll be asked to testify but the man who attacked you is going to prison for a long time. This was not the first time he attacked someone. You made sure that he will never do that to another woman again,” he says.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“You stomped his d**k off babe,” Seth says.

“Permanent genital damage. He’ll be peeing into a bag for the rest of his life,” Detective Taylor says.

“Serves him right,” I say without an ounce of remorse. “Am I in trouble?”

“No Ms. Morgan. You’re not,” he says.

After the detectives leave Seth lays on the bed with me.

“How come you never told me?” He asks.

“I relive that day in my dreams every single night Seth. I don’t want to relive it in my waking hours too,” I say. “I just wanted to move on.”

“Every night?” He asks.

“Well there was one night where I didn’t relive that day,” I say.

“When?” He asks.

“About a week ago. After that private dance with that really hot guy,” I say.

“Jake what’s his face?” Seth asks.

“Yeah,” I say.

“Did you get his number?” Seth asks.

“He’s a patron, Seth. That would be completely inappropriate. And I’d get fired,” I said.

Mark laughs loudly.

“Honey I’d never fire you. You should see the rooms after some of your friends come out of them. I give them a talking to and dock their pay towards clean up but I don’t fire anyone. I try to get them to understand that they are worth more than selling themselves to a man for a night and most of the time they don’t do it again. I knew there was something different about you this past week,” Mark says. “I’ll help you find this boy if you want.”

“I don’t know his last name. We had this connection but I don’t think it’s going anywhere. If it’s really meant to be then I’ll see him again,” I say.

“What about the club? Are you coming back?” Seth asks.

“Probably not. I don’t want to put myself in that situation ever again,” I say.

“What are you going to do?” Mark asks.

“She’s coming to work for me. I own a garage not too far from your club. I live in the apartment above it and I own the townhomes next to it. She’s going to move in there and get her GED. I let you leave once but I’m not doing that again. Your dad has been haunting me ever since you left and I’m not letting you go again Lilah. You have more talent in your little pinky than most of the grease monkeys that work for me. So we’re going to get your ass in gear and when it’s time for me to retire I’m leaving you the shop. We do repairs but it’s mostly custom bikes and classic restorations,” Brian says.

I look at the three men before me before agreeing to their terms.

“Ok, I’ll move when I get out of here. My landlord was being an ass about my rent anyway,” I say.

“Good. Get some rest kiddo. We’ll settle everything once you’re out of here,” Mark says.