Keeping Faith (10 page)

"Watch me."

"Okay, show's over." Reece waved her hand at the crowd. "Everything's fine, she's just a little menstrual."

The crowd dissipated slowly and the dancers that were hanging all over the club owner, felt awkward after that display until the club owner waved one over.

The dancer stepped forward and smiled. "Hey, you still up for that lap dance?”

Reece grinned devilishly. "You bet." She sat down on a platform and opened her arms.
I’m right, I’m not doing anything wrong. Fuck that. It’s just a lap dance, and I’m not having sex. So what if Cori’s pissed, she’s just a freak anyway.
The scantily clad dancer shimmied all over the club owner who was becoming quite stiff and less relaxed.
I’m not actually touching her, she’s not all the way naked.
Reece took a deep breath and tried to focus on the bare tits in her face. She reached out and grasped the dancer's hips and frowned.
Fuck, she’s bony, nothing to hold on to really.
She let go of the dancer and leaned back.
Her tits are okay, but they’re not Faith’s. Faith’s are perfect and that one isn’t pierced and sexy.
Suddenly Reece's stomach hurt again and she felt sick. Scaring the dancer, she bolted up and wiped off her legs. "That's enough," she said curtly and stomped off towards her office.

Faith wandered around the house, wishing she could do something right that minute to help diffuse the situation. She wondered how Reece was feeling, how she was handling everything, and what she was doing about it. She wondered also about Alicia Alvarez and if she was really going to play opposite her as a love interest. That would be the hardest to explain, even if she did manage to amend the script's porno quality, there was no way around it. Reece was very aware that Faith had a huge crush on Alicia, they talked about it and Reece took an instant dislike towards the woman, even going so far as drawing mustaches and blacking out her teeth on the cover of magazines. Even the ones in the supermarket. Faith sighed. She'd never get any sleep with all of this on her mind. Maybe she'd just take Violet up on the offer of company.

Cori scowled at the phone as it rang, but answered it anyway. "What."

"Cor?" Is that you?"

The dancer relaxed. "Yeah, it's me."

Faith was puzzled and upset. "What happened? Why are you home? Did Reece throw you out?"

"No, I walked out. She's probably pissed as hell with me though. Are you okay?"

"I don't know how I feel. I'm up, that's for sure and I'm not thinking sleep is an option. What did you do to Reece?"

Cori snickered. "I may have pushed her."

Faith's eyes widened. "Physically or mentally."

"Physically. Look, I was mad, she was being an ass. Anyway, I have nothing to do, Violet went to supposedly put Reece in her place. Want me to come over?"

"You pushed her??? Are you crazy? Wait... Violet went to what?? Oh my god."

"Faith, calm down, if anyone is even tempered it's Vi."

"If anyone's NOT, it's Reece!'

Cori shook her head. "I couldn't stop her. I'm sure she'll be fine, besides, Reece needs a talking to, and I apparently can't control myself."

"That's it, maybe I'll go to the club..."

"NO! Don't... stay there, I'll come over."

Sarge was more than surprised to see Violet pouncing up the stairs. "Hey, Cori had an argument with Reece and ran out of here about an hour ago, what's going on?"

"Reece is being a dick."

Sarge winced. "Oh?"

"Yes, and I need to talk to her, where is she?'

The bouncer sighed and pointed. "She's in there somewhere. She told me to stay the hell away from her when I came in tonight and I'm trying my best, but if you need me, I'm there."

"Love ya Sarge." Violet kissed the big woman on the cheek.

Violet searched all the nooks and crannies of the club and came up empty. She stopped at the bar to get a glass of soda and ventured to Reece's office. She knocked a few times with no reply. "I know you're in there, so you better open this door."

Nothing.

"Reece! Open this door!"

The door opened and a very disheveled looking Reece opened it, the meanest look on her face. "Great, reinforcements. What do you want?"

Violet walked passed the club owner and leaned on the big desk. "We need to talk."

"About what?" Reece asked, annoyance plain as day in her voice.

"You're fucking up big time Reece and you may not get out of this one."

Reece slammed the door and walked in front of Violet. "Oh? Really? Am I getting naked for a room full of sweaty guys and pretending to fuck some bitch?"

Reece's anger was palpable and the piercer tried not to flinch at the tall woman's proximity, or throw her soda on her for infuriating her. "Key word, pretending, Reece. You're not a complete fucking moron. It's ACTING."

"That's my WIFE!"

"Yeah, and my wife spreads her fucking pussy for a room full of sweaty guys with hard-ons because they're waving a stinkin' dollar bill at her." Violet sipped her drink calmly.

Reece glared.

"I know you heard me, so don't pretend that you didn't."

The tall woman blinked. "That's different and you know it."

"Different? How? She's acting too! Reece, for god's sake, she doesn't want any of those men! She acts like she does and that's why we live in a great apartment in a great neighborhood and have good food on the table! It takes a very clear, well screwed on head to go up on that stage and take her clothes off for money without feeling demeaned or degraded! I'm damned proud of her for it and I tell her every day. When's the last time you told Faith that you're proud of her?"

Reece glowered. "I tell her." she said defensively.

Violet stood tall. "Really? Cuz the way I hear it you screamed at her and slammed out of the house tonight. She can't be feeling all that great right now and she certainly doesn't think she has your support."

"Violet! She's going to be doing sex scenes!"

"Did you even listen to her? She doesn't want to do those scenes! She hates them! And she hates that you hate it too. The last thing she wanted tonight was to have you yell bloody murder and run away. And let me tell you something, if she ever found out what you did with those girls tonight, out of pure spite, I don't think she'd forgive you. I wouldn't."

Reece stepped back, feeling offended. "I didn't do anything with those girls! I was mad, and.... anyway, you're not Faith." She folded her arms looking triumphant.

"I wouldn't get so cocky just yet. You have a wife at home, who feels like she disappointed you. You never even let her explain herself. I think you need to go home, and listen for a change. I don't care if you have to dig your nails into your palms, you just shut up and let her talk."

"Are you through, Dr. Phil?"

Violet put her pinky to her lip and thought. "No, there's one more thing."

Reece rolled her eyes.

"You need to apologize."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. And if I were you, I'd make sure it came with flowers. Now I'm done." Reece watched, blinking rapidly as Violet waltzed to the door and opened it. "You'll thank me some day."

The club owner pursed her lips. "Vi."

Violet turned around, "Yeah?"

Reece got quiet. "I didn't like it you know. The girls and stuff."

"You don't have to tell me that, I had a feeling you didn't or you wouldn't be locked up in here."

"Uh, what you said... ya know... " Reece nodded, and pointed to the piercer.

"You're welcome." Violet winked and left.

Cori and Faith were well through their second pitcher of frozen Margaritas and both felt oodles better for it.

Cori leaned over and giggled. "So, Alicia Alvarez. God she's hot."

Faith groaned. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I'll feel like I'm cheating, even if it's just pretend."

"That's cuz you're hot for her hoochie." Cori wiggled her eyebrow.

Faith swatted at her. "Stop it!"

"Come on, we all know. Reece knows. You want her booty."

The actress covered her face with her hands. "Oh shit Cori. I'm totally hot for her booty."

The dancer was curious. "Can you kiss her, even though it's acting, and not get hot?"

"I don't know!" Faith panicked. "That's scaring the crap out of me! What if I do get hot? Isn't that cheating? How guilty will I feel?"

Cori smiled. "Hell, I'd do it anyway. How many times can one say they tangled tongues with Alicia? A woman no less?"

Faith lit up. "That’s right! She's so incredibly straight. She won't be doing anything remotely sexual with another woman. What am I worried about? You think there'll be tongues?"

Cori laughed. "After reading those scenes, I certainly think so."

Faith groaned painfully again. "Anyway, I'm going to take care of this in the morning, if I can help it, there won't be any tongues."

Cori yawned widely. "Speaking of morning, I'm going to crash. I'm done."

"Okay, I suppose I should go to bed too. I don't want to be up when Reece gets home."

R
EECE SAT IMMOBILE in her office long after Violet left. She knew the piercer was right... about everything. She really didn't let Faith talk, and now as she replayed the events in her head, she felt a little bit like the asshole Cori told her she was. But apologizing? That was hard. Reece felt she had every right to be angry, Faith is hers and Not to be shared. How would Faith like it if Reece decided she wanted to act out a few sex scenes for the world to see?

Reece grimaced. That's pretty much what she did with those dancers not too long ago. It was spite, nothing more than spite. She dropped her head down and sighed. There was something else bothering her and she felt conflicted. She didn't want Faith to do the sex scenes, but if she tells her she can't, Faith will lose the movie. Consequences.

Reece usually never thought about consequences for her actions before. Now Faith was suffering and it was all Reece's fault. Could she really lose Faith for what she did tonight? All the small hairs on her body stood up in fear. Will flowers really work? Does she even have to know? Will Cori And Violet tell her? What will Faith do? Reece Corbett who's mere presence caused grown men to piss their pants suddenly found herself very scared of a little blonde woman from Long Island.

After tossing and turning for what felt like hours, Faith eventually settled down in the guest bed with Cori and fell to sleep. It wasn't Reece, but it was a warm body and Faith needed to feel the presence.

When Reece came home, flowers in hand, nervous and sweating, the last thing she expected was a dark and quiet house. Relieved that there was no firing squad, she was still very weary of what lie in the dark.

"Faith?"

With no answer, she trudged upstairs to the bedroom, fully expecting an angry woman staring at her when she appeared. Finding the bed empty frightened her and she sat down to think when she noticed Faith's clothes on the floor. Puzzled, she looked in the bathroom, then even peered into the closet. "What the fuck?"