4| BLUE EYED STRANGER

    It's Saturday. About 19 hours since I aced that Reynold Boyce Case and another 19 hours since I beat the shit out of Regina Foxx. She was given urgent medical attention. I was driven home, with a warning from chief Bradford that we'll see Monday morning. I think that will determine if I lose my job or if I'm keeping it. It definitely can't be the latter. 

  With my phone wedged between my ear and my shoulder, I unlock my door to enter my apartment. I may not live in a penthouse, but I live in a comfortable apartment since Caleb milked me dry. 

   I shut my door and hold my phone against my ear with my hand. I drop my keys on the coffee table as I go to my room.

" Mom, are you putting on makeup right now?" I ask, imagining my mom in front of her bedroom mirror applying make up ready to party and maybe hook up as usual every Friday and Saturday night. 

" Well yeah. Mommy gotta look young and find someone to make her feel good." I scrunch my face and shrug off my coat and drop it on my couch. 

" Ew, mom, don't say that." I roll my eyes pinching my forehead. 

" Shut up, Lauren." My mom chuckles. Ever since my father died, she's been hooking up with random guys in the name of finding love when technically she's trying not to think about my dad. 

   When he passed away, mom was in therapy for at least three months. It wasn't really easy for everyone. My daddy was the best man in my life even if he never really liked Caleb. Mom too actually.

" What's up with Tina? She doesn't call anyone and I'm worried if she's okay." I say and go to my bedroom.

" You don't have to blame her. She's just like you. You girls don't like checking up on your mother." She says and I roll my eyes. She knows it's not true. I always call to check on her and Tina too. 

" Mom, it's also your duty to check on her. To make sure she's okay and staying in college. How are we so sure she's in her dorm room studying, or storming parties in Miami."

" She's 22. Let her be. When she's old enough she will learn her lessons that all this doesn't last. And she will call soon when she's out of money."

" And you're gonna give it to her?" I ask my mom. 

" I don't want your sister following men for money, Lauren."

   I sigh and run my fingers through my hair. Tina can't be fixed. She doesn't want to get fixed up. I'm pretty sure she's in a man's house giving him a blow job for crack. Mother knows she's a junkie, she tries to help Tina in her own way, but Tina don't want to be helped. 

" So Lauren, how's the academy treating you?" Mom asks. 

   I huff. Seriously. I graduated from the academy almost a year ago and she forgot. Bravo, mom, bravo.

" Mom, I'm no longer in the academy."

" Oh. Then what have you been doing with your life these days?"

" I work with the MPD mama." I tell her as I take off my shoes. 

" Miami? Seriously. You won't believe I thought you stayed in New York City." She says. 

   I don't blame her. Since my father died, we haven't been in touch. Part of it is because she doesn't like talking to anyone and me included. She isolated herself and found solace in the arms of strangers in the name of her men friends. 

" I live in Miami, ma." I tell her. 

" So you're still dating that nutjob boyfriend of yours, huh?" Mom asks. 

   I sigh and stand up, putting my phone on loudspeaker and tossing it on my bed. It's been almost a year since our breakup and it feels like it's two days ago. No matter how hard I try to forget him and the hurt he implanted in my chest it's so hard. Caleb was my first everything. Well except for my first kiss. He was the man I truly feel comfortable with and I fell deeply in love with him and even gave him my innocence. Something I wished I didn't give him. And he played me. Played me like a fucking piano. 

   The day I found out about Regina and Caleb, he wasn't guilty and he even said it to my face that I belonged to him. That no matter how hard I try to forget him or tell myself he doesn't own me, I'm still gonna find myself thinking about him. 

" I own you, Lauren. Every part of you. And I'll break you and pick you up later when I feel like it." He'd said. Dude's got fucking balls.

   I want to prove him wrong that I'm not tied to him but he's winning. Every night when I'm having cold showers, I think about him. Even when I'm watching a movie alone or with Roxie and maybe my friends, I think about him. He was so sweet when he started. He was the nicest gentleman I've ever known. And I ask myself everyday what changed. 

" Lauren."

" Yeah ma." I call out softly as I stand in front of my mirror, my reflection staring back at me. 

   I may not have the body of a model, but I think I'm beautiful. I'm not that tall, I have average curves and hips. My tits aren't big and they're not small. Average. But Regina Foxx has the hips, the big titties, the red hair and even the Kim Kardashian booty. She has everything and more. Her pale skin is like porcelain while mine is olive. Almost brown and nearly golden. I got my skin tone from my mom. She's the most beautiful woman I know, with her beautiful golden brown skin and smile. I don't even think she smiles often since daddy passed away. 

" What nutjob, mama?" I ask, running my fingers through my brown waves. I took that from my dad. He's got brown hair and he was my role model. He inspired me to join the force and be better. Being an agent might not be a big deal but I love my job. The fun and thrill of pretending to be someone else. It feels like you're in a movie. 

" Cardiac. What's his crazy name again? It's cardiac, right?" I laugh. She's always referring to Caleb as cardiac and I still don't get why. 

" It's Caleb, ma. And we're no longer together. We broke up." Or he broke up with you?

" Why? So you finally realized that boy is nothing but a pile of horse shit and he's not good for you." I sigh. 

" Mom..." I sigh and go back to my bed. The more I stare at my mirror, the more I ask myself where did I go wrong. How did I fuck up my four years relationship. I guess it wasn't even meant to be in the first place.

" He cheated on me. With a beautiful redhead named Regina Foxx. She is an agent too. Works for the MPD and we're in the same department. I see that bitch almost everyday." I sigh.

" He cheated? That dipshit cheated? Well it doesn't matter as long as he's out of your life for good. I fucking hate that kid. And he had to cheat on you with a fellow undercover agent. That kid has no shame. You gon' forget him, Lauren and get someone who deserves you. A good looking boy. Someone far better than that cardiac kid."

   I chuckle. " It's Caleb."

" I don't care. Why did it take him so long to get out of your life? That boy wasted your life."

" Mom, it's okay. Thanks, you're always good with words. How come we don't talk often?" I decided to change the topic. Enough of Caleb. He's my past and he's gonna stay there. 

" I've been busy, hon. You know what I mean. Let's not go into that sad phase of our lives. It's Friday night, baby, it's a night to get laid and get a man. You should get your ass out of your bed and go have fun. Go party, Lauren Gray." Mom says and I smile. 

" I don't even know when last I partied."

" What! What have you been doing with your life since that boyfriend left? Staying at home and sulking all night." Well, that isn't far from the truth. I've never been the type who likes to party so I don't blame anyone at all, but myself.

" Go take a bath, get dressed and go out there to party. You're still a young woman Lauren, stop trying to leave the life of a Nana."

" Sure thing mom, I'm gonna think about it."

" Okay whatever. Just don't say I didn't warn you when you turn thirty five." Mom says on the phone. 

" Mom." She hangs up. 

    I groan and fall backwards on my bed. My life sucks. All thanks to Caleb. That asshole. 

       ***

    It's 9pm and I'm home alone as usual. With a glass of red wine beside me, I watch each episode of my favorite series. When I'm not out there impersonating people, this is what I do with my boring life. Watch TV with a good wine and then go to sleep. But this particular night, I find myself thinking about sex. It's been a year since I last had sex and it's eating me up. I'm not really the sex crazed woman who can't live without sex, but tonight I don't know if it's Reynold Boyce or my raging hormones but, I really want to get laid. 

     These past months, Danny, my pink vibrator has been my boyfriend and he's always faithful to me. At least he gives me an orgasm, something Caleb Shawn barely gave me. Each night when we would have sex, I had to touch myself just to get an orgasm. I wonder how many times Regina Foxx had to fake an orgasm just to pleased that sick fuck who's now her fiancé. My doorbell rings, breaking my restless mind from my nasty thoughts. I don't have a lot of friends so no one ever visits me. No one except Roxie and maybe Tanner sometimes, since most of my friends are now married nursing their first or second child. So I'm wondering who's outside my door at 9pm Saturday night. 

    I open the door and Roxie stands outside well dressed in a blue off the shoulder dress with long sleeves. Her blond hair is nicely made and she looks beautiful.

" Roxie."

" Hey Grandma." She shakes her head and walks inside my apartment. I shut my door and turn to look at her. 

" What's up? Do we have an undercover job nobody told me about."

" Go get dressed grandma, we're going out to party. And I'm sorry to say this but you don't get to say no today. Look at you, you've been staying indoors all night and I can't even remember when last you partied." 

   I groan and walk to my living room as I sit down. I grab a cookie and stuff it in my mouth. Roxie walks in and snatches the half bitten cookie from my mouth.

" Hey. What did you do that for?"

" Go fucking get dressed." She snaps eating the half bitten cookie.

" Did you have a fight with Stevie?" I ask her. She sighs and sits next to me. 

" It's crazy. Sometimes when we would have a fight, we would sort things out within two days. It's been two weeks, Lauren."

" Shit. That's a long time."

" Exactly. I think he moved on finally. Who knows he might be dating a Caribbean girl and I'm all here, horny and lonely and single. This shit sucks. Relationship fucking sucks. I fucking hate this bitch called relationship." Roxie says. 

   Damn. Roxie is not the best when it comes to dealing with heartbreak. She would get drunk on some occasions and just sulk all night. Sometimes it affects our jobs. 

" So you wanna go out and party tonight and maybe get laid?" I ask Roxie with a smirk. 

" Fuck yeah." She giggles and I giggle too. 

" When was the last time you got laid?"

" Two nights ago with Danny."

" You fucking slut. Who the fuck is Danny?" She squeals and I roll my eyes at her. 

" Danny is my vibrator, Roxie. He's my only boyfriend. The boyfriend who would never cheat on me and he always gives me an orgasm."

" Bitch." 

   We laugh. 

" I named mine too, you know. I called him the big hulk."

" Fuck, Roxie. I never knew you keep that too."

" Well I do now since Steve won't touch me anymore when we were still serious. And the few times he did touch me, he did it for himself. He used me to pleasure himself. That piece of shit."

" You know what, I'm gonna go to my room and put on a dress and we're storming one of the top clubs in Miami." 

" Yes! Now you sound like my bitch." 

   I giggle and go to my room. I think it's time I listen to my mom's advice and get laid. I don't need a boyfriend. I just need to get laid. Walking inside my closet, I check for any slutty dress. Anything that screams class. I settled for a red strap dress with strings laced together in a deep V-neck. My breasts are a little exposed. The dress is mid-thigh and it hugs my body like a second skin. I add light make-up on my face and apply red lipstick on my lips. I smack my lips together and stare at my reflection in the mirror. 

   Sliding a comb through my hair, I decide to just curl it and comb out the curls into waves. I slip my feet inside my black heels and grab a black pea coat. I take one last look at my reflection and I look good. I grab my black clutch and walk out of my room. 

" Yes. It's been a long time since I've seen you this hot. Come on, let's go have fun." Roxie says as she stands up. 

   I switch off my TV and Roxie and I walk out of my apartment with our arms hooked together. 

**

" What's this place?" I ask Roxie as I look at the building in front of me. I don't usually go to clubs except when I'm undercover. But this, this is fucking real. This is me trying to have fun and maybe get laid. 

" This is a new club in Miami. It just opened a month ago and it's fucking awesome. You won't regret it. Miami big guys always storm this club." Roxie says as she parks her car in an open space. The parking lot is filled with expensive cars. And Roxie's Tesla is not an exception. 

   Aside from the police department that we both work for, Roxie's family is kinda rich. They own the most luxurious and expensive hotel in London. 

   I throw my peacoat on the backseat of Roxie's car and we step out of the car as we approach the entrance. We show our IDs to the bouncer out front and he nods, smirking at me. I pretend to not notice as we enter inside. 

" Fuck." A strip club. Way to go Roxie. 

   There are several expensive couches splayed around with rich hot men in suits occupying the seats. There's a glass like kinda thingy in the middle of the room and strippers without tops or bras and just in panties dance around the poles. 

" Have you been here before Roxie?" I ask above the music. It's really loud in here as we go to the bar.

" Once. Steve and I."

" Why would he take you to a strip club?"

" Oh come on, Grandma, we were just having fun." 

" Right." I mutter. 

   Roxie and I sit next to each other as we order drinks. The bartender comes back with two cocktails and two glasses of gin. 

" Thanks." We say to the tattooed bartender and he smirks at us before going back to his duty. 

   We throw our heads back to chug the gin.

" Fuck." I gag, covering my mouth with my hand and coughing. 

" I can't wait to get drunk and dance with you."

" You can't get drunk if you're planning to get laid." I tell Roxie and she rolls her eyes. I sigh as I take a sip from my cocktail. I sip slowly, not ready for another cough battle. 

    I glance around the club and my eyes fall on a particular blond man. He's with another man who's with a girl. 

" Fuck." I inhale through my mouth. 

" What?" Roxie asks as she turns around to look at what got my attention. 

  His blond hair is long and I'm pretty sure it's tied as a man bun at the back of his head. Tendrils of his hair fall at the sides of his face and goddamnit, he is gorgeous. He's literally the most good-looking man I've ever seen. His nose is well shaped and I can't see his eyes, since he's engraved in a conversation with the other man. The blond man laughs and his laugh is beautiful. From the faint light and the distance, he looks to have golden skin. Bright golden skin and flawless. He spots a black denim jacket and a white shirt. 

" Fuck, he's beautiful." Roxie whispers beside me. I gulp and look away. 

" You should buy him a drink." She adds.

" Why the fuck would I do that?"

" To show him you're interested in him."

" Fuck no, Roxie. The woman doesn't chase the man. The man chases the woman. That's how it's done."

" Said by whom. It's the twenty-first century babe. Look at this piece of meat." Roxie says and I turn around to ogle at him again. Shamelessly. 

   He looks so calm and beautiful as he listens to the man who's seated opposite him. I really can't make out the other man but there's a dark haired girl who's hanging next to him. I lick my lips out of my own free will as I slurp from my drink. The blond haired man looks up and a pair of bright blue eyes stare into my soul. I can't look away. I try to look away but his blue orbs are mesmerizing and I'm awed at his beauty. 

   Our eyes lock in an intense gaze and I swallow, absently sipping from my cocktail through the straw. And then the blond haired man smirked at me.