In Love With a Stripper

(Jynx’s POV)

“On that note guys we have to be going.” Syn said trying to salvage what was left of my Aunt Lisa’s first impression of him. They both paid half the bill and we all stood up to leave.

“Sin?” My mother whispered to me.

“Momma he and all his friends are harmless.” I said praying that Frank, Bob, Mikey, and Ray didn’t pop up next. I mean that would just put the lid right on the jar.

“I have a surprise for you Miss. Candice,” Gerard said, guiding her to the car by her elbow. “Brian, Robbi and Miss. Lisa can follow in his car.” we all piled into his car. I honestly had no clue what he had planned, but I had no choice but to trust him. We drove for a while and we didn’t stop until we got to the outskirts of New York. Then we came to this huge old estate. He pulled into the driveway.

“I asked them for a private tour of the grounds. This place is famous for their peonies.” I made eye contact with Gerard in the rear mirror since he had insisted that my mother sit in the front seat.

“What the hell does he know about fucking peonies?” I thought to myself. He just gave me that lopsided smile of his and got out of the car. I followed and got out, Robbi, Aunt Lisa and Syn walked up, all of them with quizzical looks on their faces. A short man with glasses and gray hair came out and shook Gerard’s hand.

“Welcome to Linwood Gardens. This is also a private estate so we ask that you keep that in mind as we tour.” he looked at Syn who had yet to pull his sleeves down like he was going to steal something. I could tell he wanted to ask the man what he was looking at, but restrained himself for Aunt Lisa. “We’ll start right over here, if you will just follow me.” Gerard motioned for the man to concentrate on my mother and Aunt Lisa and took my hand so we could follow.

We started walking through the gardens and I must admit this place was beautiful. Every once in a while the tour guide would tell us something about the flowers we were seeing. My mother was enthralled with the garden and Aunt Lisa was too. I knew he had scored major points with this. I held onto Gerard’s hand slowing our pace until I saw an opening it had a whole separate part to the garden I pulled in into the arched door way and crashed my lips into his. He pulled my body into his and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

“Baby we better get back before they miss us,” he said. I wiped his lips off removing any traces of our kiss and we hurried and caught up with the group.

“And this is our Italian garden.” the man said leading us under a lilac tree that arched over an arched doorway. “Oh I’m sorry sir, I wasn’t aware that you would have another person joining you.” the tour guide said to Gerard. We walked further in and my smile fell. Jared stood in front of one of the many fountains.

“Sue wasn’t sure if I was going to make it.” he said walking over to me. “How are you Anonymous?” he asked looking at Robbi.

“That’s funny, you should keep the code names we have for live play to yourself.” Gerard said. I had no clue what live play was, but if it explained why he was calling me Sue I didn’t care. “It’s when we play games on the Internet we can talk to each other most time it comes in handy on war games. I let Jynx and Robbi play a couple of times.” he explained for my mother.

“Jynx, I have something to talk to you about,” Jared said. Gerard’s arm wrapped protectively around my waist. “Can we go over there, it’s about work.”

“I called out for the week so no worries.” I said. Praying that he would just disappear.

“Ruby said I should tell you next time you dance…”

“Oh…uh… you know what let’s just go right over there and you can tell me.” I didn’t want to go but for right now it was more important that my mother not know that I’m a stripper.

“Baby girl are you going to introduce us?” My mother said.

“Mama this is Jared Leto. Jared this is my mother and my Aunt Lisa.”

“You sure I thought that was your sister,” he said with a smile. “You know your daughter stood me up the other night.” he said. “I was supposed to take her out after she got off work…”

“Uh didn’t you say you wanted to talk to me?” I said interrupting him. I took a step forward out of Gerard’s arms.

“You guys go on ahead with your tour, we’ll catch up,” Jared said. I didn’t notice him stick his foot out in front of me. I tripped forward into his arms. “You okay Sue?” he whispered in my ear. His leg had somehow made its way between mine as if we were about to slow dance and his arm was wrapped around my waist. There was nothing but fabric between us. My heart beat speed up and my skin started to crawl as his grip on me got tighter before I could pull away. Everyone had started walking again accept for Gerard he was walking slower trying to hang back, but knowing he couldn’t just stay. “I thought I made myself clear.” He said his hand traveled from the small of my back down to my butt.

“Jared please…My mother…” I said trying to hold back tears.

“You will meet me tonight, in the lobby of the hotel you are staying in.” I shook my head no. “You think your mother would like to know how you tease me every night at the club?”

“Please just leave me alone,” he buried his face in my neck and started nibbling. I tried to push him away, but he just pulled me tighter against his body. I prayed my mother and Aunt Lisa wouldn’t look back.

“Jynx…You know I can’t do that. I told you, you belong to me. Not Gerard or any other man the sooner you see that the easier this will be on all of us.” I felt myself being pulled from his arms and I started pushing to get him off of me. Gerard pulled me back into his arms. I looked around for my mother and the others.

“Leto, stay the fuck away from her.” Gerard said.

“Tisk tisk tisk, Gerard my friend she belongs to me and I would hate to have to hurt you to prove it.”

“Leto…” Gerard said a little too loud.

“Gerard shh.” I said concerned that my mother would show up.

“Remember what I said Jynx. You’ll regret it if you don’t.” then he turned and walked away.

“Are you okay?” He asked helping me stand. My knees felt weak and wobbly. I wrapped my arms around him trying to settle myself. “What did he say?”

“That he was going to tell my mother, if I didn’t show up tonight in the lobby.” I was starting to calm down.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she doesn’t find out.” he said. I hoped that he would be able to. I mean there wasn’t much he could do. We walked back to meet up with the group Jared was walking with my mother admiring the flower and every once and a while he would look back at me walking with Gerard. If Gerard had his arm around me he would drape his arm over my mother’s shoulders. I was so relieved when the tour was over I could have kissed the car.

“It was nice meeting you Jared.” My mother said getting into the car. “But I don’t believe my daughter likes you. I’m a bit over protective, I’ll admit but I don’t like you either. Stay away from my daughter.” I looked at her with surprise. “Jynx get in the car.” she commanded me. I wasn’t crazy I did as I was told. Even Jared looked surprised by her statement. “Something is wrong with that man Jynx. How do you know him?”

“We met one night at a party,” I said telling her the truth. “I’m sure he’s harmless.” I lied.

“Gerard I don’t know much about you, but you better keep that man away from my baby,” I smiled, that was a good sign, it meant she trusted him to keep me safe. “Now you never did answer that question about her being pure…she is still pure right?”

“Momma...”

“Yes Miss. Macey she is and I wouldn’t have her change that until she was ready.”

“What if she won’t be ready until she’s married,”

“Than I guess I would have to wait and see if we got married.” I loved how he was dodging everyone of her punches, but he had just fallen into one of her traps.

“So you would marry her just to sleep with her?” I rolled my eyes. She was twisting his words.

“Momma he didn’t say that…”

“I would wait until I was sure that we were in love before I married her, and I don’t just sleep with people I make love with them.”

“Okay on that note…Let’s go have dinner.” I said quickly stopping my mother before she asked him to list his previous partners and yes she did that to my prom date.