“Are you Lex?” A brunette barmaid asks, stopping me from leaving my table, by touching my forearm. A tray full of drinks is miraculously balanced over her head. This young woman has skills.
“Yes.”
“Good. These are yours.” She explains lowering the tray without spilling a drop and sets eight glasses on our table. Two different colors of wines, shots of tequila, some tea looking thing, and a glass of some clear substance, could be vodka or about fifty other beverages.
“What are all these?” I ask, waving my hand over the table full. Between Roni’s bucket of beer and these glasses, we barely have room to sit much else.
“The wines are two different ages of Merlot. Those,” she points to the shot glasses, “are José. That is an alcoholic sweet tea.” She points to the amber liquid filled highball glass. “And that one is Patrón.” She finishes out the explanation and my eyes go wide. Apparently, whoever ordered these drinks knows I like Patrón.
“Thanks… and who are these from?” I ask, just as she gets ready to leave, her tray pressed her to chest.
“I was told to give you this.” Dropping a white bar napkin with pen ink written on it she turns and rushes off.
I shoot Roni a questioning look, she shrugs, and I grab the napkin.
You look very beautiful tonight, my Lotion Lady. Enjoy the drinks.
My heart is yours,
Suit Master.
My mouth drops open. Oh my God! Oh. My. Fucking. God!
Quickly, I show Roni and her mouth joins mine, nearly hitting the floor. My heart is excitedly hammering like a piston in my chest.
He’s watching me! He’s watching me right now. I can feel it. Frantically looking around I try to spot anything out of the ordinary. But it’s dark. The place is packed and I have no clue what he even looks like or his name.
“How did he know?” Roni asks, wide-eyed.
Her guess is as good as mine. I couldn’t even begin to guess how he knew. I’ve not told anyone anything except her that I was coming here tonight. Not even Daniel or my mom.
I know this should seriously creep me out, but knowing for a fact he’s in here watching me, turns me on. I guess he wasn’t joking when he said he was going to win me.
The Suit Master
Look at her, my beautiful Lex, sitting there trying to find me.
I’m right here, my Angel. All in due time, I will reveal myself; all in due time, my Lotion Lady.
To quote Shakespeare, “She’s beautiful, and therefore to be wooed; She’s a woman therefore to be won.” This is true in all forms and I will woo and win her.
Lex is even prettier today than yesterday, when she wore that leather brown skirt and white shirt. The day I had roses delivered to her work, I knew she’d never respond to my emails. I know all about her and her harrowing past. And I’m sure the thought of even dating a man is terrifying for her. I don’t blame her for feeling that way. Even though, I’m not just any man.
I’ve thoroughly read the entire police case file on Lex. That Brian was one sick son-of-a-bitch, what I wouldn’t give to murder him myself for hurting my woman. Damaging her so badly, she’s afraid to let me in.
I’m sitting on a stool here at the bar, watching her in the reflection of the mirror, that’s on the wall straight in front of me. That dress she’s wearing, my sister would kill to own, even though Tasha wouldn’t look half as amazing wearing it. And Lex’s long black hair is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. It’s astounding how much I love that woman with everything in me.
Having had my fair share of women since my wife and I divorced, I’ve been trying to by my time until I could find a way into Lex’s life. I’ve had my eye on her for years, six to be exact.
I could never forget the day Biff, my old boss, brought me her case to work on. He had a lot of other things on his plate with the firm and knowing my scarred past, he knew I’d do my best to get Lex the outcome she deserved. Sad thing is, the sick motherfucker only got fifteen years. I tried hard to make Biff push for more time, but he was the boss. In the end, Brian won out and didn’t serve life with no chance of parole, like I had been gunning for since I opened that manila folder on my desk that rainy April day.
The pictures of her scars in that file were enough to make even the strongest person wince and want to throw up. What that poor woman had to endure was beyond anything I’d seen before. Three huge gashes, that’s what I vividly remember. Three massive, thick, rigidly scarred gashes on her body that looked like he’d literally taken chunks out of her. Mixed among, less intense scars. Knife slices, mostly.
She was twenty-two when she first came into my life. I had taken her file home with me to work on over the weekends. And the more I read, the more paperwork Biff supplied, like; pieces of her testimony, more pictures, letters and other things that make up a lawyers case file. I read everything five and six times. I stared at her pictures for hours and refused to let anyone touch her case except Biff. He was the lead attorney; I just did his legwork. I would have represented her myself, if given the chance. I wouldn’t let anyone do a damn thing pertaining to the Lex Keagan versus Brian Links case. I made all phone calls, did things that secretaries are supposed to do. All because, the more I read and learned about Lex, the more that beautiful woman crawled into my brain and nested there. Not only has she consumed my mind but my heart, for the rest of my life.