**NOT MINE..if they were I would keep them locked in my bedroom closet. **

LES POV

Eddie, my cousin, was getting married. This should be an exciting time for everyone in the family, but considering this is his fifth marriage at the ripe old age of 33 no one is too surprised. Either way, he is convinced that since this is his marriage is forever (as the other four have been) he deserves a bachelor party to celebrate his last night of freedom.

Ranger and I are grooms men, as well as babysitters assigned by Abeula Rosa, and with that have the responsibility of making sure he doesn't call off the wedding or get arrested. From past experiences, the latter has been the issue in the past.

That is why I am parked in front of a seedy strip club in Newark waiting for the rest of the guys to arrive. Tapping nervously on the steering wheel and glancing down again at my watch, I sigh. They were supposed to be here an hour ago. Ranger was in charge of the party bus that was rented, and I was the designated DD for those who couldn't hack the full night of entertainment that Eddie had in stock for us. His bachelor parties usually involved a lengthy stay at a strip club, followed by the normal bump and grind with random women at a cheap club, followed by a pre-dawn feeding extravaganza at the local waffle house.

I flipped out my phone again and dialed Ranger.

"Yo." He growled into the phone after just one ring.

"You coming?" I asked, watching a group of drunken college girls giggle their way through the front door of Hog's House of Booty.

"Shit, Les." He sighed, which is never a good sign. "Eddie made the driver stop at every gas station from the house to see if they have some crazy energy drink he saw on the internet. ETA is less than 5."

"Good. My ass is molding to the seat."

"You should count yourself lucky." He said as he hung up.

I watched, five minutes later, the party bus roll into the parking lot. Eddie jumped out the moment the door opened and sprinted over to me.

"Les!" He hollered, pulling out a pack of smokes from his front pocket and lighting up. "Did you get us a table?"

"Eddie, what the fuck, man." I said locking up the SUV and stowing the keys in my pocket. "You took your sweet ass time. I bet the dancers are almost able to pick up their retirement checks."

"Fuck you, cuz." He laughed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Now, let's get in there and get a good seat. I'm getting married tomorrow and want to enjoy the single life as long as I can."

I groaned as he pulled me into the club, flashing our IDs to the bouncer. It was a typical seedy strip club filled with broken dreams, smoke and body odor. The dancers were alright, but nothing to write home about.

"I heard that they have a new girl…She goes on at 11." Eddie glanced down at his watch. "Just enough time to get settled and order a round of drinks.

"Where's Ranger?" I asked, plopping down at the center stage's wrap around table and motioning for a waitress to take our order.

"He's helping Tio Jorge in." He said, placing an order for 10 triple shots of tequila with the waitress and a coke for me. Our uncle Jorge was pushing a eighty and looked like he was closer to a thousand.

"If he dies of a heart attack, you're explaining it to Abeula." I shook my head. Thanking the waitress as she set our drinks at the table, I took a long pull from the glass.

"WELL, GENTLEMEN THE TIME HAS COME." The announcer for the club blared over the loud speaker. "THE GIRL YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR IS UP NEXT ON CENTER STAGE." Heavy bassed music blared through the speakers. "HERE SHE IS….LADY DIANA."

"Shit, cuz!" Eddie was almost jumping in his seat. Ranger was just walking into the door with Tio Jorge, and Eddie was frantically waving him to hurry. "You're gonna miss it!" He yelled across the noisy club. Ranger just shook his head and continued the arduous walk with the elderly man. I laughed as TIo Jorge motioned to the men's room, and changed their course.

"Guess he's gonna miss it." I told Eddie, slumping down in my seat.

"Well, shit." He groaned, before picking up his shot. Smiling he spoke again. "To me…marrying the most beautiful woman that would have me." The rest of guys followed suit raising their shots and slamming them.

"Yippee." I grumbled, taking another long drink of my coke before crossing my arms over my chest. The loud bass clicked off and a slow sultry beat began streaming in on the speaker system. The entire club when dark, except a few floor lights, the exit sign and a bright red spotlight that shown on center stage.

I watched as a set of long, lean, black stocking clad legs with five inch red spiked heels walked into the spotlight. I dragged my eyes up following the legs to a thigh length red dress a slit showing the garters of the stockings. My gaze going further up I saw the tiny waist, nice perky breasts straining behind the corset of the dress to the dark, waist length strait hair. The red light and dark shadows covered her face, adding to the mystery.

The song was Feelin' Love by Paula Cole. The music matched her movements as her hips swayed back and forth, and her hands roamed her body. I gulped hard. This woman was magic. I watched as she slowly, twirled on the pole, hooking her leg around it and sliding to the floor before arching her back like a cat. I heard Eddie groan as she pulled herself back up and turned. I watched breath caught in my chest as she slowly slid the zipper down the side of the dress and let it fall softly onto the floor. She was wearing a laced bodice in black and red that barely covered her ass.

"Shit, son." Eddie almost yelled in my ear. "I told you she was fantastic."

I nodded dumbly as she undulated on the stage, rising more than just my blood pressure from her movements. I licked my lips involuntarily as she turned again to face to the left of us and slowly pulled the laces of the bodice, sliding her hands over her breasts. When it was completely unlaced I watched as she unwrapped it from her body and tossed it with her dress on the stage. That's when I saw it.

"Holy fuck me." I whispered, unable to think clearly. I smacked my hand against my eyes, desperately trying to figure out what I had seen. Taking a deep breath I pulled my hand back down and stared at the tattoo high on her left butt cheek.

"FUCK!" I yelled, pulling off my coat and standing so quickly that my chair flew backwards. This caught her attention, and she turned around to face me.

"Les?" Steph gasped, eyes wide. I launched myself onto the stage and covered her with my jacket before picking her up and running back stage with her.

Angry booing filled the club as bouncers and the manager came storming onto the stage and into the back.

"Steph, what the fuck are you doing!" I hissed, pulling the jacket tightly around her and keeping a death grip around her.

"Les…oh God." Her voice was trembling. "Oh GOD! Don't tell Ranger, please!"

"Get your fucking hands off her you pervert!" A bouncer yelled, reaching for my arms to pull me away. Without a thought, I punched him in the face and knocked him unconscious. Two more body guards lunged for me, taking me to the ground.

"Beautiful!" I yelled out to Steph between punches. "Ranger is in the club."

".." She whispered over and over again as her whole body began to quake.

"Listen, Buttercup." The greasy manager told her, wrapping her arm over her shoulders. "Get out there and finish. This guy is out of here. He's not going to bother you." The bouncer's had my arms twisted behind my back and my legs secured as they pulled me to my feet.

"I…I…I can't." She stammered, pulling my jacket closer around her.

"What do you mean, you can't." The manager snarled at her, grabbing at her wrist. "I pay good money for you to shake your fat ass on that god-damned stage. Now, get out there and move it or I'll make a phone call…and you don't want him coming down here, do you?"

Steph's eyes darted from the manager to me. "But…"

"Steph, let me take you home." I pleaded, wincing as the bouncer on my left twisted my arm almost to the point of breaking it.

"She's gotta show to finish, Jerk-off." The manager growled in my face. Turning to the bouncers he motioned his hand towards the back exit. "Get him out of here."

"Les…" Steph cried out. "Jerry, please. He's a friend. Please."

"Get your ass on that stage, bitch." Jerry growled, pulling off the jacket and pushing her towards the black curtain separating the stage from the back.

"Please…don't make me. I can't. Please." She pleaded over and over again. I pushed against the bouncers who were dragging me towards the back exit. Just as they reached the door, I heard a loud smack. That bastard slapped her.

"Fucker!" I screamed, pulling every ounce of strength I had and pushed away from the men holding my arms. "I'll fucking kill you!"

Stephanie was thrust onto the stage, tears streaming down her cheeks. The crowd cheered, tossing lewd comments towards her.

"Move your ass!" Jerry screamed, flipping out his cell phone. "Or else."

Sobbing she began to twist her hips to the music. I continued to struggle against the men as they finally threw me out onto the street behind the club.

".." I stood, pulling out my cell phone.

"Yo." Ranger's exasperated voice thundered through my phone. "Why are you calling me, I'll be out in a minute."

"Fuck, Ric. They threw me out. I tried to get her out, but they threw me out. He slapped her…that fucking bastard! I'll kill him." I was ranting, almost incoherently.

"Les…take a breath man. What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Stephanie!" I screamed.

"What? What about her?"

"Get your fucking ass out of the god-damned shitter and get your woman off that fucking stage!" I screamed into the phone, hearing the disconnect. I pulled up my contacts and dialed Tank.

"Yo." Tank's baritone voice rang through the ear piece.

"Fuck me, man. You gotta get here quick. Ranger is gonna kill somebody."

"What? Why?" His voice was irritated.

"Just get here ASAP. I'll send you the address. It's Bomber, man. It's pretty fucked up."

"I'll be there in twenty." He said disconnecting. I quickly sent him the address and headed towards the front door.