All characters are at least 18 years old.
------
Hank
"Is this what it feels like to have your dad drop you off at work?"
I looked blankly over at Jean sat in my passenger seat. "Huh?"
She tittered, almost like it was a joke for herself. "Sorry, that was a strange thing to ask," she said, before peering over at me inquisitively. "You like being called 'daddy?'"
"No," I said as my face scrunched up, which made my delivery sound sour. "Jean, what are you even talking about?"
I had just parked in the lot near the night club, shortly before Jean's shift started. It hadn't taken long into our relationship for her to start asking strange questions, I mused. Had to keep an eye on her.
She looked over at me with a devious grin. "Ah, that's right. You like 'sir' better, don't you." She shook her head, chuckling as I sighed uncomfortably. "I thought you were gonna rip through your pants during class today."
"Was it that obvious?" I breathed, filling with dread.
"You did a good job of hiding it, but I was looking for it. Just gotta hope nobody else was as observant." We got out of the car and began walking over to the club.
"It's probably what tipped Lexi off," I growled, kicking myself internally.
"If she becomes a problem, I'll find a way to deal with her," she said firmly. I raised a brow at that, and she rolled her eyes. "She's just some stuck-up flirt. I can handle her."
"Maybe try to avoid a direct confrontation," I advised. "Or maybe I should handle that situation myself."
"You're too nice," she replied simply. "Somebody like her, she's not gonna back off just 'cause you said something." We crossed the street, and she turned to me. "Prof, I wanna be the one to do it. It's... important to me."
I studied her for a moment before nodding my assent. "Sure. Anyway, you should probably get going. I'll see you inside?"
She nodded as well before giving me a wave as she headed over to the butcher shop. Hold on, what? I frowned as she disappeared inside the well-lit store, past a rotund butcher and into the back room. Was this a hidden employee entrance or something? Just how secretive was this club? As I made my way to the front door, I reasoned that with their clientele in mind, the secrecy was probably necessary. Some of those girls in there were probably calling their partners "daddy" for a very different reason. I grunted in discomfort at the thought. My recent experience with affairs of that nature were still a bit too fresh to want to ponder that concept for too long.
After coming here three days in a row, the bouncers didn't even card me before letting me in. I found my usual spot and settled in, noting the absence of the large man once again. The sexy nun waved at me as she passed by, giving me a strange feeling when I returned it. I was a regular now. I wasn't sure how I felt about what kind of person that made me. Perhaps it wasn't necessarily bad, but... I sighed. I had to remind myself that I was only here for Jean.
Speaking of whom, the young lady herself came sauntering over.
I suppose "lady" is a bit of a stretch,
I chuckled to myself, given how unladylike Jean usually was. But it was interesting to now see who she was underneath that tough exterior. It was fleeting, but she was starting to show through the cracks.
She set my martini down in front of me before sliding into the booth, a cherry-red cosmo in her hand. "One of the perks of this job? Free drinks," she said with an impish grin.
"They're not free," I pointed out, slightly irked. "They're put on my tab."