Finding her....

CHAPTER 1

DEAN

I walked into one of the local clubs which was a routine of mine in every city; grab a few drinks here and there while waiting for some desperate woman to show up and invite me to her place. It was the only way I could get myself out of my head and all the things that had gone wrong in my life, my personal life anyway.

To everyone I was living the life as a hotshot lawyer but while I liked talking and doing my job, it came with its own demons. Sometimes you were the one preventing good people from going to jail and other times you were helping bad people get off with a slap on the wrist.

I was known as being abit of a loose cannon in the courtroom, I guess that’s where I got the name The Lunatic. It sounds intense but it was meant to be comical because I liked to believe I wasn’t crazy, just passionate about my cases. Yes, maybe I was a bit crazy but we all are in our own twisted little way; most people are just good at pretending to have it altogether.

I didn’t mind what the people in my line of business thought of me though, I could care less what the people that weren’t signing my paychecks were thinking about me. What annoyed me was the judgmental looks I received when I revealed sides they didn’t like…

I ordered a glass of Bourbon which was the only thing that could make me feel something in this world. When you’re in the legal business for a decade, you see a lot of things and for a guy like me, that had already not come from the best of circumstances, it just added to all the things I had become numb to.

The pain.

The sorrow.

There was one thing I couldn’t avoid feeling though – loneliness.

I was in my best friend’s hometown for the week ahead because we were working on a case of a family friend of his. Joe was the guy I wished I could have been, he had a loving wife and beautiful daughter and they were the closest people I had to family.

I had chosen to stay in a hotel and not their house like I usually did cause I knew they needed some privacy.

He was my brother , the guy that had forced his way into my life and taken me in when no one else in college wanted to be associated with me and yet we were complete opposites. He was this humble, kindhearted, friendly guy but kept a few close. I liked that because I was the same, I didn’t want too many people expecting things from me that wasn’t in my makeup to fulfill.

I wish we weren’t opposite though, I wish I had a wife and kid to look forward to coming home to but I didn’t. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t in the cards for me and those thoughts are some of the reasons why I freaking loved Bourbon.

Most woman just wanted the life that being with an accomplished lawyer provided them, not what was beneath it all. So all I ended up with were some good one night stands that made me feel nothing.

But enough rambling about my annoying life, you will hear more about it later…

I gazed around the packed club for my latest conquest, they were all the same though. The short dresses and loads of make-up which made sure I wouldn’t recognize them if I saw them again but I put up with it all for a quick fix.

“Another one” I ordered as I set the glass down and watched as the bartender poured into my glass before setting it down in front of me.

I caught myself zoning out as I watched him do a few tricks with the bottle to entertain the crowd and I was sure I could do it.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see a blonde with a mini dress.

Typical.

“Hi there, a guy like you shouldn’t be so lonely. Can I join?” She fluttered her eyelashes while I shrugged as I wasn’t picky. “Or maybe we can head back to my place”

I smirked, they were so predictable its amazing what blue eyes and dirty blonde hair with a leather jacket could get you.

“Darling, for that I first need a couple more drinks in me but you are welcome to sit down and wait” I winked and she did just that, they always did and it was abit of a boring routine at this point but what else was I going to do?

“Luke! I need some more lemon!” I heard a voice from behind the bar and turned my attention away from the blonde beside me and spotted another who the voice belonged to. She stood in front of the bartender who I assumed was Luke while I noticed the two blondes couldn’t be compared.

“Not my job!” He smirked and she hopped back onto the counter behind the bar while still facing him, as he fixed a drink, preventing me from seeing her face.

“Come on, please? I get off in the next two hours and you know this time of the night is when the tips roll in! I can't afford to let them think I’m not putting all in to my service, showing up with tequila and no lemon…”

I wasn’t sure why I was eavesdropping but the chick next to me was annoying with her whining voice so paying attention to the cute one ahead of me seemed better.

“Do not give me that look!” He shook his head and I saw her hand grab his face so he could look at her again.

“Come on, look at this face. Do you want to see me sad?”

He rolled his eyes before he smiled, “one condition”

“No, Luke!” She shook her head which caused her short blonde hair to shake.

“Come on, how badly do you want those tips?”

“Fine, but not tonight! I need to get home…”

“Okay” He winked and headed to the back I guess and I could tell that the one condition was probably s*x, so predictable.

I guess her cute voice hadn’t made her different at all, like I said, they were all the same.

She finally hopped off and began wiping off the bar but did I see her face? No.

“Er, can I have a refill?” I raised my glass, mostly so I could have her attention on me and it worked as I was met with a bright smile accompanied by two dimples that made even me want to smile. But I felt someone’s lips in my neck and saw her smile fade and I almost threw the woman off me so I could have the bright one back.

What happened to she’s not different?

Shut up!

Her smile at first had been one of those overfriendly smiles, like she didn’t have a care in the world and I liked it.

“Bourbon?” She asked and I nodded as the chick next to me leaned back again, which I was thankful for. Dimples leaned over to pour my drink and I couldn’t help but notice alittle cleavage before glancing away.

Maybe the Luke guy is her boyfriend?

Scratch that, I hope not.

“Enjoy!” She smiled and looked into my eyes briefly before heading to the other end of the bar and I wished I hadn’t told the woman to sit down next to me.

I couldn’t believe I regretted it but I didn’t like the way her face had changed.

I watched her briefly with the Luke guy again as she laughed and immediately tossed some money on the bar so I could leave. I almost forget about the blonde until I felt her arm on me and sighed, “So, where’s your place?”

As we made our way to the door I saw dimples, I assumed she was a waitress as she pushed her way through the crowds with a tray in hand. Even though she was kinda short, she managed to push through well while smiling sweetly and apologizing if they noticed.

“I said we can take an Uber” I heard the voice beside me and immediately moved to the door again.

Another night with another woman that wouldn’t be memorable…