Alpha’s Virgin Stripper
Chapter 104

Jojo: Three days had passed since Ashley dropped the bomb on me. You know, the time when she said she wanted to leave Rush Empire and stay with me. Yes, that bomb. I had not given her a reply yet and I knew I had to do so soon. I could not keep Ashley waiting forever. She had called earlier to tell me she was coming over to the restaurant to see me. She did not tell me the reason and she didn't need to. I already knew.

She was in the restaurant at exactly 5:00 pm, just as she had said she would be. I watched her step into the diner in brown leather thigh-high boots, a matching colored mini skirt, and a black longsleeved crop top. I smiled to myself, she was effortlessly beautiful, even in her black shades. If there was anything I loved about Ashley, it would be the way she could make the simplest of outfits look magical.

She found me behind the counter and waved eagerly. I flashed her a genuine smile as I waved back, I was really happy to see her. I watched as she settled into a table in front of the counter, she pulled out her phone and plugged her AirPods into her ears. I wanted to walk to her and take her order, but Mel opted to do it for me.

I continued with work until it was 6:30 pm. Ashley waited for me, but we managed to keep her jaws busy by making her the first person to taste our new and exclusive meals. She started with our cowpea soup before we served her our very own pasta and grilled beef, then she finished off with our new chocolate cheesecake recipe. I could see Mrs. Smith take note of all her facial reactions while she ate. It was obvious we needed to work on the cowpea soup.

My mind was already made up. Ashley could stay with Mel, Valerie, and me if she wanted to. But first, I had to settle in. I knew that she would want to help in every way possible if she came along and that was what I did not want. This was a fresh start for me, I had to replace my footing and I had to replace it by myself and for myself. I did not want to use Ashley, I wanted it to be all me.

Once I was done with my counter duties, I closed the books, arranged the dollar notes into a box, and kept them in Mrs. Smith's small office, before I sat down beside Ashley. She unplugged her ears as she smiled at me.

"So, how did you enjoy the meals? It was from a new menu we are trying out. You know, we plan to move out of this city and all that. We are still trying to replace the right combinations for the menu." I said out loud. I noticed how she watched me speak with keen interest as if there was something in my words that would solve all her problems.

She chuckled when I was done speaking, her bright eyes continued to sparkle, even against the dim white lights. Mel had already started to turn the lights off, a signal that we were closed.

"It was amazing. Except for the cowpeas, I really could not place the taste of what was in my mouth, but I'm sure it is still a work in progress."

I nodded eagerly.

"It is, it is."

She stopped speaking and took a closer look at me for a short while. I could see the curiosity in her eyes.

"So, you're leaving, huh? With your mum and Mel and your sister..."

"I'm going to pick up my mum from the hospital tomorrow. I'm not supposed to, but there is only so much I can do. The more she stays there, the more the bills pile up." I replied. I tried to maintain a confident smile, just so she would not see that I was terrified I was making a big mistake and my whole life was about to fall apart.

If Ashley saw that, she would never want to leave me. And I did not want that to happen. There was so much happening for her here, I needed her to consider all the factors carefully. I would be a terrible friend if I didn't.

"Jojo, are you sure you do not need me to help? If I come along with you, I could help do so many things and I..."

I placed my hands on hers and squeezed her palms gently. I saw her heave a sigh of relief and my lips thinned in a broad smile.

"I know that you want to be of help, Ashley. And I love and appreciate you for that, believe me. But when we leave, I need to have a few months to myself to fix things for myself. This is my second chance to get life right, Ash. Please, I just need a few months to set things in order and you would be the first person I call to come over. We could be together for as long as you want. But you also need to take time to think about what you want."

She leaned back into her seat, I could tell she was about to speak.

"Jojo..."

"Listen, Ash. I know what you want to say, trust me. I know that you think you have thought everything through and you are ready for whatever it is life throws at you, but are you ready to leave the girls? The family you have always known, even before I stepped into the picture? The job you love, the man you love...?"

Her cheeks turned a bright shade of red, but she had a frown on her face.

"If you're talking about Kenji..."

I chuckled.

"I know, Ash. I know that things are sort of rocky now but what you and the beta have... it's special. I do not wish for you to make any decisions you would regret later. Take some months to think about what you want to do, where your happiness lies, and where your home is. By the time you replace the answer, you'll have to make a choice and I know you'll make the right one."

She narrowed her eyes at me, then her gaze relaxed almost immediately. She flashed me a smile and nodded her head.

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"Fine, fine. Gosh! I could have started crying. Why are you always so emotional, Jojo?"

We both laughed and she sat up, intertwining her fingers together.

"I'm just so scared sometimes, you know. What if... what if all of this is one big mistake?" She spoke to me.

I found myself chuckling as she spoke.

"Trust me, I completely understand. But, I know we would be alright, no matter what."

She nodded.

"We don't have a choice, do we?"

I thought about the baby in my womb. I pulled my hands away from her and rubbed my stomach with them, I could feel the heartbeat in my chest.

"We don't. We don't." I replied.

The Lockwood family liked to have movie nights together at the end of every month. Kenji had spent almost all his time at home since his argument with Lake. Even though his friend seemed to have forgiven him, Kenji knew he needed to give Lake some time, and some space as well.

The man was going through a lot, and Kenji knew he was the last person Lake wanted to open up to at this point.

But Lake had not been the only thing on Kenji's mind. He could not stop thinking about Ashley since the last time they met. She had been so furious, even his smirk could not calm her down.

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It had him wondering if he was starting to lose her. Was she slowly losing interest in him because he was scared of being with her? She spoke about family and marriage. Was she going to stop loving him if he could not provide those things? One of the major reasons he had kept their relationship a secret was for his parents. The Lockwoods were a respected family, his father was the former beta, the beta of Alpha Cole. Whatever he did, he needed to do it with respect for their family name.

"Ken, are you alright? You seem lost." His mother's voice stole into his stream of thoughts. Kenji snapped out of his mild trance and fixed his eyes on Jade. His cousin had her legs up on the couch as she waited for the TV to turn on. "I'm fine mother, I'm just thinking. I mean, there is this friend of mine who is getting married soon, and he intends to settle down with a stripper. I mean, who does that?" He continued, letting out a nervous chuckle at the end of his statement. When he finished speaking, he saw Jade turn to him and leer at him. Kenji turned away from her and focused his gaze on his father.

The elderly man picked up the remote control from the side of the glass table and retreated to the sofa his wife sat on. He settled in beside her.

"Why does it matter?" His father started.

Kenji blinked twice in shock.

Say what now?

"It doesn't mean anything. As long as the other party is ready to put that part of life behind her and work towards the good of the family they intend to create together." His mother continued, complementing her husband's statement. Kenji listened with a dropped jaw.

He had not seen that coming. And he didn't know if it alarmed him or relaxed him.