It's Valentine's Day which to me means the only day that the perverts can come out and no one will care. It's Rednecks' busiest night which means it'll be my busiest night and the most numbers I'll even get which isn't saying much because the night hasn't ended until I've gotten at least five numbers while pouring some bourbon. I'm prepping the glasses and taking inventory of the booze when the owner, Mick, gets upstage to rally up the crowd. "Are you ready for some ass?!" He screams as if he didn't realize that the microphone already does the screaming for him. The men in the crowd cheer as if they're at a football game. Mick gives his devious, greedy grin. "Then let's bring them out!"

I've been working at Redneck's Strip Club for 3 years and it never ceases to amaze me how many pigs we still get in middle of shithole Georgia. We're the only kind of fun that doesn't require a gun for miles so the men need some kind of action besides their hand or their actual wife. Mick has owned Redneck's for about 30 years and he still hasn't gotten any more mature. I still hear stories about him trying to sleep with the dancers and groping their tits and ass before they go on stage. And then he has tried to sleeping with me almost every night. The only reason I haven't left this shithole yet is because I would rather have a job that doesn't have me flipping burgers or taking off my clothes. Not like anyone would want to see me naked anyway. My size eight ass and extremely curly hair does not belong on any stage.

As the strippers made their way on stage, the disgusting hooting masked the music that they were supposed to be dancing too. I just rolled my eyes and focused on my own set of pigs. However, as soon as the name Cherry Popper hit the speakers, my hairs stood on end. I strained my neck to look up, trying to ignore the fury. Cherry Popper came out in a studded bra the color of blood. Her "underwear" wasn't even underwear at all. It was just a red string hidden in her ass. She blew kisses to everyone as the men stood out of their chairs with bills hanging from their fingertips. The loudest scream was coming from a regular in the very front row who came to see her everytime she performed. The disgusting slurs he said made me want to stab him multiple times. No one talks about my little sister like that. Anyone who fucking talks about her like that should be prepared to face my fist and foot up their ass. The regular makes his way to the bar to order another whiskey. "Another whiskey my way please sweet, sweet Taryn"

"Shut up Merle," I sneered at him, "I'll get you whatever the fuck you want once you stop calling me sweet"

Merle smiled at me mockingly. "I don't know why you are so tense. You should be more loose, just like your sister." He left without getting his drink and I gave myself a break before I lost my shit completely. As long as have I been working here, Merle Dixon has been the sole reason I've hated this place so much. Every time my sister has performed he has been there being the disgusting pig that he is and everytime he would order a drink from me, he would say some kind of sick comment either about me or my sister. Yes my sister is a stripper but I will defend her or I will die trying.

I go outside in front of the ridiculously neon pink sign of a chick opening and closing her legs and try to light a Marlboro, my hands still shaking from anger. "Could I borrow a light after you're done?" I looked to my right and saw an attractive man just come out of the party. I've never seen anyone come out before the party's over. He had light, brown hair and rugged face. I throw my lighter to him. A few awkward minutes pass of cigarette smoke passing each other until I finally spoke up. "Are you not enjoying yourself or something?" He turned to me, blowing smoke in my direction. "What?"

"It's just that rarely anyone comes out unless the dancers really suck and they seem to be fine"

"What are you, a spy for the owner or something?"

"For fuck's sake, calm down. I'm just the bartender. I'm just wonderin'."

He just shrugged and took another inhale. "It's just not my thing"

"Then why are you here?"

"Jesus Christ, you're nosy. My brother dragged me here, is all"

"How old are you again that your brother can just drag you wherever you want?"

"His favorite girl is on so he wanted me to see her. But like I said, it's just not my fucking thing.

"Still didn't answer my question."

He rolled his eyes and flicked his butt into the ground.

"Is your brother a regular? I've probably heard his slurs more than once."

He chuckled. Even his voice sounded rugged. "Yeah I guess. Merle Dixon.

Time suddenly froze and my rage was coming back. This man who seemed completely normal was blood with such an asshole? "I fucking hate that guy"

He chuckled. "Not hard to. Merle has many enemies. If he died tomorrow, I wouldn't be surprised."

I laughed. I checked my cell phone and realized that I've gone overtime on my break. "I've gotta get back to the bar but it was cool meeting you-"

"Daryl. Daryl Dixon"

I nodded and smiled. "I'm Taryn. Stop by my counter if you're bored of the tits. I don't get enough company."

He smiled and nodded and I left him under the ridiculously neon pink sign.

It was that night under that sign that I met the man that I would fall in love with. Two heavenly years would pass when he finally proposed and five months after that, the world went to shit and we were separated by blood and the monsters that were once our friends and family.