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“I’m glad you enjoyed. Give me about half an hour to work the floor and then we can go, okay?”
Luca nodded, half in a daze as I slipped off.
“Holy shit.” Auggie stepped up behind me. “I had my suspicions, but it’s nice to see them confirmed.”
Luca flushed hot pink, visible even in the dim lighting. “Hi, Auggie.”
“You two know each other?” Of all of my friends to discover that I was fucking Luca, Auggie was the least detrimental. He didn’t know the Marinos, but he did know Allie from our silks class. At least I knew Auggie was capable of keeping quiet when it was necessary.
“Your cutie is my cutie from pole class.”
I turned back to Luca. “You’re taking pole classes?”
“I wanted to impress you one day. It was supposed to be a secret.”
“What a small fucking world.” Auggie laughed. “I won’t make a peep since you’re both weird and secretive about this, but I do expect to be kept up on the gossip since I know both of you. Now, go work the floor.” Auggie smacked my ass and sauntered away.
I moved through the crowd, feeling oddly like I belonged here more than usual. Having Luca here was both awkward and a relief. I was used to being watched on the floor and the stage, but it was different when it was his eyes that were watching me. Luca’s gaze was like fingertips tracing over me, ever present, a reminder of how I had captivated his attention.
Unfortunately there were literal fingertips touching me too. I spun, catching the offending wrist, ice pouring down my spine as I recognized the face.
“Rodney, what the fuck are you doing here?”
My thoughts ran a mile a minute, trying to figure out how likely it was that he would tell Stella. I didn’t want my sister to find out I worked here from him. If she was going to find out at all, I wanted it to be from my own mouth.
The smarmy asshole leaned back in his seat, crossing his legs. “I think the better question is what are you doing here? I always figured you were secretly a slut. How much for your special attention?”
“More than you could afford in your entire fucking life. And that’s not a better question. You’re the one who’s married.”
“So you won’t go on a date with me but you’ll strip down for strangers?”
I froze instantly, turning to see my coworker Kevin. Fucking hell. “What are you doing here? I know you don’t get paid enough for the membership fees.”
Kevin laughed sharply. “Is that why you turned me down? My pockets aren’t deep enough for you?”
“More like your attitude is absolute shit.”
“Don’t be like that. We could get enough money to have a good time with you.”
“For fuck’s sake. Who the hell sponsored all of you to come?”
“Walter Fairhaven,” replied Kevin. “He’s my brother, figured it would be nice to bring us since Rodney and I have been friends for years and our birthdays are this month. I thought he could use a proper pick-me-up with him moving out of his wife’s.”
“I don’t care if it was the fucking king that sponsored you. All of you are out right now.”
One of them grabbed my ass, and I swung around without a second thought, backhanding the nearest of the two. Luca reached me the same time as security did. He looped a protective arm around me and I leaned into him.
“Selene, is there a problem?” security asked.
“I want these two out. Now.”
There was a rush of swearing and struggling as more security descended. I dragged Luca backstage, panic swirling over fucking things up for the club, and the fact that both Rodney and Kevin knew I worked here and could tell anyone they pleased. They could ruin me if they wanted and I hadn’t given them any motivation not to.
“Who were those guys?” Luca asked.
“Stella’s husband, and a coworker. Fuck, fuck, fuck! Luca, they’re going to destroy me. Rodney is a vindictive piece of shit and Kevin’s a generic asshole, but he’s pissed that I turned him down. What if I lose my job? What if Rodney tells Stella? I don’t—I can’t?—”
Panic dug its vicious little claws into me, squeezing my throat, compressing my chest, pulling the world out of focus.
