“Come on,” he says. “Don’t be shy.”
His hand swipes between my legs, and I jerk to the side, jumping out of his grip. That’s where I draw the fucking line.
“Do that again, and I’ll call the bouncer,” I warn.
“You’re not going to get in trouble, babe,” James chuckles. “All I have to do is slip them a few bills. Then they won’t care if we want to have some fun.”
“I’ll scream,” I say coldly. “Youwillget thrown out.”
For a second, we’re both silent, bound in a staring contest. My stomach hardens with anticipation.
I just screwed myself out of information, but I won’t let James touch me there. No matter how much he pays, he doesn’t own me.
Dice is the only man I’ll let touch me like that.
“An ugly bitch like you isn’t even worth the lap dance fee,” James says, dropping into a scowl. “I’d rather fuck an unconscious cunt who actuallylookslike a housewife.” He stands up, dusting his button-up shirt. My skin heats, laced with nerves.Piper.She looks like the typical American housewife.
Where is he keeping her?
“You’re going to pay for what you’ve done,” I say. “You and your brother. We’ll make sure of it.”
James laughs, then turns toward the curtains. He smacks the velvet wall in a loud thud.
“Who is ‘we’?” he says. “You’re all alone, babe. I don’t see anyone here.”
He disappears through the curtains. My body trembles with fear, disgust, and exhaustion for everything that just happened. I slump against the back wall. I don’t even want tositon the beanbag, knowing that James was there.
All I want is Dice.
His protective arms swimming around me.
His eyes on mine.
Eventually, the manager knocks on the wall outside the room. A stripper and a customer need the space. I exit to the main floor. I see Mr. Harry yelling, his mouth stretched in madness. As soon as I see that he’s talking to James, my vision blurs.
I try helplessly to find Dice.
I can’t focus on anything.
Iamalone again.
I don’t have anyone.
A heavy hand lands on my shoulder. My heart skips a beat.
“Are you all right?” Dice asks.
My pulse races, my knees suddenly quivering with relief. He’s here. To think, I never truly spoke to Dice until recently, and now I can’t stop myself from needing him.
“We’re not supposed to talk here, remember?” I say quietly.
“Are you all right, Lily?” he asks again.
Dice searches me with a tenderness that makes me ache. James mocked me for saying ‘we,’ but I was right. With Dice,weare workingtogether.This isn’t only about me or Piper or Dice. It’s about all of us.
Mr. Harry and James clomp forward, and Dice drops his hand. Mr. Harry pats Dice’s back.
“Don’t worry, big guy,” Mr. Harry says. “My little brother came to apologize.”
