Chapter 1
The press of naked flesh, slip-sliding, grinding, brazen.
Sweat from so many bodies was enticing as her body moved to the rapid time.
Like a war drum, thumping out a raging surge, hearts thundered with the deep bass that tempted.
Faces upturned with the maws of their smiles ecstatic, otherworldly under the staccato pulse of lights flashing bruise tinged hues.
She danced. The expanse of male chest sidled up from behind, melting against her, wide and thick. Great paws of strength settled over bouncing hips, hooking over bone to wrench her undulating body flush. The grind of plumped flesh against the small of her bared back thinned lush lips, indigo stained lips becoming a slash of disgust.
Always with the idiots who thought being a dancer at Wicked meant they could touch as they wanted.
The subtle sidestep of denial ignored, the heavy body following the movement with an urgency that curled her lips into a delicate grimace. The solid heel of her boot fit well against the male’s instep as she threw her weight down onto it with the next roll of her hips.
The roar of rage caught attention, just as she’d intended. Multiple bodies clothed in grim sooty shades wove an unerring line through the bouncing tide of dancers towards her. She stood pliant in the giant’s grip, impassive to all the rumblings in a never-ending stream of curses at her back. He hadn’t even noticed the bouncers moving in.
Idiot.
The pale golden gaze of a bulky male caught hers, eyebrow canting up in unspoken question. She thought she recognized the bouncer, his name something short and sweet. The smallest shake of her head given in response, her chin lifted to show the red band at her throat.
She knew how this would go. It took less time than usual for the male to be distracted from his pursuit of her to challenge those closing in. She was free of his grip in two seconds flat, the male on the floor in less than five.
Wriggling her fingers in a wave of thanks, she slipped unnoticed into the crowd and wandered a snaking path to the bar.
“You okay, Quinn?” Lennox, ever diligent, saw all that happened in what he considered his domain. No matter his name was nowhere to be seen, the floor was his when he tended the bar.
“Fine.” A twitch of narrow shoulders was made, affecting an apathy she didn’t quite feel. The slow ache at her hips promised bruising, and this was just her second night on the main floor after proving herself on the balconies. “Can I get some water?”
“You should be more careful,” Lennox said, pitching the roughness of his voice from a near scream to a shout over the music by leaning across the polished expanse of oak.
“What else was I supposed to do?” She would have spat the words but yelling just to be heard over the grinding beat ruined the effect. Soot shaded lids lowered over pale smoke irises in disbelief.
“Keep your eyes open and make sure they see the red band.” The voice that tickled against her ear was gravel rough, pitched just loud enough that Quinn flinched. It was the exact reaction he wanted, the warmth of a too large palm settling over her shoulder as Elijah Beaumont pulled her in to his chest. As co-owner of the club and in charge of theentertainment, as he liked to call them, she didn’t dare pull away. “Unless you’ve changed your mind…”
Quinn had managed not to resort to selling her body so far in life, but only just. Between waitressing and dancing shifts at the club, she could barely make rent and often went with the barest minimum of luxuries like real food. There was housing offered to all the club’s employees, but it came with the sticky, tangled spider web of strings attached. Sure that’s how the owners preferred things, Quinn had yet to apply even if it would mean three square meals and a warm bed at night.
“Go up to the balconies where you’ll stay out of trouble, little girl.”
“Yes, sir.” Quinn ducked her head and squeezed her way past him, trying not to touch more of the Alpha than she had to.
Ever mindful of watching eyes, Quinn kept the slow sway of her hips and the sultry stride she’d been taught. Working the edge of the dance floor, she made her way to one of the tight circular staircases that led up to the second floor. There was the elevator but the thought of being packed in with so many bodies had a shiver crackling down her spine, turning the fine sheen of sweat coating her clammy. Her thighs trembled as she started up, the brief reprieve of a glass of water lost as she moved up through the gyrating lights.
The balconies weren’t her favorite. She felt like a display of meat with the platform raised high enough that her hips were at eye level with the people sitting at the tables sipping on their wine and cocktails. It wasn’t too far from the truth, but it didn’t mean she had to like it.
*****
“Sit still,” Marina hissed as she attempted to glue on the false eyelashes to Quinn’s fluttering lid as she prepared for yet another night of slinging drinks and smiles.
“I’m sorry,” Quinn whispered through a clenched jaw, straining to keep motionless. It was just as impossible to control a nervous flutter of her eyes as it was to call this female her mother.
It wasn’t that Marina was cruel to her daughter. In fact, Quinn was certain the woman felt nothing qualifying as strong towards her. They spent no time together beyond infrequent interactions such as these, and her hands were no more or less sharp or angry at Quinn’s fidgeting than anyone else’s.
Quinn still did not understand how she had come to be. Oh, she knew the story of how a single drunken night and a broken condom had been the catalyst. Quinn’s grandparents even had a softer, gentler version for her. Why Marina hadn’t taken care of it when she didn’t want or need a child in her life was the question. One Quinn had asked only once. Marina had given her mean, drunken sneer of a smile and asked if Quinn really wanted to know. They had dropped it after that.
Perhaps that was why Quinn had followed in Marina’s footsteps. A vague attempt to feel closer to her mother. She didn’t think so. Thought it more likely that she’d seen the faded, water stained papers advertising waitress positions when Quinn had gone to the club to let Marina know she’d lost another job.
“For fuck’s sake, Quinn! Learn to do this yourself. I’m not helping you anymore.”
