Mike started to decline, but a group number was now underway. He didn’t want to be the guy bumbling his way through the dancers in the middle of a club-wide performance so he accepted another drink while he waited out the song.
His plan was to leave right after the group performance. But somehow, it was three and a half songs later and the dancer was still there talking. Aiden had explained to him that most dancers would leave if after a song or two, a patron didn’t offer to buy a lap dance or pay for their drink. Maybe this dancer was new and didn’t understand that etiquette yet. Mike was going to have to politely excuse himself in order to leave before Aiden discovered him there.
∞ ∞ ∞
After leaving the stage, Aiden slowly returned to the dressing room, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand, clutching his wad of tips with the other. Although his take was as big as always, he barely cared about the money tonight. Every movement on that stage had served to expel the pent-up emotions within him. The fact that he’d also pleased and entertained people enough for them to give him cash was so far down on the list of his cares that he might as well be gripping a pile of Monopoly money.
Aiden slowly sank down onto his seat at the vanity. His body felt heavy, limbs dragging as he tucked the tips into his boot. He’d left so much of his energy and emotion out on the stage, he barely had any left to get dressed to work the floor. Instead of changing his costume, he sat there for several long moments, staring into the mirror. But he didn’t see his reflection of pale skin slightly flushed from dancing and tousled black hair. He looked past his reflection into memories of his time together with Mike. The taste of regret was bitter on his tongue. He should never have gotten involved with Mike. Not with his certainty of what would happen if he did. And yet he’d thrown caution to the wind and done it anyway, only to end up with a new record for fastest end to his relationships.
He tried to shake off the melancholy and picked up his hair brush. However, after a single drag of the bristles through his hair, he set the brush back on the table with a quiet clack. There was no way he could work the floor tonight. He didn’t have it in him to smile and flirt and be sexy. Going home to catch up on whatever showed up in his Netflix continue watching list before he fell asleep sounded like a much better plan. Grateful that he could afford to miss a night of work, Aiden grabbed a makeup wipe. But before he could start preparing to leave, Suzie appeared in the mirror behind him.
“It finally happened to you,” Suzie said as she gently ran her fingers through his hair.
“What finally happened to me?” Aiden asked her reflection.
“You fell for someone. And I meanreallyfell for someone. And now you’re heartbroken.”
Aiden rolled his eyes. “I am not heartbroken. I’m moody.”
“Moody is dancing your way through your usual routine with an attitude. Maybe throwing in a sexy scowl for good measure. You choreographed an entirely new routine with a coordinated outfit and danced as if you wanted everyone in the audience to feel your pain.”
Aiden didn’t have anything to say to that. He didn’t want to acknowledge the truth behind Suzie’s words. If he did, he’d have to also acknowledge the hurt wrapped like a vine of thorns around his heart.
“Anyway, the guy who according to youdidn’tbreak your heart is out in the club. I saw him when I was working the floor.”
“He is?” Aiden’s heart skipped a beat before it started racing. But he quickly smoothed out his expression in a belated attempt to pretend as if he didn’t care. He picked up his brush again, forgetting that he’d already decided not to go back out on the floor. “Whatever. I don’t want to see him.”
“Hmmm.... He was talking to Cupcake.”
“We broke up,” Aiden said with a shrug. “He can talk to whoever he wants.”
“Okay.”
A frown tightened Aiden’s forehead at thetoneof that single word. “What?”
“What do you mean?” Suzie calmly asked.
“You said okay.”
Suzie continued playing with his hair, starting a tiny little braid in the black strands. “I did.”
“You said okay like it’s not okay but you’re not going to say what you’re really thinking.”
A soft hum was her response. “Hmmm.”
When Suzie didn’t say anything else, Aiden cursed. “Damnit.” He slapped the brush down onto the vanity and jumped up from his chair. Frustration making his fingers twitch, he strode over to the dressing room door, yanked it open, and went out to the club. If anyone called his name he didn’t notice, he was too focused on finding one guest in particular. On the raised seating area in the center of the club, Aiden looked around, closely scanning every face in the room until he found Mike. He was tucked away in a dark corner of one of the small side bars, cozied up with Cupcake. Aggression in every step, Aiden marched over to them, his hair swinging against his naked back. Cupcake looked up and smiled when he reached them.
“Oh, hey Glimmer. I was just—.”
“Move.” Aiden swiftly hip checked the veteran dancer out of the way, then immediately moved in and took his place next to Mike.
“Hey!” Cupcake cried out in indignation.
Aiden whipped back around to face him. “Now is not the time, Cupcake.”
“Fine,” Cupcake sniffed with his nose in the air.
He turned to go, but Aiden caught a glimpse of a grin before the other dancer hurried off. Aiden cursed under his breath. He realized now that he’d been set up by Suzie and Cupcake, but he was here now so he might as well talk to Mike.
