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“Ignore it,” he mumbles against my lips. But it continues to ring, and he snarls, grabbing it. “Faye, I swear to—oh, sure.” He hands it over. “Not Faye, for you.”
“Hello?” I say with a frown as he kisses my shoulder.
“Blair, it’s Serina. You are due at work,” she reminds me, worry lacing her tone. “Is everything okay?”
“Shit, fuck, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry.” I scramble upwards, knocking Bray back. “I’ll be there in an hour—”
She laughs. “Don’t worry, I covered for you, just get here as soon and as safely as you can. See you then.” She hangs up, and I swear. I can’t afford to lose this job, and she is lovely, but there’s only so many times I can turn up late or forget my shift before she has to replace me.
“I’m late for work,” I rush out, almost falling off the bed in my panic, but he catches me and tries to drag me back.
“No, you can be late another hour... maybe two for what I have planned,” he teases.
“I need to shower and get ready. You’ll have to deal with your ‘hard issue’ yourself.” I kiss him quickly and jump from the bed.
As I head to the bathroom, I turn to see him flop back to the bed with a groan. “At least let me watch!” he calls as I giggle.
* * *
By the time I get to work, I’ve missed two dances, but luckily Serina covered, and she doesn’t even seem mad. She asks if I’m okay, and when I assure her I am, she lets me dance. Hours later, during my break, she calls me into her office, and I start to panic.
I’ve never really been in the office, and I gawk at the leather sofas pushed against both walls, the TVs above each, and the small bar and mini fridge to the right of the door. There’s a fur rug covering the old-style carpet leading right up to the big, sleek, black modern desk with a Mac sitting on top of it. It’s tastefully done, if small.
Serina wanders around and sits in her chair, smiling at me, but I get a bad feeling, a really bad feeling, and although I don’t ever beg or apologise, I find myself doing just that right now.
“I’m so sorry. It’s extremely unprofessional, and I understand if you want to fire me, but please, I love this job. I never wanted to—”
She rounds the desk and hushes my ramble. “Blair, I’m not firing you, I just wanted to make sure you’re okay!” She holds my shoulders. “We are family, that’s all. I know this isn’t like you, and I wanted to talk to you to make sure you didn’t need any help or even just someone to talk to. I know you’re close with some of the other girls, but I’m here as well, okay? You are my world, my family, and I just want to help, and no matter what, you will always have a job here, so don’t even worry about that.”
“I-I’m fine, I really am sorry. I promise I’m okay, just adjusting,” I admit, unsure what to say. How did I get so lucky?
“Okay, if you’re sure.” She narrows her eyes, and I nod, wincing again.
“Serina, I mean it, I am really sorry.”
“I know, try to not let it happen again.” She grins, and there’s a knock on the door.
“Sorry, ma’am, but there’s a man here to see you. He’s insistent,” the bouncer calls through the door.
“I’ll be right back, stay here,” she tells me before straightening her back. Her face closes down, and she stomps out of the office, shutting the door after her.
I wander around, dragging my fingers along her desk, glad I’m not getting fired, when they catch on a hidden paper underneath a file. I don’t mean to look, but, well, I’m nosy. I pluck it out and swallow hard.
FINAL WARNING.
Is... is the club struggling? She never let on to it. And why hire more if it is? Shaking my head, I put it back and sit down like a good girl, not wanting to dig even as those deep-seated fears fill me. I love this job, and I’ll never find another like it. I just hope she has a plan and figures it out.
I wait there for a while longer before deciding she’ll find me again if she wants to talk, plus I don’t want to miss my final set. I get backstage a couple of minutes before, and when I take to the stage with the girls, I spot Serina at the bar arguing with an older, angry gentleman in a suit. I keep my eyes on her in case she needs any help, but she holds her own, so I refocus on the dance.
I let the rhythm flow through me, the beat slowing and calming my nerves. Out of everything that’s happened recently, this is where I let out my confusion, hurt, happiness, and desire. It all pulses through my body with each move until the final pose where I stand with two feathers covering me and a sultry smile on my face.
With a wave, a few kisses, and some bows, I head back down to the dressing room. Unpinning my hair, I shake it out, ready to add the wig for a bonus dance in an hour. Until then, I have time to relax as the other girls take to the floor to interact with the clients—luckily today is not my day. Instead, I attach the short pink wig, add more glitter to my eyeshadow, and change into fishnet tights and a leather bodice with tiny shorts and huge, glittery spiked heels. I’m just adding more highlighter when the door opens. Expecting one of the girls or security, I look into my mirror, blinking in shock when I spot Bray.
Turning, I gawk at him. “Bray, what the fuck? How did you get back here?”
“I was waiting for them to leave” —he kicks the door shut behind him— “so you were all alone.” I shiver at the low, lethal quality of his voice. “So I could have you all to myself.” His hands go to his belt, and I shiver as he unbuckles it.
“They’ll be back—”
