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1
GRAY
The pulsingbeat of my solo song radiated through the stage floor. Strobe lights flickered in time with the music, a plume of smoke crept along the stage and gathered around my ankles in a thick mist. The crowd screamed and shouted their appreciation, nearly drowning out the last notes of the song.
I hit my final pose and paused. The music swelled, then faded into a sensual instrumental as my set finished.
Thank fuck.
Usually this was my favorite routine to perform. I’d spent months perfecting it and it was a proven crowd-pleaser, but everything about tonight just felt off.
The lights changed from blue to soft white, low enough the stage was shrouded in shadows. On autopilot, I pasted on a smirk and sauntered over to the small platform to the side of the stage to collect my tips from the line of patrons ready and waiting for a little one-on-one attention.
When the last person in line headed back to their seat, I waved at the crowd and hurried to the door that would take me to the back room.
“Whoa there.” Kai grabbed my arm and steadied me as the door banged shut behind me. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” I straightened. “All good.”
The light next to the door that led to the stage flickered.
“Nick!” Kai shouted, scanning the small area. “We’re up.”
A blond streak flew out of the prop closet. “I’m here!”
Nick came skidding to a stop in front of us, a bashful smile on his angelic face. “Sorry. I’m ready.”
Kai smiled brightly and held his hand out for a high-five. “We’ve got this.”
Nick beamed and slapped his hand enthusiastically. “Yeah we do.”
I stepped back to give them a chance to focus before they went on stage.
Kai and Nick were polar opposites in every way, and their partnered dances were always popular. Kai’s dark hair and dark eyes contrasted nicely against Nick’s blond locks and baby blues. Add in Kai’s bigger frame, his multitude of tattoos, and his jacked physique, and he made Nick’s untouched slender body look tiny in comparison.
Heaving a sigh, I made my way to an empty chair next to River and flopped into it.
“Good set?” he asked, his nose buried in his phone.
“Not bad. Better than last night.”
“Yeah, that was a bust,” he said distractedly.
I bounced my leg absently, waiting for the adrenaline drop from coming off stage to hit.
River looked up from his phone. “You’ve been weird tonight. What’s up?”
“Nothing. Just stressed.” I raked my hand through my hair to push the strands off my face.
The club was hotter than usual tonight, and my hair was slick with sweat. The body oil I used on stage clung to my skin and I couldn’t wait until I could scrub it all off and feel clean again.
“Ain’t that the story of life.” He glanced back down at his phone.
The small room was crowded and loud with everyone except Kai and Nick waiting for their turns to dance. Well, Stone was missing, but that wasn’t anything new.
My coworkers were in good spirits tonight. The club was packed, the customers were enthusiastic, and the tips were flowing. It was especially welcome after how slow last night had been, but I just couldn’t get into the groove tonight.
“I’m going to step outside for a few. See if some fresh air helps.” I stood and went to my locker.
