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He gives her a look that clearly says ‘don’t push it’ and she retreats quickly. We watch her walk away into the distance.
“So weird,” I murmur. “She really gives me the creeps sometimes.”
“Do you believe she’s sorry?” Colt asks, still watching Dani’s back.
“Not for a second.”
“Yeah, me neither.” He answers. I stand up and brush some grass off myself, then throw my trash in the bin while Colt gets up too.
“So about tonight. You can distract them while I sneak out back?” I continue our conversation from before the interruption.
“How am I meant to distract them? Get up on stage or something?”
“No,” I scoff. “You get up on stage and the security guards will kill you. Just talk to Darren for a bit, ask him the prices of lap dances or something, so he doesn’t see me go backstage. I’ll only need a few minutes.”
“I can do that,” Colt says and puts his arm around my shoulder as we walk across campus back to class. “I mean, I think I’d be a better distraction if I was showing everyone my pole dancing skills, but I guess we can do it your way.”
Later that evening, we pull up in the parking lot of The Nest. I’m nervous, but I won’t admit that to Colt.
“Okay,” I say, turning to him. “So, you go in first. Then me. I’ll tell the guys on the door I’m here to see Vixen. They shouldn’t find that suspicious. Once we’re in, you find Darren and keep him occupied while I sneak backstage.”
“Let’s do it,” Colt says casually, getting out of the car. He doesn’t seem nervous in the slightest. He probably doesn’t realise how dangerous the bouncers in the club can be. But as long as he sticks to the plan, he’ll be safe. I wouldn’t have agreed to him coming if I thought he’d be in any real danger.
I stand in the carpark and wait as Colt enters the club. After a minute, I approach the door and chat with the bouncers. Once I’m inside, I’m disappointed to find it’s a quiet night at the club. If it was busy, I could blend in with the crowd and remain unseen. I stay in the shadows of the wall, watching. I can’t spot Darren anywhere. Nor Colt, so I can only hope that means he’s found Darren and is talking to him somewhere out of sight. One of my friends is doing a solo right now. She goes by the stage name Barbie and she’s a great dancer. I watch her for a beat, feeling proud of how she pulls off some of the more complicated moves. Her eyes sweep the room and land on me. Her smile drops for a split second, her eyes flashing a warning. But just as quick, she plasters her performance face back on and continues dancing. I shake my head, sure that I misread her expression. It felt like a warning. But for what?
I do one last check for Darren before heading to the doors that lead backstage. I’m lucky there’s a casual worker on this door. He grants me access without question, not knowing that I don’t work here anymore.
I opening the door to Darren’s office and slip inside. I’m relieved to find it empty. Racing to the safe, I punch in the combination that I easily remember. I was often in charge of putting the money into the safe during the night, and I’m pleased to discover Darren didn’t change it after I left. I guess I’m not seen as a security threat.
The door swings open and I count out the notes for what they owe me from my last shift. We take our tips home with us each night, but they pay our base rate weekly, and I’m still so mad that Darren has tried to squirm his way out of paying me. I shove the notes into my crossbody bag and close the safe back up, leaving everything as I found it. Just as I turn to go, the door to the office bursts open, making me jump. Darren’s in the doorway, glaring at me.
“What are you doing here, Sassy?” He growls in a menacing way.
“I needed to speak to Vixen.” I answer quickly, giving him the same excuse I gave the door guys earlier.
“Is that right?” He steps into the room and closes the office door behind him. “So, if I check my safe, I won’t find any money missing?”
I swallow, a cold dread washing over me. He jumped to that conclusion awfully quick. But I suppose there aren’t many other reasons I’d be hanging out in his office on my own.
“Of course not.” I’m grateful the music from the club drowns out the wobble in my voice.
“Cut the shit Sassy. I know you’re here with your boyfriend, intending to steal from me.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. How does Darren know that? I need to get to Colt.
“Where is he?” I ask, my eyes darting to the closed door.
The corners of Darren’s mouth lift in a vicious smile. “He’s having a little chat with Jeff and Benny out in the alleyway.”
Oh fuck.
I close my eyes briefly, my head swimming with fear. The back alleyway is where they take creeps to beat them up. There are no cameras out there. You can’t see it from the road. It’s completely isolated and the bouncers know it. Jeff and Benny are our two biggest security guys. No one stands a chance against them when they’re together. I need to get to Colt. Adrenaline spikes through me as I run toward the closed office door.
“Colt!” I scream, even though he can’t hear me. Darren grabs my arm as I get close and drives me backwards until I hit his desk.
“Give me my fucking money!” He shouts in my face, spit flying from his mouth.
“Darren, please, they’ll kill him.” I beg, trying to twist my arm out of his grip.
