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I’m nothing like my mother. Nothing.
“Come on, brat,” he calls from behind me. “Cut the shit.”
Ignoring him, I walk on.
“Fine,” he yells again. “You win for today. I’m over this anyway.”
And moments later, I hear a truck roar to life before it speeds past me.
Everything he is irks me. And when he’s around, he turns me into someone even I can’t stand. But last I checked, you can’t escape yourself.
Damn you, charity. Now, I’m stuck dealing with him.
7
Sutton
The time has arrived. A dawn of a new day. The end of an era. That era? Me considering myself a good girl. Because now…I’m a stripper.
I look at myself in the mirror. Wide eyes stare back at me, asking me what the hell I’m about to do. I wish I could say, but truthfully…I have no idea. The moment when I need to dance at Peaches for the first time has been coming for weeks now. Now, it’s here. And I’m terrified.
Out of all the outfits given to me by my boss, I went with a black bra with a matching lace thong for night one. I chose a simple black masquerade mask to pair with it and hot-pink pumps. The rest of the girls are already out there, doing what we’re all here to do. Shake our asses. I’ve performed in hundreds of shows in my lifetime. Competing and winning countless times. But nothing has ever made me feel this nervous.
Wringing my shaky hands together, I pull in a deep breath, filling my lungs before slowly letting it out.
“I can do this,” I whisper. “I’m Sutton fucking Savage.”
Lifting my chin higher, I march toward the door and head out onto the stage.
It’s lit enough for the pervs to watch the dancers, but it’s still much darker than I anticipated. I’ve grown accustomed to bright lights on a stage. But this sexy mood lighting…it’s different.
And for the first few minutes on the stage, I’m absolutely terrible.
I can’t help but focus on the men and women below me, which makes it damn hard to get into a rhythm. At first, I just move around the pole slowly, not knowing really what to do with it even though Ryann gave me multiple lessons. But this right now seems so unnatural. Pole dancing isn’t for the faint of heart. And, shit, it requires much more strength than I thought.
Slowly but surely, I getit—whatever it is that gives dancers the ability to deliver what the crowd is looking for. I feel that moment where it all shifts and my body becomes one with the music, giving the customers what they came to Peaches for to begin with. I hope so anyway.
It takes no time before I’m covered in sweat, and I have no doubt that on the nights I’m working, there’s no way in hell I could get an extra workout in. Heck no. This right here will have to be my exercise.
I continue to dance, gripping the cool metal pole and wrapping my legs around it. Tossing my hair back. Hair that, for once during a performance, can be down. Freely flowing down my back and making me feel alive.
For the first time, there’s no prize at the end of this night. And I don’t have to kill myself to be perfect. I can play. Creating whatever the hell I feel like to pass the time. And I really,reallylike the thought of that.
Even if I do feel a little dirty right now.
Hunter
I sit on Sutton’s porch steps, wondering where the hell she is. It’s after one a.m. I got here at eight—right after practice got out. Two of her roommates have come out. Poppy told me she had no idea where she was and didn’t care either. The other said she hadn’t heard from her all night. I’m not worried. Yet something is keeping my ass planted here.
Headlights come into the driveway, and I squint, trying to make out who it is. As she steps out of the passenger side, taking in the sight of me, I frown as I look her up and down.
She’s dressed in baggy sweats but has her eyes done up with makeup and her hair down in long black curls. I feel my heart stop when I notice how it looks. And when her friend steps out, she looks the exact same way.
Like they’ve both been with someone.
Like they were just thoroughly fucked.
“Hunter?” She frowns, standing before me. “What are you doing here?”
