I head to the wardrobe and grab my shittiest threadbare sweats and grab my rattiest wig. I don’t wash, and I don’t put on any deodorant. I need to seem vulnerable and homeless. I add a little makeup to mimic muck and grime. I head out of the bedroom, and Xav screws his face up.
“Too much?”
“Nope, just enough. Maybe the clothes need to be dirtier?”
“Yeah, I’m off for a run around the park first. I will roll around in the bushes if I have to.” I tap my ear. “I’ve got my earpiece in as I can’t really take my phone and keys.” I laugh, but there’s no humour in it. Xav just nods, and I know he’s telling me to be safe, take care, come home in one piece, don’t do anything stupid.
I walk out the door and skulk by the side of the buildings, sticking to the shadowed sides of the streets and alleys that cut through to avoid as many people as possible. I head to the park and do a few laps to add to the smell. Fucking grim, and then I do roll around in a bush or five before heading over to the strip club. It’s midday, and they’re open, but there aren’t many people in. I hover away from the door and keep glancing over at the doorman till he shouts. “Fuck off loitering. You’re bad for business.”
I flinch back and stutter a breath. “I, I, I w-w-was t-told to ask for D-Don.”
He looks me up and down, then nods towards the door. I freeze for a second before tentatively taking a step forward and then another.
I stand awkwardly in the doorway, letting my eyes flit around before I see Don sitting in a booth, watchingthe girls dance. I screw my hands into my hoodie and just wait till someone nudges him and points in my direction.
He stands and walks over to me. “What can I do for you?”
“I was told to ask for Don… about a job.”
“That so? And what do you think you can do for me?”
“I can dance.”
“That’s cute that you think you can, sweetheart, but you look like you could use a hot bath, some disinfectant and a tetanus shot.” He scrubs at the stubble on his chin. “But under the muck, you’re kinda pretty. You don’t look starving, though. What are you working with?”
“What?” I frown in confusion. I mean, I know what he means, but I’m not going to just flop everything out at once. He needs to see me as impressionable, not easy. Not just yet, anyway.
“There’s a shower out the back.” He raises his arm and clicks his fingers. “Crystal!” He nods at me. “Sort her out. She’s on in twenty minutes.”
“What?” I sputter out.
“You said you can dance, clean the fuck up and prove it.” He walks away dismissively as a very, very young girl comes over, snatches me by the arm and starts dragging me towards the back. I stumble a little, then follow like the good little girl I am. Once I’m cleaned up and I’m in fewer clothes, a tacky G-string that I hope is clean, and some heart-shaped nipple shields. I look at myself in the mirror. My excessive makeup, my tamed wig and my sparkly fucking underwear, just great. Sheleads me out, and I head up to the stage as I’m pushed forward.
“Dance for me.” He grunts, and the music starts. I rock back and forth a little till the beat gets going, and then I step towards the pole. I walk around it tentatively and flick my gaze to his as he watches intently. From the look of my body, I know I could get a job here, but I need to show him a little talent.
I slowly grind against the pole and flick my gaze back to his, and he licks his lips. I hold onto the pole in front of me, then fold myself over so my back slides against the pole. I look between my legs at him as he adjusts the bulge in his jeans. He’s a good-looking bloke, so maybe I can get something out of him while I’m here. I’m due a good fucking, and I’ve been such a good girl lately. And while Jacob is my future, if I even have one, we need to take things slow, and a girl has needs. Technically, it isn’t cheating. I might also get some inside information.
Once I’ve left nothing to the imagination for long enough, I flick my legs into the air and open them wide, holding the position, before sliding down to the floor. I roll around and take the pole in my hand, and then I start to show off. I hook my leg and spin as I twirl, flicking around the pole, but I keep my eyes trained on him. It’s a dance, this seduction. Too much, and you look desperate, not enough, and you look frigid, but just the right amount, and you can get a man to do whatever the fuck you want, and right now, he’s looking at me like I’m his next meal, and I’m not totally mad about it. I’ve got so much pent-up sexual tension from the situation with Jacob that a little wouldn’t hurt, right?
As the music slows to a finish, I slide down the pole and into the box splits and smile a coy smile at him before climbing from the floor and scurrying backstage.
I head straight into the changing room, slide onto the bench, and feign embarrassment and a little breathlessness until the door clicks open, and my gaze flicks up to meet his. I jump up from my seated position, and he groans as my breasts bounce.
“You are a little firecracker.” He grins at me, stepping closer. “You want to work for me?”
I bite my lip and nod.
“I need to taste the goods before I can give you a job. Make sure they’re as sweet as they look.” He leers at me, stepping closer, and I back up a little and look up to meet his gaze, which is dark and hungry. Fuck, I want what he’s offering. He looks like he fucks like a machine. I need to play this right. I step back a little and inhale a shaky breath. “You’re not afraid, are you, firecracker?”
I step back a little more and look down at my bare feet. The stripper heels discarded near the bench. He reaches for my chin and tilts my gaze towards his. “You want to make me happy, don’t you?” I nod. “Do you have a bed to sleep in?” I shake my head. “If you look after me, I’ll look after you.”
I look deep into his eyes. “Really?”
“Yeah, you want to be my firecracker?” He grins at me and leans in for a chaste kiss, kissing my cheek, and I flutter my eyes closed.
I nod and bite my lip. He takes my hand and spins around, dragging me out of the room and down the corridor till we reach the last room. He pushes it open, and there’s a desk on one side, but there’s a double bedon the opposite side, facing it as if he sits at his desk and watches people fuck.
He pushes me towards the bed. “Take that shit off. I want to see all of you.”
