“Oh for sure.” I laughed it off. “I heard the most shitty boy band song on the walk here and I cannot get it out of my head to save my fucking life. But hey! Speaking of me walking here...” I straightened and, perhaps a touch too manic, wiped a bunch of fake shit off my shirt and continued to laugh like a maniac. Would you do me a favor? Cover the rest of my shift? You can keep all of mymoney from the set.”
Her eyes widened, “You must have made hundreds out there tonight, Ives.”
“Always do,” I winked and threw my cross-body bag over my shoulder. It held exactly three pieces of Bubble Yum and one knife ready for its new home inside someone’s abdomen. Adrenaline was fast pumping through my veins, and if I did’t get the fuck of there soon I was going to start swinging. “Seriously, this guy was eye fucking me on the stage and I want to see if he can do the same with his dick.”
“Ivy!” Pink flushed her cheeks and her eyes looked in every direction except mine.
“So,” I prompted, shoving my phone in my pocket and edging around her toward the door. “Is that a yes?”
Please our Lord and Savior Lucifer Christ say yes.
“Yes!”
“You’re the best! I owe you Carm!” I kissed her on the cheek, ruffling her bouncy curls before hurrying out of the employee area toward the main club floor. I pulled my jacket hood up, navigating around the darkened edges so that Vinny wouldn’t spot me on my way to catch Tall, Blonde, and Evil’s attention. When his table came into view, I slowed my pace and scowled.
Empty.
Where the fuck did he—
“Nice show.” I jumped and turned to find Mr. Psycho himself leaning against the wall. “I’m Axton.” The intimate lighting reflected in the gel holding back his blonde hair. Not a single strand was out of place, and that same attention to detail was evident in the pristine condition of his clothes. No stains, wrinkles, tears, pulled threads…
The man’s appearance was immaculate, from the shine of his bleached teeth to the shine of the shoes on his feet.
He chuckled at my startled reaction. It was a polite laugh, but almost too polite. Like he’d spent years practicing how to smile without ever feeling joy.
“Axton.” I let the tension in my shoulders loosen and covered my excitement with a relieved sigh. “I’m Ivy.”
Axton took a long, hard glance down my body. I was simultaneouslydisgusted by his greasy appreciation and excited for when I got to rip his eyes from their sockets.
“Tell me, Poison Ivy. Are you looking for a good time, or a long time?”
“I hope you’re not looking for a wife in a strip club, Axton,” I smirked. He laughed, but it lacked amusement. Okay, so not a very good sociopath. “I’m looking for fun, but I’m a very busy lady. I’d prefer to be in my bed with snacks before, let’s say, two AM. ”
“I’ll have you home before midnight, Cinderella.”
Axton pushed off of the wall and walked toward the exit, never stopping to check whether or not I was following.
Cocky bastard, I thought.
The falling glitter from the stage hadn't even settled on my skin before I was walking into the crispy night air. We cut into the back alley; Often used by patrons to hide their quick, dirty secrets. No lights, no cameras, and no easy exits.
Perfect for creeps to lure and trap unwilling participants.
Even better for those who had a bargain with the Devil to keep.
Axton slowed once the shadows covered us and held out his arm. I wrapped my hand around it and let him pull me in tight, knowing damn well I’d just let him shut the door on the cage he’d put me in.
“Should I call you Poison? Ivy? Miss Poison Ivy?”
You can call me Murder Mommy,I thought.
Instead of saying that outloud, though, I stuck to something less suspicious and more ‘I pretend to bite but I’m doe-eyed and helpless’. ”Ha! Ivy is fine. Call me Poison and I’ll leave you dead in this alley.”
Oh the fucking irony.
I poked him in the chest with a coy smile, and the one he gave me in return said he liked his women weak and feisty. Bloodlust became a tangible thing. It dampened my palms, dried my lips, and made it feel impossible to restrain the burning desire to bathe in this man’s dying breaths. The back wall was approaching and the closer it got, the harder my heart pounded.
“Well then, Ivy,” he said. “I have a question for you.”
