Cashmere gazes up at me, reaching out to run his hands down the front of my sweater. “Tempting, but I must decline. See, what we have is a transaction. I perform, you pay for my performance. Why break the illusion?”
“You are not a transaction. Not to me.”
“You don’t even know me, Specter. That’s how I like it.” He steps closer, barely brushing up against me. “Just enjoy the dance.”
While my eyes are closed, he walks away, leaving me standing there, stewing in my frustration. Maybe Wraith is rightand I should just kidnap him. Once he finds out I could be good for him, he’ll change his mind.
I drag a hand through my hair and return to my seat, dick hard and obsessive thoughts running off the rails.
One way or another, Cashmere is going to be mine. If it’s the last thing I do.
CHAPTER 4
Colson
“Cashmere, you’re up in five.”
“I know.” I finish glossing my lips and check my reflection one last time. Knowing Specter is out there waiting sends a little thrill through me. It’s more fun performing for him, teasing him, torturing him. I grin at my reflection. Messing with Specter is one of the little joys in my life.
I make my way to the stage and linger behind the curtains, waiting for the MC to announce my name and for the music to start. I’ve been working on this new routine for a few weeks now and the time is right to unveil it. It’s true burlesque, so I hope the crowd enjoys it.
The curtains part and the spotlight centers on me as the audience claps and whistles. I can’t quite see Specter from here, but I know where he is, and I know I have his full attention. I slink onto the stage, gyrating my hips to Michael Buble’s version of “Feeling Good.” I’m dressed in elaborate lace and silk, with sky-high heels, elbow-length gloves, and a garter with stockings. It’s old school to match the music.
I dance around the stage, seductively removing articles of clothing until I sink to the floor and writhe around. As I arch my back, they start the shower effect backstage, and warm watertrickles down over me, making my skin slick and glistening under the club lights.
Next up are my splits, where I end up with my ass facing the audience. I manage a little twerk before swinging around and getting back to my feet for another obscene backbend. I can feel the dozens of eyes on me, but one pair in particular burns through me like a roaring fire.
I fall to my knees, gyrating up and down to the music as I finally unhook my garters, but I don’t remove my stockings. As I make eye contact with Specter, I lick my lips, allowing my gaze to take in every sexy, imposing inch of him. From this distance I can make out the impressive bulge between his legs, and my cock actually twitches in response. His gaze is heated, heady, and so damn tempting. I can only dream about what a man like him could do to me in the bedroom.
I’m distracting myself, so I squeeze my eyes closed for a moment to focus on the end of my routine, which is me grabbing the aerial hoop and swinging across the stage, then falling backward and twisting around, dangling by my knees. As the song’s last note fades, the lights dim and the crowd goes absolutely batshit. Mission fucking accomplished.
I flip off the hoop and stand up, waving to the audience as I drag my hand through my drenched hair. Specter is sitting completely still, but his eyes are laser focused on me, his lips parted, a hand resting between his legs. Fuck, he’s unbelievably gorgeous. I need to get backstage before I break my own rule and climb all over that.
Suddenly, there’s a commotion, and as I tear my eyes off of Specter, I see the man from last night barreling toward me. He’s too fast for the bouncers to get here, but instead of running, I stay put, ready to charm him into submission.
He reaches me in mere seconds, extending his arms. I step back enough to keep that from happening, and watch as he trips on the edge of the stage and falls to his knees. I kneel in front of him.
“Now you know you’re not supposed to do this.”
“I just want?—”
He gasps and coughs as a hand wraps around his throat from behind and he’s yanked away from me by Specter.
I watch in stunned awe as Specter lifts the heavy-set man off his feet by the collar of his shirt and growls, “Show your face here again and I’ll cut your balls off and choke you with them. Got it?”
Gus and Eric arrive, but they simply hang back and let Specter do his thing.
“Do you fucking got it?” Specter demands, getting in the man’s face.
“I-I just want to talk to him,” the man sputters, his gaze shifting wildly between me and Specter.
“You fucking can’t.” Specter drags the man towards the door, followed by the bouncers and watched by the intrigued crowd.
Rudy hurries out and hands me my robe, and I tug it on while watching the scene.
“Holy shit,” Rudy murmurs. “That was too close for comfort.”
I nod, clutching my robe around my near nudity. Specter enters the club again, but my flight or fight response hasn’t died down and I rush backstage to the dressing room. I guess I’m not surprised when he follows me, closing in fast. His hand lands gently on my elbow, but I swing around, ready to throw a punch if I have to. He puts his hands up in surrender.
