“I didn’t mean… I can’t lose this job. I’m…” she blinks and looks as if she is trying to force the words out. “I’m practicing.”
It’s hard not to snort a laugh out. “Hey, no one is saying Beast is gonna fire you. And practicing will help,” I wink and she frowns, like I’m making fun of her and she doesn’t like it. “Stick to doing that. You get good tips.”
“Not as good as the dancers,” she sighs, then walks to the steps that lead down off the stage.
I watch how she moves, she carries herself like someone of a higher standing and I wonder where she came from, but it’s none of my business.Sheis none of my business. It would have been best had I not stepped out of the shadows and butted into whatever was going on up there in her head.
People say I’ve always been a sucker for those down on their luck. That isn’t what this is, but she is sad about something. Defeated was the way she looked when Ellie walked away and left her sitting next to that stripper pole.
“Well, maybe in three months you’ll get your shot.”
Her head comes up, a hopeful expression on her pretty face.
“Not up to me,” I hold up my hands. “Buttering up Ellie or Beast won’t work. They see what I see.”
“What’s that?” she asks, her voice quieter.
“Someone who doesn’t belong here.”
The little frown is back, indignant and sexy as fuck. Before she can say anything in response, or I get drawn even deeper into everything she has got going on, I turn and walk away.
With very great restraint on my part, which I have to congratulate myself for, I don’t look back as I push out through the back exit which leads to the dressing rooms, offices and bathrooms. It’s also the way out to the back parking lot only staff can access.
I’ve really got to stop hanging out here, especially when it’s closed. The door opens to the outside before I reach it and a woman comes in, juggling her purse and some outfit bags. She glances up, surprised to see someone here and for a second, fear etches her face, but it passes when she sees my cut.
That’s a fucking insane thought. She’s less scared of me in a cut than a man in a suit. I dip my chin and hold the door open for her. She shuffles through with a quiet thanks. For a moment, I watch her as she walks down the hallway, pausing when the door to the club opens and Charley comes through. Something like relief passes over her face as a smile brightens Charley’s.
They start to talk and Charley helps her with her things.
Damn. I let the door go and step outside. I really need to get the fuck out of here before my dick starts getting ideas that are going to get me in a whole world of shit.
It happens, quite a bit, regardless of what Beast wants. Hell, even Nero has been with some of the dancers. For a while, him and Ellie had a semi-exclusive mutual arrangement. Not a lot of people know about it, and I’m sure he would like to forget it now he’s with Taylor. They’re never likely to meet.
I can’t imagine Taylor would be happy knowing her guy has slept with a stripper who everyone likes and respects, looks like an iconic movie star who does outstanding burlesque shows, and gets secrets out of men by fucking them until their brains melt and their lips start flapping.
Or maybe she wouldn’t care, don’t know her well enough.
Rebel texts as I’m leaving to say Nero is calling Church and I should get back to the club. It will have gone out to all the officers, and means drop everything, especially when it hasn’t been scheduled.
I make good time but am still one of the last to arrive. Nero wants to let us know that nothing has come back on us from the Morris disappearance and any police investigations going haven’t connected us in any way.
He runs through some other business then gets to what he really wanted to talk about.
“You remember Cannon’s club got raided a few weeks ago?” he asks.
“Yeah,” Razer laughs. “That was a shame.”
A couple of the others laugh. Nero orchestrated it after the owner, who we’d been working with for years, decided to go get his product from Storm, another way that piece of shit was trying to undercut us. Whole thing went to shit and now he’s facing jail time.
“They’re having to sell the club to pay for legal fees and other shit.”
“Serves the fuckers right,” Beast leans back in his chair.
“Where would we stand if I wanted to buy it?” Nero looks at Blaze.
“It’s in a good location, has a fairly decent reputation and handled the right way, it can make a pretty decent turnover. We’d want to change things up and relaunch though. After the raid people are going to be wary.”
Nero waves his hand like that is all something we can think about later.
