Risa
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It smells like sweatand horny desperation.
I have to force myself not to wrinkle my nose as I attempt to suppress my senses even more than when we were in town, but I’m seriously struggling. The Friday night crowd has the club full to bursting, and my instincts are raging against the idea of dropping my guard. The only point in my favor is the cage surrounding me as I hover barely above the crowd. All it would take is someone to reach up and they could grab my ankle through the bottom of the bars, but it’s enough to keep the majority at bay.
Maybe I should bring a bike lock tomorrow.
If the door couldn’t be opened by anyone else, it might be easier to drop my guard. Imprisoned, but of my own making, letting the cage act as an extra layer of protection between me and the outside world.
“Hot damn. How the hell am I supposed to be on guard duty with you lookin’ like that?” Bane shouts over the thundering bass as he comes in from circling the building, taking a seat at the table to my right with Stryker and Mason.
There’s a massive stage where the DJ is currently set up to the side, leaving plenty of space for the strippers to work. Unlike some clubs though, Underground only does a few shows a night, and they’re usually in depth acts. The rest of the time it’s simply a place to get hammered, dance, and find your next lay. Ten cages are spread out around the place, ensuring the table area still gets a show this far from the stage and keeping the atmosphere going on the dance floor.
The bar off to the left has a line big enough to keep the bartenders frantic, and the bouncers on their toes, which means even if one of us desperately needed to pee or grab a drink, we’d be shit out of luck. Only way we can get up into these cages is a boost, and asking a rando for help getting down is one of the worst mistakes you can make. At best, you have to deal with a hand on your ass, but after Jessica’s incident where the guy was waiting at her car after her shift, Mindy put her foot down so we never have a repeat of the incident.
Adding an extra sway as I rock my hips, I waggle my eyebrows playfully. “I’m shocked someone didn’t snag it from my locker the first day I missed work, honestly. It’s one of my favorites.”
The silver bikini reflects the low lighting, the thin chain from my choker running a line down my chest to fasten to my top between my breasts. Three matching chains on each of my hips hold the sheer, amethyst swath of fabric in place, the two strips ending just above my ankles. It gives the illusion of a skirt, weightlessly flowing as I dance and drawing the eye. I might not appreciate being the center of attention, hence why I opt to stay in the cages instead of setting foot on the stage, but I can appreciate what it is that I do.
There’s no shame in feeling sexy simply for yourself, especially while doing something you love. I just despise strangers pawing at me like I’m dancing for them instead of myself.
Mason takes a sip of his drink, heated gaze holding me captive. “Not a single person in this place would question why I ran off to elope with you out of the blue. It’s the perfect cover.”
A laugh bursts from my lips before I can stop myself and I need to turn away from them until I regain my composure so that I don’t piss off Mindy. Last thing I need is to get fired on my first night back.
The longer the night drags on, the better I feel. Knowing the three of them are so close, being able to lean on the bond for comfort, the more I’m able to drop my guard and tune out everything else. By the time eleven rolls around, I’ve completely deluded myself into pretending that they’re the only other people in the room.
A few sharp smacks against the metal draw my attention, turning to find two police officers. Crouching down so I can hear, one of them hollers up, “Risa Pierce?”
“It’s Emerson now, but yeah, that’s me. Can I help you?”
The two of them share a look before the other states. “We have a few questions if you’d give us a moment of your time.”
Glancing over to where I last saw Mindy, I finally catch her eye, gesture down to the cops, and she gives me a nod of approval. Tapping her watch, she sends me a thumbs up, letting me know that it’s close enough to the end of my shift that we’re good for me to call it a night without issue. Unlatching the door, Stryker is already halfway here to help me down, but Bane puts a hand on his shoulder with a whispered warning in his ear to keep up appearances, leaving them both scowling.
As I sit on the edge, Mason appears beneath me, gesturing for me to drop. He catches me easily, lowering me to the ground and keeps a hand around my waist as he faces the police officers, casually defensive. “May we help you officers?”
The darker haired one raises an eyebrow. “We have some questions for Ms. Pier-“ he corrects himself, nodding as it clicks. “Emerson. I take it you’re the husband?”
“That’s correct,” he replies easily.
As I see the look they exchange, I tap Mason’s chest reassuringly, knowing this will go a lot easier if they don’t think Mason’s presence is influencing my answers. “No worries, Mas, I’ve got a feeling what this is probably about. Why don’t you take your brothers to grab another drink while you wait for me?”
Lips pressing into a flat line, he nods, kissing my temple before pulling away. “We’ll be at the bar if you need us.”
I make sure that the smile I give him shows how much I adore and appreciate him, not just for his benefit, but for the police officers’. “Deal. I’ll get changed afterward, and we can all grab something to eat before heading home. Sound good?”
He claps Stryker on the back as he catches up with the others, walking away. “Sounds perfect.”
Turning to the police, I tilt my head toward the hallway that leads to the dressing room and offices. “It’ll be easier to hear down that way, and I’m sure Mindy won’t mind if we use her office.”
Working through the dance floor, I smirk as the two men have to keep gently pushing people away, getting confused with male strippers. People go nuts for men in uniform, especially with a few drinks in them. By the time Nate is opening the door to the hallway he’s standing guard beside, both of the policemen are less rigid, this already not playing out as they apparently assumed.
Mindy’s office isn’t massive; big enough for a bookshelf, desk, and a few chairs, but it’s enough for an impromptu interrogation and blocks out the majority of the noise once the door shuts behind us. I sit on the edge of the desk, feeling weird about taking her chair like I’m leading this meeting while equally uncomfortable sitting in front of it like I’m in trouble.
The officers remain standing, and it’s the first time I’m able to get a solid look at them. Both of their hair is buzzed, wearing matching blue uniforms trimmed in gold and black. The taller of the two has dark hair with skin only a few shades lighter, and bright, hazel eyes that are constantly scanning his surroundings. I doubt he’d miss so much as a single twitch I made, looking for any sign that might give away I was lying about something.
