“Did you put our name on the list?” I ask Katy as she grabs my hand and walks to the front of the line. I’ve seen this building from my window, and it always catches my sight at night. The different colors hitting the walls all the way around the building, the sign bold and tells you exactly where you are. Being this close to it, just standing outside, you know you’re about to enter a club that is so high class you’re going to feel you’ve entered paradise.
“Yes, I booked it three weeks ago, and even then, I had to fight for it.” Katy shouts as I walk behind her, the rest of her friends talking to each other. I don’t really know them. I’ve seen them a few times come to the shop when her shift is finished, but I’ve never been out with them before.
Katy talks to the bouncer at the door, who looks between us all and then moves to the side to let us in. This is the first time any of us have been here, and the moment I walk in my mouth opens as I take it all in.
This place is amazing. Looking up, I see cages up in the air with a girl in each of them. There are pole dancers on the floor where we are. I stop and take a good look at everything, from the different lights to the dance floor, and it makes me wonder what type of club this is. Is it a high class strip club? Or is it an r-rated club? The music is so loud, people are dancing in the middle of the vast room, and there are groups in booths with a pole in the middle. I’m guessing that’s for parties.
My body tenses up, and quickly looking behind me, the feeling of someone watching me hits me. A feeling I know all too well, unfortunately. I lived a long time with this feeling of being watched, and I never want it to happen again. Seeing no one behind me, I take a quick scan around the club, something I do out of habit; always check your surroundings. Nothing.
“Your drink!” Katy places it in my hand and I look down at it. “I have no idea what it is, but the picture looked nice. Cheers.” She taps her glass with mine, and I take a sip. Oh, this is nice, so I take another sip and another one.
“So, where are we going?” I ask her.
Looking around at the groups that are here, we have a mix of men and women, a group of men, a group of women all watching the pole dancers. It’s not the worst thing to watch. I mean, they really know how to move. I wish I had the courage to do that. I love my body. I’ve worked hard for it but the thought of stripping in front of someone excites me, and make me want to curl up into a ball.
“There is an empty booth,” one of Katy’s friends shouts. Katy takes my hand and we make our way over where the other girls are. Katy introduced all her friends to me so fast, I can’t remember what her name is. Hopefully, by the end of the night I will be able to put a name to the faces.
A man puts three pitchers of Long Island Iced Tea on the table, and Katy thanks him. I look over at her as she fills my glass again.
Oh god I’m so not going to be great tomorrow morning after these drinks “Okay girls, we are hunting for a man-” Katy shouts then points to me. “-a Prince Charming for my girl, Autumn-Rose.”
“I am not the only single person here.” I point to Katy who is single herself , and I’m sure she said two of the other girls are, too. “Plus, I doubt there’s no prince here. I have a feeling everyone here is only looking for a one-night stand.” I look around again trying to take everything in and make sure I know where the exit is. I still feel someone watching me and it’s making me doubt my choice of coming out tonight.
“Nothing wrong with a one-night stand.” Katy and another girl cheers their glasses, and I laugh as I finish my drink. Before Iplace the glass on the table, Katy fills it back up. “Claire?” I knew it started with a C. Claire puts her glass out for it to be filled.
“How many pitchers will we get through tonight?” I ask, seeing that between us all the three we had are now empty.
“We’re having fun tonight. We’re dancing, watching some strippers, and if we’re lucky, we’re gonna leave with someone sexy.”
Claire looks around the club, and I look up at the girls in the cages. From what I can see, there are six floors. Six floors, which all have different themes. Katy did say the sixth floor is VIP, and the fifth floor has more of a R-rated vibe in there. I didn’t ask what goes on, on that floor, I think that is beyond my limits.
Whoever thought of this place, has got to be smart. It’s full of people, dancing, kissing, drinking and laughing.
When I first moved in I thought this was an apartment building, because it looks to have eight floors just like my building. My mind goes straight to what’s on the top two floors? “Would you girls like to join our group?” I turn around and smile at two very handsome men. Katy looks at us and starts answering him but stops when a taller guy walks up to the table.
“Leave,” he tells the two men. They do. Immediately. This man clearly has some power.
“Mr. Cain would like to invite you to the third floor. If you want to party, that’s the floor to be on.” He moves a little and waits for us to get out of the booth, but I can’t move.
I don’t know what to say. What does Mr. Cain have to do with this place? Oh My God, does he own this club?
Without meaning to, I look around to see if I can see him. Do I want to see him again? My body gets excited at the thought of him being here. Was it him I was feeling watching me?
“This way ladies,” the guy’s voice pulls me away from looking around the club. “And your tab will be taken care of,” he tells us, and Katy grabs my hand as we follow him to the third floor.
“Here is your booth. This is Amber and she will look after your drinks order for tonight. Male or female stripper?” he says without flinching. We just stand there in silence. I’m not going to lie, I don’t think any one of us expected that question to come out of his mouth. I look around the floor, trying to see what is different about this floor to the one we were on only a few minutes ago. Leaning over the barrier, I can see down at the floors. The middle of it looks down to the second and ground floor. Everything is black on this floor: the booth, the pole, the table, and even our new drinking glasses. The only thing that isn’t black is there are different lights showcasing each booth. “I will send over both for you. Enjoy your evening. I’ll be back over later to check on you and make sure you are having a great night.”
I start walking after him, wanting to know ifheis here, but stop when Katy stands in front of me and hands me a glass of wine. Where the hell did she get this from? She places a hand on her hip and tilts her head.
“Autumn-Rose, do you have something to tell me?” she asks.
“No,” I answer quickly.
“Now I know I don’t know a Mr.Cain. None of us do, which leaves you. Spill.” The tone of her voice and the drinks I’ve already had makes me giggle. I drink my wine all in one go. What do I have to tell her? Nothing happened with my one encounter with Mr. Cain. Or did it? I’ve not been able to get him out of my mind.
“This morning when I was with Poppy at the ice rink, he was there. Mr Cain. He barely said maybe two words to me, and looked at me for five seconds, if that.” Katy narrows her brows at me, and I smile because there is nothing else to tell her. “I swear, that’s it.”
“Crazy story, but I believe you. Is he hot?” Katy asks as we sit down in the booth, and I place my glass on the table, which getsfilled immediately. How is my glass getting so filled up? This is crazy.