Page 27 of Chasing Danger

Oliver’s performance was nearly half over when I noticed something strange. During our date, he had claimed that the burn on his face wasn’t the only one, yet the body being displayed on stage looked flawless.

For a moment I questioned if I was actually watching the right person. However, as the dancer spun in a move that arched his back in a tantalizing display of flexibility, the stage lights glinted off his earring and I was once again certain that this person was Oliver.

His outfit included a pair of tall gloves that encased his entire arms but left his hands mostly uncovered so he could grasp the pole. It was possible that the other burns were only on his arms, yet his description seemed to imply the marks were on his body as well.

I would have to ask him about it later.

The song ended and Oliver finished his performance artfully draped over the stage floor. Years of conditioning in high-stress environments kept me calm on the outside, but on the inside my blood ran hot and my pants felt tighter than they had been a few minutes ago.

With the barest movements, I readjusted my clothes to lie more comfortably. Off to the side, Gavriil noticed my fidgeting and smirked.

After the performance, Oliver then climbed off the stage and mingled with the rest of the room. He laughed and flirted with guests, encouraging them to buy more drinks. It almost seemed genuine, but I’d been on the receiving end of his actual flirtations, and this was definitely an act.

I gave it a few minutes before finishing off my drink and heading over to where Oliver was talking with another guest. At first, I didn’t intend to interrupt and was content to wait until he was done. This was his job, after all. Interfering now would be just as inappropriate as if he interrupted my meeting with the Russians.

That idea went out the window when I drew close enough to hear their conversation.

“What’d you meannot available?” the guest demanded as he stood close enough to Oliver for their sides to press together. “You’re here. That means you’re available.”

Oliver tried to maneuver the man’s hand off his shoulder, but it only slipped down to his hip. “As I said, I’m not available at the moment. But Echo and Lux should be free right now.”

I slipped behind the pair, so far unnoticed as the man’s hand gripped Oliver’s hip tighter.

“I’ve already signed up for the stupid app and paid the cover fee to get in here. You owe me a dance.”

With a practiced move, the smile never left Oliver’s face as he pinched the back of the man’s hand to remove it. “Private dances have their own charge, and I don’t owe you anything. We have plenty of other dancers who are available for private shows. One of them would work better for you.”

Thick fingers gripped onto Oliver’s wrist, and my patience reached its limit. “Listen here—” the man started to say, but he never finished his statement.

I grabbed his wrist, pressing on a pressure point that forced him to let go, while my other arm curled over Oliver’s shoulders. “I’m afraid you’re too slow. I’ve already snagged this one for myself. You’ll have to find someone else to entertain you.”

The man looked like he was about to argue, but I squeezed his wrist harder until he flinched from the pain and his whole arm buckled. “Fine,” he said and snatched his wrist out of my grip. “Too much trouble anyway.”

I let him leave without a fight, preferring to give my attention to Oliver instead.

Wide hazel eyes stared up at me in shock, evident even through the half-mask covering his face.

Taking advantage of his shock, I guided him over to the door leading to the back rooms. It was surprisingly easy to gain access once I submitted the necessary payment through the club’s app. I tossed a look toward Gavriil, silently ordering him to stay and keep guard in the main room, then disappeared with Oliver through the door.

When we were finally alone in one of the private rooms, Oliver snapped out of his stupor.

“What are you doing here?”

Giving him my most disarming grin, I took a seat in the plush, padded armchair positioned right in front of a small stage. “What’d you mean? I’m a customer, just like anyone else.”

I watched the wheels turn in Oliver’s eyes as he wondered if I recognized him. For a moment, I debated keeping up the ruse and watching him squirm, but his real personality was so much better than the act he put on for guests.

“Don’t look so worried, Oliver. I know who you are.”

His shoulders slumped in a mix of relief and resignation. “Oh. How, um, how did you recognize me?”

I took a moment to admire him from head to toe, letting my gaze drag along his body longer than necessary. “Between the mask and the jewelry, it’s rather obvious.”

Oliver’s hands shot up to his earrings, which resembled a pair of planets with spinning rings. “My jewelry?”

“Yeah. You’re still wearing jewelry made by your friend. Like I said before, it’s distinctive. What are the odds someone wearing only this specific brand of jewelry would also include a mask in their costume that covers the whole left side of their face?”

Rather than reassure him, my answer only seemed to make him more nervous. He chewed on his thumbnail as a whole new wave of worries crashed over him. “Right. That makes sense. Uh, sorry. It must have been a shock to come in here and see me like this. You aren’t mad, are you?”

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