Page 76 of Lovers Fate

“One song,” I tell him. A hundred is better than what I made dancing on stage earlier. A lap dance is fifty bucks but a girl can ask for whatever she wants without actually asking. Rachel says she doesn’t it all the time.

“I’m assuming this is okay,” he says holding up both bills.

I nod hating the scent of his cologne. I glance around and notice everyone else around is wearing a mask.

I wait until the song ends to make sure he gets what he paid for because I need the money. My eyes scan the bar and a pair of brown eyes collide with mine. Rose.

The lights shift right and I see her mouth turn down into a frown. Her eyes flicking between me and the man in front of me.

A girl has to do, what she has to.

Shit, I should get his name. I’ve seen girls do that. It wins them over even if they give you a fake one but my eyes can’t seem to pull away from the disapproval in Rose’s gaze as she cleans a glass. I give her a half shrug. A girl like Rose doesn’t understand and I don’t need her to.

The song ends and another one begins. Gina takes the stage, whistles and cheers float in the air.

“My name is Jack,” he says, without having to ask. He runs his gaze over me as I move between his legs. He didn’t let me get to that part but whatever. He must have come here before.

I take a deep breath, the smell of cigars, cigarettes, alcohol, and this man’s cologne mixes in my nose and it makes me want to gag.

I look over my shoulder toward the stage and my eyes land right on Gina. She gives me a wide smile. She turns back to the DJ and then turns to face me giving me wink.

Great, she chose the song.

When it begins, the sounds of a violin followed by deep bass shakes the walls. Dip by Tyga and Nicki Minaj take over.

“Let’s play,”the little voice pops in my head as I lock eyes with Jack swaying my hips.

Jack’s gaze dips to my hips. Disgust tugs at my skin making me ready to snap wanting nothing more than to spill is drink that I now know is whiskey with every breath he takes.

He picks up one of the bills using it has an excuse to lift my skirt and suddenly a hand slams on the table. I look up and there’s a man with an ivory-colored mask that says DEVIL dripping in red paint.

Jack’s eyes go wide.

I look at the entrance to Hank who is manning the door. He stares at the man with the mask but does nothing.

My eyes land on Jack not knowing what to do. Jack is about to protest, the words about to spill from his lips but the masked man shakes his head slowly. Mechanically.

Well fuck. I need the money and I haven’t finished the dance.

Something inside me kicks in. A surge of something powerful. I feel it in the tips of my fingertips making the tiny hairs on my skin to stand.

My smile drips sex as I stare at the man in the mask. “I’ll be just a minute.” He shakes his head again. “What’s wrong,” I say innocently. “Devil got your tongue.”

“Hey man, wait your turn,” Jack says.

Pussy, he had to wait until I said something for him to have the balls.

I glance at the masked man. He’s tall and there is something familiar about him. Like I’ve seen him before but I don’t know where. It’s not here that’s for sure. I would have remembered.

“Come on, baby,” I hum, right when the song ends and give the masked man a wink. “I promise take care of you.”

He looks at Jack and I don’t need him to take off the mask to know he’s giving him a lethal stare but what has me confused is that no one is doing anything.

Rules of the club, one customer cannot interfere with a dance from another. If you’re rowdy, drunk or touch the girls without permission, you’re out. Same with recording and pictures which works for me nicely.

I tilt my head and suck in a breath when the masked man plucks the money from the string of my panties and tosses it in Jack’s face.

I glare at him. Then smile and say through clenched teeth, “What’s your problem?”

---