Page 19 of Neverland

Chapter 5

NOW

It was a full house on a chilly Friday night and the patrons were feeling frisky. The regulars were in attendance claiming their usual positions. Some were big spenders who’d enjoy a tease before booking something more lucrative. Their credit cards were ready and their wallets were lined with plenty of cash for tips. Others simply had a few drinks while watching the girls’ dance, often too embarrassed to converse even with the waitresses.

“Babe,” Blaze called as I walked from the dressing room. She practically sprinted like a graceful gazelle and took both my hands in hers. “Can I share your locker?”

“Sure, but why?”

Again, she jumped up and down with school girl excitement. “So, looks like this is my last week here!” She couldn’t spill the words fast enough from her glossy lips.

I was excited for her, but I also froze with fear.

“And the new girl…” she continued, “… has started early, and to keep the peace, Momma G says to move her in fully, so I need to squeeze my shit in with yours.” Blaze shook my hand. “Babe, why aren’t you saying anything?”

“I’m going to miss you, that’s all.”

Blaze pulled me into a hug, and while her sequined bra scratched my chest, it felt good to be held by someone I cared about, and who cared about me. “I’m going to miss you, too, honey.” She gently pulled away so she could see my face. “But I promise when I get there I’ll find us both work so you can come and join us.”

“Sounds good.” It sounded perfect but it would never happen.

“The floor, ladies,” a voice boomed down the hall. “Get on the floor. There’s not enough girls there.”

Blaze rolled her eyes so far to the back of her head, her irises disappeared. “Fucking jerk-off,” she said, her relationship with Anton still on a rocky road.

“What’d you call me?” he snapped, yet Blaze seemed completed undeterred.

She spun on her heel. “I called you, a… Fucking. Jerk. Off.”

Anton closed the space with just two easy strides that would take us four. Without laying a hand on Blaze, he used his size to back her against the wall. There wasn’t a flicker of fear in her pretty eyes, but my nails cut into my soft palms, hands instinctively fisting just as they did as a young girl when my father charged at me.

“I cannot wait until you fuck up so I can see you get fucked up.”

Blaze smiled revealing perfectly straight teeth and a wicked gleam. “Keep waiting, douche bag. ‘Cause I’m outta here come tomorrow night.”

“And fucking good riddance to you.” With a stony-eyed stare, Anton left, but not before yelling over his shoulder, “Now get to the fucking floor and do your job.”

“What the hell did you ever do to that guy to piss him off so bad? Honestly, I swear he comes within an inch of hitting you every time.”

Blaze was still wearing her stunning smile. “I refused to fuck him and left him with blue balls, I guess. You know what that does to a man.”

She swung open the door to the main floor making a grand entrance that immediately drew eyes despite two girls putting on quite the show on stage.

“See you in VIP,” Blaze said before heading straight to one of her high tippers. We were both booked out later on, and us hitting the floor was merely to draw in new customers.

I found Gerald who we called a ‘rock.’ A rock in this industry was someone who comes to enjoy the shows, but spends very little, if anything, and certainly was not a tipper. Gerald was an overweight tax accountant, who was also one of the loveliest people I’d met. Despite being a regular in a strip club, he was a shy personality and hated being approached by the girls. Except me.

“Hey, Gerald,” I greeted, squeezing his arm.

“Evening, Diamond,” he replied, and even under the dim floor lights I could see his cheeks blushing. “That’s a lovely color on you.”

I glanced down at my outfit. The lacy dress was a deep purple in color. I hated it. Dominic had picked it out for me to wear. Anything he chose, I despised. Gerald and I fell into easy conversation. He liked to tell me about his new side-ventures which included cyber-hacking. I didn’t much understand it but showed my enthusiasm for his passion. After all, I was probably the only female in his life he actually confided in.

A waitress I hadn’t seen before, who I guessed was the new girl set to replace Blaze, sidled up next to Gerald. His relaxed demeanor with me quickly changed when someone unknown entered his personal space. I even found myself frowning at her overfriendly proximity. Her lace-covered breasts rubbed against his arm, and in his discomfort, he inched away desperate for space.

“We’re fine here, thank you,” I said to the girl who was balancing her silver tray with one hand while tracing a nail seductively down his arm.

“Just doing my job,” she replied, cocking a smug eyebrow at me. She was a young, slight girl, yet loaded with attitude, especially as she waltzed toward the table Blaze was attending. If she thought I was rude, she was in for a shock with Blaze.

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