Page 25 of Seducer

CHAPTER 8

Sara

Men were pigs.

I’d come to that conclusion after the grueling night. Had an underground asylum opened up, allowing their dark and devious patients a free pass for a night? I’d never been propositioned as many times as I had during my shift.

Thankfully, none of the jerks had gone as far as Jerry had. They should thank their lucky stars for that. Mr. Phantom of the Opera had continued watching everything I did even when I wasn’t servicing his table, and I knew without a doubt my resident hero would have pummeled the face of any man who’d dared accost me with too much verve.

While I’d purposely tried my best to stay away from Zach’s table, his buddies had been heavy drinkers, constantly whistling for my attention.

Zach had been polite, but his eyes had told a different story.

The man had been hungering for me.

Not that I could say I wouldn’t enjoy a single night of passion with the man. How long had it been since I’d even been interested? So long, I was hoping it worked like getting back on a bike. At least I was able to laugh at myself.

Damn all men.

That was easier for me to think about.

At least the shitshow was over and I could pretend the night had never occurred.

My God, I was discombobulated. I’d left the building wearing my complete costume, barely grabbing my things from my locker on the way out, I’d been in such a hurry. At least I’d managed to drive my legs into a pair of jeans and toss on my light jacket. If I was pulled over for a traffic violation, the cops would think I was off my rocker given the makeup remaining on my face.

I hadn’t cared. I’d felt suffocated, wanting nothing more than to get the hell into the fresh air. Sadly, there was a distinct stench in the air.

Alcohol.

Cigarette smoke.

Puke and piss from idiots using the alley.

And something else.

Death.

I was certain of it, as if a fresh body had been tossed behind the dumpsters. I was macabre that way, seeing boogeymen in every corner of my world at any given time. I’d laugh off the sensationshad Jerry not provided me with a heaping helping of the creepy-crawlies. Why tonight?

The answer that had been floating in my mind was strange. It was as if the world as I knew it was about to change.

Angry with myself, I no longer felt suffocated, just intolerant of stupidity. I stared at the mask I’d grabbed, the latest purchase off the cuff, but it had gone over well. How many nights had I worn a mask since accepting a position with Club Sanity? At least two hundred. Not once had I felt claustrophobic in them. Ugh. All because of some creep on steroids.

After shoving the mask into my bag, I took long strides through the parking lot, constantly scanning the area as I did every night. My legs ached more than usual. Nothing a delicious glass of wine and a long bath couldn’t cure. Thank God tomorrow was Sunday. At least I could curl under the covers all day long if I wanted to.

“You think you’re something special. Don’t you? I caught you.”

Instantly, I froze.

“You are a piece of work,” he added.

My breath caught in my throat. I was standing right beside my car, my keys in my hands, but the man’s voice indicated he was right behind me. Mere inches away. The employee parking lot was well lit and I’d never felt uncomfortable. But tonight was a different story. Often one of the bouncers ensured every employee who worked until closing made it to their vehicles safely, but a last-minute bar fight had prevented either man from standing guard in the parking lot.

It was after two-thirty, a time I liked to call the bewitching hour. While Chicago was like the Big Apple in that the citynever seemed to sleep, the majority of activities had been taken indoors by this point.

I’d never felt so alone or vulnerable.

If his determined words were any indication, he wasn’t the least bit intoxicated.

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