Page 106 of Injustice and Absolution

And so on.

Every few seconds, I look back at Drew, hoping the lustful longing I saw the first time wasn’t a figment of my imagination.

When my second song ends, I search for Drew again, but he’s gone. With him, he took all the desire and elation I just felt, causing me to question everything I thought I saw.

As trepidation sinks in, stealing away the last of the high I was just riding, I barely remember where I am and what I’m doing.

Focus, Delilah.

Quickly gathering the strewn money and clothing from the surface of the stage. I run as quickly as these shoes will allow me to, back through the curtain, clutching all of it to my chest.

It’s a very hard feat considering the number of bills that were left behind. I have no idea how much is here, but it’s the last thing on my mind as I shuffle down the hall and into the dressing area. When I get there, I practically run into Lyric who is waiting for me with a hug.

“You were amazing!” She squeezes me tightly.

Before I have a chance to thank her—or to even think—the door to the dressing room bursts open, and Drew enters.

His face is impassive. I can’t tell if he’s mad. If he is, is it with fury or lust?

He grabs Haven’s robe off the back of her chair then drapes it around me. He ties it at the waist, leaving my arms to clutch my chest as he gathers the empty sleeves in one fist. Tugging me along behind him, he escorts me out of the room and into his office across the hall.

My spine stiffens as we enter, going back to the same emotional state I was in the last time I was in this room, less than twenty-four hours ago. It’s crazy how four walls can hold such explosive passion like we’ve felt when he’s fucked me on his desk. And at the same time, such pain and heartbreak like what we both experienced last night.

I continue into the room and hear the door close behind me. Drew engages the lock, and I turn to face him. I’m terrified but desperate to know what he’s thinking.

My breathing quickens as anticipation eats away at me. Finally, Drew faces me, and something inside me snaps. I begin sobbing as thick tears gush from my eyes. I know I've made another mistake, even without him telling me. No longer able to wait for him to speak, I begin blubbering my apologies.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I thought it would make you happy since we were short two dancers.”

I can’t bring myself to throw Josie under the bus. And I’ll need her on my side when Drew is through chastising me.

It takes him one step before he’s in front of me, cupping my face, pulling me into him, and once again holding my body as it trembles.

“What on earth are you apologizing for, pretty girl?”

I feel his voice vibrating in his chest, and I wonder if I heard wrong. Were his words garbled since my ear was pressed against him, and I only thought I heard him correctly?

I push away from him so I can see his face and make sure I didn’t imagine it. When I notice his smile and the light in his eyes, I breathe a little easier.

“You’re not angry?” My sobbing slows.

“Why on earth would I be angry? I love you for doing what you did... Doing it for me.”

My first genuine smile in days tugs on the corners of my lips.

“And you were incredible. So incredible, in fact...” He doesn’t finish with words. Instead, he grabs himself over his pants, and his eyes darken with lust, just like they did out on the floor.

“I was so nervous, I couldn’t possibly have been as good as you’re insinuating,” I gripe, wiping away the tears from my cheeks.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

Drew rips open the robe, and it falls to the ground. Then he forces my arms open, away from my chest. Money rains to the floor surrounding my stripper shoes along with the bra top and two sheer pieces ofclothingI had on.

“Do you know how much money must be here?”

Drew picks some of it up off the floor. In just one handful, I see countless twenties, two fifties, and a lone hundred-dollar bill. There’s at least three times that’s still stuck in the elastic of my thong and on the floor.

“Come here,” Drew commands, dropping the money to the floor and grabbing my hand.

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