Page 5 of Uncover Me (Men of Inked 4)
Catcalls and whistles were easy to block out over the sound of “Buttons” by the Pussycat Dolls. The three minutes and forty-six seconds seemed to pass quicker than normal as I thought about Blue. When the number ended and the men clapped, I bowed and quickly grabbed the bills scattered about the stage before heading to the dressing room.
I didn’t care about counting my tips. The only thing I wanted to do was check my phone. But the screen was blank as I pressed the “on” button. Sighing to myself, I tossed the phone on my station.
“Hot date?” Foxy asked, fixing her lip gloss in the mirror.
“I was hoping for a call.” I plopped my ass in the chair, kicking off my heels to rub my feet.
“They always say they’ll call.” She smacked her lips together and hoisted her tits higher in her red cutout bra.
“He’s different.”
He is, damn it. He wasn’t like the other pricks and perverts sitting in the club tonight. He was a gentleman. Treating me with respect, he showed me softness and made me feel important.
I stared at myself in the mirror, trying to determine if I was full of shit.
“Don’t fool yourself, babe. You’ll have a lot of disappointment if you do.”
“I’m aware of how most men are. He’s not like that, Fox.”
She walked behind me, looking at me in the mirror. “If you say so, kid.” Then she squeezed my shoulder, a sad smile on her face.
“Foxy, I know how most men are, but Blue is different.”
“Ahhh,” she said as she clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “Blue.” She hung on his name like she knew him intimately.
My stomach turned at the thought of him with another woman. I wasn’t a fool. I knew he probably had a handful of girls he’d spent his nights with in the last month. Hell, it could be in the double digits.
He wasn’t mine.
I had no claim on him.
“Have you—” I started to say before she held up her hand.
“With Blue? Never.”
“But you know him?”
“Every girl does, Roxy.”
“They do?” I asked, shocked by her admission. “Are people talkin’ shit?”
She laughed, shaking her head. “Who’s dumb enough to talk shit about Blue?”
“You tell me. You’re the one who made the statement.”
“Girls talk, babe. Trust me—every girl in here has tried with him.”
“What?” My mouth gaped open.
“They’ve all hit on him. All asked to go home with him. But the answer is always the same.”
“Which is?”
I mean, what the fuck? Why couldn’t she just spill it? I swear she got off on driving other women crazy.
“He always tells them no.” She grabbed my hair, playing with it in her hands as she kept her eyes locked on mine.
My cheeks felt flushed, heat rushing to my face. “He does?” I asked. Then I swallowed hard as relief flooded me.
“He always tells them he’s not interested and that he’s only here for one girl.”
Closing my eyes, I tried to hide my emotion. He turned them all down. I wanted to collapse and cry happy tears, but I couldn’t. I wouldn’t let her know how much her words meant to me. Then I heard her footsteps as she moved away from my station, but I didn’t dare look.
The one thing I’d learned since being here was to never show fear…or sadness. This was a cutthroat business. When one girl made huge tips, it lessened the income of the others. Some of them would use any angle possible to bring you down and end the competition—even Foxy.
“You and him a thing?” she asked as she slipped on a different pair of shoes.
“I don’t know if I’d call it that.”
“He fuck you?” she asked.
Opening my eyes, I turned toward her and tilted my head. I’d always felt she was the one person I could trust in this place. She was more of a girlfriend than a frenemy.
“Yes.”
“Does he stay the night?”
“Sometimes.”
“You fuckin’ anyone else?”
“No.”
“Well, I know he isn’t fucking any other strippers.”
“I don’t know what the hell we are, Foxy. Honestly, it’s complicated.”
“Babe, all relationships are complicated. They’re fucked up and glorious. Life without complication is boring as hell. You know when shit isn’t complicated?”
Part of what she said was right. Life was fucked up. “When?”
“When you’re old and pissing yourself in the nursing home. We die the same way we came into this life. Alone. That shit ain’t complicated.”
“Thanks for being a buzzkill. Jesus, that’s some depressing shit.”
“It’s the truth. Enjoy whatever you and Mr. Complicated have going on. Someday, you’ll wish you could have the fucked-up, complicated life to do again.”
I didn’t know if I wanted to laugh or cry. Time passes by in a blink of an eye, and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. Someday, I would be old, Blue would be old, and this would be all in the past. The only thing I knew for sure
was that I didn’t want to die alone.
“Thanks for the pep talk, Foxy. Ever think of changing professions?” I asked, trying to keep the mood light.
“As what?”
“An inspirational speaker.” I giggled, throwing my head back and holding my stomach.
“Oh, fuck off. I speak the truth. It isn’t pretty, but I’m right.”
I didn’t want to sit here another moment and wonder about “what if.” Instead, I grabbed my phone and typed a message to Blue.
Me: I hope to see you tonight. I’ll be in my bed waiting for you, handsome.
After dimming the screen, I put the phone in my locker and readied myself for another set. The ball was in his court now.
Chapter 4
Just as I was about to send a message to Roxy, my phone rang. It was Flash. Cocksucker Flash. He’d put my sister in danger. Even though he grew up in my hometown, I didn’t think he knew me, but then again, he was a dumb motherfucker. Maybe he was too young and too focused on my sister to make the connection.
“What?” I barked, ready to head to Roxy’s.
“Thomas, you have to find Izzy!” he yelled, his breath harsh as he spoke.
“What the fuck are you talking about, Flash?” If something had happened because of Flash, I’d slit his throat.
“It’s Rebel. He figured out who she is…who you are! You’re both in danger, man. Find her!”
It took everything in me not to drop the phone and run. “Where are you?” I walked on silent feet toward the door, checking if someone was eavesdropping. After opening the door, I looked in both directions, making sure no one was nearby.
“Other end of the clubhouse. I’ll meet you out back. We need to find her, Thomas.”
“On my way!” I yelled, hitting end before I grabbed my keys.
Trying to play it cool, I walked through the clubhouse, leaving word with one of the prospects that I’d be out for the night. I’d done that many times, so it wouldn’t seem out of place.
My chest felt heavy as my heart beat wildly against my insides. Panic grew with each step I made toward Flash.
What if we are too late? Rebel wasn’t a kind man.
He’d take no pity on my sister. He’d rape her and kill her just to get back
