Page 24 of When You Dance
“You know that nigga?”
I glanced at him, but I refused to answer him. We’d just met tonight, and I refused to tell him anything. He could get whatever information he needed from someone who thought they knew what was up. As if my silence meant nothing, he continued. “The other guy was talking about fucking you, and he went off. Of course, the other guy used quite a few derogatory terms that aren’t appropriate for me to repeat.”
I still ignored him. When I got to my car, I turned to him and said, “Thank you for walking me out. I appreciate it.”
“It’s my job. I got’chu though.”
I got in my car and drove away feeling pissed that the night was ruined. Being intimate with him wasn’t a good idea. Going to breakfast with him after I’d gotten fired was a mistake. The first private dance for his birthday was a bad decision. And surely the second private dance was a bad call. He’d sunk his claws into me and was refusing to let go. If he caused me to lose this job, knowing it was my only source of income, I’d file fucking harassment charges on his ass.
Just the thought of that had tears falling from my eyes. I didn’t know if he was okay or whether they’d called the police on him. Just as I lifted my phone to call him, he was calling me. I quickly accepted the call. “Are you out of your mind? Why are you fighting in the club, Jamel?”
He huffed, then said, “I lost it. I’m sorry. When he said he wanted to slow fuck your fat pussy, I told him to shut the fuck up. I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle that shit, but I came out anyway. I should’ve stayed my ass at home, but I love to watch you dance. When you dance, everything in my world is good, baby. But I realized tonight, I’ll only be able to get those dances in private. I’ma end up in fucking jail.”
I rolled my eyes. This would most likely be our last conversation for a while because this was stress I didn’t need in my life. Jamel was proving to be possessive, and I could only hope that he wasn’t trying to manipulate me into quitting this job. It was too early for me to be choosing him over my bag. He would get the ax first.
CHAPTER11
JAMEL
“When do you finally go back to work?” Pop asked.
“Tomorrow. Got my recertification Friday.”
He gave me a look, and I knew that he knew something was wrong. I’d fucked up. I hadn’t heard from Sandrene since Wednesday night, and I hadn’t been to the club since then either. That nigga next to me at the club just wouldn’t quit. I didn’t tell her the whole story because it wasn’t necessary, but I really wanted her to understand me.
“Got damn! Where she come from?”
I sat in my seat and sipped on my drink as Obsession strutted her fine ass on stage. The nigga next to me was mesmerized just like I was the first time I’d seen her. It was his friend that said, “If I had my way, she’d be cumming on my dick every chance we got.”
I tensed up some, but I let that shit ride. I watched her roll her hips, and when we made eye contact, she held my gaze. I knew what I said to her before she went to work rubbed her the wrong way. The words,what if she actually liked being a stripper,came to me. I couldn’t remember who’d said it, but it was most likely my mama or DJ. However, I knew that if she would let herself feel, she would know that what we had was worth exploring. Our attraction and chemistry was too strong to ignore it.
As she stared at me while grabbing her nipples, I licked my lips, wanting to get at her immediately. The guy next to me glanced at me, then said something to his boy. It was like he wanted to get a rise out of me because he noticed that she was staring at me.
“Whoever her nigga is can’t be worth shit if she still popping that pussy for whoever wants to see. Once I shove this dick down her throat, she won’t wanna come here for attention. I’ll fuck that bitch into paralysis, my nigga.”
He laughed and they slapped hands. I stood from my seat and said, “But you gon’ watch yo’ fucking mouth.”
“Oh! You must be her nigga!” He turned to his boy and said, “I must have stepped on that nigga toes.”
I stepped closer to him and said, “I’m not her nigga, but I don’t have to be to demand you respect her.”
“Muthafucka, respect a stripper? She must got yo’ ass pussy whipped. She ain’t nothing but a bitch that wants attention.”
I shoved him in his chest, and the bouncers all rushed us as I swung and hit him in his jaw. “Respect that right hook, muthafucka. Yo’ mama must be an attention seeking bitch, since you think you know what that looks like… Projecting yo’ mommy issues on every woman you see.”
“Fuck you, nigga! I got some shit for you!” he yelled as a bouncer carried him off.
“I know you a regular, cuh, and you never give us problems, but we gon’ have to ask you to leave too.”
“Yeah,” I said as I snatched my jacket from the chair.
When I got outside, I saw that Sandrene’s car was already gone. After getting to my car, I pulled my phone out to call her, but she went off on me for just what she saw. My explanation wasn’t good enough for her.
“You’re right. Maybe you need to limit your time at the club, because I’m not quitting anytime soon. If you have a problem with what I do then you need to move around. I was doing this before I met you. You don’t get to come in my life and try to change what I have going on.”
She hung up in my face, and when I tried to call her back, she didn’t answer. I couldn’t sit there at the club and just allow him to say whatever the fuck he wanted to say about her. I tried calling her again, but she didn’t answer. I’d lost her.
“Can I talk to you?” I asked Pop.
