Page 6 of A Dark Duet

“I don’t know, Brie. I will not take my clothes off or do other stuff for money.”

“Then don’t,” she quips.

“Aww Brie, I didn’t mean it like that. I know you don’t go all nude and there are some regulars that you actually don’t mind doing extra dances for, but I just never thought about creating routines for that type of dance.”

She smiles, laughing. “I was just kidding, Giselle. Of course, I’m not mad. I just figured you needed to get your mind off stuff and needed a release. The girls would love you, and with your skills, it would be a win-win for all of us there. We would pack the house and you’d only have to dance three times a week.”

I shrug my shoulders. “Okay. Why not? Talk with the owner and let me know what he and the manager say.”

“I kind of already did,” she says.

I look at her wide eyed. “Holy shit. I already got the job?”

“Well, of course. You’re a bad bitch at dancing, Giselle, and if I vouch for you, then it must be true.”

“Okay, fine. On one condition, you guys teach me how to pole dance,” I say excitedly.

She turns to glance at me. “Deal.”

* * *

We get to her apartment and it’s small; really only for one person. I find the leasing manager and I am just in luck. There is an apartment available.

The couple living there needs a bigger place because they’re having a kid. She tells me it will be available in three days because the place needs to be cleaned and painted.

I’m so excited to have my own place in the same building as Brie. I really need the job at the club she mentioned called The Porcelain Dollhouse. An interesting name. Brie says all the girls that are selected to work there are beautiful, like porcelain dolls.

I can’t wait to learn how to pole dance. I love everything that has to do with dancing, even though my parents would turn in their graves if they found out.

Feels crazy thinking that they’re not around to call me anymore or wonder if I’m okay. I think the club will be good for me right now. I head over to Brie’s apartment after leaving the leasing manager’s office and knock on her door.

She opens immediately, smiling and hugging me. “Oh my gosh, Giselle. This is going to be so much fun living and working in the same place.”

I smile in her embrace, smelling her fruity body splash from her long blonde hair and look into the pretty blue eyes of my best friend in the universe.

I giggle. “I’m excited, too. And couldn’t do this without your help. I’m so grateful to have two jobs to pay for all my bills, and the best part is, I get to dance without being completely naked.”

“OMG, I know. Look, there is a back room that shit goes down in for VIP clients only, but you don’t have to do that or strip nude. They hire strictly to dance and perform special entertainment. If you ever go to the back room, you might learn some things.” She laughs, giving me a wink.

I immediately blush, thinking about looking at girls having sex with guys who are willing to pay for it. I have never been into voyeurism, but out of curiosity, I wouldn’t be offended at seeing people have sex with no emotions attached. My understanding of sex is to fall for a guy and being in love, but never just for unemotional reasons or to feel good.

“I can’t wait to try pole dancing. First, I want to figure out how to climb up, slide down real fast, and stop just before hitting the ground. I saw it on the internet once when pole dancing was trending,” I say.

“Okay. If you show me some badass dance routines with the right music, we can have this place jam-packed on weekends with all the girls making money. They all have goals to save enough for college, businesses, buy a house, and never have to pay rent again. This is just a stepping-stone in achieving them from the guys that are willing to pay for entertainment.”

“I’m going to learn something I never thought I would learn.They don’t teach pole dancing at Juilliard, that’s for sure,” I say, laughing.

“Okay. I got your pretty pink uniform and a name tag for the diner on Monday, and we have the weekend to teach you how to pole dance and perfect that move you mentioned and start us on some dance routines.”

Giselle

The next day, we arrive at the club, and I meet the manager, the girls, and Chris, the head security guy at the door. He’s the guy you go to when there are customers who can’t keep their hands to themselves or cannot comprehend the wordno.

He runs a tight ship with ten other security bouncers just as big. The manager comes up, a lady in her fifties with business experience involving all things strip and dance clubs.

I fill out all the paperwork and I am relieved my title says choreographer slash dancer.

“Okay, Miss Monroe, your stage name is going to have Monroe in it, I just need to find something catchy to go with it after your first night here. I will let you know what stage name that is, and you will be expected to use that name. It is for your safety that you don’t give the customers your real name, as some of them can get a little clingy in their made-up fantasies.”

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