Page 14 of Dark, Forbidden, & Taboo

I turn on the stool, rest my elbows back on the bar top as I take another sip of my beer, eagerly awaiting the show.

And when a painfully fake blonde with painfully tan skin begins to make her way out from backstage with her painfully huge, fake tits, I shake my head.

I’ve never cared for the things that had to be bought or harvested in one way or another to make someone look better.

I like natural girls.

The kind that have sometimes blotchy skin, oddly shaped lips, and whatever size tits they were born with.

I don’t disregard the new girl though, because she’s obviously made enough money to buy her perks, which means she knows how to hustle these chumps.

That’s something I can respect.

Jazz gives my leather jacket sleeve a tug to let me know she’s back and I nod at the woman on stage who’s already got her legs wrapped around the pole.

“Who’s that?” I ask, turning my face slightly enough for her to be able to hear me over the pounding music.

“Dixie Deville,” she says with a chuckle.

I grin at Jazz before I turn my body back around and rest my arms on the bar top again.

“That’s original.”

Jazz laughs good-naturedly as she points at my almost empty bottle. I shoot the rest back, then nod as I slide it over to her, wondering whenmyfantasy is due to take the stage.

She’s nother.

She never will be.

However, she’s as close as I can get for now and I like to indulge in her when the stars align in my favor.

“Don’t get too loaded, we’ve still got a few girls to go before Zeni comes out to play.”

I blow out my breath as I reach for the bottle and busy myself picking away at the label.

I know that Jazz doesn’t care about what I do when she can see. Lap dances on the floor with my hands firmly tucked under my ass, tossing dollars at her girls and doing my best not to catcall.

But I’ve always wondered what she’d think about me if she knew what happened in the back.

Where I would pay Zeni for more than just a private dance.

Would she think less of me?

Would Monroe?

Chapter

Two

Half-past midnight and she’s finally done taking off her clothes for everyone in the goddamn room.

Zeni is tiny, raven-haired, has an upturned mouth, and a cute button nose. She looks so much like Monroe that it makes me wonder if she’s a family secret that no one ever knew about.

As she leans down to pick up her bra and panties, I manage to catch her eye. She gives me a friendly smile and wave before she turns around and walks back toward the curtains offstage.

I get to my feet, reach into my back pocket and retrieve my wallet, counting out enough to cover my tab and leave Jazz a hefty tip, before I chug down what’s left of my beer and start toward the door to the private room.

“Hey, what’s up, River?” Amir calls out as I approach.

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