I drink a lot of energy drinks.
They’re cheap enough and now that I need to stay skinny I choose a sugar free one and call it breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I force myself to stay up to date with my college classes because that’s my ticket out of this life so even when I feel as though my eyeballs are going to fall out of my head I go to the library.
I’m not expecting my whole goddamn life to change.
But it does.
It’s a busy night and by the time I finish my first dance and make it out to the locker room my legs are practically shaking underneath me. I picked a hard routine to start with but one I know the clients here go crazy for and sure enough, there’s a whole fucking lot of green in my hands.
I’m stashing it away in my locker when someone grabs my elbow, wrenching me around to face them.
It’s a biker, one I recognize from the crowd at my stage but I’ve never spoken to him before. He’s wasted, swaying slightly, but the look on his face is trouble. Big fucking trouble for me.
He reeks of stale beer and cigarettes and I choke back a gag, the stink of it coating the back of my throat like it’ll never leave me.
He smirks and reaches out to grab a piece of my hair, wrapping it around his fumbling fingers. “I’ve had my eye on you, pretty little birdie.”
The gag comes back in full force, no choking that shit back. “I don’t do extra. Please don’t touch me.”
He smirks at me and he’s like all my fucking nightmares come true with his crooked nose and yellowed teeth. “Club property, bitch. You’ll do extra if I want you to.”
He moves fast for a man who can barely fucking walk, his hand reaching out to grab my throat.
I hear Speck shout from down the hallway but instinct kicks in and I slam the heel of my palm into the drunk biker’s nose, the crunch of it breaking is the most satisfying sound.
He lets me go with a roar, blood pouring out of his face, but he recovers quickly and lurches at me. I stumble back, ready to run the fuck out of this place and never come back, but Speck gets to him before he can lay another finger on me.
He takes him down to the ground, restraining him but he doesn’t try to hit him at all.
I’m a little disappointed.
“No fucking touching her, asshole! Fuck, keep your head together before it gets you into the shit.”
“She’s a fucking stripper! I can have her if I want!”
The biker bucks and tries to throw Speck off but the prospect is too strong for him, easily pinning his arms down and holding him to the ground.
“What you want for your dick isn’t going to jeopardize club business. Find another pussy to pump.”
The biker snarls, “You don’t have a fucking patch, you can’t do this shit.”
There’s footsteps behind me as Diamond and Mel both come running, finally hearing the ruckus these two are making. Diamond immediately gets on the phone, speaking in a purr, “You better come down here, Speck’s throwing hands at Mav over the new girl. Shit ain’t good.”
Mel grabs my hand and lifts it up to the light to look at the blood and swelling already there from my jab at the biker, raising her eyebrows at me. “That’ll be Tomi. You’re kinda fucked now, Angel, you don’t ever attack one of the Unseen.”
I didn’t though.
I didn’t and Speck saw enough of the shit that went down that I should be okay… except he’s not patched in so his word probably doesn’t hold up to the other guy’s.
Diamond snaps her fingers in front of my face to get my attention. “Earth to fucking Angel, get your ass in the office! The boss is gonna be here to deal with you in a minute and I need to get Mav’s drunk ass in there too, fuck’s sake! I knew you’d be nothing but fucking trouble. Dancing here like you’re too good for extra shit, you fucking deserve whatever you’ve got coming to you.”
Mel at least manages to look a little sorry for me but she doesn’t say a word as she moves away to grab her shit and head home. She’s never actively tried to hurt me or talk shit but she’s also never tried to talk to me again since that first night.
Even amongst strippers I’m a fucking pariah.
I take a seat in the office, nervous and sitting there in my freaking thong. Thank God my last dance was freaking themed and I have a full bra on for a little more coverage. Not a lot, but more than the fucking pasties.
Christ.
Am I going to die tonight?
Worse than that… do I care?
The door swings open again and Mav stumbles through, kicking my chair like a fucking child as he passes before collapsing in one of the extra chairs lining the far wall.
I refuse to lower my gaze, totally a dumb move, but I know I’m not in the wrong. They might kill me for the sake of this guy’s pride but… I think I can accept that. He’s still bleeding, the blood trickling out of his nose at a steady pace, but he doesn’t try to clean himself up or staunch it in any way. It’s probably a macho biker thing. Jesus, could I have possibly picked a worse guy to punch?
The door opens and in walks another biker. He’s huge, tattooed, a nose ring, and piercing blue eyes. Ridiculously hot, like even my broken self kinda wants to pant after him, but also he’s clearly the type of dangerous that lands you in a shallow grave.
Yup, apparently I could’ve picked a worse guy and here he is, ready to murder me for attacking one of his brothers.
Diamond trots in after him, shaking her ass, and Jesus, where did her clothes go? A minute ago she had a corset and a thong on and now here she is, stark freaking naked. She sits down next to me, leaning towards me and I try to control my flinch away from her.
“You’re so fucked,” Diamond snickers under her breath at me, batting her lashes at the new guy. “Tomi, I’m so sorry for calling you down here for the new girl. I hope you weren’t busy.”
The guy, Tomi, smirks at her, all sex and innuendo, and I try not to gag. Anyone who likes Diamond’s charms must be a total idiot.
He doesn’t look my way at all, just surveys the other guy and takes a seat behind the table, rolling his shoulders out and blowing out a breath. I can see him getting ready to start a whole speech on exactly how fucked I am.
Then he looks up at me and he flinches.
The blood drains out of his face but he doesn’t say a word.
Complete freaking silence.
I frown at him, no freaking clue why he’s acting like this and Diamond looks just as confused.
“Is there something wrong?”
His eyes flash over to hers. “How long has she been here?”
Diamond shrugs. “A few weeks? I told you I was hiring someone I didn’t want to but you sided with Speck, remember?”
Tomi leans back in his chair but he still has the look on his face like he’s been stabbed in the gut. I keep my mouth firmly shut.
Mav gets pissed off and starts running his mouth. “Who gives a fuck how long she’s been here, she’s a fucking deranged cunt! Broke my fucking nose, the dirty little bitch. Should bury her or at the very least kick her ass outta here.”
Speck scoffs from the door and Tomi sends him a dark look. “You got something to add to this little story?”
The man I’m starting to think of as a friend steps forward and smirks at Tomi. “As a matter of fact, I do. Mav grabbed Angel by the throat after she told him she wouldn’t be servicing his shriveled up shrimp dick. My words, not hers. She was a fucking lady about it. But, the way I see it, the girls here are club property and this asshole was tryna damage the biggest fucking money earner we’ve got. Self defense isn’t a fucking attack and Mav’s just being a little fucking bitch.”