Chapter 2 2

It had been two years since I became a stripper, even though I had earned more than enough to get me through the rest of college throughout that time, I didn't want to quit, I know this might sound a bit cliche but they were my family now, they didn't laugh at my dreams of one day become a CEO instead, they encouraged me. Why the hell would I ever want to leave?

Mer--Merlot-- gasped, "Leila, look at the audience in your room." she said, peeking behind the curtain, into my room.

I peeked along with her at the guest in their masks, these were all rich and influential people who wouldn't want a trip to the strip club to tarnish their reputations so in order for their identities to be safe, they wear masks.

"Yeah, did you see the three fit bachelors that came in?" Mar, Marsanne, asked as she smoothed the foundation around her face.

"Omg, I wanted to rip the masks off their faces, especially the one with the wolf mask." Vernaccia moaned.

"You all need to calm down, that's Rosé's customer." Char turned to me and smiled, "Go get him girl." She's said this to me before every show but I never understood why. My show always started earlier than theirs because they stayed later and I had to go to school the next morning so I couldn't stay until 2 in the morning unless my classes for the next day started in the afternoon.

I walked out from the curtain and the whole room went silent as the music started and I began to dance. The room was designed for me, there were dim pink lights but not so dark that they couldn't see me, the curtain led to a circle stage with a pole right in the middle of it, there were chairs set up around the stage, those were for the greedy, old, pig-bellied men. There were another set of chairs at the back of the room, where the lights were even darker over there but I could feel their gaze, one in particular... the man in the wolf mask, though I couldn't see the back of the room all that much, I could still pick out some outlines of the mask, especially the eye holes. I caught a faint silver glint through it.

"Close up." Someone in the audience yelled, pulling me out of my thoughts.

A close up; this was when I would pick a random person from the audience and give them a lap dance but I only did that when someone asked. I wanted to be closer to him. I walked down the stairs in front of the stage and towards him, curving every other man that called me towards them, they all watched me as I approached him, soon enough, they stopped calling me over to them.

I stood in front of him for a second before positioning myself on his lap, placing my calves on either side of his thighs, almost straddling him, making sure that our bodies weren't being too much in contact but enough that it created a sexual atmosphere, the aromatic scent of his cologne filled my nostrils, almost overpowering my sense of smell. My arms moved instinctively to unhook the bra portion of my costume, pulled it off and dropped it in the lap of the person sitting next to him, he had on an owl mask. He just sat there and watched me dance, most of the others would've already tried to touch me by now, he was different and I liked it. I could feel his lustful stare, I could feel all of their stares but his gaze was the only one that made me feel watched, that made me feel like he was touching me, even when his hands lay perfectly on the armrests, his eyes followed my hands as they explored my entire body, then our eyes met, he had light gray eyes but because of the light, they had a slight silver color, it was almost like staring into a mirror, I could see everything he saw, my shiny black hair that Mer helped me get ready, green eyes, gold body glitter, my lewd movements. I imagined what he would do to me if we were alone in this, would he bend me over a table or would he be gentle? Would he do it with the mask on? Would he fuck me till I was teary and drooling mess?

I started throbbing at the thought of it and I felt myself getting wet, I needed to leave, needed to get back on the stage, put some distance between us, but I can't stand up until he says so or gives me money. His hand began to approach me but I didn't shy away, I kept dancing, I wanted him to touch me and at the same time I didn't. I could feel his hand hovering over my body and I unconsciously moved forward. He was so close when another guy on the other side of him, a man with a panther mask, grabbed his hand, "Look but don't touch." he said.

"Here." The man with the owl mask said to him, passing a hundred dollar bill to him.

He took it, folded it in half and smoothed it out. He must've figured that since he couldn't touch me, using money wouldn't count, because of what he did next. He used the flat part of the bill to trace around my chest but switched it to the pointed part when he got to my nipples and he poked me, making me fall into his lap and I swear I heard him chuckle.

I was starting to get pissed, I wanted to go back to the stage but he kept teasing me until he placed the folded piece of paper in front of my mouth, what the hell? He wanted me to take it... with my mouth?!

No matter how much I didn't want to do it, I couldn't anger my customer, it would come right out of my pay, so I forced a smile and opened my mouth, he set it gently on my lower lip, not breaking eye contact for a second. I closed my mouth as he let go of it then got off him, walking towards the stage and continued the show.

Soon the men started leaving one by one but him and the men sitting next to him remained, I was starting to feel self-conscious, he was staring bullets at me. His 'friends' stood up and left, just leaving us in the room. He stood up just as the music stopped and approached me, fidgeting with something in his hand.

When he got to me, he outstretched his arm to me, my bra lay on his palm. "You left something." he said, his voice deep and sexy. He walked to the door, opened it and took a step, then looked back at me, "You look stunning in white." Then the door slammed shut.

My knees buckled under me and I hit the ground, Merlot immediately came rushing from behind the curtain.

"Are you okay?" she yelled as she ran to me, "Oh my god, honey, you're so red. Do you have a fever?" she asked, pressing her palm to my temple.

I tried my best to calm myself then stood up, "I'm fine." I said, pushing her hand away and walking towards the dressing room.

When I was done dressing up in my normal clothes, I said my goodbyes and walked out of the club. I stopped when I saw a black car in the parking lot, it was the only car there which gave me a bad feeling. I decided to walk back into the club and use the back exit when I heard a familiar voice, "That's just hurtful." he said. I looked back to see my, Bryce, ex-boyfriend standing behind the open door of the car.

I let out a relieved sigh, better him than some stalker, then I walked towards him, "What do you want?" I asked.

"I'm here to pick you up." he smiled.

"How do you know I get off at this time?" I walked past him.

He grabs my hand, "Get in the damn car Leila."

"Why are you being like this? We broke up, remember?"

"I don't recall such irrelevant matters." he smirks.

I poked him with a safety pin, he winced and let go. "Well let me remind you," I said, "I walked into your apartment to surprise you for your birthday when I see you pushing your shrimp dick in and out of another woman, from a spectator's point of view, I was the one interrupting."

"Leila-"

"And let's not forget you hounding me about quitting my job." I interrupted him.

"Leila come on, she was just a fuck buddy, you're special... and I don't have a shrimp, you must be thinking about something else." he said, that stupid smirk still plastered across his face.

"Whatever," I surrendered, I was not going to argue with him today or any other day "I'm leaving now." I said as I walked away.

I had walked far enough for the soles of my feet to start hurting, I spotted a bench and limped over to it, immediately taking my seat when I got there.

The annoyingly black car pulled up in front of me and the window closest to me slid down.

"What, are you following me now?" I spat.

"Stop being stubborn and get in." he said, then the car made a clicking sound when he unlocked it.

He drove me all the way to my building then turned off the car and looked at me up and down, checking me out, I was wearing a black short skirt with a red crop top and black and white vans sneakers with red cherries on them.

"Well thanks." I said and tried to open the door but it was locked. I turned to him, "Unlock it." I ordered.

Instead of doing what I said, his hand moved to my thighs and he lightly caressed me, "I'm serious about you being special, I haven't had sex with anyone since you stopped coming over." he said before kissing my neck.

"Either that or you finally caught an std." I laughed, "Now open the door."

He slammed his hand on the steering wheel, causing it to honk in the empty street, "Fuck Leila, why can't you just be obedient and spread your legs for me like you used to."

I smiled, "Okay." I placed my hand and the back of his head making him think I was pulling him into a kiss and when he let his guard down, and with force, I slammed it against the wheel.

"Jesus Leila." He yelled and lifted his head, covering his now bleeding nose, "You could've broken my fucking nose."

"That was the plan now unlock the fucking door." I said. He did and I got out but I still felt the need to say something so I turned back, "'Used to' is past tense if your frat boy pea brain didn't already know that. I don't give a shit about you anymore." I said, holding my middle finger up.

He drove off and I felt satisfied with myself as I walked into the elevator, as the doors closed, a hand got in between them, opening them up again and a man in a black suit walked in, he had dark brown hair and beautiful gray eyes that made it feel like I was looking at the moon, he cleared his throat, making me realize that I was staring.

I collected myself and pressed the 7 button while he pressed the button for the last floor where all the penthouse suites were located, he must be quite rich.

The ride was silent, making me uncomfortable but I couldn't strike a conversation with him because I could feel him staring at me like how a predator looks at prey. We finally got to the seventh floor and I got off the elevator. Even as I walked out, I could feel his eyes following me, it was like I was back on the stage again and the image of the wolf mask appeared in my mind. I heard the ding of the elevator and I practically sprinted down the hall, into the apartment.

I walked into Evie's room, hoping to see her awake and sitting on her bed but she wasn't even home. I went into my room, straight to the bathroom and into the shower. I wanted to wash all the traces of Max, me ex, away from my body. As I lathered the soap on my body, I remembered when the he trailed the money along the exposed part of my body and the places it touched began to heat up as I reached for my throbbing pussy, I immediately turned on the cold water before I could do anything I'd regret but honestly, I doubt that I would actually regret it.

I waited till I calmed down and could think of nothing but how cold I was before getting out of the shower. I dried myself up, wore my pajamas and sat on my bed. I pulled my bag closer to me and brought out my dead phone, plugged it in and waited for it to turn on, then I set my alarm for the next morning.