A DIRTY AFFAIR

GEMMA

I opened the dressing room door and walked wobbling to the stage amidst loud and cheering noises. I got to the stage, climbed it and stood at the center of the stage. I closed my eyes nervously, exhaling and inhaling. I opened my eyes and stared at the large crowd cheering at me and waiting for me to start performing.

I knew how weird and irritating it felt dancing in front of men old enough to be your father because I've been working in this club as a waitress for a long time and had seen everything that's going on, but here I am, on this stage, about to dance almost naked.

This is my first time dancing almost half naked in front of everyone.

"Just do it. Just one night, if you dance well, you would get enough money to settle your debts once and for all" my best friend's words replayed in my mind.

It was hard for her to bring up this suggestion but she had seen how I've been living a miserable life and living from hand to mouth while trying to pay back the debts my father owed before dying with my little waitress salary.

I was shocked when I found out that my father was owing a certain person a huge sum of money and since I was the only family he had left, I had to pay him back. Since then I haven't stopped receiving notes on my door asking me to pay back and pay fast. But then how would one person own that amount of money?

I felt knots tie in my stomach and I wanted to puke. I wished I could be anywhere but here but I just couldn't make my wish a reality.

"What are you waiting for? Start" my manager, Stacy said as she entered the stage.

I shook my head slightly, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall. I just couldn't do this.

"The men are eagerly waiting for your performance. If you can't do it, then leave the stage and go home" she yelled at me. Thank goodness the crowd couldn't hear her due to the loud music playing.

Leaving the stage right now was something I couldn't afford to do. I needed the money badly.

"I will do it," I muttered.

"Good. Boss is here today and there should be no mistakes and floppy performances" she said and eyed me from head to toe like with disdain and walked off the stage. She had every right to be mad at me. I was the one who told her I wanted to strip dance.

The boss is here? For a strip club, I had to admit this place was oozing pure luxury and had always wondered who owned this magnificent place.

I took deep breaths and tried relaxing myself. The men were screaming at me to strip myself naked, as they were already impatient. Their hungry eyes were feeding on my body. The music changed and I closed my eyes.

I immediately began moving my hips tentatively and ran my hands down my body in a seductively and erotic way. I grasped a long pole as I swirled my body round it.

I didn't realize I had mastered how to strip dance in my head just by watching others do it these past months. I was dancing freely, putting practice to everything I had seen earlier.

The man were howling as they fed their eyes hungrily.

"Slutty bitch"

"That's a great job over there"

"Come sit on my dick"

"I'm fucking hard" one yelled and they all laughed.

I felt so irritated hearing their nude comments but I hid my irritation and kept on swaying myself around the pole.

I opened my eyes and allowed it to travel around the hall and then it suddenly locked with a pair of cold blue eyes, his gaze was like ice, so hard.

He locked his eyes with mine, not cheering or howling like the others. He stared at me like he knew me from before. He stared at me like a predator would stare at a prey and I suddenly felt myself being self conscious of my performance as a result of his fiery gaze on my body.

I couldn't really get a view of his face since he sat in the shadows, surrounded by women dressed seductively and caressing his body to get a reaction. I didn't like the way he was staring at me, it was beginning to stir up some reactions in my body.

I forced myself to look away from him and kept on swaying myself around the pole while the men kept throwing money at me. The sight of the money made me dance more.

Soon, the music came to an end. I bent down and picked up my money littered everywhere on the stage, tucked them in my bra and hurriedly left the stage. The money I made just this night was huge, it was almost a thousand dollars or even more than.

I could still hear the men clapping as I walked back to the dressing room.

"Gemma, that was a nice performance. You did extremely well" Luna, a friend said as I walked into the dressing room.

"Thank you" I whispered.

"You made a lot of money tonight, keep it up" she said and left the room.

I rolled my eyes after she left. The three other girls in the room just stared at me without saying a word to me. I wasn't surprised, we don't really talk.

Keep what up? I just pray this money is enough for me to pay off the remaining debt. Luna came into the room again and began sorting out some dresses.

I changed out of my stripper clothes and wore back my normal clothes. I put all the money I made tonight into my bag. Seeing this money brought joy to me, I don't think I've ever seen this kind of money before in my life. Soon, I would be free of this huge debt.

I was about to leave the dressing room, after waving Luna bye and go home when Manager Stacy walked into the room.

"Gemma, the boss wants to see you," she said.

GEMMA

"Gemma, the boss wants to see you," Manager Stacy said.

A puzzled expression wiped across my face. "Why?"

A huge man came in behind her.

"I see you're changed already and about to go home but you can't do that now. The boss wants to see you" Manager Stacy said.

"We've been in this shit longer than you and the boss has never called any of us privately to dance for him. You just danced for the first time tonight and suddenly he wants you dancing for him privately. You've sucked your way to the top" Aria said with disdain in her voice.

"I didn't do anything," I retorted.

"You'll have to wait outside, let's get her dressed up" Manager Stacy said to the huge man.

He left the room. Manager Stacy went over to where Luna was and fetched a dress. She handed me a nude exposing dress which I wore and shoved me onto a chair. She asked Luna to make me up. In fifteen minutes, Luna did her magic and I looked beautiful, sexier and older.

"Don't feel special, the boss just likes your pretty face, nothing else" Elena said and Aria laughed.

The both of them walked out of the dressing room.

"Don't listen to them. This is another chance to make more money tonight, just do your best. The boss is filthy rich" Luna said and I subconsciously nodded.

I felt so anxious on meeting the boss. I've heard stories on how cold and ruthless he's. I just hope I won't mess up my performance.

"She's ready, Luca" Manager Stacy called out and opened the door to the dressing room.

The huge man stepped in again, squinted eyes roving around until he met my terrified eyes.

"Good, follow me" he said nonchalantly. The order was loud and clear. My heart began palpitating, wanting to break out of its rib cages and my hands become sweaty. I picked up my bag containing the money I made tonight. I wouldn't want anyone tampering with my money.

Luna gave me a reassuring smile as I stepped out of the room with him. She's my only real friend in this club.

The man led me down a hallway and stopped in front of a room.

"Go in," he instructed.

I pushed open the door and went in after knocking slightly. I closed the door after I went in. The interior was breathtaking and was extremely furnished.

Right there, seated on a black coloured sofa was a tall frame of a man whose one hand was strapped around the waist of a red haired lady who held a cigarette, puffing the smoke out of her parted lips.

My breathing got caught in my throat the moment our eyes locked. He was the same man that stared at me on the stage. Seeing him now at a closer range, I had a better view of his face. He had the body of a Greek god.

I didn't expect the boss to be so young and very handsome. I could see his muscles from the expensive suit he wore. His black, silky hair was let to fall free, its locks dangling dangerously over his shoulders.

His jawline was sharp and his cheekbones were pointed. His lips were full and pink and those cold ocean eyes stared intently at me, making me feel very vulnerable.

"Leave us" he ordered the red haired girl who kept on puffing smoke in the air. His tone was dark and commanding.

Her face morphed into a frown and she glared at me but she didn't dare to object to his orders. She stood up and with inaudible grumbles, walked out of the room.

He kept on staring at me intently after she left and I looked down nervously.

"I heard you're Gemma" his deep baritone voice boomed in the room after a moment of tortured silence.

"Y..yes sir" I stuttered.

"You did so well tonight. You have a great body too and you're pretty" he complimented. I looked away as I didn't know what to say.

Was I supposed to say thank you in this situation?

"What....what do you want from me Sir?" I asked, summoning up courage.

"Strip yourself naked" he ordered.

"What?" I was alarmed at what he just said.

"I'm sorry but I can't do that" I replied with a shaky voice.

"No one has ever said no to me and right now, you're going to do anything I say. Now, strip yourself" he barked and I jumped up in fear. My whole body trembled with fear. I dropped my bag on a couch beside me.

I hurriedly stripped myself naked as it took every restraint in me not to cry.

I was stark naked in front of him. From where he sat, his eyes fed hungrily on my body. He made no move to touch me though.

I felt humiliated, disgusted, embarrassed as his eyes roamed over my body. He nodded his head with a satisfactory smile on his face.

"Good, now come here," he said, asking me to come closer. I clumsily walked over to him.

"Sit on my laps" he commanded and I stood there in awe.

Wasn't asking me to go naked enough for him?

"Now! Grind me!" He barked and I shamelessly did as I was told. A tear dropped down my cheek.

I closed my eyes and began moving my ass, waist and hips on his aroused and bulging manhood. With every move I took, he moaned deeply. He didn't touch me, his hands were kept behind the sofa.

"Harder" he groaned and I added more effort to what I was doing. I moved my ass up and down his manhood and he kept groaning loudly. I felt embarrassed with what I was doing. I felt like a slut.

Just then, his phone rang. He didn't pick it up. The phone rang again the second and third time. It seems like the person who was calling needed something urgently.

"What is it?" He barked into the phone when he finally answered the call.

Whatever the person told him on the other end of the phone must have been so serious as he pushed me forcefully away from him and stood up almost immediately. He walked out of the room hurriedly, not minding his obvious arousal, leaving only me in there.

I took the opportunity to escape and hurriedly dress up. I ran out of the room, down the hallway and out of the club. It was then I remembered I wasn't with my bag of money, the money I've worked shamelessly for tonight.

I'm never letting this money slip off my hands like that. I turned and ran back to the room I just came out from.

GEMMA

I got back to the room. I slowly opened the door and peeped inside. When I was sure no one was inside I went in. My bag still laid the same way I left it on the couch.

"Thank goodness" I muttered and heaved a sigh of relief. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I had lost this money. I picked up my bag and clutched it to my body tightly.

I was about to leave the room when I stumbled upon a body lying on the floor. I could swear my heart literally flew out of my mouth in fear. I covered my mouth with my palm to stop myself from screaming out loud.

What's the body doing here? Why didn't I see it when I came in? I kicked the body lying on the floor. It rolled to the other side and I saw it was a man bleeding profusely from the chest. He was shot. He was dead!

I staggered back in shock, my whole body trembling at this horrible sight. My hands became sweaty and I paced around, confused on what to do.

What happened here?

"Leave this room. Now!" My inner voice said and I nodded subconsciously.

I need to leave this room immediately. I clutched my bag once more to my chest and ran to the door. Just when I was about to open the door, I saw the door knob turning.

Someone's about to enter the room. I started panicking. I sighted a dark corner, covered with a slightly transparent curtain in the room. I quickly ran to the dark corner and hid myself.

The door opened, I peeped from where I was hiding and saw that it was a man. I haven't seen this face before. He saw the dead body on the floor and quickly ran to it.

He crouched beside the body and tapped him lightly.

"Emiliano" he called out, but there was no response from the body on the floor. He called again and there was still no response. I watched him bend his head to check the heartbeat of the body. He punched the ground hard and cursed out angrily in Italian language when he confirmed that the man laying on the floor was really dead.

He stood up straight, brought out his phone from his breast socket and dialed a number.

"Boss, Emiliano is dead in your room at the strip club" I heard him say.

The next thing he said was "Okay boss" and he ended the call.

Oh God! I really need to leave here before more people should come in. I prayed fervently in my mind that the man should leave the room and give me a chance to escape. But instead, he started pacing around the room and checking out the room.

I started panicking again and my eyes widened in horror when he brought out a gun from his pocket. I watched him stealthily move around the room with his gun in his hands, ready to shoot at the culprit.

"God please, help me out of this mess" I prayed inwardly. I was breathing hard and heavy, my face and body were drenched with sweat. I forced myself to stop breathing hard before he notice it and come for me. I watched him check the couches, the strip pole, the back of the couches.

He entered the bathroom and I thought of using that opportunity to escape but I couldn't take the risk. He'd shoot me down before I got to the door. He came out of the bathroom and started approaching where I was hiding.

My heart flew up into my mouth and for a while I couldn't breath as I stood there motionless. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I prepared myself for the worst.

Is this how I'm going to die?

"God please" I muttered helplessly. He kept on coming closer and closer and more tears kept dropping. Suddenly my best friend's face came to mind somehow, it gave me little courage. We still had so many things to do together. I can't afford to die now. I prepared to defend myself.

I allowed him to come closer before rushing out of my hiding spot. He was caught off guard, I hit the gun away from his hands with my bag and kicked him hard on his manhood. He fell to the ground groaning in pain. I quickly picked his gun and ran to the door.

At the door, I bumped into a huge man coming into the room. On a closer look, I saw it was the same man that led me to this room earlier. I pushed him forcefully with the strength I didn't know I had in me and ran out of the door. He wanted to chase after me but the other guy in the room called out for help. He went back into the room to help out his friend and I took the opportunity to escape. I ran as fast as I could. Just as I left the long hallway, from the corner of my eyes, I could see the boss and some other guys entering the room I just ran out from.

The club was still filled up with people dancing wildly to the loud music, oblivious of what's happening upstairs. I forced myself out of the club through the dancing crowd and found myself at the roadside.

***

"What happened here?" Antonio asked, when he entered the room and saw that one of his men, Emiliano, was dead and the other one, Marco, was lying on the floor in pain. Luca stood beside Marco.

There's no response. Nobody said anything.

"What happened here?" Antonio barked loudly.

"I don't know my boss. I came in here and found Emiliano dead. He was shot" Marco replied, still groaning in pain.

"There was no sound of gunshot in the room. The culprit must have used a silencer" Luca said.

"Our opponent, Dante was here," Antonio said, remembering the threatening call he received earlier while he was trying to enjoy himself with the stripper.

"There was a girl in the room. I saw her hiding over there and she kicked me hard in my manhood and ran out of the room" Marco said, forcing himself to stand up. Luca helped him up.

"I bumped into her. It's the stripper" Luca confirmed.

"She must be working for Dante," Mateo said.

"That stupid bitch!" Antonio swore loudly. "And you just let her go?"

"I'm sorry boss. I have no excuses" Luca apologized.

"How can you both lose a little bitch? Useless, the lots of you are useless! Go find her!" Antonio barked out.

"Boss, one more thing. She's the daughter of the dead man who owes you so much money" Luca said.

"Leonardo Russo?" Antonio asked.

"Yes boss. She's Gemma Russo, daughter of Leonardo Russo" Luca replied.

Antonio started laughing wildly while his subordinates just stared at him. Then suddenly, he stopped laughing, his eyes red with anger and rage.

"Find her! And I want her alive!" He commanded.