Dirty Little Secrets

SUMMER'S POV

I arrived at the club very late. I knew I was going to be scolded by Mr Noel, the club manager, but I cared less. Life was already hard enough for me.

I clutched my bag, so tightly like my depended on it.

Because my life really depended on it.

I walked in, slowly. The club reeked alcohol and cigarettes. Only the well-known are allowed in this club. Everything seen and heard, never leaves the place. I only liked the pay, not the job. But I can't be picky. I'm in a tight spot, already.

And there came that voice, that I hated the most- Mr Noel.

"Dark Bird! How dare you come late? Do you think money and customer grows at the back?"

I slowly turned to him, my eyes were tired already. "I do have an explanation."

"Keep your damn explanation to yourself. I will let it go, because the customer likes you. But the next time, you come late, you are fired. Get that into your head!" He lashed out.

"Now get your ass, into the dressing room. Look sexy and put on a smile." He concluded and walked away.

I just stood still. I was so tired already from the day's shift. But I had to work. Amanda came to my aid.

She is like my buddy here in the club.

"Dark Bird, down to earth, girl!" She snapped her finger at me. "A lot from being so sexy."

I just stared at her, plainly as we both walked to the dressing room together.

I selected the most provocative one among them. Amanda quickly did my makeup. Amanda kept talking nonstop. Talking about a big shot, that came today, and how she wish she could serve him. I just nodded all through. And we were finally done.

I wore an extremely crop top, with a bare string. My makeup was a dark one. I can always trust Amanda on that. Wore my jewelry in the necessary place. I was about to walk out to dance, when Mr Noel bursted in.

"Dark Bird, your assignment today is special. There is a special guest that came today. You will serve him. And I trust that you will do it well. Do not disgrace me." Mr Noel said.

I was so confused. My duty today was strip dancing, not serving any client. I had already calculated, how I will sneak out to steal from some big shot. Now my plans has been ruined.

I swear at that moment, I could feel Amanda's eyes on me. Maybe this special guest is who Amanda talked about earlier.

"What room do I go to?" I asked him.

"Room 306. Do not be late. He is waiting." He said and walked.

"Girl! What charm do you use?" Amanda squealed behind me.

I turned to her and shook my head. "Oh! Please."

I picked up the necessary things I needed and went to the room this so called special guest. I wasn't excited the way Amanda thought I would be. I just wanted to get it done and go home.

When I opened the door to Room 306, a thick cloud of aromatic smoke greeted me. The ambient blue neon lighting caught the vapor, creating an eerie, almost hypnotic atmosphere. I walked further into the dim room toward the plush lounge bed, and there he sat.

He didn't look like the typical older, bloated politicians I usually served. Judging by his tailored designer clothes and heavy silver jewelry, he was young. Strangely, a sleek black mask completely concealed his face.

He leaned back, watching me approach. When he spoke, his voice was unexpectedly deep, smooth, and alluring.

"So, you're the famous Dark Bird. The rumors didn't do you justice: you really are stunning."

I suppressed a shiver. Wait, he knows me?

"You know who I am?" I asked, keeping my voice sultry as I poured two glasses of wine.

Using the sleeve of my top as cover, I expertly slipped a powerful sleeping pill into his glass. It was a massive risk, but survival required desperate measures. I needed him unconscious so I could clean him out.

"Girl, you're all the high-rollers talk about," he murmured, his eyes tracking my movements.

"Is that so?" I smiled, handing him the drugged glass.

We both took a sip, his gaze locked onto mine, completely oblivious. Setting my glass down, I immediately moved in to do my job. I slid onto his lap, shifting my body seductively against his to distract him while my fingers worked on the buttons of his shirt. But the moment my hand reached for the edge of his mask, he violently slapped my wrist away.

"No," he growled, his breathing turning shallow as he fought the sudden rush of heat between us. "The mask stays on."

It was bizarre, but I couldn't afford to argue. He was the client.

The room grew heavy with tension. I shifted my weight, pressing closer, guiding his hands along my waist as I shed my outer layers. The air felt thick, charged with a sudden, overwhelming friction.

"What a flawless body you have," he rasped, his hands tracing the curve of my hips, his touch sending an involuntary shudder down my spine.

A wave of self-loathing hit me. I felt incredibly cheap, but I forced the feeling down. This is just business, I reminded myself. "Thank you," I whispered against his neck.

The encounter was a blur of shadows, hushed breaths, and the slow, deliberate rhythm of seduction. I moved with a practiced grace, keeping him entirely focused on the physical sensation while I mentally counted the minutes, waiting for the sedative to take effect. Yet, despite the potency of the drug, his grip remained firm, his stamina defying my calculations.

When it was over, we lay tangled in the sheets, his breathing heavy, but his eyes were still open. He wasn't passing out.

"You were incredible," he whispered in my ear, his deep voice sending a strange, genuine tingle down my spine.

What the hell, Summer?

He walked into the toilet to clean up. I seized that opportunity and grabbed some valuable and blotted out.

"Dark Bird, when next can we meet? You were really more than what the rumor said." I heard him asking, but I didn't dared come back.

At the corridor, I bumped into a guy's chest. What a strong chest, this is. I thought, while drooling at his handsome face. I'm just a girl, right?

"Dark Bird!! Snap out of it." I heard Amanda voice as she passed by.

"I'm so sorry sir. I wasn't watching where I was going to." I apologized, with my eyes facing down. He just hissed and walked away. What a rude brat, I thought and went my way too.

Not long after, I was knocked out again, from other wide chest. Before I could say "I'm sorry." I slumped.

And I heard that voice, "Dark Bird, do you think that you can run away from me?"

SUMMER'S POV

I slowly woke up, also trying to fight the throbbing headache I was feeling. "Where the hell am I?" I thought. The place smelt like woods mixed with cigarettes, and another thing that smelt like lavender. "What a weird combination." I thought.

I woke up fully, and observed where I was. It was still in the club. I did not know such place even existed.

"You are finally awake." I heard a voice and I raised my head to see who it was. It was the special guest, still with his mask. A lady was giggling at a corner.

"She is confused." She said. She was also masked.

"One moment, I was serving a "special guest" and the next moment, I'm in the lion's den. What a sweet plot twist." I chuckled.

"Oh! Girl. You were really sweet, I wouldn't lie about that. But work has to be done." He smiled and carrased my face.

I held the urge to spit into his face. I felt really dirty.

"Was it because of what I stole?" I asked him.

"Maybe. Or... not." He said and opened the door.

Another strange man walked in.

"The famous Dark Bird." He said to me in his not - so - deep voice. He was also masked too.

"I guess, it is a company of masked men, right?" I spat out blood. I tried to stabilize myself on the chair I was tied to.

"Oh! Yeah!" The lady giggled again.

"Why am I here?" I asked again.

"Very simple. Work for me!" The older man said with a straight face.

I bursted out into a huge laughter. "What the hell?" I said, still laughing. "You are so funny."

"Does this looks like a content to you?" The lady said and she walked up to me.

"Your life is in our hand right now." She bent lower and lifted up my chin.

"Oh! You think so?' I questioned.

"No, I know so?" She answered, rudely.

"Back to business. Dark Bird, you have a little brother right? And you don't want him to suffer. You live in a borrowed apartment. This is your only source of survival. So you do as we say." The younger man spoke.

And the mention of my younger brother, I froze. I do love Clyde , a whole lot. Which I why, I do what I do to survive.

"You don't want us telling your manager, that you drug the people you serve and steal from them. Right?" He tried blackmailing me.

"Let me think. I said. "Why should I work for you? I asked them.

"Because you will gain from it. This is monney, girl!" He replied me.

Sure, It is money, but I do not know these people and I do not know what kind of job it is. Let's try to run away, I thought to myself.

"Do not think of it, little princess." The older guy caressed my face. "You are in our domain."

"Think fast, do you want to work with us or not?" He asked already, losing his patience.

"What if I don't want to?" I spat.

"Claiming feisty? I love that." The younger one smirked.

"Then you leave us with no choice." He said. "Come in.

The two huge looking guys walked in and came towards me.

"You can do whatever you want to do with her." He said and went to sit down.

"This will be so sweet to watch." The lady chuckled, brought out her phone, and began to record.

"You do not want to do this." I screamed out.

"Will you work with us then?" He didn't even flinched.

"Hell no!" I tried to defend myself, but me being tied up, I could only do a little. I wondered why they wanted me. I was a girl trying to survive and make end meet. I heard my phone ringing, but I cared less at this moment.

"Why me?" I screamed again.

"Because I want you! You are fit for the job. Work for me and you will be free." He replied, without a single emotion.

"Every deity on earth, please help me." I screamed it in mind.

Maybe I was lucky, someone suddenly entered.

"What do you think you are doing?" The stranger growled.

"And who the hell are you?" She asked and walked up to him.

"You stay out of it!" He snapped and pushed away.

"Ouch! My wrist." She winced, she fell on her wrist.

The huge bodied men let me and walked towards the stranger. The other men just sat down, and watched how the series was going to unfold.

It went to fast. One punch leading to another. I took the opportunity and tried to run. But I was grabbed by my hair, by the lady.

"You go no way." She slapped me across the face.

I knocked her in the stomach and ran behind my knight in the shining armour.

"Bravo!" The elder man clapped. "What a sweet scene." He smirked.

"You let her go, and I would leave." He whispered slowly. His voice sounded like the echoes of waves.

"Mind asking why you care?" The younger guy asked.

"I saw someone in need. It is only right I help out. Anything wrong with that?" He asked angrily.

"What a good Samaritan you are!" The lady exclaimed, still massaging her wrist and stomach, from the pain.

I knew we were running out of time. Leaning in close to the stranger, I whispered directly into his ear, "At the count of three, we run. The door is wide open."

He gave a barely perceptible nod.

"One... two... three... go!" I breathed.

"If you run, I will post this video on every social media platform simultaneously!" the woman threatened sharply, raising her phone. "You don't want your pretty little face to be the laughingstock of the city, do you, Dark Bird?"

I froze instantly. My grip on my savior's hand tightened until my knuckles turned white. My breathing hitched. The threat of me being exposed paralyzed me.

The stranger felt my sudden tension. He stepped in front of me, his eyes locked onto the woman. "Try it and see what happens," he threatened smoothly.

Click.

"Too late. It's uploaded," she smirked triumphantly.

A cold dread washed over me. My life is completely over, I thought, tears finally welling up in my eyes. I slowly looked up, bracing for the worst, only to be caught by a profound wave of shock.

The woman was staring down at her hands in utter disbelief.

My savior hadn't just threatened her; during the distraction, he had swiftly snatched the device right out of her hands. With a sickening crunch of metal and glass, he snapped the smartphone completely in two, dropping the useless pieces to the floor.

The sheer rush of adrenaline, fear, and sudden relief was too much for my exhausted body to handle. The room began to spin violently. Slowly, my knees buckled, and I slumped toward the cold ground.

"Hey! Hey, stay with me. Come back to your senses..."

That deep, reassuring voice was the last thing I heard before the darkness fully consumed me, and I blacked out.

SUMMER'S POV

I gradually woke up, but yet again in a strange but comforting apartment. I stood up slowly, trying not to a make a sound-my head still throbbing seriously. The air felt so fresh, as I sighed in relief.

I began to feed to my eyes. The house was magnificent: high ceilings, soft recessed lighting, a massive king-sized bed that probably cost more than everything I owned. Heavy curtains blocked out the night. A sleek guitar leaned against the wall like it belonged in a magazine spread, books, clean surfaces. Money screamed from every corner.

I noticed, I wasn't in my own clothes. Panic rushed through me. "Who changed my clothes?" I thought.

I saw down again, I tried to calm myself down. The event of yesterday burned through me, in ways I couldn't explain. How I was almost raped. How my secret was almost leaked. And how my knight in the shining armour saved me, from some psychopaths.

Speaking of knight in the shining armour, I observed the room, but carefully this time.

Then I saw him, seated on a chair, at the right corner of the room, in his marvellous glory. I wouldn't lie he is sinfully handsome. A sculptured face, plump lips, broad chest. My eyes went up and down.

"Summer, what the hell are you doing?" I screamed in mind.

Staring at him, felt so pleasing and soothing at the same time.

I stared at him again. "He looks familiar." I thought.

"He is the rude jerk, from the corridor." I whispered.

His body moved a little. I immediately bolted for the bed, and covered myself with the duvet.

I heard movement and footsteps. My heart pounded so heavy. "God, please do not let him come here." I cried.

The footsteps were getting closer and closer, till he got to me. Then I felt his soft hands on my forehead. I almost flinched. My mind screamed in desire. His smell was so beautiful-like that of cinnamon mixed with lavender.

"Thank God, her fever has gone down." I heard him sighed in relief. His voice was so deep and enchanting. I was so touched. So someone care for me.

"Mom!" He yelled.

"There was someone else in this house! Oh! Lord, save me!" I cried again.

"But why he is calling out for his mother?" I thought.

"You called for me, what is it?" His mother asked him, immediately she entered the room.

"Mom please, I want to go and get some drugs for her wound." He requested for me.

"There is none in the first aid kit?" She asked as the checking that was laying helplessly on the floor.

"None" he said. "Can you please watch over her till am back?" He pleaded.

"Sure, but don't be late." She warned and went back to where she came for.

He took a black jacket that matches the jeans trousers, he was wearing. He was about to step out, when a phone rang. The sound jolted me back to reality. I flinched a little. "I hope he did not notice."

It was my phone that was ringing. He walked back towards me and picked the phone from my bag, which was on the ground.

"Hello, " he said into the phone.

"Where the hell are you? And what the hell are you doing?. This is 10 past 11 into the damn night." I heard George yelled into the phone. Typical him

George is my best friend, by the way.

He removed the phone from his ears. "Hi, I'm Kinsley. I saved your friend from an accident." He said plainly.

George was shocked to hear a male voice. "Oh!" He muttered.

"Is she alright now?" He asked with concern evident in his voice.

"Yeah, she is.". He replied.

"Is that my sister's man, you are talking to?" I heard Clyde's voice. I almost laughed but held it.

His phone also rang, almost immediately. "I will bring her home, once she is awake." He said and ended the call.

"Where the hell are you at?" I heard a male voice.

"My home, of course." Kingsley replied, sounding so tried of his friend's antics. I saw him as being dramatic. I can't believe in a space of hours, I've seen multiples character in my knight in the shining armour.

"You left me stranded at the party." His friends accused him.

"Felix, we will meet at school." He said plainly, and ended the call. And finally he went out. I sighed in relief and finally woke up from my pretence sleep.

I could finally, admire the house and the decors. I took the guitar that I saw on the stand. I just stared at it, because it was mesmerizing.

Then I noticed a journal, that was left carelessly on the table. It was opened. I was so curious, so I picked it up. I flipped through the pages and I found it;

"Life did not go as expected. Still finding the importance as to why I should live."

"Great, I will the starting real school this session. Cheers to more pain."

"I just live, not because I have a reason. But because death seems so far."

Tears slpiued down my face. I could feel there pains behind those words. My life is messy too. The door suddenly opened. It was Kingsley's mother. I hurriedly closed the book and wiped my tears.

" You are awake. Are you okay?" She asked with concern.

"I'm fine ma." I replied her.

"Here," she handed me a tray with a place of hot pepper soup on it.

"I figured that you might need some nutrients." She smiled. Her warmth melted my heart immediately.

"Thank you so much ma!" I appreciated.

What's your name?" She asked me.

"Summer."

"I would be downstairs, if you need me, Summer." She said and went back downstairs.

I hurriedly drank the soup, packed my luggages. I did not want Kingsley to see me here when he gets back. I checked if everything was okay and completely. I took a sticky note, and wrote him a short note.

"Thank you so much for your kind gesture. Will return the favour one day. XO Summer."

I quickly navigated my ways out of the house. I called George immediately I got outside.

"George, can you please come and pick me up?" I requested. "I do not know where I am, but i will share my location with you. Thank you."

"On it." He replied.

I could always trust George. Within 10 mins, he arrived.

"Do not nail me with questions." I said immediately. "Just drive." I knew him. His facial expressions had tons of questions to ask, but I was to tired to answer any.

"My house or yours?" He asked.

"As your Lordship pleases,". I replied jokingly.

"My house it is!"

As he shifted the car into drive, my hand instinctively went to my collarbone. It was empty. My heart stopped.

"Oh, shit! I forgot my necklace!" I panicked, my voice cracking.

"You forgot what?!" George questioned, "Hope it isn't your cherished necklace, the one given to you by your mother?"

"It is!" I managed to choke out. Tears were already welling up in my eyes, blurring my vision. That necklace was my mother's last gift to me. It was the only tangible thing I had left of her before she died.

George shook his head. "You are doomed!"