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“Thanks, Trey.”
With that, I walk into the room. The lights are dim, and music is already softly playing as the client waits. He sits on the couch, his arm draped lazily over the side. Just sitting there like he owns the place.
His black hair is slicked back, and his suit looks expensive. What the hell is he doing here in this hellhole of a place?
Well, I guess everyone needs to get their rocks off somehow.
But he’s paying me, so I couldn’t care less.
My music starts up, and I start dancing. I’m about five feet away from him. Slowly, I roll my hips to the music, running my hands up and down my body, giving him my best seductive moves. There is a pole close by, so I grab on to it and swing around it a couple of times before slowly and sensually walking closer toward him.
As I approach him, I can see the sharpness in his jaw. His eyes look black as night as he stares at me, studying my every move. A sinking feeling in my stomach starts.
He doesn’t look like he is enjoying this or that he was here to enjoy this.
Without warning, he holds up his hand and tells me to stop. I stand there, my arms at my sides, unsure of what to do. His eyes rake over me, and my stomach turns. Then he smiles, and his gaze just doesn’t leave mine. It makes me so fucking uncomfortable.
Then he waves me away. He dismisses me. Without a second thought, I rush to the door and immediately slam it shut behind me. I take off towars the dressing room with Trey behind me.
“Chanel, you okay? Hey, did something happen?” He places a hand on my back as we walk through the club and back to the dressing room.
When he gets me to my mirror, I let out a breath. “No. Nothing happened.”
His face twists in confusion. “Oh, then why did you run out of there if nothing happened?”
“Because nothing happened. He had me stop dancing and then just stared at me. It felt like he was eyeing me for hours. And then he waved his hand and dismissed me.”
Trey’s face scrunches. “That’s… weird. I’m gonna go see if he left. Then I will walk you to your car.”
I shake my head. “I’ll be fine walking to my car. I’m sure he got his rocks off in whatever weirdness that was. But thanks for checking to see if he left. Let me know, and then I’m headed home.”
I’m busy taking off the thirty-six layers of makeup when Jeff comes in with a white envelope. “Here. Your take from the private. Trey told me. I’ll make sure they don’t come back.”
“No worries. It was weird, but we work in a strip club. There is weirdness everywhere.” I stuff the envelope in my purse and open my little safe to grab my tips for the night. “See you tomorrow, Jeff.”
“See ya, girlie. Be careful getting home.”
I gather up my stuff and head out the back door, toward the alley. My car is right around the corner, and it keeps me from having to go through the crowd of people in the club to get out.
As I start my way down the alley, a van pulls in, slowing to a stop. I slow my walk, waiting for them to realize it’s a dead end so they’ll back out and leave.
But they don’t.
Instead, they flash their brights at me. I put up my hands to try to block the light. I see two figures get out of the van and start heading toward me.
My legs instantly turn back toward the door I came from in a sprint. My heart’s racing, and everything is moving in slow motion.
I never make it to the stairs. I never get a chance to scream. Hands grab me, a sharp poke in my neck has me taken aback, and a hood is thrown over my head.
Instantly, my legs become rubber. I start to lose control over my body. I can feel myself starting to fall, but then I realize I’m picked up and being thrown over a shoulder.
My body is tossed into the back of the van. The door slams shut behind me.
It’s the last thing I hear before my body gives in to the drugs, and my world turns black.
Chapter Thirty-Two
TRISTAN