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He laughs into my back.

“What?”

“You trying to make me jealous or something?”

“No.” I shrug one shoulder. “Just being realistic.”

“You’re undercover, Capri. Do what you have to do to blend in.”

That warmth gets sucked away like a Dementor is in the room.Booo.Maybe that look he gave before wasn’t adoration.

“Goodnight, Toretto.”

“Night, Misty.”

xxx

The next night at my shift, I’m determined to make Trino jealous. I know Bruno is keeping tabs on me from his dark little corner across from the stage, so maybe I’ll give him something to report today.Ugh.Can you believe he pretty much waltzed me right into another man’s lap?

Britta walks up to me, swaying her sparkly beige colored covering with that perfect ass of hers. Eyes always half closed in permanent judgement, she’s like an unbothered cat.

“Hi, Misty.” She gives me the fakest kiss in the world. “That guy over there requested you for a dance. I told him you’re shy.”

My heart thunders. Am I really going to do this?

I stare at the vodka shot in front of me – the one I take before every shift to get out the nearly-naked-in-front-of-strangers jitters.

She flicks her hair when reading my reaction. “It’s alright. I’ll tell him he’ll have to settle for blonde tonight.”

“No,” I blurt. “I’ll go.”

What am I doing?

Britta’s puckered lips turn into a confused ‘O.’

I strut casually forward, eyes on the patron. He’s one of those business men from Eastbound. Well-groomed, full head of black hair, slimy smile… I can work with it, I guess.

“Hello,” he says, taking a sip of his drink.

“Hi.”

He eyes me up and down while grabbing his junk, and I shudder on the inside. It’s completely different watching someone get ogled, versus being ogled yourself. Especially how casually and out in the open he is about it. Guess the environment calls for it.

“Britta said you were shy. This is a pleasant surprise.”

I hold my breath and take a move from literally every other dancer by putting my arm slowly around his shoulder.

“Not too shy,” I say, closing an intimate space between us.

Now I’m just standing here, a nose away from a stranger, with a slight buzz and a ton of guilt weighted to my ankles.

You’re just playing a part…

Chapter 20

Cipriana

“Want to go for a dance?” he whispers, scanning my lips. In his defense, his breath is pure mint. Very enticing. But I have an agenda. Every couple of days, Trino stops in to drop off cash in the vault… right about this time. Usually I’m in the corner or back room with the girls, but tonight, I hope he sees where he pushed me.