Page 28 of No Longer Mine

I let my hands skim my body, teasing, testing, dragging the rhythm through my spine like liquid heat.

Every movement was slow and dragged out. I made it look effortless because I knew how to move. Though I’d never performed for money on this stage didn’t mean I hadn’t learned a few things up here with Vivi and Cleo. Once upon a time Cleo had shook her ass on this stage too. We’d been young and broke. It made sense. We were safe here.

Vivi tossed her head back, laughing as she hooked a leg around the pole and spun. She barely left anything to the imagination in her lace panties and stilettos. She looked like a goddess.

I caught the empty pole beside her, my hands curling around the cool metal, letting the energy of the crowd pull me in further.

I climbed, graceful and fluid, stretching my body along the pole before arching backward, my curls spilling down toward the stage.

The audience was a blur beyond the bright lights, but I could feel their eyes on me. It was intoxicating. I twisted, dropping into a slow spin, my thighs gripping tight, my body becoming weightless for those few seconds. The drop sent a rush through me. It made my body hurt so good. I hadn’t worked my muscles like this in so long. I missed it. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I continued to grind, and Vivi worked the pole. Her set was almost over, I hoped I helped her bring in more money tonight. I kept my clothes on, but some nights I itched to let loose completely and get naked with her. Tonight I decided remaining clothed was best, but it didn’t stop me from twerking and showing off my undies.

Chapter Thirteen

Dimitri

The Club Housewas neutral ground. A space where criminals could sit across from their enemies, make deals, call truces—whatever was necessary. No hits. No violence. No exceptions.

Fifty years ago, some old bastard tried to take over the drug trade here. My father shut him down. And when the man disappeared a few years back, Alexei took his place.

I wasn’t stupid.

Alexei put a hit on him and didn’t tell me. Thought he was protecting me. As if my hands weren’t already stained red by then. As if I hadn’t been killing for years before he ever caught on.

But tonight wasn’t about old turf wars.

Tonight, I was here to take care of a problem—discreetly.

This was the only place in the city with a strict no phones, no cameras policy. And since Alexei owned it, that worked in my favor.

Still, I wasn’t taking chances.

Benson had already tapped into the surrounding security feeds. If I showed up on any of them, the footage would be gone before sunrise.

I exhaled, stepping into the shadows, blending in with the dim lighting and cigarette smoke. The men and women here tonight were too distracted to care about someone lurking.

I wasn’t the first to creep around the Club House, and I wouldn’t be the last.

Alexei was late—as usual. Either he was giving me time to enjoy what I’d been missing for far too long, or he just didn’t give a shit about my schedule.

Either way, I was enjoying myself. Until a flash of crimson made my dick hard. My body tensed, and I blinked.

No.

The little thief who broke into my house? Here? What were the goddamn odds? I leaned deeper into the shadows, eyes locked on her as she spun around the pole, her red curls whipping through the air.

But she wasn’t a stripper.

She wasn’t working the crowd. She wasn’t bending down to collect the piles of cash tossed on stage.

Instead, she pulled a wad of bills free from her lace bra and threw them at the brunette stripper finishing her set.

My brows lifted slightly. I exhaled slowly. Alexei would be here any minute. But my focus had already shifted. I shoved my hands in my pockets, watching as she hopped down from the stage, bending over to grab her sky-high heels.

Fuck.

I had to talk myself down. I wasn’t here for an easy fuck. I wasn’t here for her. I was here to handle business. But I still found myself waiting, lingering by the dimly lit hallway near the bathrooms. Because if she came this way, if she stepped just a little too close?—

Then maybe, just maybe?—