Page 26
Story: The Bratva's Captive
But who is he?
Before this break could be done and we’d all have to get back up on the stage, I figured I could try to get a name. It might not matter if I knew who this guy was, but now that he’d given me a baby, a lasting reminder of our time in that private room, I wanted to know.
I shoved my plate aside before getting up and taking it to the tray where we could stack all the things for the kitchen. Then, making my way through the dressing rooms and backstage area, I avoided Lenny or the other supervisor, Brent, from overhearing me as I asked around about that private event I had gone to.
Getting over my grudge with Nevaeh would’ve made this easier. She was there that night. She might know who that man was—granted, she was too busy blowing guests and making extra tips to notice. But Nevaeh wasn’t back here. She was out back in Nicky’s car during the break while he “visited” her.
I was too damn mad at Nevaeh, anyway. If she told me who that man was that I’d danced for in the private room, I would doubt her and suspect she was lying. Just like she’d lied to me about working that private event at all.
Another dancer, Felicity, told me the day after that event that the only way Nevaeh could’ve gotten the chance to work that private party was if she had someone else as her partner. We went in twos, and that was why she’d tried so hard to get me to agree.
All these nights since that party, I reminded myself again and again that this was why I could only count on myself. I could only rely on myself and never anyone else.
To that degree, I debated finding out who this baby’s daddy was.
I wouldn’t count on him.
I wouldn’t ask him for a damn thing.
Because this little baby growing inside me would always be able to rely on me.
“What’s up, Sloane?” Felicity asked after she tipped back a shot. She sat with another dancer who finished a drink as well. I didn’t know her name, but I recognized her. The rumor was that she sometimes slept with one of the owners. That wasn’t why she was familiar, though. She was the other dancer who’d been working that same private event. She was the stripper who was fingering Nevaeh while she sucked off a guest.
“Hey, um. Strange question,” I said, faking a smile, “but uh, do you remember that VIP party a couple of weeks ago that I was at?”
The other dancer grinned. “Yeah, I remember. Lenny and Brent have been talking about seeing if you’d be a regular at them. Lots of compliments about you that night.” She winked.
Ew. Fuck no.I didn’t like the idea of the managers singling me out at all.
“Huh. Interesting. Do you remember my giving a guest a private dance?” I asked, feeling like this was a long shot.
The other dancer nodded and lit a cigarette. “Yeah. That’s why Lenny and Brent think you’d be good with the VIPs from now on.” She huffed a laugh, getting a smile out of Felicity. “It’s not every day we get a boss from the Invanov family showing up and leaving pleased.”
I froze. Blood drained from my face as what she said registered in my brain.
What?
“You took one of the most elusive Mafia bosses into a private room, girl.” Felicity smacked my ass playfully. “You sure know how to find the fattest wallets.”
While she laughed with the other dancer, I struggled to believe it.
Of all the men in New York, I had to give a private dance to a member of the Ivanov Mafia? Even I had heard of them. Those Russians were bloodthirsty, violent, and dangerous. Among all the crime organizations, they were the ones we all knew to fear.
Here I’d spent that night thanking that man. A boss. A prince.
And I have his baby as a receipt.
The dancer smoked and raised her brows at me, curious.
Oh, fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“Good on you, Sloane,” Felicity cheered. “I bet he paid well.”
Oh, hepaidfor that night, all right.
He didn’t only give me a handsome tip for my time in the private room. He’d deposited something I could never give back.
Fear climbed higher once more, and I turned away to panic before they could see how I was freaking out over the shocker that I would have a Mafia ’s baby.
Before this break could be done and we’d all have to get back up on the stage, I figured I could try to get a name. It might not matter if I knew who this guy was, but now that he’d given me a baby, a lasting reminder of our time in that private room, I wanted to know.
I shoved my plate aside before getting up and taking it to the tray where we could stack all the things for the kitchen. Then, making my way through the dressing rooms and backstage area, I avoided Lenny or the other supervisor, Brent, from overhearing me as I asked around about that private event I had gone to.
Getting over my grudge with Nevaeh would’ve made this easier. She was there that night. She might know who that man was—granted, she was too busy blowing guests and making extra tips to notice. But Nevaeh wasn’t back here. She was out back in Nicky’s car during the break while he “visited” her.
I was too damn mad at Nevaeh, anyway. If she told me who that man was that I’d danced for in the private room, I would doubt her and suspect she was lying. Just like she’d lied to me about working that private event at all.
Another dancer, Felicity, told me the day after that event that the only way Nevaeh could’ve gotten the chance to work that private party was if she had someone else as her partner. We went in twos, and that was why she’d tried so hard to get me to agree.
All these nights since that party, I reminded myself again and again that this was why I could only count on myself. I could only rely on myself and never anyone else.
To that degree, I debated finding out who this baby’s daddy was.
I wouldn’t count on him.
I wouldn’t ask him for a damn thing.
Because this little baby growing inside me would always be able to rely on me.
“What’s up, Sloane?” Felicity asked after she tipped back a shot. She sat with another dancer who finished a drink as well. I didn’t know her name, but I recognized her. The rumor was that she sometimes slept with one of the owners. That wasn’t why she was familiar, though. She was the other dancer who’d been working that same private event. She was the stripper who was fingering Nevaeh while she sucked off a guest.
“Hey, um. Strange question,” I said, faking a smile, “but uh, do you remember that VIP party a couple of weeks ago that I was at?”
The other dancer grinned. “Yeah, I remember. Lenny and Brent have been talking about seeing if you’d be a regular at them. Lots of compliments about you that night.” She winked.
Ew. Fuck no.I didn’t like the idea of the managers singling me out at all.
“Huh. Interesting. Do you remember my giving a guest a private dance?” I asked, feeling like this was a long shot.
The other dancer nodded and lit a cigarette. “Yeah. That’s why Lenny and Brent think you’d be good with the VIPs from now on.” She huffed a laugh, getting a smile out of Felicity. “It’s not every day we get a boss from the Invanov family showing up and leaving pleased.”
I froze. Blood drained from my face as what she said registered in my brain.
What?
“You took one of the most elusive Mafia bosses into a private room, girl.” Felicity smacked my ass playfully. “You sure know how to find the fattest wallets.”
While she laughed with the other dancer, I struggled to believe it.
Of all the men in New York, I had to give a private dance to a member of the Ivanov Mafia? Even I had heard of them. Those Russians were bloodthirsty, violent, and dangerous. Among all the crime organizations, they were the ones we all knew to fear.
Here I’d spent that night thanking that man. A boss. A prince.
And I have his baby as a receipt.
The dancer smoked and raised her brows at me, curious.
Oh, fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
“Good on you, Sloane,” Felicity cheered. “I bet he paid well.”
Oh, hepaidfor that night, all right.
He didn’t only give me a handsome tip for my time in the private room. He’d deposited something I could never give back.
Fear climbed higher once more, and I turned away to panic before they could see how I was freaking out over the shocker that I would have a Mafia ’s baby.
Table of Contents
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