Page 1 of Knot So Damaged

Chapter One

The guy sitting on the couch beneath me is practically drooling as I swing my hips to the music thumping through the club. I have already slapped his hands away from me more times than I want to count.

The only thing that doesn’t stop me from moving on to the next paying customer is the big bills he keeps sliding under the thin string of my thong.

All the girls are on tonight. Fridays are always a full house.

I need to get my bag while I can.

I refuse to walk away tonight without a decent stack in my pocket.

It's not that I am greedy. It's the fact that Ineedthe money.

Two mouths, even if one is still pint-sized, is expensive. Not to mention rent, electricity and water, necessities that have a tendency to break the bank.

I allow myself to drift into the back of my mind like I normally do on nights like tonight. I find it easier that way. To disappear into myself. To allow whatever song is playing to consume me.

My body sways, rolls and grinds. My thong is the only thing covering my body from the multitude of eyes I can feel locked in on my flesh.

I have no doubt in my mind that these men will be getting antsy.

They always want more. Down to our thongs is never enough.

This particular club doesn't have any restrictions in place when it comes to full nudity. In fact, they prefer if we take everything off.

As long as we get paid for it.

They have no problems taking our house fee from us at the end of the night. And a little bit off the top if you are a newbie. I caught onto their slight of hand quickly. Some of the other girls aren’t so lucky.

Hands landing on my hips have me coming back to the present. I frown down at the suit, slapping his hands away from me, again.

“Come on, Cherry. I will give it to you good if you allow me to take you home.”

I snort. I don’t think this dickhead would be able to tell my thigh from my pussy lips right now. During the entirety of our dance, he has been downing drink after drink. Every word that spills from his lips is slurred.

While I know I could get him to pay, I refuse to do full service work, no matter how much the other girls convince me it will be worth my while.

I refuse to allow another person to touch me that way ever again.

Bearing my body to them is bad enough.

Having a man—an Alpha at that—get me to that point of vulnerability ever again isn’t an option. Even thinking about it already has my heart racing.

Never. Fucking. Again.

I refuse to cower. To bare my neck and show submission to a person that would just take advantage of me the moment he can.

I will never be that damaged girl again.

The one that allowed herself to be taken by a pack. Used and abused time and time again.

The greasy-haired guy beneath me continues to try his luck. The questioning slowly becomes more forceful each time I deny him.

The next time I need to slap his hand away, I decide enough is enough.

Stepping off the chair, I give myself a second to get used to the height of the pleasers I am wearing, not wanting to roll my ankle like they threaten every time I put them on.

I put on the fakest smile I can possibly manage, knowing that if I showed how I really felt, it would put me at risk of not having any more customers tonight.