by Jamie Begley
“Positive. Besides, they tip better when they’re drunk.” She rubbed her hands together.
Vida smiled at her antics as she dressed in her outfit, putting on her stage make-up. Deciding not to tease her hair into a wild mess, she left it straight and then put on her red lipstick as the final touch. She stepped back from the mirror and looked at her changed appearance. No longer the college student, but a seductive woman with one goal; to see how much money she could tempt out of the men in a ten-minute set.
“You look hot tonight.” Sherri’s experienced eyes ran over Vida’s body, taking in her new tattoo and the little bit of weight she had gained over the last week. “Something about you is different. That sexy ex-convict teaching you a thing or two?”
“No!” Vida evaded her question as she passed Sherri going into the restroom. There was nothing worse than a full bladder when you were shaking your boobs and ass at a roomful of men.
“Can he show me a thing or two?”
“No!” Vida yelled through the closed door.
“Damn.”
Chapter 16
Colton took a seat at a back table, facing the stage. A vibrant redhead was currently on the stage, shaking her tail for the front row, giving an incentive to place their money on her body. He ordered a beer when the waitress came to his table.
Colton’s brow lifted when King joined him, taking a seat across from him.
“I didn’t think you ever sat anywhere except your booth?”
“I can be flexible, especially when they have my booth bugged.” Colton just bet King wasn’t happy with that piece of information. He paid dearly for information from his contacts on the force, someone must be wising up to be able to bug King and him not know about it beforehand.
The redhead’s music ended and Vida’s began. Colton tensed in his seat when she came strutting out as if she owned the stage.
King smiled. “She’s came a long way since her first night.”
“So I’ve heard,” Colton answered, not taking his eyes off her as she twirled around the pole with one leg, her dark hair flying silkily around her.
“I bet you have. Several of the Predators became regulars on her nights. I don’t see any of them here tonight. That’s interesting,” King said thoughtfully, staring at Colton.
“They’re not here because I told them I would beat the shit out of them if they showed up,” Colton said grimly as he watched Vida moving away from the pole, dancing suggestively in front of several men on the side of the stage before working her way over to the other side. She never glanced back towards the table that Colton sat at with King.
“That wasn’t very friendly.” King’s amusement drew his attention briefly from Vida.
“There are a few questions I need answered, King.”
All amusement at Colton’s predicament ended when he saw that Colton was serious.
“What do you want to know?”
“I find it very interesting that Vida, from a neighborhood that’s high in crime and has more punks trying to score pussy then any I know of in America, is a virgin who has managed to escape their attention.”
King’s face became an impassive mask. “Are you asking me why Vida is still a virgin? How would I know?”
“Because my brothers and I did a little digging, and I’m a little interested in what I found out.”
“Exactly what did you find out?” King asked, his jaw tightening.
“That you put out the word for the punks and other unsavory elements to stay away or they would deal with you,” Colton answered.
King shrugged. “I did that for Goldie.”
“I don’t think so. This order went out when she was just a kid, and it covered Sawyer. Seems this is what led Digger to them. He was searching for a way to get to you. How would going after them get to you?”
“If that is why Digger went after them, then that was his mistake. I have no emotional or physical connection to either Vida or Sawyer.” King looked Colton straight in the eye.
Colton looked back at King. He had known him for years, ever since his stepdad had started bringing him in the strip club with the Predators. They had struck up a friendship over the years.
The man was lying, he could tell. What worried Colton was that King was an expert at lying, so if he could tell, his enemies could also, which placed Vida and Sawyer in danger.
The music changed. Colton looked toward the stage to see Vida taking off her red corset. Her pert breasts shone under the lights of the stage. Colton wanted to get up from the stage and punch a few of the men in the front row, but restrained himself this time.
Colton looked up into Vida’s face, seeing her eyes were on him. They were full of humiliation. She was embarrassed she was doing it. Now, it was even worse because he was watching her. Colton let heat flow from his eyes, giving her a smile that let her know how pretty and fine he thought she was. He leaned across the table so that the lighting could catch his expression and let all the lust he had been holding back show in his face.
He noticed she had a small stumble before she managed to catch herself. Colton promised himself that one day, not too long from now, she would be standing in his bedroom, giving him the same exact performance, and he was going to throw her down on the bed and fuck her until she couldn’t walk.
Vida turned red and Colton gave her a satisfied smile. She walked forward when the music changed again, getting close to the men in the front row, letting them slip bills into the string around her waist. One bastard trailed his fingers close to her pussy. Colton started to get up, but King’s hand on his arm brought him back down in his seat as King motioned to Henry to escort the overzealous man out of the club.
After several minutes, Vida went to the stage, giving the men their last show of her ass.
“If she bends down and waves at them from between her legs, I am going to turn her ass bright red to match her outfit when I get her home,” Colton threatened.
The words were no sooner out of his mouth than Vida did that exact move. Colton’s jaw tightened.
“I don’t think she heard you,” King said with amusement.
“She’s never going back on that stage again. I don’t care how many women’s lives she’s trying to save.”
“I agree.”
Both men watched as Briggs ordered another whiskey.
“I hope you’re giving him the good stuff.” Colton eyed the liquor in Brigg’s glass.
“What he’s drinking is almost pure alcohol. Vida will be heading upstairs after she gets redressed and takes a fifteen minute break.” King started to get out of his seat.
“King, what’s the connection between you and the girls?” Colton tried one more time.
King opened his mouth then closed it sharply. “There isn’t one, Colton.” He moved away from the table, but not before he gave Colton a warning look to leave it alone. Aware they didn’t know which areas of the club were bugged, Colton didn’t go after him to find out what he needed to know to keep Vida safe.
Instead, Colton sat at his table and continued nursing his beer. Not long after, Briggs managed to stumble up the steps after he finished several whiskeys. Colton waited until he saw Vida climb the discreet stairway before he started after her.
As he was going up the stairs, he noticed several of the Predators entering the door, taking front row seats. He should have known Max wasn’t going to miss Sherri’s show.
He entered the VIP room to see Vida already being bought a drink from one of King’s private customers that had watched her performance from the room. A huge, plate glass window provided a view of the stage, but anyone outside simply saw smoky glass.
Vida didn’t pay him any attention when he entered the room and took a seat in the corner on an expensive couch. King had spared no expense in decorating the private room.
Two of the shot girls came to his table. Colton ordered another beer and told them to leave him alone.
“Not interested?” one of the shot girls asked.
Colton shrugged. “No thanks.” He didn’t take his eyes off Vida.
“If you change your mind, let me know.” The blond, short one bent over to whisper, “I get off at three. I’ll let you take shots all night for free”.
“No, thanks. I’m with someone.” Colton nodded his head towards Vida.
She gave a smile. “Lucky girl.” The shorter one went back to the bar for his beer.
The taller one bent over the table, giving him a view of her tits.
“My name’s Krystal. I can keep my mouth shut if you change your mind later.” She nodded her head to Vida. “She’s a sweet kid, but I can suck your dick like you’ve never had it done before.”
The other woman returned, setting down the beer. They started to move away, but Colton’s words halted them both.
“I won’t be needing anything else tonight.” His cold voice left no doubt that he didn’t want to be bothered again.
Taking a drink of his beer, he noticed Briggs move to stand beside Vida, who was already talking to another customer. She played it cool, gradually changing focus from one man to the other, seeming reluctant at first then more willing to talk to him.
Colton saw Briggs’s hand wander over Vida’s ass several times while she kept moving out of his reach, shaking her head no. Briggs picked up his drink, downing it in one swallow.
Vida moved towards the room where she would give the lap dance with Briggs, who followed after her like he was on a leash. Colton wanted to beat the man until he had several broken bones; instead, he had to watch.
Colton moved to where he could watch her performance continue through the glass. He was only going to give Vida enough time to get what information she needed then he was going to shut her act down. After that, he knew exactly how she was going to spend the rest of her night.
***
Vida closed the door to the private room, feeling Colton’s eyes on her back, certain he was even now moving towards the window to watch her from the window. Briggs sat down in the chair. He was definitely drunk, and probably was a little high from the glazed look in his eyes. Both conditions she hoped would help her get the information she needed without her having to spend much time in his vicinity.
“Come here, Trouble,” Briggs crooned to her.
Vida turned away in disgust, hitting the button by the door that would fill the room with music. Putting the best sway into her hips she could manage, she neared his chair and leaned over him, giving him an eyeful of her cleavage.
“Come closer.”
Vida knew he wanted her on top of him.
“I’m mad at you, Briggs. I thought we had something special going on, and you didn’t even try to help me with Digger. You were going to let him have me when you knew how bad I wanted you,” she said in a fake, stupid voice that she had heard the other women use hundreds of times.
“You seemed close to Colton. I didn’t seem too important to you, Vida.”
“I was mad at you. I didn’t want Digger. You were going to take me to his bedroom.”
“I wasn’t going to leave you alone with him. Digger doesn’t mind sharing,” he confirmed that he would have raped her that night.
“He doesn’t?” she asked, trying to stay on track.
“No, I would have made sure he treated you good. You would have had a time you would have never forgotten.” Vida just bet she wouldn’t have forgotten; being raped by two men at the same time tended to have that effect. He sickened her by believing she would have enjoyed the experience.
Vida moved closer, straddling his lap without giving him her weight. Wiggling and twisting above his lap, she forced herself to rub her breasts against his chest, heightening his desire.
“I don’t understand why he took me in the first place,” Vida probed.
“He hate’s King.”
Vida almost stopped her lap dance.
“What do I have to do with King?”
“Both you and Sawyer are under King’s protection. Everyone knows that the only one King ever extended that protection to was his sister, and he dismembered the man that was responsible for her death. Every shithead in town was afraid to mess with you and Sawyer. Digger wasn’t, he hates King, wanted to make King get mad enough to make a mistake and take him out.”
Vida let a tiny amount of her weight drop down on his crotch. “Sawyer’s disappearance and mine both show that we didn’t mean anything to him. He ignored the situation until I asked for his help, and he hasn’t gone crazy trying to go after Digger.”
Briggs grabbed her hips, trying to force more of her weight down on him. Vida could see he was practically grinding his teeth in his desire for more of her.
“Digger was surprised. When he took Sawyer, he messed her up trying to find out her connection to King, but she didn’t know anything. The only thing she came up with was she remembered an incident when you were kids and King had been going to see someone in the building you lived in. He had stopped to talk to you girls, but she didn’t remember what it was about. I’m not surprised Digger had her so high she could barely remember her name.”
If Vida had a gun, she would shoot him and not mind spending the rest of her life in prison. She was sure Colton and Sawyer would visit her. Vida didn’t remember King ever talking to them when they were little, however Sawyer was older than her and would have a better memory.
Vida knew a way to get even and spend no time in prison herself. Determined, she let more of her weight fall against his crotch, grinding herself against him, trying not to shudder in disgust.
“I don’t know why Digger cares about King. He is obviously the smarter one. I was looking forward to partying with him,” Vida lied, rising up from Briggs’s lap as he tried to arch his hips against her.
“He is; no one can touch him. He has women all over the place, even movie stars and musicians call for him to provide him with entertainment,” Briggs bragged drunkenly.
“Movie stars? Musicians? Do you mean Rock stars?” Vida asked in an awestruck voice.
“We charge a fucking fortune to provide them with a fuck that won’t go running to the tabloids to sell their story.”
“How can you stop them from talking?” Vida questioned.
“Digger sells them with the others when the star is done with her. The men don’t care; they just want their own personal little sex slave. They disappear, never to be heard from again. Their buyers make sure of that.” Vida shivered at Briggs’s smug face.
The idiot was bragging, not caring that he was telling her that Digger had the same fate in store for her if Colton hadn’t rescued her. They were freaking psycho’s. Suddenly, Vida remembered something from her introductory psychology course she had to take in college. Psychopaths couldn’t understand or care that their victims suffered pain, but pain to them was excruciating.
“But how can he keep all these women and no one knows? I imagine it has to be pretty isolated where no one can see or hear anything.” Vida tried to gather more information, not sure how much longer she could tolerate being this close to the monster.
Briggs almost came to his senses, his ingrained fear of Digger fighting the haze that alcohol and drugs had enveloped his senses in. Vida, seeing reason momentarily return to his beady little eyes, began rubbing herself faster against him. Leaning forward, her fingertips traced the sensitive veins in his neck that were standing out.
When he didn’t answer, Vida’s hips rose an inch from his and she pulled her breasts away, removing her hands from underneath his shirt.
“Don’t stop,” Briggs begged. “He has several locations. It’s like a fucking bus station; he moves them from one location to the next. They all are isolated houses, except for the one here in town.”
He continued, his hands going to her ass, “It’s right under the police’s fucking nose. The recording studio in town that advertises all over the country as having the best rates and sound techs available. The whole building is soundproof. Digger gets fresh stock in all the time, and he doesn’t even have to leave the building. The upper floors are legit, but the basement is used to train the sweet things until Digger moves them out. By the time we get done with them, they walk right out the front door and into the waiting car. I told you Digger is a fucking genius,” Briggs gloated, wanting her to admire the brilliance of Digger’s plan.
Digger might be a genius, but his hired help was a moron. Vida, with the information she needed and unable to stomach one more second near him without throwing up, was relieved when she heard the door open and Colton come in the room.
“What the fuck is going on in here?” he yelled.
Fear flooded Briggs’s face as Colton slammed the door back against the wall.
“Colton, I told you I had to work tonight.” Vida gave a fake squeak of fear as Colton placed his hands around her waist and lifted her off Briggs.
Viciously, Vida made sure that her thick, high-heeled stripper shoe snapped up and kicked Briggs in the balls as hard as she could manage. His scream of pain could be heard, Vida was sure, downstairs. That thought gave her some satisfaction.
“You fucking bitch!” Briggs held himself, crying like a baby.
“Watch your mouth,” Colton growled.
“What’s going on in here?” Henry’s amused voice had everyone looking at the huge man.
“The fucking…” Colton’s furious gaze had Briggs changing his mind about his choice of words. “Vida kicked me in the balls.”
“It was an accident, Henry. Colton pulled me off of him. I didn’t mean to. I wouldn’t hurt you deliberately; you’re one of my favorites.” She batted her false eyelashes at him.
“I’m sure King will refund your money, Briggs. We do want our customers completely satisfied. Ashley will give you a dance on the house also. Does that sound reasonable, Briggs?”
Mollified, Briggs sat back, rubbing his abused crotch.
“Let’s go, Vida and Colton. Vida, King will have to let you go because of this second complaint from a customer. We can’t have them hurt because a dancer’s boyfriend becomes jealous.” Briggs’s head swelled even further at the thought that Colton could possibly be jealous of him.
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