by Cj Howard
She’d told her that the men didn’t care at all about the dancing. They weren’t looking at that. At first, Delilah wasn’t sure if those words had comforted her or upset her more. But soon, she saw that Melissa had been right. The dancing was not what mattered – and eventually the dancing became the easiest part of the entire night.
Not only did she get better and better at it, but it was the one time of the evening where she could pretend to be someone she was not. And she preferred at those moments to be someone else. She wished that she’d thought of creating a stage name. She hated it when these men called her Lilah or Delilah. It felt too real.
Things had changed since she had first started at the job. She didn’t have to get completely naked anymore. Also, she didn’t have to mingle too closely with the customers. The dance saw her going down to just her panties – which wasn’t much – but somehow still made her feel like she still had some sort of dignity left.
And she only got close when a customer called for a lap dance or for something more in one of the rooms. That night with James the other night was one of the few times that she’d been asked to go home with someone.
Her boss always tried to avoid that because it was hard to tell what sort of men they really were. She was surprised that she had let James take her home, which was why she thought that perhaps he really was someone famous. Either that or he had offered too much for her to say no to.
Today, she danced on stage and tried to put all her thoughts behind her. There were nights when this was easy and nights when this was almost impossible. She liked that onstage the lights were so bright it looked like there was nobody in the audience. Sometimes she felt as if she were just dancing up there with just the girls. The girls ended the dance as they always did – by walking up to the front and forming a line.
They would bow and allow the customers to see them up close. This was the chance that the customers got to pick out a girl that they might want to do something more with later on. Delilah hated this part. Especially because it was the moment when she knew that they had not been dancing alone.
She walked backwards and had started to change when her boss walked up to her. Immediately, her heart sunk. She tried to remember the money – she always made more on nights when someone beckoned for her. And, despite working for a few years, she still owed money. But she was almost finished paying the bank back, and she knew that she would soon be set free. The quicker she got money, the better, so she could never turn any job down.
“Hey, Lilah. I’ve got a live one for you.”
“Great,” she said sarcastically and then instantly regretted it. “Sorry. I am grateful. I’m just feeling tired tonight.”
Her boss looked at her with both a mixture of sympathy and annoyance. “Well, I can hold him off for a while if you want to go get some coffee first?”
“No. That’s okay. I’d rather get it over with. I’ll get coffee afterwards. What room?”
“Room B. And don’t worry, Lilah. You’ve got this. You’re one of our best – you know that.”
“Okay, great. Thank you. I’ll be there in five.” She hated being told she was one of the best. It actually made her feel worse about herself. She told herself that it was what they told all of the girls – although she wasn’t actually sure if that was true or not.
Delilah took a deep breath. At least she didn’t have to go home with anyone. She’d rather go to the room and get this over with. The men could book them for either half-hour or one-hour sessions, and she generally only got one a night. So she just had to grin and bear it. She’d gotten so used to plastering on a big, fake smile that it actually looked somewhat genuine now.
She walked into Room B and saw a middle-aged man with hardly any hair sitting nervously on the bed. He had a kind face, and he kept running his hand through his non-existent hair, which gave her the impression that once upon a time he used to have a fabulous head of hair. This small observation made her feel somewhat sorry for him.
“Hi. I’m Lilah,” she said. She had a special voice for her customers. It was low and husky with a hint of sweet.
“Lilah. Pretty name. You’re beautiful. I… uh… I’ve never done this before. Oh, I’m Peter.” He could barely look at her. Instead, he looked at his hands.
“Peter, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Don’t worry at all; there is nothing to be nervous about. I’m here to make sure you have a good time.”
Lilah went up to him and kissed him. He pulled away and started coughing. His face had gone very red.
“Uh… I’m sorry. I’m just nervous.”
“That’s no problem at all. How about we dim the lights even more and just climb into bed?” she suggested. She’d been through this many times. She was always amazed when a man had enough confidence to pay for something like this and then no confidence when it came to actually doing something about it. She had a feeling that she wouldn’t have to do too much with him that night.
Although she’d thought that before and been very wrong, so she would have to wait and see. There were some men who were just far too confident for their own good – those were the men who simply saw her as a toy they could play with. She far preferred the men who were nervous.
“Okay. I’d like that,” he said. She saw him take off his shoes and socks and then get into bed with his clothes on. She was wearing hot pants and a small top, so she just took off her shoes and got in like that. No point in making him more nervous. She wrapped her arms him and pulled him around so that he was facing her.
“Hi,” she said. “Don’t be nervous. What do you want us to do tonight? I’m sure my boss explained that there is a wide variety to choose from.”
“She did.” His voice was still shaking with nerves. “But I’m not sure. I guess I just haven’t been with a woman for so long. I just don’t know –“
“Well, it’s up to you. This is your night, remember? We can do anything you want to do.”
“Can we just cuddle? And talk a bit? Then maybe we can have sex later.” He looked so incredibly embarrassed by the words that had come out of his mouth that Delilah wanted to cry for him. Every so often she got guys like this who didn’t actually want sex. They were just so lonely that they didn’t know what else to do. She knew without a doubt that they wouldn’t be having sex. It was going to be a very long hour, but she was grateful that they didn’t have to do anything.
“Yes, of course we can. In fact, I’d love that.”
As it turned out, Lilah was right. They didn’t have sex. In fact, they didn’t do much except hold each other and talk. At first, Lilah felt a bit weird, but soon she actually enjoyed the comfort herself. She hated to admit it, but she was incredibly lonely.
These few years of working at Betsy’s had meant that she never had a proper relationship herself. She’d tried it once, but the moment the guy had discovered what she did for a living, he had left her. She had felt humiliated by the whole experience.
After that, she had gone on a few dates and refused to let it go any further than that. But for the past year, she had found herself unable to even do that. She had not gone on a date for an entire year. She just couldn’t bring herself to go through that embarrassment again. And she didn’t want to get hurt. But sometimes she missed just having someone hold her.
Peter was very sweet. He told her all about his life and how he had never been able to find a woman to love him. He wasn’t a bad person at all, but he lacked the confidence to do something with his life. She tried to explain to him that not all women cared about looks and money.
He needed to have a bit more faith in himself – to be able to laugh about his faults and to use his kindness and humor to push himself forward. Because, much to Delilah’s surprise, Peter was actually a very funny guy. She told him so, and she imagined him blushing in the dark. When the hour was up, he thanked her and asked if he could come again sometime.
“Of course you can. Anytime. And Peter – remember you’re a good guy. You deserve ha
ppiness. So go out and get it.”
He smiled at her and left her a big tip. She wanted to tell him to keep the money. She felt bad that he was paying her to talk to him. But she didn’t. Instead, she tucked it away safely. This was over and above what he had already paid her boss. She needed all the extra help that she could get – no matter how guilty it made her feel. She gave him a big hug and then walked back out to finally get her cup of coffee.
Then she said her goodbye to the girls and headed home. She didn’t have a car, but her home was close and she loved the fresh air that the late evening gave her. She wrapped her coat around her for extra warmth and walked home in the dark, cherishing the moment. She’d gotten through another shift.
When she got home, she put on the kettle and made herself a cup of cocoa. Her mother used to give her cocoa whenever she was feeling sad or feeling ill, and now Delilah continued with the tradition. She still had the same mug from when she was little, and she cradled it in her hands – allowing the warmth to soothe her. She pulled out a magazine and started to flip through the pages. And that was when she saw him.
James.
The picture showed him with a pretty girl on his arm leaving a nightclub. They were laughing and the girl looked drunk. Delilah looked to the caption underneath.
Billionaire James Elton, son of Entrepreneur Jason Elton, spotted with model, Erika Williams. The two seemed very cozy as they left the club.
Chapter4
James spent the next week hopping from one party to the next. He was always getting invited somewhere, and he found it difficult to say no. Sometimes, when he was simply too tired to go out, he’d turn a party down and gear himself up for a night at home. But a few hours into the night, he’d find himself getting restless.
He hated missing out. The parties were mostly the same – attractive people wearing very little clothes and all trying to be the center of attention. But he didn’t mind. With enough booze and loud enough music – he easily fit in. After the confrontation with his ex-girlfriend, he vowed not to get too involved with anyone for a while.
He wasn’t going to be young forever, so he might as well be as free as possible for as long as he could. It was at one of these parties where Elton called him. He had invited Elton, Tom, and Marco, but none of them could make it. He knew it was because it was a weeknight and they all had work to worry about the next day. They were childhood friends and still spent a lot of time together, but every now and again their different lives would show.
“Elton! You changed your mind? The party is still going strong! Come join us. I have a vodka with your name on it.”
Elton said something but the music was too loud.
“Elton, I can’t hear you. Hang on, I’m going outside. Give me a minute.” James pushed his way through the hordes of people until he finally got outside. He pressed the phone to his ear again. “Okay, I’m outside. Sorry about that.”
“Flip! It sounds crazy there! Where the hell are you?”
“It’s just a club. But I think I was standing next to a speaker or something. So… are you coming? Loads of cute girls here.”
“No, I’m not coming. That’s not why I called.”
“Oh… are you still in love with that waitress from the local?”
“Ashley. Yeah… I am.” Elton’s voice had gone all mushy.
“Elton! You dog, you. Have you seen her again?”
“Yeah. A few times actually. And not just at the local. It’s going well.”
“Aren’t you glad I forced you guys to go out with me that night?” James teased.
Elton laughed. “Yeah, I admit it. I am. But listen… I didn’t phone to talk about me. I actually have something serious to talk to you about. I know you’re at that party, but is there any way that we can meet?”
“Just come here!” James insisted.
“No, somewhere quieter.”
“Okay. Uh… that does sound serious. Sure. Uh… want to just come to my place? I can be there in about half an hour.”
“Perfect.”
“Is everything okay, Elton?” James asked. Elton wasn’t the type to want to ‘talk’ about his feelings like this, and James felt an uncomfortable sensation come over him.
“Fine. But I do need to talk to you. See you soon!”
James looked at the club and then decided to leave without going back in and saying goodbye to anyone. They’d only try to convince him to stay and he’d probably end up being late. Also, he felt worried for Elton. What was it that he wanted to tell him? It must be serious if he was calling him at this hour to meet up.
James got home with fifteen minutes still to spare and nervously made himself a cup of coffee. When Elton arrived, he made another cup for both of them.
“Wow, coffee. I thought you had a vodka with my name on it.”
“Vodka at the club. Coffee at home. What’s going on, Elton?”
“James, I wanted to tell you this before you heard it from someone else because I assume you haven’t heard it yet.”
“What? What’s going on?” James demanded.
“A sex tape has been released.”
“Okay… what does that have to do with me?”
“It’s of you.”
“Me? What do you mean? How is that possible? Are you sure this isn’t some joke?”
“I’m sure. It’s of you and some very exotic-looking African American girl called Lilah.”
James felt his heart start to quicken and color rush to his head. “Lilah! How do you know this?”
“It’s all over the internet. It literally just happened, which is why nobody at the club said anything, I assume. I don’t think they know yet. But it’s starting to spread like wildfire. It shows you and this girl, and in it you call her Lilah.”
“But how? I don’t understand.”
“I don’t know, James. Did this girl… Lilah… did she have a copy or something?”
“No. Definitely not. The video is still here.” Suddenly, James stopped and looked at Elton. “Oh no.”
“What? Did you remember something?” Elton asked.
“Yeah. Tammy was here the other night. She had used her key to get in, and she had a bag full of stuff. She said it was all her stuff she was taking back. I thought about looking in the bag, but I just wanted her gone. I didn’t even consider that she would’ve taken the tape. It didn’t occur to me. This is totally something that Tammy would do.”
Elton nodded. “That’s for sure. I wouldn’t put it past her. Shit, James. What are you going to do? Your dad is going to freak. Who is this Lilah girl anyway?”
James sat back down and proceeded to tell Elton the whole story. About how after Elton had taken Ashley for coffee, he had treated the rest of the boys to a show at Betsy’s. He told Elton how he had been transfixed with Lilah.
“Her full name is Delilah. And she is beautiful.”
“I know. I mean… I didn’t watch the video. That would be weird. But I did see the start of it. And I saw her. She is stunning, James.”
“I can’t believe that Tammy would do this to me. Although… actually I do believe it. But it’s still awful. She knows my father would freak out. He’s totally going to find out about this. It would’ve been bad if it were any girl, but the fact that it is a stripper makes it so much worse. And even worse is that she’s such a lovely girl. She’s going to be devastated. It was my damn idea to go and film the whole thing anyway. What was I thinking?”
“Well, obviously you weren’t thinking that your ex-girlfriend would come in and steal it. That’s the last thing you’d be thinking. So don’t beat yourself up about it. I always hated Tammy.”
“I know you did. You were the only one that told me that to my face. I should’ve listened to you. I’m such an idiot. Elton, what am I going to do? My father is going to be so disappointed in me. Oh no! What about Martha? She’s going to die of embarrassment. She’s always telling me how proud she is of me.
She’s always going around and telling
people about me. And what if my father cuts me loose from all the money? I mean, I know that sounds like an awful thing to say right now, but I kind of don’t have anything else. I’m not sure if he can do that. But he might. I have no idea how it all works.”
“Do you think there’s any way he’ll understand if you talk to him? Tell him it was a mistake?”
James shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. I’ve been going around and partying every night and promising him that I’ve been thinking about my future. Which I obviously haven’t. After everything he’s done for me, this is going to come as a big shock to him. He has a big reputation to uphold, and I might have just ruined it now.”
“There’s got to be something you can do,” Elton insisted.
“What?” James took a big sip of coffee and lay back. His head was swarming with too many thoughts, and he thought he was going to faint.
“Hey! I have an idea!” Elton said.
James sat up, eager to hear anything that might get him out of his situation. “Yeah?”
“Why don’t you say she’s your girlfriend?”
“What do you mean?”
“Just tell everyone she’s your girlfriend. You’ve got every right to film your girlfriend surely. You can say that the tape was just for personal use but that your ex-girlfriend stole it out of spite. Turn it around so that she is the bad one – which she is, by the way.”
“But she’s not my girlfriend.”
“Well, just pretend. Maybe speak to her. Tell her what happened. Pay for her to be your girlfriend for a while. Then the two of you can break up eventually and the whole thing can be put at rest.”
James looked at Elton, considering the idea. “You know what, it’s not a bad idea at all. It’s not the best idea either, but it may be the only one I have right now. And you won’t say anything?”
Elton looked at him as if he were crazy. “Of course I won’t. I’m your oldest and dearest friend. Although, I wouldn’t say no to a new car.” He grinned at James.
“A new car? You’ve got yourself a deal.”
“James! I’m kidding! I don’t want a new car. You’re my friend.”