by Emily Minton
He turns to storm off, but before he can take a full step, he sways and stumbles back toward me. I don’t have time to react as his body crashes into mine, causing me to lose my footing. I fall back and slam into the wall before tumbling straight to the floor and hitting the hard concrete. The initial impact causes me to bite straight through my lip and rattles my brain. Pain ricochets through my body as I struggle to clear my senses and right myself.
My blurry eyes can barely make out Preach’s retreating figure as he mumbles to himself and staggers down the hall. “Glad I didn’t waste my time waiting for the bitch. She was never fuckin’ worth it. What the fuck was I thinking? Love her? Fuck no.”
The metallic taste of blood filling my mouth causes me to gag, while thick tears stream down my face. This time, he didn’t just break me; he made me bleed. He’s so drunk that I doubt he even remembers what he did, but I will. I’ll never forget.
I crumble back down to the floor, sobbing. “I hate you, Preach,” I whisper.
Chapter Nine
PREACH
“A shot of Jack with a beer chaser,” I tell the waitress as I sit down by the stage.
I look around and notice every seat in the place is full. Hell, even a few of the guys are standing near the back. Looks like every member of the Renegade Sons is here for the show. “Why’s it so packed in here tonight?”
Kidd looks at me with a smirk on his face. “You didn’t hear about the new talent?”
I shake my head. “Nope, ain’t heard shit.” Not sure if I care either. If it has a set of tits and knows how to flash some pussy, I honestly don’t give a fuck.
“Daisy’s taking the stage for the first time,” Kidd quips back at me, knowing damn well that shit will get under my skin.
“What?” I damn near shout. No fucking way! Daisy wouldn’t do that, not my Little Flower.
“Maybe if you’d put the booze down once in a while, you would’ve known. It’s the only thing any of the brothers can talk about. They all want to see what’s under her clothes,” Reese adds from his spot on the other side of Kidd. My blood pressure soars.
The brothers talking about Daisy is the main reason that I’ve stayed drunk the last two weeks. Ever since Maker’s party, all everyone wants to do is talk about her. Even Kidd mentioned how he wouldn’t mind having a piece of her. I had to force myself not to throat punch his ass on the spot.
Daisy made a hell of an impression on the guys at the party, and the worst part is, I can’t even remember any of it. I don’t even know if I saw her or not. I’m sure if I did, it wasn’t pretty. I can be a prick normally, but I’m a fuckin’ bastard when I’m drunk. I was more than drunk that night. Actually, I was trashed. Since none of my brothers have jumped my ass, I assume I didn’t see her, at least I hope I didn’t.
The waitress is just handing me my drink when Leah walks over and straddles my lap. For the last two weeks, this bitch has been all over me. I can only guess that I must have fucked her again while I was drunk. It wouldn’t be the first time, but it is the first time she’s turned into a leech. “Get the fuck off me.”
“Come on, baby. I just want a kiss,” she whispers in my ear as her hips start to grind against my flaccid dick.
I grab her hips, giving them a warning squeeze. “I’m not drunk enough to want your ass, yet. Try again later when I’m shit-faced, and one pussy is as good as the next.”
“One little kiss, and I’ll go. Promise.”
Not wanting to deal with her shit, I slam my mouth onto hers. Once her lips are open, I bite down on the bottom one, not hard enough to draw blood, but hard enough to teach the skank a lesson.
She jerks back, placing a hand on her lip. “I told you to get the fuck off me. It wasn’t open to negotiations.”
She jumps off of my lap and starts to back away, her eyes never leaving mine. She hesitates for a second before asking, “Can I still come to you later?”
Fucking pitiful. “Like I said, if I’m drunk enough, your pussy suits me just fine.”
As Leah walks away, I catch sight of Daisy heading toward the dressing rooms in the back. Seeing her for the first time in years causes my heart to nearly jump out of my chest. My God, what the hell happened to her?
My brothers talking about how hot she turned out has really been pissing me off, but it also confused the hell out me. As far as I was concerned, she was the prettiest girl I had ever laid eyes on. She wasn’t sexy in a typical way, but more of a girl next-door kind of thing. She was hot, but had a sweet kind of look to her that made my blood go wild. Judging from the glimpse that I just got of her, there is nothing sweet about her now.
The girl next door has been replaced by a sexy as hell woman. Those curves she had before are now more pronounced. She’s all tits and ass; every man’s fantasy. Her hair is still a million shades of blonde, but it no longer hangs to her ass. It’s cut short, not even reaching her chin, definitely not a look I’d normally be attracted to, but its fits her to perfection.
My brothers had one thing right though. She’s amazing.
I’m just about to follow her when I see Ice heading in her direction. There’s no way she’ll let me anywhere near Daisy right now. She might not know everything that happened between us, but Ice is far from stupid. I’m sure she’s figured out enough to want to keep me away from her permanently.
Giving up on the idea of talking to her, I turn toward Kidd and Reese.
“Did you ever find out what in the hell happened to her face?” Kidd asks Reese.
“What are you talking about?”
Kidd turns to me. “Daisy disappeared during Maker’s party, and the next day, she had a busted lip with a bruise on her cheek. She said she fell, but I wanna make sure none of the brothers got rough with her. She’s not a club whore, but even if she was, you know how I feel about that shit.”
Fuck! “If I find out that one of the boys laid a hand on her, I’ll kill him.”
“Shit. Don’t you think it’s about time you manned the hell up?” mumbles Reese.
“What the fuck do you mean by that?”
His eyes narrow as he looks at me. “Sober the fuck up and be a man. Claim her ass. We all know you want to.”
His words piss me off, but there’s enough truth behind them to keep me from kicking his ass. “I fucked up. Doubt she’d want me now.”
Kidd barks out a harsh laugh. “Haven’t we all fucked up a time or two?”
With that, we go quiet. Kidd and Reese’s minds are probably on the same person; Ice. Mine is thinking about Reese’s words. Yeah, I fucked up, but I could prove to her that I’m different now. I almost laugh at the thought. If anything, I’m worse, but I could clean the hell up; lay off the booze and stay the fuck away from the whores. Couldn’t I?
Yeah, it’s time. She’s mine, and I gotta figure out a way to make sure she knows it. Before I can come up with a plan, I hear Leah’s whispered voice behind me. I turn to see her talking to one of the other club girls. “Yeah, she plays all innocent, but she’s not. If Ice knew what she’s doing, she would get rid of her ass.”
“Ice is her friend. It would have to be pretty bad for her to get fired.”
Leah’s voice rises as she responds. “I saw her fucking some guy in the bathroom just a few minutes ago. I also saw him give her money, and you know that even Daisy can’t get away with that shit. Ice wouldn’t have it. ”
The girl shakes her head and starts to respond, but I’m no longer listening. Hearing Daisy’s name damn near makes me sick. I have to take a deep breath to keep from losing what little food I have in my stomach. All thoughts of claiming her fade away as my anger starts to grow into rage.
She wants to be a whore, does she? We’ll just see about that.
DAISY
I’m getting ready for my first time on stage when Leah walks in. I’ve done my best to avoid her over the last week, but it’s damn near impossible with both of us working at The Kitty Kat.
She sits at the station next to mi
ne, a fake smile on her face. Her eyes meet mine in the mirror as she applies a yet another coat of mascara onto her overdone face. “Hey, Daisy.”
She is the last person I want to talk to, so I don’t reply. Instead, I nod and continue to put on my own make-up.
“How have you been?” she asks, pretending like she actually cares about my wellbeing.
Still not willing to speak, I just shrug.
“Well, I’ve been great. Wonderful actually.”
I know I shouldn’t, but I just can’t keep myself from asking, “What’s got you all happy?”
“I think I’m gonna be an old lady before too long,” she says, sounding pleased with herself.
“Good for you.” I know what she’s hinting at, but I’m not falling into her trap. She just wants me to fight with her, and I don’t have the time or the energy for that. If Preach makes her his old lady, that’s his choice. Even though the man I fell in love with is gone, and it will be another break in what’s left of my heart to see her wearing his brand, there’s nothing I can do about it. It’s his choice and his alone.
She rolls her eyes at my reply. “Jesus, Daisy. You have no reason to be such a bitch all the time.”
I can’t stop my own eyes from rolling. If she thinks that was bitchy, she should hear what I really think. After a moment’s hesitation, I decide to do just that. “A brother won’t make a whore his old lady, at least, not a whore that’s in it just to win a brand.”
Ice is a club girl. Actually, she is THE club girl. Still, I know she will be wearing a brand soon. Either Reese will finally kick his old lady to the curb and claim her, or Kidd will pull the stick out of his ass and put his brand on her. Leah is nothing like Ice, though. Leah is after a brand, any brand. Ice is here because she loves the club. She may be a whore, but she’s a member, even if she doesn’t wear a cut.
“I know you’re pissed that he chose me, but there’s really no reason to be mad at me. It isn’t my fault that Preach doesn’t want you. He proved that when he took me to his bed. You need to learn how to let go and move on.” She inches closer, making sure I don’t miss a word of whatever bullshit she is fixing to spew. “He told me my pussy was like a fuckin’ vise, squeezing his dick. He says he loves the way it milks him. He says my mouth is.... ” She doesn’t get to finish before Ice swings the door open.
“What the hell is your problem? Huh? Do you get off on hurting her?”
Leah’s face pales when she realizes she’s been caught. She knows not to cross Ice, so she backs away. “I wasn’t...” She stumbles over her words, not sure what to say to keep Ice from beating her ass.
“You weren’t what, being a fucking bitch? I heard your bullshit, you stupid cunt!”
“I’m sorry,” Leah whispers.
Ice just shakes her head and turns to me. “Daisy, babe, if she gives you shit again, you come find me. I’ll take care of her ass. I won’t sack her just because she’s a bitch. If I did that, I’d have to get rid of half the girls here, but she will pay. If she tries pulling this shit again, I’ll beat the bitch down.”
I smile, realizing for the first time that Ice isn’t just a friend. She is my best friend. “Thank you.”
“Just for the record, if Preach claims her skank ass, then I say let him have her. He isn’t good enough for you, anyway,” she says before leaving the dressing room. Right before the door shuts, she pokes her head back in. “Oh, and you’re on in ten.”
I take a look at Leah and notice her still sitting in front of her mirror. She’s still applying her makeup, but her hands are shaking so bad that she isn’t getting much done. I stare at her for a minute before deciding to ask her the question that has been burning inside of me for years. “I thought we were best friends? What happened, Leah? What changed? There is no way the girl I knew would have been with Preach, especially when she knew how I felt about him. Even if she did, she wouldn’t be rubbing it in my face right now,” I question.
She lets out a long sigh and turns to face me. “To be honest, I was never your best friend. Sure, we were friends, but we were never as close as you thought. You were just the only other girl my age that was part of the club. It was either hang out with you, or be alone. You may be boring, but you’re better than sitting in the corner alone. As for Preach, he’s hot, he has his cut, and he doesn’t have an old lady. He’s my chance at getting branded. I knew it would piss you off, but it’ll be worth it if he claims me.”
With that, she stands up and walks out of the room. I’d like to say that her words don’t bother me, but they do. I should’ve just kept my mouth shut.
I finally shake off her declaration and look back to the mirror. My hands shake as I apply the bright red lipstick. It’s my body’s way of saying that I’m making the wrong decision. Can I do this? Can I really go out there and take my clothes off in front of everyone?
A knock on the door brings me out of my dark thoughts. Skittles sticks her head in. “Daisy girl, you’re up.”
I slowly rise from my chair, my heart pounding. I look in the mirror one last time and see my vibrant red bra and matching thong. Both are covered in rhinestones, and when the light catches them, they look like little droplets of blood. I stare at myself for a moment, trying to gain a bit of courage, before grabbing my robe and heading out the door.
I make it to the stage just as the lights are going down. Ice is standing by the entrance with a look of trepidation clearly displayed on her face. “Daisy, are you sure you want to do this? I know this isn’t your thing.”
I swallow my worries and nod. “Yeah, I am.”
She looks toward the stage then back to me. “He’s out there.”
I don’t have to ask who he is. I know Preach is here. I saw him with Leah when I first walked in. She was in his lap, rubbing all over him. I swear I nearly gagged when I watched him shove his tongue down her throat.
“I know he is, but I don’t care.” My words may be a lie, but I’m working on making them true.
She looks me up and down and finally nods. “Knock ‘em dead, Little Flower.”
She nods at the sound stage girl, and the lights start to flicker. “We’ve got a real treat for you guys tonight. Now put your hands together and welcome Little Flower to the stage for the very first time.”
I hear Blood by In This Moment start up, and I know that’s my cue to walk out onto the stage. The spotlight hits me as soon as I take my first step onto the platform and start to move toward the pole. I teasingly shrug off my robe as I strut to the center of the stage while trying to avoid looking for Preach. When the robe has finally made it’s decent to the ground, I glide across the stage to begin my performance. But I’m caught off-guard when I zero in on Preach sitting right at the front of the stage. Our eyes lock, and I can see the fury radiating out of his tiger colored eyes.
Feeling my walls begin to crumble, I jerk my head away as the lyrics start to pound out of the speakers. It takes a moment for my body to catch the beat, but as soon as it does, I walk over and brace myself on the pole. As Maria Brink’s voice hits a low note, I grind my hips and throw back my head while rolling my body in time with the heavy bass. I see Leah take her place on Preach’s lap, and anger courses through my body. Screw them both!
Ice told me my choice in music isn’t the norm. She wasn’t sure how I was gonna pull this off, being that heavy metal music isn’t typical stripper material. However, this band and the beat of their song is perfect for me. It’s hot, sexy, and the words are so similar to what are in my soul right now. I hate him. I hate Preach, and I want him to feel it in his bones as I wrap myself around the pole and begin to slowly climb up the cool metal.
Ice was hesitant to show me any tricks during our training sessions, but when she found out that I have some pretty damn good core strength, she felt comfortable enough with teaching me a few of the easier pole dancing tricks. I’m going to have to thank her again, because all of the falls and minor bruises I got while learning the moves were worth it.
By the time my heels touch the floor, a thin sheen of sweat covers my entire body, and a low bubble of warmth has settled deep in my belly. The thought of dancing in front of a room of horny men used to terrify me, but all I can focus on now is the need to drive Preach as crazy as he’s made me. I hate the way my body is reacting to his gaze, but I love torturing him with what he missed out on when he stepped out on me with Leah.
Once I’m securely back on the ground, my body automatically sways back around the pole and follows the rhythm of the song, while my hips start to gyrate to the music. As the song starts to play the final verse, I slowly and seductively take off my bra. My tits bounce with the action, and for the first time, men other than Preach have seen my body. Something about that makes me even hotter, and the pool of heat I felt in my belly has transformed into an ache between my legs. Holy shit, this is amazing!
Ignoring the catcalls and whistles, I brace my leg up high on the pole and use my other leg to hold my body in place. Ice didn’t teach me this, but something in my soul tells me that I have to do this right now or I’ll spontaneously combust from all of the power that is coursing through my veins. Trailing the tips of my fingers over the crevice of my chest, I run my hand down the valley between my breasts. I bypass my stomach and head straight into my panties. Right there on the stage, in front of everyone, I brush over my pussy, sending a shockwave throughout my entire body. I know I shouldn’t be doing this, but I just can’t stop myself. It’s like my body has taken over, and my brain is no longer in control.
Harder and harder is all I hear in my head as I thrust my hips roughly against my hand and delve further into my slick folds. I can feel the fire growing even stronger inside of me, and I know I’m close to the edge. So close. As the song starts to fade away, I all but tune it out as I rub a few final circles over my clit. With the final beat of Blood, I throw my head back and shout out my release.