My Soul to Play (Games People Play Book 2)

by Robin Roseau

  At that, she smiled. "I think you'll feel very comfortable."

  * * * *

  She was wrong. I wasn't comfortable at all.

  I was wearing a policewoman's uniform. Well, it was really someone's fantasy of what policewomen wore. And Evaline made a point of showing me how easily it could be removed.

  There were buttons, but they were decorative. Instead, the front was held closed by small Velcro tabs, and they were only over the middle. What cleavage I had was on display.

  She even took the teddy away from me, and I was only wearing the black bra underneath. I knew she expected me to shed the top, too, although she didn't flat out order it.

  The slacks were just as tight.

  And I'd never seen a policewoman wearing bright red heels to match the lipstick. She finished my outfit with a pair of handcuffs and a cap.

  The handcuffs looked serious, but she showed me that instead of requiring a key, there was a quick release. If I used them, I could remove them efficiently.

  I didn't say a word.

  * * * *

  I stood on the mark. Poppy announced me as "Officer Lacey!" The curtains opened and the music started, a driving beat I didn't recognize. I immediately strode forth, swinging the handcuffs in one hand.

  The women loved it.

  I met Poppy partway up the catwalk. She made to slide past me, but I grabbed her with an arm around her waist and another around her shoulders, then tipped her backwards into a deep, deep dip, bent over my knee. I caught her by surprise, and then I lowered my own head until our lips were only an inch or two apart. I froze like that. Poppy looked up into my eyes, and I could still read the surprise.

  I didn't intend to actually kiss her; I only intended to tease people that I might. But she looked up into my eyes and said, "Do it."

  And so I did.

  I made it a good kiss, a long, serious kiss. Poppy gave as good as she got. And it wasn't until we broke and I lifted her back to her feet that I registered the audience reaction.

  Apparently they loved it.

  Poppy fanned herself dramatically as she backed away from me, but before she disappeared, she blew me a kiss.

  I turned away from her and strode back and forth on the stage, stepping in time to the music, but it could hardly be considered dancing. But as Evaline had indicated, there was a dance pole waiting for me at the end of the stage. I walked to it, swung around it with one hand, primarily to test how solid it felt. I did that a second time before partly climbing the pole and taking one of the poses that Karen had taught me.

  The women were yelling encouragement, but I couldn't imagine anyone was impressed with my performance so far. I knew I wasn't.

  I tried a few more things, both on and off the pole. I knew it was pathetic, and the women were cooling off as well.

  Then the demon caught my attention. I'd been avoiding looking at her, but somehow she caught my eye. She was holding a cocktail napkin, and on it she had written, "This is not your best."

  I stared at the note.

  I didn't know what to do.

  Maybe she sensed that. Her fingers moved to the top of her own blouse, and she pointedly unbuttoned two buttons. She wasn't dressed that primly to begin with, and I could clearly see both of her delectable mounds and quite a bit of skin. I couldn't help but stare for a moment.

  Then I shook myself and turned away.

  For another thirty seconds, I ignored her. But then I turned her way, and she had a new note.

  "Please don't default."

  I stared. Then I straightened, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. I let my fingers move to the top of the Velcro tabs. I released a portion of the uniform shirt. I opened my eyes and glanced at the demon, and she nodded to me.

  I teased them for a while. They weren't sure if I would take it off. Neither was I, to be honest. I had released all the Velcro, but I just couldn't bring myself to undress further.

  But then I saw a woman standing and dancing to the music. Once captured, her eyes didn't leave mine. She looked at me confidently then lifted her chin higher.

  I pranced to that edge of the stage, and I held out my hand to her. She paused, only a heartbeat, then stepped forward. I gestured her onto the stage, and so she turned around, hopped up on her butt, then spun around and accepted my help to stand.

  I grabbed her wrists and set her hands on my hips, moving closer to her, one of my legs between hers, and together we danced.

  But then I whispered into her ear, "Take my top off and drop it onto Evaline's table."

  We separated slightly, and she was grinning. As I swayed, her hands moved up to my shoulders and began to peel the shirt off. I closed my eyes and let her do it.

  Once the shirt was gone, she pulled me closer, and we returned to dancing. But then she whispered into my ear, "I've got twenty dollars if you let me take the pants off, too."

  "They kind of tear off," I said.

  "I know." She didn't wait. I almost stopped her, my hands reaching down to trap hers as she reached thumbs inside the waistband. But then, my eyes still closed, I nodded and removed my hands.

  The crowed went wild. Oh, not as wild as they did for the guys, but apparently they enjoyed watching one of their own undressing one of the dancers.

  "Oh, oh," she said into my ear. "I've been naughty. Are you going to handcuff me, Officer?"

  I could catch a hint. I took over the dancing and led her until her back was pressed against the dance pole. Then I separated, pulled her away from it, spun her around, and pressed her chest against it. I used my weight to pin her in place, capturing her wrists. I cuffed her hands behind her back.

  She struggled, but it was token struggling. I turned her back to face me. I pulled her close and told her, "Now you're under arrest."

  "Please, Officer," she said. "Don't haul me downtown. You can punish me if you must, but don't haul me to the clink."

  The clink? Seriously.

  I thought quickly then took a knee, the other raised. I pulled the woman down and spread her on her stomach over my knee. She went willingly, and the audience went insane.

  I gave her three token swats.

  Then we stood, and I released her hands. She turned to me, her hands in the pockets of her slacks, and she pulled out a twenty in one hand and a pen in the other. She quite clearly wrote on the bill before stepping closer and slowly sliding the bill into the front of my dance tights.

  The music ended just as she left the stage. I stood there as the audience cheered. And then I looked down at how I was dressed as all these women stared at my body, offering catcalls and encouragement, a few of them waving money at me.

  I turned to flee.

  Poppy was already approaching me, and I only got three steps before she pulled me into her arms. I tried to get away from her, but she said firmly into my ear, "Hug me tightly."

  I couldn't help it. I wrapped my arms around her.

  "When we part," she said into my ear, "Do so as lovers about to part for a time. Hold your hands out to me as if you're imploring me to go with you, and back away until you're out of sight."

  "I can't."

  "You can," she said. "Trust me, Lacey."

  She caressed my cheek as we parted, and her expression was kind. I did what she said, but as soon as the curtains closed between us, I turned tail and ran for the basement.

  * * * *

  It wasn't the demon that found me ten minutes later; it was Poppy. I had found a robe and was bundled in it, and she found me pacing around the dressing room. I turned to face her but then turned away, hiding my face. She came up behind me and wrapped her arms around me.

  Neither of us said anything.

  Slowly I turned around and let her hold me, my hands at my sides.

  "That woman gave you her phone number."

  "This isn't me. She wants a fantasy I can't deliver."

  Poppy didn't respond to that. Instead she asked, "Are you really a cop?"

  "Detective, White Collar Divis
ion."

  "And you're here. That must be some favor you want from Evaline." This time, I didn't respond. Poppy pulled away and looked at me. "You saw me earlier."

  "Yes. This is quite the transformation, even more than mine."

  She began to bite her lip. It was cute. But then she sort of growled at herself and swore.

  "Damn it. I'm Poppy right now, not Marley."

  "It was cute," I told her.

  "People don't like Marley. No one thinks Marley is cute. Everyone wants Poppy." I waited to see where she was going. "Are you gentle with your girlfriends?"

  "Yes," I said.

  She bit her lip again, but then she said, "Poppy doesn't date. But I'd love it if you asked Marley out."

  I didn't say anything right away, and after a pause, she began to pull away.

  "No," I said. "Wait." She stopped struggling, and I looked into her eyes. "You haven't seen Teigan."

  She looked away, and I thought perhaps she thought I was judging Marley. But Poppy had been kind to me, and maybe she was Poppy right now, but I thought the kindness was as much from Marley as anything.

  "I'm dealing with this thing. A cop thing."

  "A cop thing."

  "Yeah. I can't talk about it. I'm going to come out of it a little raw."

  "I don't understand."

  "I know. If I come out of it okay, then I'd love to ask Marley out."

  "You're just saying that." And she was now clearly Marley.

  "No, I'm not," I said. I released her a little but then cupped her cheek, turning her back to face me. "I'm not," I repeated. "But it might be a while."

  "I'll be here," she said. "Or if not, Evaline will know how to reach me. I'll let her know."

  We smiled, both of us a little shyly. Then she hugged me briefly before we separated.

  "Are you here to help me dress?"

  "No. I asked Evaline if I could have a few minutes with you."

  "I'm glad you did. Thank you for earlier."

  She stepped away and headed for the door. "Evaline will just be a minute or two, I imagine," she said. "She's taking an interest in you."

  I didn't say anything until she had her hand on the door. "Marley?"

  She turned to face me.

  "How do you do it?" I asked. "How do you go from Marley to Poppy?"

  "The clothes," she said. "I have a few changes, but they're all the same, just different colors. I pull them on, and I pull Poppy on with them. Maybe that doesn't make sense."

  "Maybe it does," I said.

  "I love it," she said. "Well, Poppy loves it. As Marley, being on that stage is terrifying. But as Poppy, I revel in it. It's liberating." She grinned. "And deeply flattering. Marley doesn't get that kind of attention. Marley doesn't really get any attention at all."

  * * * *

  The demon arrived only a minute or two after Poppy left, suggesting she was waiting near by. For what might have been the first time ever, I actually saw her enter a room. She crossed half the distance before I asked, "Did I default?"

  "No."

  "Do I owe you some unspecified future favor?"

  She didn't answer me immediately but finished her walked across the room. I looked up at her while I waited for her response. Finally she asked, "Would you be angry if I said you did?"

  "No."

  She finished closing the distance, then used a hand to turn my face up to her, tipping me this way and that while eying me critically. "We'll keep this makeup. Let's hurry."

  She led me to the wardrobe again and pulled out the tuxedo jacket I'd worn earlier along with the black heels. She looked at them for a moment before turning to me. "I'd rather you wore higher heels, but I bet you can't dance in them."

  "You're probably right."

  She helped me into the jacket and switched my shoes. "The shoes stay on this time." Then she perched the top had back atop my head. "But you can use the hat as a prop." She didn't hand me the cane.

  "We're going to watch the final show," she said after studying me a moment longer. "You will remain at the table until the guys collect you. At that point, you'll let them do what they want to you."

  "Excuse me?" I said. "I don't think so."

  "They're not going to assault you, Teigan."

  "They better kept their naughty bits away from me."

  She made a disgusted sound. "It's not a sex show. I'm a little annoyed you haven't figured that out yet."

  "You just had me out on that stage in my underwear. What am I supposed to believe?"

  "You were hardly in your underwear. You're wearing dance tights. Women wear the same sort of tights on international television."

  "I was in a bra."

  "Which probably covers you as well as your bathing suit."

  We glared at each other for a moment but then I said, "Fine. I'm sorry. You're right. It's not a sex show."

  "You'll do what you're told?"

  That required more glaring, but then I nodded. "I'll let them do what they want, up until the point they piss me off."

  That resulted in more glaring, but then she said, "I suppose that's the most I can expect. Let's go."

  * * * *

  I hate to admit it, but I enjoyed the show. The guys, solo or in small groups, danced first. But then Hyacinth danced, and then Naomi.

  For Naomi, I stood up, moved to the edge of the stage, and called out to her, waving half the tip money I'd made that night. She laughed and turned away, but I was persistent, and finally she danced over to me. She danced just for me for a moment then let me slip the money into her bra.

  There were no pasties at this club.

  Naomi finished, and then the audience began chanting, "Poppy! Poppy!" Poppy pretended that she didn't intend to dance, but when the chanting continued, she moved down to the end of the stage nearest Evaline and me and held her hand out to the demon.

  Evaline laughed and then stood up, accepting Poppy's hand. She took the steps onto the stage, and the crowd went wild. I couldn't hear myself think.

  The two of them had clearly done this together before. They each struck a pose. Several heartbeats later, pounding music started, and together, they began dancing.

  It took about ten seconds before my jaw was on the floor, watching the two.

  They danced apart for some of it, but they danced together for some, too, and it was hot. Oh, it was hot. I couldn't tear my eyes away.

  I wasn't the only woman turned on by it, either.

  They danced like that through the end of the song then separated and took bows. Then another song came on. Evaline used the music to return to her seat while Poppy moved around the room, collecting tips. From me she received the other half of my own tip money and I collected a kiss on the cheek and a smile.

  Finally she moved back to the stage, and the music faded out. She held up her hand, but the crowd wasn't quieting down. Finally she yelled over them. "We have one more song for you. I bring you the Vixen Club Dancers."

  She gestured, and instead of opening only part way, the curtain peeled all the way back exposing all of the dancers of the evening, the men and women alike. Fresh music began, and the lot of them set about entertaining the cheering audience.

  That went on for a minute or two, everyone basically doing their own thing, some of them collecting tips for it, but then there was a shift. Two of the men stepped to Poppy and picked her up by the arms. After that, they used her almost as a prop. A moment later, I saw Naomi and Hyacinth being treated similarly. I stared then glanced over at the demon. She was watching me.

  Then I felt strong hands on my arms. I lifted my arms from my sides, and two of the guys lifted me straight up from the chair. They made it look effortless.

  I'd never been carried that way. Watching the other women, it looked hard. But the guys did most of the work.

  As Evaline had directed, I let them do what they wanted to me. My feet didn't touch the floor for the next five minutes. I spent some of it dangling from my outstretched arms. I spent some of it in
the arms of one man or another, cradled against his chest with one of my arms around his neck. I spent some across a couple of shoulders.

  They found a variety of ways to carry me around the room.

  Then I saw Naomi held high in the air by one man, one hand under her shoulder, another between her legs. Then the man holding me pulled me into his arms again, pulling my head close. "Cross your ankles and hold your body stiff."

  I didn't have time to protest. He started to lift me, and I barely had time to comply. Soon I found myself high in the air, this man's hand very near a far more intimate place than any other man has other visited. He turned in circles with me high in the air, a sort of helicopter ride. I held myself as stiffly as I could and was deeply impressed he could lift me and make it look so effortless besides.

  The guys carried the four of us around the stage like trophies, twirling around as they did so. I was worried I'd get sick, but I tightened my muscles and held it together.

  But then I felt myself being lowered, and my feet reached the floor just as the music ended.

  We took our bows. The men collected a few more tips. And then the four women were picked up by our arms and carried off stage.

  It was over.

  Date Night

  I stared at myself in the mirror, turning this way and that. I couldn't believe my appearance. I had never looked like this.

  I'd spent hours at the spa. They washed me and powdered me. My hair was cut and my nails trimmed. I was expecting to receive admonishment for the ragged state, but instead the woman seeing to me said simply, "You have strong hands."

  My nails were painted. My hair was sprayed. My makeup was applied. And then they sent me home.

  The driver had two packages for me on the drive home: a garment bag and a second, much smaller bag. "There is a note," he said. I read it when I got home.

  Dear Teigan,

  Wear exactly what you've been given, no more, no less.

  Evaline

  Well, it was to the point.

  There were hose, silk gloves, and a gown. And what a gown. I'm not really a gown sort of woman. That's an understatement, if you couldn't guess.

  This gown was red, floor length, and strapless. There was a built in bodice, complete with boning, and a slit along one side. As I walked, one leg would peek out from behind the skirt.