Sin

by Michelle Hughes

  “So you coming to work for us tonight?”

  I caught Luke’s startling green eyes in the mirror, and nodded. I didn’t know he worked at the club, but my speaking skills weren’t up to par with asking any relevant questions at the moment. His thing was rubbing against the bare skin of my back where the shirt didn’t cover.

  “I’m one of the bouncer’s at Sin’s. Something tells me my job is going to be a little harder tonight.”

  He chuckled and I lowered my eyes. The man was too damn beautiful when he smiled and I really didn’t want to think of him that way. He was obviously sleeping with Kera, and even if I was interested, which I wasn’t, that meant hands off.

  “I’m just a waitress.” I needed to make it clear that I wasn’t a dancer. I didn’t want him to think I was the type that slept around. I guess that was biased of me, but I assumed guys thought strippers were easy.

  “You’ll change your mind. They all do.” He put the brush down on the vanity, and pulled me to my feet.

  I gasped as he spun me around, facing him. His eyes roamed over my body, and from the gleam of appreciation I saw there, he apparently liked what he saw.

  Pulling away, I took several steps back wanting some distance between us. “I won’t change my mind.” Looking at his gorgeous face, I forced my eyes not to lower.

  His face broke into a smirk. “We’ll see.” Again his eyes roamed over my body and I shivered. “You’ve got a body built for sin baby, no reason not to make it pay off.”

  He said sin and my mind immediately went to the club owner. “Trust me, this body is better left with clothes on.” I didn’t want to think about Sin. It was hard enough worrying about busting my butt as a waitress tonight.

  He stalked back over to me, that’s the only way I can explain it, and pulled me against him. His hands went to my butt, grinding me against his erection. A whimper escaped my lips. I struggled. Men didn’t normally put their hands on me this way.

  Kera walked out of the bathroom and laughed at the situation. “Luke let her go, you’re probably scaring the shit out of her. She’s still a virgin.”

  I wished the floor could swallow me up. It wasn’t that I was ashamed of my sexual status, but hearing it blurted out to some guy I didn’t know was a little embarrassing.

  He let me go and I saw how he automatically looked at me differently. Being a college student and a virgin was like the plague to men. “Thanks.” Rolling my eyes I sat back down at the vanity.

  “Just trying to help out.” Kera laughed and began fixing my face. “Luke here isn’t into the sweet girls.”

  “I might make an exception.” Luke stood behind Kera watching me in the mirror.

  “Seriously don’t go out of your way for me. I’m happy where I’m at.” Was I really happy? A part of me wondered what I was missing.

  “If you change your mind.” He let the words trail off and I felt my face heat.

  “Thanks, I’ll keep the offer in mind.” I wouldn’t, but at that point I wanted to turn the conversation away from my lack of sexual experience.

  By the time Kera finished with me I looked like a runway model. My long blonde curls fell down my back, and the soft hues of pinks and purples of my eye shadow offset the hot pink lipstick she’d applied. I smiled my thanks and took inventory in the mirror.

  “Too damn bad you don’t fuck around, you’re going to have all the swinging dicks hard tonight.” Luke shook his head and his dark locks fell in his face.

  “Um, thanks, I think.” I was destined to spend the rest of the night with my face bright red.

  “You just make sure none of those swinging dicks get to frisky with my friend tonight.” Kera might be a little mouthy at times, but I knew she cared about my feelings.

  “Got it sexy. Virgin mission tonight.” Luke chuckled at his joke and I groaned.

  “I’d appreciate it if you kept that insider tidbit to yourself.” The last thing I wanted was to be labeled the virgin at a strip club. I doubted it would do much for tips.

  “I don’t know, spreading that news around might make you very popular with the boys.” Kera tapped a finger against her lips.

  Rolling my eyes, I could see the consideration she was giving the thought and knew it didn’t matter what I said now. “Can we just get to work before I lose the job I haven’t started yet?”

  “Luke we’re riding in with you tonight. My car is being serviced so if you decide to take any of the girls home, you can drop us off first, right?”

  I was shocked that she didn’t seem to mind the fact he was sleeping around. I kept that thought to myself. My stomach was already tied in knots about what I was about to do. The last thing I needed was a discussion about Kera’s sex life to kick start it.

  “Can do. Let’s get this shit on the road ladies.” Luke walked toward the door and we followed behind. He drove a stylish, two-seater sports car which meant I was shoved in the front seat with Kera.

  I had my own car and I wondered if I should have just driven in on my own. I decided it wasn’t worth arguing with Kera’s decision. After fifteen cramped minutes, I was second guessing the thought. We pulled up in front of the club and I noticed the parking lot was already full. Piling out of the car was easier said than done, but somehow I managed not to fall on my face.

  My hands were shaking as we walked through the front door. I had no idea how to do this job, and judging from the crowd already there, I wouldn’t have much time to learn. I followed Kera like a lost puppy to the bar.

  “Sin said I could show you the ropes, so you’ve got two hours before I need to get ready for my performance.” Grabbing a tray she motioned with her head for me to follow.

  The men, for the most part seemed to be focused on the strippers on stage. Several times Kera had to ask if a party wanted another drink. I kept my eyes off the women up there, and tried to focus on my friend. I noticed that the men weren’t groping, something that took me off guard. I assumed in a job like this the men would have their hands all over you. I’d been prepared for that.

  The job wasn’t difficult. The men told you what they wanted to drink, you told the bartender, and then served them. I could do this job, I thought to myself. I walked around with Kera until she had to leave, then I took tables on my own.

  After a few hours I smelled like a brewery, but was pretty proud of myself. I’d made great tips, and this job didn’t take a genius to figure out. The men were pretty nice, for the most part. One had attempted to pull me into his lap, but Luke had stepped in and fixed that situation immediately. I liked him a little more after his help.

  When I had a free moment, I stopped to watch Kera dance on stage. She had a choreographed number, and I admit being surprised at how sensual she looked up there. I guess I’d been expecting something sleazy, but she made it look like an art form. Of course I noticed the money that was being thrown on stage.

  I was amazed at the cash flowing through the hands of the patrons. My tips were great, but I knew Kera was making triple the amount in just a few minutes on stage. Just when that thought hit my mind, Sin walked out into the main area.

  I couldn’t take my eyes off the man. He didn’t walk around, he was like a predator with his movements and yeah I was impressed. Quickly I moved off to wait on another table. He might be beautiful to look at, but I needed this job and I doubted me staring at him was going to earn brownie points.

  I made it through my first night at Sin’s pocketing almost two hundred dollars. I was sold. By the end of the weekend I’d earned five hundred. This was definitely a paycheck I could get used to.

  chapter three

  Proposition

  The next month passed quickly. Kera made sure I had at least every weekend at the club, and between that and the school store I could finally afford to eat decent meals again. I can’t tell you how great it felt to eat a steak dinner. I mean you don’t know how much you miss real food until you’re stuck eating crap out of a can or processed noodles for months!


  The regular customers at the club had deemed me the last virgin in Chicago, and yeah that took a little getting used to. I was pretty ticked at Kera over that until I realized that I made much more money with guys trying to sweet talk me into letting them be my first. Amazing what pulls some guys chains. I wasn’t making half the salary my friend was, but me, complain? No way! You try living off potted meat for a year!

  Luke and I became friends. Once he figured out I wasn’t giving it up for him, I think he had a strange sort of respect for me. For the most part he treated me like his kid sister, which all the girls thought was cute. I was just glad I didn’t have to deal with him flirting anymore. Don’t get me wrong, the guy was beautiful, but I wasn’t into the whole man whore thing.

  Everything was going great until my little economy car decided to blow a head gasket. I didn’t need a ride at school, which was fortunate, but I figured out quickly riding to the club with Kera or Luke usually meant dealing with the partying until afternoon the next day. I needed my study time, so being out until noon, it just wasn’t working for me.

  The mechanic explained the repair wasn’t cheap and with the age of my car I’d probably be better off getting a new one. Easy for him to say, he wasn’t paying for school! I couldn’t get a bank loan. I was a college student without a credit line yet. I knew there was an easy way to earn the money I needed, but I had no idea how to do the job Kera was doing.

  I called her and explained my thoughts and I could hear it in her voice that she’d been waiting for me to break. She invited me over to talk, so I headed to her condo. My heart was racing. The thought of doing something like this was so far out of my normal thought process.

  “After the first few weeks it will be easy.” Kera was convinced I just needed to get my feet wet, I wasn’t sure. The thought of taking it all off terrified me. She wasn’t willing to let me keep those doubts.

  “You’re going to talk to Sin tonight. I know the customers have been dying to see you up on stage. That’s all Luke has been talking about lately.” Rolling her eyes, she gave me that smile that let me know she wasn’t ticked off about it.

  “I don’t know if I can do this. I’ve seen you work that stage. There’s no way I can be that confident.” It was true. Kera worked that stage like a pro and men just drooled as she did her numbers. How was I supposed to compete with that?

  “I didn’t start off being good. Get dressed, we’re going to talk to Sin. I’m not taking no for an answer. You need money and there’s no reason you can’t make it.”

  Driving to the club felt like a death sentence as I allowed my mind to go over the step I was about to make. A guy had never seen me without my clothes on, and here I was considering flaunting it all to a bunch of strangers. Kera grabbed my hand and dragged me back to Sin’s office.

  “She wants to dance.” Sin seemed to be concentrating on my expression, but I had no idea what he was thinking.

  “Give us a few minutes alone.” His voice was harsh. Kera left us alone and I wanted to run after her.

  The door closing behind her echoed loudly. Or maybe it was the fact that my heart was beating so fast everything was amplified.

  “You sure about this?”

  Sin was trying to talk me out of it? I wanted to scream no, but something about the way he was looking at me made me think that’s what he expected. I nodded my head.

  “Strip for me.”

  He couldn’t have shocked me more. I just stared at him with that ‘doe caught in the headlights look’ for a few seconds. “Here? Now?”

  “Unless you want to walk out on the stage in the club.”

  No way! I wasn’t even sure I could take it off in the privacy of this room. I shook my head no, and took a deep breath. If I couldn’t do this in front of him, there was no way I was going to have the nerve to do it out there. My hands trembled as I reached for the hem of my uniform shirt. I managed to pull my top off and then fumbled as I slid off my shorts.

  “Baby, looking at me like you’re about to hurl is not a big turn on.”

  His chuckle wasn’t helping my confidence. I glared at his perfect body. His strong arms crossed over his chest and made my legs tremble at the sight of him. I was determined to show him I could do this.

  A few more deep breaths and I reached up to release the clasp on my bra. Daring him to laugh at me, I threw it at his gorgeous face with a glare in my eyes. He was the first man to ever see my breasts. I felt a little unsure because he didn’t look that impressed.

  I had decent breasts. And they were real. Granted they were only a size B, but they were perky and my nipples were pink tipped. I thought they were pretty. I managed to slide my panties off, but my bravado was pretty much gone with that action.

  Sin stood up and walked over to me and I thought my heart was going to stop. Biting my lip, I forced myself to remain still as he looked me over. He walked around my body, and my face flamed knowing he was looking at me from every angle.

  “You’re sexy as hell, but we need to work on the presentation.”

  I was shivering like crazy and it had nothing to do with the cool air in the room. I couldn’t believe I was standing here naked in front of Sin. If my body was any tenser I’m sure it would have snapped. “How can I do that?”

  He continued to circle me. I was reminded of a wolf stalking his prey. Needless to say it didn’t do much for my nerves. Fisting my hands into balls by my side, I waited for him to finish his inspection.

  “I’m going to teach you.”

  The way he said those words should have freaked me out. It was like him claiming me as his toy, I don’t know how else to explain it. The deep growl of his voice was more of a command, not a question.

  “You’re going to make us both a shitload of money. The presentation needs to be just right. What’s your schedule look like?”

  I was going to be tutored by Sin. Just thinking that thought made me feel a whole slew of emotions. The main one being that I was willing to learn anything he taught. Yeah that thought was shocking. “I have classes Monday through Wednesday and then the school store after. I’m usually done by six.”

  “We can work with that. You’ll be at my place from seven to ten on the nights you’re not working here.” He walked back over to the desk and scribbled his address on back of one of the club cards. “This is where you’ll come, we’ll start Monday night.”

  “My car is shot. That’s why I need the extra money.” I didn’t like airing my problems to him, but looking at that address I knew I couldn’t make it to his house. I was standing there in the nude having a conversation! Realizing that, I began putting my clothes back on.

  It was easy to forget everything but Sin when he was in the room. The man demanded your attention.

  “I’ll give you a loaner until we get you some cash flowing.” He nodded his head, appearing to think for a minute. “Just don’t fucking wreck it, I happen to like this car.”

  He was loaning me a car? What was I supposed to say to that? I didn’t have much of a choice if he was going to be my tutor. “I’ll pay you back.”

  He shrugged his massive shoulders. “Just keep the shit in driving condition, all I ask.” Turning his expressive blue eyes to a clock on the wall for a moment, he turned back to me. “We have a few hours before the place gets packed, let’s go pick it up now.”

  There was no time to argue. His long legged walk had him going toward the door and I had to keep up. I quickly told Kera I’d be back soon and that I’d explain later. The look in her eyes seemed to be saying sure you will.

  Deciding I could set her straight later, I followed Sin out to the parking lot. I was shocked that he was driving a BMW. He didn’t seem like the classy car kind of guy. I was even more awed when he opened the passenger door for me. I slid into the soft buttery leather seats, thinking there was a lot I probably didn’t know about him.

  He drove without talking. I’d come to the conclusion that he was a man of a few words. I was more nervous than I wante
d to think about, so the silence was working for me. The house we pulled up in front of was another shocker for the day. It was two stories and belonged to someone who had serious money.

  He pressed a button on his key chain and a garage door opened. The red sports car sitting beside the empty space couldn’t be the car he was going to loan me. The only other transportation there was a large motorcycle. There was no way I could drive something that expensive, and me on a bike? That was almost laughable. I didn’t know a lot about cars, but I knew the Jag logo had to make it more than I could afford.

  He stepped out of the car and opened my door. “The keys are inside. You can follow me in.”

  My head was spinning as I followed inside the well-kept home. Another shock came as I glanced around at the décor. Everything was polished steel or black, very modern and contemporary. None of it fit with his bad boy attitude. I’d expected some two room flat, not this elaborate setup.

  “You’re house is nice.” I wasn’t sure what to say, but that was about the lamest thing that could have slipped from my lips.

  Shrugging as if it didn’t mean much, he walked over to the island bar. “Its home.” Picking up a set of keys off the bar, he turned to me. “I’ll show you where we’ll be practicing.” Without asking me, he walked down a long hall.

  He stopped in front of a double-door room and opened them. The studio that met my eyes was amazing. There were poles but none of it looked like it belonged in a club. It reminded me of a dance studio my mom had taken me too when I was still a kid. “You train a lot of girls here?”

  “You’re the first.” He noticed me taking inventory of the room. I guess that’s why he gave me an explanation. “I used to dance.”

  The way he said the words let me know there was a story there that he wasn’t willing to share. Sin was a dancer? I couldn’t imagine the huge Adonis before me being that light on his feet. When I thought of male dancers I thought of ballerina’s. They definitely weren’t six foot five inches of muscle clad strength like Sin.

  “Ballet?” I knew it was a stupid question, but I was curious.