by Brie Paisley
“A very annoying brother. He isn’t around the club much, but when he is, I believe it’s his mission to irritate me.”
“Isn’t that their job? To annoy and get under your skin?”
“I guess so, and Sebastian has mastered that skill.” I don’t miss him relaxing further on the couch. It seems everything Viktor does, I’m automatically noticing it.
“Why did you want to see me alone, Viktor?” I ask with more confidence that I thought I had. Seems being Scarlet is making me brave and bold.
“I know you’re nervous about tonight and I want to make sure you have everything you need to make this first night go by smoothly as possible. I know you’ll be fine, but I have a feeling you’re trying to talk yourself out of doing this. Remember, there’s no going back now.”
Fuck. He’s right and I don’t know how he knows this. I’m nervous as hell, and before he brought it up again, I wasn’t really thinking about it. Viktor confuses me at times. One minute I’m nervous to be around him, but once I am, he calms me. It’s a total different feeling when I’m near him. That’s what scares me the most.
“I ... I think it’ll be alright once I get out there. And I know there’s no going back now. I signed the contract. I won’t break it.”
“Good. You should go back to the dressing room,” he says as he slowly uncrosses his leg and gets up. He holds out his hand and for a second, I think about not taking it. I place mine in his and he helps me up. I don’t miss the feeling of his hand touching mine. I never could forget that feeling. The one where my heart skips a beat, and the way my whole body flushes. I’m sure my face is red as well. I stand before him for a few seconds, with just some simple material hiding me completely from him, yet, I don’t feel inhibited by his presence. It feels right but it’s so wrong at the same time. I shake my head, trying to stop the images of his hands all over my body. I’ve got to stop thinking of him more than just my boss.
I take my hand out of Viktor’s and I quickly turn to open the door. I don’t look back at him when I walk out of his office. I shut the door behind me and I let out a breath that I didn’t realize I was holding.
“Viktor, likes you.”
I jump and turn around when I hear Sebastian’s voice, my hand rushing to my throat trying to swallow the scream. He’s leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, and his legs are crossed over each other at his ankles. He grins at me and tilts his head. Why do I get the feeling he’s sizing me up?
“What did you say?” I ask while trying to catch my breath and slow my now racing heart.
“Viktor’s quite taken by you. I can see why.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” I try as best as I can to cover myself. I don’t like the way Sebastian is staring at me, but funny how I didn’t mind Viktor doing it just a minute ago. Sebastian’s gaze makes me feel dirty, but Viktor’s, his makes me feel wanted. Desired.
“Ah, of course you do. But, don’t worry. I won’t let everyone know you two were alone in his office. His rules and all.”
“I really have no idea what you’re trying to say,” I snap back but I know exactly what he means. There’s nothing actually going on with Viktor and I, but there’s chemistry between us. A lot of chemistry. And he asked me to go to him, not the other way around.
“Don’t be coy. I saw how he reacted when I touched you. He …”
“Sebastian.”
Viktor’s voice booms through the hallway and Sebastian finally shuts his mouth. I glance at Viktor, before turning on my heel, heading back to the dressing room. I have no idea what Sebastian was trying to do. Maybe he thought he could get a rise out of me about Viktor. I hope that Sebastian stays out of my business. The last thing I need is for him to mess with my head even more than it already is.
Before I even reach the dressing room, Margo approaches me out of nowhere. “There you are. I’ve been looking for you. It’s your turn for the practice run on stage. Give the DJ the music you want to dance to and I’ll see you out there.”
I nod, and go into the dressing room to find my bag. All the other girls are sitting around talking, laughing, and drinking water from their water bottles. No one notices me as I walk in and grab the iPod Viktor bought me. I walk out of the room and as I walk to the center stage, I feel as though I’m in a different world. This isn’t me walking in a strip club getting ready to dance in front of strange men. I’m not the person that will soon be taking off my clothes for show.
But the thing is, it is me. I am the one that’s going to be doing all these things soon. I still can’t decide if I want to hurl in the garbage can as I pass by it, or run back to the dressing room, grab my shit, and run back home.
I stand behind the black curtain with Margo as I wait for my turn to dance. The club opened an hour ago, and I can hear loud voices whispering through the booming music playing. Trixie’s out there dancing, and she’s on her last song. The longer I stand here and have to wait for her turn to be over, the more my heart races and the more my hands start to sweat. Margo doesn’t say much to me while we wait. She’s busy looking at her clip board and for the thousandth time. I don’t think I can go out there. I haven’t seen how many men are actually here sitting at the tables, waiting for the new girl to come on. Margo told me earlier that Viktor requested my name to be announced at the beginning of the night, letting everyone know that I was the new girl. I curse him in my head for that. I’m going to have enough attention as it is. The last thing I want is for them all to know that I’m new. Makes it harder to blend in with the other girls and if I fuck this up, they will always remember me as the girl who couldn’t do her job right.
I can tell Trixie’s turn is almost up. I know the song she’s dancing to. It’s nearing the end, and I start to pull at my clothes trying to make them cover me more. I sort of wish I could see what’s going on outside the curtain. I want to see how many men are out there, and I really would like to see how Trixie dances. Is her technique different than mine? Is she graceful like the girl I saw the very first night Viktor brought me here? I don’t know if any of the other girls have any background in dancing like I do. Ballet dancing takes a lot of hard work and you learn to be graceful with all the moves. I try and remember what I was taught hoping that I can pull this off.
When I did my practice run earlier, it all seemed so easy to me. But then again, no one was watching me. The club was closed. I moved with the beat of my music and I enjoyed dancing on the pole more than I thought I would.
It seems that practice run didn’t do me any good preparing for this.
I hear the DJ announce Trixie’s name again, and a few minutes later she walks behind the curtain. Her face is flushed, and she has sweat on her forehead. She grins at me like a loon, or like a girl who just had the best time of her life. Margo hands her a robe to cover herself and she continues to smile at me while she puts it on.
“Are you ready?” Trixie asks me. Knowing I’m about to be called makes me want to run and hide. Possibly puke on the way to find that hiding place.
“No, I’m not ready. I … I don’t think I can do this.”
“Trust me, you’ll do great. Just go out there and have fun. Don’t think about it being a packed house tonight.”
“Well, gee thanks. That makes me feel so much better,” I tell her in a sarcastic voice.
She laughs as she says, “You’ll be fine. Good luck!”
Trixie disappears making her way back to the dressing room. Margo puts down her clip board and looks me over. “Almost time. Remember what I told you earlier. Don’t think. Just go out there and dance. And you look great by the way,” she says with a wink.
I nod and let out another breath. I hear my name being called and I know there’s no turning back now. I push back my shoulders telling myself I can do this. That I’m doing this for Gabbie’s future. I move the curtain enough to come out on stage. I can’t see much since the lights are dim. All I can hear is my heart beating in my ears. I shake my hands to dry the sweat th
at coats them.
Then I hear my music come on. Here by Alessia Cara comes on as the spotlight lands on me. I squint trying to get used to the bright light. The music is loud and I can feel the bass in my chest. My breathing becomes erratic as I see all the men sitting at the tables and at the bar. Trixie wasn’t lying when she said it was a packed house tonight. There isn’t a free seat left in club. I know I probably look like a deer caught in headlights. My song continues to play, but I can’t move. I’m frozen in place. Time seems to stop as I stand there. I know I should be doing something. I can feel every man in the room’s eyes on me. I know they’re waiting for me to do something, anything.
And then I see him. And as if something clicks inside of me, I start to move.
I start moving slowly and gracefully as my eyes never leave his. I move my arms over my head and start to swing my hips. I seductively walk to the front of the stage and grab onto the pole in the middle of the stage. I grab it tightly as I dance around it. Whenever my eyes have to leave his, if only for a second, I find myself locking gazes with him when I can. I never knew I could move this way on a pole. My first song continues to play as I dance. I dance for him.
Viktor.
He sits in the middle of the room. Far enough away from the stage to where he isn’t tempted to touch me. He watches me as I watch him. His intense green eyes never leave mine and it’s erotic as hell. At the same time, it’s very intimate. Even if I know the room is full of men watching me and throwing money on the stage and putting it in my clothes, this dance is for him. My time on stage is for him. All the men seem to disappear and it’s only Viktor in the room. He’s the only one watching me.
I move to the other side of the stage as my first song comes to an end. I swing around the pole and I grind my ass on it. I dip low and when I come up, I flip my hair. I run my hands up my body and run them through my hair. And then, I start to incorporate ballet into my dancing as my next song comes on. Chains by Nick Jonas fills my ears.
I do a grande jeté and land into an arabesque. The crowd calls out to me and I hear whistles as I land my jump. I smile at myself for pulling all this off. I thought surely I would fall on my face or roll an ankle in these heels. Every time the song says chains, I turn and swing my hips. I drop to the floor and crawl to the edge of the stage. I sit on my legs and lean back as I let the music wash over me and the men come to give me money. I run my hands up my body slowly, never once leaving Viktor’s eyes. I move back on my ass and kick my legs out. I roll seductively up back to my feet and I walk to the middle pole. I move around the pole some more, and I reach around to grab the zipper to my corset.
I don’t think about how I’m about to be exposed to men that I don’t know. I don’t think about anything as I slowly pull the zipper down. I move up and down with my back against the pole as I pull. Once it’s down to the end, I turn showing the crowd my back as I toss the corset off the stage. More cat calls and whistles break out. I slowly unhook my bra and swing it around my finger before tossing it off the stage as well. Then the song ends. Before I turn around, I wait for my last and final song to come on.
You Know You Like It by DJ Snake and Alunageorge comes on and I turn around. I use the pole to swing and jump around it. My hair whips around as I turn a few times on the pole. I let go and I use my ballet moves again. I can feel Viktor watching me as I move and the feeling empowers me. I turn in circles, using my hands to run all over my body as I swing my hips. I do a pirouette while keeping my hands crossed in front of my body. I never knew dancing half naked would feel this way. I know what Trixie means now.
Becoming someone else on stage and being whoever I want to be, is addicting. I want to stay out here dancing just like this all night. I want to continue to see that lust filled gaze in Viktor’s eyes. I want him to watch me every time I dance. I don’t over think it now. I’m having too much fun dancing erotically for him. And when I notice my song is almost over, I wish it would continue to play over and over.
I make one last move on the pole, using my hips to grind against it with each of my legs on each side of it. I see men tossing their money on the stage for me. A few of them come up to the stage and I see the bouncers come to put them back to their seats. My song ends, and I quickly grab the money that litters the stage. I don’t know where my corset or my bra went, knowing I wasn’t really thinking of where to throw them while I was in the moment.
Walking towards the curtain, I stop right before I go behind it to look back at Viktor. His eyes have never left mine and my face blushes when I see him lick his luscious full lips. I slip behind the curtain and I thank Margo for the robe when she hands it to me. With my hands full of hundred dollar bills, I walk back to the dressing room, trying not to think of that last look I got from Viktor.
At the end of the night, I sit in the dressing room with the other girls and count the money I made. I sit on the couch next to Trixie as we both lay out our money for the night. Once I’m done counting, I lean back into the couch. I’ve made three thousand dollars. In one night.
“Holy fuck,” I say to no one in particular. Trixie looks up from her counting and smiles at me.
“Best job ever right?”
“This is crazy. I knew Viktor said this would be easy money, but I had no idea it could be this much.” I sit in shock while I look at my stack of hundred dollar bills.
“Just wait until you do a private room or VIP party. Now that’s good money.”
“How does that work? Margo said there’s a set rate. Do we get a percent off that?”
“Oh, no. We get half of that, plus what we make while working the party.”
“Holy fuck!”
Trixie laughs at me again as I sit on the couch in shock. I had no idea strippers made this much money. No wonder why so many women want to take on this career path. Granted, it’s not ideal and most people will judge you when they learn what it is they do, but damn this is a lot of money. It would take me months of working day and night at my old job to earn this much money.
Three thousand dollars in one night.
It’s unbelievable.
It all seems surreal that I’m here at this very moment. I still cannot believe I went out there and danced the way I had five times tonight. I don’t know what time it is, but I’m exhausted. I can tell it’s very late, and the more I sit here on this comfortable couch, the heavier my eyes become. I get up before I fall asleep and I grab my bag. I was glad I thought of bringing an extra pair of clothes with me. Being in my yoga pants and a loose fitting T-shirt is so much more comfortable than what I had on when I came here. Or wearing the outfits I wore tonight.
I put the money inside my bag and I wonder how I’ll get home tonight. I put my bag over my shoulder and I tell Trixie bye. She hugs me and tells me she’ll see me tomorrow night. I wave as I pass by some of the other girls and I walk to Viktor’s office. Since he brought me here, I’m hoping he’ll have a car ready for me to go home. I knock on his door and when I hear him tell me to come inside, I open the door.
Viktor doesn’t even look up when I come in. I fear things between us might be awkward now. Every time I danced, Viktor was sitting at that middle table, watching me. I won’t admit it to myself yet, but I think he’s the only reason I was able to actually dance on stage. I found myself looking for him each time before I started to dance. I clear my throat to get his attention and when I do, I can tell he’s surprised that it’s me standing in front of him. I don’t even think about being in his office alone with him anymore. Somehow, I’ve gotten over that part. Probably has something to do with the fact that he has seen me topless. More than once. Oh and the fact that he’s already seen my vagina. I shake my head, trying not to remember how he helped hold my foot while I pushed Gabbie out.
“Something wrong?” He asks with a confused look on his face. I can’t believe he forgot he brought me here.
“I … uh. I was wondering how I was getting home. You brought me here remember? And we agreed I’d have an e
scort leaving the club.”
“Shit. I’m sorry. Give me five more minutes and I’ll take you home,” he tells me as he gets up out of his chair and starts cleaning up his desk.
“I can call a cab. Just walk me out? You seem busy and it’s fine really.” I start to turn to leave, and his voice stops me from moving.
“Ava, I’ll take you home.”
I glance at him over my shoulder. I don’t miss how he calls me by the wrong name. He knows not to call me by my real name while we’re here. I don’t correct him since we’re alone. Viktor walks from behind his desk and comes over to me. He lightly grabs my shoulders and turns me to face him. I don’t look up at him once I’m facing him. He tilts my face up using his fingertips, making me do what he wants.
“I said I would take you home. You’ll never take a cab when leaving the club. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I whisper back. I don’t know why he’s so upset with me wanting to take a cab home. It’s not like I wouldn’t have made it home safely.
“Good. We can go now.”
I nod and he leads me out of his office. With his hand on my lower back, I allow him to walk me through the club. I do notice the people cleaning up after the patrons. But no one gives Viktor and me a second glance. I wonder again, if he had a relationship with another dancer before. If he had, it would make sense to why he’s the way he is about his rules. We make it to the front of the club and I rub my arms as the night air hits me. Viktor notices, and he takes his jacket off and drapes it over my shoulders. I smile as my way of a thank you and I bring it closer to my body. Viktor’s scent on the jacket entraps me, and I close my eyes taking it in. He smells so good. I must be delirious from the lack of sleep. Yeah, that’s why I’m feeling my body heat up and not from the jacket. I’m turning into a creepy stalker. I should probably stop smelling his jacket.
I hear the driver pull up and Viktor opens the car door for me. I get inside and the moment I’m sitting comfortably on the plush leather, I fight hard to stay awake. I haven’t been this tired in a long time. Even when I first brought Gabbie home from the hospital I wasn’t this tired. Viktor gets in right behind me and the driver starts to leave the club. Viktor and I don’t say anything on our way to my house. I feel as though the tension in the car will suffocate me. It’s so thick, but I’ve no idea what to say to him. What could I say? He watched me dance, and he saw parts of myself that only one other man has seen. I feel like it means more than it should. I also wonder why he watched me. Does he watch the other girls when they dance? I guess I should’ve asked Trixie about it, but then again, would that be breaking his rules? I don’t know how to process what happened tonight. I honestly don’t want to. Knowing me, and how I am, I’ll overthink it. Then it’ll become an even bigger problem. If it’s even a problem at all.