by Lexi Wilson
But during my dance, I kept thinking about Lucien, trying to determine what hell he wanted. The window to his office was on the second floor, visible from the stage. But it was dark, two-way glass. He could see us, but we couldn’t see him.
“Say ‘thank you’ to Ariel!” spoke the DJ as I finished my hour.
The men cheered as I collected all the cash from stage and went back. Maddie was backstage, her eyes lighting up as she took in the sight of the wads of money in my hand.
“There’s always a cost,” I said, tucking the thick stack of hundreds into my thong. “Never forget that.”
As I strode away the DJ announced Sapphire, the newest addition to Diamonds. That girl’s life was about to change forever. Whatever happened next was up to her.
Lucien. I still had to meet with that jackass. On the way back to my dressing room I slipped my money out of my thong and counted it. It was easily over a thousand. Not bad for an hour’s work. And I’d be up on stage a couple more times that night.
But what I’d say to Maddie was true – there was always a cost.
After stopping into the dressing room to put away my money, I went up the stairs toward Lucien’s office. Once I reached the door, I gave it a quick knock, my gut tensing in anticipation of the meeting.
“Come in,” he said, his voice low and smooth.
I took a deep breath and opened the door.
Lucien Dupree, dressed in his usual dark, expensive suit, his ink-black hair slicked back, his razor-sharp widow’s peak cutting into the top of his tall forehead, regarded me with a sly smile.
“Amber,” he said. “Come in.”
He rose, his height towering. Lucien was tall and handsome and well-dressed – his wealthy lifestyle and Hollywood Hills home courtesy of the money he’d earned from Diamonds. He wore a gold watch and several expensive rings, though none of them of the “wedding” sort.
The window behind him looked out onto the dark, purple-light-washed main floor, the hundreds of men in attendance shifting like an ocean.
I noticed right away there was someone else in the room. It was another well-dressed man, this one regarding me with narrow eyes and a sly smile.
Lucien turned toward the stage. Maddie was there, moving her slender body somewhat awkwardly to the music.
“Come,” he said, inviting me to stand at his side, the scent of expensive cologne wrapping around me like fingers as I approached.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“So,” he said, his eyes on Maddie. “You think she’s got what it takes?”
“You’re the boss,” I said. “Pretty sure that call’s up to you.”
“I do think she’s got what it takes. But getting there’s a matter of reaching her full potential. And do you know what will directly stand in the way of that?”
“Tell me.” I knew where this was going.
“Senior dancers putting ideas in their heads about how bad this business is.”
“What did Kisha tell you?”
“Enough. Now sit down.”
“But-“
“Sit down.”
I sighed, doing as he asked, taking a seat across from his desk.
“I’ve treated you well over the years, haven’t I?” he asked, sitting on the far end of his desk.
“Who’s he?” I asked, pointing to the man in the room.
“Answer the question.”
“Sure. You’ve treated me alright.”
“And this lifestyle’s treated you alright, correct?”
“I…I guess so.”
“And don’t you think it’s fair that a new generation of women get a chance to have that lifestyle treat them well, too?”
I said nothing.
“Because, Amber, not to put too fine a point on it, but you’re not going to be dancing forever. You’re how old now – twenty-eight?”
“Twenty-seven.”
“Hmm. Now, I’ve seen dancers past thirty try to make it. And…it’s not pretty. Just something to keep in mind.”
“Alright,” I said. “I’ll try not to scare the new girls off.”
“Good,” he said with a smile. “Just want to make sure you’re playing ball.”
“Now, will you please tell me what this is all about? And why this guy’s sitting here not saying a word?”
“This,” he said. “Is Adrien Pine. He’s from one of our sister clubs in Seattle.”
“O…OK…”
“And let’s just say he’s a big fan of yours.”
I knew where this was going, and I didn’t like it.
“And he’s very, very interested in paying you for some private entertainment.”
“Lucien,” I said. “You know that’s not how I do things.”
“Oh, I know. Such a good girl – a single mom looking out for her girl and her aging mother, never deigning to really give our guests a good time.”
“Because I’m not a prostitute,” I said.
“It’s not prostitution,” he said. “It’s specialized entertainment. It’s giving a guest a private, customized experience. And if sparks fly, then so be it.”
I stood up, narrowing my eyes. “Lucien, it’s not going to happen. I don’t give a fuck who this guy is – I don’t do that.”
Lucien, not deterred, turned toward the man and nodded.
“Adrien, let her know what you’re offering.”
He smiled and nodded, taking a notepad out of his pocket, along with a very fancy-looking pen. He jotted down something and handed the pad over.
“I’m not-“
“Just look at it,” said Lucien.
I sighed, snatching the notepad out of Adrien’s hand and looked it over.
“Holy…holy shit.”
“See?” asked Lucien. “I think that’s more than fair.”
It was a hell of a lot of money – more than I’d make in the next few months. All I could think about as I took in the sight of the amount was what I could do with it. I could pay for day care for Jamie, my little girl. I could afford regular doctor visits for my mom.
All it’d cost was a part of my soul.
I sighed, tossing the notepad onto the desk.
“Not going to do it. That’s not who I am.”
“You don’t want to decide now,” said Lucien. “That’s fine. But think about it. Let the idea…marinate.”
“I’m a very patient man,” said Adrien. “Simply tell Lucien if –when- you’ve changed your mind.”
“I won’t, but thanks. Now, I’ve got a long night ahead of me.”
“Time’s ticking, Amber,” Lucien said as I turned to leave. “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.”
Without another word, I left the office, taking a deep breath as soon as I shut the door.
“One more year. One more year.”
I repeated the words to myself as I went back downstairs, the night looming over me.
One more year.
Chapter 2
NICK
The party was as fucking insane as they came. The booze flowed, the music blasted, and the dozens -if not hundreds- of people there carried on like it was their last night before the end of the world.
The pool was packed with people, mostly guys carrying women around on their shoulders, the girls letting out the “woo!” noise they couldn’t seem to resist making whenever they got a few drinks in them.
More than a few were getting up to the standard drunk-girl antics, kissing one another for the enjoyment of the guys around them, a few even lifting up their shirts and showing off their bras…or lack of bras.
But I was bored. Truth be told, I wasn’t sure why I’d bothered to throw that party at my place. But as I sipped my beer, leaning against the railing of the huge deck I’d built with my own two hands, all I could think about was how much I wasn’t into it.
“You know,” spoke a familiar voice. “Just because you are bored, doesn’t mean you have to look bored.”
I glanced over my shoulder. Damon Reed, my be
st friend, approached through the crowd of people behind me. He had a beer in his hand, a grin on his face.
Damon was tall and built, with a handsome face, square jaw, and sharp green eyes. He was dressed in a flannel shirt, jeans on below. He came over to me, slapping me on the back before leaning against the railing at my side.
Together, we watched the party, another girl letting out a “woo!” and lifting her shirt, her enormous breasts on full display.
“You’re really bored with all this happening?” he asked.
“I don’t know. You ever think there’s more than this?” I asked, sweeping my hand before the party.
“You mean beers and girls and friends and fun?” he asked. “I mean, maybe. But who cares about any of that?”
“Funny thing is,” I said. “When I was younger, just getting started, nights like tonight where exactly what I’d dreamed about.”
“Right,” said Damon. “You’ve got money, a huge house on Venice beach, and I’d bet you any of the women where would kill for the chance to get in bed with you. What’s there to complain about?”
“Not complaining,” I said. “Just…surprised. This was supposed to be it – a night like tonight was how I’d know I’d made it. But now that I’ve got it…”
“Man, you know what your problem is?” asked Damon before taking a swig of his beer.
“What’s that?”
“You think too much. Look at all the people here. They’re having fun, right?”
“Sure.”
“And you know the number-one thing they’ve all got in common? They’re not thinking about it. That’s the whole point of parties like this, dude. You get a few beers in you, loosen up, end up in bed with some pretty thing, and have some good memories the next day.”
“I’ve been in that spot before,” I said. “And trust me – good memories aren’t what you have. You barely remember anything, in fact.”
“You get the idea,” he said. “The point I’m trying to make is the two of us don’t have a thing to worry about. We’ve got money, freedom, and the whole city out there waiting for us.”
My expression turned grim.
And Damon knew right away what was on my mind.
“You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?”
“Can you blame me?”
He shook his head. “I can’t. I can’t even begin to imagine what it’d be like to lose the woman you loved, and you baby in the process. I-“
“Then don’t bring it up.”
“I didn’t mean to, bud. Just that it was almost a decade ago you lost Katy in childbirth. You…you really think she’d be happy to see you alone like this?”
“I said, don’t bring it up.”
Just the mention of Katy was enough to make me burn on the inside. But I didn’t want to think about it.
There was something else on Damon’s mind, and I had a feeling what it was.
“Quit trying to distract me,” I said. “You’re thinking about something.”
The look on his face let me know I’d touched on something.
“Alright,” I said. “What’s on your mind?”
“It’s nothing. It’s stupid.”
“Tell me. I’ll let you know if it’s stupid.”
“It’s…something we’ve already talked about. I don’t want to rehash it.”
With that, I knew exactly what he was referring to.
“Don’t say it,” I said, my tone sharp.
“See?” he asked. “You ask me what’s on my mind and when I tell you, you get all weird about it.”
“Damon,” I said. “You’re talking about going out with Natalie.”
Natalie was my kid sister, and the closest thing to family I had these days. We’d lost our parents young, Mom and Dad having died after getting into an accident with some shithead kid who’d had one-too-many beers and decided to take his F-150 for a spin down the highway.
Thirteen years ago it’d happened, back when I was on the verge of turning eighteen, Natalie only twelve. She and I had done a hell of a lot of growing up after we’d lost Mom and Dad, with me having to be a big brother and a parent to her all at once.
I’d graduated and taken a job in construction at Horvath Construction – the only decent-paying gig a guy like me could get. I got a place in East LA, Natalie moving in with me while I struggled to keep our heads above water. I scrimped and saved, putting whatever dreams I had off to the side to make sure Natalie never had to worry about a thing.
I moved up at Horvath, going from the lowest level on the totem pole to supervisor to foreman to project manager to CEO. Whatever money I made I saved, never wanting to risk going back to those days of poverty after we’d lost and Dad. I didn’t have a chance to go to college, but I made damn certain Natalie did. I paid out of pocket for her undergrad, and then her masters.
It was the reason for the party, actually – celebrating her finally picking up that graduate degree in business. But Natalie was nowhere to be found.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” said Damon, shaking his head. “You’ve made your stance on the subject pretty damn clear.”
“Bud,” I said. “You just got done telling me about how lame commitment is. You think I’d be fine with you going out with my kid sister after that?”
“She’s different, Nick,” he said. “It’s weird. I’ll be thinking about what I want, and it’s always the same – girls and partying and fun and money and all that shit. But the more I think about it, the less appealing it sounds. But then I’ll think about her…and it’s different.”
“’Different’ how?”
“Like…that shit you said about staying in and watching movies and all that. I want it – and I want it with your sister.”
“You’re about this close to getting your jaw broken,” I said. I gave him a slight smile to let him know I wasn’t entirely serious.
Only mostly serious.
“And that’s how you always are about her,” he said. “Scaring off any guy who shows interest.”
“That’s exactly how it’s going to be,” I said.
“Until what?” he asked. “Until some dude shows up that you approve of? Nick, she’s an adult. She’s got a masters degree, and will probably have a killer job before too long.”
“And what does she think about this?” I asked. “Does she know you feel this way?”
“I…I don’t know. Haven’t told her.”
“Then let’s keep it that way. We’re friends, Damon. But if you want to stay friends, you’ll give my kid sister a wide fucking berth.”
“You can’t be like this forever, bud,” he said. “You’re going to have to let her grow up eventually.”
I stood up, finishing my beer. “Maybe. But not today.”
I tossed my beer into the nearby trash can and turned to head inside.
“Where are you going?” asked Damon.
“Got some work stuff to take care of. Keep an eye on the place for me.”
“Yeah, yeah. Oh, you still on to go out tomorrow night?”
I closed my eyes, drawing a total blank on what he was talking about.
“What? We’re going out.”
“Yeah, we are!” he said, his eyes lighting up. “Dude, it’s my birthday! We’re going to hit the town, go fucking crazy.”
“You know, you’re not really making a case for why you should be allowed to date my sister.”
“Well, we don’t have to go that crazy,” he said with a smile. “Reasonably crazy.”
“Alright. Let me get some work done tonight and we’ll hang tomorrow. Sound good?”
“Sounds good.”
We gave one another a quick, back-slapping hug before I headed back inside.
My place was great – I had to admit it. It was a three-story home just a few minutes from the beach, done up in an ultra-modern style of clean whites, with more than enough space for me and my sister.
My sister who was currently MIA.
I went up
the stairs, weaving my way through the crowds, going up to the off-limits third floor. Once there, I unlocked my office and went inside, flicking the lights on. The view from my office was awesome, looking out over to the city and to the ocean beyond. The moon was high in the sky, silver and round.
But all I wanted was to get some work done. My position at Horvath paid pretty damn well, but the problem with a gig like that was you never really got time off. There was always work to be done, always details that needed to be double-checked, always clients who needed an update on projects for which they were paying us top dollar.
Not easy being on top. But it wasn’t for me – it was for Natalie. I’d bust my ass every damn day and be grateful for the opportunity if it meant she’d never have to worry about a thing.
Right as I got comfortable at the desk, however, a knock sounded at my door.
“Third floor’s off-limits,” I called out, my eyes on my computer. “And the office is definitely off-limits!”
“Even for someone who lives here?”
I looked up and smiled, knowing there was only one person it could’ve been.
“Alright,” I said. “I guess I can make an exception.”
The door opened and Natalie, my kid sister, stepped in.
It never stopped being crazy to me how much the two of us looked alike. We both had the same bright blond hair, the same piercing blue eyes. Of course, I was a six-four, two-hundred-and-twenty-pound man and she was barely over five-five, maybe a hundred and ten pounds soaking wet. But it was clear as day to anyone who might meet us that we were related.
She was sharp as hell, too. Natalie had always kicked butt in school, which was a big reason why I wanted to make sure she had a free ride to college. And she proved herself like crazy, never getting less than straight-As and always finding herself on the dean’s list.
“Hey,” she said, a small smile on her face as she shut the door. “There a reason you’re spending your kid sister’s graduation party in your office instead of, you know, at the party.”
“It was getting a little too wild for my tastes,” I said. “I saw a few pairs of boobs and decided it wasn’t my scene.”
“Wow,” she said, strolling in and confidently plopping into one of the chair across from my desk, the commotion from the party a low din through the window. “Never thought I’d hear you say something like that.”