that’s my ticket out of this life so even when I feel as though my eyeballs are going to fall out of my head I go to the library.
I’m not expecting my whole goddamn life to change.
But it does.
It’s a busy night and by the time I finish my first dance and make it out to the locker room my legs are practically shaking underneath me. I picked a hard routine to start with but one I know the clients here go crazy for and sure enough, there’s a whole fucking lot of green in my hands.
I’m stashing it away in my locker when someone grabs my elbow, wrenching me around to face them.
It’s a biker, one I recognize from the crowd at my stage but I’ve never spoken to him before. He’s wasted, swaying slightly, but the look on his face is trouble. Big fucking trouble for me.
He reeks of stale beer and cigarettes and I choke back a gag, the stink of it coating the back of my throat like it’ll never leave me.
He smirks and reaches out to grab a piece of my hair, wrapping it around his fumbling fingers. “I’ve had my eye on you, pretty little birdie.”
The gag comes back in full force, no choking that shit back. “I don’t do extra. Please don’t touch me.”
He smirks at me and he’s like all my fucking nightmares come true with his crooked nose and yellowed teeth. “Club property, bitch. You’ll do extra if I want you to.”
He moves fast for a man who can barely fucking walk, his hand reaching out to grab my throat.
I hear Speck shout from down the hallway but instinct kicks in and I slam the heel of my palm into the drunk biker’s nose, the crunch of it breaking is the most satisfying sound.
He lets me go with a roar, blood pouring out of his face, but he recovers quickly and lurches at me. I stumble back, ready to run the fuck out of this place and never come back, but Speck gets to him before he can lay another finger on me.
He takes him down to the ground, restraining him but he doesn’t try to hit him at all.
I’m a little disappointed.
“No fucking touching her, asshole! Fuck, keep your head together before it gets you into the shit.”
“She’s a fucking stripper! I can have her if I want!”
The biker bucks and tries to throw Speck off but the prospect is too strong for him, easily pinning his arms down and holding him to the ground.
“What you want for your dick isn’t going to jeopardize club business. Find another pussy to pump.”
The biker snarls, “You don’t have a fucking patch, you can’t do this shit.”
There’s footsteps behind me as Diamond and Mel both come running, finally hearing the ruckus these two are making. Diamond immediately gets on the phone, speaking in a purr, “You better come down here, Speck’s throwing hands at Mav over the new girl. Shit ain’t good.”
Mel grabs my hand and lifts it up to the light to look at the blood and swelling already there from my jab at the biker, raising her eyebrows at me. “That’ll be Tomi. You’re kinda fucked now, Angel, you don’t ever attack one of the Unseen.”
I didn’t though.
I didn’t and Speck saw enough of the shit that went down that I should be okay… except he’s not patched in so his word probably doesn’t hold up to the other guy’s.
Diamond snaps her fingers in front of my face to get my attention. “Earth to fucking Angel, get your ass in the office! The boss is gonna be here to deal with you in a minute and I need to get Mav’s drunk ass in there too, fuck’s sake! I knew you’d be nothing but fucking trouble. Dancing here like you’re too good for extra shit, you fucking deserve whatever you’ve got coming to you.”
Mel at least manages to look a little sorry for me but she doesn’t say a word as she moves away to grab her shit and head home. She’s never actively tried to hurt me or talk shit but she’s also never tried to talk to me again since that first night.
Even amongst strippers I’m a fucking pariah.
I take a seat in the office, nervous and sitting there in my freaking thong. Thank God my last dance was freaking themed and I have a full bra on for a little more coverage. Not a lot, but more than