Chapter 6
Chapter six
Matty – Las Vegas
Thanksgiving was just around the corner, and I was still not on my way to Miami.
Mother fucker. I fixed my hair, wishing I were with Daddy Drake so hard that it nearly crushed my heart.
But I didn’t have time to be miserable. No, I had to go to work.
And damn did it suck working at the club without Drake and the rest of Star Fly…
oh right, they changed their name—the rest of Soul Shred—cheering me on.
Well, that was a much better name. They were in good hands, and I hoped Drake would tuck away his pride and allow the changes.
In the back of the club, which acted as a dressing room for all of us, I changed into my outfit for the pole.
I wasn’t waiting tables until after my performance.
Diamond Lux was not a high-class joint, despite the name, but it wasn’t seedy either.
It was an off-strip gay strip club. Nothing more, nothing less.
Oh, well, maybe a lot less. Since a lot of the dancers stripped down all the way.
Full frontal. It wasn’t for me, but the audience would see every bit of the rest of me. And upside down at that.
Once my makeup was done, and I’d dressed in a leotard and tights, along with my flowing robe, I headed toward the side stage entrance where I waited for my music to start.
When Godsmack’s Voodoo started up, I strutted out to the rhythm of Sully Erna’s deep voice.
The robe flowed behind me like an ethereal dream.
When the drums started, I grabbed the pole and lifted my feet off the ground, up over my head.
It was a great song for spinning and turning.
Eventually, I let the robe fall off my shoulders and to the floor.
By the chorus, my routine became more complex, and I lost myself in the moves.
My hands hit the floor at the end of the song, and I did a walkover to dismount.
No, this wasn’t ballet. But it was artful and I was skilled.
And better yet, it meant I could dance without blowing out my knee again or having to worry about not being tall enough.
I grabbed cash off the stage, smiled, and waved to everyone. As expected.
Then I darted to the back of the house again.
I was supposed to change so I could get out there, sling drinks, and mingle until the end of the show.
I didn’t want to. For once, I didn’t want to do the finale.
Yeah, the finale that I had to beg to get into.
Why? Eh…mostly so Daddy Drake would see me on stage more. But he wasn’t here.
Andre thumped me on the head. “Hey. What’s going on with you, Mr. Pouty face?”
“What do you mean?” As if I didn’t know. I grabbed my shirt for the day, which said Boy Toy across the chest. Sassy and normally right up my snarky alley. Not today.
“You’re like, I don’t know, Drake finally wore off on you.” He waved his hands around my face. “Hey, where is Drake, anyway? Haven’t seen him and his boys for a while now.”
I snorted. “They’re in Miami.” There was a rumor going around about it, but if you weren’t into the music scene, you wouldn’t know. And Andre was cool, but he wasn’t a rocker. More like an electric-dance-vibe-so-I-can-shake-my-ass-and-show-off guy.
“Florida?”
“Yeah. Recording an album. They’re going to be rock stars for real.” I covered my face with my hands. It was hitting me hard.
“You do not sound like your normal self.” He’d been teasing before; now he was serious. He put his arm around me.
I didn’t look up. “I’m not. He’s going to leave me behind in this hellhole.”
“Wait. Why aren’t you in Florida with him already?”
I shrugged. What could I really say about it? Drake promised but kept putting it off. I felt like he was only humoring me.
“Pffth…enough.” He pulled my hands down. “Get out of here and get yourself a plane ticket. Show up and don’t let him tell you no.”
“He won’t like that.”
“So? Never stopped you before.”
Maybe Andre was right. Maybe I needed to just go there. I could do it. I was also smart enough to buy a round-trip ticket and leave the return date open because Drake might put me on a plane home. But if he didn’t, I’d eventually have to come back to get the rest of my shit.
“You’re right. Can you handle the shift?”
“We can handle all the shifts. Besides, Nicky is getting a lot better on the pole. He can take over until you come back. If you come back.” Andre gave me a knowing smile.
“Maybe I won’t.” With luck.
“Good. But let me know. Don’t be a stranger.” He kissed the top of my head, then pulled me into a big hug. “I got your back. Always.”
“Thanks. I gotta go pack.” I practically bounced to the back door.
I heard Andre hollering behind me. “Now, that’s the Matty I know.”
Well, he wasn’t wrong about that either. I took what I wanted. I didn’t let life beat me up. And if Drake and I were going to have some kind of real relationship, then I needed to be with him.