Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
Shadonna
“I’m bringing you the hottest bitch from the South! Cheeks, get your sexy ass out here and show these Cali niggas what the fuck it’s hitting for!”
DJ Slaps’ voice blasted through the speakers, vibrating through the whole club and straight into my chest.
Soon as he said my name, the crowd started hollering.
I stepped through the curtain and onto that stage like I owned the damn place. The lights hit my skin and made it glow while the bass from the music thumped beneath my heels. Just like that… I was in my element.
Ain’t a bitch in this strip club could see me even on my worse day.
My body was banging, I was thick in all the right places, my skin looked like it had been dipped in oil.
One of the girls who hustled by doing makeup out the locker room had beat my face earlier for forty-five dollars, and baby…
she slayed me to the gods. My lashes looked cute, my lips were glossy, and I smelled as good as I looked.
When I came to work, I was that bitch.
Being in the club did something to my mind too. The music, the lights, the attention, it drowned out everything else for a while. All the stress, the pain, the guilt… it all got pushed to the back of my head.
For those few minutes on stage, I could forget who I really was. My personal life was fucked up and no matter how hard I tried to fix things with Layloni, I failed.
I was still trying to rebuild myself after everything that happened between us.
Trying to get my strength up and become half the woman she was.
Truth be told, I didn’t deserve her friendship.
Not after all the backstabbing shit I did to her.
She had every right to check me the way she did, I’d take her cursing me out every day over not having her in my life at all.
Layloni had always been a good person, the type of woman who stayed solid no matter what life threw at her. The fact that she called me later and apologized first, humbled me more than she probably realized.
She didn’t even have to do that. Soon as she called, I came running right back to the shop.
I truthfully, I loved being there, not just because of Layloni, but because working there made me feel like I was finally doing something right for once.
I was making money honestly, without having to pop my pussy for it.
Somewhere deep down inside, I had already accepted that I probably would never be shit in life.
I prayed like hell my kids wouldn’t turn out like me because I knew something was wrong with me mentally.
I’d been knowing it for years. No matter how much I told Layloni counseling was helping, it really wasn’t.
That white lady could sit across from me all day with her little notebook, asking questions about my childhood…
but talking about it didn’t erase none of it.
It didn’t erase my innocence being taken at a young age nor my momma pimping me out.
My momma didn’t give a shit about me, all she cared about was the money they handed her so she could go get high with Layloni’s mama.
That memory alone still made my chest feel tight whenever it popped up in my mind.
I swore on everything I would never speak to my mother again.
I secretly wished Prince killed my momma instead of Layloni’s.
That shit would have brought me some real closure.
If I had to strip and work Layloni’s shop just to build a better life for me and my kids, then so be it.
I’d do whatever it took. My babies weren’t going to grow up the way I did.
Even if they ended up hating me one day for the choices, I made to provide for them.
I had plans for them secretly but didn’t promise them the things I dreamed about.
I was scared to let them down even more by telling them about the future I was striving hard to get for them.
I wanted to get them in a big house, put my babies in private school.
Save money to see them through college. Things I never had, I wanted for them.
If I was being honest with myself, part of the reason I used to be jealous of Layloni growing up was because she had that good-girl image.
People respected her. Trusted her. Hell… in my eyes she really was a good girl.
She wasn’t damaged goods like me. I still didn’t even love myself most days. That little eight-year-old version of me was still trapped somewhere in my head, screaming. I still needed pills sometimes just to fall asleep so the nightmares wouldn’t come. If it wasn’t for my kids…
I probably would’ve been killed myself already.
They were the only reason I kept pushing forward.
The only reason I kept grinding. I zoned out on the stage, and thought about the sacrifices I’ve made.
All I wanted to keep doing right now was stacking my money, letting these thirsty ass niggas throw cash at me for a fantasy.
Because that’s all it ever was to them anyway, a fantasy and a good nut. I refused to feel anything for them. The beat dropped harder through the speakers, snapping me back to the moment.
I strutted across the stage slow and confident, making sure every eye in the room followed me. Soon as I dropped low and ran my hands over my thighs, teasing the curve of my pussy through my thong, money rained down on me.
That’s all it took.
I rolled my hips to the beat and made my ass clap, bending over just enough to drive them crazy. Niggas in the front row were gripping their dicks and licking their lips like they were starving. I already knew them hoes backstage were watching through the curtain, hating hard on a bitch.
By the time my song ended, the stage was covered in money.
Just from that one performance, I could already tell I had at least three thousand sitting on the dirty floor waiting for me to collect.
The night was still young and my goal for tonight was to at least make five thousand dollars. Hopefully more.
California was expensive as hell. My rent alone was twenty-five hundred a month for my three-bedroom apartment. It was worth every penny, seeing my oldest daughter finally happy to have her own room.
My other two babies shared a room, and I had the master. It wasn’t a mansion, but it was ours, and I was proud of that.
Finishing my performance, I held my money bag tight, preparing to put it in my locker and have a drink before I worked the floor.
I planned on being here for one more hour then going home.
I found a 24-hour daycare and, tonight, the kids would be spending the night there and I’d pick them up in the morning.
I was off from both jobs, so I planned on making the day about my kids, going shopping, and out to eat.
“Cheeks! It’s a high roller demanding a private dance from you!” the owner shouted, causing all these hating bitches to look my way for a response.
I normally didn’t do private dances. The niggas paid well, but they also ended up pressing me to fuck.
I had no problem with fucking. But that was a number one rule here at the club, no prostitution.
If you got caught, then your ass was fired.
I needed this job cause it brought me in the most money.
I debated it quickly. If I worked the floor for an hour, I could make a thousand, maybe even fifteen if I went into the VIP sections.
This high roller had to have bank to request me.
This could be my opportunity to be blessed with a fat stack.
“Alright, tell him give me fifteen minutes. I’m fenna freshen up then go.”
I decided to change my outfit and make sure my pussy was fresh.
A private dance meant a nice little show.
I basically had to convince whatever nigga that was in that private room to break his pockets for me.
I entered the dimly lit private room as I took in the small area.
The lights were red. I noticed a fine tall light skin nigga that looked to be mixed.
His hair was tapered around the edges with a fade and a design of the money symbol on the side of his head.
His hair was curly; short curls graced his head complementing his face.
He looked me directly in the eyes as an sinister smile graced his face.
My stomach had butterflies as I approached him.
He had the most beautiful hazel eyes I had ever seen.
I slowly rotated my hips to the beat, moving closer to him. I saw stacks of money, making my mouth instantly water. I could separate a broke nigga from a rich nigga easily. This nigga right here was definitely paid.
Instead of the usual stack of wrinkled dollars most niggas sat on, this man had a thick pile of blue faces resting on the table beside him.
My eyes stayed locked on it. Just from a quick glance, I could tell it was at least over twenty bands, maybe more.
My heart thumped a little harder in my chest, as I tried not to let it show on my face.
Ain’t no way he was about to spend all that on me… but a girl could hope.
His hazel orbs stayed glued to me, heavy and unreadable. It wasn’t the thirsty, drooling look I was used to getting from men in this place. He studied me instead of lusting after me. It made a small chill creep down my spine.
He didn’t say a word, there was something about his silence that made me keep my mouth shut too.
So, I did what I was paid to do. I turned around slowly, bent forward and grabbed both of my ankles, letting my ass rise high in the air.
The music vibrated through my body as I dropped low into a squat and started making my booty clap to the beat, rolling my hips and arching my back trying to seduce him the best way I knew how.
“You gotta take all that shit off if you want these bands light bright.”
His deep voice caused my pussy to jump. I put a show on for him as I stripped slowly out of my thong and bra.
I danced for about twenty minutes. He had me confused, no money was thrown.
He didn’t show excitement, no slapping my ass or grabbing his dick.
My feet were hurting a little, but I didn’t complain.
I danced my best for him until he softly grabbed my wrist and patted the seat next to him.
Sitting down, I turned slightly to be able to get a clearer view of his handsome face.
When he opened his mouth, he blinded me.
Real VVS diamonds resided in every single tooth of his.
“My name Money baby, real pimping going on na’mean?
I ain’t got shit to hide or lie about. If you ain’t down with what I’m saying, then you can slide off with this lil bit of money.
.. I can manage that pussy and make us both rich if you chose to stay.
.. you gotta stay down to come up... understand? ”
I should have took the money he offered and left his ass sitting there.
I didn’t like pimps because of my mom and what I’d been through.
If I was gone sell some pussy, then I was going to be my own pimp, not give all my bread to the next nigga.
Here I was still debating and thinking a little too hard on what he just said.
Giving me an impatient look, he stood up and reached in his pants pocket, pulling a card out.
“I got hoes waiting and money to make, call me when you ready to choose up.”
He hiked his pants up to his waist and walked out smoothly.
I looked at all the money and couldn’t believe my eyes.
I felt giddy as fuck and couldn’t wait to celebrate it some kind of way.
I rushed back to the locker room with my money secured.
I at least made an easy twenty-five thousand tonight.
I was gone stack up and get as much money I could and take a vacation with my kids.
Soon as I made it out of the strip club, I had the bodyguard escort me to my car.
Niggas knew us strippers made a good amount each night and some of us got robbed blind.
Tipping the bodyguard, I headed home. I needed a strong drink and a hot bath to soak in.
I made it home fast, hopping out my car.
I made it up my steps out of breath and started fumbling with my keys.
Soon as I got my key in the door, I felt somebody behind me.
I was too scared to turn around but, when I did, I was met by a gun that was held steady at my face.
The guy that held the gun was tall and black.
Ripped muscles made his black Tee look like it was painted onto him.
Swallowing down nothing but fear, I remained quiet as my mind tried to process what was going on.
What did I do now? was the only thing I could ask myself.
“We wouldn’t be doing all this light bright... if you chose up earlier. When I walked out the door, you were supposed to call my name and beg me to put you on. My presence is a blessing in itself; you refused to see it.”
Money stepped out of nowhere with an evil glare covering his handsome face. By looking into his eyes, I could tell he was clearly deranged.
“Money, I meant no disrespect... it’s late and I have to get my kids from daycare early in the morning. I was planning on calling you tomorrow.”
I tried to lie the best I could. When he chuckled, I almost pissed myself. He shook his head and walked close to me, so close I could smell the mint on his breath.
“Lesson number one light bright.... never lie to your pimp.”
He back handed me, making me taste every single ring he had on his fingers. “D-man, unlock light bright door and carry her lying ass in... it’s time me and her get really acquainted.”
I peed on myself; I was scared. I came to Cali to right my wrongs.
I didn’t understand why I was dealt such a fucked-up hand.
Every time I tried to do right, something always came in between that.
My thoughts shifted to Layloni; I should have listened to her and left this stripping shit alone.
There was no telling how long this crazy ass nigga been watching me.
I laid there in front of my apartment door wishing I could die, but then my kids flashed in my brain, and I knew I had to figure it out and get out of this situation next.