Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Aspen
Sweat clung to every inch of my body as I worked the pole. My muscles strained with every push, my movements taking me higher and higher. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, my breathing coming out heavy. As hard as this job was both physically and mentally, I also enjoyed it. The confidence that came with dancing for a bunch of random strangers while they threw money at me was a validation I never would have admitted to wanting.
When my set ended, I scooped up all the cash and threw it in my money bag. Guys whistled at me when I walked by, their hungry gazes boring into me, causing my stomach to twist with unease. While dancing was enjoyable, the lingering looks I could do without.
Making my way into the dressing room, I threw my cash into my assigned locker and leaned against the cold metal. My chest heaved up and down as my body worked to regulate my breathing.
“Has it been busy tonight?” Star questioned from the bench diagonal from where I stood. She was one of the nicest girls I’d met here so far and helped show me the ropes during my first week. I still didn’t know her real name though.
I huffed a laugh. “Oh yeah. The men are extra generous tonight.”
Amusement sparkled in her blue eyes. “Is that why you’re hiding out in here? If the money is as good as you say, shouldn’t you be working the floor?” She finished lacing up her second stiletto before standing.
“I never said I was superwoman,” I retorted. This job was strenuous. Sometimes, a break was necessary. Even if it was only for a few minutes in a stuffy locker room.
She nodded in agreement, flicking her platinum hair behind her shoulders. Star was gorgeous with curves in all the right places. She was a hell of a lot curvier than me and seeing her in practically no clothes made me a little envious. She was wearing a baby blue two-piece set, the bottoms almost resembling a pair of cheeky boy-shorts with the way her ass hung out of them.
“Let’s go,’ she urged. “I need a shot, or ten.’
A laugh slipped from my lips as I pushed away from the lockers. Ten shots sounded nice. Drinking definitely helped the ache in our muscles and also let us loosen up before sets and before clients.
Following her fine ass out of the dressing room, we approached the bar at the other end of the club, taking up two stools that resided in front. Michael’s eyes lit up when they saw me and he instantly made his way over.
“I didn’t know you were working tonight,” he said, already getting to work on making my favorite drink. It was the same one I ordered every night, and it did the trick for the most part.
Star nudged me in the side, waggling her eyebrows as she did. “He totally likes you,” she whispered. I rolled my eyes at her schoolgirl antics.
“I already know.”
I didn’t know for sure, but definitely had a hunch. Guys weren’t nice to you unless they wanted something. This job was making that clearer to me than ever. Once he was finished, he placed my fruity drink on the bar in front of me and then turned to take Star’s order.
“He’s cute,” she continued with a casual shrug, making sure to keep her voice low. “I’d fuck him if I hadn’t already.”
This got my attention. Turning to face her with wide eyes, my mouth opened and closed as I worked to find the right words. “Are you seriously trying to push your sloppy seconds off on me?” I questioned, raising an accusing eyebrow.
She laughed in response. “I’m just saying. He’s a decent lay too.”
“Then you fuck him.” I swirled the contents in my glass around before taking my first drink, the contents immediately warming my chest.
“Uh-uh,” she replied without hesitation. “I’m a one and done kind of girl.”
I was beginning to like her more and more after every interaction we had. While she resembled a typical stuck-up barbie doll, she had her own set of rules that she followed, and I admired that. She also wasn’t anything like those plastic bitches at the academy despite her appearance.
The one and done thing was something I could relate to. It was a rule I had for myself even before joining the academy.
Michael returned, setting the drink down in front of Star and turning his attention back to me. His gaze roamed over me, the hunger in them hard to miss. This has become somewhat of a routine. I’d come to the bar, and he’d stare at me while I finished my drink. Eventually, it didn’t feel weird but normal.
“What time does your shift end?” he questioned, leaning his arms on the countertop.
“Two. What about you?” My question was more of a formality. I had no interest in knowing when his shift ended.
“Midnight. Maybe I’ll come find you after my shift and buy a dance.”
Star snorted in amusement, causing me to look in her direction. Her gaze was lit up with mischief, almost like she was enjoying this. I rolled my eyes and returned my attention to the boy standing before me. If he wanted a dance, I couldn’t exactly turn him down. After his shift, he’d officially be a paying customer.
I shrugged and took a small sip of my beverage. “If you want to, I can’t stop you.” Talissa was very adamant about that rule alone. We weren’t allowed to turn down paying customers unless they got physically violent or didn’t respect certain boundaries.
“Great.” He smiled, revealing his chipped tooth. “I’ll see you later, then.”
Nodding, I knocked back the rest of my drink, slamming it down on the table. Star did the same just in time for her name to be called on stage. Putting two fingers to her temple in a gun-like shape, she pretended to pull the trigger, her eyes rolling dramatically into the back of her head.
“I’ll catch you after my set if you aren’t busy,” she said before sauntering off toward the main stage.
While she was gone and after having a drink, I knew it was time to get back to work. So, I started making my rounds, socializing with random guys until one was interested enough to ask me for a dance. This guy was probably in his thirties, but it was better than him being old as shit.
We made our way to the couches where another dancer was already performing, straddling the guy’s lap while she air-humped him sensually. I helped ease my client onto the sectional, his eyes lighting up hungrily.
“Money first.” I smirked, holding out my hand.
Reaching into his pocket, he dug out thirty dollars and slapped it into my palm. I opened the drawer to the side table and stuffed the cash inside so that I didn’t accidentally lose it.
Slowly, my hips started to sway to the beat as I inched closer to him. In small, calculated movements, I crawled onto his lap, feeling his boner immediately. My stomach coiled with disgust, but I didn’t let that stop me. The man’s hands moved to grip my waist which I always allowed. The only time I put a stop to touching was if they tried to finger me—which has already happened on two occasions. The unknown man tilted his head back, looking up at me through steel-gray eyes. For an older guy, he was attractive in a rugged kind of way. He was definitely older than Monroe by at least four to five years.
My hips moved in circular motions as I grinded down on him, the bulge in his pants rubbing against my thin panties. My eyes remained locked on his the entire time, knowing that’s exactly what they liked. With one hand, I reached behind me and pulled the string that secured my top in place. The piece of fabric dropped to the floor, giving him the perfect view of my chest.
He growled in approval, eyes darkening as he took me in. “I might just have to book you for a room,” he told me, tightening his grip around my waist.
“You want to feel my pussy?” I purred in his ear, my breath hot and voice seductive. The power this job gave me was unlike anything I’d ever felt. Especially when the guys weren’t too bad to look at. Sure, fucking for money wasn’t ideal, but it was too good to pass up. Just the mere thought of milking this guy for everything he was worth had my panties dampening.
“Fuck yes.”
A slow smile stretched across my face. “Tell me what you want to do to me,” I continued, keeping my voice low and trying to keep him entertained throughout the dance.
Changing positions, I moved onto the couch so that I was on my hands and knees, his legs positioned beneath my stomach. This put my ass directly in front of him. I maintained the same pace, making sure he got his money’s worth and started moving my ass, making it bounce for him.
Being this close to him permitted me to feel his heart, and boy, was it beating. He muttered a curse, taking a hand and allowing it to move over my back before he reached my ass and grabbed a handful.
“I want you to ride my cock,” he forced out, his breathing labored from lust. “I want to feel you clenching all around me.”
“I can make that happen for you.” I smiled, glancing at him over my shoulder.
Abruptly, he stood, catching me off guard. Before I could fall flat on my ass, he grabbed me and helped steady me. “Then let’s go.” He grabbed my hand and led me away from the couch, his movements urgent.
“What about the rest of the dance?” I panicked, remembering my money was still stashed in that drawer.
“Fuck the dance.”
“Go to the front desk, tell them you want to book me, and I’ll meet you in the room. Okay?”
The man slowed to a stop and glanced over at me. As if realizing how frantic he was being, he huffed a laugh and nodded. “You’re right,” he agreed. “Just don’t keep me waiting.”
I internally rolled my eyes, ready to get this over with. Shooting him another smile, I turned my back and rushed back to the dance area. Relief consumed me when I saw that my money was exactly where I’d left it. Grabbing it, I rushed to the locker room and tossed it in my locker, before making my way back into the main part of the club.
The man was nowhere in sight, meaning he was probably waiting for me, and that also meant someone would be coming to get me soon to tell me what room he was in.
Deciding to stop by the bar before I put myself through this again, I requested a double shot of tequila and knocked it back, the contents leaving a bitter taste in my mouth and starting a fire within my chest. This job was mentally draining and degrading, but I just had to keep reminding myself that it was only temporary.
Right on cue, Candy made her way toward me, her long black hair swinging with every movement. Her dark gaze took me in before her lips tilted in a sneer. For some reason, she didn’t like me much, but I didn’t give a shit.
“Room twenty-four is yours,” she said, before spinning on her heels and walking off.
Good talk.
From what I gathered, some girls here had something against newcomers. Something about them stealing clients and the girls missing out on money because of it. I really didn’t give a shit because this place was almost always packed.
When I reached the assigned room, I made sure to put a ‘do-not-disturb’ sign on the outside of the door. None of the doors had locks for obvious reasons in order to protect the girls from getting hurt.
The man was already waiting for me, seated on the bed, a glass of champagne in his hand. I grabbed a condom from the bowl located on the table against the wall and drifted forward. My tits were still out, but oh well. It was a strip club.
“Get on the bed,” the man ordered, setting his glass on the side table, and rising.
The need to tell him to go fuck himself was strong. I hated being treated like some common whore, but this was a job that I chose. I needed to follow the rules and make a bag.
Making my way over to the bed, I lowered myself onto it and obeyed. He eagerly stripped out of his clothes and took the condom from me where he proceeded to roll it on.
“Take off your panties and shoes,” he demanded.
Sinking my teeth into the inside of my cheek, I removed my underwear, followed by my heels. It was moments like these that made me hate my life. It wasn’t always bad, but when they made me feel like a cheap hole to sink themselves into, that’s when it was the hardest.
Once I was completely bare, the man stared at me for a long moment, almost as if he was trying to determine whether the money had been worth it to book me. The guys here were extremely picky about who they spent their money on. I didn’t blame them considering there were dozens of women at their disposal.
Finally, he climbed on the bed, hovering over me. The scent of his aftershave strangled my senses, causing me to scrunch up my nose. The smell wasn’t necessarily bad, but it was strong. Most of the guys I’d been with didn’t have any facial hair, and I was beginning to learn that was a preference of mine.
Right as he was about to insert himself inside me, the door swung open. A startled gasp flew past my lips, right as the man turned to look at the intruder.
Confusion skittered through me, followed by disbelief. Rocky’s gaze darted between me and the man for several seconds before he made a beeline directly for me. Grabbing me by the arm, he forced me off the bed and backed me into the wall, putting himself between me and the stranger.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I demanded. While I was mad that he stormed in here the way he did at my place of employment, it was also hot as fuck.
“I have to talk to you.”
The man stood, towering over Rocky. “We’re kind of in the middle of something here,” he snapped. “She’s already paid for.”
Rocky reached into his back pocket and counted out a few bills. Throwing them at the man, he grabbed my hand and tugged me out of the room, obviously not caring that I was completely naked.
“I have to get dressed,” I told him. “Meet me out front.”
I hadn’t expected to hear from Rocky at all after the way he’d abruptly left. Not to mention, he never bothered to give me any kind of explanation nor did he reply to any of my messages. Part of me wanted to leave him hanging, just like he did to me. But the other part of me wanted to hear what he had to say. What was so important that he came to my job and interrupted my work?
As soon as I reached the dressing room, I put on my T-shirt and jeans that I’d come here in. Taking out all my money, I hurriedly counted how much I made and then bagged it all up. There would be a fee for leaving work early, and Michael would probably be butt-hurt, but it was the least of my worries right now.
After clocking out, I tipped out the DJ and the bartender, then made my way to the front desk where Rocky was waiting. I handed the receptionist a wad of cash for my fee and then started for the front doors.
Neither of us said a word as we made our way through the parking lot. Annoyance was eating away at me from how he’d been acting. It was always mixed signals with him. One minute, he seemed to want me, and the next…he was MIA, acting like I never existed.
“Here, let me,” he said, hurrying to open the passenger-side door for me.
I muttered a thanks and slipped inside, my head reeling from what had just happened. Part of me was thankful that I didn’t have to screw that guy, but the other part of me needed answers.
Once he was inside the vehicle next to me, he shifted his body in my direction. “I wanted to talk to you before Monroe had the chance to,” he explained, confusing me further. “I told you before that my situation was complicated?—”
“Complicated in what way?” I demanded. “Because how you left the other day without an explanation was fucked up. Especially since you didn’t even bother to text me at all.” Heat spread through my veins just remembering how that had made me feel.
He sighed and leaned his head back against his seat. Whatever was going on, he didn’t want to tell me about. That much was clear.
“I’m not boyfriend material,” he finally said.
I never even knew I wanted a boyfriend, but I definitely didn’t want to be a notch on someone’s belt. Not anymore. “And I’m not fuck-buddy material. So, if that’s what you’re looking for, find someone else.”
I’ve done a lot of fucked up shit in my life. Screwed people’s boyfriends, had a lot of casual hook-ups, did a lot of things that once upon a time ago, I was proud of. But that wasn’t me anymore. I was still fucked up, but I wanted to be different. It took me a long time to realize it but being lusted after actually felt terrible. It also gave you a bad reputation—one that was impossible to bounce back from.
“That’s another thing,” Rocky continued. “I already have a fuck-buddy.”
This caught my attention. Now it was all making sense. The black-haired girl he’d been fucking in Talissa’s office. I couldn’t even remember her name. Disbelief coursed through me, and I shook my head, my lip curling in a snarl.
“You’re a piece of shit,” I finally said. “I really thought you were different.”
“Aspen, please. Just listen to me.” He reached over the center console and took my hand in his. “This was never intentional. I never intended to start liking you, and even when I realized I did like you, I didn’t intend to act on it. You have to believe me.”
While Rocky has been less than forthcoming, he’s never lied to me. For my own piece of mind, I didn’t want to believe him, but knew sincerity when I saw it. He wouldn’t be here right now, practically begging me to believe him if he didn’t give a shit.
“Fine. Whatever,” I growled. “But you’re still a piece of shit for not being up front with me about this in the first place.”
He nodded. “I know. I really am sorry, but I still want to help you. I’ll be more accessible, I promise. I was just struggling…”
“Struggling?” I pried. “With what?”
“Liking you,” he said without hesitation. “And my arrangement with Dixie. I’m not really supposed to fuck other girls.”
I snorted in amusement. “Sounds like she’s your girlfriend then.”
He was silent for a moment, a confused expression taking hold of his features. I wasn’t an expert on relationships by any means, but I did know a few things. To me, it sounded like this chick roped him into some type of informal relationship. Kind of like Madison had done with Collin; except he wasn’t stupid enough to fall for it.
The night sky fell over us like a blanket. Christmas was fast approaching, and day by day, the nights grew colder. Hugging my jacket tightly around me in an attempt to stay warm, my breath came out shallow, pushing out clouds of condensed air.
“Oh shit,” Rocky said. “I’m so sorry.” He quickly started the car and made sure the heat was on high.
Instantly, the warm air flooded the car, seeping into my skin and forcing the chills away. “Thanks,” I muttered, rubbing my hands together.
Images of the other night invaded my mind. The way he dominated me in that bedroom was rare to find in guys these days. The way he felt would forever be engraved into my memories, forcing me to recount one of the best lays of my life. Not to mention, he had such an authentic personality that was impossible to find in anyone these days.
“What are you thinking about?” he questioned, keeping his voice soft.
Glancing over at him, I shrugged. “That you suck,” I teased, a playful smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.
He sighed and reached over the console once again, taking my hand in his. I wasn’t even sure when he’d released my hand the last time, but my thoughts have been consuming me from the inside out. The warmth of his hand was a good contrast compared to the icy-feel of mine.
“I know,” he admitted. “I shouldn’t have kissed you like that. Not when I have too much shit going on; it was selfish of me.”
I nodded in agreement, not sure what else to say. I wasn’t used to people taking accountability for their own actions. It wasn’t like I could be too mad about it anyways. Take where I work for example, or the fact that me and Rocky weren’t a couple. It wasn’t my place to flip out the way I did.
“You look really good tonight.” He smirked, changing the subject to a lighter topic.
I snorted in response at the direction he chose to go. “Hell no. I am so done with your mixed signals. We are keeping it completely platonic from here on out.”
He groaned in response like a wounded child. “I’ll get you to fuck me again.” He winked. “Eventually.”
“And what about your little arrangement with your friend ?” I challenged, raising an eyebrow. Didn’t he just tell me he wasn’t allowed to fuck other girls and that he shouldn’t have kissed me the other day? He was confusing as hell.
“Something you said stood out to me. Being single means not being exclusive. In a way, I had been somewhat exclusive with her; it even made me feel guilty about what we did.”
I guess that made sense. At least he was a decent enough person to try to right his wrongs. “That’s nice and all, but you missed the part where I said I’m not fuckbuddy material,” I reminded him.
A slow smile stretched across his face, his hand tightening around mine as he leaned toward me. My breath caught in my throat from the closeness of our bodies, my heart thumping wildly again as it always seemed to do when he was near. His lips swept over mine in a feather-light kiss, sending bolts of electricity skittering through me.
When he pulled away, a cocky grin was etched into his features. “You’re mine, darlin. You just don’t know it yet.”