Chapter 4
Chapter Four
GYPSY
No.
No, no, no, no, no! This couldn’t be happening.
I couldn’t breathe correctly. It was like someone had swung a bat at my chest. The air of confidence I wore as a shield whenever I set foot in this place quickly fell away, leaving me as raw and exposed as an open wound. “M-Marco.” That one word trembled as goose bumps broke out across my skin.
It wasn’t a secret that I danced at Pink Palace—all of my friends knew—but up until that very moment, I’d successfully kept those two parts of my life completely separate from each other.
My girls didn’t judge me for what I did, but that didn’t mean I wanted any of the people in the circle of friends I’d begun developing recently to see me like this. Especially this man.
Shame heated my cheeks, and I was suddenly hit with the unexpected and overwhelming desire to cry. If I hadn’t already known I wasn’t good enough for him before now, this humiliating turn of events would certainly have done it.
My throat felt like it had been stuffed full of cotton as I asked, “What are you doing here?”
He stood from the table, his imposing size stealing the air from my lungs. The grin that pulled at his lips would have normally made my belly flip had it not been for the mortification burning my skin at that very moment. “Waiting for my dance, sweetheart.”
I’d been such an idiot. In spite of all my objections, I’d naively let my friends’ words penetrate that protective wall, and I’d stupidly begun to hope that maybe a man could see me as more than… well, this.
Silly me.
I felt my heart begin to shrivel in my chest, and I used the ache to refortify that protective wall.
Thanks to the glaring reminder that hope was a bitch, I was able to slip back into the persona I used within Pink Palace, treating Marco as I would any of these men.
“Well, let’s not keep you waiting any longer, baby.” Ignoring the distinct dip of his brows and his consternated glower, I took his hand and began leading him toward the back rooms.
It felt like a bolt of lightning shot through my entire body at the simple touch of his palm against mine. His hand nearly swallowed mine whole, making me feel tiny for the first time in my life, even in those ridiculous heels.
Awareness tickled at my senses as he trailed behind me. I could feel his eyes on my body like a physical touch, causing my breasts to swell and my nipples to pucker.
It was only by the grace of god that I got us to the private room without tripping over my own feet.
The door closed behind us with a resounding click that nearly had me jumping out of my skin.
Grabbing the small remote to the sound system, I hit play and “Gooey” by Glass Animals filled the room.
I led Marco to the garish red velvet settee in the center of the room.
Turning to face him for the first time since we entered, I looked up at him through my eyelashes and grinned.
Placing my hands on his shoulders, I gently pressed down until he was seated, resting my palms on his denim-clad knees.
I spread his long legs wide and stepped between them.
This was the closest he and I had ever been, and the deep, musky spice of his cologne wafted over me as I began to move.
Closing my eyes against the self-reproach scoring at my insides, I began to sway to the beat until his big hands landed on my hips, stopping me. “Gypsy, babe, stop. You don’t have to do this.”
My eyelids shot up, and I lowered my head to look down at him. “What? But I thought you paid for—”
His expression was warm and tender as his grip on me lightened, but he didn’t let go. Instead, those longs fingers began to rub soft circles on my waist. “I needed to talk to you without making it obvious, and this was the only way I could think to do that.”
“Talk to me about what?”
“You got cameras in here?” he asked, the question doing nothing to lessen my confusion.
“Huh?”
“Cameras, girasol. Are there any in here?”
“Uh….” I turned to look up at the black security camera in the corner of the ceiling. The blinking red light that usually indicated someone was watching wasn’t on at the moment. “Well, yeah, but it’s not on right now. Why?”
Rising to his feet, Marco moved to the door and clicked the flimsy lock on the knob into place.
“Okay, you’re really starting to freak me out. What’s going on?”
My knees began trembling with apprehension as he moved back to the settee and resumed his seat, bracing his forearms on his knees.
Those golden-green eyes came back to me, and the seriousness inside of them made me shiver.
“Listen, we got some intel recently that didn’t sit right, so from here on out, any time you’re working at the club, you’re gonna have eyes on you. ”
“What? Why? What intel?”
“You ever hear the name Malachi Black?”
My eyes went wide in shock. Of course I’d heard it.
His wasn’t a name that was mentioned in town all that often, but a few months back, Nona’s ex-husband got in some serious trouble for dealing crystal meth, and I’d heard from her that this Malachi Black guy was the one who ran the whole operation he’d been tangled up in.
He was a seriously bad guy who was into some seriously bad shit.
“I take it by the look on your face you have,” Marco said. I nodded in confirmation. “Well, hate to break it to you, Gypsy, but he’s the new owner of this place.”
My mouth dropped open so wide it was a wonder I didn’t get rug burn on the bottom of my chin. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“Wish I was, babe, but I’m dead serious.”
It took a few seconds for the gravity of the situation to really hit me, and once it did, I started to freak out. “Oh my god.” I reached up to rake my fingers through my hair. “But he’s a drug dealer!”
“He’s worse than that,” he muttered darkly.
I threw my arms out wide and cried, “What the hell does a guy who’s worse than a drug dealer want with a freaking strip club?”
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out.”
Panic started to take over, and I paced the floor in front of the settee as I gave voice to every single thought racing through my mind.
“Shit, what am I going to do? I can’t just quit.
I need this job! I hate it, sure, but I still need it.
That stupid freaking water heater went out, and I swear to god, it’s a wonder the brakes on my car even work anymore!
Then there’s the fact that Ray practically grows out of all his clothes every month.
And Sunny wants to try out for the cheerleading squad.
That’s—” I tried to do the calculations in my head and failed.
“—a lot of money if she makes it, which she probably will because she’s awesome at that kind of stuff.
And Rhodes is graduating next year, and I still don’t have enough for him to go to college—”
My tirade was cut off with a sharp yelp when Marco grabbed me and pulled me down onto his lap.
“Christ, Gypsy. Calm down.” He waited a second to see if I’d let out any more word vomit.
When it became clear that I was too shocked by his hold on me to continue, the corner of his mouth began to tremble as he fought back a grin and asked, “Did you even take a breath through all that?”
Judging by the burn in my lungs, it was clear I hadn’t, and on that realization, I sucked in some much-needed oxygen.
He lost his battle, and the tremble in his lips morphed into a brilliant white grin.
My chest heaved on a stuttered breath at the sight of it.
I’d seen him smile several times before, even going so far as labeling all the different ones I’d been lucky enough to witness.
But I’d never seen one this close, and to say it didn’t affect me would be a bald-faced lie.
It was like looking into the sun—the burn was bright and nearly blinding, but so beautiful I couldn’t bring myself to look away.
“That’s it,” he said softly, trailing his hand over my back in soothing circles. “You feel better now?”
My face fell into a dejected frown. “Not particularly,” I grumbled. “I’m working for a freaking drug dealer, and I’m stuck.”
“You don’t need to worry about that, Gypsy. You don’t have to quit. No one expects you to. That’s why Linc insisted on putting a man on you.”
I vaguely noticed Glass Animals track changed to “Toes” as my agitation grew.
“I don’t need a man on me,” I clipped, climbing from his lap even though that was the last thing my body wanted.
I shot him a glare and insisted, “I’m a big girl, Marco.
Believe it or not, I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.
I don’t need you or anyone else babysitting me.
” I was being incredibly rude, but my knee-jerk reaction to stress and worry was to become obstinate.
The smile fell from his face, and his expression grew dark. “No one said you couldn’t take care of yourself. This isn’t about that. This is about people who care for you wanting to keep you safe, and to make sure that happens, Lincoln is putting a man on you whether you like it or not.”
Not you, my brain screamed. Please, anyone but you.
I couldn’t stand the thought of him seeing me like that, seducing a bunch of horny men night after night. It was demoralizing.
But I couldn’t let him see that. I couldn’t let him see any more weakness. I wouldn’t be able to survive his pity.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I let my inner bitch fly. “I’m sure it’s not a hardship for you or any of those guys to spend a couple nights a week having women flash their tits in your face for cash, but I can assure you, it’s not necessary.”
He stalked closer, his face like thunder as his cutting words flayed me open.
“Trust me, baby. I don’t need to pay a cover charge or a goddamn two drink minimum to get a woman to flash her tits in my face.
Then again, from the way your cheeks burn red and your pulse kicks up every time you look my way, I’m sure you already knew that. ”
If it was possible to die of humiliation, I’d have keeled over right then and there. It was bad enough finding out I’d done a shitty job at hiding my attraction from him, but it was even worse to have him throw it in my face. “Anyone ever tell you women don’t like cocky assholes?”
An arrogant smirk lit his handsome face. “I haven’t had any complaints so far.”
“Maybe not to your face,” I muttered indignantly.
He moved in closer. My brain screamed, Retreat! Retreat! but my pride kept me rooted in place. His throaty chuckle caused a rush of arousal to flood between my thighs. “Maybe you should try me out and see for yourself.”
That was just the reminder of how far beneath Marco’s station I really was that I needed. “I don’t need to try you out to see for myself,” I said with a sneer. “And contrary to popular belief, just because I take my clothes off for a roomful of men doesn’t mean I’m a whore.”
Regret instantly flashed across his features, but I was too entrenched in my anger to care.
The music cut off, indicating this private show was over. “Looks like your time’s up,” I chirped with a saccharine smile. “Hope it was good for you, baby.”
And with that, I turned on my stripper shoes and flounced out of the room with a dramatic flip of my hair.
I didn’t give a shit about the money. He could keep it.
Holding my chin high, I was determined not to let him see just how much that scene hurt as I headed back to the dressing room to get ready for my next performance.
I didn’t see Marco for the rest of my shift, but that didn’t mean he’d left.
I could feel his presence like a tangible thing.
Those piercing hazel eyes were like lasers on my skin every time I stepped from behind that curtain.
And when I finally called it a night, he was in the parking lot, leaning against his shiny red Jeep Cherokee, his arms crossed over his chest and one ankle propped in front of the other, watching me like a hawk as I climbed into my crappy van.
And as hard as it was—and it was really freaking hard—I succeeded in pretending he didn’t exist as I started the thing up and drove out of the parking lot, squealing brake pads and all.