Chapter 1 #2
The bartender came right up to him. “What can I get ya hot stuff?” The man leaned against the counter; he had blonde, bouncy hair, with beautiful green eyes. His lips were painted a deep red, and his eyes were made up with the sharpest cat eye he had ever seen, but it had brought out the green.
Lionel leaned forward, “I’d take a scotch on the rocks, please.”
The bartender sat upright and started to fan himself.
“My god, your accent is so hot. Where are you from?” He turned around to grab a clean glass and reach into the ice container, pulling out a single circular ice before reaching for high-shelf scotch.
Glenlivet, 18 year old. Damn, this place is high-end.
“Uh, New Orleans. But I moved to Lunar Veil two years ago. Better work.” The bartender placed his drink down and leaned over the bar again. “I’ve been here since.”
“Well, you must be new to the Horny Devils, I’ve never seen you here, sweet face.” The bartender swayed with the music, his eyes taking on a fuck me daddy look.
Lionel chuckled before picking up his drink and sipping at it; the liquor went down smooth. “I’ll pay for it, Diva.” Another male sat down next to him.
The smell of a soft perfume floated over to Lionel. The scent was attractive, light, and floral. He lowered the glass from his lips; he turned his attention to the male who sat next to him.
He didn’t wear a wig like most of the dancers there, but he had done his makeup to make him look regal, elegant. Beautiful. His face was clear, but there were scars that traveled underneath the dark green fishnet dress. Burn scars. Lionel’s eyes roamed over his body, taking him in.
He was toned, well built, reminding him of a runner’s physique. His biceps were on the larger side from pole dancing. But he wore a tight skirt that stopped at his thighs, and showed off his shapely legs. He watched him cross them, and he could feel his breath hitch in his throat.
He tapped his beautifully made nails on the bar top, “My eyes are up here, you oaf.”
Lionel snapped his attention back to the man’s face.
He had magnetic, earthy eyes that shone in the black light.
While one hand tapped on the bar top, the other tapped his bottom lip.
He gave Lionel a smile, and he saw that his teeth weren’t perfectly straight, but they were intensely bright.
There aren’t many words that he, Lionel, would describe a man; beautiful isn’t normally one of them…
but this creature was stunning. “Ah. Sorry. I love your outfit. You a dancer?”
The man rolled his eyes and let out a laugh. “Of course I am. Are you only lacking in the brain department? You have a million dollar body, but only a five cent mind.” He stuck out his tongue before winking at him, “I’m kidding, handsome. Yes, I’m a dancer. Names Diamond Rose. Nice to meet you…?”
He was waiting for Lionel to reply, “Ah. Lionel. Nice to meet you, Diamond Rose. Is that your—?”
“Oh gods no! No! I’m not allowed to give you my name, unless you wanna scream it in bed.”
“I…what?” Lionel was dumb founded, gaping at the forwardness of the dancer. This was his first time in a place like this, and he never had been approached so forward.
Diamond held his hand over his mouth and started to giggle, “You’re so gullible. Never been to one of these places, have you, babe?”
“Ah…no.” He sipped at the scotch again, flustered.
Diamond swirled in the barstool, his eyes playing games with Lionel, “Tell you what. Stay and watch me dance, I’ll show you the ropes.”
Diva spoke up, “He’s the number one dancer here. Makes the Devil thousands in one night.”
Lionel watched Diamond lean forward, whispering in his ear, “And if you want, you can buy extra time with me, handsome. I’ll give you a dance, and maybe more. Depending on how much you wanna spend.”
Goosebumps spread across Lionel’s skin; he tried to stare into the cup of scotch. To not look into the man’s eyes. But there was an inkling of interest in him, just a small bit. A playfulness entered his voice, “If only you can handle someone like me, not many can.”
Diamond slapped his shoulder as he got off the stool, “We’ll see.”
“If your fine ass can handle this girth, maybe we might have something.”
Diamond turned on his heels, and Lionel could feel the silence spread in the bar area. Finally, he heard him snort, “I like you. Stay around for my last dance, and we’ll talk.”
Lionel listened to the sound of his heels click-clacking against the hardwood; he turned to watch Diamond strut his stuff.
He watched the way his hips swayed, and the length of his legs.
He placed the glass to his lips and took a drink, enjoying the show already.
Even if the main dance hadn’t even started.
Diamond disappeared within the crowd, the lights in the club dimmed as a single red light turned on above the stage. A slow, sexy drumbeat started before the thrumming of the bass. A soft woman’s voice started to sing; Lionel had heard the song once or twice while browsing through TikTok.
As the curtains moved, he watched Diamond step onto the stage.
His heels, and bra underneath the fishnet shone bright in the red light.
His beautiful earthen skin glowed brightly underneath the stage light.
His long legs wrapped around the pole, as he swung himself around.
He danced with the grace of a professional ballerina. His eyes were closed as he worked.
He brought himself up to the top of the pole and slid down in a twist. He reached the bottom, his hands touching the stage. He moved with such fluidity that Lionel believed he himself was made of water.
“Isn’t he a beautiful dancer?” The bartender Diva sighed, “If I hadn’t broken my hip, I’d be dancing with him. He was my dance partner.”
Lionel almost didn’t hear Diva; his attention was completely on Diamond. Everything was moving in slow motion, as he sipped his drink. He leaned against the bar, taking in every bit of him.
The air next to him still had Diamond’s lingering scent.
He breathed in deeply, enjoying it. A primal instinct was threatening to take over, to control him.
Just like it was in the ring. His finger tapped against the glass, his eyes hyperfocusing on him, on Diamond.
The music faded in the background, as the world around him became a blur.
Lionel’s stomach was growing in knots, his chest was becoming heavy. But he downed the rest of his drink before putting the glass on the bar top. When the song was over, Diamond was on his knees, bent backwards as a light mist rained from the top of the stage.
The lights turned off, before switching back to their normal dimmed off-white. In that time, Diamond had gotten up and left the stage. Lionel turned back around to the bartender, “Another.”
Without hesitating, the bartender poured right from the bottle. “Enjoy yourself. We’re open till four.”
He took his glass and took a long drink, savoring the burning sensation going down his throat. It gave him some other emotion, other than the anger that seems to always be there. After he finished half the glass, he placed it back down on the bar.
“Man, I didn’t think I was that ugly.” Diamond tapped him on the shoulder.
He made a light noise with his tongue, “Far from it.” He finished his drink with haste. “You’re beautiful.”
“Men aren’t supposed to be beautiful.” Diamond quipped.
He got up from the stool. Without thinking, he turned to Diamond and took his chin within his hand, forcing him to look at him. “But you are. Would you like to give me that dance now?”