Chapter Twelve
Charley
The last three days have been hard work but I’ve loved every second of it. When I’m not working my shifts, I’m practicing in the private room, or doing the routine for the big private party with the others.
Ellie came in to watch me do a dance where I stripped. She could have brought someone else, but she didn’t. It oddly felt like I was dancing for my life dancing for Ellie. She’s been working alongside us all in the rehearsals as she’s taking a part and I’m in awe of her.
She told me I was too good to dance here, I’m not sure she realizes she is even better. I would love to get to know more about her, find out how she ended up here, but that would open myself up to questions and I don’t want to get caught in that trap.
It takes a lot to impress her and my heart soared when she said I’d exceeded her expectations but she still had me dance for a bigger audience first. I had a set last night, one dance, on one of the smaller stages.
Even though my heart was pounding, I got up and did the dance, took off my top and imagined it was Callum watching and no one else. Which probably wasn’t a good idea, but it worked.
Both Ellie and Beast were watching. Ellie didn’t go into too much detail, but she did have to talk Beast around.
Every time I see him now, all I can think about is me saying he is like a bear and Callum saying he’s a beast in the sack. Whatever Ellie did, it worked and he let me dance, he even told me in not so many words, that I did a good job.
“Are you nervous?” Lily asks, watching me dust some of the highlighter the girls all wear over my collar bones.
“I’m excited.”
She beams a smile. “Good. These private parties usually are a blast and the men are so rich, they literally give you hundreds in tips.”
That’s good to know. The more money I can save, the easier it will be when I have to move out of Callum’s place. He might say I can stay indefinitely but he isn’t always going to want me around.
What if he wants to bring a woman home? That thought makes me feel sick to my stomach. I will never admit it, either to myself or anyone else, I really like him and imagining him with some other girl hurts.
He’s never given any indication he sees me as anything more than a friend, or employee, or house guest. Well, except for when he got hard when I was dancing, that’s biology though and it's not like he acted on it.
“Okay ladies, ten minutes,” Tami shouts. “Everyone is here, having drinks, enjoying themselves and ready for the show.”
The girls cheer. It’s nice to see them happy about it.
Not a lot of people would understand, they look down on strippers, but most of these women have a story.
Lily has shared some of hers and she does tend to gossip a little so I know about some of the others, like Karin had to quit because she found out she was pregnant.
Standing in front of the mirror, I adjust the red, three quarter length blazer I’m wearing.
It about skims to the center of my ass. It has embroidered flowers all down the lapel to the waist line where a sash is tied holding the two sides together.
There is a small clasp to stop it from opening too soon when we’re dancing because we’re naked from the waist up underneath.
“Your straps aren’t straight,” Lily bends down to adjust the straps on the garter belt so they’re lined up straight at the front of my thigh. They’re holding up the sheer black stockings with lacy top and match the sheer black thong. It will be the only thing we have on once the jacket comes off.
And the killer sparkly heels with studs on the back seam of the heel. The whole outfit has to cost at least a grand. Wonder if Ellie will let me keep the shoes?
Speaking of, she walks in the room and I stop and stare. Lily nudges me with a laugh, it’s hard to drag my eyes away. She’s wearing the same outfit as the rest of us but she pulls it off effortlessly. She looks like a 1940s movie star, or burlesque dancer.
“We all want to be Ellie when we grow up,” Lily laughs.
“Is everyone ready?” Ellie asks.
She pauses on me and I dip my chin once. I’m not going to try to convince her anymore.
“Let’s go knock these pricks on their asses then,” she smirks and turns around.
We all file out after her. The lights are down and there is a low pulsing beat playing through the sound system as we take the stage. The chatter of the men dies down as we take our places.
I’m on the back row, which is fine, I understand they don’t want me front and center, just in case. I’ve nailed the routine on every practice, even the dress rehearsal.
Facing the back wall, I spread my ankles and bow my head. It seems like there are more people than Ellie said but I guess they are the men from the MC. Callum never explicitly said he’d be here but he is an officer in the club, it makes sense he will.
The beat of the music changes and the lights move, pointing towards the stage. Someone whistles and a few men cheer and laugh. Ellie told me to always ignore anything that comes out of their mouths, especially when they’re being pigs.
If they’re overheard by any of the staff being disgusting, they get kicked out. It doesn’t happen often given the clientele but these aren’t the usual people who come here.
This is all about getting this Cantrell guy to work with the MC.
I flex my hand and look at the cut, it has healed up enough not to be bandaged, but it’s a stark reminder that the asshole who caused it is somewhere in the audience. I won’t let him get in my head.
Instead, I count down the beat and turn when the music kicks in. The two rows in front of us do their turn one after another and then we start the dance. Centering my mind and body, I let the music take over, flowing through my body, moving to the beat.
All around me the others do the same and we’re so in sync it’s perfect. The lights make it hard to see the audience but there are lots of silhouettes and occasional flashes of faces. When we rotate and I am at the front for a brief moment, the booth in front of me lights up.
There are a lot of Blackhawk Disciple cuts but not the one I was hoping to see. One man sitting in the center of the group isn’t watching the dance, he’s chatting with another MC member beside him.
Wow, he is really good looking. I twirl away towards a pole. Eight of them are lined up in a diagonal pattern on each side, the closer to the front of the stage, the wider apart they are.
It’s almost the moment. We’re going to rip open the jackets two by two getting closer to the front, then step around the side of the pole, drop them and carry out the rest of the dance wearing nothing but our stockings, panties and heels.
Lily said that was classy, which initially made me laugh but the alternative is fully naked, so I was happy to agree.
The two girls behind me rip open their jackets. After a count of three I do mine and when the music changes we all turn around and throw the jackets to the side. The men cheer and clap but I shut out the noise and carry on dancing.
As I work the pole and bend down so I can see the audience between my legs, I spot Callum. He is staring right at me.
From that moment on, my eyes keep going back to him, he never takes his off me. It’s odd how his intense focus gives me confidence. He isn’t staring at my breasts like most of the other men, his gaze is on my face.
Everything around me becomes instinct as I keep my attention on him too. Before I know it, the dance is over and we’re all breathing hard. Some of the men get up and come to the front, handing out cash. No one throws money here.
Except for one guy, who tosses a hand full of bills at my feet. I raise my eyes and try not to snarl at the idiot who cut my hand. He sneers at me and walks away.
“Leave it,” Ellie says, moving close to me, her lips barely move. “Do not show any reaction.”
It takes a lot to do as she says because there is at least three hundred dollars on the floor, but I have more pride than to bend down when the rest of the girls are having money handed to them.
Someone else presses money into the string of my underwear and I smile at him.
He’s wearing one of the MC vests, but I don’t recognize him.
When I look at Callum, he is no longer watching me, his face is thunderous, and he is staring at Cantrell. For a moment, it looks like he is going to go after him but he leans back and drinks some of his beer, his brow creased.
I appreciate the sentiment, but I wouldn’t want him to get into any trouble.
After the money giving has died down, we file off the stage and head to the back. The others will do a quick change then head back out to dance some more but they will just be background, the men will be doing business.
My time is done. Ellie only wanted me for that dance. Slipping my sleeves back into the jacket I go into the private room instead of the dressing room. I need a minute to get my head around everything.
Dancing up there was amazing. I loved the routine, the stripping part didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. Everything Ellie has done has really helped my mindset.
Staring at myself in the mirror I smile. I did it. Something I set out to do by myself I’ve finally achieved. If only they could see me now.
My step-sister, Adeline would lose her shit and call me all kinds of names, but that is nothing new, she has done that from the moment I met her.
I don’t want to think about Stephen, and close my eyes to push memories of him away. My step-mother can’t say or do anything anymore, given she is dead.
The door opens and I turn around to tell whoever it is that I’ll get out of their way. It’s Cantrell, and he’s glaring at me as he steps inside.
Shit. I’ve allowed myself to be cornered in a room where no one knows I am. And there is so much noise outside and everyone is distracted, they’re probably not going to miss me.
“You’re not supposed to be back here,” I say, sounding a lot more confident than I feel.
“I thought you were fired.” He closes the door. “Instead they just moved you up on the stage. Makes sense, with tits like that.”
I breathe through the anger at his words. Ellie is right, not reacting is the best thing I can do.
“You think you’re too good for my money?”
“I’m not supposed to pick money up from the floor.”
He laughs. “Don’t whores always scoop up whatever people throw at them.”
“I’m not a whore.”
My nostrils flare as my words come out emotionless. He doesn’t like it. From being in here a lot over the last few weeks I know there isn’t really anything I can use to protect myself. A wooden chair maybe.
There are always my heels, with the pointy studs. It will be a shame to damage them but if I have to, I will. This snake is not getting his hands anywhere near me.
“Working in a place like this, don’t kid yourself. And I think I’m owed something seen as how I tossed you three hundred bucks. What does that get me?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit, I think it gets me bending your ass over that chair and fucking it, hard. And no one is going to stop me.” He moves towards me.
My throat swells and pinpricks start to swirl at the edges of my vision. Shit, I cannot have a panic attack, not now.
I’m so lost that I don’t notice light spilling into the room behind him. He’s so focused on hurting me, he doesn’t either.
Until something rams into his back and sends him sprawling face first into the floor.