Chapter 2
Mina
Earlier that evening
Seven more weeks, then I’m out of here. Seven more weeks till my birthday and graduation.
I’ll be twenty-three years old, and I’ll have my PHD in Psychology.
I’ll have access to my trust fund on my twenty-third birthday.
I’ll be able to pay off all the student loans I’ve racked up over the years.
And the best part…moving to a new city to start my life fresh.
The thought alone makes my heart race. When I moved back here when I was eighteen, I thought this was where I would open my office, but not anymore.
“Mina!” Jaz shouts from up the steps.
“What?”
“Declan wants you upstairs. Now.”
“Like on the floor or…”
“His office,” she says as she steps down the last few steps. Her platform Gogo boots are shiny tonight. She must have oiled the latex.
“Don’t you look hot?” I tease.
Jaz is beautiful. Her real name actually is Jasmine Sylvan.
She didn’t care about using a fake name when she started.
She has jet black hair that is down to her lower back, bright green eyes, and a body to die for.
She’s a year older than I am and started working here when I did.
She’s honestly one of the two people that I actually consider a friend outside the club. She knows the real me.
“Shut up,” she laughs, tossing my black robe to me. “Just get your ass up there and be quick with whatever he needs. There are a lot of guys out there tonight. Is there a game or something?”
“You honestly think I would know if a game was on?” I ask sarcastically, causing her to laugh.
“No. Well, Declan calls. Better hurry your ass up, or else he’s going to be pissed.”
I turn back to the mirror and apply another layer of cover-up.
Last night, he got drunk and violent after we closed and took it out on me.
Someone stole from the till. We were down $473.
He blamed me for my negligence. Star was the one running the till last night.
We swapped because she rolled her ankle doing warmups earlier in the day.
I told her not to get the ballet heels, but what do I know?
I’ve only been doing this for almost five years.
I’m Declan’s girl. It’s been this way for five years.
I can work as much as I want, and he doesn’t care because I’m strictly off the books.
No name, no paper trail, all cash. I didn’t want to risk anyone being able to trace me back to Badlands.
Having a psychologist who was once a stripper might not make the best first impression.
We’ve never officially been together. We fuck, go out on dates, and the rest of the club teases us for fighting like an old married couple, but that’s all.
I have never saw a future with Declan or at Badlands.
“Mina?” Jaz says quietly, her eyes lock with mine in the mirror. The faint lines at the corners of her eyes are crinkling as she narrows them at me.
“What?”
“What happened?” She sits beside me on the bench and grabs my chin, forcing me to face her. Her eyes widen as she wipes away my layers of cover-up to unveil the bruise forming on my cheek. “Did he…”
“He would’ve gone after Star if I told him. It’s fine. I’ve had worse.” Which isn’t a lie.
“It’s not fine. He never gets violent unless he drinks. How much was the till down, anyway?”
“He drank about a fifth of Crown.”
“Fuck.” She stands, stepping back to prop her boot up on the bench to start unzipping it.
“It was almost $500,” I say as I turn back to the mirror. I need to cover the mark, or else he will be pissed.
“What!?” Her head shoots up, meeting my reflection. “Do you think Star took it?”
“I honestly don’t know what to think. But if it’s short again tonight, there won’t be anything I can do to save her. He knows she’s on the till tonight.”
She shakes her head at me as she unzips the second one. I finish reapplying the cover-up, taking a moment to double-check that you can’t see even the faintest discoloration. Perfect.
“You go see Declan. I’m going to subtly warn Star. I won’t outright accuse the girl of stealing, but she needs to know what Declan is capable of…”
“Just leave me out of it,” I say as I finish putting on my four-inch stilettos.
“She should know you took a hit for her. That way, if the little bitch is the one stealing, maybe she can sneak you some money!” Jaz laughs as she sits at my vanity to remove her extensions and makeup.
“It doesn’t matter. You know I’m out soon.”
“Just a few more weeks, huh? I’m going to miss you around here.” Her reflection pouts at me.
“You could always move with me. There are clubs all over out there. You know that.”
“Are you kidding me? I can’t compete against Vegas dancers!”
“That’s true. You do have two left feet,” I tease as I climb the steps. The sound of a makeup brush hitting the steps has me laughing more.
“Bitch,” she says back, but her voice is a muffled whisper as I open the door at the top of the steps that lead to the main floor.
The sound of the base from the DJ is pounding.
The vibrations run under my skin and wrap around my chest. That’s one thing I won’t miss, but I will miss the attention.
As I walk through the main floor of the club, hungry eyes follow every one of my movements.
I decided to leave my real hair down tonight, and I didn’t put in my usual green contacts.
My face hurt too much to do anything besides my makeup.
I grabbed a random set of lingerie from my dresser and practically ran out the door.
Thank god the bra and thong are a matching red lace.
The black chiffon robe is see-through and everyone is watching.
Tony, our main bouncer, nods as I walk past him to go up the steps to Declan’s office.
He’s a bit older than me at thirty years old.
He towers over me in height and has a body built like a linebacker.
His dark hair is slicked back, and his beard is always neat.
He’s the most attractive out of all the bouncers here.
He’s also the one I get along with the best.
He’s standing guard at his post at the bottom of the staircase. His eyes linger too long on my cheek. He was here last night. Declan threatened Tony when he tried to help me after Declan hit me…punched. He punched me. I can feel the warm, light pressure of Tony grabbing my wrist.
“What’s up, Tony?” I ask as he pulls me down a step so he’s eye level with me.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t step in. Are you…” I cut him off by placing my hand over the top of his around my wrist.
“Tony, you’re fine. I wouldn’t expect you to go against Declan for me. We all know he can be a bit of a dick when he drinks,” I laugh, and Tony chuckles.
He lifts the back of my hand to his lips. The hairs of his beard and mustache are coarse against my skin. We’ve secretly hooked up a few times after a late shift just to blow off some steam, but it’s never gone any further than that. No dates, no cuddles…We don’t even text.
“Just be careful. He’s been throwing a fit for the last hour. Something about some guy that’s here tonight.” He kisses the back of my hand once more before he turns back to manning his post.
The steps leading to Declan’s private skybox, as he calls it, are dimly lit. I can hear the muffled noise of shouting followed by breaking glass behind the door at the top of the steps. Welp here goes nothing.
*Knock* *Knock*
The sounds turn from shouting to frantic noises of him most likely straightening whatever he just knocked over.
“Who is it?” Declan shouts.
“Mina.”
“Fuck,” he hisses. “Come in!”
When I step into his office, the scent of bourbon hits me.
The warm, charred vanilla scent wraps around the room.
I can practically smell the oak barrel. Declan is looking past me.
A large, wet splatter is dripping down the wall.
Glass is shattered haphazardly on the floor.
Well, at least that’s why the whole room smells like a bourbon barrel.
“Everything okay, Dec?” I hesitantly ask as I turn back toward him. His dark eyes follow up my legs, slowing at my chest, then stopping as he looks at my face. His eyes are narrowed as if the distant memory of last night is cutting through the haze of his hangover.
“Come here,” he orders. Seven more weeks, then I’ll never have to submit to him again. To anyone, for that matter.
When I’m within reach, he grabs my hips and pulls me the rest of the way into his arms. He wraps around me and rests my head against his chest.
“I’m so sorry, babe. I don’t fully remember what happened last night, but I know I hurt you.”
He pulls away to cradle my face. He studies every inch of me.
He looks unsettled. He knows he hit me, but this makeup hides everything.
His thumb brushes against the hidden bruise, and my breath stutters.
His eyes widen ever so slightly as my response to his touch fully confirms that it wasn’t a nightmare.
“It’s fine, Dec. What’s going on? Jaz said you needed me.”
He steps away and walks to the one-way glass wall overlooking the club below.
His eyes wildly dart around the floor searching for someone.
I take a moment to look over him entirely.
This man is a walking sin. Tall with dark green eyes and jet-black hair that’s always swooped to the side.
His body is all toned muscle. He’s dangerous and radiates power.
It’s one of the things that drew me to him in the first place.
He’s only a couple of years older than me.
He owns Badlands. He inherited it when his dad, Jocko, was murdered shortly after I got here.
“You see that guy?” he asks as he points to the table in the corner, half hidden in shadows.
“Yeah…”
“I want you to go make sure he has a great time.” He glances at me and emphasizes the last two words.
“Who is he?”
“Don’t worry about that. Just go take care of him.”
I study the man as well as I can at this distance.
He’s older than Declan, probably around late thirties to early forties.
Dark hair and an even darker aura surround this man.
The shadows seem to bleed out of him. Empty shot glasses are scattered across his table.
In the five minutes I stand here watching him, he denies every single girl.
“Why do you think he’ll want me?” I break the silence.
“He's turned away everyone, even Dina.” Dina is one of the most stunning dancers here. Legs for days and a body that looks like it was sculpted from stone. The woman has curves, and she definitely knows how to work them. She’s the epitome of the male fantasy.
“Because you’re my top girl. No one can say no to you.” He wraps his arms around my waist from behind. His lips trail along my shoulder and up my neck.
“Is he dangerous?” I ask as his fingers play with the waistband of my thong. I can feel his breath creeping along my skin as he whispers in my ear.
“Yes. But you’ve always been addicted to the danger, haven’t you, Little Dove?”
His hand lowers, sliding my thong to the side. His finger trails along the bare skin of my pussy as he bites and kisses my neck. His other hand slides beneath the lace of my bra. Pinching and rolling my nipple as his finger slides inside me.
“I want you to get him alone. Use room four. I had the guys get it set up for you already.” He adds a second finger, slowly thrusting them inside me.
“What do I need to do once we’re alone?” I ask. Something seems off. I know Dec is involved in some shady shit, but he’s never used me to get the issues alone.
“Like I said, make sure he has a great night. Use the chair or the bed. Either way, I just need him restrained by the end. Understood?”
His fingers curl, stroking along my G-spot. Warmth is starting to run through my veins as I get closer to coming. He can feel my pussy tightening around his fingers. Almost…
“That’s enough.” His fingers slip out of me, leaving me right on the edge and pissed off.
“What the fuck, Dec…” He silences me by placing the two fingers that were just inside me on my tongue. The taste of me fills my mouth as he slowly begins to slide them along my tongue. His other hand holds my throat, keeping my body against his.
“I want you right on the edge, Little Dove. I want him to be able to smell that needy cunt of yours. I want him to taste you on your tongue. Make him crave you. I want him completely restrained. Mac will be waiting right outside the room once you’re done.
Do not fuck this up. Understood?” He presses his fingers down hard onto my tongue while the other hand tightens its grip on my throat.
I nod as much as he is allowing me to move. Nothing about this feels right. A heavy, sour feeling pools in my stomach. Why do I feel like I’m about to sentence this man to his death?
“Good girl. Don’t clean up. Like I said, I want him to be able to smell your arousal. It's like a fucking drug.” He smacks my ass as he steps away, leaving me flustered, confused, and staring down at the mystery man.
I watch for a few moments. His gaze never leaves the stage, except to grab another shot or to gesture to Kimmy to bring him more. He scowls at Sara as she tries to sit in his lap. Another denial. Why the fuck does Declan think I'll be the one he'll want?
Who the hell is this man?