Chapter 4 #2
The air fills with static energy, and as if a magnet attached itself to me, I cast my gaze to the stage, where a single spotlight shines on a glittering pole right in the centre, at the very tip of the stage.
Every single chair placed around the stage is occupied.
Jac continues grilling Aidan, but his voice fades out as sensual music starts flowing through the speakers, and the LED screen lifts to reveal a petite, toned woman.
A pink spotlight shines directly on her as she slowly moves forward, shadowing every curve of her body donned in lacy lingerie.
I’m captured by the way she moves across the stage.
Fluidly dragging one tall heel in front of the other, the muscles in her legs flex with the movements.
My breathing picks up as she runs her hands up her body and through her gently curled hair, my eyes trailing every movement she makes.
Stretching her arms up and outwards, she lets her locks brush the curve of her perfectly round ass as she tilts her head back, and I’m fucking mesmerised by the sight before me.
Her plump mouth tilts up in a smirk, looking straight forward, as she grabs onto the pole.
It doesn’t look like she’s paying attention to anyone.
Just a blank stare, like she’s not even in the room.
The chorus starts, and I realise the lyrics of the song are very fitting to the spell she’s cast on me, because I couldn’t take my eyes off her even if I tried.
My hand comes up to the collar of my shirt, gently tugging it further away from my neck as I swallow, my skin feeling flushed.
I zero in on her and the way she moves, everything else around me fading out until it’s just her.
But I’m not focused on how her ass bounces when she moves or how she runs her tongue up the pole, putting on a seductive show.
No.
While seductive she may be, there’s an undertone of sadness in the way she dances. Something that goes deeper than just putting on a show.
I can’t see her face clearly from this distance, but I fucking wish I could.
I’m savouring every glimpse of her between motions, and I’m overwhelmed by the feeling of wanting to know this goddess hanging upside down, gripping the pole with her legs.
Which is… concerning, because I’ve not had any interest in women for the last few years.
They throw themselves at me all the time, but they’re good for a quick fuck and nothing more. Precisely what Penelope was.
My chest heats as she gets on all fours, flipping her hair around and snaking her torso in a smooth wave, biting her lip.
Fuck.
The sight of her has blood steadily creeping down to my cock. But now is not the time or fucking place.
I know Jacques and Aidan are talking, but I can’t hear a word they’re saying.
Watching the way she sensually smooths her hands along her body has me imagining my own roaming those curves.
The pole spins as she wraps herself around it. She stretches her neck back, and my fist clenches as I try to stop the thought of what it would feel like to have my hand wrapped around her slender neck.
She opens her eyes mid-spin and catches my gaze for a split second, her eyes momentarily widening. A second that almost has me standing up and getting closer to the stage, if only to get a glimpse of her beauty.
My heart starts a pounding rhythm at the brief eye contact, hands growing clammy.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
Snap out of it.
The light fades out into a green colour, and my heart all but stops in my chest as her outfit’s colour becomes clearer.
It’s green.
My forehead breaks out in a sweat, and my breathing quickens. Distant shouting of a child crying echoes in my mind.
I’ve been trying to avoid that colour for years. Since I was a child.
But now she’s here. And she’s wearing it. She’s breathing in it.
My heart resumes its frantic pounding.
I decide, right here and now, that I need to know every single—
Large fingers click in front of my face, and my attention is ripped away from the stage. I turn to face the culprit of said fingers. Jac’s eyebrow is cocked, and I shoot him a seething look, anger very quickly taking hold of me.
“Are you paying attention?” he asks.
“Yes,” I grit through my teeth.
His eyes flick to the stage, then back towards me, before slowly turning to look at Aidan.
“She’s hot,” Aidan declares.
And that pisses me off for no good reason.
I don’t know what possesses me, but I grab his wrist and twist. His glass smashes all over the table, soaking the white sleeve of my shirt. “Do not talk about our dancers that way. Ever.”
Correction: dancer.
His eyes widen, lips pinching as he swallows.
Jac just watches the entire encounter, sipping on his water.
“I’m sorry, Mr Warren. Won’t happen again,” Aidan rushes out, his arm beginning to shake in my hold.
Letting go of his wrist, my eyes dart back to the stage at the realisation that the music has stopped. She’s gone.
I rest my back against the seat, willing my mind to calm the fuck down.
“You have yourself a deal, Aidan. I’ll send our broker over to yours in a few hours. If he’s not there, I’ll personally slit your throat.”
Aidan whips out of his seat, practically running out of the club, his guards behind him. And my muscles tense as my eyes drag towards the stage.
Jac slams his glass down on the table in front of me. “What the fuck was that?”
“Nothing,” I mutter.
“You almost fucked the whole thing up,” he hisses, pushing off the table.
“It’s done. I’m going.” I stand, preparing to leave, but he grabs the top of my arm.
“Was it the girl on stage?” he asks, voice low.
“Who?”
It’s time to feign innocence.
Jac has me all figured out. But I can’t have him interfere with me getting to know the woman from the stage. I won’t let him. So, lying will have to do for now. And, as desperate as I am to chase after her, I won’t act a fool and fuck it up for myself.
“I better check on any messages from the Italians. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I shrug him off and leave the booth, Ezra following closely behind.
Jac will stay behind and make sure everything runs smoothly for the rest of the night.
But me—I’ll be back here tomorrow.
And the day after that.
And the day after that.
And I’ll learn her name. I’ll learn everything there is to know about her.
That familiar feeling of obsession starts crawling up my spine, taking hold of my brain, and locks with no key in sight.