Chapter 17
Camila
“I’m looking for something else,” I say over the low murmur of the Lounge as I slide up next to Corrine at the bar with an empty tray.
“What? Are you quitting?” Corrine’s flawlessly plucked eyebrows shoot to her hairline, that word leaving her mouth like I just told her the world ended. She’s wearing purple lingerie tonight, which means she’s offering her services.
“Why are you wearing lingerie?” I arch my brow at her. I don’t offer services. Everything that I do is on my own accord. My body, my rules.
“Don’t change the subject. What do you mean you’re looking for something else?”
“Why are you servicing tonight?” I shoot back at her, squinting my eyes.
“Why are you quitting?” she fires back, folding her arms. A little too loud.
“Keep your voice down,” I hiss, looking around the lounge to make sure no one heard her.
A gorgeous blonde dancer wearing a similar lingerie set walks up beside Corrine, who automatically abandons her tray of drinks and turns her full body to face her.
Their voices trail off as my mind drifts back to earlier.
Xander didn’t show up.
He wasn’t there to watch me dance like he is every night.
It felt strange. I felt a little lost not having his baby blue eyes on me.
Tuning out the crowd and becoming the Vixen was what once worked.
Tonight, I felt like I was missing a crucial part of my performance. I couldn’t get into the role of Vixen.
Instead, I could hear every sound the crowd was making. I heard every beat and lyric of the music. I saw the fluorescent lights. I saw the men gawking. Something that I used to tune out, I couldn’t.
But I don’t care to think too much into what that means. Because as much as I wanted him to be there, clearly he’s too preoccupied with a certain brunette.
For a second, I considered running off stage. I saw Luke’s face everywhere I looked.
I slam the tray of drinks down on the bachelor table a little too forcefully at the thought of her. The way she touched Xander as they were walking back through the gate. I was just some employee to him, and she was more. She lived at his house.
“Woah there, love. Rough night?” One of the suited men laughs, the rest following suit.
“Fuck you,” I grind out. They all gawk at me in surprise.
I scoff as I pass the comfortable leather seating on my way back to the bar.
What’s worse is, she’s gorgeous. Like ‘front cover of a magazine’ gorgeous. I understand why Xander would go for her. Not an ounce of stress showed on her face. She didn’t have those sad, tired eyes like I do.
She was full of life.
She works for the Warrens, though. I bet her life is easy.
I bet she doesn’t have a crazy ex-boyfriend who’s hunting her down.
I bet she doesn’t live her life in fear that one day he’ll find her and kill her.
I bet she sleeps soundly beside Xander at night, knowing she’s safe and that he’ll protect her.
Knowing that there is someone that would protect her.
A lump forms in my throat as I wave at Matt for another mocktail.
My phone dings in the pocket of my shorts.
Xander: Missed you tonight, angel
“Ugh.” I shove the phone back in my pocket.
Pausing, I pull it back out. I open up our message thread and tap on his name, renaming him to Dickhead.
“The fucking audacity of this man,” I mutter, throwing my phone on the bar top.
Just then, Corrine turns to me as the gorgeous blonde saunters off. “I need you to cover the last couple hours of my shift.”
I don’t need to ask why. “I didn’t know you were into blondes.” I wiggle my eyebrows at her, wiping my thoughts of Xander.
She rolls her brown eyes, sliding her empty drinks tray down the bar, which Matt grabs.
“You’re the best.” She grabs my shoulders and smooches me on the cheek. “I’ll leave the keys to lock up in my makeup bag.”
I teasingly scowl and wipe her lipstick off the side of my face as she rushes off.
A rumble of thunder fills the lounge, and everyone falls silent. The chatter resumes, but some men are already grabbing their expensive blazers and finishing their drinks.
“Matt? I need you to cover downstairs. A fight broke out after we told them to go home ‘cause of the storm. A few bar staff are currently waiting for the ambulance,” Jacques’ deep rumble fills the room as he emerges from the stairs.
His usual black top hugs his muscles closely, and his hair is tied back in a small bun at the nape of his neck.
“They’re fine, everyone’s gone now, but they need your help cleaning up. ”
“On it, sir,” Matt replies, throwing the dirty cloth he was wiping glasses with into a basket beneath the bar.
“Vixen,” Jacques calls over the bar.
I peel my glass of water away from my lips, cleaning up a bit of drink that spilt down my chin from the sudden sound. “Mr Warren.” I smile.
“What are you still doing here? Didn’t your set finish three hours ago?” He gives me a charming smile.
Up close, you can tell the resemblance to Xander.
My mouth dries as he saunters over to me. I’ve never spoken to Jacques properly before—only in passing—but now that Xander has been… after me, I don’t know whether what he’s about to say will mean it gives me an excuse to leave this place, or whether he’s just looking for a casual conversation.
If he knows about me and Xander, I’ll bet on the former.
Me and Xander?
That doesn’t even exist. I’m overthinking for no reason. He’s with that brunette, and I need to forget about him. Whatever… that… was, was just my brain conjuring up things that didn’t exist.
And to think, for a second, I thought it might be different.
Luke will be the lesson I never learn from.
The last of the patrons exit the lounge through the stairs, leaving me and Jacques alone in the empty room.
“I’ve taken up serving at the lounge for extra money,” I say, keeping my voice even. Though, he’s making me faint with nerves.
He stops beside me, leaning his elbow on the bar. “Don’t we pay you enough?” he asks, placing a hand over his chest.
“No! God, no! Not at all–” I stutter. “I mean, you do—”
He laughs, and it’s the most infectious laugh I’ve ever heard. It makes my mouth quirk up. “I’m only fucking with you.” His face turns serious. His thick, dark eyebrows pull in. “Is someone giving you grief?”
Yeah, your brother.
“Of course not.” I smile, downing the rest of my drink. “Corrine asked me to lock up for her. She had a… She has a dentist appointment in the morning and needs an early night.”
He holds his hands up in surrender. “I won’t pry. But you should really get home, Camila. There’s a storm coming. I wouldn’t want you to get stuck. Especially without a car.”
That has my ears perking up.
He doesn’t know?
Surely, he must know. Maybe he forgot.
Everyone knows that my car was a write off, but not a lot know about my new car. Jacques should know since it was company courtesy.
I hold up the key to my Audi.
“Holy shit,” he starts, taking the key into his ring-adorned hands. “We really do pay you well.”
He doesn’t know.
My eyebrows pull in slightly with confusion, but I don’t let it show on my face further than that.
“Yeah,” I chuckle, snatching the key back from him. “I’ll be fine getting home.”
“Okay. If you need anything, let me know.” He winks his blue eyes at me and disappears down the steps.
Tucking in the last of the chairs, I breathe out a sigh of relief. I finished cleaning the Lounge quickly, so I decided to come downstairs and help clear up.
The storm is really doing its work outside.
Now that the music is off, the wind is so strong that it sounds like it’s inside the club.
Some of the other staff disperse to grab their bags, and Jayden comes in from the back door—soaking wet and shivering.
“Is it really that bad?” I laugh.
“Vix? I thought I missed you leaving the club earlier.” He’s all charm as he grins and strolls over to me by the stage. Taking off his drenched coat, he throws it on one of the chains.
“Hey! I just cleaned that,” I chuckle, though it’s not genuine.
That’s annoying.
“Oh, shit, sorry,” he says, but doesn’t bother to pick his jacket back up. I cut him an annoyed glance. “Well, I could certainly get used to seeing you right at the end of my shift.” He perches on the arm of another chair, waving bye to the last remaining staff.
The sound of pelting rain fills the club as they exit, then fades out as the door slams shut.
I twist on my heel, heading towards the dressing room to grab my things. If I don’t leave now, the wind will probably blow me away. I push through the padded staff door that leads into the red-lit corridors.
“You should get going. You don’t wanna get stuck in the storm,” I call over my shoulder, but as I turn my head, he’s there. Right behind me. I gasp, startled by his closeness. “Jayden, don’t do that.” I press my hand to my chest where my heart is battering my ribcage.
“I’m sorry, gorgeous,” he chuckles, slowly inching his way closer to me, the hand rubbing at the back of his neck showcasing his biceps. “I didn’t mean to,” he finishes, backing me further down the corridor.
My scalp prickles as he forces me to move.
“I have to go get my things,” I state quietly, fingers twisting at the hem of my shorts.
His eyes rove down my body hungrily, and before I know it, I’ve hit a wall. My heart stops dead in my chest.
I clear my throat as he nears. He stops in front of me, body blocking the long corridor from view and casting me in shadow. I cringe away as his hand comes out and tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
“I’ve been wanting to get you alone for so long,” he whispers, eyes dipping down to my lips.
My knees begin to waver.
I swallow hard. “Jay, I told you I wasn’t interested like that.”
“I know. But fuck, Vixen. Give me a chance.” He comes even closer until we’re toe-to-toe.
I hold in a breath, trying to press myself into the wall, to put as much space between me and him as possible. “Jay—”
“Shhhhh,” he coos, putting a finger to my lips, making me wince.
My numb arm comes out, hitting his finger off my face.
“Get the fuck back,” I sneer shakily. My heart feels like it’s going to break through flesh and bone, and I’m trying hard to keep my head from spinning.
He clicks his tongue. “That wasn’t very nice.”
My chest heaves with anger and fear.
He tries to touch me again, but I grip his arm. He’s stronger than me, a lot stronger, so he shoves me off.
“You little—” he starts, and I see it in his eyes that he’s about to hit me.
I break, not able to keep my shit together anymore. “Jay, please—”
“Take one more step towards her, and you’ll be crawling out of here,” a deep growl fills the small space.
Jayden flinches away from me like I’ve scolded him, revealing a very pissed-off-looking Xander standing just metres away from us.
Arms folded over his chest, hair messily styled and covering his forehead—looking every bit the dangerous criminal everyone whispers about, the one he showed me in my bedroom that night.
His eyes appear almost entirely black in this light.
The embodiment of Lucifer—a caveat of impending doom.
All tension in my body releases.
Xander’s eyes stay locked on me as his jaw ticks. I swear, he’s clenching so hard, his teeth might pop out.
“I’m sorry, Mr Warren,” Jayden murmurs, dipping his head low and, as if his feet are being controlled, leaving down the hallway. But not before he glances at me again and gives me a promising look. A look that says he’ll be back.
My eyes prickle as he turns.
Jayden passes Xander, but Xander’s arm whips out, snatching Jayden by his bicep, eyes never leaving mine. Their bodies jolt as Jayden comes to a stop next to him. Jayden attempts to curl his arm into himself, but Xander jerks him closer, as if it’s no effort at all.
“If I ever see you talking to Camila again, I will rip your fucking tongue out of your mouth, do you understand me?” he growls into his ear.
Jayden starts to cave in on himself, a quiet grunt of pain escaping him as he frantically nods his head.
“If I ever see you breathing the same air as her, I will make sure you never breathe an ounce of oxygen again.”
“Fuck, I’m sorry. Let me go,” Jayden strains.
“Now go fucking home. I don’t want to see your face here tomorrow, either.”
Xander shoves him out of his grip, and Jay stumbles, hitting the opposite wall. He glances back at me one more time, rubbing his arm, before he all but runs out of the hallway.
I flick my attention back to Xander, and my stomach tightens as I swallow down every bit of fear.
This is the second time he’s threatened a man. For me.
At this moment, I don’t know if I should bow to him or run.
It’s a fucked-up feeling.