Chapter 3
Not only hasSarah dressed me up in a dress and heels, but she’s also volumized my long hair and put makeup on me, not letting me peek at my reflection until she is completely finished.
“Okay, my work is done, you can look now,” she says and she spins me around to look at myself in her floor length mirror.
I’m almost shocked by the girl staring back at me, because she’s actually…beautiful.
My icy, wavy hair is perfectly styled and falls to my hips and down my open back. The dress I’m wearing is a lavender silk mini dress with thin straps that hug every one of my curves, just like Sarah had said. My long, toned legs make me look taller thanks to the slit in the thigh of the dress and the gold, strappy heels Sarah put me in. I still am wearing all of my many rings on my fingers, but she also added some gold bangles to match the heels.
My makeup is perfect, much better than I could ever make it. My freckles are still on display from the soft, nude look she gave me. My plump lips are shining with a light pink gloss.
“Sarah…I…how?” I stammer like an idiot, and she laughs as she slides on a red, strapless mini dress with matching heels.
She applies some mascara and red lipstick and a pair of silver hoop earrings. She doesn’t need much makeup or accessories, she’s stunning.
“I didn’t do anything, Lissie. That’s all you, baby girl,” she says with a wink, looking at her phone as it dings.
“Come on, that’s our ride. We’re getting shots as soon as we get to the club!”
She pulls me out of the apartment and into the waiting car and I sigh. I never really have taken shots before. I turned twenty-one a month before I graduated college, only having glasses of wine and an occasional cocktail at my mom’s many dinners she has with my aunts. I feel like tonight I may be in over my head, but wherever Sarah leads me, I will follow. I almost have no choice.
“I don’t have a lot of money,” I say suddenly.
My first check from Mya was enough to put down a deposit on the apartment. As soon as practice is over tomorrow, I have to tour downtown to look for a second part time job to make up for the rest of my bills.
“Don’t worry about it, Lissie. I got you,” she says sweetly as the driver stops in front of the club and we hop out.
It’s a large night club with flashing purple and blue lights in the middle of busy downtown Charlotte. The sign reads Taboo and crowds of people flock to it. We step inside once the bouncer looks at our IDs and gives us the signal to go ahead. I’m immediately assaulted with flashing lights, writhing bodies and loud music. As much as I’m not used to large crowds or public outings, I fall in love with the environment immediately.
Music and dancing have always been my escape. Especially the kinds that make your body sway to the fast, rhythmic beat. I walk around in wonder as Sarah pulls me by my hand to the bar. She orders us a round of shots and hands me mine. I toss it back with her and try not to spit it back up. It tastes awful, but it warms my belly right away.
“What is that?” I gasp and she laughs as she orders us some Vodka tonics.
“Tequila, baby!” she yells as she hands me my drink and pulls me to the dance floor.
We start dancing and laughing with everyone around us. I can’t remember the last time I felt this free. We’re bumping and grinding to the beat and my legs carry me from Sarah to men that sway my hips along with the music. Once our drinks are finished, we make our way back to the bar. Sarah heads to the restroom and I start chatting with the cute, blond, female bartender.
“You move really well, girl!” she says over the music, making our new drinks.
“Thank you! I just joined the new dance team for the Panthers!” I shout back and her eyes widen.
“Wow, congratulations, that’s awesome! Though, I’m bummed out. I was going to see if you wanted a job.”
“Oh, I don’t know shit about making drinks.” I laugh and she raises her eyebrows before pulling a card from her cleavage and handing it to me across the bar counter.
“It’s not for bartending. We have a private club upstairs and need a few VIP dancers for our top customers. I’m the manager, Kim. Give me a call if you’re interested. You’ll make a lot of money.” She winks and I stare at the card in my hands.
Dancer for a VIP club could only mean one thing, stripping. Which is a no for me.
Not that I am against women in the profession, I just don’t have enough confidence to do so.
I tuck the card into my bra and turn and lean against the bar as I sip my drink and scan the crowd.
A group of men enter the club, and they are all huge and tall, looking a lot like football players. In fact, I recognize a few of them from last season’s game. Not that I am surprised, Sarah told me this was Charlotte’s most popular club so I’m sure every important and rich person flocks to it.
As the crowd of men walked in, they spread out. Women flock to them and start flirting, and I can’t help but laugh at the scene. Just as I’m watching them first, someone comes into my view and makes everything in my body freeze instantly.
Someone with eyes the color of a forest and wild, dirty blond hair and broad shoulders and even broader muscles.
That someone is Nathan Ross.