Chapter 17
My car glided smoothly through the snow as I made my way back to the club. I hadn't been there since that night when I'd 'auditioned' for Kyle in a bid to pay off my debts. That night I was a bag of nerves, highly sprung and ready to burst. Now, though, I felt calm and relaxed.
Kyle had summoned me to his office to see how I was progressing. Summoned - I hated the word but that's what Tess called it. “You've been summoned by master.” She was only joking around but yeah, it did kinda feel like that.
I stepped into the club and down the stairs to the office. I could hear the music through the big double doors at the bottom - the main floor where most of the strippers - dancers - earned their pay.
I turned to the left at the bottom of the stairs and went towards the room at the end. He was in there, waiting for me, waiting for me to dance, waiting for me to show him what I'd learned.
I knocked and his voice called me to enter.
He stood and smiled as I entered, walking around the desk to stand in front of me. He moved in as if to kiss me on the cheek but checked himself.
“You look stunning as always Alice. Come with me.”
He led me straight back out of the office and once again through the club towards the private rooms at the other end. Once more he sat down on the red sofa and crossed his legs. He said nothing, but just sat and looked at me.
Memories of the other night quickly flooded my brain. It felt like deja vu: him sitting there, me standing awkwardly in front of him. I'd hoped to be more confident this time, more sexy, more seductive. But there I was, a scared little girl standing where I didn't belong.
“Aren't you going to say anything?” I asked him.
He shook his head. “A client says nothing. He isn't here to talk, he's here to watch. He pays top dollar for our top dancers, and there's no time for chitchat.”
He stopped talking and resumed his stare, waiting for me to act.
I returned in my head to Mrs Jones' instruction. Make eye contact, be confident. Flirt through your body language. Use your hands, make every movement count. Above all, feel the moment, become one with it.
She was cryptic as hell, the Yoda to my Luke, trying to inspire something in me. I started, her advice ringing in my ears, her words rattling around in my head. I reached the pole and wrapped around it. It's an extension of your body, every movement around it must be natural.
I was down to my underwear, losing myself to the music, my hands sliding gracefully along my skin. I glanced seductively at him, his eyes narrow, his breathing heavier than before. His expression made me hotter, gave me confidence as I snaked myself around the pole.
I stepped down from the stage towards him, standing right in front of him. I could feel my power growing as he stared at me, his eyes betraying him, his lust coming to the boil. I got closer and closer, bending to improve my cleavage, moving my face towards his.
“Stop.”
He spoke suddenly, his breath sounding short.
“What's the matter,” I said, leaning back up and standing ahead of him once more.
“Too close Alice, it's too close.” His breathing was heavy, his cool lost. “I think maybe it's not a good idea for you to practice on me.” He glanced up to the corner of the room, just as he had before.
“Why do you do that,” I asked. I felt slightly hurt by his second rejection. F*ck Alice you're stripping, not coming on to him in a bar. This is just a job.
“We have a strict policy here Alice. There can be nothing, absolutely nothing between clients and dancers.”
“But you're not a client. You're the boss.”
“I'm the manager, not the boss. I have people I need to answer to, and client or not, there's nothing that can happen between us.”
My heart sunk at his words. “But I was only dancing, I wasn't going to kiss you or anything.”
“I'm not talking about you Alice. I - I can't trust myself around you.”
I stepped back and quickly put my dress back on.
“You were good though Alice, you did well.”
He stood and returned to his professional tone. “We'll call you when we need you. You'll work with private clients, not random customers out there.” He gestured towards the main area. “I have things I have to do Alice. Please, have a drink, relax, watch some of the other girls, learn from them. Mace is upstairs ready to prepare a car when you leave.”
He turned and walked through the door, leaving me in the private room alone.
I don't really know what I expected. He was my boss and I was doing a job. He was right - you couldn't mix business with pleasure, not in a world like this. It could get messy. But still, when I was around him I couldn't help it. Every little iota of his being drew me in: his square jaw and dimpled cheeks, his dusty stubble, his eyes, so deep I could swim in them. The things they must have seen down here, it all turned me on. After spending the whole of the last year worrying about money and college, suddenly another part of me had begun to awaken, a part long dormant.
I took his advice and walked back into the main bar for a drink. The bar staff and waitresses were all women. In fact, I could see no men working there at all, not even security. What happens if a guy acts up, starts getting too aggressive with one of the girls?
“Chardonnay,” I said as a girl approached me at the bar. She was clad in a corset that pushed her breasts right up to give her some cleavage. It looked like she needed it. She had a cute smile and big round eyes, blonde hair tied back behind her head.
“Alice, right?” she said as she passed me the drink.
“Erm, yeah,” I said, slightly confused. “How did you know that?”
“I can tell. I just saw Kyle - um, Mr Logan - walk out and then you follow. There's been talk about you down here.”
“Talk? What do you mean?”
“Just natter between the girls. Looks like Mr Logan's got himself a new favorite. They're all pretty jealous.”
“Jealous? Why? Nothing can happen between with him anyway - you know, boss,/staff relationships and all that.” My voice had a bitter edge to it.
“No, I don't mean that. Trust me, we'd all like to go there! I'm talking about money. You're being groomed for the big fish, it's the prize job round here.”
She must have been playing a prank or something.
“But I've only been down here a couple of times, I still don't know what the hell I'm doing.”
“Yeah,” she said nodding and chuckling, “that's why they're all so pissed off!”
I looked around at the dozen or so girls gyrating on podiums and twisting round poles. “And you,” I said, turning back to her, “are you pissed off?”
She smiled. “I would be, but I'm not a stripper yet - just a barmaid, as you can see.” She had a friendly look on her face. She didn't seem the bitter or bitchy type.
“I'm Lexi,” she said, reaching a delicate hand across the bar.
“Alice. Nice to meet you.”