“Fuck.”

“Yeah, fuck.”

“Marjorie, you’re on,” Dick called from the doorway just as Sky moved from behind a large row of clothes. I didn't know she was back there and I wondered how much she’d heard. I fixed the smear of my makeup and then finished fastening my thigh high black plastic boots.

My first set tonight was a newer routine. I’d only done it a few times and every time the crowd went nuts. I usually loved it, but with the knowledge of what tonight had in store for me, I wasn’t nearly as pumped as I should be.

I fixed my half cat mask and checked my bodice on my Cat-girl suit. Everything fit perfectly.

“Damn, girl. You look hot.” Sky appraised me.

“Thanks,” I sighed wishing I wasn't the object of any man’s dreams. Gone were the days I was invisible and I’d have done anything to become the girl no one saw again.

“Heard you talking to Marjorie. Looks like you could use a drink.” She handed me a flask. Normally, Sky wasn't nice to me, so I had no idea why she was handing me her drink, but to hell with it. She was right. I needed to calm my nerves. I took a swig and attempted to hand the cold silver flask back to her.

She tilted her head, “Finish it. Sounds like you need it more than me,” then she grabbed a drink tray and left me there.

A minute later, Marjorie walked back in. My routine was next. “How was it out there?”

“Rowdier than usual. Your guy’s at table six, but it’s pretty full out there and it looks like he’s doing business. Maybe you’ll get lucky and he’ll be too occupied?”

I could only hope that was the case.

“Char,” Dick called and I knew it was my time.

The lights were dimmed and I had a long black whip that I flicked against the stage in tune with the beat. My heel tapped in rhythm against the stage and the crowd quieted in anticipation. Christina Aguilera's “Dirty” thrummed and I pranced to the end of the stage while shaking my hips. The whip was an extension of me as I turned and swayed. My left leg crossed with my right. I spun so my back was to the crowd and bent as seductively low as I could. They were getting a show, that was for sure. More than half of my cheeks stuck out from my barely-there pleather shorts.

When I was vertical again I snapped the whip and for a second I felt powerful as if the single most vile man wasn't behind me plotting what he’d do to me. I hadn’t looked in his direction yet, I was too afraid. I danced. My mind started to feel a little fuzzy but I shook it off. I put the whip in my mouth and climbed the pole. Arm over arm, I realized they felt a little jelly like.

Shit, whatever Sky gave me to drink was stronger than I anticipated. From the top of the pole, I bent backward facing the crowd and when Christina belted out Dirty I unzipped my corset letting my breasts fall free. I moved in fast circles around the pole until I reached the bottom then freed myself from my top the rest of the way. Only black plastic stars covered my nipples.

I took the whip from my mouth and moved the handle between my legs. I rubbed it up and down teasing the crowd. As I did this my mouth popped open like I was in ecstasy. My tongue swept out and over my red lips. My eyes finally moved to table six and my steps faltered. Not because I was feeling a little woozy, which I was, and not because the devil Enrico was staring at me like he wanted to eat me. No, it was the man who was seated across from Enrico. A man I’d prayed to see one day, but never here. Never under these circumstances. For a brief moment, I stared transfixed in my place, missing my cue. I knew I needed to get on with the show. He wouldn't know it was me, half of my face was covered and my body had definitely changed since I was sixteen.

I knew it was him. I’d know him anywhere. I’d been staring at his eyes for the last seven years. He was the man who both saved me and broke me and there he was; drinking with the enemy.

I finished my set in a haze, not even sure how I made it off stage. I was definitely fucked up from whatever was in Sky’s drink, but I also was completely fucked up from seeing Gunner.

I had to get ready for my next set and I was even more afraid knowing that I didn’t wear a mask for the next dance. Maybe he wouldn't even recognize me? Gone was the mousy girl whose virginity he took before leaving her and never looking back. Hell, I’d barely recognized me. On the other hand, maybe he could help me? And maybe he could save me one more time?

Chapter Six-Gunner

The last thing I wanted to do was meet with this piece of shit in this piece of shit town, but we needed him. Enrico Santos was a fucking Colombian God, or so he proclaimed. Two reasons I was here. One, he was going to sell guns to either myself or to Hades. We were at war with Hades and couldn't let more guns fall into his hands. And two, we had a big fucking problem with the Mexicans. We needed this meeting with Enrico to go well tonight. I hated the fucker. Every time I’d been around him, I wanted to slit his throat because of his arrogance.

His men cowered to him. They feared him. I saw this as his biggest weakness. Better to have the loyalty of your men out of respect than fear.

I swirled the ice in the amber liquid and only partially listened as Enrico retold a story about killing a guy while getting a blow-job from a whore. Filthy fucker.

Shane was sitting across from me. I could tell he wasn’t amused either, but he was a far better actor than me. He smirked at the appropriate time, while I just wanted to rip the guy's throat out. We also had two of our guys, Knuckles and Donny with us. Both of them were big ass dudes, and I was glad to know they had our backs. They left their cuts at home to blend in. I about busted a nut laughing when I saw the redneck Duck Dynasty shirts they had on, courtesy of Walmart’s clearance rack.

Movement on the stage caught my attention. Hell, it caught every man’s attention. A woman dressed in a cat suit worked the stage. She didn’t just dance, she fucking prowled and pranced. She was sexy as hell. I was drawn to her. She had curves. And when her breasts poured from her top I had an overwhelming desire to cover her up. I felt protective and felt like they should only be for me, which was absurd--I was in a fucking strip club.

Enrico even stopped running his mouth, so he could watch her. I swear I saw his hand go under the table to rub his dick.

Briefly, it looked like the cat recognized me. She paused on stage and for a small second her steps faltered. For all I knew, it could’ve been the slime ball next to me, though.