by T L Swan
Jeez, I’m like the new kid at school who is assigned a buddy. I fake a smile. This is awkward. “Okay.”
She walks over to the bar and I follow her like a child. This place is freaking uncomfortable. She walks to the side of the bar and opens up the black, glossy door into the back of the bar and I stand still. “Come in.” She grabs my hand and pulls me behind her.
“Don’t be nervous,” she whispers over her shoulder.
“This is just so far out of my comfort zone,” I whisper back.
She smiles cheekily. “It was for me, too, when I started.” She turns and looks me up and down. “You a law student?”
I shake my head. “Med.”
She smiles.
“You?” I ask.
“Engineer.”
I smile my first real smile. “Is this place really shitty? Should I just run now?”
She laughs out loud as she turns and pulls me along the back of the bar toward the end. “This is the best job I’ve ever had. It’s not what it looks like.”
I widen my eyes and glance back at the girls serving drinks behind us. She pulls up a stool and sits me at the end so that I am looking out into the crowd but out of the way. “What do you want to drink?”
Fucking Tequila!
“Cointreau and Coke, please,” I murmur.
She smiles and turns back to make it, while I sit perched on my stool like a freak in an exhibition. The men have started to notice me. Some are making eye contact and giving me a subtle nod. I nervously nod back in acknowledgement. I can’t believe the caliber of men in this place.
It’s ridiculous.
You just don’t see men this handsome out and about, and if they aren’t good looking, they are immaculately dressed and scream of success. So even they seem attractive.
A bouncer comes to the other side of the bar. He’s blonde, big, and muscular.
“Hi, I’m Matt.” He grins and shakes my hand.
“Hi. I’m Vivienne.” I smile awkwardly.
“You starting tonight?”
He seems nice and friendly and I shake my head. “No, I’m just here to look. I don’t think I’m starting at all.”
He looks me up and down. “Elli won’t let you go. You’re too hot.”
My confidence gets a much-needed boost. I drop my head to hide my smile and tuck my hair behind my ear. I feel my face flush with heat. “Have you worked here long?” I ask, to change the subject.
“Yeah, about two years. Putting myself through college.”
“What are you studying?”
“Environmental science.”
“Third year?” I ask.
“Fourth, but good guess.”
I smile, relieved that this place isn’t half as awful as I imagined.
Tiffany arrives back over. “I have to go back to the door. You okay here for a while?”
“Sure. What do you do on the door?” I ask.
She rolls her eyes. “I’m the greeter tonight.”
“Oh.” I frown at her expression. “And this is a bad thing?”
“Fuck, yes. It’s so dull. I usually lap dance. But the door girl is off tonight.”
My eyes widen and she laughs at my expression. “I used to think that, too, but seriously… I get paid a stupid amount of money to turn on gorgeous men.”
I bite my bottom lip to stifle my smile. “So, you are topless when you dance?” I ask.
She shrugs. “No, we wear tops.” She smiles cheekily. “They are just completely see-through.”
“Oh.”
She throws me a wink and goes back to her position near the door, and I sit frozen still, hoping nobody will notice the nerdy girl at the end of the bar. Over the next half an hour, I have three more drinks while I watch gorgeous men arrive, one after the other. Some are in groups, others on their own. Although, even the ones who arrive alone seem to know others that are here. How does this work? Do these men come here to socialize? I bet a lot of them are married and this is their dirty little secret. I watch them all standing around the bench tables, down on level two and around the bar. The chatter is loud, and they are all wearing expensive suits and smelling like money. Hmm, it must be expensive to come here. I glance around to make sure nobody is watching and I get out my phone and Google.
Club Exotic Membership.
I wait for it to load and a webpage comes up.
Club Exotic. Gentleman’s Bar.
Club exotic is currently not
taking new members.
However, please feel free
to put your name on the waiting list.
Hmm, God. No new members. That must mean they have their capacity. Matt walks back over to check on me. “You okay Vivienne?”
I smile and suck on my straw. I’m kind of having fun to be honest. “How many members are there here?”
Matt frowns. “I think there are about two thousand five hundred.”
My eyes widen. “God, that’s a lot. How much is it to join?”
“It varies. I think the basic bronze membership is around fifty thousand.”
I frown in horror.
“The silver membership is seventy-five.”
My mouth nearly drops open. “A year?” I frown.
He nods. “And the gold is about one-ten.?”
I nearly swallow my tongue. “What’s the difference between the memberships?”
“Bronze has access to the facilities.”
I frown. “Facilities?”
“Oh, there is an open bar and an award winning restaurant, a gym...”
“So, they don’t pay for anything when they are here?”
He shakes his head. “No. Oh, and they get vouchers.”
“Vouchers?”
“They get, like, ten lap dances a year, and I think they get a couple of nights in the Escape Lounge.” He gestures down the front and I see a door with a lit up sign over it.
ESCAPE CLUB
“What do the silver memberships get?”
“They get the same, but with unlimited lap dances and more vouchers for the Escape Lounge. Those guys have to pay for their drinks, though.”
I nod as I sip my drink. This is unbelievable. “What time does it open?”
“There is an 11am till 5pm session on Thursdays and Fridays. And then Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursday, and Friday nights.”
Shit, so the fuckers can slip in and out of here during work hours. Bring in the weekend with a bang, so to speak. “It’s not open weekends?” I ask.
“No, she caters for the business class. They are busy on the weekends.”
Yeah… with their wives and kids. Revolting.
“Suits us. We get weekends off.” He smirks.
Hmm, that is a big bonus.
My eyes drop to the door down below as I see a beautiful woman use a scanner key to get inside the Escape Club entrance. “What do they get for gold memberships?” I ask.
He smiles. “Anything they want with the comfort of confidentiality. Every member and staff member has to sign a confidentially agreement. An NDA. This place is more guarded than a prison. Not just anyone can join, either. You have to be sponsored by another member.”
My eyes widen.
“That’s why they pay the big money… To safeguard their reputations.”
“Wow,” I whisper.
“Some of them just come here to drink, but they know when they are here they are not going to be hassled or photographed, and no silly bimbo is going to go to the press next week for some cash. The girls here are more guarded of their reputations than the men.”
I sip my drink deep in thought. “Impressive.”
“Do you need another drink?”
I stare at my glass for a moment. I really shouldn’t, but I have to admit these are going down nicely. “Okay, one more, maybe.” I smirk.
He walks over and orders me a drink from one of the girls. I sit and watch my surroundings. This place has an electric feel to it. It’s not at all what I expected. The girls are all c
lassy and the men aren’t ogling them like they’re a piece of meat.
Hmm, I’m kind of impressed, to be honest.
“Ashley, dear, you came,” Eliza interrupts my thoughts as she holds out her hand to shake mine.
I smile awkwardly. “Hello.” Wearing a tight black dress, she looks amazing.
Her eyes scan down my body and then back up to my face. “You look divine. Have you had the tour?”
I shake my head nervously. “No.”
“What is your name here?” she asks softly.
“Vivienne Jones,” I murmur.
She smiles knowingly. “Well, it’s lovely to meet you, Vivienne. I am so happy you came.” She leads me by the hand through the men, and down the large stairs. I can feel the men’s eyes on me as we pass through them, but I keep my eyes focused on her back as she walks in front of me. Hell, this makes me feel sick.
We get to the bottom and walk over to the large, black door where I saw the girls disappearing into earlier. Eliza swipes her security card and we walk in.
My eyes widen. Holy shit.
This looks like backstage of a Victoria Secret show. Small dressing tables line the large space and girls all have hot rollers in their hair and robes on their backs. A few are doing each other’s makeup, while others are doing each other’s hair.
“Girls, this is Vivienne,” Eliza announces proudly.
Their eyes all flicker to me and they smile. “Hi, Viv,” they all chant cheekily. There is a playful air about them, and I can’t help but smile.
“I’m hoping Vivienne is going to be starting in the Escape Club.” Eliza smiles warmly at me. “I’m just showing her around.”
I see a few of the girl’s eyes flash to me, as if shocked. What? Isn’t that normal? Anyway, it doesn’t matter because I’m only working behind the bar.
My nerves start to flutter as she pulls me to the other side and through a large archway. “This is our closet.”
My mouth drops open. Cream leather suits and skirts all lined up on racks, just like in a shop. There are huge baskets filled with cream and caramel colored lingerie, and expensive, gold high heels lined up in pairs. “This is our uniform wardrobe. Everything is dry cleaned daily and hung back up here.”
Her eyes fall back to me. “The girls don’t have to worry about laundering their own uniforms. Leather can be tricky.”
I fake a smile. I bet.
She walks to the end and a long rack of cream, sheer, loose tank tops all hang in neat rows.
Unable to help myself, I reach up and touch the fabric.
“Organza,” Eliza purrs.
My eyebrows rise. “Oh.” Jeez.
“These are the tops our dancers wear with these bottoms.” She pulls out the bottom drawer and it is filled with coffee-colored, short, leather hot pants.
I hate to admit it, but with the cream and caramel color palettes mixed with the leather and lace, it really gives off an expensive, sexy feel.
“They don’t wear the skirts?” I frown.
“No, it’s hard to straddle a seated man, lap dance in a tight leather skirt, and still maintain your dignity.”
Not the answer I was expecting, but okay. She leads me through into another room where there is a beauty salon and two European male hairdressers.
“Franco and Merrin, meet Vivienne.”
They both look me up and down and smile.
I nervously pull my woolen dress down. This is all just so… weird.
“You get all of your beauty and hair needs looked after free of charge when you work here.” Eliza’s eyes flicker to me. “And the laser hair removal is on the house.”
Shit. Well, blow me down. That’s a service I never expected to get for free.
“What position are you starting, Vivienne?” Franco asks.
“Oh.” I smile awkwardly. “I’m interested in the bar position.”
His eyes flash to Eliza and she smiles. “Sweet Vivienne, you will waste away behind the bar. You are way to gorgeous for that.”
I shake my head. “Oh, I don’t think—”
She cuts me off. “We will talk about that later, dear. Come. I have lots to show you.”
“Bye.” I wave to the two people I have just met as she drags me by the hand.
We walk out into another large room and I stop on the spot. Rows and rows of designer evening gowns are lined up on racks, and girls are starting to look through the garments. Sequins and feathers are everywhere. Wow, this is something else.
“Hi, Elli,” they all call as they keep going through the racks. I frown. What the hell are they doing?
As if reading my mind, Eliza answers me. “They’re picking what they want to wear tonight.”
Huh?
“Every night, we have a fashion parade displaying new designers.”
“I don’t understand…”
“Young and upcoming designers bring in their evening wear and the girls do a catwalk show before the cocktail party.”
“Cocktail party?” I ask.
She smiles knowingly. Jeez, I should shut my mouth. I look like I am interested in this shit. “I mean… it doesn’t matter.”
“Do you want to know about the Escape Lounge?”
My eyes hold hers. I do, but only because I want to know what kind of place this is.
“I suppose,” I whisper.
She walks off to the left over to two large double doors. “Come, let me show you.”
We go through the double doors and it opens onto another bar area private from the rest of the club, and way more exotic. A large water feature is in the middle and the lighting is moody and sexy. Waiters are behind the bar making cocktails. I frown again. The bar staff are all male out here.
Eliza watches me intently, knowing full well that my mind is abuzz with questions.
“Every night, out in the club, we have a fashion parade with twenty-four of the most beautiful woman we have.”
I frown.
“Every night, we have twenty-four men who have reserved their Escape night.”
My skin prickles.
“At the end of the fashion parade the Escape girls have a private cocktail party out here where they choose their partner for the night.”
Goosebumps scatter up my spine.
“Ch-choose?” I stammer, wide eyed.
“Being an Escape girl doesn’t mean that you automatically have to sleep with anyone, but you are required to spend the night in one of our suites with the one of your choosing.”
The look on my face must be a sight because Eliza laughs out loud. “Don’t look so horrified, Vivienne.”
I stare at her, dumfounded.
“Would you like to see a suite?”
I nod, because all words have escaped me and I feel like an idiot. She walks over to the large, smoke-mirrored elevator doors and pushes the button. The doors immediately open and we hop in.
“We have twenty-four apartments,” she continues.
As the elevator door opens on the first floor, she glides out into a luxury corridor, opening the door to one of the apartments.
“Each Escape girl has an apartment for the night. It’s a twelve-hour shift.” She holds her arm out to gesture for me.
I gaze at the amazing space. “So, this is the position you get paid five-thousand a night for?” I whisper.
She smiles. “Yes. That’s right.”
I walk past her into the room as I feel my heart rate quicken. The room is beautiful and exudes luxury. Leather lounges surround a fireplace, and huge bouquets of fresh flowers in crystal vases are scattered throughout the apartment. Champagne and chocolate-coated strawberries are in the glass door refrigerator. I continue into the bedroom and see the most amazing bed I have ever seen, dressed in huge white linen, inviting with big, fancy cushions. The black marble bathroom has a sunken spa bath and a triple headed shower nozzle.
Holy hell. This place is something else. I walk around in awe. I’ve never been in such a beautiful space in all of my life
.
Eliza turns to me.
“You have something special, Vivienne.”
I force a nervous smile.
She folds her arms in front of her and leans her behind back against the leather lounge. “Every girl in this club wants this position, but I’m not interested in them. I want you, Vivienne. I want you as an Escape girl.” She smiles as she brushes the hair back from my forehead to look at my face.
My breath catches in my throat.
“You can start tonight.”
5
Ashley
I release a nervous giggle and shake my head. “No, sorry. I’m not.” I pause as I look around the room in front of me. “I could never be this person.”
Her eyes hold mine and I desperately hope she can’t read my mind, because deep down this just may be the most exciting damn escape plan I’ve ever seen. Five grand a night to get dressed up in designer evening wear, drink cocktails, and then seduce a hot, rich guy in a luxurious penthouse without the fear of anyone ever finding out. No judgement, no boundaries.
I can definitely think of worse ways to go.
“I would like to take the bar position, please,” I announce.
Without replying, her eyes stay fixed firmly on mine.
She knows I’m tempted to give it a try.
What if Owen ever found out?
With renewed purpose, I walk toward the door. “Thank you for the offer, though. It was very kind. When would you like me to start on the bar?” I ask confidently.
She hesitates before answering. “Wednesday night?” she finally concedes.
I smile broadly and turn to shake her hand. “You got yourself a deal.”
* * *
I wake to feel small warm arms around my ribs from behind. My bed partner has stuck to his usual routine. Every night, Owen crawls into bed with me. I never know exactly how or when he comes in. I just know that some time between night and morning I will feel his little arms cuddling my back and he stays there until I wake.
He kisses my back through my pajamas and I smile with my eyes still closed. “Morning, Owie,” I whisper sleepily.
“Hi, Mom,” his husky little voice replies.
I roll onto my back and put my arm underneath his head, my eyes are still closed. “I thought we were going to try and sleep in your bed all night. Remember, we were going to buy you a new truck if you did?” I murmur. I’ve stooped to bribery, but at this point I will do whatever it takes.
