The Appraisal

by Brielle Montgomery

  Jocelyn glanced up from the TV. “Where are you going?”

  “Out.”

  “Out where?”

  Jayla sighed. Here it comes. “My business, Joce.”

  Jocelyn’s eyes glittered with excitement, and her lips drew back in a mischievous grin. “Out with ole boy you’ve been talking to on the phone all day and night?” Her grin widened. “Girl, don’t act stupid,” she added when Jayla made no move to answer. “I hear you up there giggling and shit all night. Who is he?”

  Jayla struggled to hide her own smile. “Nobody.”

  “Listen, I am your sister,” Jocelyn said. You know I love you, right?”

  “Joce, what are you talking about?”

  “I’m just saying. You quick to confide in Tara, like she’s your sister.”

  “That’s not true,” Jayla said, shaking her head.

  “Feels like it sometimes.”

  Was Jocelyn jealous? Yeah, this chick was crazy. Jayla sighed. “Yes, it’s a guy I met that works with Tara’s husband. Remember, he came to Jackie’s barbecue?”

  Jocelyn lifted an eyebrow. “Oh really? You said y’all weren’t together then.”

  “We weren’t.”

  “Uh-huh. But now you are?”

  Jayla remained quiet. She didn’t know what she and Derrick were.

  “You think he’s your Mr. Right?” Jocelyn asked, pressing.

  Jayla had to frown at the thought. It had never crossed her mind before, but it surprised her when she didn’t immediately reject the absurdity.

  Apparently, Jocelyn was equally surprised. “Wow. Dead silence. There may be some element of truth there.”

  The thought of it, the mention of it, Jayla had to admit, brought her subtle excitement. Then disappointment. If that were the case, then she was a fucking idiot.

  “I’ll be glad when I find me a man,” Jocelyn continued. “Someone who can love and appreciate me and my son. Alex has been calling me left and right, but I haven’t talked to him since I saw those damn pictures.”

  Again, Jayla saw in her mind’s eye Jasmine’s juicy ass bouncing on Alex at the hotel. The image was sickening, and she wished she could unsee that shit. She opened the door to leave. “Will you be all right for a few hours?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. Tell your Mr. Right, I said, ‘Hello,’ and ‘I can’t wait to see him.’”

  Jayla nodded. She couldn’t wait to see him, either. It just wouldn’t be tonight.

  * * *

  Jayla nearly laughed out loud when she followed Reggie into the parking lot of K. Sutra. She remembered Tara dragging her here when the strip club had first opened. Overpriced liquor and a variety of women—white, black, old, young—doing everything short of fucking right there on the stage. But she had to admit, the food was damn good.

  She found a place to park in plain sight of the front door. Reggie was with his same group of friends from before. He seemed relaxed, and by the way he stumbled a bit, it was obvious he had done more than work, as he had told his lady. But the way they slapped hands, backs, and shared a laugh, it was obvious these men were dead set on enjoying themselves tonight.

  Jayla waited about ten minutes before stepping from her vehicle and strutting up to the door.

  “You must be here for amateur night.” The bouncer had apparently spent more time lifting weights than anything else. Unfortunately, the massive biceps bulging underneath the black T-shirt didn’t distract from the sagging belly. Or the musty odor. He licked his lips and smiled at Jayla.

  She frowned. “What?”

  “Amateur night. It starts in an hour.”

  She hadn’t thought about it, but the idea was definitely genius. Especially for Reggie. She glanced down at the fitted purple minidress and nude Gucci heels she wore. Way overdressed for amateur night.

  “Is there a clothing store or something in the area?” she said. “Somewhere I can get lingerie or something?”

  He nodded. “There’s one inside, actually. Just go to the bar and sign in, and they’ll show you where it is.”

  Jayla thanked him and ignored the slap on her ass as she walked by. She would have to assume the role tonight. She had work to do.

  They had definitely upgraded since her last visit. The large space, the neon lights, the deafening music reminded her of places on the Sin City Strip. Crowded glass high-top tables and barstools peppered the open area, and a T-shaped stage occupied the center of the space, with poles at each corner. Plush circular booths lined one side of the room; they were slightly elevated to ensure unobstructed views of asses and titties from any angle. In the corner, a spiral staircase led up to, Jayla assumed, the VIP rooms on the second level.

  People were everywhere—leaning on the marble bar, nursing shots; stretched out in the booths, with strippers lying in their laps; and all throughout the common area, using dollar bills to stroke pussies of varying shades, licking nipples, and watching juicy asses bouncing to the rhythmic beats of Luke.

  Jayla walked past two naked strippers, caught the smell of hot wings suffocated by weed, perfume, and muted cum. It was an interesting environment, and she was glad it wasn’t appealing to her.

  She leaned on the bar and lifted her voice over the bass of the music. “Excuse me. I need to sign up for amateur night,” Jayla said.

  The woman at the bar nodded and laid a sheet of paper and a pen in front of her. Jayla thought for a minute and scribbled a stage name on the list. Next to it, she wrote a brief introduction. This was going to be fun.

  “The guy at the door also said you had a store,” Jayla said, and the woman nodded toward a curtain behind the bar.

  Jayla went behind the curtain and found that they had arranged several racks of skimpy outfits in a small space. Packages of fishnet stockings and garters were organized in plastic bins, and wigs and shoes were displayed on shelves.

  Jayla picked out a mesh see-through minidress, a matching bra and thong set, and a blond wig. As she headed out of the small store, she watched twin strippers breeze through the curtain. Both wore nothing but eight-inch clear heels and long streaked wigs, the dangling hair brushing their ass. Jayla eyed their identical caramel skin, which was riddled with suggestive piercings and tattoos. She smiled at a sudden idea.

  “Excuse me, ladies.”

  They turned in unison.

  “Would you two mind going up there onstage with me? I would love to do a routine with you. You can have all the tip money, and if we win, we can split the winnings.”

  One of them grinned. “Absolutely. I’m Nikki. This is Lexi. And you are?”

  “Kitty Lick,” Jayla said, and the twins both exchanged a sexy grin.

  “We’ll listen out for you, Kitty,” said the other one, Lexi, then licked her lips.

  Jayla nodded, blew each of them a kiss and gave them each a wink, and then headed to the bar to pay for her items.

  A man who looked clearly old enough to be her grandfather offered to buy her a few drinks, and she accepted the gesture, then knocked back shots until she had achieved a comfortable buzz. She scanned the room for Reggie, saw he was being thoroughly entertained by some white chick in one of the booths. Good. Keep him occupied for now. As long as he didn’t leave before she gave him what he needed.

  When they finally announced that amateur night was starting, Jayla sat back to enjoy the show. Some of the women were so uncoordinated. A few nearly stumbled in their high heels as they tried to keep up with the music. Some were embarrassed, standing in the glaring lights amidst a stream of boos as they struggled to cover their exposed body. Still, some went out there and ate up the attention, hitting splits and spread-eagle handstands, and gliding their pussies up and down the pole until the metal was slick with juices. Very entertaining.

  When the bartender tapped her shoulder and motioned to her that she would be up next, Jayla headed for the back room to change. If this didn’t get Reggie all up in her goodies, nothing would. Ten minutes later she was ready to hit the stage.

&nb
sp; “All right. Now coming to the stage is a sensual delight for you all.”

  Jayla listened as the DJ added his own spin to the description she had written on the paper.

  “This next one here loves a juicy tongue. She’s anxious for someone to eat her from the inside out, complete with a good clit sucking, and don’t forget to swallow her sweet juices. Damn. Everyone, please give it up for Kitty Lick.”

  Jayla had requested a slow song, and when she heard the beginning bars of a slow mix, she smiled, did one last adjustment to make sure the wig was on properly, and slipped from behind the red curtain and onto the stage.

  The spotlight was blinding, so all she could make out were shadows in the darkened room. But that was okay. She remembered exactly where Reggie was sitting, and she made her way in that direction as white, red, and purple lights hit her body from different angles. It felt more natural than before. She licked her lips as she began an impromptu routine, gyrating her body to the music, rubbing on her breasts, her stomach, her thighs. She zeroed in on Reggie, saw the recognition hit his face, then saw his friends whisper to him and gesture toward her. Oh yeah. It was her.

  Jayla squatted with her legs spread, used her fingers to play with her pussy lips before turning and stretching her legs so her ass was in the air right in his direction. The mini she’d chosen had risen to bunch at her waist with the movement, and she bounced her ass cheeks, making each one jump separately before making them clap together. The bills were flooding the stage; the cheers were loud. She even felt the stroke of someone’s hand on her leg. Jayla lay down flat on her stomach, spread her legs, and sat up until she was in a split. Then, using her upper-body strength, she lifted her ass from the floor and bounced it to the beat. She caught the eye of Nikki and Lexi and blew a kiss, signaling that they were up.

  Nikki walked up to the edge of the stage, where Jayla continued to do her split twerking trick. She felt the feminine touch of Nikki’s hand on her ass as she massaged it and then the sting as she slapped it. The cheers and whistles nearly blocked out the music as Jayla let Nikki crawl between her legs and maneuver that agile body over hers and onto the stage. The woman purposely let her kitty hover over Jayla’s mouth, and for dramatic effect, Jayla kissed it and used her teeth to pull at the silk panty material separating the goodies from her mouth. At least she was clean, so Jayla didn’t mind the subtle taste of her juices. More bills hit her face as Lexi did the same thing, and then Jayla stood to finish the show. She was fueled by the attention, by the applause. She then allowed the twin strippers to take off her clothes, leaving her fully exposed.

  Jayla stood completely naked in all her glory and threw her head back, gripping the wig, while one twin licked her from her neck to her breast and the other licked her leg up to her thigh. As the music ended, Jayla grabbed one of the twins—which one she didn’t know—gripped her by her neck, and began kissing her wildly, letting her tongue dart in and out of her parted lips. The other twin slapped Jayla’s ass, and then all three posed as they were showered with applause.

  “Damn,” the DJ said, barely audible over the cheers. “I know all of y’all came after that routine. Give it up for Kitty Lick and our girls Nikki and Lexi.”

  Jayla sashayed off the stage and left the twins to pick up the money. They could have that. She had much bigger fish to fry.

  Jayla changed back into her regular clothes and took off her wig, then snuck back into the main area as other amateur dancers took the stage. She had to admit, no one tore the floor up like she and the twins just had, but they got an A for effort. She ignored the men gawking at her as she made her way over to Reggie’s table.

  “Hello again, gentlemen,” she greeted, eyeing each one before settling on Reggie.

  The one she remembered as Bruce spoke up first and scooted over, making room for her to sit down. “Damn, Slim. Yo’ fine ass ate that stage up. You ain’t no damn amateur.”

  Jayla pretended to blush. “My first time,” she lied, smiling at the compliment. “What are y’all doing here?”

  “Shit, we came for the show,” Mike said, laughing. “And I think I’m broke after your routine. The hell are you doing here? Stripping and shit?”

  “The twins are some friends of mine,” Jayla said with a shrug. “Nikki and Lexi. They told me about amateur night and asked if I wanted to come out. You know. Just get out of the house. I don’t do that much lately.”

  The men gave a few more approving comments before she turned her attention to Reggie. “How have you been?” She lowered her voice so only he could hear her.

  He nodded. “I’ve been good. And you?”

  Jayla glanced around, making sure no one else was paying attention and also hoping she didn’t see anyone she knew. Sure enough, Reggie’s friends had left the table to throw money at the stage for the next dancer.

  “Good. I feel kind of bad. You know, with how things went down last time. It’s funny you’re here, because I’ve been wanting to call you . . .”

  “Call me to say what?”

  “I’ve been thinking about you,” she said, casually resting her hand on his arm and giving it a gentle squeeze. She made the gesture appear innocent, and he didn’t bother moving his arm. “Plus, I felt I needed to apologize for my behavior before. I just can’t help how I feel, but I shouldn’t have forced myself on you.” She watched Reggie’s face soften, and he lifted his hand to brush at her hair.

  “You don’t owe me an apology,” he assured her with a smile. “I feel the same way.” He used his thumb to brush Jayla’s cheek, and her lips turned up in an accomplished smile. “And trust me. You didn’t force me to do anything I didn’t want to do.” His finger lingered on her lips, and Jayla kissed it before sitting back against the booth.

  “Well, that’s good to know.” She began to shimmy out of the booth, and Reggie’s hand slid down to grip her arm. Too easy. “Where are you going?”

  “I was just going to get back to my friends and let you get back to yours.”

  “They’re busy,” he said, gesturing toward Mike, who was putting some bills in a stripper’s ass with his mouth. “Let’s go upstairs.”

  Jayla thought about the details of the contract she had on this assignment. Heather wanted a full-fledged evaluation. She recalled Heather’s words. The works. Let him do any and everything he wanted. No boundaries. Just a detailed report afterward. Jayla nodded and let him take her hand, and he led her to the spiral staircase and guided her upstairs.

  Another bouncer stood at the top of the stairs, and he raised his hand to stop them from going down the hall. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked.

  “Come on. She’s going to give me a private dance,” Reggie said.

  “Only the real dancers use the VIP rooms. Not the amateurs.”

  Jayla ran her finger up her neck before slipping it into her mouth and giving it a seductive suckle.

  “Did I look like an amateur?” she said. The bouncer ignored her, and Jayla thought he wasn’t going to acquiesce, until she saw the bulge growing in his pants. She tried again. “Listen, I’m friends with Nikki and Lexi, and they’re working on trying to get me a job here. I promise, we won’t be long.”

  The bouncer looked her body over and threw a hesitant glance down the stairs. “Make it quick,” he growled. “Room B.”

  There was a huge bed in the middle of the room and a picture of a naked woman mounted on the wall above the headboard. The room even had a TV with a DVD player and a stack of pornos. Off to one side, there was a small bar area with a sink. The room was illuminated by a red light, and it cast a crimson glow on the neat comforter.

  Jayla immediately came out of her clothes and stood naked at the foot of the bed, waiting for Reggie to make the first move. He did, lifting her up until her legs were wrapped around his waist and yanking her head back by her hair to ravage her neck. When she felt the nip of his teeth, the sensation was both pleasure and pain all at once. She raked her nails up his back as he moved to dev
our each succulent breast.

  When he laid her back on the bed, he yanked his shirt over his head and stepped from his jeans. “Turn over,” he commanded.

  Obediently, she flipped onto her stomach. He grabbed her waist, and his fingers tightened as he snatched her body back toward him. She heard him fumbling with a condom, heard the latex crinkle as he slid it on his dick, and felt his fingers rub her pussy and slither through the crack of her ass before spreading her cheeks. She didn’t even have time to brace herself before he shoved it in, and she yelped at the searing pain.

  Jayla had only done it in the ass once or twice, but both instances were so long ago, she felt like a virgin again. Damn, the shit hurt. She buried her face in the comforter, wincing as he jammed it in hard before easing out slowly and repeating the technique. Eventually, her hole loosened up, and she lifted her head as the pain subsided and the pleasure overpowered her.

  “Oh, shit,” he murmured, and she felt his thighs slamming into her ass. He gripped it hard, gave it a few stinging slaps. “I’ve been wanting to get in this ass since I first saw you.”

  “Oh yeah?” she said, encouraging him. “Well, take your ass, then. It’s yours, babe.”

  He sped up, gripping her waist so hard, she wondered if he’d break the skin. He mumbled some more, and she felt the muscles in his thighs tighten against her cheeks. She braced herself.

  “Yes. You feel so good,” he groaned as she felt the dick tightening inside her. His yell was high pitched as she felt the explosion against the flimsy plastic. She waited while his body convulsed for a bit, then collapsed on her back.

  Her knees gave way, and they slid from underneath her until she lay prostrate on the bed, underneath his weight.

  He pulled out and took a step back, eyeing the cum-filled latex. He blew out a breath.

  Jayla turned over, lifted herself up on her elbows, and eyed his body for the first time. Not bad. She approved. He could use a few more sit-ups, and those shirts he wore made his arms look a lot bigger than they were, but overall, he was not too bad at all.

  “So?” she said when he made no move to speak. “Now what?”