by Vi Carter
“Man, I think I’m drunk.” His slurred words have me grinning.
I pull his arm around my neck as I half carry him out of the club. The moment we are out in the hall the music ceases but my ears still ring.
“You’ve got me into a right mess with Linda,” I say as my mind drifts to Cara. Was she still crying? Was she asleep? Did it really matter?
“She’ll forgive you, man. She’s in love with you.” Jake looks up at me through one eye.
His head bobbles back down resting on his chest.
“You’ve really drank too much,” I respond but I don’t think he’s listening anymore. Linda wasn’t the type of girl who fell in love. Men fell in love with her and then she smashed their hearts. Thankfully, she wasn’t my type. No, you prefer the innocent type. I quickly silence the voice in my head and pull Jake up as he slumps further down. I’m almost fully carrying him now.
“Help me here, man.” He was falling asleep. I tighten my hold on his waist and he wakes up a little, taking some of the weight off me. The walk through the upstairs of the house feels so long because I’m dragging so much dead weight. Jake’s fight to help me out is long gone, and he’s nearly fully asleep as I open the door to one of the guest rooms. Flicking on the lights, I drag him to the large four-poster bed and drop his body there. Pulling his legs up, I consider removing his shoes but instead I leave the room. I would deal with getting rid of him tomorrow.
The light in the library is already on, a strip of light pours out into the hall. I hesitate before entering. Only one person would be in here waiting for me. I open the top button of my shirt as I step into the room.
“He’s a serious problem, Gerald.”
Linda opens the small wooden bar that’s been part of this house since I can remember. It was forbidden to touch, so when my grandfather wasn’t around I would take the liquor and pour it down the sink. I never drank it, but I wanted him to know that his words held no power over me. His anger at finding more alcohol gone would fill the large house. Servants would be lined up, myself included. But he could never pin it on me. I never drank it and I always put the empty bottles back. It was the only way I could retaliate. His bar was his and his alone, so I made him understand it wasn’t. Each beating I took was worth it. To see this God lash out in frustration, everyone thought him such a gentleman, a doting father and grandfather. He was a man in a mask, only a few of us knew that.
Linda pours herself a drink and drains the heavy glass dry before refilling it. Closing up the bar she turns to me, folding her free arm across her small waist.
“He’s in bed and in the morning I’ll get rid of him.” I sit down in one of the brown leather reading chairs.
Linda takes another drink and holds the glass to her mouth leaving an imprint of red lipstick on the edge. She’s thinking, I can see it in how she is looking at me. Those thoughtful brown eyes calculating her next words. I don’t have to wait long before she voices what’s bothering her.
“I’ve never seen you drink in the club before. All the girls were questioning it.”
“Tell them I wasn’t working.”
She waves her hand at me before walking to my desk. The pencil skirt and shirt fit her perfectly and I could appreciate it. Leaning against the edge, she places the glass down, but doesn’t release it. “Jake was mouthing off about how he knew the owner. How the owner had set him up at the bar.”
“He was drunk and he knows you. You are the owner after all.” Jake and his big mouth, he always struggled with keeping it shut when he had a few drinks in him.
Linda stares at me before she pushes away from the desk. “For a man who kept things so well hidden and controlled, you’re slipping.”
I stand up as she passes me, not liking her tone. “It’s one night. That’s all it is.” The words come out harsher than I wanted.
“I’m only looking out for you, Gerald.” Her eyes soften and Jake’s earlier statement has me looking at Linda in a different light.
“I have everything under control. So do what you do best.”
She blinks and the hardness returns. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep making you money.”
“Good.” I walk away from her done with this conversation.
I’m not ready for bed. It’s nearly four in the morning, the club will be winding down soon and reopening at twelve again. Sitting at my desk, I open my laptop and power it on. Cara is asleep in bed, the rise and fall of her chest is steady. My trousers tighten when I think of her. Twice in one night would be too much for her. She was still adjusting. I flick through the rest of the cameras in the club. Most people are leaving, the back rooms are nearly empty except for two rooms. I watch for a while before closing the laptop and going to bed.
***
“There’s a strip club a few miles away from here, most of the girls aren’t great but they all come here to work out.” I sip the coffee as I stare out over the gym. The platform that hangs over the back of the gym is reserved for me. I pay a decent fee to be allowed to sit up here, or one of my spotters. It’s been a while since I’ve come myself. But keeping spotters is tricky. At first, they love the money, love finding me women then it’s like their conscience kicks in and they want to wipe their dirty hands clean. No one is forcing these women, it’s their choice. The owner I have known for a very long time. Barry provides us with all the female information and we sort through it for prospects. He also offers women from any surrounding clubs half-price membership. It keeps his gym full and it makes it easy for me to find new dancers.
“So why are we here?” Mickey’s low hanging trousers are making me regret my decision already. The white and blue zippy top looks more appropriate for some street corner. This kid is from a very wealthy background. Why he’s dressed like he can’t rub two cents together is beyond me.
“Because every now and again a very nice one arrives in and we snap her up.” I remove a bottle of painkillers from my pocket and throw two in my mouth before washing them down with coffee. Today isn’t looking very bright for picking up new talent. I need it to be. I need to replace Wendy.
“They all look rough to me. Maybe with the head down, and think of the sister.”
His smirk slides off his face as I stare at him.
“I’m joking,” he says.
I nod. “Did you think I was joking when I pulled my gun on you?” My headache isn’t helping this situation. Sitting with this clown isn’t my idea of fun.
His face pales. “No, look I’m sorry.”
I catch the eye of Barry who always seems to be here. I can appreciate a man who works hard. Two girls enter the gym and sign in. A few words are exchanged before they step away from the desk. Barry nods at me and I sit up a bit straighter and focus on the girls now. Both of them are blonde, tall and have athletic bodies.
His nod lets me know that they are from the strip club. Both of them start on a treadmill and chat to each other. The tight fabric hides nothing and I can already see them dancing together maybe sharing a pole.
“What about them two?” I ask Mickey as I point at them with my coffee.
“Great bodies, bad heads.” The words slip out of his mouth without him thinking. When he looks at me he starts to apologize, but I cut it off.
“You’re right, but once you can identify the great bodies, don’t worry about the rest. A pretty face is a bonus, not a necessity.” I sit and watch them for another ten minutes. It’s mostly for Mickey’s sake. He’s being fidgety waiting for what’s next, and keeping him so close to the line is important, and to know how long it would take before he crossed it was vital.
“So what now?”
Ten minutes is all it took. Yeah, I am really regretting my decision. Standing up, I take the paper that was left here for me. Mickey yanks up his trousers as he follows me to the stairs.
“So what do you want me to do?”
I stop four steps away from the bottom of the stairs. “I want you to talk less and watch more.”
“I’m n
ot some low life.” His nose curls up as he speaks and I step close to him.
“No Mickey, you’re worse than that. You’re a rich boy who’s terrified of his daddy.” I shrug. “So don’t tell me what you are or aren’t, just do as you’re told.”
His nose flares but he has the brains to keep his big mouth shut. We leave the gym and climb into my car outside. I wasn’t sending Mickey up to the girls; I would get Linda to approach them. I never did, I didn’t need anyone remembering me for anything, only for security.
“Don’t ever wear those clothes around me again,” I say before turning the key in the ignition. The car comes to life under us, the hum of the engine gentle.
“What do you want me to wear?” Mickey’s still pissed as he speaks to the window.
“Something respectful.”
I leave the gym parking lot and make my way back to Slane. I’d told Linda to send Cara to the club again today. Feeling her last night with my hands was more than I could have expected. She’s perfect. Even her tears at the end were perfect.
“Like what you are wearing?” Mickey cuts through my thoughts.
“This isn’t going to work.” I turn off quickly and Mickey clings to the dashboard stopping himself from being jerked around the vehicle.
“I’ll wear a suit tomorrow.” He still holds onto the dashboard as I turn into the forest and park the car.
“I’m sorry.”
I don’t look at Mickey but remove the gun from the glove compartment. “Get out of the car,” I say as I get out and close my door. He’s still sitting in his seat curled up against the door. His eyes follow me as I move around the car. The moment I pull open his door he starts to plead.
“I’ll wear anything you want.”
“Get out now, Mickey.” I tap the hood of my new Audi with the gun and he jumps out with hunched shoulders, like if he makes himself smaller I won’t see him.
“I hate clowns,” I say as we start to walk.
His eyes dart around the forest and his footsteps slow. I give him an encouraging push forward with the butt of the gun.
“I’ve a killer headache,” I say rubbing my temple. I didn’t want to be trekking through the forest all day.
“Here will do,” I say and we stop.
He looks around him in a full circle. When he stops at me, his eyes widen at my raised gun.
“It just isn’t going to work,” I say before I pull the trigger.
CHAPTER NINE
HER
Linda’s distracted today. I’ve been standing in the changing room for the last ten minutes as she talks on the phone. I keep looking at her and my face burns. Did he tell her what he did, what we did? I can feel the heat scorch my neck. Humiliating, she must be laughing at me. I swallow the burn in my throat as Wendy arrives with the girl who was mean to me. Words are fired at each other until Linda holds the phone away from her face and stares daggers at them. Their chat ceases and she leaves. I don’t want her to go; I have no idea what to do.
“You’re such a fucking liar.”
“B, I’m not joking, if you don’t shut it, I will shut you up.” Wendy removes the hoops from her ears as she threatens B.
B snorts. “Your drunk ass won’t do nothing.”
Wendy’s eyes widen. Slamming the second earring down on the small makeup table, she marches to B. Wendy, is a lot taller, but B doesn’t shy away from Wendy. She moves a few paces back before she pushes Wendy back.
“We all know you made that shit up.” B’s words provoke Wendy, whose face twists into a snarl before she grips B by the hair. I glance around for Linda but she’s not in the room and I am not stepping between these two. They are half-bent pulling each other’s hair.
“I didn’t lie. He hurt me.”
B yanks Wendy’s hair and my own scalp burns watching them. “He wouldn’t touch you. You’re just obsessed with him.”
They continue back and forth with insults and I keep glancing at the door hoping Linda will arrive. The door opens and I’m surprised at the level of relief I feel. Candy steps into the room, her pink painted lips open really wide before she looks at me and smiles. “Hi, Cara.”
“Hi.”
Candy rolls her eyes at Wendy and B and walks around them.
“Say you’re sorry.” Wendy yells and her fist tightens around B’s blonde hair, she has extensions, I can see them coming away from her head.
“That’s never going to happen.”
I look to Candy who is stripping out of a pink costume and into a silver bikini. Her eyes meet mine and she rolls her eyes again as she clips the bra in place.
“Break it up before Linda comes back.” She stands over them but neither is letting the other one’s hair go. “Both of you will have to dance bald if you don’t stop.”
It’s like magic. They release each other’s hair and stand. Both touch their heads. The door opens again and Linda walks in. She looks at all of us and there is a moment that everyone stares back before they kick into action and start to get dressed.
“Does someone want to tell me what’s going on?” Everyone stops as Linda commands their attention. My heart rate accelerates for Wendy. The look of fear in her eyes has my own growing.
Wendy tries to fix her red hair by letting it down while she speaks. “Everything is fine.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“She’s been making up stories about a member of the staff,” B says the second half of her sentence while staring at Wendy.
“I didn’t make it up.” Wendy sounds small and lost and I feel like I’m standing here watching someone being bullied.
“We will talk about this later.” Linda speaks before clicking her fingers. “Everyone else get out and start dancing if you want to keep your jobs.”
“Linda.” Wendy pleads.
I take a final look in the mirror as I wait to hear what Wendy is going to say. My makeup is on perfectly so I’m just stalling.
“I didn’t make it up.”
“Are you drinking again?” Linda takes a step towards Wendy who takes a step back.
“No I’m not.” Wendy notices me and catches my eye in the mirror. Linda watches me too.
I leave the mirror with my head down and go out onto the floor. My body twitches to the music until I make it stop. Only two men are in the club and they look more into each other than they do the girls. Walking around, I hate the pull on my hips.
“Get up.” I cover my heart with my hand as I turn to Candy.
“On the pole?” I question as I let my heart rate settle back down. Candy had startled me. But I didn’t want her to see it.
“Where else? This is a club?” Her blue eyes sparkle as she pushes a soft brown curl out of her face.
Chewing my lip, I stare at the pole. I know I will have to eventually dance, but I don’t want to.
“I don’t know what to do.”
“Why don’t you get your cute butt up there and just dance.” Candy slaps my behind and I jump away from her, still tender from last night.
My face burns and I try to hide my humiliation. I don’t want Candy to question my reaction so I take the three small steps slowly and step onto the stage. It’s small and my hands go to the pole. The cold metal under my fingertips takes away some of the heat. I’ve seen it in the films how they wrap their leg around the pole and swing around it, but I wasn’t even going to attempt that.
“The easiest thing to do is pretend you are dancing around a guy you want to sleep with.” I glance at Candy and then the pole.
Holding onto the metal rod, I move around it.
“I said seduce him. You look like you’re in pain.” Laughter has entered her voice and I’m ready to come down, but I can’t as Candy climbs up beside me and stands on the opposite side of the pole.
She places her hands on the pole just below mine and starts to slowly walk around it. When she reaches me I move and have to keep moving.
“Now we look silly,” I say.
Candy rol
ls her eyes and grins. “We are two very sexy women dancing around a pole. There is nothing silly about that.” Candy’s hands loosen, her long red nails now trail along the pole moving up and down slowly. I copy her. Her hips sway a little and I mirror what she’s doing.
She brushes her body against the pole before stepping away, I keep copying her until we find a rhythm and I smile.
“You got it, girl.” Candy releases the pole and steps off the stage. I stop dancing and glance around the club feeling self-conscious but no one is watching. Swaying my hips, I find my rhythm again and Candy eggs me on. I smile, feeling empowered. Turning my back to the pole, I let my body slide down it before moving back up.
“Girl got moves.” I’m surprised by B’s praise but I take it. I continue to dance as they go to their own poles. I’m close to the oak door and wonder who’s in there now and what they are doing. Facing the pole again, I continue roaming my hands up and down as I dance around it. A young guy with blond hair steps into the club. He rubs his chest while wearing a goofy looking smile. When he catches my eye, he winks at me and starts to walk towards me. I’m aware of each move I make and just want to get down. I break eye contact and when I glance up my stomach twists, he’s standing close to my podium now. His blue eyes dance wildly in his head and they light up even further as Linda approaches him. She doesn’t look happy as she takes his arm and tries to walk him towards the door but he stops her. She’s talking but I can’t hear what’s being said. He pulls his arm out of her hand and he isn’t looking so pleased right now. I watch, trying to read their lips, but I can’t. It all ends quickly and he leaves the club. Linda watches him go before she turns back and catches my eye. With one raised eyebrow she stares at me and I start to dance again.
I wait until she’s passed me before getting off the stage. I needed to go to the bathroom. Heading out back, the reduction in the noise level of the music is nice. Trying to get out of my costume isn’t easy but I manage. It takes me another few minutes to pull the black bodysuit back up. I check myself in the mirror and pause. The door to the second bathroom is slightly open, a pair of purple, sparkly, high heels are visible and I recognize them as Wendy’s. The door opens a little more and now I can see her. She’s sitting on the toilet drinking a glass of brown liquid. Her eyes clash with mine in the mirror and hers widen.
