Like a gorgeous, dark, brooding hunk.
AS SIENNA exited the club Thursday night on Big Mike’s arm, unconditional love and affection emanating from the big bruiser in his running pants and matching warm-up jacket, she thought about her new family—Asher, Petal, Sydney, Penelope at the Meow, and her sweetie, Mike. It was more than she could ask for to have five people so intimately involved in her life.
Sienna had dreamed of having a big family with a bunch of kids when she was younger. When she ran away from the only family she’d ever known, she’d expected to be alone for the rest of her life, but she wasn’t. And for this, Sienna was grateful. The gang might not be much, but they were all she had.
Mike was the one who had surprised Sienna the most. He sort of crept into her life, and now was permanently fixed as her biggest fan and buddy. Not only did he take Sienna out when she needed to venture outside her house or the club, but he walked her to the club’s town car each evening.
Asher didn’t like Sienna driving herself to and from the club. When the billboard went up two years ago, he put an end to Sienna coming and going on her own. Tuesday through Sunday, Asher sent a town car to pick up Sienna, and then the same driver would return her home safely. Typically, Sienna found herself hanging on to the elbow of Petey or Mike, who escorted her out the well-lit back entrance to the Tunnel and deposited her safely into the soft, luxurious leather backseat of a town car. Like tonight.
The time each night when she was escorted out was special. It was something she looked forward to, relished even. It was a quiet moment when she truly connected one-on-one with another person.
As the town car whisked her effortlessly home, Sienna found her thoughts centering on Asher. She wasn’t stupid; she knew Asher provided this service more for his own peace of mind—and his sex life—than her general safety. He was a man, after all, and had his own physical needs. It wasn’t like that between Sienna and Asher, although many speculated it was, and sometimes, Sienna wished it were. She wouldn’t be forced to be alone for the rest of her life if she could be romantically involved with Asher, but their relationship was nothing more than a deep friendship, or brotherly love.
Asher would probably go for her sexually out of some weird sense of responsibility, but that wasn’t what Sienna wanted, nor would she ever force Asher into a life like that. She cared for him too much to allow him to tie himself to her out of obligation.
No one who really knew the two of them, which was maybe ten people in total, believed they were a couple. Only the media and the crazy paparazzi speculated, which was fine with Sienna. The upside of the rumors of her having a steamy affair with Asher was that they didn’t link her with anyone else.
Secretly, she liked this aspect of her relationship with Asher, even though it was false. Not having to publicly be linked with someone else was a relief. But if Asher actually met someone special, Sienna knew she’d easily give up the act.
He deserved that.
Like her, Asher had come from a shitty life. Although he didn’t publicize it widely, he wasn’t nearly as secretive about his past with everyone at the club as Sienna was. His mom, a showgirl who had never married, dropped a seven-year-old Asher off at a neighbor’s house one afternoon and never came back. With no clue who his dad was, the neighbors took Asher in and raised him as their own. At least his mom had taken a calculated risk in leaving him with people she must have known wouldn’t turn Asher over to the system, even though he gave them plenty of reason to do so once he hit his teens.
The couple, who both were lifers in the Vegas nightlife industry, ran a small bar and casino off the strip. They were decent people who never had kids of their own, but gave Asher as good a life as they were able. In turn, Asher could never repay them enough for keeping him out of the foster care system. He bought and paid for a luxury condo for the couple he thought of as parents a few years back, and they never wanted for anything.
Asher had told Sienna he was certain he wouldn’t even be alive today if he had been passed through the foster care system to people who couldn’t have given a rat’s ass about him.
A major rebel through his teen years, Asher was left with few options when he graduated from high school. Because of his grades, college wasn’t realistic, and he despised the idea of the military. So Asher gravitated toward the only life he knew…the Vegas nightlife.
Working his way from bouncer to club manager to young owner of the very run-down strip club, Tunnel-O, he slowly found success. Over time, Asher transformed Tunnel-O into the Electric Tunnel, and his business was on the upswing when he met Sienna.
With a desperate need to make sure he had security in life, Asher built the Tunnel into what it was today. Well, with Sienna’s help, Asher had always insisted. Her dancing was a big part of the club’s success, but Sienna knew Asher was well on his way to making it even before she came into the picture.
Sienna knew Asher’s personal needs were often met after a long evening of work at the club, when she was already safely at home. Although he typically said he had to “stay and work late” after the club closed, his version of working late was entertaining in his office, which he couldn’t enjoy if he was worried about Sienna getting home safely. So when he suggested she start taking the town car back and forth to the club, since he couldn’t “get any work done” if he was worried about her, she didn’t put up a fuss. She didn’t like to upset Asher, and it wasn’t any of her business anyway, so she didn’t argue about the town car.
Asher didn’t make a habit of dating any of the girls from the club, yet he made an exception with Natalie. There was something going on with Natalie and Asher, but Sienna didn’t pry, since it was clear at the moment they were on some type of break. What kind of break was anyone’s guess, since no one quite got what was going on in the first place between the two.
Sienna knew Asher was only distracting himself with the other young women who visited him at the club, but he genuinely liked Natalie. Again, none of her business, but still she sort of liked the thought of Asher ending up with Natalie, and hoped they could work out whatever it was they were going through and move forward.
She bit her tongue from saying this directly to Asher, though. Sienna stayed out of Asher’s dating life.
Stay out of his; he’ll stay out of mine. Which was probably wishful thinking.
Sienna’s silence didn’t stop Asher from meddling in her dating life, or lack thereof. He asked her more than once a week, “Sienna, you ever going to date, baby doll? Find a nice guy for yourself and settle down?”
“Ash, you know I’m not,” she always answered. “I have all the men I can take staring at me at the club.”
Sienna knew Asher saw right through her response, but she also hoped he was smart enough to let it be. He knew more than anyone about her marriage. He just didn’t understand that she could never really see herself having another one.
Asher, always trying to make sure I get everything I want out of life and more.
She knew Asher’s heart was in the right place, but her inner Lila really didn’t want anything other than to be safe. Exposing herself to a level of intimacy again wasn’t in her future.
But could it be? Her thoughts floated for a minute to the guy who had sat front and center the last few weeks and never smiled.
What would he be like in person?
No, she couldn’t open herself to a man again. Besides, she wasn’t divorced. There was no chance of moving forward, even if she wanted to, with the man who had suddenly taken over her mind.
Just because she was destined to be alone didn’t mean Asher shouldn’t date, have fun, and make a good life, though. Why he didn’t make a life with someone, Sienna had no clue. He was successful, beyond wealthy all on his own, and had a huge heart. Maybe she should break her own rule about getting involved with Asher’s love life, and help him figure it out. Pay it forward some more, like she did with Petal.
She knew he liked Natalie a lot.
Ear
lier, as Mike had leaned in to kiss her on the cheek before settling her in the car, she had whispered to him, “Watch out for Asher. He’s like a live wire after what happened a few weeks ago. You know what I mean? In the VIP room?”
Mike had nodded his head. “Yeah, kid, I know. Petey feels responsible, and we’ve all been treading lightly with the boss. We know there’s something more there with Nat and him, but I got you. I’m keeping an eye out.”
Snuggling in for a tiny bit more affection, she had said, “He deserves to be happy. If it’s with Natalie, he has to resolve his issues with her at the club, and trust you guys. You and I both know Petey was there in a heartbeat.”
He had pulled her in for a brotherly hug. “Don’t you worry yourself over it. I’ll watch him, and Petey knows, love.” He rumpled the hair on top of her head and gave her a push toward the car.
“It’s not that easy, Mike! I’m going to talk to him, too.” She laughed and put a playful frown on her face as she settled herself in the backseat.
“Good night, Sie.” He had gently closed the car door and turned on the heel of his high-top basketball shoes to head back inside the club.
Just a few weeks before, things got a bit wild in one of the private rooms. It happened occasionally at the Tunnel, despite all the bouncers and security equipment. Some customers tried to get away with crazy shit. That was what went down with Natalie and one of the other dancers named Sadie, who were entertaining of all patrons, a married couple.
The husband and wife showed up on the VIP list from one of the upscale hotels, flashing a ton of cash and wanting to have a good time, which was a common occurrence at the club, especially on the weekends. Natalie, who was always looking to earn a little extra money so she could do more for her son, had no problem with dancing for the couple in the back room. The husband and wife also wanted a second dancer, so they could simultaneously get lap dances. Not an outlandish request for the Tunnel, where people played out all kinds of fantasies.
Natalie pulled Sadie in with her, and both of them were perfectly fine with tantalizing the man and the woman with their solo moves along the sensuous deep purple banquettes in the farthest back room in the VIP area. It was the dancer’s call in the back rooms to loosen the no-touching rule as they felt comfortable. Usually, girl-on-girl touching was no big deal. There was never any type of penetration allowed, but a good feel was pretty much standard back there.
Sadie was performing for the wife, and from what Sienna heard, the two of them were having an extremely good time. The woman was amped up on hormones and loving every second of Sadie grinding up against her, blowing in her ear while whispering sexual suggestions for her to share later with her husband. This was all pretty standard for a backroom all-female experience. The woman was softly caressing Sadie’s side cleavage, teetering on the verge of orgasm just from the provocative lap dance while her husband enjoyed Natalie.
Time was ticking by, and the couple was running up a huge tab at a thousand dollars an hour to enjoy Nat and Sadie in the VIP room. Well into the second hour, the husband stuck his finger inside Natalie’s mouth, despite the fact that no penetration was allowed of any kind—oral, vaginal, anal, it didn’t matter.
Even though Natalie was allowing the man’s hands to roam a bit, she wasn’t down for his finger entering her body. To make matters worse, the guy had palmed an ecstasy pill, which he tried to slip under Natalie’s tongue.
Drugs were a hard no-no at the Tunnel. They were reason for immediate expulsion and your name blacklisted forever. With two bouncers at opposite ends of the VIP room and video cameras all along the overhead lighting, it didn’t take long, maybe twenty seconds at most, to catch Natalie wincing and struggling.
Within a minute, the couple was swiftly removed from the premises, and Natalie and Sadie were ushered directly to Asher’s office suite in the club. Sadie was fine, no worse for the wear, only concerned for Natalie.
Sienna had popped up to check on Natalie and caught Asher in a rage, completely beside himself. He was bitching Natalie out, going on and on about how she didn’t care about herself, her son, and him. Not wanting to be a part of it, she excused herself.
Witnessing the strong emotions Asher had for Natalie confirmed what Sienna already knew. He cared for Natalie more than he let on to her, and to himself. She just didn’t understand why Asher didn’t allow himself to follow through on whatever it was he felt for Natalie.
I hope he’s not holding back because of me.
That was one big reason why guilt plagued Sienna. Did Asher not want to hurt her by dating other people, and possibly starting a relationship? Did he think she would feel deserted?
She wouldn’t. She loved Asher, but not like that. So now that Petal was settled, Asher would be her next project.
Sienna let Asher have his no-strings fun and took his town car home to be by herself each night, hoping he’d do more than have a casual fling in his office. She needed to be by herself, but Asher didn’t, and now she was going to help move him toward something she could never have herself.
SIENNA WAS still thinking about Asher and how he shouldn’t be lonely as she was when she got home and dipped into her bath. No matter what time she arrived back home, at night or early morning, Sienna took a hot bath. It helped her soak off the sweat and energy of the club.
Sinking into her tub full of bubbles, lathering herself with a clean, fresh scent, and washing away the sultry air of the Tunnel transported Sienna to a good place. Closing her eyes, she imagined not being the lonely woman she was, but rather a lover, partner, wife, caretaker. In any one of these roles there would be someone else to whisper to, joke with, or sleep next to after a long day.
A long day of what? Stripping?
There was no denying she’d pretty much seen and heard it all at the Tunnel. She didn’t wish to experience every single act she had knowledge of over the years, but somewhere deep, she longed for something sensual of her own. She’d never experienced making love, let alone dirty, kinky sex with anyone, and a small piece of her wanted that.
Making love. She knew she’d never have it, but still she wished on some level she could.
Her bathroom was her refuge, the only place she truly let down her hair. The room was her favorite part of her carriage house, and where Sienna allowed her thoughts to drift and wander to what she might desire.
For the most part, her entire home was the one thing that made her smile, leaving her not feeling totally bereft from what had become of her life. Actually, her home was the carriage house at the rear of Asher’s property; he had renovated it and was looking for a tenant when he met Sienna. When he’d learned she was staying in a dingy extended-stay motel, he moved her in to the carriage house, saying she would pay him “back rent” when she could.
At some point, it became clear he was never going to charge her back rent, so Sienna abruptly handed him a lump sum for the value of the place. Although not one bit necessary, she knew Asher would transfer the deed to her, which he did.
She turned on the water, adding a little more warmth to her bath, taking pride in the fact that she was now a homeowner. Sienna Flower owned her own home. Something else Lila had only dreamed about.
It felt liberating, even though without Asher in her corner, none of this could have happened. After all, she couldn’t exactly apply for a mortgage using her old social security number.
Originally Asher had run her paychecks through his own account and then cashed her out. It was an arrangement they struck when she was moving from cocktail server to dancer. As a server, she earned cash tips and a tiny off-the-books base. Moving on to dancer, she started with a small salary and lots of cash benefits, which only grew. The cash was all good because she couldn’t declare her own salary, forcing Asher to come up with a more unique solution.
After some time, Asher set up a small LLC and paid the corporation Sienna’s money. Then he withdrew a salary in cash for her. Asher made it work, no matter what.
He to
ld his accountant it was a little talent-search business he set up on the side to find new dancers. Despite the fact that she hated lying or deceiving the IRS, there was simply no way around it. Thankfully, Vegas wasn’t a place where many looked into one another’s personal business. There was too much shit to hide on everyone’s part, so Sienna Flower wasn’t a target.
Everyone took it for what it was worth: She was Sienna Flower, queen of the strippers in Vegas, and made a shit load of money. Period.
She had an extremely well-done fake driver’s license to prove she was in fact Sienna Flower; yet another benefit of living in Vegas. She only had to hope and pray no one ever really ran her social security or driver’s license numbers.
After thinking too long and hard in the tub, Sienna’s skin was wrinkled like a prune and the water had cooled off. She climbed out and wrapped herself in a huge terry robe before slipping into bed.
Her bed was another of her favorite purchases. It was a huge king-sized sleigh bed with silky sheets and way too many throw pillows. An indulgence so contradictory to her austere upbringing, she couldn’t help but smile every time she crawled into it, despite the fact she was crawling into it alone.
Often Sienna drifted off to sleep as she watched the early-morning news, typical of the life of someone in the adult entertainment industry. As the sun came up, the strip clubs closed for the night. Days and nights were forever mixed up, but she was used to it now. In fact, she liked not having to be home alone in bed in the dark, when her thoughts jumbled in her head.
Sienna turned off the TV and snuggled deep in her soft sheets and covers. This was the time she felt lonely, with no one to warm her feet or bring her a cup of hot tea. Not that she’d had that in her marriage, but somewhere deep down she dreamed of it.
Maybe I should get a dog?
AFTER FINISHING his nightcap and cigar, Carson exchanged a few good-natured jokes with Victor and closed out his tab. Slot machines clanged loudly all around him, and a chorus of excited shouts went up at a nearby roulette table. He shook his head and bit back a smile, darkly amused that someone’s luck was obviously better than his.
Electrified Page 5
