The Logan Brothers - Books 1-4: (EXPOSURE, CRASH, TWIN PASSIONS, and ADDICTED TO YOU)

by Shorter, L. A.

  “Now Alice, I've been told to tell you that you'll be performing this Saturday night. If you have any socials plans, make sure you cancel them.” She always called it 'performing' or 'dancing', never 'stripping'.

  My heart jumped at her words. In the moment I couldn't quite work out whether it was nerves or excitement - probably a mixture of both.

  “When? Where? At the club?”

  “That's all I know Alice. They wanted you to know a couple of days in advance so that you can prepare yourself. They will call you with the details.” She smiled at me as a teacher would when talking to a star pupil. “Good luck Alice, blow him away.”

  Chapter 20

  “A car will arrive at your dorms at 8 PM. It will take you to the Globe Hotel. You will go to room 640 where the client will be waiting. Dance for him until he is satisfied, then leave. Nothing more is expected of you.”

  Those were the orders that were delivered down my phone to me. It wasn't Kyle who delivered the message, it was someone else, a voice I didn't recognize.

  I dressed as Mrs Jones had instructed and waited in my dorm room. I didn't realize that I'd be sent off to dance away from the club like this. I'd thought that I'd simply be dancing in the club privately. But no, Mrs Jones had informed me to the contrary.

  “The prized dancers don't work in the club, Alice,” she'd told me. “They are taken to private venues for private clients who prefer the anonymity of choosing the time and the place.”

  “Don't worry,” she said, “noticing the concern on my face, “you'll be perfectly safe. Every client is carefully vetted to ensure that they are safe. If they pull anything they are dealt with accordingly, no matter who they are. They know not to mess with the girls.”

  Her words had given me some reassurance but I still felt uncomfortable. Not only was I being carted off to a hotel room somewhere, but it was my first official paid dance. Talk about throwing me into the deep end.

  I had no idea who the client was, I didn't even know his name. All I knew about him was what I could infer - that he was someone who liked to watch girls strip, and that he had money. I guess the first part of that in depth analysis applied to just about every man in the world!

  I couldn't help but reach for a glass of wine as I sat waiting to settle the butterflies in my stomach. My room had changed over the last couple of weeks. I'd bought some new bedding and made an effort to glam the room up a bit, give it some color and life.

  I looked over at the empty bed across from mine. No replacement for Jen had been found yet, so I continued to live alone, much to my relief, especially right now. I turned to a full body length mirror newly installed against the wall and drank in the reflection. I looked like Jen had that night when she left. In fact, it was almost like I'd taken her mantle, taken her life. My side of the room had blossomed into life as hers was, and I'd been recruited to work as she'd done. I wondered whether I'd pass the baton to my new room-mate, if ever she came.

  I noticed a light outside and looked out the window. A car pulled up at the bottom of the stairs, its windows blacked out. “OK Alice,” I said to myself, “let's do this.”

  I stepped from my dorm into a cacophony of noise outside of my room. My floor was alive with activity as girls and guys ran amok down the corridor, music blaring through doors, groups drinking in the hallway. It was typical for a Saturday night as everyone gathered into their cliques and prepared to go out into town, crash a floor party, or just stay in their dorms getting drunk and high.

  A got a chorus of wolf whistles as I walked towards the staircase from a group of guys smoking weed outside a dorm down the hall. “Whoa Alice, who's the lucky guy!” one called upon seeing my outfit. “How about you join us instead, we'll show you a good time!” He high-fived his cronies as they erupted in laughter and cheers.

  I stopped in front of them. “I think I'd be the one to show you a good time actually,” I said, stepping into character. It was the one Mrs Jones had taught me to portray - sexy, confident, provocative.

  Their cheers grew louder as I walked off, their shouts howling at me as I descended the stairs. College boys are so easy.

  I continued on out and into the car. There was a blacked out window blocking my view of the driver as I stepped in. He didn't say a word as the car quickly lurched forward. It was luxurious inside, the cream leather so smooth and comfortable and carrying that delicious smell. I opened a small compartment to find a selection of alcohol, filling a glass of whiskey to settle me further.

  Mrs Jones' words were ringing in my ears as I took my first sip. “Never dance drunk, Alice. You need your wits. When drunk you lose control, and that only ever leads to shady paths.” She had a way of speaking that was so archaic, rarely using any sort of slang or modern colloquialisms.

  I finished the drink despite her warnings as the car smoothly glided down the road. As I did the glass window separating me and the driver opened slightly and a voice came through the crack.

  “No more drink,” the driver growled, his voice rough. I was slightly taken aback by his sudden intrusion.

  I peered through the opening but could see little or him save a thatch of wavy hair beneath his drivers hat, obscured by a high collar. “Who are you to tell me that,” I asked, slightly indignant.

  “We're here,” he grunted once more. “Room 640 - ask for Mr White.”

  With that the glass window slid up once more as the car pulled to a halt outside of the Globe Hotel.

  I stepped from the car without thinking and looked up at the hotel entrance. I'd driven past it before many times on my way to work, but the idea of going inside had never crossed my mind. The street was busy with traffic on the road and sidewalk, people rushing this way and that looking for restaurants and bars on a cold Saturday night.

  I walked towards the hotel and through the main entrance. Inside everything was dripping in money, in luxury, the walls adorned with beautiful large paintings, the floor marble, and the ceiling fixed with the largest chandelier I'd ever seen, it's hundred lights shining brightly to the floor below.

  The concierge at the front eyed me as I walked in, his gaze suspicious. “Can I help you Miss?” he asked, keeping his look firmly to my face.

  “I'm here to see Mr White,” I said confidently, “I believe he's in room 640.”

  I saw his expression alter suddenly, a realization hitting him. “Oh, I see. Please, Raoul will escort you to the appropriate floor.”

  He nodded over to a young man who came dashing over. “Raoul, please take Miss....?”

  “Newton.”

  “Please take Miss Newton to Mr White's room.” The boy nodded and walked briskly away. It seemed he didn't need to be told where this Mr White was staying. I wondered whether White was even his real name.

  He seemed nervous as he operated the elevator, standing there twitching slightly and glancing over at me periodically. He looked to be only about 18, so it was probably a case of schoolboy lust.

  At the 6th floor he stepped out and started off down the hall. “Raoul,” I called after him, “I'm sure I can find it from here.”

  “Yes Miss Newton, apologies.” He turned back and pointed down the hall, his hand shaking slightly. “It's just down there.”

  “Thanks,” I said as he backed into the elevator and hit the switch, his eyes on me until the doors shut tight.

  I stepped forward in the quietness of the corridor and made my way towards room 640. I could feel my heat rate rising, the nerves beginning to override my forced calmness. This was it. It would be just me and him, no one else.

  I reached the room and took a deep breath. OK Alice, here we go.

  Chapter 21

  The room number loomed in front of my eyes.

  640.

  My first client. My first 'performance'.


  I lifted my fist to knock, lightly hitting the wood with my knuckles. “I am here for Mr White,” I said, reciting the line I had been told to say.

  A voice came from the other side. “Come in, lock the door behind you.”

  My breath was lost as I turned the handle and walked inside. It was dim, the main lights shut off, the only glow coming from shaded lamps in the corners of the room. The suite was large as an expansive living area appeared before my eyes, a large adjoining double door giving passage to the bedroom.

  I turned and clicked the lock as asked. “Good,” the voice came again as I returned my gaze to the center of the room. “Now come forward, and begin.”

  I searched for the source of the voice as I stepped into the room, seeing a figure seated in an armchair. He was shrouded by the low light, his appearance hidden from my view. Ahead of him a lamp had been placed as a spotlight, lighting up an open area of the room.

  I stepped forward into the light, my heart beating wildly in my chest. I was trying to keep my composure, trying to remember the words of advice that Mrs Jones had given me. Now, though, it was just me and him.

  I stood there for a moment as if waiting for further command from the man in the shadow. He gave none, his body unmoving.

  Then, suddenly, music started playing from speakers built into the walls all around the room. It was the type of music Mrs Jones played in the studio - stripping music, sexy music.

  With it my mind clicked into action, my instinct taking over. I began moving to the tones rolling from the walls, my body graceful, my movements sexy. I could see no reaction as my clothing grew in a pile on the floor, Mr White's face free of light, his body motionless.

  My heart settled as I fell into a pattern I now knew well, my eyes locked on the silhouette ahead of me. I was soon down to my underwear, unclipping my bra and sensually slipping it from my body. It was the first time I'd removed my top in front of anyone other than Mrs Jones, and my heart did somersaults as my breasts fell into his view.

  The confidence grew in me as I danced and moved, my performance that of a pro. I was without constraint, without any feeling of embarrassment or insecurity as I removed my thong, revealing my full body to an unknown man hidden in the shade.

  I was lost in the moment, my body growing warm and wet at the thought. I envisioned Kyle in the chair, his chest rising and falling heavily as his eyes drank in my curves. I imagined his hand sliding to his loins, his shaft growing hard as my hands spread over my breasts and down my inner thighs. My breathing grew intense as my body began to tremble in pleasure at the thought, the vision in my mind.

  I was broken from my fantasy as the music began to quieten and then come to a stop. Then, the man spoke once more.

  “Thank you for that,” he said, his voice neutral. “You may dress.”

  I breathed heavily in the silence as the world came back into focus. I quickly put my clothes back on as he watched on.

  “I am very interested in experiencing more of you,” the main said, his voice now growing in desire. “For now, though, please see yourself out and enjoy the rest of your evening.”

  My face grew in a frown as I turned away and paced towards the door. Experience more of you. What did he mean by that?

  I unlocked the door and stepped back out into the hall, leaving Mr White alone in the darkened room. A clock on the wall told me it was past 9 PM - I'd danced for over 20 minutes, although it had only seemed like moments. I'd got completely lost in the moment, overtaken by my own thoughts and fantasies. I could hardly remember what had happened, how I'd performed, what I'd done.

  I walked back down along the corridor towards the elevator and stepped in, pressing the button for the lobby. As I stepped out I could see Raoul's eyes follow me across the floor, his schoolboy crush intensifying with every step. I laughed in my head at the thought - he was pretty cute.

  The car was still there as I stepped out into the cold. I quickly climbed in and it once more powered off down the street. I breathed deep and long as I reached once more for the bottle of whiskey, shooting a shot down my neck and reloading fast.

  A smile crept across my face as I sat there. It was over - my first dance was over. I'd broken through, stripped for a man, and it had been the sexiest 20 minutes of my entire life.

  The car shuddered to a halt and I peered out the window to see my dorm, lights flashing inside the building and students rushing up and down the steps. I saw Tom and his football team marching out, seemingly alcohol-fueled and ready for a big night out. The traditional college experience, I thought. It certainly wasn't mine.

  As I prepared to open the door the window ahead of me slid down a crack and the driver spoke once more. “Alice,” the voice said. It was lost of its coarseness, suddenly smooth like butter and filled with feeling. “How did it go?”

  I recognized the voice immediately and leaned forward to look through the crack. I could see Kyle's eyes, shining blue under his wavy hair, just above the window. They looked sullen and brooding, almost upset.

  “What are you doing here,” I asked in shock, “aren't you too important to be just a driver?” My voice was intentionally sour and sarcastic.

  “I wanted to see that you were OK,” he said. “Did it go all right?” he asked again. “Did he enjoy the performance?”

  “I think so,” I said, remembering how he'd twice stopped me before getting my kit off, “more than you anyway.”

  He ignored the quip. “And you stripped completely? Is that what he wanted?”

  “Of course,” I said, slightly surprised he was even asking. “He never said what he wanted - I assumed he wanted the lot. Isn't that what all of this is about?”

  “I guess,” he said, his voice low and quiet. “Good job Alice.” It was like he was trying to inflict some sort of energy into his voice.

  I didn't get this guy at all. The last time I'd seen him he'd treated me like a damn commodity to be prepared for sale. Now - now he seemed distressed by the thought of me actually doing what he was paying me to do. He was a complete and total fucking enigma.

  We sat for a moment in silence in the car. I watched through the crack as his eyes turned back forward out the front mirror, turning the back of his head to me. “I'll get some feedback later Alice, from tonight. If he liked you, he'll probably want more.” His words went dull once more as he spoke.

  Fine by me. That was the easiest money I ever made.

  “Have a good night, I'll be in touch.”

  With that the window went up once again, closing the crack. What a fucking mystery.

  Chapter 22

  “Alice Newton, are you listening to me?”

  Erm, honestly Professor - no, no I wasn't.

  “Yes, Professor, sorry Professor.”

  “Well then perhaps you'd like to offer your opinions on the matter to the class.”

  Shit, what was the question?!

  “Ummm, well, I suppose that, ummm, David's idea is the best. It resonates best with the viewer.”

  Professor McNulty shook his head at the front of the class. “Alice, you clearly haven't been listening. See me after class in my office.”

  Fuck it.

  Tess had kept quiet next to me and pulled her 'oh shit, I've been caught' face as Professor McNulty returned his questioning to the rest of the class.

  “Busted,” she whispered, cracking a light smile.

  'Busted again' might be a more appropriate way of putting it. The same thing had happened with my other lecturers over the last couple of weeks, my mind almost entirely preoccupied with certain other parts of my life.

  I'd danced several more times since I'd seen off my stripping virginity, always in different places, always with Kyle front and center in my mind. I'd taken to vi
sualizing him sitting there as I performed, seeing him in the place of whoever I was dancing for.

  The whole thing was becoming routine for me, my once frayed nerves now cast to iron. I would walk to see the client confidently, throwing my clothes to the floor with vigor. I relished seeing them turn to mumbling schoolboys at my feet, these rich and powerful men crushed by my sexuality.

  It had made other parts of my life seem so much more mundane though, my studies once more beginning to suffer. I was beginning to wonder what the point of being at college was at all as I fell further and further into the world I had recently joined.

  Upon graduation I'd be left with heavy debts and the promise of what? A $30,000 grad scheme with 'excellent prospects for advancement'. Yeah, sure, if I even manage to get a job. I'd heard too many stories of top drawer graduates ending on the scrapheap and having to work for pennies just to get by. There was no reason why that wouldn't be me.

  This new world, this new life, it gave me a way out of that, it helped give me the support that I needed. I didn't have a rich family to fall back on like Tess. I had nothing, no one, except myself. I'd been given this opportunity, and I wasn't going to let it go to waste.

  “Alice, speak to me, what's been going on with you recently?” asked Professor McNulty as I stood like a naughty schoolgirl in front of him in his messy office.

  “Nothing sir, I've just been busy with a new job. I'll get things straight soon.”

  He looked over me curiously, nodding. “It is a burden that many students have to bear. But you are a very bright girl Alice, I'd hate to see you throw your education away. I advise you manage your time better if you're to fulfill your potential.”

  “I will sir, thanks for the advice.”

  I didn't really believe what I was saying. The advise was so obvious a monkey could have given it to me. I suppose there was little else he could say anyway - he hardly knew my personal situation intimately enough to offer any insight of value.