Many people in the past accused Antoine of taking advantage of these poor girls, though he didn't see it that way at all. He wasn't taking advantage of them, he was offering them opportunity. He offered them a job that was much more beneficial to them than the job they were stuck in. Antoine had the resources to get these women the things they struggled to get on a daily basis. He just didn’t hand his money out for free. If they wanted financial security, they were going to have to earn it.
The music in the club was loud and not to Antoine’s taste. He preferred moody music with jazz and folk elements. He liked music that reminded him of low hanging willow trees and swamps. He liked music that reminded him of home.
Antoine turned to the burly man beside him and offered him a wad of cash, smirking. “Enjoy yourself, Ray.”
Ray smirked and took the money without hesitation. Antoine treated his men well, but only if they earned their keep. “Ten-four, boss.” He confirmed, raising a hand in the air and offering a half salute before disappearing behind a curtain.
Antoine smirked and shook his head as he stepped into the main performing space. It was the best place to go when you wanted to see what a club had to offer. The room was split into three areas with three separate stages. There was enough of a divide that Antoine couldn’t see any of the dancers except for the one right in front of him. He sat at one of the small round tables and held a hand up to get the attention of one of the drink girls. He ordered a Black Russian and tipped her well, leaning back to enjoy the show.
The lights began to dim and a very familiar song started playing over the loud speaker. It was a song that Antoine had heard on the radio many times, but it had a jazzy sound to it and a darkness that he’d been crazing ever since he’d been assaulted with the sound of AC/DC. He tapped his fingers on the table, watching the curtain at the end of the stage with an intensity that spoke to his desire.
The curtains parted slowly and one perfectly smooth leg dipped out from behind the red velvet and the woman it was attached to followed shortly. Antoine’s eyes widened when the woman was revealed to him. She had long, loose curls that shone under the stage lights like a raven’s feathers and eyes like a hurricane. They were grey and swirling with emotion. Emotion wasn’t something Antoine found in strippers all that often. His eyes were drawn to her dangerous curves and wide hips. Her ample breasts were exposed to the world as she slowly undid the thing string that held her bra on. It fluttered to the floor and Antoine was sold.
He raised his hand once more and snapped it once in the air, catching a nearby waitress’s attention. The same woman from before wandered over and sighed. “You want another refill, honey?”
“No. Get your manager for me.” He reached up and handed her a card made of thin metal. It had engraved letters in it that were neatly pressed. “Tell him it’s Antoine.” He ordered before his golden eyes shot back to the stage, not wanting to miss a second of her performance.
The drink girl wandered away and the dancer’s hips started to gyrate slowly as she slid down the pole onto her knees. The song said the exact words that Antoine was thinking; amen…amen. He was so entranced with the woman’s performance that he hardly noticed when the club manager came to sit at his table.
“Did you find someone you were interested in?”
Antoine’s eyes darted over to the manager and a grin spread across his face. He nodded to the woman on stage, sipping on his drink. “I sure did. I want her in a private booth as soon as this song is over.” He said, standing and tucking a few hundred dollar bills into the manager’s hand.
“Of course, sir.” Ricky said smirk. “Anything you want.”
Chapter Five
Kris finished her number, coming off stage with bills wadded up in her hands. She was naked now and on her way to the back where a warm robe was waiting for her until her next number. Kris didn’t believe in costume changes. Once she stripped out of her clothes she was naked for the whole night, besides, men weren’t interested in their outfits. Why not just cut to the chase?
She was just slipping into the warm robe when Ricky came running down the hallway. Kris cocked a brow at him and pulled the robe around her shoulders even tighter. She knew that Ricky saw her naked almost every night but that didn’t mean she wanted him to. The rage that boiled in her belly every time she saw Ricky was overwhelming. She’d never hated someone the way she hated him.
“What do you want?”
Ricky smirked and put an arm around her shoulders and the stench of his cologne made her stomach roll. She pulled away from him, ignoring the sour look he gave her.
“A client wants some VIP time with you.”
“I don’t do that, Ricky.”
“Don’t flatter yourself. I didn’t say he wanted to fuck you. He’s a very good client of mine and I’m sure he’ll give you a nice tip…Or the whole thing.” Ricky burst out laughing at his own joke, slapping his knee and gasping for breath.
Kris rolled her eyes and brushed past him, heading towards the VIP rooms. “I’ll go talk to him, but I’m not fucking him.” She called back.
The hallway where the changing rooms were connected to the hallway with the VIP rooms were. She was thankful for this since it meant she didn’t have to go out to the main floor and deal with drunk guys pulling at her robe. When she finally reached the only VIP room with an open door, she stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
Antoine was already in the room, lounged in one of the velvet covered couches. His jacket was draped over the back of the chair in an attempt to look more casual. It was a futile attempt. Kris could see that his suit cost more than she made in a month. It meant that he wouldn’t be stingy with her tip, but it made her nervous at the same time. Men with this kind of money often thought they could get away with anything if they were willing to pay the right price.
Kris stayed near the door, not bothering to offer him a smile. “Ricky told me you wanted to see me.”
“Ah…You must be Kristine?” he asked, looking her up and down.
“Kris.”
“Kris, then. I like it. It’s a strong name.”
“Why did you have Ricky send me here? You want a private dance?”
“Not, quite. My name is Antoine, by the way.” He didn’t offer his last name, but it didn’t seem
necessary.
Kris frowned deeply, pressing her lips into a firm line as she crossed her arms over her chest. His
voice was smooth and he spoke with a drawling southern accent indicative of the deep south and the Louisiana swamps. It was appealing, to say the least, but Kris wasn’t going to be caught off guard by a man with a silver tongue.
“Well, you’re out of luck then. That’s the only think your money is going to buy.”
He cocked a brow and smiled, enjoying the fight she had in her. “What about a quick conversation? No funny business.”
She glanced at him, not sure she believed him. What kind of guy paid good money just to talk to a stripper? It didn’t make much sense to her but she decided to go along with it. She sat on the far end of the couch, eyeing him suspiciously.
“No funny business.” She repeated.
Antoine poured her a glass of champagne and offered it to her, sipping out of his own glass. She took it with some reluctance, examining the liquid for any cloudiness. It wouldn’t be the first time that some asshole had drugged a stripper. She finally decided that it looked fine and took a sip, enjoying the sweet taste of the expensive alcohol.
“It was explained to me previously that you’re not a prostitute.” he said, leaning back and eyeing her with a hungry look. “I’m not here to proposition you for sex. I’m here to offer you a job.”
“A job? What? Are you a pimp or something? I’m not interested in being someone’s whore, okay?”
“And I’m not interested in a whore.”
“Then what are you interested in?”
Antoine unbuttoned his sleeves and started to roll them back to his elbow, revealin
g tattoos that decorated every inch of skin. She imaged that they went up his entire arm and her eyes even followed the imaginary ink until she reached his face. She hadn’t taken the time to really look him over yet but now that she saw him in good light she had to admit that he was good looking.
His skin was tan with an olive undertone that suggested he might be Greek or Italian. Judging from the thick black hair that sat atop his head, she would have guessed Italian. He had piercing green eyes that seemed to see right through her act. He had a neatly trimmed beard that was thick and dark and made him seem sophisticated. The sides of his hair were cropped close to the scalp but the top was long enough to slick back. If it hung loose, she was sure it would have fallen into his eyes and that would have been a damn shame. He was the type of man that she would have found herself attracted to in her younger years. A bad boy in an expensive suit; he was pretty much a walking wet dream
“I am interested in coming to an agreement.”
Kris waited for him to continue still eyeing him suspiciously. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small envelope, handing it over to her. She took the carefully sealed envelope but didn’t open it. She flipped it open in her hands and then looked up at him.
“Kris, I am not a customer and I am not a pimp. I’m a dominant and I want you to be my new submissive.”
Chapter Six
Kris stared at him for a long time and then leaned her head back, busting out laughing. She shook her head and stood up, waving her hand a little and offering the envelope back. “No thanks, dude. I’m not interested.”
“Aren’t you going to read my terms?”
“There’s nothing you could say or do to convince me to be you’re submissive.”
Working in the adult industry normally meant that you were inundated to everything that went on in it, including the more underground stuff. She’d seen men bring their girlfriend’s in on leashes and make them eat off the floor. They were normally thrown out pretty quickly but that didn’t mean that Kris hadn’t seen it plenty.
“Do you like it here, Kris? Do you like stripping?”
“Of course not.”
“I could get you out of here. I could bring you home with me and give you everything you could ever want or need. If it doesn’t work out, then you’ll be more than welcome to come back here. It’s all outlined in that contract.” He said, pointing to the envelope.
She looked down at it and frowned deeply. “Everything I’ve ever wanted, huh? Sounds too good to be true.”
“It’s not.”
“Listen, I appreciate your time but you’re crazy and I’m not interested.”
Antoine’s hand snapped out and he gripped her wrist, pulling her back to the couch. His strength surprised her and she couldn’t help but fall back into the plush velvet.
“Everything I’m tell you is completely legitimate, Kris. I’m not telling you to commit your life to me; I’m asking you for a trial period.”
“And why me? You don’t even know me.”
He chuckled and leaned close enough that she could smell the faint scent of teakwood and wet dirt. Antoine reached up and tucked a stray curl behind her ear, his finger’s brushing her pale skin. “I know what I want, Kris. I am not a man who waffles. I know exactly what I want and I go after it and I want you.”
Kris’ eyes were wide and she didn’t dare pull away. He leaned away and picked the envelope up, tucking it into her hands. “The details of this envelope are for a trial period. One month for you to get used to things and see if you like it. All of your expenses will be paid and you will be cared for. I can take you away from this place, Kris. You and I both know that if you stay, this place is going to be the death of you.”
Every word he said was true, but she was too afraid to admit it. She swallowed thickly and didn’t respond, her fingers clenching into a fist and then relaxing. She closed her eyes and dropped her head, cheeks burning as blood rushed to them. She was embarrassed that she was stuck in this situation and that this seemed to be her only way out. As much as she tried to avoid it, being a whore was going to be her only way out of this whore…Maybe If it was just one guy it wouldn’t be so bad.
Kris looked down at the envelope and turned it over and over in her hand, tears coming to her eyes. She hated crying and she especially hated crying in front of people. “You’re going to expect some kind of sexual activity, aren’t you?”
“It is part of the contract but consent will be needed.” he said softly, glancing over at her, “You won’t be expected to sleep with anyone else, however. This agreement will be monogamous, to protect both of us.”
She tucked the envelope in the pocket of her robe, looking away, “I need some time to think this over.”
“Of course. My card is in envelope. I’ll be in New York for about a week.” he stood and offered his hand to help her up from the couch.
Kris took the offered hand and pulled herself to a standing position, thanking him before leaving the room. Her hand dipped into her pocket to feel the envelope, thumb running over the paper for a moment. It got her thinking about what she was considering. As soon as she left the VIP room, she went straight to the cramped broom closet and gathered her things. She still had a few more sets scheduled but she decided it was a good night to go home ‘sick’. She didn’t bother telling Ricky she was leaving and disappeared into the night to catch a bus home.
When she finally made it back to her tiny efficiency she settled on the bed, turning on her TV in order to illuminate the darkness that she hated so much. Silence was deafening to her and she preferred the mindless buzz of the TV. She took the envelope out of her purse and broke the seal, turning it over and dumping the contents out onto the bed.
Inside was a letter, a check and a metal business card. She picked up the business card and ran her fingers of the smooth surface. It was surprisingly heavy in her hands, she flipped it over in her hands and ran her thumb across the raised lettering that read ‘Antoine Mercer’ followed by a string of letters she assumed was his phone number.
The next thing that caught her eye was the upside down check. She turned it over and glanced at the amount box and her eyes widened. She flipped the check over and pressed it into the bed, her throat tightening a bit. Was this…real? There had been way too many zeros in that box. She turned it over again and stared at, looking over at the memo line. It simply read ’for your time’. Who was willing to pay a stripped $10,000 for a half hour of chatting? A man with more money than brains, she supposed. Even though she found the amount of money shocking, it did get her wondering what her allowance might look like if she agreed to go with him.
Her gaze moved to the letter that was still folded up on the bed. She picked it up and slowly unfolded it, her eyes scanning the contract. A few simple rules were laid out in the letter;
This is a trail period of 30 days. After this time, you will be paid for your service and allowed to return home.
Sex will be expected on a consensual basis and will remain monogamous.
You will be required to do housework and chores at my discretion.
Above all, you will obey the commands you are given, though you can expect that they will never aim to compromise your morals or humanity.
You will be cared for financially and given a fair stipend of $10,000 a month for your services.
If you feel that I have violated any of the above rules you are welcome to cancel this contract.
Kris read through the contract three or four times, trying to find the catch. She’d always believed that if something sounded too good to be true, it probably was. As hard as she tried and as much as she tore the letter apart, she couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Kris was surprised at how eager she was to accept the offer.
That eagerness was what brought her down from the high. Kris needed to seriously consider what she was going to do with this information. At the end of the day. If she accepted this offer, she would be Antoine’s whore.
Chap
ter Seven
Kris didn’t go into work the next day, or the day after. Ricky’s angry text messages and voicemails didn’t affect her in the least. It wasn’t the first time she hadn’t shown up to work and she was sure it wouldn’t be the last, if she decided to stay, and that was a big if. She’d taken those two days to read the contract Antoine had given her, over and over again. She couldn’t get over just how hopeful this seemed.
She’d put the letter away, hid it from sight and tried to ignore it but it just kept itching at her brain. Kris had considered the fact that this guy might take her away, murder her and hide her body in a basement somewhere. That was a very real possibility. After all, no one noticed when a stripper went missing. They were the invisible women of society.
When she considered that, though, she also realized that she didn’t really care if she was killed. Her life didn’t mean much now so what did she have to lose if he did turn out to be an ax murderer? This morbid thought was the one that convinced her to finally make a move.
Kris stared at the business card and finally picked up her cellphone, dialing the number engraved on the front. It rang a few times and Antoine finally answered.
“This is Antoine Mercer; how can I help you?”
“I accept.”
There was a moment of silence on the other line and then a warm chuckle. “You accept? I’m guessing that it’s safe to assume that this is Kris?” He asked.
“Yeah. It’s me and I accept.”
“You’ve taken the time to read the contract?”
“Like a hundred times.”
“Alright then. Where would you like to meet? I have an official copy of this contract that will require signatures and a notary.”
“Alright…Let’s meet at the club. Give me a few hours to pack up and we’ll meet at five.”
VAMPIRE:Vampire Guardian Series: Paranormal Mystery Vampire Alpha Male Romance (New Adult Contemporary Paranormal Royalty Fantasy Romance Collection)) Page 32
