lie down on my back and lift my head all
the way so I can see behind me. You are
going to have a dollar bill folded in your
mouth, which you will pass to me like a
kiss. We won’t actually touch lips. You
need to hold your mouth there for a
moment and take your hand and run it
from my stomach up to my neck very
slowly. It will drive the entire crowd
wild. Smile and wave shyly at the men
as you turn around to find your seat
again. I will blow you a kiss, and that is
it. Are you okay with that?”
A huge smile covered her face, than
dropped suddenly. “What if I don’t
win?”
Looking at her seriously, my heart
broke. “I will personally give you the
five hundred dollars. Either way, you
must promise me to leave here tonight
and never return. Whatever you are
going through is temporary. Don’t add
this to your list of issues.”
I could see the tears well up in her
eyes as my gaze held them steady. I
knew Frankie would kill me if he knew I
betrayed him like this, much less had
girls bawling their eyes out in his club. I
cracked the biggest smile I could muster
and chirped.
“Come on, let’s go. It’s show
time!”
I grabbed her hand and pulled her
up the stairs to cross on the mezzanine,
which made it easier to get around. The
place was getting packed wall to wall
with people. I decided to be useful and
stood at the bottom of the stage, assisting
the girls up and down the stairs for their
turns. Frankie was behind the bar,
smiling like an idiot at me. I had only
had one drink, the atmosphere being a
different form of intoxication.
Reese’s turn was up next. She
chose an upbeat country song for her
rotation. It was appropriate. I could see
her confidence as she walked around the
stage, doing small twirls. Nothing sexy,
but the crowd was still eating her up.
One more girl was on the roster before
my turn. The adrenaline started to course
through my veins. I needed a shot to
calm my nerves, or maybe two. I was
able to manage my footing quite well,
despite the length of time it had been
since I wore them last.
Frankie came right over to me,
asking what I needed.
“Make it strong and make it quick.
Your dreams are about to come true.”
He grabbed his chest dramatically
as if he were having a heart attack. I
snapped my fingers together several
times to emphasize my point. His staff
was watching me warily as I treated
their boss with such indifference. I am
sure he would have questions to answer
later, but right now, we were both
enjoying the moment.
He placed two large shot glasses in
front of me. I scooted one towards him
that he promptly pushed back. His finger
wagged back and forth refusing the
drink. Looking back into his eyes, he
took a dramatic bow and went back to
the guests. Knowing the end of the song
was near, I quickly pounded both of
them. The distinct taste of bourbon and
oranges burned my throat as they went
down.
I gave myself fifteen minutes before
they hit, which was good. My song was
four minutes long and afterwards, I might
be useless. Before I could walk away,
Frankie had returned, placing a bottle of
151 and a lighter down in front of me.
“I haven’t done this in forever,
Frankie! You really want me blowing
flames without practice? I am going to
burn my fucking eyebrows off!”
He leaned across the bar and
motioned for me to come closer to him.
“You also haven’t stepped foot in my
club in over ten years and look how easy
it all comes back. It’s still in you.”
I didn’t know if I should feel
confident or afraid of that statement…
A small shiver slid down my back
as I waited for Jimi to call my name. He
pumped up the crowd, promising a
special guest. The bass in the song I
chose rippled through the building as it
started. That was my cue. One of the
guards held my hand as I walked up the
steps to the stage. I sucked in a deep
breath as bright lights focused down on
me almost blindingly. The rest of the
room was pitch-black, except for the
back of the bar and the small candles
flickering on the tables.
The colored lights started to spin
around the room as the beat grew more
intense. My body tingled with electricity
as I deliberately made my way down the
catwalk with the bottle in hand. Walking
slowly and seductively, raising my
hands above my head and gyrating ever
so slightly, I took a few sips. My hips
rolled deeply to each side, my rear
rising and lowering with the music.
Halfway down the stage, I took a
large mouthful of the scorching liquor
and held it for the right moment. The
room grew loud as the tempo quieted for
a few seconds in preparation to enter
into the next part of the track. The brief
absence of sound was my indication to
roll my thumb across the round wheel
igniting the lighter. I counted the seconds
in my head, inhaling deeply through my
nose. 1.2.3… Blow!!!
The blue flame cloud glided
effortlessly into the air. I rolled my neck
around slowly, pleased with my
performance. A bouncer kept close
watch and was waiting at my side to
retrieve the bottle. Piercing whistles and
shouts were nearly deafening as I
continued down towards the bottom of
the stage. My hands skimmed my
stomach and rolled up over my breast,
gently tugging on the straps to reveal the
sides or the tops of them.
It was amazing how easy it was to
be Starla again. Frankie was right; she
was merely sleeping inside of me. My
eyes devoured the men they focused on
and I licked my lips as if they were the
only ones. I looked at Frankie and
winked as a line of men walked up to
place money in my garter. I dropped to
my knees and painstakingly crawled
towards them erotically. I imagined
ropes of drool hanging from their mouths
as they stood motionless.
They quickly took notice that I only
paid attention to those who had larger
denominations in their hands and
reached into their wallets the closer I
got. Knowing there was only a minute
left, I gave the signal to Reese who
squeezed in past the men for a spot at the
foot of the stage. I leaned up on my toes
and did a quick little dance for her,
smiling the whole time in assurance this
would work. She placed the dollar in
her mouth as I was rolling over. Her
execution was perfect and the crowd
went nuts as I predicted. I blew Reese
the promised kiss; she looked as if she
too knew this was in the bag.
I stood off to the side of the stage as
the girls did another quick walk down
and back. Eruptions of whistles and cat
calls came when Reese took her place. I
watched her blush and her eyes get big
as she passed, and then I went back to
counting the tips that I made during my
dance. Two hundred and forty dollars
for less than five minutes of work,
damn...
I headed into the dressing room to
change back into my clothes during the
judging. I came out just in time for Reese
to be crowned winner and handed a
check for five hundred dollars. Her
garter was bursting now with bills from
her winner’s walk. It was a fat chance
she would take my advice now; I just
really hoped she would. If someone had
done that to me, I might have listened.
My brain was growing fuzzy as I made
my way towards the bar. I took
advantage of an open seat near the foot
of the stage. My feet were thankful to be
in flat shoes and my ass happy to have
the thong removed. As I waited for
Frankie to come back and get me even
more tanked, I felt a warm breath on my
ear.
“What’s a classy broad like you
doing in a place like this?”
I snapped around at the stranger’s
voice, ready to give a shitty remark. My
jaw dropped the moment I saw his face.
The shots were kicking in and I was
forced to squint my eyes and look closer
just to be sure. “Fuck!” I looked at
Frankie and gave him the middle finger;
I knew this was his fault. There was no
way Connor knew I was here tonight
unless someone told him, and here he
stood. Frankie placed two more shots in
front of us, avoiding my glare at his
deception.
“He was only watching out for you;
don’t be mad at him.”
My death stare refocused on
Connor. The only thing interrupting it
was the squeals from Reese as she
hugged my neck and planted kisses on
my head.
“Thank you, thank you!”
I smiled weakly and replied,
“Remember what I said – I mean it.”
Giving me another hug, she said, “I
will,” before bouncing off into the
crowd. I chuckled as I downed the shot
in front of me.
“What’s so funny, Violet?” Connor
asked while leaning in uncomfortably
close.
I could smell his cologne. He must
have just gotten out of the shower as his
hair was damp and combed back.
Despite being fully dressed in a gray
thermal shirt and dark wash denim, you
could tell that he was extremely
muscular. If not for those damn eyes and
gleaming wicked smile, I would not
have known it was him. I placed the
glass down gingerly on the marble bar
top before looking back.
“Nothing happens by chance, does
it?”
His fingers tightened around the
shot glass before slugging it back. I
could see the muscles flex in his jaw.
Something about me being here did not
sit right with him. The way he was
looking at me made me nervous and
suddenly claustrophobic. I turned and
motioned for Frankie to come over. His
face looked regretful as he saw his
gesture of kindness blowing up.
“What do I owe you?” I kept my
head slightly lowered to keep from
losing it.
“Nothing, doll, but I should ask you
the same.”
I leaned up and reached over the
bar to rub my hand down his cheek.
“Thank you…good bye, Frankie.”
Frankie took my hand and gently
kissed the knuckles. Connor stood next
to me, silently witnessing the exchange. I
turned without even addressing his
presence and headed straight for the exit.
I was nearly in a full sprint as my hands
pushed on the heavy doors, cold air
blasting in my face. It wasn’t enough to
feel sober, but gave me a bit of respite. I
felt like I was going to vomit as the icy
cold filled my lungs in between
panicked breaths. I stood next to my car
with my hands on my knees, trying to
calm down, as my tears were unable to
remain captive any longer.
I fumbled with my key fob as I
heard heavy footsteps approach me. I
was still visible to the security guards
who were standing under the space
heater in case I needed help. They
seemed unconcerned with whoever it
was, which meant it had to be Connor.
His hand reached out to keep my door
shut.
“Let me drive you. Don’t do this,
Violet.” His voice cracked as the words
came out.
“Since when do you get to be
fucking concerned with my well-being?”
I started seething as the liquor numbed
any restraint left in my thought process,
my tongue included. Everything started
rushing back: walking in on him and
Taylor, the fear that gripped me when
something told me to leave, how long it