Shit! I arrived at the Emerald Club fifteen minutes late again. My boss was going to kill me. The seedy building stood in an abandoned complex right next to the jammed-packed freeway. A gigantic neon sign repeated girls three times and a long pink awning jutted out from the front door.
I stumbled out of my car, carrying my purse and bag of school books. In between dances, I could get a little homework done if nobody bothered me. Jerome stood at the front door looking menacingly as always. He was an over-sized black man with the softest heart and a hug that could crush every bone in your body. He grinned and let me right in.
The club lights were dimmed and Poppy danced on stage to Britney Spears' “Womanizer.” A bar sat along the far right wall and Johnny was there tending to the drunks. A shot of whiskey sounded good right about now. I took a hard right through velvet curtains that stated: Employees Only.
Joe, the owner, came barreling towards me. His hair had receded to the very back of his head and he wore the cheapest suit available. He wasn't as soft as Jerome but he took care of his girls. “Winter! You gotta be fucking kidding me. How could you be late again after we just had that talk?”
Damn! I thought he might not have noticed this time.
“I'm so sorry, Joe, but I got caught in traffic.”
Joe checked his watch. “There's no fucking traffic at nine o'clock.”
“There was an accident. I promise it won't happen again.” I gave him my best puppy dog eyes. Joe was a sucker for a pretty girl.
He narrowed his eyes at me. “Poppy offered to switch with you. You're on in twenty minutes.”
I really owed Poppy a big one. This was the fifth time she had covered for me. Maybe I could buy her some makeup as a thank you.
Joe continued, “I also need you to cover Jasmine's shift on Saturday night.”
Double Shit! This Saturday I promised my mom I'd come visit her. But I couldn't negotiate with Joe without him firing me on the spot. I was already playing with fire.
“You got it, Joe. Whatever you need.”
Joe clasped his hands and bowed before me. He really wasn't all that bad. I just needed to be on time more often.
I walked into the makeup room and sat at my station. Exposed light bulbs surrounded the mirror and pictures of my family were taped to the edges. I wanted my area to feel a little more homey—a little more personal. I went to the open rack behind me that held the few outfits I owned. The dancers at Emerald were required to pay for their own costumes which meant I couldn't afford too many.
I pulled out a blue bikini that was bedazzled with a hundred sequins. It looked really cheap but you couldn't tell in the dark club. I quickly changed and stuffed my big breasts into the bikini top. I sat down at my station and opened the drawer full of makeup. I brushed my brown hair and darkened my eyes with black liner and eyeshadow. I added the biggest fake lashes and overdid the lipstick.
Helena strutted into the room wearing a long dress and platform shoes. She was very thin and tall with small perky breasts. She could've been a model if she wanted to. Most of the dancers were so jealous of her body.
“Joe seems angrier than usual. Late again, Winter?” Helena sat down at the station next to mine. She had been dancing at the Emerald for over ten years which was a lifetime to some of us. When I started, Helena helped me through the basics: getting my costume, learning the routines, and dealing with customers who get a little too touchy.
I capped my lipstick and pursed my lips in the mirror. “Only by fifteen minutes. I could be one minute late and he'd still go ballistic.”
Helena laughed. “Joe is Joe.” She put her hand on my shoulder. “We just got in a big group of guys.”
“I hope they have deep pockets.” I winked.
Poppy came back from the stage all sweaty. Crumpled-up dollar bills were pinned along her waist with a g-string.
I got down on my knees and groveled at her feet. “Thank you so much, Poppy. I owe you a million times over.” I kissed her platform shoes for added effect.
Poppy's fake red hair burned brightly. “You better believe you owe me. I barely got any tips out there and a group of bikers just came in right after I finished.”
“How about I split my tips with you tonight. Will that make up for it?”
Poppy smirked. “Yeah that might work.”
My phone buzzed on the counter. I checked my message and it was from my roommate, Jenny.
Jenny: You better text me when you're on your way home.
Winter: Don't worry I will :)
Jenny didn't have a job so she made it her life's work to make sure I was always safe. She was so worried that one of the customers would try to kidnap me. Jerome was always around and would never let that happen.
Joe popped his head in. “You're on in five, Winter.”
“Knock em' dead, Sapphire.” Poppy kissed me on the cheek.
Sapphire was a name I quickly came up with right before my first dance. I needed a stripper name that radiated class and style. Diamond was already taken so Sapphire became mine. Most girls went by their real names backstage and some lucky girls like Poppy were already born with a fake stripper name.
I took a deep breath and went to the back of the stage. I peeked through the curtains and spotted a group of tough guys surrounding the stage. They were covered in tattoos with their biceps bursting through their tight white shirts. Tonight might actually be good.
The announcer's voice boomed through the air. “Ladies and gentlemen, the Emerald Club proudly presents: the mysterious, the insatiable, the lovely—Sapphire!”
“Pour it up” by Rihanna—my song—blasted through the speakers.
I burst out of the curtains with fire in my eyes. The overhead spotlights focused on my body as I made my way down the raised walkway, stomping my heels down. The boys cheered my name while throwing one-dollar bills onto the stage. I ran my hands up my stomach and felt up my tits, flaunting them to the crowd.
“Take it off,” one of the guys screamed.
I pouted my lips and shook my finger to the crowd. I faced away from the audience and slowly undid the string around my back. My bikini top hung loosely against my chest and I held it in place with my hands. The men hollered at me. I turned around and danced, not letting them see it all yet. Dancing was the art of seduction.
I dropped the bikini top and let my large breasts free. The boys cheered and whistled at my tits, their fists pumping in the air. I went up to the cold steel pole and pushed it against my cleavage, rubbing myself up and down. I bent over all the way and hugged my ankles, giving the best view of my thong and ass.
My eyes caught one of the bikers and my heart skipped a beat. He wasn't like the others. He sat quietly and stared at me. This guy had long slicked-back hair that was shaved on the sides. Intricate tattoos covered both of his strong arms and broad shoulders. He wasn't cheering along with his buddies.
The mysterious man's dark gaze focused in on me. I became flushed and lost my way for a moment. I climbed high up the pole, wrapping my legs around and locking myself in. I leaned back and swung around, slowly dropping all the way to the stage floor—my signature move. The crowd went wild. I flipped my blonde hair back and locked eyes with the bad boy. He sat in his chair with his stone-cold face, his eyes drinking me in.
This is way too hot.
Rihanna's words slowly faded away and the crowd hollered. I gathered my bikini top and all the tips off the stage.
“One more round of applause for Sapphire,” the announcer yelled.
I gave the audience a curtsy before disappearing into the back—but not without getting one last glance at him. He sat in his seat, blanketed in shadows, with one finger slowly tracing his lips. A desire formed in the pit of my stomach.
“How much did you make?” Poppy asked, following me to my station.
My head was all cloudy and my cheeks were bright red. Who was that man?
“I said, how much did you make, Winter?” Poppy repeated.
“Oh sorry. Thanks again for covering for me.” I didn't even bother counting the tips. I handed her the majority of the crumpled up cash in my hands.
Poppy fanned out all the bills and her jaw dropped. “You made all this from one dance?”
I shrugged. “I guess they liked me.”
I sat down at my station, my hands shaking. I didn't have another dance for a couple hours and desperately needed a drink. Alcohol would calm me down. Why was so much adrenaline coursing through me?
Joe came in with a big grin on his face. That was nice change from the Joe I had to deal with earlier. “Great job, Winter. You got a guy out there requesting a lap dance.”
I nodded and touched up my makeup. I took a deep breath and my hands stopped shaking. Could it be him?