“Crowd is screamin’ for you, doubled in size since word has gotten out that you’re untouched,” Nicolai says, staring at me right before I’m about to go out onto stage. “Never seen a girl so popular, thought Yana was the queen bee, but you take the cake. Makin’ me a fuck load of money, because of that I’m increasin’ your wage. Givin’ you more.”

I blink. “You are?”

“Honey, you’ve been here for two months, and I’ve never made so much money. Wouldn’t have it without you, so yeah, givin’ you more. Also goin’ to get you on the pole, add to it, make it exciting.”

“If I go on the pole, does that mean I have to be ... naked?”

“No, because somethin’ about not seein’ you fully naked is sendin’ them over the edge. Let’s leave it for longer.”

Oh, boy.

“You’re up soon, final act, after Yana is done. Keep doin’ what you’re doin’.”

His eyes lock onto mine, and I shiver. I feel like a silly child, maybe because I haven’t been with another man, but when Nicolai looks at me, my stomach does funny things. When he talks to me, my knees go weak. Coming to work is exciting, because I know I get to see him. He makes me feel giddy. I know I have a giant crush on him, and I also know I can’t let that be known because Yana would have a fit.

She has made it known she dislikes me, but now her fame is dropping, she’s making it even more known. Up until a week ago, I was working different shifts than her, which kept us away from each other, but that changed when Nicolai had to re-do the roster.

Now we’re on the same nights.

And she is already showing me she’s going to make my life a misery.

When Nicolai leaves, I lean down and put my stilettos on. When I see Yana come back in, I stand, ready for my dance. Her eyes lock onto mine, and she bares her teeth in what can only be described as a snarl. She walks over to me, but I don’t back down. She doesn’t scare me. Not at all. I’m not giving up my dreams because she’s a jealous little troll.

“Good luck out there,” she sneers. “Break a leg.”

Bitch.

“Thanks so much,” I say, in a sing-song voice.

I turn and meet Harper at the entrance to the stages. She’s dancing on the pole tonight. Harper is gorgeous and bubbly, and the men love her enthusiastic personality. I like it, too. She’s so much fun.

“Good luck out there tonight, honey pot,” she practically giggles out.

She reminds me of someone who should have been on this earth fifty years ago. With her sweet sugar personality, her bouncy dark hair that’s always in curls, and her curvy body. She always dresses up old school, and the men go nuts for it. I don’t blame them, she looks absolutely fab. Tonight, she is wearing an apron over a sexy little dress. She looks like a waitress from the sixties, with a bandana tied in her bouncy hair. Her make up is out of this world.

“Thanks,” I grin at her. “You look amazing.”

She winks at me, and we’re both announced onto the stage. I walk out, strutting my stuff—but not too much, because I have to keep some innocence, which is super hard when you’re a stripper—and stop in the middle of the stage. The music comes on, and I start my dance, my cheeky, seductive, come-get-me routine. I’m wiggling and shaking when suddenly, I’m falling.

It happens so fast, I don’t know what’s going on.

One minute, I’m dancing, the next I hear a loud snap and I’m dropping to the ground, so fast I can’t stop myself. I hit the floor and let out a piercing screech as my ankle twists beneath me. Pain shoots through my foot and up my leg. Pain so intense I can’t even keep acting through it. I can’t put on a show. I can’t carry on with it. I can only curl into a ball, clutching my ankle, and cry out in agony.

The crowd starts chattering, cheering, trying to get on the stage to help me. I clench my eyes shut until I feel a big, hard hand on my shoulder, and then I’m being scooped up into a set of arms. I open my eyes and see Nicolai staring down at me, striding off stage.

That’s when I see her.

Yana.

She’s standing just behind the back wall that blocks us off, peering around. Her eyes meet mine, and a sly grin spreads across her face.

She did this.

She did this to me.

When we hit the dressing room, all the girls come rushing over.

“Oh, my god, are you okay?”

It’s all I can hear.

“Move so I can put her down,” Nicolai orders.

The girls move back and he lays me on a towel someone has placed onto the floor. I stare up at him, biting my lip, trying to stop from crying out in pain. It hurts. God, it hurts like hell.

“Get some ice,” he orders; to who, I don’t know.

He reaches down, taking hold of my ankle and flexing it a little. I cry out in pain and clutch his arm. “Please don’t, that hurts so much.”

“I don’t think it’s broken, but it’s swelling fast. You probably need to see a doctor.”

“What happened?” Pamela asks, kneeling beside me. “You were dancing and then suddenly you were on the ground.”

“This happened.”

I see Harper strolling in, swaying her hips as she walks, holding my stiletto in her hand. She tosses it and Nicolai catches it. The heel is snapped clean off. Nicolai glances at it.

“My heel broke?” I croak.

“No, it didn’t break,” Harper throws her hands on her hips. “Someone broke it and poorly glued it back on. Look at it.”

Nicolai studies the shoe, and then looks to me, “Did you try to repair this?”

I shake my head. “No, I just put them on when I got here.”

“Anyone else try to repair this?” he barks.

The girls all shake their heads.

My eyes go to Yana, who is standing back watching, a sly smirk on her face.

“She did it,” I snarl, pointing a finger at her.

Yana has the nerve to actually look offended by my words. “Excuse me!”

“I saw you watching me on stage, I know it was you!” I bark.

“It wasn’t me. I was with Nicolai the whole time, wasn’t I, honey?”

Nicolai looks down at me. “She was.”

“She could have done it earlier,” Harper points out.

“Fuck off, Harper,” Yana snaps.

“Eat me, bitch.”

I like Harper.

“It does make sense,” Pamela says, shrugging. “She has it out for Shania ...”

“Why in the hell would I have it out for her?” Yana throws her hands on her hips and glares at all of us.

“Because she’s a damned better dancer than you, and you don’t like it,” Pamela challenges.

“Nobody in this room is a better dancer than me. They like her, sure, but it’s only because she’s fresh meat. It’ll fade,” Yana says, staring at me, and then looking to Nicolai. “I had my mouth wrapped around your cock. You know it wasn’t me.”

Oh, my lord.

I’m not sure what slams into my chest, but I could almost say it’s jealousy.

I hate her.

I really, really hate her.

“Fuckin’ back down, Yana, or I’ll put you back in your place myself,” Nicolai growls.

Yana shuts her mouth.

He’s the only person she doesn’t back talk.

Bitch.

“I’m takin’ Shania home,” Nicolai announces, scooping me into his arms and standing. “I’ll call Eddie, put him in charge until I get back. Money is being lost—Harper, Pamela, Stacey, get out on that stage.”

The girls do as they’re asked. And I try not to focus on how hard Nicolai’s body feels wrapped around mine. Okay, he’s not literally wrapped around me but damn does it feel good.

“You’re taking her?” Yana says, her voice twisted with jealousy. Clear, open, possession. “I didn’t think you got involved with the girls when it comes to personal stuff.”

“Yana, do not test me right now. I’m already suspicious enough of you. I find out you did this, you’re off my fuckin’ team, you got me?”

She nods and gives him puppy dog eyes. Which would be cute if she wasn’t such a raging bitch.

“I’m sorry, Nicolai. I just ... I miss you.”

He grunts and then disappears out of the back entrance with me still in his arms. He walks me out into the parking lot and over to his truck. He opens the door and places me on the passenger seat. My stomach is turning, butterflies flittering around. I’m in his car. He’s taking me home. Oh, boy. This is everything.

Everything.

My crush on Nicolai Peterson basically explodes into full-blown infatuation.

He gets into the truck and immediately calls Eddie, his second in charge, who assures him he’ll be there in five, and then we’re on our way.

It doesn’t bother me that he drives straight to my apartment without asking me the address, I mean, of course he’d know where I live. He wouldn’t just let anyone dance for him. When we arrive out front, he turns the engine off and gets out, walking around and scooping me out of the vehicle. I tip my head back and look up at him. “Thank you, for bringing me home.”

“You got someone livin’ here with you?” he asks.

“Yes, my sister.”

“Good, she needs to take you to a doctor in the morning.”

“Thanks, for bringing me home.”

He stares down at me, and for a moment, oh, for a moment, I think he’s going to kiss me. The way he studies my lips. The way his eyes seem to get more hooded. Am I imagining it, or does he feel the same about me? It is pretty obvious I have a thing for him, but he’s got to be ten years older than me, maybe more. I’m sure he has better things to do then to get involved with me.

But he is staring at me like that ...

Also. Yana.

He has Yana.

I keep forgetting that.

“Welcome,” he murmurs, placing me on my feet when we reach the front door. “You okay to get in?”

I nod. “Yeah. Nicolai?”

He looks at me.

“I can’t dance for a bit, can I?”

He shakes his head. “No.”

“So ...”

“You’ve got a job, Shania. I’ll find somethin’ for you to do, turn up to your shifts, as normal.”

I exhale. Thank god. I mean, it isn’t going to be the kind of money I’m making now, but at least I’m not losing my job. I’ve saved so much already. Lucy still doesn’t like the fact that I strip, but she no longer says anything about it.

Speaking of Lucy, the front door swings open and she’s standing there, in her pajamas, hair messy, staring at Nicolai and me. We both look at her. And for a moment, nobody says anything. When she sees how awkwardly I’m leaning against him, she looks down. My foot is already ballooning. It’s going to hurt like hell when I wake up in the morning.

“What the hell happened?”

“My shoe broke and I tripped on stage,” I say. “Nicolai brought me home.”

Her eyes swing to Nicolai. “So you’re the douche canoe that runs that awful club.”

“Lucy!” I scold.

Nicolai grins. “That would be me.”

“You should be ashamed of yourself. You’re not even that good looking.” Lucy looks to me, arms crossed. “He’s not even that good looking!”

I bite my lip and shake my head. “Stop it,” I groan. “That’s enough.”

“Let her be,” Nicolai says. “Don’t mind a girl with spunk. You want a job, sweetheart?”

Lucy scrunches up her face. “Go to hell, weirdo!”

With that, she turns and storms off. Nicolai chuckles. “Your sister is spirited.”

Does he like that?

Does he like her?

I immediately cringe at the silly thought. Stop it, Shania.

“Thanks again,” I say, stepping into the apartment. “See you tomorrow night.”

“Take a night off, come back Saturday.”

I frown, because that means I don’t get to see him for three days, but I don’t argue. I nod, smile, and then close the door.

I have a major crush on Nicolai.

And I have the feeling it’s going to get me into a lot of trouble.