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I head into the dressing room after completing my routine, trying to avoid Marco at all costs, not because i'm afraid of him, but simply because I know how easily I can make him mad. I walk in and some of the girls begin complimenting me and my moves.

"Are you new around here?" One girl asks, shoving stacks of cash in her knee high boot.

I laugh, "You could say that."

She winks at me and attempts to zip her rather packed shoe, with struggle of course.

I offer her a hand before another girl swoops in. She turns to me, "You sure have brought the competition." She begins, battling with the heel. "Nobody pleased the audience as much as you did."

I smile, thinking back to the looks on their faces their mouths falling agape as I dropped to the floor and spread my legs.

Pole dancing is an art. It's honestly a beautiful thing, even if some people define it as slutty.

"Trust me, this was nothing." I laugh.

She looks on at the other girls with very little confidence, believing she doesn't stand much of a chance against me.

Don't get me wrong, their routines weren't bad at all. They just lacked the confidence and energy the audience wanted to see.

They wanted a powerful woman, who knows what shes doing and what she wants.

I gave them that, even though I don't really know what I want. It's an act. Pretend. But convincing them is easy enough.

I nod at her before advancing out of the door and to the bar. I need a drink, and can barely remember the last time I had a good vodka and coke.

"What can I get ya, hun?" The female bartender asks, chewing her gum awfully loud. I pretend to look at the laminated menu before me, but order my drink almost instantly.

She hands it to me within moments and I place the glass to my lips.

Suddenly, the drink is snatched from my hand.

I roll my eyes knowing exactly who this is.

"Can a girl not get a drink anymore?" I ask, testing his patience.

He scoffs whilst clenching his jaw. "Where did you learn to dance like that?" He asks, fire in his eyes. I throw my hands down on the bar and turn around to face him. God I forgot how sexy he is. "Doesn't matter." I tease.

"You do realise what you've done? The regulars are demanding to see you more around here." He explains.

I smile. "I wonder why."

He stands up and picks me up from my stool, more gently than I was expecting, and carries me up to his office. When we enter, the entire room is engulfed in red light - a deep red light. It matches the energy of the club.

I wait for him to put me down and when he finally does, I take the opportunity to take a look around. My heels tap on the floor for every step I take and I can only feel the tension swirling around the room.

"Nosy." He mumbles.

I stop in my tracks.

"Just a little bit."

He shakes his head and leans against the wall, allowing me to continue looking around. I come across a stack of draws and pull open the first one, which reveals a pair of handcuffs and a blindfold.

I pick them up and spin around.

"Classy."

He smirks before looking on at me coldly, waiting for me to put them back. I sigh. "You're no fun."

He eventually clears his throat.

"Enough messing around, you wouldn't like what I do with them anyways. Now tell me why you're really here." He demands as I swallow.

"I have business to attend t-"

He moves in towards me.

"Really? Business, huh? That doesn't explain what the hell you're doing in my club with your skimpy little outfit on."

I smile.

"Don't act like you haven't been staring at my tits all night."

He rolls his eyes and snatches the blindfold and handcuffs from me, throwing them back down in his drawer. I press my back against the wall as he takes a seat in his chair.

"If you won't talk then get out." He calls out to me, typing away on his laptop.

I squint my eyes.

"No can do, sorry. I've got to be here until the competitions results are announced." I express.

"After all, I'm sure your regulars wont be happy to see me leave so soon."

He shoots me a look, a mix of both jealousy and pure wrath.

His eyes stay on me, before he has a sudden thought and shuts his laptop screen down. He steps in dangerously close, and places his hand on the wall next to me.

"Listen to me. You shouldn't be here - not tonight anyways. You've already been targeted once and there's more where that asshole came from." He explains.

I glance up at him, half concerned.

"What are you talking about?" I ask in confusion.

"I cant talk about it here. Just please do as your told for once and don't go off by yourself."

I try to intercept before he presses a finger to my lips. "You're feisty, I know that. I also know that you can handle yourself. But I need to protect you." I don't take my eyes off of his as he speaks every word.

"Why are you always trying to protect me?" I ask, inching in closer.

My words strike him silent for a minute.

"I don't want anything bad happening to you." Is all he says before sitting back down. My gaze falls, still trying to process what the hell is going on, before the main speaker is activated.

"Milana Levine can you come down to the main stage. I repeat, Milana Levine, can you come down to the main stage."

Marco looks up, eyes filled with annoyance, before folding his arms and looking over to me. "Stay." He almost orders.

I almost comply, and remain in his office, but my mind is too eager to see what they want with me. "I'll be back Marco, I promise." I speak, before breaking eye contact and striding down the hallway.

The music grows louder and fiercer with every step I take, as I reach the main room.

The crowd pour onto the dance floor, as the DJ takes his place in the booth. The music switches from wild to wilder, and all voices are eventually drowned out.

I make my way through the crowd, heading up to the main stage, where I am almost instantly greeted.

"There she isss!." A female worker I have never seen before calls out. She pulls me in for a hug and I awkwardly accept, whilst confused as hell.

"So, why have I been summoned here?" I half joke. She bats her eyelashes at me. "Why do you think? You won the competition, everyone loves you!" She praises.

I'm not excited as I should be, and deep down wish one of the actual strippers won. "Thanks, but why am I actually here?" I ask, trying my best not to come across rude.

I used to be cold to everyone, no matter who they were. But recently, I have been trying to make actual friends, and holding the words "fuck off" from slipping out during a convocation.

"Ohh yeah, that." She begins.

She spins me around so I face the other side of the club, looking directly behind the dance floor.

"He wants a dance with you."

I follow her finger as she points at a man I have never seen before.

"And before you start, I know you don't work here. But he will pay big bucks to have you in the private rooms for one night."

He smirks at me.

This is gonna be a hell of a long night.

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