Distractions (16 page)

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