Page 26 of Come As You Are
The club wasn’t terribly full when my first shift on my dance platform began, but little by little it started to fill as the night wore on. I’d gotten some regulars who came to watch me and shook my ass at them then squatted down, my legs splayed open so they could see my package through the tight denim. The other boys had taught me to use a cock ring and tease myself before I went out on the floor so I looked bigger and harder for the customers. In appreciation, my regulars stuffed money in my waistband and the pockets of my shorts. A couple stroked their hands up my thighs and snuck bills under the dangling threads of the cutoffs legs. Sometimes I even got a slip of paper with a phone number or crude suggestion of what they’d like to do to me.
At first, it was strange, but I’d gotten used to it—enjoyed it, even—but tonight my eyes kept turning to the bar. Toby and one of the other bartenders were busy keeping the patrons in drinks, but without Sebastian to keep my gaze anchored, I foundmyself taking in more of the club than I usually did. I also felt more exposed on the platform than usual even though I knew Festus and our other bouncer would be on anyone in a flash who touched me. Andrew had told me that right from the start. Still, I felt unmoored and my attention wandered.
Olivia’s office was dark like it usually was. The smoked glass meant you couldn’t see in, but when the lights were on inside, you could sometimes see shadows as she moved around or watched the crowd. Tonight, though, she wasn’t here as far as I could tell. Mal was, though, and at first I couldn’t put my finger on what was different about him, but then I realized he’d gotten a haircut. Mal’s usual style was pretty much undetectable with his hair hanging down in a way I supposed he thought…attractive, but it really just looked like he couldn’t be bothered to do anything other than run his fingers through it. This, though. The sides were shaved, but the top had been left longer and flipped into a kind of pompadour. It was glossy with product. He was also wearing black trousers instead of jeans, and a blue, linen button-up. I had to admit, he looked pretty good, and from the appreciative looks from some of the patrons, they did, too.
When my first break came, I headed to the bar to grab a bottle of water, and Toby nodded toward Mal who was skulking around the edges of the dance floor. “Looks like he found ‘Olivia’s’ memo,” he observed.
“Looks like it.”
He grinned at me. “I sent Maria a pic to show her how it’s going.”
“I’m sure she’s thrilled.”
Toby didn’t have a chance to answer me because one of my regulars sidled over and slid his arm onto the bar top in front of me, then angled their body in a way that cut off my view of Toby.
“You didn’t call me,” the guy pouted. “I think that means you owe me a drink.”
I shifted away from him and glanced at Toby, who raised an eyebrow at me. Did I want him to rescue me? Not really. I wanted to handle this on my own. Was that stupid of me? Probably.
“I’ve got a boyfriend,” I told the guy. “A really jealous and possessive boyfriend.”
To my surprise, the guy shrugged. “So do I. That’s what would make this so much more fun.”
He put his hand on top of mine and squeezed it while I suppressed a shudder at his touch.
“I’m not interested,” I said and turned to go. My break was almost over, and I wanted to grab a snack from the staff room before I got back on my platform, but the guy hadn’t let go of my hand.
“Will you dance with me later?”
I shook my head. “Sorry. Not allowed.”
“Hey, dude,” Toby said. “How about letting the kid go, okay? He’s got a job to do.”
I slid out of the guy’s grasp as he turned, mouthed a “thank you” at Toby, and made a beeline for the staff room. Jeffers, one of Illyria’s other dancers, was already there guzzling a bottle of water before his shift, but he stopped as I slumped onto the ratty sofa that took up space beneath all the posters the state required employers to post.
“Rough night already?” he asked.
“Just an overly friendly regular.” I shrugged. “Nothing I can’t handle.” We all had them. It was one of the reasons why I envied Sebastian and the other bartenders. They could flirt all they wanted in order to get better tips, but the bar protected them from guys like the one who had followed me from my platform.
“Make sure you get Festus or Davis to walk you to your car.”
I snorted. “Like I have a car. Dude, I walk to work.”
“Maybe tonight you should splurge on a Lyft.” He contemplated me for a moment, then quirked a sly smile at me. “Rumor has it you’re living with Sebastian now. Nicely done.” Before I could sputter out a response, Jeffers shrugged. “He’ll give you a good time once, but he’s a bit…self-centered and full of himself. Not really boyfriend material, if you know what I mean.”
Again, my response was cut off, but this time by Mal stalking into the staff room. Jeffers let out a wolf whistle. “Hot date tonight?” Jeffers asked.
Mal gave him a withering look, then glanced up at the clock. “You’re late.”
“Pleasant as always.” Jeffers drained the last of the water and tossed the bottle into the recycling bin. “Be kind to Vee here, he’s got a regular giving him a hard time tonight,” he said, and then shimmied past Mal who still stood in the doorway.
“Are you all right?” Mal asked. “Is this something that needs to be reported?”
I shook my head, stunned by his concern. We had a no-fly list for customers who were no longer welcome at Illyria, but I didn’t think the guy’s behavior rose to that level. At least not yet. “I’m good,” I said.
Apparently satisfied with my response, Mal nodded at me, and then withdrew from the staff room leaving me alone with my thoughts. I have to admit, they were fairly jumbled at the moment. So much had happened in just the past twenty-four hours, and now Mal was acting almost human.
I crossed to my locker and retrieved my phone, intending to send Sebastian a text about the recent developments at Illyria. Jeffers’ comments niggled at the back of my brain, but the photos that lit up my screen made me forget all about them. Maria and Lexi had worked a miracle on Bast. In that red dress, with his hair and makeup done to perfection, and posed with onehip canted while one gloved hand rested over his head against the doorjamb, he almost looked like Jessica Rabbit. There were other photos, other poses, but the one in the doorway was the one I liked the best.
