Page 79 of Sling’s Awakening

I hold up the scraps of material that Hex found in her locker.

She keeps extra outfits just in case something happens, and when I told her about what happened, she offered it up so fast. I love her for that, but the only thing is Hex is… a little smaller than me. And by smaller, I mean I’ll be lucky if my nipples fit into this. They’re going to be getting a show before I even take it off.

And don’t get me started on where I’m going to park my hellcat in this G-string.

I just hope I don’t embarrass myself up there.

I know I have nothing to be self-conscious about. It took a lot of work over the years, but I’ve grown to love my body. Love the skin I’m in. However, that doesn’t mean I’m not aware of the few extra pounds I’ve put on since I shifted roles and stopped stripping as much.

I realized very quickly I didn’t need to count every calorie because it’s much easier to hide the five pounds that have snuck up on you in clothes than it is in a thong.

Sling didn’t seem to have a problem with it, but I also wasn’t on stage for the world to see.

Chapter

Nineteen

BLAKE

“Alright everyone, give it up for Hex,” the DJ calls out as the crowd cheers.

Hex collects her money and grabs her outfit before giving a seductive wave and a wink at the crowd before strutting off stage.

She is the girl she thinks she is.

Every night she takes the stage, the crowd eats her up.

“I saved some for you, babe.” Hex smiles at me, her face flush from the heat of the lights and dancing. “They were worked up when I got out there. You fucking killed it for your first set back and you’re about to kill it again.”

“Babe, that was all you.” I smile at her.

She’s been gassing me up all night, knowing how nervous I’ve been about getting back out there. Since it’s just her and me tonight, we decided to do longer sets, that way we have more time to rest in between and work the floor.

I was a little rusty when I first went out there, but Hex was right. My body knew what to do, and before I knew it, I was flowing with the music.

It’s almost midnight now, and it’s time for me to go back out for my last set before I’m done on stage for the night.

As fun as this has been, I’ve had enough reminiscing down memory lane. I’m ready to go back to everything I’ve worked so hard for.

“You loved her earlier, but wait until you see what she has in store for you now,” the DJ sings out into the microphone. “Everyone welcome Gin back onto the stage.”

“Go get ‘em, tiger.” Hex slaps my ass as I strut out of the room in my leopard print pleasers.

These shoes have never steered me wrong, and I knew there was a reason I decided to wear them tonight for work before I knew all of this was going to happen.

The lights in the room are dimmed, making the red velvet around the room stand out that much more as the light reflects off it. The spotlight is on the pole as I hit the stage, leaving a shadow of me walking toward it.

Cheers, whistles, and catcalls fill the room with every echo my heels make on the stage.

The reaction to me coming back out gives me the boost of confidence I needed. All the doubts I had moments ago left my mind.

I step into the light as my hand grips the silver pole.

Bad Girlfriend by Theory of a Deadman begins to play throughout the club as I circle the pole, stepping into the spotlight.

I lock eyes on a space in the middle of the room so it looks like I’m staring at a man in the crowd, lowering my eyelids as a seductive smirk toys at my lips. I kick my legs up, hoisting my body up, using the momentum to spin around and lift my legs in the air, spreading them into a V.

Men catcall around me as bills begin to fly. I land on the stage in the splits as I flip my hair back. My hand toys with the strings on the bikini top that are holding on for dear life.