Page 81 of Sling’s Awakening

I strut back onto the stage while somehow managing to avoid any customers on my way up.

I finish my set and walk backstage, deciding it’s best not to work the floor. I’ll leave it all for Hex. She deserves it.

As much as I can’t wait to go home and wash off the fifty pounds of makeup, hairspray, and body oil I have on, I’m scared to find out how the conversation with Sling is going to go.

If it’s even a conversation.

I freeze as I walk into the dressing room. Russ is sitting on the couch looking like he’s made himself right at home.

“What are you doing in here?” I ask, unable to keep the attitude out of my voice.

He knows he’s not supposed to be in here.

“I wanted to know how your night went.” Russ settles further into the couch, stretching his arms across the back and crossing a leg.

His eyes are wired, and there is a white residue on the tip of his nose.

Shit.

This isn’t good, and I don’t have my phone on me.

I put it in my locker with the rest of my stuff before I went on stage.

“It was good. The place was packed tonight.”

Why is he in here?

“Thinking about switching back to being a dancer now that you’ve got a taste for the life again?”

There’s something in his tone that I can’t place, but I know I don’t like it.

“Um, no, I’m not,” I answer as I cross my arms, trying to cover up, realizing I’m practically naked.

I might have just stripped my clothes off on stage for money, but being alone in a room with Russ dressed in only nipple pasties and a G-string feels… wrong.

My robe is in my locker, along with my phone.

“That’s too bad,” Russ says, his tone full of fake sympathy. “The crowd loved you tonight. They always have.”

“I’m not dancing again, Russ,” I tell him, my tone final.

He holds his hands up in the air. “Hey, I get it.”

But you don’t though.

Russ moves to stand up, giving me a once-over as he heads to the door. “I need you to do inventory tonight before you leave.”

“I was going to do it tomorrow because a delivery is scheduled to come.”

I’m not hanging around here any later than I have to. Especially after how today has gone.

“You’ll do it tonight if you want to keep your job.” Russ slaps the door frame on his way out of the room as he says over his shoulder without looking back. “I’m out of here.”

What the fuck?

He’s out of here?

I look at the clock on the wall.