Preying on You (5 page)

Cullen refused to look at me as I
stood beside him, his chest rising and falling. His erection stood
out for all to see. It looked painfully hard and begging to be
released from his boxers.

I tucked one finger against my lower
lip and bit down gently as I finally met Mr. Dorian’s gaze. “Is
there a problem?”

“
You’re dismissed, Cullen.”
He said without looking away from me.

“
Yes sir.” I nearly laughed
aloud at the relief in his voice. I had no doubt that he would make
a beeline straight for the bathroom to relieve himself the instant
he was free to do so.

Mr. Dorian stepped up onto the stage,
his eyes roaming freely over me. I stood before him, unashamed and
without a hint of self-consciousness. “Did you like the
show?”

“
It pleased me well
enough.” He slowly walked around me, taking me in. This is the
first time he had ever come so close.

“
And yet you stopped it
before it got to the good part.”

“
I did not pay for the good
part.”

“
True.” I tilted my head to
the side and crossed my arms just beneath my breasts, thrusting
them upward. “But I was having so much fun with Cullen. He was
kinda cute once I got his clothes off.”

My words had quite the effect on him.
His cool demeanor faltered for a second and I saw blazing heat in
his gaze. “His control was admirable. I wish I could say the same
for you.”

“
I like what I like,” I
shrug.

“
Indeed.” He walked around
to face me and crossed his arms over his chest. I could see his own
impressive arousal through his slacks. Wide. Long. Hard. “You are
not his for the taking.”

“
Why not? You paid for a
little extra, didn’t you?”

“
I changed my mind.” He
contemplated me like a man driven to extreme sexual restraint yet
with no knowledge as to why. “I trust that you will tell no one of
this.”

“
I think we both know that
I won’t.”

“
Excellent. Good evening to
you then, Ms. Hildebrand.” With that he turned and walked away,
leaving me in a state of utter confusion and undeniable sexual
frustration.

The following two weeks went on like
every other. I worked double shifts, sometimes back to back when
the roar for an encore forced me back on stage. Trixie took a few
more guys up into the VIP lounge and sent her bow-legged clients
out the back door when she finished with them. Diamond had the
pleasure of using her whip on a newbie client and had fun tales to
share in the back room. Sapphire finally showed up after her three
week hiatus to inform Johnny that she’d tested positive. She let
him sweat it out a bit before she revealed that she was an STD free
mother-to-be. I think he would have rather dealt with the
STD!

I tried to go through the motions of
my days like normal but my thoughts kept wandering back to the
steel gray eyes that had appeared nightly in my dreams. I don’t
know why I dreamed of Mr. Dorian. He was abrupt, obviously
arrogant, with a pinch of control freak mingled in and he was
completely vacant from my life. After that night with Cullen he had
been a no show. I was beginning to wonder if my bit of fun had
pushed him away.

Something about him called to me
though. Maybe it was the way he watched me, like prey about to
devour a meal. With those full lips and sizeable bulge that I’d
spied in his pants I imagined that might be a treat if I allowed
myself to forget all about his curt manner or the maddening mystery
around who he really was.

One thing niggled at me
over those following days. He’d laid out five grand like it was
nothing but he’d offered more...for sex. It was only later that I
realized he had never specified with who. It was obvious from his
immediate jealous response when Cullen reached his breaking point
that he had no intention of paying to watch me fuck another man so
that meant he’d put sex with
himself
on the table.

Could I do it? Exchange sexual favors
for money? The other girls did and I didn’t look down on them for
it. After a while it’s just part of this life that you accept and
then splurge on the money later. Ten grand was nothing to turn my
nose up at and I had to admit that there had been an added level of
arousal to the dance I had done with Cullen.

I’d never been with two
guys at once but I was suddenly considering that a viable option in
the future. Maybe I’d have a
really
good time in Vegas.

That following Friday I kept my eyes
open wide for any signs of Mr. Dorian’s limo when I pulled into the
lot but if it was there it was well hidden behind the semis. It was
another packed night when I arrived around ten and Trixie brought
down the house by yanking a guy up onto the stage for a live bull
riding show. She told me later he was out with his friends for his
bachelor party and they paid her extra to give him a “wild ride.”
She didn’t disappoint.

As I went out to do my set, I glanced
up at the VIP room and realized that the curtains were drawn back
and the interior was darkened. It struck me as a bit odd but at
least I knew to keep my focus on the men in front of me. I danced
for fifteen minutes, dipping, thrusting and gyrating my hips. Sweat
shone off my bare breasts as I crawled toward the end of the stage
to the final beats of my song, one of Maroon 5’s latest that became
my jam the instant I heard it.

Men hollered and camera flashes
dazzled me. Photography of any kind was strictly forbidden so I
hoped one of the security members would bounce that guy’s ass right
out the door with a broken camera and nose to match. When the music
melded into new beat I knelt down in front of the men lining the
stage, giving them a great view of my swinging tits and allowed
them to slip bills into my panties. A few stray fingers managed to
get a little something extra but I slapped them away and moved
on.

I had only collected from one side of
the stage when one of the bouncers shoved through the crowd and
raised his hands to me. I hesitated, unsure of what he was doing
but I allowed him to hoist me off the stage. I remained in his arms
until we were through the throng of men. I glanced back over his
shoulder to see Johnny collecting to rest of my tips but I doubted
a single dollar of it would end up in my hands.

“
I wasn’t done with my
set,” I grumbled as Brian finally set me on my feet just inside
Johnny’s office. Brian was a nice guy. A bit heavy handed with the
steroids but harmless enough. He’d always been friendly to me but I
knew that he secretly had a thing for Trixie. I didn’t have the
heart to tell him he was beating a dead horse with that
one.

“
You’ve been
summoned.”

I glanced around for any sign of
Cullen but he was nowhere to be seen. “Did he pay you?”

“
Hit me up with a Franklin
when he walked through the door.”

I laughed and took my bra from his
outstretched hand. I loved this newest outfit. It was the color of
melted milk chocolate and was decked out with gold jewels. I wore
bronze shadow with matching lipstick, dark eyeliner and my honey
blonde hair draped around my shoulders. It was a killer look for
me.

After I covered myself up I accepted
the offered towel and a small bottle of water. I guzzled it down
and tossed the empty bottle in the trash. Johnny wasn’t exactly the
recycling type. “Shame you don't have a pair of tits to flash
around. You’d make a hell of a lot more than that.”

“
Tell me about it. You
girls rake it in!”

I slapped him on the arm and towel
dried the base of my neck. It was hot under the spotlights. There
was nothing I can do about my hair. It’s a wild mess around my face
so I grabbed a rubber band off Johnny’s desk and tied it back. Mr.
Dorian didn’t seem to mind that look the last time he was here. “At
least you don’t have to go down on any guys.”

“
Oh I don’t know,” he
winked and looked through the glass window toward where Johnny was
chatting with Roxy. The poor girl was having a hard time learning
the ropes. Sexy just didn’t come so easily to some girls, no matter
how pretty they were when you dressed them up. She’d been demoted
to a server where ass groping was expected but hardly tipped for.
“I’ve done my fair share of gutter dipping since I’ve been in this
place.”

“
No kidding.” I crossed my
arms over my chest and appraised him. “Wonders never
cease.”

Brian grinned. “I’d better get you
outside.”

“
Outside?” I didn’t like
the sound of that.

“
The VIP lounge is booked
solid for the rest of the night and this dude seemed pretty adamant
that he wanted you to meet him in his limo instead. Besides, you
know Johnny. When that fancy dude flashed some extra cash, he
caved.”

“
I’m sure he did.” I
crossed my arms over my chest. Mr. Dorian was changing the rules
again and I’m not sure I liked it one bit.

“
You ok with that? I warned
the guy that I wouldn’t be far away in case you needed me for
anything.”

I smiled up at Brian. In another life
he might have been decent hook-up material. In this life he was
just the paid muscle. “Yeah. Thanks for the offer, Brian. I guess
we should go. Wouldn’t want to make his royal highness
wait.”

Covering a laugh behind his hand,
Brian led me down the hall. At least that time I had heels on to
keep me from trudging through the bathroom overflow spills. He
stopped by the dressing room to grab my coat and then led me to the
side fire exit door which was usually only used for when Johnny
wanted to smoke a joint.

The gravel crunched beneath my
stilettos as Brian led me toward a blacked out limo. Nervous
tension wiggled through my stomach as I realized that if something
did go wrong, Brian wouldn’t be able to see a thing even if he were
standing right next to the car.

He walked around the front of the limo
and headed toward the back door. As I followed I realized that the
driver’s seat was empty and vaguely remember seeing a guy at the
bar that could easily fit the bill for a driver.

When we reached the door Brian opened
it and stepped aside. The interior smelled of cologne, a hint of
cigar and leather. I always did love the smell of
leather.

I ducked my head down and stared into
the dim space beyond. “I’m not sure I can use Brian as a pole in
there if that’s what you have in mind.”

I ignored Brian’s startled glance as
Mr. Dorian’s chuckle emerged from the vehicle. The engine was still
running. The warmth drew me in and made me want to escape from the
bitter, cutting winds. In the desert the days were miserable and
the nights even more so. If Clarksdale hadn’t so delightfully
remote I would have moved on a long while back.

There on the seat beside Mr. Dorian
was a camera, the red battery light still blinking. I shook my
head, realizing why no one had stopped the photos during my dance.
He had paid for that privilege.

“
Did you at least catch my
good side?” I asked.

When Mr. Dorian cocked his head I saw
the overhead lights sparkle off his silver mask. “You do not have a
bad side.”

“
Everything ok, Dazz?”
Brian asked behind me. He had begun to bounce on his toes from the
cold. His breath hung heavily before his lips.

“
Your escort will not be
necessary, Ms. Hildebrand. You may tell him to go.”

Giving him a “shut the hell up” look
when he spoke my real name, I drew back from the opening and smiled
at Brian. “I’m good. I shouldn’t be long.”

“
I wouldn’t bet on that,” I
heard Mr. Dorian say from within and felt a shiver ripple through
me though I was unsure if it was birthed from anticipation or
something more sinister. I always wondered if murder victims
realized one second too late that their fate was sealed. If they’d
walked the other way would they have lived none the
wiser?

“
I’ll just be over there.”
Brian pointed toward the door. The orange glow of a small heater
could be seen in the shadow. I smiled and thanked him, then lowered
myself into the limo and closed the door.

The interior was spacious, with bench
seating spanning the length. Dark glass separated us from the
driver’s space. A row of half empty liquor bottles lined the
opposite wall, sunken into deep cups.

Soft music came through hidden
speakers just behind my head as I stared up at the sunroof overhead
large enough for three people to stand up in. “You seem to be one
man short tonight,” I commented idly.

I looked down at Mr. Dorian when he
did not respond and was captured by the intensity of his gaze. He
shrugged. “Cullen disobeyed orders. He let his desires for you
overrule him.”

“
Is this the part where you
imply that you bumped him off and I’ll read about his body being
found somewhere out in the desert in a week’s time?”

“
No.” He shook his head and
a clump of hair fell over his eyes. He brushed it aside and I
decided that I would have liked to do that for him. To feel the
silky texture. God he was hot. I could stare at him the entire
night and still feel as if I’d not had my fill. “If that were true
I guarantee you that his body would never be found.”