AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Well, fuck.
Fury shook his head, both disappointment and anger showing on his face. “Maybe Gavin was right about me needing to stay away from you.”
Ouch. I hadn’t known Gavin had said that to Fury, and it hurt more than I would’ve thought.
“I’m not a cheater,” Fury said quietly. Even though he wasn’t shouting, I could see how mad my words had made him.
His reaction, along with everything else that’d just happened, had me off-balance, and that was the only excuse I could think of to explain what came out of my mouth next.
“Yeah, well, most guys don’t exactly consider hooking up with someone like me as actual cheating.”
As soon as the words were out, I clamped my mouth shut, but it was too late. I’d just handed him a piece of my history, something I kept locked up tight. I saw the question in his eyes and knew that he was going to ask what I meant.
So, like any sensible person with their foot jammed in their mouth, I did the only thing I could do.
I ran. Ran and didn’t look back.
I sighed, adjusting the straps on Jasmine’s costume. The sequins were digging into her skin, and I made a mental note to have them re-sewn before tomorrow’s show. My mind was still reeling from the encounter with Fury earlier, but I pushed those thoughts aside. I had a job to do.
“There you go, hon,” I said, patting Jasmine’s shoulder. “How does that feel?”
She twisted, checking her reflection in the mirror. “Much better. Thanks, Sienna.”
I was about to respond when I caught sight of Dodd in the mirror, hovering in the doorway. Great. What now?
“Dodd,” I said, turning to face him. “Everything okay out there?”
He stepped into the dressing room, his eyes darting around nervously. “Yeah, all good. I, uh, actually wanted to talk to you about something.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
He cleared his throat. “I’ve been watching the routines, you know? And I’ve been practicing a bit in my spare time.”
I blinked, trying to process what he was saying. “You’ve been... practicing our performances?”
He nodded eagerly. “Yeah! I mean, I know I’m not a professional or anything, but I think I’ve got some moves.”
I chuckled. “Okay, Dodd. And why exactly have you been practicing?”
He shifted his weight, looking uncomfortable. “Well, the thing is, I’m kind of in a tight spot financially. I was hoping maybe I could audition? You know, to perform in some of the private parties or something?”
I stared at him, momentarily speechless. Dodd, our head of security, wanted to be a performer? It was so absurd I almost laughed, but the desperate look in his eyes stopped me.
“Dodd,” I said gently, “I appreciate your... enthusiasm. But you’re our head of security. It’s not exactly common for security personnel to double as performers.”
He nodded quickly. “I know. But hear me out. I’m in really good shape, right? And I’ve been told I’m not too hard on the eyes.” He flashed a grin that I had to admit was pretty charming. “Plus, I already know the club, the clientele. I could be a real asset.”
I considered his words. It was true, Dodd was in excellent shape and undeniably attractive. And with Venus gone and two other performers out of commission, we were seriously short-staffed. If he could actually perform...
“Look,” Dodd continued, sensing my hesitation, “there’s a private party this weekend, right? I helped arrange it. Why don’t you let me be a part of it? Consider it my audition. If I suck, no harm done. But if I’m good...” He trailed off, leaving the possibility hanging in the air.
I bit my lip, weighing the pros and cons. On one hand, it was a risky move. Dodd had no professional experience, and letting him perform at a private party might damage our reputation. On the other hand, we were desperate for performers, and if he was even halfway decent, it could be a temporary solution to our staffing problem.
“Alright,” I said finally, holding up a hand to stop his excited response. “But let’s get one thing straight. This is a one-time thing, got it? If you’re terrible, that’s it. No second chances.”
Dodd nodded eagerly. “Of course, of course. Thank you, Sienna. You won’t regret this.”
As he turned to leave, practically bouncing with excitement, I called after him. “Dodd!”
