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Darby face-palmed the fae and pushed her out of the room. She handed me the bag. “Here. I guessed your size, but I think it’ll work.” She tightened her silk robe and narrowed beautifully made-up eyes while Ember peeked around her. “I’m not going to ask what this is about, and all I can say is that you better not lose me my job, understand? This is my tuition money.”
Razai assured, “You won’t even notice us here. Neither will your manager.”
Her gaze grew more slitted. “The manager doesn’t pay attention like she should. I’m not worried about her. I’m worried specifically about you. You’re going to do something strange, like fight with the mafia or dismantle a pole and steal it.”
He gave her a puppy-dog stare. “I would never. Not sober, at least. And I intend to stay sober. I think.”
I kicked his foot. “He does.”
Darby muttered something like, I’m going to get fired tonight, aren’t I? She refocused on me and said, “Whatever. Get dressed. The opener is in fifteen minutes. After that, I can’t babysit you.
“Razai. You have thirty minutes in there, got it?”
He winked and gave her a thumbs-up. How could one tall warrior of a man dispense so fucking much cheekiness?
Darby’s deadpan expression told us she was completely unconvinced. “I already regret this.” She shut the door.
Razai collapsed in the plastic chair beside him. “Well, time to get a move on.” He gestured to the bag.
“Get the fuck out.”
“Aw, but I wanted to help you button up. Or zipper up. Or ribbon-tie you up—no, that sounded wrong. Did it, though? Depends on what you’re into.”
“Razai, I will hamstring you with a chair if you don’t leave in the next ten seconds.”
He relented. “Don’t come crying to me if you get all tangled.”
Once he was gone, I got dressed. Darby’s choices fit me for the most part. The lace teddy was a little tight but not uncomfortable. Thankfully, she included a tulle skirt to cover my mostly bare ass. It was a little see-through, but I appreciated any and all coverage. The Pleaser shoes had her initials scrawled on the right platform. They were just a half-size too big, but the thick socks and boot-style lace-up made it easy to adjust.
All finished, I stared in the mirror. “Well, I look the part.”
Razai knocked. “Pack up your clothes and bring them.”
“Oh, good point.” There could be a quick exit involved, after all.
After gathering my things and following Razai and Darby through the club, we found our private room. It was small. Only five seats available on a cushioned lounge, and one platform and pole for me to dance on. Darby shut the door without a word, and Razai found the alcohol.
He popped open the bottle of champagne on the table, filled an entire glass, and downed it with one swallow.
“I thought you were going to be sober tonight,” I said, shifting on my feet. I wasn’t self-conscious, was I? This was a job, and I was focused on it. The only problem was my lack of experience.
The neon glow tinted Razai’s hair to a deep cherry red. The music thumped and lilted. He turned, giving me a mischievous smile. “If we’re setting a scene, it has to be a realistic one. Or aren’t you a professional?”
I grabbed the pole and turned, testing my own weight. “And here I thought I was an amateur. Thanks for the promotion, boss.”
When I’d made my full circle, Razai stopped me, a flute of bubbling champagne held up. “Here.”
I sipped cautiously. It would help with the nerves but not with deciphering the strange, hooded expression he had on. Where was the cheeky professor? Or the arrogant warrior? Which side of Razai was I looking at? What was he thinking?
I set the flute on the floor and swung slowly around the pole, getting a feel for it. Improvising a dance shouldn’t be too hard, as long as no one expected me to do any advanced moves. If anyone got suspicious, I’d simply tell them I was new.
Eyes closed, my focus softened and pooled into my task. My role. Loosening and relaxing my muscles was key. Stiffness would stand out like a sore thumb. These assholes had to consider me background noise, and I was a fucking pro at being a nobody, wasn’t I?
This should feel like home.
I moved and sauntered and spun while my muscles melted with every passing moment. But as I made my way in another circle, Razai caught me by the waist. He crowded me in against the pole, expression shadowed and serious.
“What are you doing?” I asked, jarred out of my zone. And I had just been beginning to concentrate. Then, I looked down to see my ribbon tie caught in his fingers.
