AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Squeezing my eyes shut, I saw her in my mind, felt her, and experienced her absence on a visceral level. The sadness she carried around affected her like mine did me. She was guarded, and so was I. If I were better at communicating, I would have told her that. I would have been able to reach her, keep her. I’d tried, and I failed. The emptiness inside me yawned wider than ever before in the aftermath of her.
“So, what’s your plan to get over her and get the fuck on with your life?” He tapped the table. “Forget what you know. Do something different is what I’m saying.”
“I don’t have a plan.” I opened my eyes and saw my reality differently post-Saint Croix. It was even more depressing. “I don’t want to do something different.”
“You need to fuck someone else,” he said. “Get this girl out of your system fast.”
“I don’t think so.” The thought of another woman didn’t appeal.
“You’re coming with me to Fantasy.” Zack nodded as if it were decided. “You gotta see the headliner. She’s fucking sexy as hell. Perfect for you to get your mojo back. She’s basically untouchable. Only been with Jake, as far as I know, in all the time I’ve been going to Fantasy. But I’ll bet she’d let you touch her. The Champion Valentine. No way is she gonna say no.”
“I’m not so sure.” I tried to think of an excuse. I wasn’t feeling up to being shot down again.
“You’re going.” Zack crossed his arms over his chest. “You can break up with Mercedes while you’re there like you said you need to, and then you can fuck a new chick. It’ll be just what you need.”
I didn’t think so. But I did need to break it off with Mercedes. Having that conversation at her business would be better than in my home.
I had to go on with my life post-Electra at some point, right? But trying to replace her was an endeavor destined to fail. No woman, no matter how sexy they were, would measure up.
It wasn’t possible, not even at a club called Fantasy.
Electra
“STOP LOOKING AT me like that,” I mumbled without any real heat. I had no heat left. I’d burned bright in Saint Croix, but without Champion, I was only ashes.
“How am I looking at you, my darling?” Jeremy asked, his magic wand poised over my nipple that now sported a sparkly red pasty.
“Like you’re afraid I might fall apart,” I said, clenching my fingers into fists at my sides.
“You’ve been all mopey since you got back from your vacation. I’m worried about you. So’s your other half.” He applied the other pasty quickly and perfectly. He had a gift. Straightening, he flexed his muscular shoulders and turned my chair around. “What do you think?”
“They look fantastic.” I glanced at myself in the mirror, avoiding my eyes. The pasties matched my thong and my fiery wings. The rest of the costume had strategic tearaways. It was Ally’s creation. Designing stage outfits for all the dancers at Fantasy was her specialty.
“And your makeup, my magical phoenix?” Peering at my reflection with me, Jeremy placed his black hands on my shoulders.
“I look beautifully sinful,” I whispered. “You’re a genius.”
“I am. It is known.” Tall, handsome, and gentle with me and all the dancers, he flashed me a perfect smile.
“You’re on, babe.”
Ally appeared in the doorway to the dressing room. Stepping inside her stilettos, which I wouldn’t dream of wearing while dancing, she pinged on the pristine concrete floor, wearing only a G-string and pasties. The support staff—wannabe dancers—would fetch the costume she’d left onstage and launder it before returning it to the dressing room.
“Let me help you get undressed, darling.” Jeremy shifted his attention to Ally, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Not a good thing.
You can do this. Staring into my eyes, I gave myself the same pep talk that I had the night before and every night since I’d returned from Saint Croix.
It wasn’t very motivational, but it worked to get my ass onstage.
My heart wasn’t in it. The patrons didn’t notice a difference, but those closest to me did. Dance used to be my solace, but it couldn’t perform that function, not when every song on my set list reminded me of Champion. I needed to get new ones, but I didn’t feel like choreographing. I didn’t feel like doing anything except replaying our time together. Outside of that, I was just going through the motions.
“There’s some big VIP coming in tonight,” Ally said. “Mercedes told everyone to get ready and be on their best behavior.”
I shifted to look at my best friend. Now wearing a colorful robe around her shoulders, she’d taken a seat in the chair beside mine. Jeremy was standing beside her, removing her fake lashes.
“Who is it?” I asked, glancing at Jeremy. “And don’t act like you don’t know.”
