Page 60 of Highest Bidder

Maybe she was bartending. Or helping a friend. Or picking someone up. I shouldn’t jump to conclusions. But her location never moved the whole drive over.

I pulled into the lot, turned the car off and sat looking at the red neon sign and the line of men waiting while the bouncer checked IDs. Had I been sharing my little whore with other men this whole time?

I guess I was about to find out.

I got out of the car, clicked the lock, and headed toward the entrance.

The bouncer waved me through with a nod, and I stepped inside. It took a second for my eyes to adjust to the lights while the bass of the music for the girl grinding on a pole onstage pumped through the speakers.

I looked at the bar first, trying to keep with the whole “giving her the benefit of the doubt” theme. She wasn’t there.

But it didn’t take long to find her.

She was in a corner booth, perched in some asshole’s lap with her arms looped around his neck and her tits practically in his face. She wasn’t smiling, not really, but she wasn’t faking it either.

She was working.

Just not for me.

Her head turned, and our eyes locked.

Time stopped.

Her body stilled, but she didn’t get off the guy. She didn’t move at all. She just stared at me like I’d caught her cheating—even though she hadn’t made me any promises.

Even though I hadn’t asked her to.

I held her gaze as another dancer walked by, this one brunette and leggy, wearing glitter heels, red pasties and a matching red thong that barely covered anything.

“Hey, baby,” she purred, brushing her hand across my chest.

I didn’t look at her, just kept my eyes locked on Vivian and said, loud enough for her to hear, “You free for a private room?”

Vivian flinched.

The brunette grinned. “Of course. The Champagne Room is three hundred for fifteen minutes.”

I nodded, still staring at the girl I was trying to emotionally gut, like she’d just gutted me. I finally glanced at the girl in front of me and smiled. “You’re so fucking hot, I’ll only need ten. Lead the way, beautiful.”

Then I let the stranger lead me away by the hand, knowing full well Vivian was watching as I went behind a red velvet curtain.

****

Vivian

I felt like I was going to vomit as Jeff held Sapphire’s hand and walked toward the Champagne Room. He looked back and gave me an evil grin just before he stepped inside without a moment’s hesitation.

My bottom lip quivered, but I tightly pressed that bitch against my top one. I refused to let the bastard see me cry.

With a too-bright smile, I apologized and told the guy whose dick was poking me through my G-string that I’d give him another half a song.

I tried my best, but the dude did not get his twenty bucks worth. My rhythm was off, and all I could think about was Jeff pushing Sapphire’s head down on his cock and telling her to swallow every drop.

That motherfucker.

I slid off the dude I was grinding on and muttered something about needing a break, then made my way to the bar.

The older bartender gave me a smile. “You doing all right, Crystal? Do I need to get one of the bouncers?”

---