Page 8 of Crow
“Jade!” he snapped when he caught sight of me. “What the fuck were you thinking?”
“He grabbed things he shouldn’t,” I told him. “Hadn’t paid a single cent, and he was trying to get more than just a dance.”
“Why didn’t you let me or one of the bouncers deal with it?”
“I would have if I’d been able to see any of you!” I fumed. Around the room, the girls were beginning to sit up and pay more attention. “He had a hold of my arm, and where the fuck were you?”
“I was—” Cameron started, then cut himself off. “Never mind where I was, Jade, you caused a scene and you almost spoiled a lot of people’s nights. You need to leave.”
All my anger drained away. My arms fell limp at my sides as I stared at him. “You can’t be serious,” I said.
“You can come back tomorrow, but I can’t risk you taking this attitude out on other guests.” Cameron shook his head. “I’m sorry, Jade. Get your things.”
I stared at him for a moment longer, not believing what I was hearing, then scowled. “Fine. You know what, Cameron? Fuck you.” I stormed across the room, throwing things into my bag. Cameron barely had the good graces to let me pull my jacket on before he was tossing me and my bag out of Tease’s back door, apologetic look still on his face. Behind him, I could see Glimmer and a few other girls smirking.
“Hegrabbedme!” I yelled as he shut the door in my face. “Asshole.” I swiped my bag off the ground and dusted it off before swinging it onto my shoulder. I flipped off the closed door for good measure before turning to walk off, wondering what to do with the rest of my night. I was supposed to be working for the next couple of hours, but I’d been sent home early for bad behavior. Since when was it a crime to slap a guy trying to grab something he hadn’t paid to be allowed to grab? It was practically theft! This body was my goddamn livelihood, I wasn’t giving it away for fucking free.
I huffed, tying my hair into a braid over my shoulder as I considered what to do next. The thought of going back home where Ray and his gang were holed up planning some big raid or something didn’t seem like a good time. They were really boring when they were focusing on a project, so to the liquor store it was. I dug a cigarette out of my purse, lighting it as I began to walk into town.
***
My next two cigarettes had burnt to the filter by the time I was standing outside the small dingy building that was the only liquor store this side of Mascid. There was a motorcycle parked outside but it didn’t look like any of Ray’s gangs’, so I didn’t hesitate before heading into the building.
Inside, the shelves were cramped close together, and as far as I could tell, I was one of three people in there, including the cashier. The third person was familiar, but I couldn’t place him until he turned to pick up a bottle of whiskey, and I saw blue eyes beneath heavy-set brows and a well-kept beard that matched the thick blond hair tied into a knot at the base of his neck.
This biker was the same one who had walked out without seeing me strip a couple of days before.
Now I was seeing him in proper lighting. I could fully appreciate just how hot he was. In his denim jeans and leather cuts, both stretched tight around muscles, he was positively edible.
I shouldn’t talk to him, I knew I shouldn’t, but I was still pissed and itching for a fight from the strip club. I straightened up and sauntered up behind him, leaning forward to speak into his ear.
“Hey there, handsome.”
He started, which made me smile, and turned to me with wide eyes. I wiggled my fingers in a wave.
“So what’s the matter with you, you a prude?” I asked, remembering my conversation with Jess the other night.
He looked even more confused. “What?”
“At the club. You didn’t want a lap dance, and you walked out before I started stripping. Either you’re a homo, or you’re a prude. So which is it?”
He seemed to have gathered his wits, and he stared at me, his confused expression narrowing into a frown.
“Neither,” he said gruffly, turning away and heading to the cashier. I grinned, not ready for this to be over. I snagged another whiskey bottle off the shelf and followed him.
“What’s your deal then?” I asked, leaning against the counter next to him and playing with the end of my braid as he paid.
“Why do you care?” He scowled. My grin just widened as I stuck my hand out to shake. He eyed it mistrustfully, and I rolled my eyes.
“You shake it,” I told him. He handed the cashier his card then shook my hand. His hand was huge, the skin warm and callous-roughened against mine.
“Now’s the part where you introduce yourself,” I stage-whispered, winking at him.
“Crow,” he muttered. The dark name suited his eyes, even if I thought his coloring was too light.
“Jade,” I replied, finally getting around to shaking the hand instead of just holding it and enjoying the feel of it surrounding mine.
He snorted, looking at me disbelievingly. “You use your real name as your stripper name?”
