Chapter 13: Hanging up and out

I knew hanging up on Noah would do me no good.

But even if I knew nothing about this man, I knew his kind, our kind, well enough to know he won't stoop down to petty measures to take revenge.

He could destroy me if he wanted but he wouldn't go around complaining to Mateo about what happened. That's what spoilt rich middle school kids do. I should know. I've been one. He would do something huge, something bigger to ruin my life, that's if he wanted to, of course.

It didn't seem it mattered much to Noah though, I was just a form of entertainment to him. If I was too hard, he'd just move on. That's how it goes about in real life. He isn't going to waste his time chasing after me.

I don't know what was more disturbing the thought of him chasing after me or me wanting him to chase after me.

In a way I was glad he's a jerk. I don't think my heart could have stopped itself from being drawn to him if he'd been actually nice. Physical attraction, I can manage. Emotional attraction is a whole another topic.

Nonetheless, I decided I'd go to the club. I had a shift today anyway. If Mateo wanted to fire me, he'd have to get a piece of my mind first. How dare he share my personal information with a complete stranger. I couldn't go to the authorities but I can sure as hell teach him a lesson.

When I reached the club, I was met with the assistant manager, a cordial woman in her late 40s, who kindly smiled at me and informed me that the manager was not here.

When I asked her whether she knew if I was fired, she looked at me weirdly.

"I don't think so," She gave a short laughter, "He'd have to think twice before firing you. The club hasn't been this crowded in a while." She gestured to the dance floor.

It was packed, to say the least.

"And you have a part in doing that. The dancers in a cage wasn't cutting it anymore. By the way, I was meaning to ask you, where did you learn aerial silk because holy shit, you're good. I doubt he'd fire you...unless you did something?" She asked me.

''It's nothing," I told her, figuring out that it wasn't telling her my problems.

Dressed in racy white lingerie, minimal makeup along with thigh high white stockings with bows, I walked down the raised platform. With my hair in perfectly done wild curls, I looked the most stereotypical Asian babygirl. To add the cherry on top, I wore an innocent yet very sheer white dress. It had a low sweetheart neckline, little bows adorning it along with the hem of the flowy skirt which just happened to be indecently short. A bit too short that it almost revealed my lingerie, a peekaboo view.

Heaven by Julia Michaels played softly in the back. I hummed softly as I crossed my ankles.

Swaying slightly to the lyrics, I sat down on the chair. I crossed my legs before lightly grazing my fingers through my hair, gathering it in my fist before dropping it. Running my fingers down my throat, I slid them further down my collarbone before guiding them down my cleavage.

All wrapped in one he was so many sins.

I slowly bunched my skirt, teasing to reveal more skin but dropped it. Slowly spreading my legs, I rested my hands against my knees before grazing my fingers up my inner thighs. The only thought in my head was the one man who had been ruining my past few days. I wanted to clench my thighs together as I remembered that night. God, why is he so hot and why the fuck is he on my mind?

I thought back to the day I first landed my eyes on him, I was in a pretty similar situation.

They say, "All good boys go to heaven"

But bad boys bring heaven to you

Turning sideways on the chair, my back arched as I outstretched my left leg, making my breasts push forward provocatively as I bent back until my hair almost touched the ground. I let my hair flow down my back in loose curls.

Sitting up, I turned around, my back facing the people as I gathered my hair in a fist, pining it up.

Slowly, I started unzipping the back of my dress. A little bit at a time. I heard the hoots and the whistles as I slipped the strap of the dress down my shoulder, letting it pool at my waist. I arched my back, resting my hands against the head of the chair.

I'm not ashamed that he wasn't the one

Had no idea what we would become

There's no regrets I just thought it was fun.

I looked back not expecting to see the pitch black eyes piercing into mine. My breaths shallowed as I realized who they belonged to. He gave me a smirk as he sat up in the VIP lounge, the same place I saw him for the very first time.

My thoughts were a jumbled mess of images, images of that night. The night I undressed only for him. It felt much the same as the other voices faded into a background noise. I could almost hear his commanding, emotionless voice.

I tried to break eye contact, too captivated to look away but I managed to escape his gripping gaze. I turned back around, facing him before standing up as the dress pooled at my feet.

My brain became less foggy as I realised why he was here. It would be one hell of a coincidence if he was just here to drink after I rejected him on the phone.

Placing one leg on the chair, I slid my heels off before grazing my fingers up my legs, stopping at the top of the white, lacy stockings. I slowly rolled it down my leg before doing the same with my other leg.

By the time I was finished with my routine, I was panting and almost naked, save for a pair of fur nipple covers and panties.

My mind was full of anxiety, my heart racing as my mind focused on one thing only.

What the hell is this man doing here?

Is this a coincidence? Please tell me it's a coincidence.

As I walked up to the changing rooms, I spotted Selena waiting impatiently outside the room. I turned around before I remembered I was half naked and had nowhere to go.

Sighing deeply, I walked up to her, listening to her feet tap against the floor repeatedly. As soon as she saw me, she opened her mouth to speak but I cut her off-

"Let me put on some clothes first." I walked in, Selena following closely behind as I pulled on a pair of jeans and t-shirt.

''Ok, shoot." I rested against the chair.

"What happened this morning? You hung up on me and refused to pick up my phone. I called you like 40 times."

"Ok, that's borderline stalker behaviour," I commented.

"No, that's just more than what is socially acceptable." She pretended to look offended.

''For a stalker," I muttered before telling her the conversation me and Noah had.

I conveniently left out the part about Noah being here, right now.

"Oh my god, I can't believe you hung up on him," Her eyes widened and jaw dropped when I told her that part.

"Don't worry, I'm pretty sure he won't be able to fire you," I rushed to reassure her.

"It's not me that I'm worried about, it's you."

This was my last day at work anyway, so I didn't really care but she didn't need to know that.

I felt bad about lying to Selena all this time. She was the one friend I made here who never thought of herself above me, even when I was working for her. She introduced me to this job when I confided in her about my financial problems. I didn't like lying to her one bit after all she did for me. So, I offered her the half-truth.

"I'm going on a vacation anyway. I don't want to continue this job, so I submitted my resignation today." I told her.

"A vacation? Where? When?'' She asked, confused.

"We talked about it before and I don't know. I'll figure the when and where eventually," More and more lies.

As we were saying our goodbyes, I hugged Selena, tightly, knowing that this may be the last time I see her. I'll be gone in less than two weeks without a trace. She noticed the change in my demeanor but didn't say anything.

I walked out the back entrance, trying my best to avoid Noah.

Since I had sold the junk of a car I owned, I was left to walk alone to the bus stop in the middle of the night.

A couple steps down the block, I was face to face with a stupid drunk man who stumbled across my way. I looked back to see a group of men, watching us closely. Probably all drunk.

"Hey! You look hot!" He was too close, so I took a step back. I looked at the man, indifferent

''I said you're looking hot! Did you not hear me?'' He took a step closer and this time I didn't back down.

"No, I was just admiring your skin," I gave him a sweet smile.

"Well, we're right on track. Your place or mine?" He tried to stand up straight but ended up leaning against the wall.

"Definitely, my place. I bet your skin would make a really nice coat. So soft and fluffy," I checked him out.

"What the fuck you talking about?" He took a step back.

"How about it, baby? You, me and my surgical equipment in my basement," I gave him another smile that screamed insane.

"You're a fucking psycho," He started turning away but I grabbed his hand.

"How about we go to my place and I show you how true that is. I'll show you a really good time, I like men with soft, smooth skin like yours. Oh, I could just rip it off of you. What do you say?" I gave him a suggestive look.

"Um, no." He took another step back.

"Well, I was just joking," I twirled my hair as I took a step towards him.

"Oh okay," he gave a nervous laugh

"If you're willing though," I looked him up and down, laughing with him.

"I don't think you're joking," He said, unsettled.

"Tell me, what do you moisturize with?" I took his hand, caressing it.

"Ok bye, never mind," He ran back to a group of shady people.

"Okay, goodnight sweetheart. See you later," I called out to him as I raised my hand, waving.

He looked back at me, weirded out as he said to one of his friends, "Can you walk me home, man?"

By the time he was out of sight, I burst out laughing.

''Is this how you like spending your free time, harassing cat callers?"

"He deserved it," I replied automatically before I realised who that voice belonged to. I turned around to see the man I've been trying to avoid this whole time.

"What are you doing here?"

"What? No 'Hi, how are you doing. Good to see you again'? Did anyone tell you that you're not very nice." He had a straight face but his tone had a hint of humour in it.

"I'm nice." I frowned. Seriously? This is the best comeback I could come up with? I chided my brain.

"It is not very nice of you to call someone a son of a bitch in a language they don't understand."

"It's not very nice of you to practically kick someone out of your house,'' I retorted.

"Is that what you're salty about? Would you rather have stayed for a round two?"

"I'm not sleeping with you man, give up,"

"I'm not asking you to. You don't have to sleep with me unless you want to. I'll pay for your company. A date, if you will. Is that too much to ask?"

"You know my answer."

''You told me you were a 100 percent certain I'd be coming back for more. You were right. Here I am."

"A date?''

''Yes.''

''What's the catch?" I asked.

''There's no catch.'' He tucked his hands in the pocket of his pants.

''So, you're telling me you'd pay me to go on a date with you?''

''Yes.''

''What kind of date?'' I asked, not sure why I was even entertaining the idea of going out with him.

He was by no means an ordinary man neither were these ordinary circumstances under which people go on dates.

"Dinner? Shopping? Movies? You choose," He told me, his dark eyes staring into mine.

This date sounded too good to be true. What if he's a serial killer who preys on woman. Like the yorkshire ripper? I watch too many true crime documentaries for this.

But what if he's just a lonely man looking for some genuine company. I knew enough of those men. I looked him up and down. He didn't look like a serial killer.

Would it really be so bad to let myself indulge in a life of luxury for a day? Would it be so bad to pretend that this is an actual date?

Also, the idea of shopping, something I hadn't really done since my teen years sounded like music to my ears. Getting paid for shopping and dinner was every living human's dream come true. And what is the worst that could happen?

With that thought in mind, I said to him,''Get ready to be robbed out of your fortune.''