“Shit,” he groans. “C’mon, before I change my mind.”

I let my body slowly and lightly rub against his as I walk past him and out his apartment door. I feel his eyes roam my body as we walk down the hall to the community room, or whatever the hell it is.

Pyro announces his gift to the President of Breakneck, and when I hear a sharp intake of breath, I peer through the darkness and see the President scanning Winter’s body up and down. A look of amazement and bewilderment sits on his shocked face. My cheeks flush and I look over to my side and see Pyro glaring at me. I wink at him before taking my place on the pole with Winter.

When we’re on our last duo trick, some ass**le grabs Winter and almost causes us to fall and hurt ourselves. My blood begins to boil as I straighten myself and help her off the pole.

“Music off, lights on now, motherfuckers!” I scream.

I fight to keep the smirk off of my face as Winter sets the drunken ass**le in his place, but I can’t. It isn’t until Pyro tries butting in that I begin to worry.

“Star, I’ll handle it,” Pyro says, as he walks up behind Winter.

“Pyro, she’s got this,” I hiss.

Everything that happens next happens fast. Drunk ass**le goes flying across the floor and I’m left flabbergasted. Not because I can’t believe she did that, but because all the men in this room are left with open jaws, and then the room erupts in an uproar.

“I need a second,” she says to Pyro.

“Yeah, baby, you do.” He laughs. “In my room above the microwave is a bottle of bourbon. Go do a few shots.”

“Don’t let anyone touch her while I’m gone, Pyro, or so help me…” she says.

I roll my eyes as Winter threatens him.

My smirk and eye-rolling comes to a halt when Pyro speaks next. “She’s good with me, sugar. Go cool off.”

What am I? A damn child?

“Now you, Flower, you need to take it easy on that pole because I plan on workin’ that body real good tonight.”

My head snaps up and I do a double take, as I make sure he’s talking to me. I start to bite my lip when I realize he is indeed looking in my direction.

Shit!

So, a pair of Angel wings is what it takes? Huh, who knew? It is easier to dance for strangers then it is for a hardcore crush. I suck up all the courage that I can, even though my nerves are shocked to the core. I don’t have Winter to act as my shield. Now it is just me, the pole, and Pyro watching. As I push all the little butterflies in my stomach to the side, I gather enough confidence to face him head on.

“Confident little shit, aren’t you?” I smile as I walk away. It is all false when it comes to him. Deep down, I’m a nervous wreck.

“I don’t need to be confident, sweetheart.”

I almost stumble on his words as I set myself up on the pole. I have work to do. If anyone ever said being an exotic dancer isn’t a job, I’d smack the shit outta them. I’m an entertainer and that is an exhausting job.

The half an hour or so that I’m left on the pole seems to drag as Pyro’s eyes stay on me for most of that time, until he gets up and goes down the hall. I assume he’s checking on Winter, and when he finally gets back, he walks up to the stage and drags his finger across his neck. When the lights come on, I notice that the President’s seat is now empty.

“Pyro,” I say as my hand motions to the empty seat.

“She’s with my Prez. Now take off them wings and put this on.”

I draw my eyebrows up as he shrugs outta his cut. My eyes follow his bulging biceps as he tries to hand it to me.

“Fuck,” he hisses, causing me to get a confused look.

“What?” I ask.

“Your ni**les are hard, baby. Fuckin’ put this on now, please!”

Oh god!

I’m beyond mortified. I may dance almost naked for a living, but that doesn’t mean I want to get any more personal with my audience, and my ni**les being hard in front of everyone is very damn personal. I don’t take off my wings. I just jerk his cut out of his hands and press it tightly against my chest.

“Damn, you tryin’ to make me think about your bare skin every time I have that on?”

I smile over my bare shoulder as I take off walking towards his apartment. Cat calls roar around me as I blush pink all over. I can’t feel his stare and I quickly turn around to see that he has not followed me. Disappointed and pissed that the smile over the shoulder didn’t work, I walk through the threshold and straight to the coke. I do a line or two or three. I don’t really care right now. My best friend is probably getting f**ked properly while I’ve been fantasizing about a man who doesn’t apparently want me.

The white substance works quickly and I step inside his bathroom, turn on the sink faucet, and bend down to take a quick drink. After my throat is wet enough, I run my pointer finger under the stream of water, bring a drop up to my nostril, and snort, forcing the loose particles of coke down my nose.

Well… fuck, what now?

I gulp as I hear the apartment door slam shut and I slowly stand back up straight. I take in one breath and peek outside the bathroom doorway. Big mistake. Pyro’s stance is tall and intimidating. He uncrosses his arms and does a spinning motion with one of his fingers. “Twirl, Flower,” he commands. “And drop everything while doing so.”

I do as he orders, but my smart mouth gets the better of me at the same time.

“So, what, now that half of your damn club buddies want to jump head and dick first into my pu**y, you all of a sudden want me?” My voice shakes as I drop the last of my clothes. Well, wings and little thong.