Chapter 1

What does it mean to be loved? Love is unconditional, unbreaking, loving someone means you'd do absolutely anything for them! I had never experienced love, not from anyone. I wasn't the daughter my parents wanted, the one they could buy pretty dresses and Barbie's. Because of this I had spent many years practically alone, my little sister Miya was everything they wanted...needed. So I left, I grabbed my old duffle bag out of the wardrobe before stuffing as much in it as I could. 

I ran down the stairs throwing the bag over my shoulder, the front door flung open revealing the shocked face of my mom. 

"Where are you going?" She threw her keys on the table before slamming the door behind her.

"I'm moving out" I continued down the stairway standing before her

"Why? You cant move out, I don't give you permission" She attempted to grab the bag off my shoulder, yanking at my hair in the process. 

"I'm 19 mom. I don't need permission from you, and even if I wasn't, do you seriously think id want to stay in this house much longer?" I could feel my heart beating rapidly in my chest, I was scared....but she couldn't know that.

"Fine, your a mess anyway. Your father will be happy that the disappointment is out of the house" she rummaged through her bag, before flinging a wad of cash in my direction. "Just go, obviously we aren't good enough for you."

"I don't want your dirty money. Give it to Miya, she can continue her long serving drug addiction". I threw the money in her face before running out of the house. I regretted how she found out, but I knew they'd probably blame it on me anyway. 

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I had been saving money since I was 13. I walked dogs, babysat, delivered newspapers and even washed manky windows, and at the end of it I had managed to scrounge enough money for a plane ticket to New York a place I hoped would change everything. 

But I was wrong. 

If you weren't lucky, you could easily get swallowed up by New York and just forgotten. I had tried to get jobs, every kind of job going....but I just couldn't. It has been a week since I left home, and I was penniless and alone in one of the biggest cities ever. I was pulled out of my thoughts by the roaring noise escaping from an open door down an alley way ahead. I tentatively made my way down the alley, constantly checking behind me. 

"Excuse me miss" A broad man bellowed before me, folding his bulging arms.

"Me?" I pointed to myself, before crossing my arms tightly.

"Do you see any other ladies down this alley way?" He gestured around me, my eyes following. I hadn't noticed the crowed of men who stood around, some chatting and some fighting. 

"No..." I tried not to sound timid, but my voice failed me. "What is this place?" 

"Well I suppose you could call it a club" he smirked

"So like a night club then?" 

"Perhaps. But only men are allowed in..." he raised his eyebrows, waiting for me to realise.

"But your like halving your profit!" We stood silent for a while, before it finally clicked "Oh its a strip club then" 

"We prefer the term Gentlemen's club" He paused, obviously considering something "I'm gonna have to ask you to leave unless you want a job...then I can help you." 

"If I did who would I have to talk too?" I pulled my jacket around myself, the cold air cooling my bones.

"Angelo is in charge of recruiting the girls.." He looked away, probably expecting me to leave.

"Are you going to show me this Angelo?" 

"Fine...follow me." He huffed loudly, before gesturing to one of the men who took over his post.

He led me down what was probably the longest corridor, the walls were covered with a thick purple velvet, heavy gold chandeliers hung from the ceiling which was covered in the same wallpaper. We stopped at the end of the corridor, as a small stocky man approached. 

"Dom where's Angelo?" 

"Where did you find your little friend Joey?" he smiled at me, his white teeth standing out against his dark tanned skin.

"Outside." they both smirked at each other, causing my eye brows to rise inquisitively. "She wants a job"

"Angelo will love her, she's exactly the type of girl he's been looking for" 

"And what is that exactly?" They both jumped, obviously not expecting me to speak.

"bellissimo, fiducioso but a bit of a cagna" Dom laughed.

"What? I don't speak gibberish" he laughed at me again before sighing.

"Beautiful, confident but a bit of a b!tch" Joey muttered

"Excuse me! I am no b!tch!-" 

"Look. You want a job or not?" Dom interrupted, obviously impatient. I nodded lightly, before they both took off down the corridor again. 

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After what felt like a year we finally found Angelo. I stood outside his office, alone, as Dom and Joey had left me in this place. The door creaked open as a tall girl pranced out, her hair messy and her makeup smudged. "Enter" A voice echoed from the inside of the room. I pushed myself off the wall, straightening out my hair which clung to the back off my collar. 

I closed the door behind me, the room falling dark. A dim red light lit up one corner of the room where a large black desk sat. Angelo sat behind it, his broad shoulders flexing as he placed his hands behind his head. His face fell into a contented smirk, his hair also messy.

"Sit down" His voice filled the room, as I stalked towards him. I sat down opposite him, the cold leather armchair dipping slightly. "So. Dom and Joey tell me you want a job in this fine establishment" 

"well...any job really"

"I need to set one thing straight. If you come to work here, there is no leaving. The line of work we work in is very exclusive, we cant have people finding out about our little business here." He leaned forward, his face becoming illuminated by the red light. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen, his every single feature was utter perfection. "You could be very successful here, I just need you to be sure" 

"So..what does this job involve?" I leant backwards

"Well, obviously we run a gentlemen's club so its not all rainbows and lollypops. You'd obviously be one of the show girls, you'd get your own room, costumes and stage time. We only make our girls perform, but obviously its up to them if they want to...earn a bit on the side." He paused "Whats your name?"

"Vanessa" 

"farfalle" he muttered. He realised my dumbfounded expression "it means butterfly. Its a very beautiful name...very fitting. Now obviously you have a character to emulate"

"Cant I just be me?" I smirked.

Angelo burst out laughing, clutching at his chest. "Oh farfalle! Don't be silly." He pretended to wipe the tears from his eyes "The men don't come here for daddy issues and mood swings. They want an experience... Let me think... We need a bad girl, someone dangerous and dark... do you think you could do that?" 

"I suppose I could."

"Great. Well I have work to do, get to know the club, meet the girls... you start tomorrow." He shooed me away, before looking back down at his work.