Chapter 5.

I could feel the weight of Kilein Carter’s gaze on me even before I stepped onto the stage. It was heavy, suffocating, laced with something dark and unreadable.

But I didn’t stop.

I walked straight to the bar, my hands steady as I leaned in closer to the bartender.

“I need a job,” I repeated, my voice firm, unwavering.

The bartender hesitated, his eyes flickering toward the VIP section where Kilein sat, then back to me. A slow smirk stretched across his lips. “You sure you know what you’re asking for?”

“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”

He exhaled sharply, tossing the towel he was using to wipe glasses over his shoulder. “Manager’s office is in the back. But be careful—this place chews people up and spits them out.”

I didn’t need the warning. I wasn’t here to survive. I was here to destroy.

*

The manager, a burly man with graying hair and a sharp gaze, studied me from behind his desk. The room smelled of whiskey and stale cigar smoke, and the dim lighting cast long shadows against the walls.

“You wanna be a dancer?” he asked, his voice gruff.

“Yes.”

He leaned forward, his fingers tapping against the wooden desk. “Experience?”

“I know how to move,” I said confidently.

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Honey, this ain’t just about knowing how to move. This is about owning the stage, controlling the room. You think you can handle that?”

I didn’t flinch. “Yes.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, assessing me. Then he leaned back and gestured toward the door. “Go to the stage. Show me.”

*

The music started, slow and pulsing, like the heartbeat of the club itself. I took a deep breath, letting the rhythm sink into my bones.

Then, I moved.

I let my body sway, my hands gliding along my curves. I wasn’t just dancing—I was commanding attention. My movements were slow, deliberate, teasing. I didn’t need to be the best dancer in the room; I just needed to make them look.

And they did.

I could feel the shift in the atmosphere. Conversations dimmed, eyes turned, and then—him.

Kilein.

He was watching me.

The girl who had been draped across his lap was long forgotten, his amber eyes locked onto me with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. His expression was unreadable, but something flickered beneath the surface—curiosity, irritation, something else I couldn’t quite place.

I turned, letting my back arch as I slid down, my hands trailing along my thighs before rising again with a slow, controlled grace.

And that’s when I heard it.

A deep voice cutting through the music.

“Stop.”

The sound was sharp, authoritative, and it sent a jolt through my body. The music cut off instantly. The entire room stilled.

I straightened, my breathing uneven as I turned toward the source.

Kilein was no longer lounging in his seat. He was standing now, his glass of whiskey held loosely in one hand, the other tucked into his pocket. His gaze was locked onto mine, sharp and unreadable.

“She’s done,” he said simply, like it was law.

The manager, who had been watching from the side, stiffened. “Mr. Carter, she just started—”

“I said she’s done.”

A silence settled over the room. The air felt charged, thick with something I couldn’t name.

Then, he turned his back and started toward the exit.

I clenched my fists.

No.

He wasn’t going to dismiss me like that.

I moved before I could think, stepping off the stage and following him, my heart pounding. “Excuse me?” I called out, pushing past a few onlookers.

He stopped but didn’t turn around.

“I don’t recall needing your approval,” I continued, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me.

Slowly, he turned to face me.

Up close, he was even more intimidating. Broad shoulders, sharp jawline, those piercing amber eyes that felt like they could strip away every layer of my resolve.

“You don’t,” he said smoothly, tilting his head slightly. “But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re not dancing here.”

I scoffed, crossing my arms. “And who exactly gave you the right to make that decision?”

His lips twitched, but it wasn’t a smile—it was something colder. “I don’t need permission.”

Arrogant bastard.

I stepped closer, ignoring the way my pulse jumped. “I don’t know what kind of power trip you’re on, but I don’t take orders from you.”

A slow, amused hum left his throat. “Is that so?”

I lifted my chin. “That’s right.”

Something flickered in his gaze, something dark and assessing. Then, he leaned in just slightly, lowering his voice so only I could hear.

“If you want to get under Kelvin’s skin,” he murmured, “you’ll have to do better than this.”

My breath caught.

I stiffened, every muscle in my body locking up.

How the hell did he know?

He straightened, his expression still unreadable as he took a step back. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Lucy.”

Hearing my name on his lips sent a shiver down my spine, but I refused to let it show. “I can handle myself.”

He smirked then, slow and deliberate. “We’ll see.”

Then, before I could say another word, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows of the club.

I stood there, my heart racing, my mind spinning.

I had come here with a plan, with the intention of using Kilein Carter against Kelvin.

But somehow, in the span of just a few minutes, I had the sinking feeling that I had walked straight into his game instead.

And I wasn’t sure I’d be able to win.