Chapter 1: Prologue

Lily's POV

My heels clicked reluctantly on the ground as I walked towards the private section of the club. As I passed by, I heard catcalls and lewd remarks from men about my semi nude body that made my skin crawl.

This was a part of my job that hard to get used to, I felt so naked in front of all these men and their eyes raped me without consent… Well I guess, I was automatically consenting given my job as a stripper.

I preferred my day job as a bartender more, they were less jerks and I didn't have to wear revealing clothing. But as a single mother caring for a five year old son diagnosed with down syndrome, I need the double income so I was willing to do anything.

Which was why I was heading to the private section now, I just got my first ‘private session’ booking which was a fancy name for an escort service. Surprisingly this client was willing to pay double, which was a huge sum even after the manager told him I was new to the agency and it happened to be the amount I needed so badly to complete my rent and buy my son's medications.

Like I said, I was willing to do anything.

I stopped in front of the door that led to the room of the waiting client and before knocking, I took a deep breath. My brain knew what was about to happen in a few minutes but my body refused to accept it, my palms were sweaty and a familiar fear tried to grip me.

I tried to will myself to calm down, I needed this money badly, I must go ahead with it.

I knocked and a deep hoarse voice answered for me to come in. I opened the door and pushed my unwilling legs to go in. The room was lit with a red light and on the bed laid a relaxed man with a loosened suit sleeve. I shut down and walked awkwardly to meet while his eyes watched me intently. The fear was getting stronger, being in a closed room and close proximity with a man reminded me of the dreadful past that led to my single motherhood. All my screams for help with no one to help me, the forceful entry and painful penetration from that monster despite my pleas, they all crawled out from the dark corner I locked them up in my mind to taunt me.

“Sit” The man's deep voice penetrated my painful thoughts and brought me back to reality.

I obeyed and sat beside him on the bed while avoiding his eyes then he poured me a glass of alcohol and said, “Drink, it will help you relax”

There was this thing with his voice, it was not commanding or too rough. I wanted to refuse but I stopped, I really needed to relax and get over it. So I nodded and took the glass, downing its content in one continuous glup. The alcohol burned my throat but I kept repeating in my mind: “It’s going to be fine, he is not that monster, you need this money”

Yes, he wasn't. He wasn't the man that forced himself on me when I was just seventeen years old and got me pregnant. He wasn't the one that traumatized me, gave me nightmares and made me panic unconsciously when any man came close to me.

“Hey, Relax okay? Leave all those thoughts out and focus on me” I heard the mysterious man say beside me as his fingers pulled my face to look at him. He stared at me with an unreadable expression in his eyes and he began leaning in for a kiss.

My heart stopped and my body strongly wanted to protest but when his lips met mine, my body surprisingly relaxed. His lips were a little rough and he tasted like coffee and alcohol. I never thought I would be able to calmly kiss the opposite sex without panicking for the rest of my life but here I was feeling a burst of butterflies. I kissed him back almost as eager and his hands slowly wrapped around me and pulled me closer.

I felt small in his arms and my hands instinctively caressed his toned chest while our kiss deepened. All those thoughts and fear faded away in an instant and I felt lighter, so this was what pleasurable intimacy felt like?

He started to tug at my clothes and I let him take it off, I did the same for him and soon we were naked and bare. Then he picked me up and gently laid me down on the bed, trailing flowery kisses down my neck. I had no idea how sex with an escort was supposed to go, I had expected something rougher and less emotional but this, this was very different. I liked it, I liked it very much.

I released a moan when his lips touched my breast and ran my hand through his jet black hair, tugging at the end gently. He groaned and sucked even harder, his deep voice made a hotness pool in between my legs.

And his hand found my center making me inhale sharply.

“Relax, Lily” it was the first time I heard my name from his mouth, the way he rolled off his tongue made my heart flip. I breathed out and relaxed, letting him lead me and show me what to do.

And as he made love to me, bringing me to the throes of pleasure I never thought I would ever receive from sex, I had to keep reminding myself that it was just a business service that I was being paid for and nothing more. All these tingling feelings was just the arousal on high at the moment, nothing more.

Maybe if I said it long enough, I would believe it. I couldn't possibly fall in love with a man I just met.