CHAPTER 2

"Bitch! What are you doing here?!"

France's shrill scream woke me up from my dreamless slumber. My lids fluttered open. I looked at her with a dazed expression. It took a while before I finally realized what was going on.

I fell asleep on the bathroom floor! Damn it!

I stood up and quickly looked down to check my body.

"What did you do?!" France's panicked voice took my attention.

"What?" I asked nonchalantly.

"The show's not over yet!" she screamed.

"Fine," I grunted before walking out of the bathroom as if nothing happened. I headed to the door when I felt my hair pulled back.

"Are you crazy?!" France hissed. "Do you seriously think that the clients would like you in that state?" she pointed at my drenched clothes.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked unemotionally, which made her sigh in frustration. She was obviously running out of patience, but I couldn't care less.

"Hurry up and get changed!" she snapped. "Or do you want me to do it for you?!" she looked at me sharply.

I sighed while staring at her serious face. I don't know how she can stomach all the things that they do to the poor women here.

"I can do it myself," I huffed before I turned my back on him.

"Hurry up! The client's already waiting for you at VIP room 6!" she screamed behind me. I didn't even bother to look back as I made my way to the shower to wash myself quickly.

Then, I proceeded to the dressing room in a white robe. I put on another set of sinful lingerie. The door slammed open while I was applying makeup.

"Hurry bitch!" France hissed. "You need to be in VIP room two! ASAP!?"

I rolled my eyes while putting on my red lipstick.

"Fine," I clicked my tongue impatiently.

I hate VIP rooms. These are where clients can have their own private shows. Inside those rooms, I am nothing more than a puppet. They can make me do whatever the hell they want. The only advantage is that they can't touch me. But that doesn't make it any better—not really.

I glanced at my reflection one last time. 

"Don't you dare fuck this up, Ava! I've already had my fill of bullshit tonight!" France ranted behind me as I strode towards the door.

"Yeah, yeah," I chanted.

"That's a big-time client in there!" she grabbed my arm to stop me from walking. "Make sure to leave him wanting for more. We need more regular patrons!"

"Alright," I shrugged nonchalantly. What is it to me anyway? Even if patrons bleed their pockets dry for me, I will only get a dime of what they pay for.

I strutted my way to the floor where the VIP rooms were located, stopping in front of a red door. I knocked once before pushing it open.

I saw a man sitting on the couch with a glass of liquor in his hand. I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow when I noticed he didn't even bother to look at me. I'm sure he was aware of my presence; he just chose to ignore it.

I slowly approached him to do my job, seductively wrapping my arms around his broad shoulder. I almost closed my eyes at how his musky scent attacked my senses.

'Hmm, at least he smells good,' I thought.

"Get your hands off me," his cold voice said, bringing me back to reality. For a moment, I was taken aback by his cold demeanor, but I quickly shrugged it off. I went to the pole in the middle of the room to do my job. I was here to give him a good show.

I gripped the pole while searching for his eyes. A loud gasp almost escaped my lips when I finally laid eyes on his face!

It was him!

The man who looked so unbothered by my performance earlier is here for a private show! A satisfied smirk crawls up to my lips. I wonder what kind of game he is playing. Why is he here when it seemed like he couldn't care less about me?

I held his gaze, never breaking eye contact, as I started my routine in tune with the boisterous music reverberating along the walls of the room.

I grabbed the pole behind me with both hands above my head, my legs astride, giving him a peek at what's between my thighs. Slowly, I let my hips move in a circular motion while still holding his empty gaze. He was watching my every move like a hawk, but I couldn't find any emotion in his face.

Let's see how long he can keep this act, then.

I spun around the pole. I made sure to do every move with perfection. My body waved against it like I was making love to it, mimicking a rhythm known to men since time immemorial.

I started inching towards him when I still couldn't get the reaction I wanted. The only rule in this room is that he cannot touch me, but I can do whatever I want with him.

The corner of my lips tugged upward as I stopped in front of him. My legs are on either side of his, straddling him. Now that we are face to face, I can see that he is much older than me. But who cares? He still looked so damn hot!

He snorted, seemingly disgusted by my awestruck reaction, before drinking the rest of his whiskey, still acting unaffected.

"Pour me more," he grunted.

Ugh. I bit my lip. Even his voice sounded so sexy. I quietly wondered what brought him to this kind of place when, indeed, he could get any woman he wanted at the snap of his fingers.

I did what he asked without moving away from him. After filling his glass, I put the bottle back on the table behind me to continue where I left off.

I rested both my arms on his shoulders. This time, he didn't argue with me. He just watched me with his blank stare, seeming to be challenging me.

I started teasing him by dancing on his lap. I let my core graze his front from time to time but did not entirely give contact. My eyebrows twitched when I felt that he wasn't acting at all. 

He's really not affected! Damn him.

It's hard to admit, but it bruised my ego. I was used to men worshipping me inside this room. I even had to call security when they couldn't keep their hands to themselves! But this man...

I was getting frustrated, but I tried my best not to show it on my face. I still tried my best to turn him on at least, but all my efforts turned futile.

"Stop it," he growled in a low voice after a while. "Get off me."

I took a deep breath before slowly pulling away from him.

"But..." I wanted to argue. There is allotted time in each VIP room.

"Just sit or do whatever you want," he said.

"There are CCTVs here," I informed him. They are used to ensure clients won't go overboard while in here. But I'm sure whoever's watching it will also see if I will stop doing what I am supposed to do.

"Can I at least sit beside you?" I asked hesitantly. I've never been this unsure in this job since forever.

"Fine," he grunted before downing another shot of whiskey down his throat.

I winced. I sat and pretended like I was all over him for the rest of the time. At least he didn't stop me from doing my job. He just sat beside me like a damn rock! He remained unaffected despite my lewd ministrations.

I took a deep breath, trying to shake my frustration off. I swear, I was so close to bonking him in the head with the whiskey bottle!

In my head, I was throwing it at him while he walked out of the room. Instead, I glared at his retreating figure. I've never felt this insulted, at least not in this room.

I scoffed bitterly when I realized what I was thinking. 

"You're really sick in the head, Ava," I muttered under my breath. Shouldn't I be happy that he didn't want to take advantage of me? For the first time since I came to this god-forsaken place, someone didn't see me as a sex object. I should be glad.

But I wasn't....

"Tss, whatever," I grunted before leaving the VIP room as well. I guess that's it for the night, seeing that France wasn't around to tell me what to do next.

I went to my room and headed straight to the shower. This time, I turned the heater on to relax myself. I closed my eyes and let the warm water course down my skin. Images of the man in the VIP room flashed inside my head.

It's like every detail of his face is embedded in my memory. His thick eyebrows, deep-set eyes, straight nose, sharp jaw...

I groaned inwardly, trying to push his memory away. He's awakening something in me. Something that I failed to do to him despite my years of experience in seduction.

Suddenly, the temperature inside the room seemed to surge. I could feel my body heating up, and I knew it had nothing to do with the warm water cascading down my body.

I let my hands wander, allowing the soft lather on my skin. I bit my lower lip when my fingers accidentally brushed one of my hardened buds.

"Fuck it," I hissed. My head is getting filled with lust. All reason is flown out the window.

I couldn't help but fondle my twin peaks while thinking of that man. In my head, he was standing in front of me, his hands gripping me tight. I imagined his hand to be rough and calloused, precisely like his attitude towards me. It was in complete contrast with my smooth skin, giving me a much-heightened sensation.

A muffled moan escaped between my lips when my left hand moved south.

"Damn you!" I cursed the man in my head as I continued to pleasure myself. I imagine him dominating my whole body.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would reach this point? But here I am, pathetically picking up my pace, trying to chase the release I didn't get tonight.