3.

KAYLA

“Girl, I can’t believe you are going to be getting another solo in one night. I’ve practically crawled on my knees for Bernado, but that good for nothing, pot belly bastard won’t budge,” Ivory whined from her spot in front of the dressing mirror.

It’s been three months since I started working at The Underground. I arrived in Italy the next week, after the assignment was reassigned to me. Dad wasn’t happy, but he could do nothing since I was the only free agent, and they had to send someone.

I was assigned a fake mother who was a cancer patient. She used to be an agent before she got sick. I also auditioned to become a dancer in one of Ricardo’s clubs. We thought it would make it easier to get direct access to the man, but it’s been three months, and he has yet to show up here.

In those three months, I met Ivory, Issa, and Diamond. I wouldn’t call us best friends, but they were good to me, and we were tight to the extent we could. I also made a lot of enemies because Bernado, the club’s manager, kept calling me the saviour of the underground and kept giving me solo stages since the customers had increased a lot since I started dancing.

While I needed the solos because they gave me lots of cash every night, the stink eyes and the silent threats I’ve been getting in the club because of it don’t seem to be worth me taking the solo stages.

“I’m hot like that,” I joked, and we both burst out laughing. It had become a joke between the four of us.

“Ivory, grow some tits if you want solo stages." Diamond cackled, making Ivory toss the brush she was holding in her direction.

It was a busy night, so the dressing room was empty. I was grateful because I didn’t want to deal with the comments about how I fucked my way to the solo stages and the snarks about my fake ass, which wasn’t fake at all.

“Girl, you better watch your mouth. My dime’s almost complete, and when I finally get that boob job, you’re going to put some respect on my name,” she hissed.

Ivory had been going on about her savings to get a boob job. I thought she had a great body. She had a tiny waist, a big ass, and small boobs, but she wanted big boobs.

“Uh huh,” Issa mocked, entering the room with a knowing smirk as she walked into the dressing room with bills sticking out from every part of her body. “Guess who got a good start?” She squealed, twirling so we could see the large bills that had been hooked on her flimsy outfit.

“Definitely not Ivory!” Me and Diamond yelled at the same time before we laughed at the shocked expression on her face.

“You know what? I’m going to leave this room; otherwise, Issa would be helping me clean a couple of dead bodies.” Ivory growled playfully and snatched her earrings so she could put them on.

“Nuh uh. These nails are too expensive to get rid of a dead body.” Issa exclaimed with wide eyes, extending her hands so we could see her nails. “No, not happening.”

“Later, babes. I need to get this private dance over with." Ivory said with a roll of her eyes at Issa's dramatic reply.

Just as Ivory was leaving, a small group of dancers entered the dressing room. I had hoped to escape before my next stage, but luck wasn’t on my side today.

To avoid any sort of confrontation, I turned to Issa, who had taken Ivory’s previous place beside me. I had been here for three months, but it felt like I knew nothing about the place, so I wanted to use the opportunity to ask some of the questions that I didn’t have the answers to yet.

“Hey, Issa,” I whispered, and she turned to me with raised eyebrows. “How come Ricardo never visits this place?”

Issa tensed, and her eyes widened with fear. Her eyes darted around the room, and I was stunned by the amount of panic I could see on her face.

“What? Did I say something wrong?” I asked, looking from her to Diamond, who had gone pale although she had brown skin.

“How the fuck do you know about Ricardo?” A voice snapped from behind me, and I turned to see Camilla, one of the dancers who has hated me since I stepped foot into this place.

I shrugged, not seeing anything wrong with my question. “He owns the underground, doesn’t he?”

Another dancer, Alessia, walked up to Camilla to sneer down at me as though I were the dirt under her feet. “I always knew there was something fishy about this bitch. No one knows that Ricardo owns the club except the old staff. You’ve been here for less than three months, and I’m certain that no one has mentioned Ricardo’s name until now, so how the fuck did you know about that?”

I looked back towards my friend and hated the sceptical look on their faces. I had fucked up, and I needed to prove that I was innocent; otherwise, Bernado would hear about this, and this would put me in a big mess with him regardless of his favourable view of me.

“Look, where I grew up, news flew. I overheard one of the boys mention it a few years back when my mama used to work the shop behind the alley. The boys used to go on and on about how Ricardo was a legend for building an empire,” I explained, hoping they bought my story because they couldn’t afford to be suspicious of me when I was yet to get close to Ricardo.

“Where did you say you grew up again?” Another dancer asked. I was at least happy that Issa and Diamond were quiet.

“Why? Are you going to pay me a visit?” I bitched, knowing that if I gave in too easily, it would be more suspicious.

The door flew open, stopping whatever the trio had to say. Another dancer, a close friend of the trio, ran into the room, panting, but her face was glowing.

“Camilla, it’s finally your chance. Ricardo is here. He is outside.” Perla practically screamed, not giving herself time to catch her breath.

“You are kidding,” Camilla gasped, shoving Nella and Alessia out of her way to grip Perla on the shoulder.

Camilla wanted to desperately be the resident bad girl or queen bee, but everyone here was too fucked up by their past to shrivel at some stupid, mean words.

“Oh, my goodness, Cami. You can ask Bernado to let you give him a private dance,” Alessia squealed.

“I am going to give Ricardo a private dance and get him to take me home,” she said dreamily, and I turned back to Diamond, who was trying to stifle a laugh.

“Are you okay? That was intense,” Issa whispered. She was the nicest in our friend group. She may act like a bad bitch most of the time, but she was a softie.

I gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m fine. I should have known stuff I hear on the street can’t be blabbered just anywhere.” I let out a relieving sigh. That was close. Dad would have killed me if he found out I almost fucked this up.

Diamond stood up as well and leaned over to place her cheeks against mine as we both stared at each other in the mirror. “You scared me, babes. Now fix your make-up and take your sexy red hair out there. We need that money to go on our little vacation tomorrow.”

We were all getting a full day off tomorrow since it was going to be Monday. Also, the club was getting some work done, so we didn’t need to come in until Wednesday night. I would have enough time to give feedback on my progress, which was none.

The dressing room was a busy place, so when the door opened again, I didn’t think to look at anyone until my name was called.

“Kayla!!!” The familiar song from Bernado has my head whipping towards the door. He barely came to the dressing room himself unless it was really important. Did one of them already snitch?

I studied his face, and he didn’t seem to be angry. “Do you need something?” I asked sceptically and walked up to him.

He had a big grin on his face as he grabbed my shoulders. “My lucky charm, you are going to save me today again." He said, “We are going to hit the jackpot if he likes you.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?” I looked at Issa, who was already looking giddy and was squealing with Diamond.

“Oh shit” Diamond swore with wide eyes, as though she had just realised something. She pointed to my hair and said, “Fucking natural red hair.”

I was lost between my friend’s excitement and Camille’s face turning red with anger, but I understood why when Bernando spoke.

“Get ready. Change of plans. In thirty minutes, Boss Ricardo wants a private dance from you in the top room.”