2

CHAPTER 2

RUBY'S POV

After applying the final touches to my makeup, I took one last look in the mirror before me and smiled.

Then I picked up my mask and wore it over my face before walking out of my dressing room.

It had been two weeks since the funeral was held. Surprisingly, my adoptive father, Michael, had some properties left and they were handed over to me by his lawyer along with an apology letter from him telling me how sorry he was after sending me away but I wasn't touched because he was too late with his apology.

He couldn't find me after I left because I made sure of it.

Changing my surname and the color of my hair along with moving to another country actually helped so none of them could find me even if they wanted to.

I wanted absolutely nothing to do with anyone from my past… except for Clarissa who made it very clear that she was going nowhere after she found me a year ago and I was glad she never left me.

I ripped the letter to shreds and dumped it into a bin because his apology was useless. He was dead and I was never forgiving him for ruining my life but I accepted the inheritance.

Then I sold them all off and returned to my house and daughter to continue living my life.

I could still remember the look on Dax's face when I saw him at the funeral, how soft his skin felt against mine when he held my hand to stop me from leaving. It had been two fucking weeks since then but thoughts of him were still messing with my head and I was hating every moment of it. I wanted him out of my head.

"Hey Magenta, are you ready? A client wants you already" Avery, the manager, and trainer for all the strippers in the club I worked at asked me by my stage name and I snapped out of my thoughts.

I nodded at her before sashaying and flipping my hair to show how ready I was and she smiled.

"He's waiting for you in room six. Make sure he's satisfied Magenta, he's a first-time client and he specifically asked for you" She said to me with a look of plea in her eyes and a tone of warning in her voice.

"Trust me, Avery. I'd make him love every moment with me" I assured her and she nodded.

"Good luck then" she ended our discussion before walking away and I made my way over to room six to see who this first-time client could be.

This was my life now. After Dax broke up with me and Michael threw me out of his house eight years ago, I couldn't pay my tuition fees for college so I had to drop out before I could even attend my first class.

It wasn't easy starting over in a new place especially being pregnant but I had to do what I could because I was determined to provide the best for my daughter, Sally. I didn't want her to live the same way I did.

So I took any job I could find. I did so many part-time jobs to make ends meet while living in a dingy and musty studio room.

Then I had Sally and six years later, I knew that taking only part-time jobs wasn't going to be of much help.

I had to find better accommodation in a better and safer neighborhood and enroll her in a much better school too so she could be comfortable and for her, I was willing to do anything to make her happy.

So I searched for a better job and among all the jobs I found, being a pole dancer had the highest pay.

It was a private club where mostly men of high class came for private performances but once every month, a random dancer was chosen to perform on stage in the main club.

I was reluctant at first because I had never done such before but after weighing all the options I had, I realized I didn't have much of a choice. Besides, I wasn't a bad dancer, I could train to become better and apply for the job.

So I did just that and surprisingly, I was chosen.

For two years I had been working as a masked dancer for the club and the pay was way better than what I had gotten from the part-time jobs I did for the past six years so while dancing half naked for men, life was way better too.

It was a win-win for me.

Clearing my head to focus on work and not my life story, I inhaled and exhaled to prep myself for whoever I was going to meet behind the door I stood before then I opened the door and closed it behind me before making my way over to the mini stage that was set up the same way in every room for private performances.

Grabbing onto the pole, I finally turned to the client who sat before me quietly and I gasped out of shock.

It was Dax in the flesh again. I couldn't help but wonder what he was doing here in this club in an entirely different country as my pulse thumped harder.

I began to panic because I wondered if he knew I was the one beneath the mask. It just made no sense that this would be a coincidence because Dax wouldn't leave New York and come all the way to Denmark just to check out a strip club but then, who knew?

He probably had business here and decided to check out the club because it was a very private and high-class club. All I had to do was act obliviously and do my job. He asked for me and I couldn't leave because that would leave a dent in my paycheck and I couldn't afford that.

"Are you just going to keep on staring at me?" he suddenly asked and I swallowed.

"Oh sorry about that sir, I was just so surprised to see such a breathtakingly handsome man before me so I was speechless for a while but don't worry. I'm going to make tonight eventful" I said with a sweet voice and he chuckled.

"Is this how you serenade every client?" he asked and I cocked my head to the side. He couldn't see my face so I had to use my body language.

"Now, are you jealous sir? Do you want me to make it up to you with a dance so you'll forget about every other man I've been with?" I asked him cockily while swaying my hips and I saw a shadow fleet pass in his eyes before he looked me over with pure lust in his burning gaze.

It was a surprise that I was able to keep the conversation going even though I was gradually losing my shit.

"Dance for me then… and don't hold back. I want you to go all out for me" He said with an authoritative tone and a shiver swept through me in reaction. This man was really messing with me and it was very infuriating.

While I sounded sweet while talking to him, all I wanted to do was grab the glass of champagne beside him and smash it against his head but I dared not, except I wanted to lose my job and spend a few months in jail.

If Dax wasn't going to lock me up, Avery would. She was nice when she wanted to but she could be hella scary too when pissed off.

So with cautious and seductive steps, I walked toward him and served him a drink first before turning on the music and he had his eyes trained on me all through.

It was like he wanted to devour me on the spot and the goosebumps on my skin showed how much his fiery look was making me a puddle of wrecked nerves beneath the mask I wore.

I began to dance as 'Closer by Nine Inch Nails' played.

I watched him take his first sip of the champagne in hand as he watched me closely and I released a shaky breath while swaying my hips and touching myself to entertain him.

Never did I think I would be strip dancing for Dax Kellen while planning his downfall as payback for what he did to me but here I was. Life was crazy with its sudden twists and turns.

Releasing a short breath, I grabbed the pole before me and swirled up around it then I let go and twirled down in beat with the song.

He said he wanted me to give my all so I was going to do exactly that… I only hoped he was going to leave me a huge tip.

Then I landed back on my feet and turned to give him the dirtiest and sexiest look I could muster with my eyes.

Even if I hated him and wanted to ruin him, it wasn't a bad idea to tease him. I was going to make him want what he couldn't have… just for the fun of it because I wanted to see him lose his cool.

"You're not saying anything, sir. Are you not enjoying the dance?" I asked him when all he did was watch in silence until the song was over and he blinked.

Then he ran his palm over his face and gave me a blank look.

"I guess I liked the performance after all. I thought I was going to be disappointed when an acquaintance recommended this place to me and told me you were the best" he replied and I felt my face get hot.

I was flustered to hear I was the best and was even recommended to him. The other strip dancers would never agree out of jealousy but deep inside, I knew I was the best too.

"So tell me, sir, what brings you to Denmark?" I asked him and he raised an eyebrow.

"And why did you think I wasn't from here?" he asked me too.

"This place was recommended to you, sir. If you were residing in Denmark, you'd know this place without even a direction. We're well known for our great services" I replied, still trying to keep my voice sultry and sweet.

All I wanted to know was if there was any possibility he knew I was the one or if he just came here for other reasons.

"Business meeting. I leave tomorrow but I think I'll be back again" he said, eyeing me and I was instantly relieved to know he was in Denmark for business but I was also panicking about him returning. It was definitely going to be a disaster.

I didn't want him to return. I didn't think I would be able to manage another session with him but I couldn't tell him that unless I had a solid reason to prevent him from returning and I had none.

So there was nothing I could do to stop him from coming back.

Defeated, I decided to do something else to distract myself since his time wasn't over yet.

"This time, you get to choose the song. So tell me, sir, what song do you want me to dance to for you?" I asked him and he took a moment to reply while his eyes left me feeling bare under his scalding stare.

"What's your name?" he asked and I placed my hands on my hips. Now he was even more curious about me and I didn't know if it was a good or bad thing.

"It's Magenta. What about you? What would you like me to call you, sir?" I asked too and he smirked.

"Call me sir. I like that" he replied and I nodded before walking to the music box to play any song that was good enough.

Then I turned to him when the speaker began to boom and held my hands up while arching my back and I ran a finger down the middle of my chest down to my waist and his eyes followed.

"Come here" he called me over with a wave of his finger and I obeyed. Then he sat me on his thighs and soon, I was straddling him.

This was risky for me, my guard was slipping but I couldn't refuse his request. I had to see it through until the end to get paid but being so close to him drove me crazy.

Suddenly, he wrapped his hands around my waist and pulled me closer and that earned a startled gasp from me as I felt him harden against me.

Lord save me from this man.