DARK RAINY NIGHT

Maya collins’s pov~

“Sorry, Maya. If you do not remit payment for this semester, you will be required to retake this course.”

That was a representative from NYU.

“Sorry, Maya, you are not part of the will; your stepdad doesn't want any part of your life. He says you are a bastard and your mom was a whore he spent just 1 night with."

That was my father’s lawyer; Dad now calls himself my stepdad.

All my life, it's been one sad tale or another; someone is always walking out the door, and no one looks back to know how I feel.

But I've learned to be strong, even though the pain in my heart is a constant reminder; my only joy in this tragedy is my best friend, Kate Harlow.

I faced vilification and accusations of being a gold digger when I chose to do a good deed by whistleblowing on a famous art thief.

Sigh! I can never win with people!

I locked the door to the little apartment I share with my best friend, Kate Harlow. Her talking her parents into letting us rent out their family cottage here in Tallinn has been the most angelic thing she’s ever done for my art career.

I looked both ways before crossing the street; I have to get to my job before…

Aarrgh,

Bright light blinded me almost immediately. I was stunned; I stepped back. The car sped by fast; I blinked fast, but before I could see it, it had splashed muddy water all over my orange coat.

“FUCK! Can today get any worse?” I heaved in frustration before checking the time: 10 pm. Shit!

Kurt, the club manager, will deduct it from this month’s pay.

the damned bastard, and I was right.

He stood by the back door, fuming with anger, waiting to descend on me as I crossed over to meet him.

“You are late!” he fumed. I gave a shy smile.

“I'm sorry, Kurt, but I had extra classes today, and if I miss any more, my professor is going to…”

He slammed his hand against the door; it flew open, and the perpetual sound of sin and chaos roared from inside, reminding me of my tragic life yet again.

I dreamed of becoming an artist, painting my pain onto a canvas, but there’s the matter of my student loans and my tuition back in New York.

“Does it look like I run a charity here, Maya? Does it write Kurt’s charity bar in front of this building?” he bellowed.

I was about to reply, but his stern look prevailed over whatever I had to say to him.

“This is a strip club; you begged for this job, Maya, remember? If you don't need it anymore, I suggest you find other means of employment, because I won't tolerate Tardiness!” 

His voice was finite, and I immediately fell to my knees.

“Kurt, I'm sorry, okay? It won't happen again! Please, I need this job! " Please!" I pleaded. I felt utterly humiliated when I heard the other girls giggle and laugh behind Kurt.

I noticed someone had parked a few feet away from where I begged Kurt for my job back. A tall man got out of the car and watched us for a while before walking in through the back door of the building, where I knelt begging.

He was masked except for his eyes. Something about the way those grey eyes scanned me unsettled me. He shot me one last look before disappearing behind the door.

“I don't think this approach works anymore, Maya. I need my girls on time, but you seem to want to wander off on your own," he scoffed.

“I don't collect strays." He paused before clapping his hands in my face.

He was about to continue when another man, a guard we called Ajax, whispered something into his ear.

Kurt smiled in an unsettling way.

He looked at me with proud eyes before gesturing for me to get up.

Phew, relief! Wait, does this mean I've got my job back?

“You are in luck," Kurt smiled.

I looked at him, confused.

“I don't understand?” I stuttered. “A client has asked for you, just you, Maya, so you'd better do a good job or kiss your job here goodbye; he is in the private suite." 

With that, Kurt walked away, leaving me in a state of curiosity and confusion all at once.

I've been working here for 5 months, and no one has ever called for me specifically.

I'm just a plain, boring girl with so much student loan debt hanging over my head, so who could ever want me?

Kurt had come to drop off a costume that I had to wear specifically for this client.

I was uncomfortable because most of it was open, and my nipples shot out of the red-colored cut-up bra.

Kurt grabbed my arm aggressively. "He is not a regular here, but he has money to spend, so make sure he spends it, or you are out!” His threat sounded very real, and I, for one, can't afford to lose this job.

I had to be on my A-game, do my job, and leave, but before I went to see the client, I took one last look at myself in the mirror.

I took a long, deep breath; before every performance, I did a ritual where I conjured up my alter ego, the part of me that would do whatever it takes to get it done.

I call her the bad Maya.

I felt her creep into me slowly as I walked towards the private lounge, pulled by the darkness where the mystery client sat waiting for me.

“You asked for me?” I said softly before walking in. 

He pointed at the pole and motioned for me to go there.

His eyes were studying every inch of my body.

Making me uncomfortable as I swirled my way to the pole in front of him.

Why did he want me specifically? Who is this masked stranger?

I grabbed the pole and turned, my body gyrating to the slow, sensual music of the night.

His greyish eyes feasted upon my body as I inched closer and closer to him.

He tapped his legs once, urging me to come forward.

But as I leaned closer, I noticed something.

His eyes…. The way they narrowed when the red light hit it reminded me of someone.

Someone I thought…

No, I thought I helped put him in prison many years ago!.

But wait, who is this? I have to find out!

I leaned into him, my nipples brushing against his thighs as I moved up to meet his gaze.

His lips parted to receive my waiting nipples.

I tried to touch his mask, but he gently pushed my hand away. He held both my arms behind me in subtle surrender.

He pulled me into him, holding me tight; the feeling of his hands like electricity gliding down my back startled me. It stirred every nerve in my body in a way no one ever has.

I soon felt them around my bare ass cheeks; he smacked them and pushed my pelvis further to sit on his hardened cock.

“I want you…” He said clearly, he pulled my hair softly behind me and kissed my nape.

What the hell am I doing? Why am I letting this masked stranger touch me?

“I have a boyfriend. " I managed a soft moan, but he didn't care; he reached for his pocket and took out what looked like an envelope.

It was thick; my eyes widened with shock. 

This money could change my life, but that would mean…

“I don't care about him,” he scoffed. “He doesn't exist in my world."

He pulled my face gently to meet those familiar eyes once again.

He slowly reached for my lower lip. I watched him slide the mask up to his nose, revealing perfectly plucked lips.

Almost as if I were in a trance, I was pulled to them; his lips touched mine, and he devoured them like a hungry lion.

I felt his fingers slowly reach for my thighs; I wanted him to stop, but this masked man intrigued me.

It was far too dark to see who it was underneath the mask, but his lips and those eyes haunted me.

I broke away from his kiss…

“This is yours, and there's more where that came from only if you let me spread on my bed tonight and fuck you the way I want, how I want, and when I want you." His voice was thick, and it sounded like sweet poison in my ears.

When his tongue reached for my ears again, I sprang up, startling us both.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this; I don't want your money," I retorted, stepping further away.

But it seemed the further away I pulled, the angrier he got.

He got up, picked up the envelope, and put it back in his pocket.

He glared at me just before he reached for the door.

“I'll make sure you regret this!” he fumed.

He threw the curtains out of his way before dashing out in annoyance.

 Tension engulfed the room, my mind in a million places, wondering if I'd just crossed the devil.

If I had, I wondered what punishment awaited me.

Still, I couldn't stop thinking about his scent. Who is this masked stranger?

Just as I was about to prepare myself to plead for my job again, Ajax appeared; he picked me up and threw me out of the club. 

I cried and pleaded for a second chance, but nothing.

Kurt stood at the entrance, his arms folded; he glared at me.

“You just pissed off our highest-paying client, Maya. If you want your job back, you are going to do whatever that man wants from you; if not, don't show your face here again!”

The rain started, and that was when the call came through. 

I looked at it; no caller ID.

  I gave a quick reply, shivering in the rain.

“Am I speaking to Maya Collins?” I heard a woman’s calm voice. 

"Yes," I replied in a shaky voice.

“I'm Anya from Mayfield Hospital here in Tallinn. Are you alone?” The lady’s voice on the other end asked.

“Yes? Can I know what this is about?” I sniffled, picking up my stuff from the roadside.

A small pause before she continued.

“Your friend Kate Harlow was just involved in a very bad accident; right now, she's in the hospital fighting for her life."

The words struck me like thunder, life suddenly leaving my body.

“What!” I felt my heart beat out of focus.

“She listed you as her emergency contact. I'm sorry, Miss, but if you don't come up with 100 thousand dollars for a heart transplant, I'm afraid your friend Kate will be dead before the week runs out.”

That envelope… could have saved Kate….

I fell to the floor, tears flowing from my eyes; I wish I had accepted to sleep with the strange masked man.