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SUMMER'S POV

I arrived at the club very late. I knew I was going to be scolded by Mr Noel, the club manager, but I cared less. Life was already hard enough for me.

I clutched my bag, so tightly like my depended on it.

Because my life really depended on it.

I walked in, slowly. The club reeked alcohol and cigarettes. Only the well-known are allowed in this club. Everything seen and heard, never leaves the place. I only liked the pay, not the job. But I can't be picky. I'm in a tight spot, already.

And there came that voice, that I hated the most- Mr Noel.

"Dark Bird! How dare you come late? Do you think money and customer grows at the back?"

I slowly turned to him, my eyes were tired already. "I do have an explanation."

"Keep your damn explanation to yourself. I will let it go, because the customer likes you. But the next time, you come late, you are fired. Get that into your head!" He lashed out.

"Now get your ass, into the dressing room. Look sexy and put on a smile." He concluded and walked away.

I just stood still. I was so tired already from the day's shift. But I had to work. Amanda came to my aid.

She is like my buddy here in the club.

"Dark Bird, down to earth, girl!" She snapped her finger at me. "A lot from being so sexy."

I just stared at her, plainly as we both walked to the dressing room together.

I selected the most provocative one among them. Amanda quickly did my makeup. Amanda kept talking nonstop. Talking about a big shot, that came today, and how she wish she could serve him. I just nodded all through. And we were finally done.

I wore an extremely crop top, with a bare string. My makeup was a dark one. I can always trust Amanda on that. Wore my jewelry in the necessary place. I was about to walk out to dance, when Mr Noel bursted in.

"Dark Bird, your assignment today is special. There is a special guest that came today. You will serve him. And I trust that you will do it well. Do not disgrace me." Mr Noel said.

I was so confused. My duty today was strip dancing, not serving any client. I had already calculated, how I will sneak out to steal from some big shot. Now my plans has been ruined.

I swear at that moment, I could feel Amanda's eyes on me. Maybe this special guest is who Amanda talked about earlier.

"What room do I go to?" I asked him.

"Room 306. Do not be late. He is waiting." He said and walked.

"Girl! What charm do you use?" Amanda squealed behind me.

I turned to her and shook my head. "Oh! Please."

I picked up the necessary things I needed and went to the room this so called special guest. I wasn't excited the way Amanda thought I would be. I just wanted to get it done and go home.

When I opened the door to Room 306, a thick cloud of aromatic smoke greeted me. The ambient blue neon lighting caught the vapor, creating an eerie, almost hypnotic atmosphere. I walked further into the dim room toward the plush lounge bed, and there he sat.

He didn't look like the typical older, bloated politicians I usually served. Judging by his tailored designer clothes and heavy silver jewelry, he was young. Strangely, a sleek black mask completely concealed his face.

He leaned back, watching me approach. When he spoke, his voice was unexpectedly deep, smooth, and alluring.

"So, you're the famous Dark Bird. The rumors didn't do you justice: you really are stunning."

I suppressed a shiver. Wait, he knows me?

"You know who I am?" I asked, keeping my voice sultry as I poured two glasses of wine.

Using the sleeve of my top as cover, I expertly slipped a powerful sleeping pill into his glass. It was a massive risk, but survival required desperate measures. I needed him unconscious so I could clean him out.

"Girl, you're all the high-rollers talk about," he murmured, his eyes tracking my movements.

"Is that so?" I smiled, handing him the drugged glass.

We both took a sip, his gaze locked onto mine, completely oblivious. Setting my glass down, I immediately moved in to do my job. I slid onto his lap, shifting my body seductively against his to distract him while my fingers worked on the buttons of his shirt. But the moment my hand reached for the edge of his mask, he violently slapped my wrist away.

"No," he growled, his breathing turning shallow as he fought the sudden rush of heat between us. "The mask stays on."

It was bizarre, but I couldn't afford to argue. He was the client.

The room grew heavy with tension. I shifted my weight, pressing closer, guiding his hands along my waist as I shed my outer layers. The air felt thick, charged with a sudden, overwhelming friction.

"What a flawless body you have," he rasped, his hands tracing the curve of my hips, his touch sending an involuntary shudder down my spine.

A wave of self-loathing hit me. I felt incredibly cheap, but I forced the feeling down. This is just business, I reminded myself. "Thank you," I whispered against his neck.

The encounter was a blur of shadows, hushed breaths, and the slow, deliberate rhythm of seduction. I moved with a practiced grace, keeping him entirely focused on the physical sensation while I mentally counted the minutes, waiting for the sedative to take effect. Yet, despite the potency of the drug, his grip remained firm, his stamina defying my calculations.

When it was over, we lay tangled in the sheets, his breathing heavy, but his eyes were still open. He wasn't passing out.

"You were incredible," he whispered in my ear, his deep voice sending a strange, genuine tingle down my spine.

What the hell, Summer?

He walked into the toilet to clean up. I seized that opportunity and grabbed some valuable and blotted out.

"Dark Bird, when next can we meet? You were really more than what the rumor said." I heard him asking, but I didn't dared come back.

At the corridor, I bumped into a guy's chest. What a strong chest, this is. I thought, while drooling at his handsome face. I'm just a girl, right?

"Dark Bird!! Snap out of it." I heard Amanda voice as she passed by.

"I'm so sorry sir. I wasn't watching where I was going to." I apologized, with my eyes facing down. He just hissed and walked away. What a rude brat, I thought and went my way too.

Not long after, I was knocked out again, from other wide chest. Before I could say "I'm sorry." I slumped.

And I heard a voice, "Dark Bird, do you think that you can run away from me?"