Four

ANGELA’S POV

My eyes stayed wide and locked on him. Every drop of color drained from my cheeks as the full weight of his offer settled over me.

Hanzo watched the shock register on my face. A slow, knowing smile curved his lips.

He was patient.

He simply waited while my mouth opened and closed without producing a single sound.

“No,” I finally whispered. The word came out small and trembling. “No… I won’t do that.” I shook my head.

His fingers curled into a fist against the table.

“You could pay off your father’s debt in one night.”

I shook my head harder, as if the motion alone could erase the suggestion. Something sharp flared behind my fear—defiance. I refused to let it die.

“I will dance for as long as it takes. I will pay off every cent of that debt. But..” I stood up so abruptly the chair scraped across the floor. “I will not sell myself to anyone.”

I hated how my voice still shook when those silver-grey eyes held mine. A heavy silence stretched between us. Hanzo’s thumb slowly stroked the line of his bottom lip while his darkened gaze stayed fixed on me, unreadable and intense.

“Excuse me.”

My blonde hair swung over my shoulder as I turned and walked out without another word or a single glance back.

Adrenaline drove my legs faster down the corridor. The sound of my own racing heartbeat drowned out almost everything else.

Behind me, Dog appeared in the doorway only moments after I left.

“Do you want me to bring her back?” he asked, arms crossed over his broad chest.

“No.” Hanzo’s voice carried that quiet, taut authority that made everyone in the club careful around him. The single word was final. “Call Freya. I want her in my private chambers in thirty minutes. And arrange a special dance.”

I had refused the easy path. Now he would make sure the hard path hurt.

—---

A week later I stumbled off the main stage with roughly a hundred dollars clutched in my fingers. Katie was already waiting, grinning wide.

“Whoo! That was way better than your first night!” she cheered, throwing a slender arm around my shoulders. “Next time, though, concentrate less on pointing your toes and more on climbing that pole and showing some ass. You actually got the crowd going for you.”

“That’s not true. I still suck at this.”

The money in my hand felt pitiful.

In seven nights I had earned only a few hundred dollars. At this rate it would take years to clear the debt. No amount of my father’s apologies could ever make this feel fair.

“As I said, more ass equals more money,” Katie chirped. “You might not have the boobs, but you’ve got a decent butt.”

“Ouch.”

I had grown used to the comments by now.

Odette’s jabs and even Katie’s well-meaning bluntness were nothing compared to the crude things shouted at me while I was exposed on stage under those lights.

The second we stepped into the changing room, Odette’s sharp voice cut through the air.

“Fucking finally. Took you long enough. At least you warmed the crowd up for the real show.”

Katie rolled her eyes.

“Haven’t gotten your dose of attention yet, Odette? I’m running out of excuses for your bitchiness.”

“I dare you to say that again,” Odette snarled.

I tuned them out and slumped into the nearest chair, flipping through the thin stack of bills.

Every night I climbed onto that stage, my eyes still drifted toward the cushioned seats on the second floor, searching for a certain pair of grey eyes. For the past few days Hanzo had not been there.

Part of me was relieved.

Sell your virginity to me.

Those words still poisoned every quiet moment. The second I let my guard down they returned, bringing with them the memory of the way his gaze had stripped me bare without a single touch.

I shuddered and tried to push the thought away.

Just then, my phone buzzed. The cracked screen lit up with Fred’s name. My phone had survived a fall from third floor and still functioned somewhat. But i couldn't find the motivation to purchase a new one.

“Hey! Aria gave me your number. I was thinking we could practice the routine some more. Are you free next week to discuss this over coffee?”

For the first time in days my heart beat for a reason other than fear. A small, genuine smile tugged at my lips.

Was he asking me out?

My fingers were inches from the screen when the door swung open. Dog stood there, expression flat as always.

“Hey, Dog,” Odette immediately put on a bright, eager smile. “Is it me? Please tell me it’s some rich dude.”

If she had a tail, it would be wagging.

“It’s not you. It’s Angel.” His narrowed eyes found me in the corner.

My stomach dropped straight through the floor.

“Who is it?” My voice cracked.

One thought dominated everything else.

Is it Hanzo?

Dog ignored the question.

“You have fifteen minutes,” he said, then disappeared back into the hallway.

“Congrats. Your first lap dance,” Katie offered a wry smile that mixed pity with forced encouragement.

“Of course it’s her,” Odette muttered, giving me a look that could have cut glass. “Break a leg.” The venom in her voice made it clear she meant it literally.

With a dramatic flip of her long hair, she turned towards the mirror to apply jungle red lipstick to the plump lips.

Katie caught my arm before I could leave.

“Want help with your hair? I’m up next, but I still have a few minutes.”

“No… I’ll be fine.” I sucked in a shaky breath.

“Wait.” Her voice softened. “Don’t forget what I told you about lap dances.”

“More ass?”

She laughed.

“Yes, that too. But I meant the money. The more you do… the more you earn. Go get them, tigress.”

It never fails to amaze me how she can be this

optimistic all the time…

I managed a quiet thanks and stepped into the corridor.

With every step toward the private lounges the coil of dread in my throat tightened. The bad feeling pressed down on me like a coming storm.

Dog opened a door and gestured me inside.

The room was small, lit low, with a single chair in the center. A man in his late thirties sat comfortably, facing the entrance.

The second the door clicked shut behind me a cold shiver ran under my skin.

“Ah. You’re even more beautiful up close than on that stage, Angel.” His dark eyes dragged over me from head to toe, lingering with open hunger. “Well? What are you waiting for? I want what I paid for.”

I could already see the growing bulge between his spread legs. His hands gripped the armrests impatiently.

Initially I was reluctant to approach him, but then I motivated myself to it.

Don't be a coward..

I forced my hips into motion with the music bleeding through the speakers. Every step closer took real effort.

He watched me like I was something to be consumed, and the look twisted my stomach.

It took me every ounce of effort not to look away from the already turned on man in front of me.

“That’s right… come here, baby,” he breathed, a disgusting smirk spreading across his face.

I realized a second too late that I had walked straight into a trap.

The moment I was within reach, his hands shot out and yanked me down hard onto his lap.

“Let go! You’re not supposed to touch me…”

“Fuck that. I can touch you all I want. I paid for you.” His breath was hot against my neck.

Every hair on my body stood on end.

A lap dance was supposed to be a tease. Clients were never supposed to put their hands on the dancer.

“I’ll call the guards,” I threatened, twisting and struggling against his hold. “Let go!!”

“Scream all you want, bitch. No one is coming to help you.” He scoffed, arms locking tighter around me. “Did you really think I was just going to sit here and watch? You're my slut now, and I will get what I fucking payed for,”

One of his hands suddenly squeezed my breast hard, why the other began dragging the thin fabric of my underwear downward.

“Now be a good girl and shut the fuck up,” he growled. “You might even enjoy this.”