The Scheme

LISA'S POV

While I wondered how much I'd have to dance to cover a hundred thousand dollar debt. We arrived back at the bar because I mentioned that I didn't trust him enough to go somewhere other than the bar.

He said nothing to me but ordered Parker to turn the car around. We got back to the bar and the minute I walked in, I met Chantel's gaze and she threw her head back, laughing immediately.

I ignored her as I led my client- now turned creditor- to the private room I ran out from a few hours ago. While he got settled in, I changed into my outfit, hating that I had to repeat the same outfit in one night.

I couldn't ask him for money for payment. That would be ridiculous. I stepped into the room and once again, took my position before the pole only this time, the lights were switched on.

"I need to know you're actually watching me-"

"I am," he interrupted and went silent again.

He was staring directly at me. Leaning forward with his hand intertwined and under his jaw to hold his head up. His stare was serious and in that moment, I felt like a document that was being scrutinised.

No doubt, I had his undivided attention. I nodded and slowly started to dance. I wasn't really into it as my thoughts were all over the place.

How much would I have to dance even worse, how many years would I have to dance? Would he make me do other stuff to make up for it?

I was twirling on the pole as I thought. When I turned around- my back to him- his voice came through again.

"No," I paused and lifted my eyes from the floor. I faced him with a curious look. He was still in that position, like he hadn't moved a muscle. "Don't do that."

I tried to think to understand his words but I gave up, "Don't do... What?"

"Don't turn your back to me," he demanded. "Dance with your eyes on me."

It was growing stranger by the second. I had questions to ask but the way he stared at me made me feel too uncomfortable to even try. I simply nodded and tried my best to do it

I kept my gaze on him as I touched myself. It was hard. I kept looking away every few seconds. It gave me a strange feel, like we were communicating a kind of intimacy with our eyes; one that words could never understand.

I stared at his handsome face and felt more self conscious than the first time I started my job. He didn't blink, he didn't move, he simply stared at me.

He got up after a while and I stopped dancing. When he started to walk away, I could finally catch my breath.

"Wait!" I called after him and he stopped. "Will that...be all?" I almost couldn't recognise my own voice.

He said nothing and he stepped out, leaving me to drop to my knees in the room.

"He left you something," Madam Alex announced and handed me a bundle of cash.

That was the beginning of his generosity.

***

He showed up the next night and the night after that. It was almost as if he had asked Madam Alex for my schedule. He would arrive an hour before I left and I would dance with my eyes glued on his.

It felt like he was staring into my soul. It felt strangely intimate. Even sex never felt this way to me. I had stared so much into his eyes that even in my dreams, I saw his face.

Every night after he left, he made sure to drop some money and it left me with a strange feeling in my heart. What if he was a mafia boss? I couldn't risk getting in trouble with the mafia. I already knew one and it was rules not to befriend someone from another mafia.

Did he have that much money to burn even after saying I would pay him back? I was getting worked up but I still couldn't bring myself to refuse seeing him. More money for me anyways.

It was the night of the fourth day and I was glancing at my watch. He was running late. That was strange because he always arrived on time.

I used that time to drink a little. If I was going to stare into his eyes again, I'd rather do it with a touch of alcohol. I headed to the bar.

"Hey, look, it's Lisa,"

Without turning my head, "I recognise that voice anywhere. Hello Miguel," I turned to the buff man sitting on the stool next to me.

"It's good to see you again," I reached for his drink and he let me.

"You too. I heard Kevin played around,"

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. Chantel just couldn't keep her mouth shut to her boyfriend, huh?

"Yeah, he did," I didn't want to say much.

"I hear he's got back on his feet. I was sure we emptied all his accounts," he wondered to himself, trying to draw words from my mouth.

"So I heard too," I wasn't about to rat out my new catch either. It was too soon for that. I was looking to get back the extra fifteen million that bastard paid without breaking a sweat.

"I heard you're responsible for that," he came directly at me. "I heard something about you meeting some-"

"Are you keeping tabs on me now?" I arched my brow. "Or is your little toy doing that for you?"

His lips pulled back in a smirk and he reached back for his drink. "Always a smart mouth, Lisa. I hope you're still as smart as ever in your work." He rose to his feet and dropped something on the table.

"Better to move fast before he digs up on you," he leaned closer to my ear. "Last time I checked, under all these glitter and confetti, there's a lot of dirt."

I clenched my fist on the table as he walked away. "Fucking bastard," I glared at the flash drive he had dropped behind.

All I needed to do was to insert it in my creditors computer and all his files, saved passwords and documents would be transported into it.

That was how we could clear his account.

I picked up the black square devil and was immediately reminded of my creditors hair. It was as black as night. I wondered if he dyed it.

But more importantly, I wondered if I could get close to his house someday but first things first, we needed to get past a conversation after that, it was "bye bye" billionaire.