Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

D’Angelo

The Erodance was classier than many similar places. There was a Las Vegas vibe to the club, with many flashing lights and everything styled to be just a little over the top. However, the guests weren’t allowed within ten feet of the stage, and it was clear that effort had been put into keeping the dancers safe and comfortable.

I was a bit surprised when, upon entering, I was instructed to download the club’s app. Apparently, instead of letting guests throw money at the dancers, tips were given through online transactions. It was a different way of doing things, but after only a few minutes, I could see the appeal.

Instead of worrying about collecting money on the spot directly from guests, the dancers could focus on performing more complex routines that seemed specially choreographed to highlight the best assets of each dancer. One routine showed off the flexibility and long legs of the man on the pole, while another was a display of the dancer’s strength.

They were talented, but none of them were the dancer I most wanted to see, so I didn’t pay much attention.

Since it was a gay club, Eva had stayed outside to guard the perimeter while Gavriil came in with me, loitering near enough to be in sight without actually crowding me. Maybe it was irresponsible, going out to a club so soon after my incident with the Russians, but the antidote had left me feeling slow and sluggish. I needed something to get my adrenaline up and my blood pumping, and this club held the perfect solution.

Just as I’d hoped, a few moments later the music changed and a familiar figure stepped out onto the stage. If I hadn’t already known that Oliver worked here, I might not have recognized him. The mask was designed to match his outfit, and with a stage name like “Phantom” it seemed like a stylistic choice rather than one of necessity.

Every performance that night had a neon sci-fi theme, and Oliver was no exception. He swung himself up onto the pole as the opening notes of Katy Perry’s Extraterrestrial started playing. His black leather outfit blended into the background, but the neon details stood out in contrast, creating an illusion that he was constantly flickering in and out of focus.

Like a whisper making someone listen harder in order to hear it, Oliver’s outfit and movements also made people watch him closer.

Leaning back in my chair and sipping on my drink, a rather well made Old-fashioned, I enjoyed the show. Some people might feel jealous in such a situation, but I’d always liked letting others gawk and admire my riches. I liked the way other people’s eyes burned when they gave into their covetous nature, and the bitter disappointment that overcame them when they realized they could never have the thing they desired.

Other people’s hands, however, were a different matter. For the same reason I kept my valuables locked behind a glass display case, I never shared my lovers with anyone else.

I knew the club offered “private” services. The door to the back rooms stood beside the stage, unmarked but obvious in its purpose. However, I was also certain that Oliver had never participated in any private “dance”. On our date, he’d kissed with passion but inexperience. He was obviously unused to the touch of other people.

Well, I wouldn’t let it stay that way for long.

Oliver’s performance was nearly half over when I noticed something strange. During our date, he had claimed that the burn on his face wasn’t the only one, yet the body being displayed on stage looked flawless.

For a moment I questioned if I was actually watching the right person. However, as the dancer spun in a move that arched his back in a tantalizing display of flexibility, the stage lights glinted off his earring and I was once again certain that this person was Oliver.

His outfit included a pair of tall gloves that encased his entire arms but left his hands mostly uncovered so he could grasp the pole. It was possible that the other burns were only on his arms, yet his description seemed to imply the marks were on his body as well.

I would have to ask him about it later.

The song ended and Oliver finished his performance artfully draped over the stage floor. Years of conditioning in high-stress environments kept me calm on the outside, but on the inside my blood ran hot and my pants felt tighter than they had been a few minutes ago.

With the barest movements, I readjusted my clothes to lie more comfortably. Off to the side, Gavriil noticed my fidgeting and smirked.

After the performance, Oliver then climbed off the stage and mingled with the rest of the room. He laughed and flirted with guests, encouraging them to buy more drinks. It almost seemed genuine, but I’d been on the receiving end of his actual flirtations, and this was definitely an act.

I gave it a few minutes before finishing off my drink and heading over to where Oliver was talking with another guest. At first, I didn’t intend to interrupt and was content to wait until he was done. This was his job, after all. Interfering now would be just as inappropriate as if he interrupted my meeting with the Russians.

That idea went out the window when I drew close enough to hear their conversation.

“What’d you mean not available ?” the guest demanded as he stood close enough to Oliver for their sides to press together. “You’re here. That means you’re available.”

Oliver tried to maneuver the man’s hand off his shoulder, but it only slipped down to his hip. “As I said, I’m not available at the moment. But Echo and Lux should be free right now.”

I slipped behind the pair, so far unnoticed as the man’s hand gripped Oliver’s hip tighter.

“I’ve already signed up for the stupid app and paid the cover fee to get in here. You owe me a dance.”

With a practiced move, the smile never left Oliver’s face as he pinched the back of the man’s hand to remove it. “Private dances have their own charge, and I don’t owe you anything. We have plenty of other dancers who are available for private shows. One of them would work better for you.”

Thick fingers gripped onto Oliver’s wrist, and my patience reached its limit. “Listen here—” the man started to say, but he never finished his statement.

I grabbed his wrist, pressing on a pressure point that forced him to let go, while my other arm curled over Oliver’s shoulders. “I’m afraid you’re too slow. I’ve already snagged this one for myself. You’ll have to find someone else to entertain you.”

The man looked like he was about to argue, but I squeezed his wrist harder until he flinched from the pain and his whole arm buckled. “Fine,” he said and snatched his wrist out of my grip. “Too much trouble anyway.”

I let him leave without a fight, preferring to give my attention to Oliver instead.

Wide hazel eyes stared up at me in shock, evident even through the half-mask covering his face.

Taking advantage of his shock, I guided him over to the door leading to the back rooms. It was surprisingly easy to gain access once I submitted the necessary payment through the club’s app. I tossed a look toward Gavriil, silently ordering him to stay and keep guard in the main room, then disappeared with Oliver through the door.

When we were finally alone in one of the private rooms, Oliver snapped out of his stupor.

“What are you doing here?”

Giving him my most disarming grin, I took a seat in the plush, padded armchair positioned right in front of a small stage. “What’d you mean? I’m a customer, just like anyone else.”

I watched the wheels turn in Oliver’s eyes as he wondered if I recognized him. For a moment, I debated keeping up the ruse and watching him squirm, but his real personality was so much better than the act he put on for guests.

“Don’t look so worried, Oliver. I know who you are.”

His shoulders slumped in a mix of relief and resignation. “Oh. How, um, how did you recognize me?”

I took a moment to admire him from head to toe, letting my gaze drag along his body longer than necessary. “Between the mask and the jewelry, it’s rather obvious.”

Oliver’s hands shot up to his earrings, which resembled a pair of planets with spinning rings. “My jewelry?”

“Yeah. You’re still wearing jewelry made by your friend. Like I said before, it’s distinctive. What are the odds someone wearing only this specific brand of jewelry would also include a mask in their costume that covers the whole left side of their face?”

Rather than reassure him, my answer only seemed to make him more nervous. He chewed on his thumbnail as a whole new wave of worries crashed over him. “Right. That makes sense. Uh, sorry. It must have been a shock to come in here and see me like this. You aren’t mad, are you?”

Should I tell him that I already knew about his night job when I came here?

In fact, his presence was the very reason for my visit?

No.

There was no way to explain how I knew without revealing the background search I’d done on him. Such things were standard in the world I lived in, but to an ordinary civilian, it would seem invasive and suspicious.

Waving him over, I invited him to join me. He sat delicately on the arm of the chair, still obviously nervous about my reaction.

“Mad?” My hand settled on his bare leg. “Why would I be mad? You’re a joy to watch. I’m not going to complain about such an opportunity.”

I trailed my hand up his leg, enjoying the feel of his smooth skin, until my fingers were high enough to tug at a strap of his costume.

Oliver didn’t even seem to notice my touch, too distracted by his own fretting. “You really don’t mind? Ashes is the only one who knows about this job. I haven’t even told my family. They’d be horrified. I’d understand if you’re disgusted with me.”

I snapped the strap of his costume to get his attention.

He yelped at the unexpected sting against his skin, but obviously wasn’t hurt as he pouted at me.

“I am certain,” I said as I soothed the skin on his hip. “I think I already know the answer... but, are these “private dances” something you do regularly?”

“What? No.” He shook his head so hard he nearly fell off the arm of the chair, giving me a perfect excuse to wrap both hands around his hips. “I’ve never taken a private client. The money was tempting, but I could never bring myself to...” He trailed off, looking around the intimate atmosphere of the private room like he was seeing it for the first time. “Wait a minute. How are we here?”

“I brought us here.”

“No, I mean...” His startled expression turned back to me. “You have to pay to even access these rooms. You can’t just walk in.”

“Yeah.” I waggled my phone in front of his face, showing the club’s app open on the screen. “The app definitely makes it easy. More clubs should use this system.”

He snatched the phone out of my hands and stared at the screen with his mouth hanging open. “This says... Do you really pay this much?”

“Not enough?” Taking my phone back, I stored it in the pocket of my jacket. “There wasn’t a required amount, so I just paid what seemed like a good number.”

He fisted his hands in the lapel of my jacket and pulled me closer like he was on the verge of both strangling me and kissing me. “That’s twice as much as I’ve ever been offered.”

If he expected me to be shocked, he was about to be let down. I merely laughed and tugged him closer so he was sitting properly in my lap. “Only twice? I’m not as impressive as I thought. Maybe I should add more.”

In this position, my hands were free to wander over the rest of his body. So much skin lay vulnerable to my touch, but I started by removing his mask to expose his whole face.

“That’s better. Much better than your “Phantom” persona. Although the stage name was a good choice.” As I tossed the mask aside, I was reminded of another question I’d had earlier. “Hey. Feel free not to answer, but the other day you mentioned that the scar on your face wasn’t the only one. Yet, this outfit shows off pretty much everything and...”

I let the rest of the question go unsaid. There was no good word choice available. If I said the rest of his skin looked flawless, that would imply I considered his scars to be a flaw.

He hesitated, chewing at his bottom lip as he no doubt chewed over his options. The sight was too tempting, and I pulled him forward into a kiss and ran my tongue over that tortured lip. With a gasp, he clung to me and eagerly returned the kiss with equal force. Several minutes passed before we parted, and he was left just as flushed and panting as he’d been after his performance earlier.

“I suppose I should show you,” he said, though he couldn’t meet my eye. “You’ll see it eventually.”

In one swift move, he tore off his left glove, revealing his bare arm. Just as I’d suspected, scar tissue intertwined with healthy pale skin, making the top half of his arm look like it was made of patchwork. These scars weren’t as intense as the one on his face. The skin wasn’t as distorted, but the burns covered a large area and had still probably been difficult to heal.

Without hesitation, I stroked my hand along his arm and mapped out the different textures of his skin. “Is it just these?”

He shook his head but didn’t say a word. Instead, he dragged my hand over to his chest so my palm rested against his left pectoral.

I couldn’t tell what I was feeling. The skin here looked fine, but it felt different. Smoother, and cooler than the skin in other areas.

“The gloves and the mask are easy to work into my costume,” he said when I gave him a confused look. “But there’s no good way to cover my chest. The whole point of this job is showing off as much skin as possible. So, instead, I use a silicone patch here. It looks just like skin, and it holds up to vigorous movement. I’ll show you if you really want, but it’s glued down and it’s hard to get off. So...”

I patted his chest, right over his heart. “Leave it for now. As you said, I’ll see it eventually.” Looking him over again, I added all his scars together. “Everything is on one side. Let me guess. You were carrying your brother in your right arm and used your left to shield against the fire.”

“I think so. To be honest, I don’t really remember it very well. My body just, kinda, acted on autopilot. I don’t remember making any decisions. I wasn’t even certain what had happened until I woke up again in the hospital.” He shook his head and his bangs fell over his face. “Let’s not talk about it. You paid so much. That must mean you want a private dance. Right?”

If Oliver were a stranger, I would have agreed in a heartbeat, but I knew better than to sacrifice future prospects for momentary pleasure. I never would have lasted long in my position if I was that impulsive.

Brushing his bangs out of his face, I pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I certainly wouldn’t say no to such an offer, but only if you want to. Paying to bring you back here was only to get you away from that handsy customer. I don’t want you to feel like I’m trying to buy you. That never works well.”

I’d fallen into that trap in the past, thinking I could buy someone’s loyalty with money. It could work, for a time, but they were always the first to betray me.

To Oliver’s credit, he actually did think about it for a moment, before coming to a decision. It made me feel more confident that the decision was his own, and not just something done to appeal to me.

“So, you’re saying we can do whatever I want?” he asked, this time looking up at me through his eyelashes.

My answer came easily. “Just name it.”

“Hmmm.” He shifted around, and I thought he was going to leave, but instead, he merely moved so he was straddling my lap rather than sitting sideways. “Then, I think I want to stay right here.”

His hands gripped either side of my head and he kissed me. While his inexperience still showed, the few kisses we’d exchanged so far had already helped him improve. There was no more awkward bumping of noses, and his tongue pushed its way into my mouth with some confidence. I let him lead the kiss for a few moments, but I refused to stay passive for long.

While he was distracted kissing me, my hands wandered down his body until I found the strap of his costume again. I snapped it, reveling in the sound of elastic against skin.

Oliver yelped into the kiss, and I could feel him shudder.

Gripping his chin in one hand, I forced his head back enough so I could look into his eyes. “Seems like you enjoyed that.” I snapped the strap again and watched as his pupils dilated. “Oh, yes. Definitely enjoying that. We’ll have to play with that later. For now...”

I slipped my hand inside his costume and cupped him between his legs. I wasn’t even moving yet, but my touch was still enough to leave him moaning and clinging to my shoulders like I’d already defiled him.

“You are going to be so much fun,” I whispered before trailing a line of teasing kisses down his throat. “But for now, I’ll keep it simple.”

His costume ended up on the floor, so he was mostly naked in my lap as I stroked him to full arousal. The noises he made reminded me of a twittering bird as his hips twitched and jerked with each stroke of my hand. It seemed like he might be trying to grind against me, the same way he practically made love to the pole when he danced. For someone who could move so erotically on stage, he lost all sense of coordination the moment he tried to do something for real.

My lips found the juncture of his neck, and I sucked a deep bruise into the skin while at the same time I started moving my hand faster. His cock throbbed against my palm and I knew he was close. Just a little more and he would sing for me.

His fingers dug into my shoulders hard enough to leave marks as he came, his hot seed dribbling over my fist. White teeth bit into petal pink lips as he tried to keep himself silent. I kissed him, tasting his final moans as he shuddered through the last of his orgasm.

When he finished, he collapsed against my chest, panting heavily. He clung like a little octopus, arms and legs tangled around me like he was afraid I might disappear. It was a more needy gesture than I was used to from my lovers, but I found I didn’t mind it. There weren’t many people who trusted me so openly, and I was determined to enjoy it while I could.

Sitting back in the chair, I stroked a hand up and down his spine as I waited for him to recover. The private room was booked for at least another hour. We wouldn’t be going all the way tonight, but an hour still provided plenty of opportunity to play with him a few more times.