For The Empire - Sempre

Chapter 20

STELLA

I sit up with a start when I don't recognize my surroundings at first. The jacket draped over me falls to my lap. I pick it up and take a deep inhale of it, closing my eyes; JP's earthy spicy scent and cologne linger heavily on it.

Images of his soft lips on my shoulder, neck, and chest replay in my mind, and a warmth spreads through me, remembering his large hands gripping my hips and his strong arms wrapped around me.

But then I remember how comforting and gentle he was as he held on to me while I cried, feeling guilty, for letting myself get carried away by his touch, again.

I sigh heavily and swing my legs over the side of the couch. I have no idea what time it is and wonder if the club is even still open. Someone would have surely come looking for me before closing up.

Feeling a chill, a shudder ripples through me, so I slip on JP's jacket and head to the door. Bruiser jumps when I open the door quickly.

He chuckles. "Gotta say, I've never known anyone to fall asleep on the job, Raven."

"You should have woken me up, Bruiser." I scold him teasingly.

"Right and have my head ripped off by the big boss," Bruiser shakes his head. "No, thanks."

"Yeah, well, I'm sure I'm going to get a lot of shit for it, too," I tell him as I yawn.

"Naw, the boss paid for the rest of the night with you, so as far as everyone knows, you were just doing your job." He tells me.

JP paid for the rest of the night with me? That doesn't exactly make me feel good.

I tell Bruiser goodnight and head to the dressing room and find the girls getting changed. They all look over at me when I walk in.

"Girl, where have you been?" Letty asks as she pulls up her pants.

"Room 6," I inform her as I head to my station. "I fell asleep." They all turn to look at me.

"Really?" Jessica chuckles.

I nod as I slip off JP's jacket and set it on a chair. I begin unclipping the garters and then unzip the corset jumpsuit I'm wearing.

"This whole time?" Destiny asks me, with a curious look on her face.

"Well, I was dancing, and then that led to talking...and then I woke up on the couch." I pull on a sports bra and my t-shirt.

"Sounds like you had a real bore," Destiny comments.

I shrug, "I haven't been sleeping well," I explain, which is the truth.

I begin wiping off my makeup and ask how the rest of the night went for them. They each take turns explaining how their night was, and each had a good time, making a lot of tips.

"Who was the client?" Victoria asks me as she pulls her long hair in a ponytail.

"JP," I say quietly.

"You spent the whole time with JP?" Jessica asks behind me. I look up at her through the mirror. She stares back at me; her eyes narrowed with her hands on her hips.

"I fell asleep at some point, and when I woke up, he was gone, so, no, not the whole time, Jess." I know she's feeling defensive or protective, thinking about Sean.

My phone chimes and I look away from her doubting look, and of course, it's Sean, asking how my night went.

S: Hey lovely, how did the rest of the night go?