The Line Begins To Blur

14. Club Se7en

As if I couldn't be more mortified. My cheeks burned red and I wanted so much to disappear.

Declan scoffed, swooshing his hand in my direction, telling Audrey to ignore me. "No, just a patron, put her on my tab. Anyway, Audrey, can you please run two names for me? I want to know if someone specific has come in."

Declan wrote down Alex and Jay's name on a piece of paper and handed it over to Audrey. Audrey pulled out a tablet from under the counter and started typing away on the screen.

"Yea baby, they came in about thirty minutes ago. Real sleazy guys." Audrey said, grimacing. "Seems like your bouncers will let anyone in."

"Thanks, Aud." Declan winked and slid a bill across the desk towards Audrey.

Audrey smiled and took the money, pocketing it. Audrey blew a kiss in Declan's direction and told us to have fun while he tugged me towards the doors. Declan placed his hand on the door and pushed. I was overwhelmed instantly between the bass heavy music, laser lights and all of the people.

Declan leaned down so his lips were by my ear. "After you, little one."

Glaring up at him, I slapped him with the back of my hand on his chest before I stepped inside. Walking down the few steps, we stopped on the first landing. To the left was a long bar that spanned half of the length of the building. It was lit up with a mix of dim hanging Edison lights and chandeliers much like the three on the outside the building. The men and women bartenders were dressed in similar outfits to what Audrey was wearing but far more revealing.

Private horseshoe shaped booths rimmed the rest of the landing. Most of them were filled with groups of either college aged kids or older men in business suits. A few of the booths had their own private poles with women twirling around them and teasing the patrons who sat at their feet.

Girls dressed in burlesque showgirl type outfits, red and black corsets complete with mini tule trains at the back, fishnet stockings held up by a garter belt and knee high boots walked around this landing carrying liquor bottles and sparklers. They would stop at the booths that had no dancers and would pour shots of whatever into whoever opened their mouths for them.

The main floor was another few steps down. Plush red velvet chairs and small tables surrounded the dance floor that surrounded the long stage that came out to the middle of the room from the DJ booth. The end of the stage was a half circle that had a pole in the middle that stretched up to the high ceiling that was covered in more erotic paintings that mimicked Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.

I had no idea what to do or where to go, instead I just stood there with my mouth open, taking it all in. I could hear Declan laughing over the music.

Sliding into one of the booths in the corner, I kept my eyes down on the table. I guess those boys in high school who used to call me a prude weren't wrong. I mean, I didn't want to be rude and stare at all the beautiful bodies walking and dancing around.

You idiot, do you know where you are? You're supposed to stare! I mentally face palmed myself.

Declan removed his peacoat leaving him in a tight black t-shirt and jeans. Seemingly the only thing the man wears.

The already dim lights got even lower and the bombastic music was lowered to a normal volume so the DJ could announce the name of the next dancer who was about to take the stage.

"So, uh, Audrey. Does he work for you guys?" I asked over the even louder music playing for the brunette bombshell who was now laying on the stage with her bottom arched up in the air before she slammed her hips down on the stage to the beat of the song.