Concealed Force

Chapter 7

"I'd be happy to teach her," the first man said on a laugh.

Feeling sick, Laura carried on watching Vicky, studying her clear plastic heels, her long brown hair which brushed the floor as she let herself down the pole and bent over backward, the shiny red underwear—panties with a zip in them, a bra that showed her nipples—the smoky makeup that had smeared slightly as if she'd been crying or someone had swiped a hand across her face.

The woman never looked back, never looked at any of them, like the other dancer near the door, she appeared to be in a world of her own. Laura wondered if they were on drugs. She wondered where Alyssa was.

"This must be kinda weird for you," the nasal man said. "In other circumstances you'd have got a welcome home party after doing time. Instead you've got to earn your way into a new club."

"It is what it is," Reid replied, sounding unconcerned.

"It's what happens when the feds move in on your territory," someone else said. "But you don't sound as pissed as I'd be."

"Had some time to get over it."

"I'd be out for revenge. I'd be lookin' to find whoever sold me out."

Laura felt Reid's thigh tense. "Who said we were sold out?"

"How else did they get the evidence?"

"They had surveillance and someone got careless, thought they were untouchable."

"No one's untouchable."

"You don't need to tell him," the nasal man said. "He just did five years."

"Heard your ride got dropped off today." Another voice, less slimy, to the other side of them. Laura didn't dare look around, scared of making accidental eye contact. Reid had moved his fingers, running them up and down the back of her neck. She shivered, enjoying the sensation despite herself.

"Yeah, it's been in storage. Sorted that before I was convicted."

"Need work though?"

"Course. Five years and no one to take it out, keep it running. And there were a couple things to work on, even before."

"Have Reno check it out? He's our best."

"Thanks. I'll seek him out tomorrow."

"Glad you had something waiting for you. A man needs that inside. Especially when everything else is gone."

"Ain't that the truth?"

"Not all a man needs though." The goading men joined back in.

"He's got pussy already. See?"

"She ain't just pussy, though. You've been making sure everyone knows you've claimed her. She a keeper? You know we don't have old ladies here, right?"

Reid's hand was heavy on Laura's neck and he squeezed. "I'm not looking for an old lady. I've just had enough of sharing shit."

The pounding music was beginning to give Laura a headache, and there was a low light shining into her eyes. She put her head on Reid's thigh and shut her lids. He stroked her face and when she looked at him he was smirking.

"You already know who owns you, don't you, baby?"

The excitement she felt at those words was all wrong and she didn't answer, thinking her submissive posture was answer enough. The men carried on chatting about motorbikes and what life was all about (beer, ball games, respect), until a gruff voice shouted from the other side of the room.

"Vicky, want you over here."

Laura opened her eyes. A dark man with chains all over his jeans was waiting by a door, hand on his belt. He started undoing that zip on Vicky's panties as soon as she got near, and ushered her out of the room.

Someone else took over at the empty pole, a blond in a tiny frilly skirt, who had been told to dance by the man who'd been kissing her by the bar. The woman was plainly nervous, and flinched when the other men talked about her, making crude remarks about her body.

Vicky's vacant expression had made Laura feel uneasy, but this new awkward girl could have been her. And she was suddenly grateful that all Reid was making her do was sit on the floor and be petted like a favorite dog.

The evening continued in the same way, Reid giving her a few sips of his beer every now and then, ignoring her most of the time. He ordered burgers and fed her chips from his hand. (Fries, she thought, they called them fries here.) It should have been embarrassing, but he was so careful, watching closely as she chewed, dipping a little ketchup onto each one, telling her to open up. It was oddly intimate and almost arousing.

Various men stopped by and chatted with Reid, stared at her, asked questions. Reid gave them the same answers over and over, and then, just as Laura was beginning to doze off, her face on his lap, he pulled her up.

"That's enough foreplay," he said, earning a laugh from the men nearby. "Get upstairs."