"I don't think that we should be around each other
When you're in a room, you get my eyes
You open your mouth, I'm hypnotized, woah
I can make you laugh until you cry
You know you got all my attention
You know you got all mine."
-
Tonight is going great.
The tips are outstanding, just like Jasmine predicted. I've only been on the floor for two hours, and I've already made six hundred dollars tonight, which is almost three hundred dollars more than I usually make within the first two hours of my shift. On top of that, the customers haven't been too bad. Overall, the night has been wonderful so far.
My mind was already sorting through what I could do with this money. Maybe I'll take Maggie and Julie out for dinner, or maybe we could go shopping or go to an amusement park. I want to do something special for them, especially for Julie. She's been under so much stress lately. She hasn't even told Niall that she's pregnant yet. The only thing I can do at this point is support her and her decisions.
I went with her to her first appointment, and we found out that Julie is only four weeks along, but she's already so emotional. Last night Maggie and I went to Julie's apartment to spend some time with her, and I found her swaddled up on her couch, crying while watching Lilo and Stitch. I tried not to laugh while I rubbed her back as she hiccuped and sobbed. It's kind of endearing, honestly.
I've caught up on most of my bills, so yeah, I think I'll use my tips from tonight to plan a fun day with Julie and Maggie. They deserve it.
Balancing a tray with two beers on it with one hand, I make my way towards where Candy is dancing on stage, and she's dressed in white lace and a fitted garter. She smiles at me but doesn't stop her alluring dance.
Two men are sitting before her watching her dance, and I force my customer service smile as I hand them their drinks. The two men look to be in their mid-thirties, and are they are dressed nicely in expensive tailored suits.
"How long have you been working here?" One of them asks, taking a small sip from his beer.
"Uh, just over a month."
"Oh, so you're new here?"
I nod my head, biting my lip. "Yup!" I don't mind the conversation. It's just small talk, and there doesn't seem to be an underlying motive in their eyes. "I've never seen you two down here before," I note, looking between them.
"Yeah, this is our first time here," the other man pitches in. "It's uh, unique here."
I laugh. "Yeah, it sure is. Just wait until the lights turn red."
Their eyes go wide. "Huh?"
I laugh again. "Around ten, the lights fade to a deep red, hence, the name - The Red Room," I explain. They look at each other before shrugging. They seem interested and down for whatever. Smiling, I ask, "Is there anything else I can help you two with?"
The man who first spoke to me shakes his head. "No, we're all set, hun." Then, he smiles. "Thank you."
I see Candy kneeling on stage when I pivot around. She's gazing at me with her cat eyes and a teasing smile.
I offer the same playful smile and walk over to her. "Hiii, Candy."
"Hi, Als. Keeping these guys company?"
"No," I laugh, looking at the men who are smiling at our exchange. "Just handing them their drinks." I squint at her when I notice some mischief glowing in her eyes. "What are you up to?"
"I'm not up to anything," she says in a sing-song voice. Just then, Des walks over to us with a tray of shots in hand. Without thinking, Candy throws two back, humming delightedly to herself.
I blink. "You drink while you're working?"
Des scoffs before taking a shot herself. "Yeah. Niall doesn't care. Want one?"
"Uh-"
"Yes, she does!" Candy takes two more shots off the trey before quickly thanking Des, who disappears to offer shots to other clients.
Candy hands me a shot glass, and I hesitate before grabbing it from her. "We won't get in trouble?" I question.
Candy waves her hand at me, dismissing my worries. "You're fine!" She holds her shot glass up in the direction of the two men I just served and exclaims, "Cheers!"
And before I know it, I'm taking a shot of patron with Candy and two men I just met tonight. When I'm finished, I start laughing and cringe a bit through the burn. "You're a bad influence, Candy."
She points to me and nods. "Yes, precisely." I roll my eyes, and she snorts. "I just want you to loosen up and have a good time for once, okay? Which is why-" she tugs my hand and pulls me forward. "I want you to dance with me!"
What?
"No! no fucking way am I dancing!"
The men behind me whistle loudly, urging me on, and I can already see people turning to see what all the commotion is about. My cheeks burn. "First of all, I can't dance. I have two left feet, Candy. Second of all, I'm not a dancer; I'm a waitress. Big difference!"
Candy purses her lips before she waves Des over. "We need more shots!"
"What? No! Getting me drunk won't make me dance." Candy gives me an unamused glance. "....Okay, maybe that was a lie, but I just- I'm nervous! I don't know how to dance."
"C'mon, Allie! It's not that bad. You just have to listen and feel for the beat. I promise it's not as scary as it looks! Just let go and have fun for once. You deserve that."
"But I-"
"Okay, tell me this," Candy cuts me off. "When was the last time you did something for yourself?"
It's a simple question — a question I should have an answer to. My eyes dart back and forth as I rack my brain for answers that don't come as easily as I suspected they would. "I-I read a few pages of this new book I rented from the library after I put my sister to sleep last night."
Candy deadpans. "Allie..." She shakes her head and tugs my hands. "Let's go. Right now"
"Candy-"
"Let's go, Allie."
Men holler and cheer when she drags me on stage. I freeze when I stumble into the spotlight, my body falling rigid and taut. So many people are looking. Candy stands behind me, her hands falling to my hips, and I yelp at the sudden contact. "Relax," she murmurs, her lips brushing past my ear.
Her hands force my hips to move to the heavy beats the DJ mixes together. She's helping me find the rhythm, I realize. After some persistence and support from the people around me, I start rolling my hips experimentally.
You know what?
Fuck it.
"There you go," I can hear the smile in Candy's voice. People seem to like the way she whispers into my ear. "Is it okay if I move my hands?"
I back up into her more, nodding a bit nervously. "Y-Yeah."
I keep rolling my hips, and Candy pulls me closer to her chest. I can feel her breast press against my back, and her hands sensually move up, cupping, groping, and tracing the curves of my body. For a moment, I forget how much I hate touch and just enjoy the moment and bathe in the praise and the money that's thrown our way.
The me from even a week ago could have never done this.
I trust Candy. I probably shouldn't but, after everything, I trust her. So, smiling, I roll my head back and let go. We dance and touch, putting on quite the show for every man in the room. I still don't trust men, but it's nice having power over them for once. It's nice having them practically on their knees, begging and throwing money at me.
Candy was right. This is fun. This is exhilarating.
When I open my eyes, the room gradually fades to red, and, immediately, I find Harry. He's staring at me from the bar that he's leaning on, and his jaw is clenched, plump lips set in a firm line. The look in his eyes is fierce and untamed, for lack of better words. He downs some whiskey from a cup he grips far too tightly as he watches the show Candy and I put on for everyone.
I snicker slightly when I realize he's watching me. If I'm putting on a show for everyone, I might as well put on a show for him as well. So, without a second thought, I start slowly grinding into Candy and don't look away from Harry when I do it. Then, I lace my fingers on the outside of her hands before I move her palms to glide around my body, slowly caressing the curve of my breast before going down, down, down.
All of the other dancers and waitresses are enraptured and holler for us to continue- well, everyone except Jade.
She's furious.
Suddenly, I look down, and I see a displeased Harry at the edge of the stage. When did he get there? "The last time I checked, you weren't a dancer, Rosaline." His lip curls when he hisses. "So, get off the bloody stage."
"Why? I'm just having fun." I smile when his jaw ticks but I keep dancing.
"I won't tell you again," he growls, and I can tell he's not going to relent. So, sighing, I roll my eyes and pull away from Candy reluctantly.
She looks utterly blown away when I turn to face her. She blinks a few times. "I-I get why Des is gay for you now." It's impossible not to laugh.
"Well, I got to go. I think I'm in trouble." I gesture to an impatient-looking Harry and Candy tuts before flipping the man off. All Harry does is hold his drink up to her as if saying "you too" before taking another gulp of his whiskey.
Candy sighs. "He shouldn't be so pissed. What he should be doing is promoting you to be a dancer instead."
Laughing at her sarcastic remark, I wave goodbye as I step off stage, realizing just how much money is around me now. Christ, I can't even see the floor. The crowd applauds for me one last time, making me blush and look down at my feet bashfully. Candy and I really stole the show tonight, huh?
"Nice hair," Harry oddly comments as I approach him.
I eye him skeptically. "What do you want?"
"Who were you dancing for?"
Well, he's snippy tonight. "Does it matter?"
Harry says nothing for a moment before he sighs. "Before you jumped on stage, I wanted to tell you that everything has been handled. Thanks to Louis and Niall, there wasn't sufficient evidence for authorities to make an arrest. You're lucky no one saw your face."
I slowly nod, my thoughts momentarily clouded as I recall the night of the race. "So, I'm in the clear?"
"You're in the clear," Harry reiterates. "I also made you a fake identity just to be safe."
"What-"
Harry cuts me off. "So, are you going to tell me who you were dancing for, Rosaline?"
I swear my eye twitches as my mind tries to process this rollercoaster of a conversation I'm having. "Stop calling me that."
"You're avoiding my question." He tries to hide his smirk by taking another sip of his drink.
I suck my teeth, scrutinizing him. I'm tired of him calling me Rosaline. It dampens my mood immediately and makes my skin crawl. "...Do you know why I hate my name, Harry?" He doesn't respond, only raising a brow. "Because my stepfather used to call me by that, and now every time someone says it, it reminds me of how he fucking ruined me."
"Rosaline was horrible. She was weak, powerless, and pathetic. She broke herself trying to be someone she wasn't. She was a nightmare, and she was killed. So, no. I am not Rosaline."
"I am Allie."
The silence is tense. I can only hope that now, he'll respect my wishes and finally stop calling me Rosaline. Rosaline is long gone. I'm Allie now, and I need him to understand that.
His narrowed eyes search mine as my words settle in the space between us. Unexpectedly, his scowl melts into a smile he tries to resist and-
He starts fucking laughing.
Wait... What the fuck?
I've never been more frustrated, more offended, in my life. "Is this funny to you?" It stings the way he laughs at me. I never go out of my way to explain to people why I prefer going by my nickname instead of my full name, but I did for Harry. I was honest and vulnerable. The fact that he laughs in my face hurts.
"It is funny," Harry muses. "You should get over yourself, Rosaline. You're not the only girl with daddy issues."
Excuse me?
God, I'm so tired of his attitude. So, with what confidence I have left, I hold my head high and don't back down from the intensity of his green eyes. In fact, I smile a little sultry, "It's okay, Harry. You're not the only man with a small dick."
I grab the glass from his hand and throw it back in one go, gulping down the rest of his whiskey for myself. I deserve a drink after his snide comment. I scrunch my nose a bit as the liquor burns my throat. I'll never understand why people like whiskey; it tastes like lighter fluid. Regardless, I don't let the scorching stop me from smiling mockingly at him.
Harry doesn't falter for even a second like I thought he would. Instead, his eyes ignite with fire at the challenge I present him. "Sweetheart, you couldn't take me even if you tried."
I tilt my head, my eyes fluttering as I feign innocents. "That so?"
His grin is dark and arrogant but-
An unexpected heatwave crashes through every inch of my body and hits me like a train. Harry lights a fire in my belly, my gut twist in knots, and I even stop breathing. My eyes eventually settle on his pink lips in a cloudy haze.
His smirk does something to me. It nearly leaves me in ruins as it shocks my throbbing core.
Just like that night in his Manhattan apartment, Harry awakens something in me I thought I was incapable of ever feeling again.
Lust.
I clear my throat suddenly and look away. I should be mad at him, I remind myself. My voice is strained when I speak. "I gotta get back to work," I mumble before turning around and heading back to the bar.
What the hell just happened?
"You look great tonight, Allie," David says when he sees me and flashes a friendly smile. "And who knew you could dance like that?"
I nearly trip in my heels, still flustered from my conversation with Harry. Good job, Allie. I laugh nervously with panicked eyes, clearly embarrassed over my carelessness. "Yeahhhhh. Thank you, David!"
I can't get Harry's voice out of my head – his low rumble of words that left me breathless.
"Sweetheart, you couldn't take me even if you tried."
Stop!! I need to stop!!
David gives me a bewildered look but laughs at my strange behavior. "You're strange, Als." He shakes his head and laughs a bit as he teases me.
Thanks? "Listen, I-Is it alright if I head to the bathroom real quick?" I need to cool off.
David waves me off. "Yeah, I got this handled. You're all set."
"Okay, I'll be quick!"
I practically run to the bathroom. My heart is thrashing against my ribcage, and I swear I'm going to have a fucking heart attack. Luckily for me, when I run into the lady's room, no one is in there to see me freak the hell out.
"What the fuck," I run my hands down my face. "What the actual fuck!"
What is he doing to me?
I run my hands down my face and groan out loud. "Fuck you, Harry." I curse him under my breath. Fuck Harry and his pretty eyes, and his perfect lips, and cute dimples- Fuck!
I shouldn't be attracted to him, but I am.
And he knows it.
A yelp rips out from the back of my throat, and I jolt and whip around when the bathroom door sways open. My heart drops, and I flip the hell out. "H-Harry, you can't be in here! This is the ladies' room, you know!"
"I'm right where I want to be," Harry says simply, running a ring-clad hand through his long, tousled hair. Mouth agape, I say nothing. What the hell could I say? "What? No more smart-ass remarks?" He walks towards me with a scowl, forcing me to slowly back up until my bottom hits the corner of the sink. He hovers before me, and my stomach does flips at his proximity. "What happened, baby? Scared?"
I swallow. "N-No."
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not."
His eyes search mine before he concludes. "Fine. Let's say you aren't scared of me, but you are scared of what I'm capable of."
Well, he's not wrong about that.
"You're so tense, baby," He murmurs, feigning sincerity.
"Harry, stop playing with me."
"I'm not playing with you, darlin'. I just have a question for you."
"You couldn't wait until I was done in the bathroom?"
He ignores my last question. "Tell me, when was the last time you were fucked?"
...
"Excuse me?"
"Well, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you're sexually frustrated. It must be why you're such a pain in my ass," he taunts. "so, when was the last time you got laid?"
"...are we really going to discuss this right now?"
Harry nods. "Yes. It's a simple question."
I cross my arms. "Well, I won't answer your question. Not until you say sorry for that 'joke' you made out there."
Harry burst out laughing at me for the second time tonight, and all I could do was frown. "The joke I made about your daddy issues?"
"Yes! Everyone heard it! It was embarrassing!"
"Sweetheart, every girl that works here has daddy issues. Trust me." He deadpans. "And, it wasn't really a joke now, was it?"
My eyes narrow at his snarky remark. "Apologize, prick."
"What are we, six?"
"No, but you should still apologize." I don't let up. I'm tired of him walking all over me and messing with my head.
I hold my scolding glare until Harry relents. He's annoyed, and he rolls his eyes. "I don't do sorry's, Rosaline."
"Allie," I correct him. "and why?"
"Because no one ever means them. They don't ever fix anything." Harry looks me up and down before nodding at me. "Answer my question now. When was the last time you were laid?"
"Harry-"
"It's not complicated. Just answer my question."
"...over a year ago."
His eyes go impossibly wide. "What?!"
"Shhhh!"
He laughs in utter disbelief. I wish the world would just swallow me whole at this point. "No wonder why you're so uptight sometimes!"
"It's not funny!"
"C'mon. Tell me why. A woman like you should have no problem getting what she wants."
Was that some backhanded type of complement?
I shrug, squirming. "A-After my ex, I just didn't want sex for a long time."
"Why? Was he really that bad that he ruined sex for you?"
I can feel myself blushing. "What? No! He wasn't horrible. I just-"
"Did he make you cum?"
"No, but that doesn't mean the sex wasn't good. When you're in relationships, there are things more important than just sex."
Harry raises a brow. "How long were you with the bloke?"
"Four years," I mumble, unsure as to why he asked.
"So, you're telling me that in your four years of being with him, he never made you cum? That's horrible."
"Well... He never really worried about me, I guess." I mutter the last part and look away. Mason never went out of his way to please me. All he ever did was flip me around, so he didn't have to look at my face as he used me. When he finished, that was it; we were done. He always promised to please me later when he had the energy, but he never did, though. It was always broken promise after broken promise with him. "Still, it wasn't horrible."
Harry zones in on me, his eyes hooded and fervid. "Have you ever been fucked you until your legs were shaking? Until tears of pleasure were running down your cheeks, with pathetic pleas leaving your lips, asking, begging, for more, more, more?" He smiles and keeps going. "Have you ever had your hands tied to a headboard? Have you ever been blindfolded – exposed, degraded, and left pleading for mercy? Have you ever been choked, spanked, or praised? Have you ever been bent over and fucked into oblivion? Fucked until you couldn't see straight?" Never. I've never had any of that, and Harry knows. "I can give all of that to you and more, baby."
It feels like someone dumped a bucket of cold water over me. Goosebumps litter my arms and neck, and I can't help but squeeze my legs together. Dumbfounded, all I can ask is, "Y-You're attracted to me?"
Harry is visibly thrown off a bit by the question. "You piss me off, but that doesn't mean there aren't parts of you that I appreciate."
All I can do is blink and stare at him. I haven't touched myself in over a year, and I haven't let a man touch me for even longer. I often feel disconnected from my body — a body I feel isn't even mine anymore. It's been used, broken, and scarred by greedy hands, and I'm tired of being exploited. But Harry makes me feel something I haven't felt in a very long time. I'm turned on, and I honestly I want him. I don't know why it took me so long to realize that.
I'm tired of being scared. I want to give in to my wants and needs and to say goodbye to my fears. I want power, I want to control, and well, I want to feel needed.
It's pathetic, but I want him. I want him more than I ever imagined I'd want somebody. However, I don't plan on making this easy for him.
The gun is cold and heavy in my hands as I slide it out from the back of his slacks with cautious, heedful, and experienced hands. I step closer to his body and, without a word, I press the gun to his temple, pulling the lever down with a deafening click. I bite my lip, and my finger hovers over the trigger.
"Sneaky hands, I see." He chuckles, completely unphased that I pickpocketed him. "I will say, I am surprised." He grins like a mad man. The zestful look in his eyes never falters; it only grows.
"Surprised?" I ask in a low, husky voice, looking back and forth between both of his eyes.
If Harry wants to play games, then we can play.
He's always saying things to throw me off, but now it's my turn. "I grew up on the streets of Brooklyn with an addict mother who disappeared for days at a time. Of course, I have sneaky hands. It's how I got by."
"With a clean record too." He notes.
"I just never got caught." I move my head slightly, enough for my nose to brush past his.
"Do it," he grunts out, his tongue running over his lips. He leans forward some more and rests his head on the edge of the barrow. I suck in a sharp breath as my core aches."Shoot me."
No Perspective
Allie Vera is a force to be reckoned with. Behind the soft skin, shy smiles, and gentle eyes, there is something chaotic and fierce burning in her soul.
Allie challenges Harry in every little thing he does. By God, it pisses him off beyond belief, but he has to admit, he admires the fire that's in her. She hides it so well, and it drives him absolutely mad, knowing he's the only one who can bring out this side of her.
"I should, shouldn't I?" Allie murmurs, her breath fanning across Harry's face as she presses the gun firmer to his skull. "I should shoot you. All of my problems would just go away if I did."
Harry knows they're both fucked in the head. They're two people who fell in love with their pain and suffered from regret. He likes that she's broken, though. It makes her seem so real to him. She'd never know it, but he respects her. To be real in such a fake world is admirable.
Suddenly, he smiles. That look in her eyes is dangerous. It's dark and wicked, and for a moment, he thinks he's met his match.
Allie isn't as sweet as she seems. No. Deep down, he's willing to bet she's just like him.
A monster.
-
A/N
Can you guess what happens next lol