"You don't call them 'strippers.' They're dancers. 'Strippers' sounds cheesy and amateurish. These women are professionals." -Jackson Burnett
Chapter |9|
(teddy in MM)
Zeke, Zeke, Zeke.
I checked on my Mama and made sure she took her meds. I then changed and laid in my bed. That man Zeke was something else. I couldn't exactly wrap my finger around that brother. He was a man of mystery, something that any woman would find irresistible, hell I even found that shit sexy. But what was really capturing me was his spontaneity and his ability to be unpredictable. Something I always found to be an attractive trait in a man. A trait that was usually hard to come across.
Something I couldn't say for my ex Teddy. Teddy was mysterious but not in a good way. Being with him for three years was nothing but pure torture. I would wake up to him not by my side most nights. Confronting him became exhausting and eventually out of the question. He would be evasive and tell me 'I had nothing to worry about' and he was an 'important man' and if I kept my face pretty and body tight, I wouldn't have anything to worry about.
For three whole years I was trapped into a relationship that did nothing but break down my spirit and ruin my self-esteem. And to find it ironic that I met him at Hustler's Palace. I could remember like it was just yesterday how I saw him across the room as I was doing my lap-dance and shot rounds.
He was one of the smooth, chocolate brothers in the back of the club with a girl on his arm and a cigar between his thick, black lips. The lines on his bald head were so deep I could place a pencil between the lines and it wouldn't fall off. Those big, powerful arms of his were wrapped around the attractive female with his lips to her ear. She giggled with her hand over her mouth as if he was telling a juicy secret. She was wrapped in those arms almost as a lover's embrace but I thought otherwise. She was probably just a good fuck he needed to end his night right.
In front of them was a bucket with a five hundred dollar bottle of Dom sitting on ice, unopened. They probably just arrived.
That night I was wearing one of my favorite outfits. It was a Friday night and that Sunday was Easter so I wore my fuzzy white bunny matching thong and a strapless bra with big bunny ears on top of my head. My hair was black and cut short into a boy cut. In my black pumps I carried the nightly complimentary round of shot glasses. I was making my way to the back when a deep, Keith Sweat like voice stopped me in my tracks. "Hey, shorty come here for a second."
It was my first year at Hustler's Palace and I hadn't earned my stripper name yet. Hell, I haven't even touched that pole.
I turned to face Mr. Handsome and for some reason I couldn't find any confidence. I rarely held a conversation with any of the customers so this was very new to me. "You talkin' to me?" I asked pointing to my chest.
He chuckled. "You the only one around darlin'. Come here."
I hesitated at the moment and looked around for a second. I wasn't too sure if I could just sit down and hold a conversation. It wasn't exactly in my job description. After a second, I took a seat on the black leather couch and placed the tray on the round table and my hands on my knees, nervously. I drummed my fingers on knees waiting for something else to happen. It seemed like an eternity before he spoke again.
"Why so shy? I never met a stripper who was this timid!" He laughed again and this time the petite girl beside him joined in. That actually made me mad on the inside and embarrassed. I balled up my fists and stood quickly grabbing my tray ready to leave but not before I gave him a few words.
"Look, I'm not just gonna sit here and listen to you laugh at me because I didn't speak. I'm here to do my job, not fraternize with people. If you not asking for a lap dance or one of these shots, then I need to get back to doing my job. Got it?"
He looked at me and even under the colorful, dim lights of the club I could see his face contort into irritation. I smugly grinned on the inside because I got under his skin, something I'm guessing he wasn't all too familiar with. But that irritation only lasted for only a fraction of a second before his lips turned up for a smile.
"Then gimme both. Take a shot for yourself too."
"Excuse me?"
He stood and took the tray of shot and placed it back in the table. He took my hand in his and grabbed one of the shots putting it in my free hand. And then grabbing one for himself.
"To teaching a lesson." He clinked his glass with mine and took the shot. With a raised eyebrow I did the same twisting my face as the alcohol burned its way down my throat and into the bottom of my stomach. Without another word, he dragged me upstairs to the second floor of the club to one of the empty rooms leaving the girl he was with to tend to herself.
He sat on the couch with his legs spread and eyes on me. In this room I saw him better and he was a very handsome, older man. The deep lines in his face told his age and he looked somewhere around late thirties early forties. He was well built like I thought and had one gold tooth as he smiled and motioned for me to begin dancing. The second floor had its own music and now playing was 'Bandz A make her dance'. I've done these lap dances a million times so of course I had no problem doing it for one person. It was exciting to know that someone was getting hot and bothered by a certain way I threw my hips or moved my ass. It was a power I held as a stripper, hell as a woman and I loved to use it for my own doing.
To the beat, I rolled my body, jiggled my breasts, slid my body against his in a way he wished he had me naked and dicking me down. His eyes lowered in desire. His hands cupped my round ass and slid then up and down my spine. I grinded my groin against his as he tilted his head back with his eyes closed. I bounced, dipped and teased his entire body until the song ended trying my best to not show any signs of myself being horny by my dance.
I stood and he opened his eyes and smiled digging into his pockets. He showed me a bunch of bills rolled into a rubber band and all I saw from that point on was dollar signs with him. I wanted to have that money and whatever else he had. If he could have that kind of money just lying in his pocket, I felt like he could share it with me. It was only fair.
Feeling the sweat all over my body, I reached for the money. I grabbed but he wasn't letting go. His hand still clenched to it and I looked to him in confusion.
"The way your body shines when you sweat is almost sexy. It's as if your skin is drippin' Honey."
But that was a long time ago and a part of my life I did not want to relive. That was the only fond memory I had of Teddy. The rest was pure hell. From time to time he would call my phone but I would never answer. I wanted him erased from my life and with these random calls he wasn't going to let me. I left him high and dry eight months ago not telling him where I went and he seemed to not find me and that good. But for some reason I knew he was going to eventually whether I want to or not. Some times when you don't close the door before you open another, it comes back and slams in your face.
Not wanting to think any longer on the past, I closed my eyes and dreamed of what could be.
***
"Big Poppa, you wanted to see me?"
Big Poppa sat behind his desk, with a manila folder sitting in front of him and a key with a red keychain. He looked to me and smiled.
"Honey, I have something to tell you." Big Poppa was in a happy mood and he was definitely spreading it. Curious as to what he had to say, I walked to his desk and plopped my bottom on the edge of his desk.
"What is it?"
He leaned back in his chair and smoothed out his goatee with his fingers as he spoke. "Well lately, I have seeking out investments. It's time I do something else with the money I've been making and decided to put my money in some casinos. Knowing Nevada, Las Vegas is where the big money is at and I want my piece of it. Maintaining a strip club and a casino is hard business seeing as I can't be in two places at one time."
Big Poppa stood and rounded his desk so that he was in front of me. He placed his hands on my thighs and his smile grew. He leaned into me and I could smell that musky, mainly cologne he always wore. It was grown and sexy and I like it.
"Which is why I'm handing the strip club to you."
Anything he said after that I couldn't hear. All I knew was that I was about to be owner of this million dollar strip club and a bitch was about to be making some serious money. In no time I would be able to stop strippin' entirely and be strictly behind the scenes. I could see it now. I would be doing all the hiring and firing, looking after the girls and the people that walked through. This place was going to be revamped and running ten times better!
"I figured you would be the best person for the job. You've been here longer than everyone and you know the ins and outs of this business. You knew prices, who comes and goes, who's best at their job and all of that. I'll come through every now and again to see over you to make sure you're not running my business into the round so you don't have any major power yet but for right now you open and close and count the money before and after and work closely with our accountant. I'll have my lawyer draw up a contract for you to sign. Cool?"
I nodded my head and squealed like a little girl who got that pony she always wanted. "Oh my God Big Poppa I won't let you down I promise!" I jumped into his arms and kissed his cheeks. He laughed.
"Okay, okay. We'll break it to everyone tomorrow before we open and celebrate then. Till then enjoy your last day as a stripper. Tomorrow you'll be owner of this place."
I was so damn excited and happy I was going to fucking explode, but I had to keep things under wraps and calm until I tomorrow. But since Nova, Tyrone didn't work here, I could give them the news tonight. With Big Poppa's permission I was able to leave the club right after my dance giving my enough time to go home and call up Tyrone before it got too late. He wasn't running on stripper hours so I knew he would be sleep soon if I didn't call him now.
I was on my way to the top.
*******
From now on certain chapters will be private. In order to go on in most chapters you will have to fan. if you still cant access chapter 10 and you're a fan, THE LINK IS IN MY BIO :) Happy reading and continue with me on Honey's crazy ass journey!