This time Colton couldn’t hold back his laughter. Rising to his feet, he took their dirty dishes to the sink.
Vida stood up, going to get her bag, but Colton forestalled her by taking her hand. “I’m not happy letting you do this, but I know you feel that you need to do this for Sawyer and the other women. No more after tonight, though,” Colton forewarned her.
“Maybe the club won’t be busy tonight.” Vida hoped she was right.
“It’s Friday, and all the horny men with no dates who want something to jerk of to will be there,” he said sarcastically.
“Gee, thanks, I’ll have that picture in my head now while I’m dancing.”
“You better not be thinking of any of them fuckwads jerking off. I’ll be there. Pretend it’s just me you’re dancing for.”
“I don’t think that will make it any easier,” Vida said under her breath, not wanting to confess his presence would make her even more nervous.
“What?” Colton asked with a smile.
His arrogant attitude reminded her of the addition to her tattoo. “Why did you put your initials in my tattoo?”
Colton lost his smile becoming serious. “Because when other men look at you, both of us will know who you really belong to, Vida.”
“I don’t belong to you,” she protested.
“Baby, when you’re on that stage tonight and I want to kill one of those motherfuckers staring at you, the only thing holding me back will be when I see my mark on you.”
“Oh.” Vida stared at his composed expression, sensing the lethal intent buried just below the surface.
“We done?” Vida nodded her head. “Let’s go.” She followed Colton out the door, dreading the next few hours.
It was going to be hard to go back on that stage when she had been so overjoyed that she was free from the humiliating experience. The lap dance she looked at with even more trepidation of having to be so close to Briggs. She really hated him and knew if he thought he could get away with it, he would take her, with or without her consent.
When they finally got into the club, it was immediately evident that Colton had been right. The club was extremely busy.
With a nudge to her back, Colton left her to go into the dressing room. Sherri was there, giving her a tight hug at her sudden appearance.
“I’ve been worried about you, kid. You doing okay?” she asked.
“I’m fine, Sherri,” Vida assured the kindhearted woman who had taught her how to shed her clothes, not in the least jealous of Vida’s popularity.
“You can go on before me if you want. They won’t be as drunk. You’re scheduled three spots after me. By then, they’ll be so drunk the men will be trying to jump the stage,” she offered.
Vida started to refuse.
“I don’t mind. I’m used to them trying to get a piece of me,” Sherri joked.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. Besides, they tip better when they’re drunk.” She rubbed her hands together.
Vida smiled at her antics as she dressed in her outfit, putting on her stage make-up. Deciding not to tease her hair into a wild mess, she left it straight and then put on her red lipstick as the final touch. She stepped back from the mirror and looked at her changed appearance. No longer the college student, but a seductive woman with one goal; to see how much money she could tempt out of the men in a ten-minute set.
“You look hot tonight.” Sherri’s experienced eyes ran over Vida’s body, taking in her new tattoo and the little bit of weight she had gained over the last week. “Something about you is different. That sexy ex-convict teaching you a thing or two?”
“No!” Vida evaded her question as she passed Sherri going into the restroom. There was nothing worse than a full bladder when you were shaking your boobs and ass at a roomful of men.
“Can he show me a thing or two?”
“No!” Vida yelled through the closed door.
“Damn.”
Chapter 16
Colton took a seat at a back table, facing the stage. A vibrant redhead was currently on the stage, shaking her tail for the front row, giving an incentive to place their money on her body. He ordered a beer when the waitress came to his table.
Colton’s brow lifted when King joined him, taking a seat across from him.
“I didn’t think you ever sat anywhere except your booth?”
“I can be flexible, especially when they have my booth bugged.” Colton just bet King wasn’t happy with that piece of information. He paid dearly for information from his contacts on the force, someone must be wising up to be able to bug King and him not know about it beforehand.