Manipulate [h.s]

01

Stevie Coles

Purple lights.

Dollar bills.

Metallic flashes.

Pulsing music.

Sweat-sheen skin.

It was like second nature to me. The way my body twisted with the music like I was being cradled by the lyrics. My hips swayed on their own accord; my fishnet tights plastered to my skin.

I glittered beneath the spotlight.

A strawberry-scented oil rubbed onto every inch of my body. Designed to make me illuminated beneath the white lights, casting an iridescent glow all over my bare skin.

I bit my lip and turned my back to the crowd with a seductive swish of my skirt to show off my lacy black garter beneath, embellished with a silver knife. The blade dangerously close to my thigh, drawing their eyes exactly where I wanted them. That earned whistles and roars from the crowd.

Two hands clutched on the metal pole I swung back to allow my hair to scrape the ground, the ends brushing the money coated floor as my back arched.

Green eyes.

A pair of almost menacing eyes settled on my ruby red lips. With a teasing wink, I puckered them and sent the emerald-eyed man a flirty kiss. Shaking my shoulders to the beat of the music, letting my body do the talking.

The music drew to a final crashing note and I collected the stage money, throwing saucy smiles at the crowd until the spotlight winked out. I ducked beneath the black curtain at the back of the stage with a final glance in the direction of the green eyes to find nothing but an empty seat beneath the beating purple lights.

My mirror was smeared with makeup products, the dim backstage lights offered little help. Glossy red lipstick smeared slightly from where I had run my hands down my face and then lower. A lot lower.

A pink flush across my freckled cheeks. Smoky eyeshadow creating an entrancing allure beneath my thick eyelashes. I rubbed at my teeth where the red had transferred, making a mental note to tell Cherry her "non-transfer" did in fact transfer.

Deciding my attempts to fix the chaotic makeup were void, I tugged the blade free from where it was digging into my thigh. Followed by the heeled combat boots that made my feet ache all night.

Theodore, the club owner, was unusually young compared to my other employers but still old enough to be my father. He was a sleazy git who often can't keep his hands to himself, but I've endured worse. Sadly, the truth is that Theo is the best of my employers yet – even with the wandering hands. Theo had quickly become obsessed with my image being dark and seductive, hence the boots and knife get up.

The audience loved it.

Theo called me his 'sugar baby' because I was adored by the audience and made him large profits. He also particularly enjoyed when my outfit was adorned with chains. He would show me off to his largest clients and tease about how they could use the chains to tie me down like a good girl.

I hate it.

The music shifted again, three songs since mine. Theo would want me back on in two. If he had no clientele to parade me around in front of he wanted me on often. I drew the attention, especially when engaged in duo dances.

Once I finished reapplying my makeup, I reluctantly put my shoes back on. If Theo caught be slacking behind stage instead of following up on private dances, I was sure to have ques of he'd be pissed.

Cherry sprung out from behind my mirror, her eyes bright. "Stevie you won't believe who's here tonight." She pulled me from my chair and right to the corner of the stage where we could peek through the curtain.

Cherry was my closest friend at the club, Theo loved pairing us together for dances. The Barbie and the Baby he would call us. Cherry was decked with baby blue eyes and golden hair, not to mention a body that could stop a truck. She was gorgeous, fair skin and an angelic face. I envied her slim dancer body – I was never able to achieve such effortless grace with my curves.

"Let me guess Brad Pitt," I smiled sarcastically, and she poked her tongue out at me. I shoved her long blonde hair aside to see where she was pointing.

I blinked a few times to allow my eyes to adjust to the bright lights. The shifting colours from red to black making it hard to see the crowd beyond the stage.

I noticed Theo at first, seated in his favourite leather couch. Two bottles of expensive champagne on the table. That could only mean business. Theo only ever broke out the expensive liquor personally when he had special guests.

Assholes, as Cherry and I, referred to them. Often pursed-lip old white men who were looking for girls young enough to be their granddaughter. I had engaged with them far too many times to know all of them were the same.

My eyes settled on the stranger across from my boss. The man was sprawled on the adjacent leather sofa. His long legs were hugged by black business trousers, his matching suit blazer slung over the back of the chair. His pale white shirt rolled to his elbows; the top unbuttoned. A tattoo peeked out from beneath his shirt and one of his arms was decorated in ink. His lips were curved in a soft smirk, his forest green eyes on the stage, hidden beneath thick brows and full lashes.

Green eyes.

The same green eyes. Even beneath the purple lights, I'd been able to tell how green they were but beneath the white light, they were piercing.

"Harry Styles," Cherry's breath brushed my cheek as we both continued to stare. "Isn't he gorgeous?" I didn't have to answer for her to know I agreed. He was uncharacteristically young for Theo's personal clients, not to mention far more beautiful than anyone who had ever been here before.

Lola, the waitress on the floor tonight, ran a slow tantalizing hand up his bare arm as she placed a drink on the table in front of him. Not that I blamed her. I mean gosh, I would too. The power the corded muscle that twisted up his arm promised, wrapped beneath tanned tattooed skin.

Cherry let out a dreamy sigh beside me and I had the good mind to laugh at her. I'd never seen her so glossy-eyed over a pretty man before. Given he was a very very pretty man, but she was quite adorably starstruck.

She settled me with an annoyed glare. "He is the most beautiful man to ever walk in here, let me admire him," I gave her a one-shouldered shrug and twisted the knife from my garter in my hands. With an exasperated sigh, she left me to prepare for her next dance.

I took one more glance out the curtain to find I'd been spotted. Of course, by none other than those alluring green eyes. They swept down my exposed face, pausing beneath my eyes before flicking back upward. A crooked smirk and a hungry curiosity accompanied his heavy look. Our eyes clashed for a moment, just long enough for the lights to flash and make me blink. When I looked back, he'd already looked away at something Theo was saying.

Even once I returned to my mirror, I could feel the weight of those captivating eyes assessing me. They seemed to follow me even when I was hidden deep in the backstage changing rooms. As if he could see me through the walls between us.

I suddenly felt very ready to head home. The private dances I had booked for later tonight would have to wait. I was just about to clock out for the night when Theo caught me at the exit. His hand shot out and gripped my upper arm. Just tight enough to be enforcing and for my body to freeze up.

Theo hated it when I left early but he wasn't actually able to do anything about it, short of making my work life a nightmare. That usually meant my hand was forced when he asked me to do him a favour.

"Stevie Baby wait here a moment; I need you to do something for me."