Dark Lust

Ciaran

I thought my father would let me bartend later tonight when the big shindig starts at midnight. Nope. He forced me to bartend at noon. I'm doing a fucking twnety hour shift so I make his ass happy. I can't be shirtless until midnight. I'm eating as many fries as I fucking want and I don't give a shit. I hope his inventory count on fries is high enough they can't tell fries are missing. Maybe I'll let girls eat from my mouth. Fuck him.

Oh and on top of all this, He's only letting me keep twenty-five percent of my tips. I'm sure there will be more punishment somewhere along the way.

"Hey, Ciaran. I'm going home. That guy over there is number five on the open tabs. Just make sure to keep feeding him the drinks or else he will start a riot." Luci, one of the shift managers, approaches me.

"Lucky you, you get to go home before all the shit happens."

"But it's good tip money. My babysitter ditched on me so I don't have anyone to watch my daughter. Stay out of trouble tonight, yeah?"

"No promises." I wink.

I have fifteen minutes before the big party. People are starting to make their way closer to the main stage. There will be so much happening tonight, no one will be able to keep their eyes on one thing. Balloons and confetti will be dropped as soon as the clock strikes midnight and from then on it is one big party. Girls dancing everywhere, customers making-out with one another, hitting on girls so they give me more money. The worst part is the pumpkin spice smell that will be in the air for this whole month. It's a girls favorite drink.

I decide to take a quick smoke break to get myself ready for the massive crowd. As I inhale, I swear I hear Jolie's voice in the back alley the strippers use to enter and exit the building. When I approach the alley, It's just one of the blonde girls talking on her phone. I'm fucking pathetic. I don't know what I would do even if it was her. Of course it wouldn't be her. She's not a fucking stripper.

I enter the back room for the bar and take off my shirt. Some of the girls spray themselves with glitter mist and there happens to be a bottle sitting on the shelf. I spray my abs and arms. I hang a tie loose around my neck with pumpkins on it, strap on the cuff links, and head to the bar.

Just in time.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" My father's voice booms over the club as he stands on the side of the main stage. "Welcome to Desire! We have one minute until our Halloween Initiation!" People are already going nuts. While I have time, please follow our guidelines and make sure to have a hell of a good time!"

On the screen behind the main stage is a countdown to Midnight. You would think that it's New Years Eve. We do the same fucking thing then!

The club counts down from 10. I go along with it grabbing one of the Halloween towels we have.

"3...2...1..."

I whip the towel in the air, above my head and shout. The confetti and balloons fall. The smoke machine starts going on the stage and Halloween music starts to play. The lights move over the crowd and walls with a spider imprint. After that, I'm slammed with drink orders, I don't pay attention to the girls coming out on stage. I know they all have special Halloween themed costumes. Plus, I've seen them all before. Yeah, their hot but nothing I would fuck.

There are six of us bartenders in total. The bar goes the whole length of the wall and curves, running along another wall until it stops at the front double doors. We each have our own section. At least there are enough strippers to keep people occupied.

Itwould be worse is if we had to fill the drink orders from the waitresses. We have three other people that take care of those. It used to be just one person, but she ended up having a meltdown in the bathroom from all the stress and pulled her hair out. I also believe she was on drugs during her shift and she freaked the fuck out.

"Ciaran, my man!"

"What's up Carlos?" I give him a fist bump.

Carlos has been a regular for some time now. He and my father used to have business together. My dad fucked up one of their deals and Carlos refuses to be a part of my father's antics. I don't blame him. My father is a sneaky bastard.

"Nothing much. I heard there are a few new girls your dad hired. I'm wanting to check them out. Maybe get them on a private stage."

"You want the usual?"

"Nah. I want whatever the last guy ordered."

"One Moscow Mule coming up."

My dad's voice comes over the club once again, only starting the Spotlight Shows. The first one is no surprise. Aries is his star stripper.

"Do you see any girls you like?"

"You know I don't date strippers."

"C'mon man, we both know you wouldn't be dating them. How's that blonde you got?"

"She's alright. We are having a rough patch right now." More like I want to fuck the new girl.

"You should just drop her. There are plenty of women out there. Look at them!" He eyes Aries. Carlos and Aries have a past and a present. I'm pretty sure they will eventually have a future. "That girl is going to be the death of me. Do you think I have a shot at bringing her home?"

"Carlos, we both know you are gonna marry her someday."

"You, my friend, are right. I have to go watch my girl. Hey, find yourself a nice girl."

"I won't promise she'll be nice." I give him a pearly white smile as he laughs and heads over to Aries. Carlos is a good guy. Stupid, but a good guy.

The next time I look at the clock, it's two. Two more hours and I get to go home.

"Give it up for the delightful Juniper! Lovely darling, lovely. Alright, I'm bringing out some new talent. She's a fiery one from the depths of hell. She may look angelic, but she's far from it. I present to you, her first Spotlight Show, Angel Jolie!"

My heart stops. I drop a glass and it shatters around my feet.

"Damn it, Ciaran! We don't have time to do this tonight!" Chris, my shift manager for the night bends down to start picking up the larger shards of glass. "Go get a broom."

I look up to the stage. My fears of seeing the girl I so badly crave is strutting to the stripper pole in a demon costume.

Jolie.