The Price of Happiness (Upcoming book)

                                                       The Price of Happiness

Lucia stepped on stage feeling self conscious; everyday was the same routine and yet still she could never come to terms with the path her life took. Now all she had was the job at a strip club ‘Exotic Secrets’ a club filled with sick old men, perverted single men, players who can’t keep it in their pants, overworked men who don’t have time for a social life and married men who are not happy with marriage. Lucia has seen them all. Swallowing the nerves she feels before each show she confidently walks on stage with a seductive smile coating her lips. The sound of her heels clicking as she sauntered her way to centre stage was a distinct sound above the hollers of men that echoed throughout the room. Lucia slipped into her alter ego as she begun to move her body sensually to the beat the DJ played. She was Jazmine now; the sexual, smooth stripper that loved taking off her clothes for desperate men willing to pay.

She swayed to the beat, utilizing the pole that was situated centre stage. A series of “Take it off” rang through the club and she slowly remove the clasp to her blood red bra allowing her D cups to spill out. Stepping off stage she dances around the club while men called for her attention desperate to put their hands on her. Once she pinpointed her first recipient, she planted a sultry smile on her face swaying her hips slowly adding to her seductive look.

Straddling the man who wore an expensive suit, she ground her core into him, causing him to groan loudly. He made a move to palm her he breasts but she slapped his hands away “No touching the merchandise” she tsked as she dragged her fingers down the valley of her breasts enticing him a little more. Leaning forward she grabbed his earlobe with her teeth nibbling it slowly “You like that?” she asked in a throaty voice as his hands placed a couple of bills in the band of her matching blood red thong that left nothing to the imagination.

After a few more dances Lucia sauntered off the stage and to her dressing room transforming into herself again. The shy girl who has to make a living for herself, the one who has bills to pay and needs money to put food on her table. Counting the money she made she realized it still wasn’t enough to pay the rent for the apartment and still be able to buy the month’s groceries. Great she needed another job, she thought knowing it wasn’t possible because there just weren’t enough hours in the day. She spent most of her day at university and her nights were spent in the club making as much money as possible.

Things weren’t always this hard for her, but at senior year of High School things took a downfall for the worst. Firstly she lost her parents to a drunken driver who failed to see a red light; then the love of her life who was her everything broke her heart. She sold everything she had to be able to move away from the heartbreak the town held for her. She finished high school in New York and got a full scholarship to fulfill her dreams of becoming a lawyer like her dad. The dream however became harder to obtain. Tears came to her eyes whenever she thought of how things came crashing down for her. 

Changing into another outfit she prepared herself for the private show she was assigned to.

“Jazmine you’re in the red room” her manager Billy called from outside the dressing room. With one more look in the mirror she made her way to the red room, slipping into her alter ego once more. Her façade faltered the moment she stepped into the red room because the client that sat in front of her was none other than Trent Westwood, multimillionaire at twenty three, and her High School sweetheart. Taking a deep breath she plastered a sexy smirk on her lips not giving anything away. She studied him slyly taking in the dark circles that surround his eyes and the way his white shirt was undone with his dressy blue tie hanging loosely around his neck. His eyes appraised her silently as she stalked closer to him swinging her hips. “What’s your name handsome?” she asked