One Last Strip Tease

Chapter 7: The Rival

His intense cobalt-blue gaze curled her toes and made her feel completely protected all at once. Strong arms encircled her snugly, and his deep, soothing voice said, “It's going to be okay. Hang in there. Think of me. I'll be there for you."

She found herself outside, tilting her face up toward the great sky and knew that whenever she felt hopeless all she had to do was look up. The color of his eyes was as expansive and wide-ranging as the colorful sky. She felt him watching over her. She needed to escape this place to be closer to him.

***

Laurie bolted awake when she heard keys jangling and the door open. Realizing she'd been dreaming, she sank into the pleather couch as she sat up and rubbed her bleary eyes before turning to see who it was.

A tall, pretty woman in a long wavy pink wig with breasts the size of basketballs and wearing a silky sundress sauntered into the room in cute kitten heels. She held up a pair of cheap-looking flip-flops. “Brought you these." She daintily dropped them onto the carpet in front of the couch.

Great, it had taken them no time at all to find her a pair of stripper shoes and over a day to find her shoes to wear when she wasn't stripping.

“Thanks, I'm Laurie," she said gratefully.

“Sindy," the woman replied, her bright pink lips that exactly matched the color of her wig broadening. Though she smiled, her eyes assessed Laurie in a cold and calculating way.

A shiver of warning crept up Laurie's spine, but she didn't judge. Everyone did what they had to do to survive and make the most of a painful situation. Laurie had no idea how she would turn out if she was stuck here for God knows how long. Already there were indescribable changes to her spirit and personality that she didn't want to or have the time to think about.

“Hope you slept well," Sindy said, her eyes hardening further. “You'll probably be alone in here for a week or so before John moves you over to the bunk room. I don't sleep there of course. I have a nice apartment." She smiled smugly and stared at Laurie to see if she was provoked into jealousy.

Laurie looked confused. “You don't have to live here?" Laurie wasn't sure if she was overstepping but she blurted out, “You come here voluntarily? You're not forced?"

The anger in Sindy's eyes could've sparked a fire. Shaking her head with condescension she scathed, “None of us are forced! We're all here voluntarily, even you, you understand?" Her clenched fists threatened violence.

Laurie's eyes widened in alarm, and she quickly nodded. “Yeah, I get it," she played along.

“He's good in bed, isn't he?" Sindy asked suddenly, her sexy persona back in a flash.

Disoriented, Laurie said, “Who?" when she meant to say, “What?"

Sindy's tight smile scorned Laurie. “The Boss, who else?"

“John?"

Sindy paused, hating to be in a one-woman-down position but nodded with bated breath.

Laurie didn't hide her distaste. Her face crinkled up in disgust and she almost said exactly what she thought of her kidnapper, a long string of curses included.

But a voice in her subconscious, not her mother's, gently said, “This girl is in love with him. Don't let her know how much you hate him." So, Laurie pasted a bright smile on her face and said, “I've had better."

Unexpectedly, Sindy's eyes widened, and a hurt expression flickered across her pretty features. She backed away from Laurie and hastily said, “I'm supposed to show you your chores before breakfast."

“Chores?"

Sindy was all business now. “Follow me," she said.

Laurie slipped her feet into the thong flip-flops and hurried to catch up.

After Sindy directed her to grab cleaning supplies out of a closet, she stood in the large main room of the filthy strip club with extra garbage bags, a broom and dustpan, and a mop and bucket, and dubiously looked around. “I have to clean all this by myself?" she glanced at Sindy who had disappeared.

Laurie sighed, turned on all the lights, and got to work.

Though Laurie worked as a Social Media Marketer, in the past she'd worked in fast food and knew all the tips and tricks to clean efficiently. Grabbing a rag, she went over to all the tables and tossed all the debris on top of them onto the floor while giving the table a quick scrub at the same time. She did all ten tables in less than five minutes.

Next, she swept through the restaurant like a windstorm, holding her breath so clouds of dust wouldn't make her choke, and built an impressively large pile, which she promptly swept away into the garbage bag. As she wondered where to fill up the mop bucket, a chattering duo of maids entered the room and studied her in surprise.

“Why are you doing our job?" the older woman asked.

“We'll finish," the other maid said and gently pushed Laurie out of the room.

Thoroughly confused, and wishing she had some lotion for her chafing hands, Laurie headed back to the office, her flip-flops slapping against the bottoms of her feet.

She knocked on the door and heard John holler, “It's open!"

“You missed breakfast," John said, his narrowed eyes gazing at her steadily. “Sindy said you volunteered to clean up the Mess Hall." He always smiled thinking of his nickname for the main room of the club, where strippers did their stage shows. “You trying to get into my good graces?" His smile revealed dimples on his what-would-have-been-an-attractive-face had he been a nicer person.

“Of course," Laurie responded, playing the game.

John's grin broadened. He leaned back against his chair and like the Cheshire Cat purred, “Well, come here and do your real job." His hands clasped behind his head and his eyes sparkled. Did he actually think he was being charming?

“No thanks," she replied brusquely. “I'm hungry, where do I get breakfast?"

“Right here," John said and crudely motioned to his crotch.

Laurie shook her head and sighed, trying to gather her patience and suppress her revulsion. “Seriously, John," she purposely loudly enunciated his name to let him know she wasn't intimidated by him. “Where do I get breakfast?"

His eyes clouded over with resentment. “Breakfast is over. You'll have to wait for lunch. You start hustling that pretty backside at 5 PM today."