LADY OF THE NIGHT

CHAPTER FOUR

CLASHED

ANDREA

The more I danced, the more suffocated I began to feel, it wasn’t the heat from the stage lights or the press of bodies beyond the platform, it was something deeper, a prickling sensation crawled across my skin, starting at the back of my neck and spreading downward like invisible fingers tracing every inch of me.

I knew I was being watched.

Not in the usual way, this place thrived on eyes, on attention, on hunger. I had expected that but this… this was different, it felt focused intentionally like someone wasn’t just looking, but studying me.

And the worst part? I couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from.

Still, my body reacted in ways I couldn’t explain, as every sway of my hips grew bolder, as if trying to taunt them to show their face, my movements turned sassier, like I was performing for someone specific even though I had no idea who.

The music pulsed through the room, heavy bass vibrating beneath my feet as I lifted my leg higher than I had during rehearsal, my confidence blooming with every cheer and whistle from the crowd, if anyone had told me I’d move like this my first night, I would have laughed but here I was owning it, the stage and every gaze in this room

Or at least… trying to.

Then came the moment, the part of the routine where a piece of clothing had to go and my fingers slid behind my back, finding the string of my bra. I took a slow breath, steadying myself, even as that strange sensation intensified, I told myself it was just nerves.

Just adrenaline but deep down, I knew it wasn’t but still, I leaned into the act.

Sensually, I loosened the knot, letting the fabric slacken against my skin and a wave of whistles rose from the crowd, louder now, more eager, I felt powerful.

Dangerously so.

Every stare fed into that feeling, every reaction pushing me further into the role I had stepped into tonight and yet…

There it was again, that pull of an unseen presence.

The one person in the room I couldn’t find and somehow, the only one that seemed to matter.

I let the triangular cups slip slightly, teasing, not rushing and my movements slowed, and for a second, it felt like the entire room held its breath with me.

Then

The curtains closed and just like that, the announcer’s voice boomed through the speakers, cheerful and oblivious to the storm inside me.

“And that’s it for this set, gentlemen! Up next, we’ve got a special presentation for a bachelor’s party, let’s give it up for the next group of ladies!”

I hear some people ‘booing’ about them closing the cotton too quick and wanting me back, and hearing that give me the strength to movw

The cheers shifted, attention moving on as quickly as it had come, I stepped off the stage, my chest rising and falling faster than I wanted to admit.

Ooff.

Done with day one.

At least, the first part of it, I made my way to the changing room, my heels clicking softly against the floor and the further I got from the stage, the more that suffocating feeling eased but it didn’t disappear completely. It lingered, faint but present, like a warning I couldn’t shake.

Inside, the changing room buzzed with chatter, laughter, and the rustling of clothes, a few girls were already getting ready for the next set, while others, like me, were winding down.

I didn’t connect my mic yet, I couldn’t risk being tracked or flagged before I had a better understanding of the place so instead, I relied on the lenses in my eyes, subtly scanning everything as I moved.

Every corner, locker and reflection, I forced myself to act normal, even as my mind catalogued details and that’s when I noticed her, she was leaning against one of the lockers, arms crossed, watching me with a small, knowing smile, not threatening but just observant.

“Hey,” she said casually, pushing herself upright. “You’re new, right?”

Her voice was easy, friendly, cutting through my thoughts just enough to ground me.

I paused for a fraction of a second before nodding. “Yeah. First night.”

“I knew it,” she said with a soft laugh, stepping closer. “Name’s Sue.”

“Olivia,” I replied automatically, sticking to the name I had given earlier.

Sue tilted her head slightly, studying me, not in the unsettling way I had felt on stage, but with curiosity.

“Well, Olivia,” she said, “for a first-timer, you did really good out there.”

I blinked, a little surprised. “You think so?”

“Definitely,” she said without hesitation. “You’ve got confidence or at least you fake it well which is basically the same thing in this line of work.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You should,” she said, grinning. “Some girls freeze their first night. You? You looked like you belonged up there.”

If only she knew, I glanced down briefly, adjusting my outfit as I tried to keep the conversation natural. “It didn’t feel like it.”

“That’s normal,” Sue shrugged. “The stage messes with your head at first, too many lights and too many eyes but you’ll get used to it.”

I hesitated, then said, “It’s not the eyes that bothered me.”

She raised a brow. “Oh?”

I almost brushed it off but something about her demeanor made me speak. “It felt like someone was watching me and not just watching, but, I don’t know, like they were focused on me.”

Sue didn’t laugh or dismiss it, instead, her expression shifted slightly, just enough for me to notice.

“Yeah,” she said after a moment. “That happens.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“There are always guys like that,” she explained. “The quiet ones, the ones who don’t cheer or make a scene, they just sit there and watch.”

“That’s comforting,” I muttered.

She smirked. “Hey, sometimes those are the ones who tip the most.”

I huffed a soft laugh, though the unease didn’t fully leave me.

Sue nudged my arm lightly. “Relax. You handled yourself well. That’s what matters.”

“Thanks,” I said, meaning it.

She leaned back against the locker again, crossing her arms. “So, you planning to stick around?”

“For now,” I said carefully.

“Well, if you are,” she continued, “you should take advantage of the training classes.”

I looked at her. “Training classes?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “They host them every Sunday for newbies, helps with technique, stage presence, all that and plus, you get tips on how to handle certain situations.”

That caught my attention. “What kind of situations?”

Sue gave me a look. “The kind you don’t learn about until you’re already in them.”

I held her gaze for a second, then nodded slowly. “I’ll think about it.”

“You should do more than think,” she said. “You’ve got potential, might as well sharpen it.”

I smiled faintly. “Noted.”

There was a brief pause before she pushed off the locker again. “Anyway, I’ve got to get ready for my next set but seriously good job tonight.”

“Thanks, Sue.”

She gave me a small wave before heading off, disappearing into the flow of the room, I exhaled quietly, finishing up as quickly as I could and once I changed into my normal outfit, I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.

Time to leave.

Or at least… pretend to.

As I stepped out into the hallway, I kept my movements steady, casual but the moment I opened the door, my heart skipped, two guards stood outside and my pulse spiked instantly.

Had I already given myself away?

That fast?

“Miss Olivia,” one of them said.

I forced my expression into something neutral, even mildly curious. “Yes?”

“We’ve been assigned as your escort,” he explained. “Would you like us to get you a taxi, or do you have that handled?”

For a split second, I just stared at him.

Then I nodded lightly. “Oh—uh, I already booked one earlier. It should be waiting.”

“Alright,” he said.

I smiled politely. “Thank you.”

Inside, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding, that was close, I stepped forward, and they fell into place behind me without question.

Not a bad system, I admitted silently. For a place like this where women were put on display, it made sense to have some level of protection.

Even if it felt a little suffocating.

We moved toward the exit, my heels echoing softly with each step. I kept my head slightly lowered, my pace steady.

Almost there.

Almost

My hand brushed against something solid.

No someone.

A hard arm collided with mine, sending a sharp jolt of pain up my side.

“Oof—sorry,” I muttered quickly, instinctively apologizing without looking up.

I didn’t stop, didn’t hesitate, I just kept walking but the moment I passed him and that feeling came back stronger than before.

The prickling sensation spread across my skin again, more intense this time, like my body was reacting before my mind could catch up and my steps faltered slightly, but I forced myself to keep going.

Don’t look back.

Don’t stop.

Just keep moving but as I walked away, one thought echoed in my mind, louder than everything else, I should have looked up because now

I knew.

That presence I had felt on stage?

It wasn’t my imagination and somehow, I had just walked right past it.