Only Their Love

The Performance

RUBY’S POV

Hearing the music of Lucia’s act reaching its peak, I wretched and vomited into the bin beside the stage door. ‘Last time Ruby, last time you ever sing this song, last time you ever dance in this club. Make it the best performance.’ I encouraged myself as Lucia came down the steps. A number of the girls gathered at stage left and right, the staff had stopped working on the floor below. Everyone was waiting with baited breath to hear me sing, to see my performance and find out if the hype really was worth it. I looked at them all and wanted to scream. ‘If only you all knew how much I wanted to disappear right now.’

I took a deep breath and began to climb the steps to the stage when I heard the bmph of the microphone. ‘Now, gentlemen and lady sitting there, we have such a treat instore for you.’ Dave’s voice rang through the club and quiet mumblings were heard in the crowd. None of the acts were introduced in Spicers. I stopped in my tracks and prayed silently that he would be quick about saying whatever it was he wanted to say.

‘This evening, we have an act returning to the stage, familiar to some of you but to those of you who are new to our esteemed establishment, this young lady is the like you have never experienced. Returning tonight, and for every Saturday night going forward, I introduce you to …’

My heart began to beat faster. ‘No, no, no, no, no. Never again after tonight you bastard!' I screamed into my head. The applause was deafening as I climbed up the stairs, my whole body shaking. I could barely see through the tears threatening to spill from my eyes but was determined they would not. I smiled broadly to the audience only making them cheer louder. The music started and the crowd silenced. I could see Millie, Drake and Alvin at the bar looking on in encouragement. Closing my eyes and taking I deep breath I started singing …

‘Here we are

On Earth together

It's you and I

God has made us fall in love

It's true

I've really found

Someone like you

Will it say

The love you feel for me?

Will it say

That you will be by my side?

To see me through

Until my life is through

Well, in my mind

We can conquer the world

In love, you and I

You and I, you and I’

UNKNOWN POV

‘f*****g bullshit, making me come here as some sad excuse to think he’s getting one over on my father. My father will be furious, never mind my brother.’ My lip curled into a small smile as I washed my hands. Smoothing out my sleek black hair I returned to the performance lounge for the last act before I could excuse herself. I was so relieved when I realized that there was no stripping out in the open. I couldn't possibly explain that to my father, and definitely not my brother. The pain in the ass manager was on stage when I sat down between my companions who leered at me making my skin crawl. Other than the staff, I was the only woman in the building and I stood out like a sore thumb.

‘Does he ever shut up?’ I asked the i***t on my right; he smirked and squeezed my knee. Shivers ran up my spine and I had to cross my legs quickly to disguise my leg's involuntary attempt at kicking him in the face. A wave of euphoria overtook me and my heart leapt in my chest. My stomach filled with butterflies and a heaviness swelled inside me. I gasped and looked around to see what had made me feel this way. The scent of strawberries and caramel flooded my senses and my eyes closed, inhaling the aroma of whoever had just entered the room.

‘MATE’ a voice roared inside my head. ‘Mate is near, Mate.We have to find Mate’. I sat up straighter, pretending to look for table service whilst trying to control the animal trying to escape from within me. ‘Come on now, I want to find our mate just as much as you do but these people are humans and we need to let him think I am considering him, at least for now. They’ll book private dances, we can excuse ourselves and go looking then.’ I soothed my beast closed my eyes.

‘Well in my mind,

We can conquer the world.’

My head snapped up to the stage as I became more attuned to my surroundings, having tamed my animal for now. There stood a woman, a beautiful buxom woman with long curly auburn hair, eyes as dark as onyx and skin pale but pink. Her eyes were pooled with tears but her voice never faltered. She sounded like an angel and she held the attention of every man and woman in the performance lounge. Her shoulders were broad, but so were her hips with a cinched waist, her breasts filled the top of the white weddingesque gown and spilled slightly over. The dress cinched in her waist and clung to her hips and thighs like she had been sewn into it.

‘MATE, she’s our mate. Mate, we have to get mate. Everyone is looking at mate, she is ours!’ The voice in my head was so loud, growling violently and I had to keep it in check. I left my seat and walked quickly to the bar. My companions didn’t know I had left. They were so enthralled by the woman on stage, my mate.

The blonde at the bar, her name tag said Millie had tears running down her cheeks when I got there. ‘How much?’ my beast barked at her. Millie looked at me confused. Obviously no one settled their bill until after the private performances. She began to say something to that effect when my beast spoke again. ‘For her, the singer. I want an audience.’ Millie shook her head and explained that private audiences were booked by table staff after the performances ended.

I raised my eyebrows and glared into Millie's baby blue eyes. ‘Listen to me,’ I whispered viciously, ‘I want to book a private audience with that girl from the moment she steps off the stage until the moment this club closes. It will just be me and her. There will be no disturbances other than those ordered by me and there will be no issues with this request. Do you understand me?’ I threw a roll of money, around £10,000 on the bar and glared at Millie who nodded and was trying to stop her legs from shaking. ‘Have one of the waiting staff tell my companions I was feeling unwell and made my own way home. I will contact them tomorrow. I will be in that private room when she is finished.’ I declared, pointing to the VIP suite that was most likely rarely used due to its expense.

I leant against the door and watched as Ruby reached the crescendo of her song. I was in pain as Ruby turned her back and walked off stage to the thunderous applause of every soul in the performance lounge. I backed my way into the VIP lounge and made myself comfortable on the sofa to wait for my beloved mate.