Three Hours (Seven Series Book 5) (4 page)

That seemed like the logical thing to do, but by the look in Lexi’s eyes, I could see she wanted her family close. Pack instinct.

“Mom had no idea what she was getting into with a pack of wolves—especially the men. It’s gotten easier with Izzy and April around, and we’re a growing family. Mom loves it, and I think part of it is she doesn’t feel alone anymore like she did when she lived at home with Maizy. She knew someday Maizy would move away and she’d end up the little old lady living in my father’s house by herself. We love having her; she keeps the boat afloat. But my mom’s afraid that Maizy will get too comfortable with our way of life. She wants her to fall in love with a regular guy and have a normal life. She accepts me for who I am and realizes this is where I need to be, but I guess I can see her point of view.”

I finished my meal and lifted a piece of ice from my water glass, sucking on it while getting lost in my thoughts. “How are you going to handle watching her grow old? And your mama…”

She tapped her fingernails on the edge of her plate. “I try not to think about it, but it’s always in the back of my mind. Every time Maizy reads that Peter Pan book, certain scenes just make me cry thinking about how they’re going to grow old one day and leave me. I once asked Reno how he feels being with April since she’s a human, and he told me that life doesn’t make promises. Just because he’s biologically
supposed
to outlive her doesn’t mean he will. He has a dangerous job, and there’s always a chance he might not come home.” Lexi glanced at an elderly couple at a nearby table. “I’ve never taken him for a poet, but he once called her his shooting star. He said you’ll never enjoy the moments unless you learn to let go of the fears. I can’t argue with that logic because it applies for humans too. You never know when it’ll be your time, and maybe that’s why I worry. It’s not so much watching her grow old, but what if something were to happen and I didn’t get all those years with Maizy promised to me? Life just isn’t fair.”

No, it isn’t
, I thought to myself. “I’ll be at the little one’s party tomorrow with bells on.”

“Knowing you, you’ll literally
have
bells on.”

“Just on my lady parts.”

Lexi broke out in her silly laugh that Austin dubbed “the Beaker.” After she wrapped it up with a snort and a blush on her cheeks, we decided to order dessert.

“Naya, do me a favor?”

“Anything.”

“No drama. I mean with Wheeler. He always bails whenever you show up. I don’t know why you two hate each other so much, but I don’t want anything to spoil Maizy’s party. It’s not every day she turns eleven, and I feel like we’re losing that little girl.”

“You have nothing to worry your pretty little head about. This is her special day, and I wouldn’t dream of spoiling it. I’m going to bring balloons, presents, and her favorite treat.”

Lexi arched her brow. “What’s that?”

“Auntie Naya’s famous bag of pretzels. I’ll leave it to her big sister to bake the most fantastic birthday cake in the entire world. Now how about we order another bottle of red and do a little gossiping before I go to work? I want to hear all about this heat house.”

“I should have never had the fourth glass of wine,” I said regretfully on a long sigh.
After finishing my first shift, I’d retreated to the dressing room to cool down and change clothes. Club Sin had more action on the floor than I’d seen in weeks.

“Serves you right,” Daphne said with a cackle, flipping her bright red hair back. Although calling it red would be stretching the truth since it resembled the color of a sweet potato.

“I made five hundred dollars on one dance alone from the men at the tip rail. They really like it when I wear these panties,” I said, shaking my hips and creating a ripple of movement from the beads strung along them.

I never got all the way nude onstage, and I earned higher tips when I wore a semisheer top or bra instead of going topless, which I never did anymore. For me, it was more about the performance than the act of nudity. Let the other girls get down and dirty, but I left the men wanting more. A few years ago, I bought a full latex suit that didn’t show any skin outside of my face, hands, and feet. The men could barely stay seated and paid extra to touch the material. You learn things as you go—that sometimes you don’t have to give all of yourself away to get what you need in life.

I dabbed my face with a towel and sat down in front of the mirror to count out my money. “Whoever let the Chitahs in tonight should be fired.”

“They’re usually our best customers,” Daphne said, her voice raucous. She put out her cigarette in a black ashtray. “They have more respect for women than most of those nimrods.”

I waved a dollar bill. “One guy tipped me a Washington and told me to get another job.”

“Oh,
baby
. I’m
so
glad you said something. I’ve got zero tolerance for cheapskates.” Daphne blotted her lips with more Extreme Red and fluffed her short hair.

The dancers were a mix of different Breeds, but the majority were Shifters like me. In the Breed world, our only talent was shifting into an animal, which couldn’t earn us money in any practical way. Relics were born with innate knowledge, which meant job security from birth as a healer, advisor, or researcher. They earned an exceptional income and often worked for the same immortals as their parents had, establishing clientele that were passed down through each generation. Sensors were like a vending machine of sorts where a person paid them for an emotional experience. Some customers wanted to relive emotions from a time in their life, while others lived vicariously through the experiences of others. Most Chitahs worked as investigators because of their keen sense of smell, and they had the good sense not to allow their sisters to sling beer or strip on a pole. The Chitah strippers I’d known never got high tips from Chitah males, and in some cases their routines would start a fight in the club. Chitahs didn’t like to see their women degrading themselves, as they put it.

I called it paying the bills.

No one had forced me into this lifestyle, and to be honest, I was good at it. Most dance clubs had high standards and expected the girls to be exceptional dancers, performers, and actresses. I didn’t want to do it forever, but I had serpentine moves that men had been ogling for years. Why not charge them to look? High-paying jobs weren’t easy to come by for Shifters, and sometimes a girl has to make tough choices. I lived a respectable life otherwise—probably one of the most celibate girls in the club. I was very selective of my men; that’s one piece of me I didn’t give away to just anyone.

“Ugh! Fawn is bleeding their wallets dry,” a bright voice exclaimed from the doorway.

Skye still had on her street clothes and slung her purse in a metal locker.

“What’s going on?” Daphne asked, her voice edged with concern. “I’m next, and you’re freaking me the hell out, girl.”

“She’s pulling out all the stops with an old Pussycat Dolls song. I think she stole Naya’s lollipop theme that was so popular two years ago. Remember that, Naya?”

Boy, did I! The men had eaten it up.

Literally.

“Well, good for her,” I said, sorting my tips.

“Easy for you to say. You’ve already been up.” Daphne wrinkled her nose. “Hellfire! Now I have to come up with something good.”

I tucked my money away in my silver clutch. “The nurse act is getting a little old, Daph. These men don’t want to be taken care of like an invalid. You should stop visiting the human clubs for ideas.”

I knew what turned Breed men on. They all had a touch of hero syndrome due to their natural instinct to protect women. Strictly speaking of certain Breeds, of course. A Mage couldn’t care less, and the same went for most Vampires. But Shifters and Chitahs? Those men responded to a damsel in distress and ate up any routine that ventured into hero territory. On my next theatrical dance, I planned to bring in chains and play captive.

Daphne slipped on a shiny red skirt that matched her lipstick. “What about a schoolteacher? I could get one of those long rulers…”

Skye sounded like a chimpanzee when she laughed. “Are you kidding me? Most of those men have never been inside a school. And I can guarantee you that they have no desire to be spanked with a ruler.”

“On the contrary,” I muttered with a surreptitious smile.

“
Do
tell.” Skye gasped, scooting beside me on the bench. Her brown hair swished above her fanny, and eyes as blue as the Texas sky beamed at me.

“Some of these tough men are turned on by an assertive female in the bedroom—even the baddest of the bad. It’s the one place they’re allowed to give up power.”

“Why would they want to do that?”

I shrugged. “Submission is a curious thing I know little about. Maybe they’re tired of being in control all the time, but I have a feeling that some of these men are broken and feel like they deserve to be punished. From my personal experience, when Shifters see a woman in a position of authority, they become putty in her hands. That’s the kind of dancer you want to be onstage and the kind of woman you want to be off. Then you’ll have them eating out of your hand.”

Her gaze floated toward the ceiling. “Most of the men I date just want to screw and get it over with.”

I put my arm around her shoulder. “Hold out, sweetie. Don’t give away your cookies to every hungry man. Make them crave it so badly they chase you for a nibble. By the time you say yes, you’ll already have them wrapped around your finger. You’re young. You’ll figure it out soon enough.”

“How old are you?”

Fifty-three
, I thought to myself.
With the body of a twenty-five-year-old
. That’s how Shifter magic worked. “You mean how young,” I corrected with a tap on her button nose. “Better hurry up and get dressed, girly. Why don’t you walk the floor for a little bit and warm up the men—get them excited to see your act? Don’t worry about what one girl is doing on the stage. Those men aren’t going to empty their pockets after two beers. You know that.”

“You’re right. I shouldn’t get so worked up about money,” she said on a sigh. “Unlike Daphne, who just wants to save up for a trip to Italy.”

“Hey! Don’t wipe your feet on my dreams,” Daphne barked out. “I’m going to live in Italy for a year and find me a nice Italian man who speaks in one of them dreamy accents and makes love to me every morning before breakfast. I’ve heard Italian Shifters have stamina, so maybe it’ll be lunchtime when we’re done.” After giving her hair another fluff, she sauntered out the door.

Skye got up and stripped out of her jeans. “I’ve got a little girl to think about.”

I whirled around. “I didn’t know you had children. Honey! Where is your man?”

She shrugged. “I was mated, but Keller was killed in a bar fight two years ago. That’s why I started working here, even though for the first year, Dean would only let me waitress. Now it’s just Lola and me. She’s three and the sweetest little thing in the world, but I can’t take care of her by myself. She stays with my cousin while I’m at work. I’m not happy about the situation, so I’m trying to make some money and… It just seems so hopeless sometimes.”

“Skye, you’re a goddess.” I stood up and fanned out her silky hair, letting it fall over her shoulders. “Long hair, heart of gold, beautiful eyes—what man wouldn’t want to make you his mate? Why not find a pretty dress and go to one of the Shifter bars to find yourself a good man? You need help taking care of that baby so you won’t have to work in a place like this forever. We all have dreams to get out. Well, most of us,” I said with a wave of my hand. “I can’t imagine how tough it must be with a baby.”

“This is where the money is, and that’s why I decided to start dancing. Soon she’ll need to be homeschooled, and that’s not free if I have someone else do it. The tips I got waiting tables were nothing compared to what I make onstage. Dancing will give me a head start, and then maybe I can find another job. It’s pointless to hold out for a man to take care of me; most Shifters don’t want to take on another man’s baby. It’s up to me to care for my little girl. I want her to have a better life than her mommy.”

I felt terrible for Skye. Girls who worked jobs like ours were single; no man in his right mind would let his mate dance for money. Packs gave women financial security, and I had a feeling she wasn’t a wolf if she was on her own.

I empathized with her situation because she reminded me of a younger version of my own mother. After my papa died when I was just a little girl, my mother worked three jobs until I was old enough to go out on my own. She never judged me for the life I chose and told me everyone has to walk their own path. She died fifteen years ago in a car accident. It’s ludicrous to think how she worked so hard to live a good life, only to have it ripped away because she wasn’t wearing a seat belt. Had she been conscious, she could have shifted and healed, but my mama had slipped into a coma for two days before they removed her from life support. I stayed by her side, destroyed that she had to spend her last days in a human hospital and not in the comfort of her own bed.

“Naya?”

I blinked the memories away. “Yes? I’m sorry. My mind has been skipping all over the place today. I shouldn’t have had wine with my dinner; it always makes me sleepy. Maybe I need to go home early and take a bubble bath.” I rubbed my shoulders and yawned. “Although, I’ve still got a second shift to finish after Daphne.”

“I’ll cover for you,” Skye quickly said. “With the manager, I mean. If Dean asks, I’ll tell him you had an emergency.”

I smiled warmly. “You can have my slot. I’ve already paid for it.” I reached in my locker and slipped on a stretchy black dress that stopped above my knees. “You go out there and bleed their wallets dry for your baby.”

Her smile quickly waned.

I brushed her soft hair away from her shoulders. Skye had a gorgeous smile, so I hated to see the frown in its place and the way she kept fidgeting with the ends of her blue T-shirt.

“What’s wrong, chickypoo? You don’t seem like yourself tonight.”

“It’s nothing. It’s—”

“Yes, it’s
something
. Tell Naya what’s wrong.”

She rubbed the side of her nose. “I don’t know. I think someone’s been following me. Maybe it’s my overactive imagination running rampant again. Do you think it’s possible one of the guys out there could be stalking me?”

I sighed and let my arms fall to my sides. “It’s been known to happen with a few of our more delusional customers. They get fixated on a perception of who they think we are and sometimes cross the line. Are you armed?”

Her thin brows arched high enough that they could have touched her hairline.

“Honey, take this.” I reached in my purse and pulled out a small cylindrical container. “It’s just pepper spray, but that’s enough for you to get your point across. Whatever your animal is, she’ll protect you if it’s anything more than a lovesick puppy. I’ve had a few in my time, but most are harmless men who just get a little starstruck. Trust your instinct. If something doesn’t feel right, then don’t go out alone. This job comes with risks.”

She held the bottle of spray and examined the writing. “What about you?”

“I just keep it for show. You need it more than I do. Knock ’em dead tonight.”

I kissed her on the cheek and glanced back as I walked out the door. Skye waved at me with a cautious smile that left me uneasy.

Young girls like her always had admirers, and they were too inexperienced to know how to handle men. In the past year, Dean had gradually been working her in, but she didn’t get as much stage time as the rest of us. Skye needed a mentor to help her toughen up so the customers didn’t walk all over her. Now that I knew about her baby girl, I wanted to help her even more. Maybe the mother-hen syndrome happens to women like me who’ve been working in clubs for decades, but I’d never met anyone as naïve as Skye and so wrong for a place like this. Most dancers didn’t have a family, pack, or someone to look out for us. We were nomads in a savage world.

And those who are alone are always the ones who need the most protection.

***

After leaving Club Sin, I headed back to my apartment on the human side of town. In most big cities, Breeds lived apart from humans and purchased land to secure that division. But sometimes living too close to other Breeds only stirred up trouble, so years ago, I’d rented an apartment around humans. They came with their own set of drama, but it didn’t compare to waking up in the middle of the night to a Chitah fight. It’s not as if we could just call the police, so those kinds of outbursts had to resolve on their own.