Lover for Pay: The Escort & the Teacher (manxman)

IV - Wonderland

Chapter Four

It'd been about two weeks or so since the last time London heard from Marbell, and that wouldn't have bothered him so much if their sessions hadn't gone so well before his mistake. Should he refer to it as a mistake? Having touched a little too far into the man's shirt the last time they'd had sex. London was used to not seeing certain clients for weeks at a time, but something about Marbell told London he was a "frequent shopper".

Tonight, however, he was meeting up with a regular of his named Charles Wayfarer. They always met at a local gay and lesbian club called Wonderland. The guy was in his late forties, and got off on having a couple drinks before getting banged in one of the private rooms the club provides for wealthy patrons. On the nights with him, London was usually able to pocket around one to two and a half thousand from the guy.

Drying his hair after a shower, London heard a knock at the front door. Given it was a Saturday and Henry had asked to get together with friends, London needed to call a babysitter for Joyce. And what better person to ask than Mrs. Campbell? She was a sweet dark brown-skinned woman who lived across the street from them for years now. She was familiar with the troubles of the Dawncraft family, and was always happy to help when London asked something of her, which he rarely ever did anyway. "Thanks for doing this for me," London said upon opening the door.

Mrs. Campbell was in her fifties but didn't look a day over forty. She had dark medium length hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, flawless clear brown skin, and was definitely one of London's major heroes in life. He would never forget the day she'd given his Old Man a piece of her mind when he was younger for leaving him and Henry outside all day and refusing to let them in.

It'd been a glorious day.

"You don't have to thank me, baby," she said, making her way inside.

London walked with her to the den down the back hall where Joyce was. The little girl was on the floor eating blueberry crisps out of a princess bowl, and watching one of her favorite cartoon movies for the hundredth time this week. London kissed the top of her hair, and said, "I'll be back, okay? You be good for Mrs. Campbell."

Joyce paid him no mind as a song began to play from the television. "I got this," Mrs. Campbell said, "Now, you go on and have your fun. I'll have her asleep by the time Henry gets back."

"Have my fun?" London gave her a questionable stare. "I told you I was going to the warehouse."

"Mhmm," Mrs. Campbell hummed, "You forget, I was young once, too. Once you have responsibilities, it's hard to have a good time every now and again, ain't it?"

London just laughed and grabbed his keys from the hook by the doorframe, "Whatever you say, Mrs. Campbell. I'll see you later."

"Be safe, baby!"

—

Wonderland was like a mixture of both a nightclub and a strip club. It was dark inside, flickering strobe lights shined their blues, pinks, and greens, and the most annoying House music the DJ could find was playing out from the loud speakers hooked up to the ceiling. The place was jam packed, but that was normal for a Saturday. There were small circular stages here and there with topless women, and g-string wearing men dancing on poles. In simple terms, this place was wild. And London hated it. He wasn't the dancing type unless he was drunk, he hated House music with a passion, and the people inside were far too desperate and usually pretty shitty. No matter how many times he's had to come back to this place for Charles Wayfarer's sake, his feelings for it never changed. Not one bit.

London didn't understand why a forty-seven-year-old man wanted to party like this, anyway.

Following a drink waitress through the commotion, London found an open stool at the bar and took it. After a few minutes he was able to wave down the busy bartender, "Just a Miller, please," he said loud enough to be heard, and then slid over some cash. He swallowed back his beer then, grimacing a little at the taste. He didn't know why he drank the stuff sometimes when he already thought it tasted like shit.