Reaper

13

A knock sounded on the door, and I invited Azias in. We were the only ones on this floor. Ace, Emily, and Rose were on the first floor.

Azias entered with an envelope in his hands. He walked over to me and explained, "For last night." I accepted the payment while avoiding eye contact, just like how I had been annoying his presence all day. I had pretty much locked myself up in my room to avoid confrontation. "Look, I ain't mean to tease you like that. I hope you don't feel a type of way." I remained silent and just gave a simple nod. "I don't think we should meet up tonight."

"Okay," I replied while staring out into space to avoid eye contact.

"Okay," he replied back before leaving my room ,and I went under my covers. I hadn't cried last night, yet right now, for whatever reason, I felt like crying. I didn't know if it was from feeling embarrassed or something else. Maybe it was a combo. All I knew was that I hated how I was feeling.

I didn't cry, though. Instead, I left my room and went to Rose's. I knocked on her door and she invited me in.

"Uh oh," she replied as she watched me, "I know that face! What happened?!"

I sighed, "Just made a fool of myself and don't know how to take it."

"What do you mean?" Rose frowned as she patted the spot beside her.

I sat next to her and spilled, "Last night when I was dancing for Reaper, we were getting a bit carried away, and I actually wanted to have sex and thought he did too. For whatever reason, he turned me down, and now I feel like an idiot."

"I'm not gone lie, I noticed while we ate dinner two nights ago that he can't keep his eyes off of you. I feel like he got a thing for you and don't know how to deal with it," Rose shrugged.

"But if you got a thing for someone and the person tells you that they wanna go there with you, why would you just change your mind like that?" I asked, and Rose shrugged again.

She chuckled, "Niggas be more confusing than us, I swear. I understand why you feel embarrassed though. It takes a lot to put yourself out there and to have him play along for a while but then pull away is just like: well damn, nigga!"

"Yeah," I sighed. "Then he came by to pay me today since he didn't give me the money last night when he practically kicked me out of the room, and him giving me the money just makes me feel ten times worse."

Rose joked, "Don't let Emily hear you say that. She might just offer to keep it for you." We both chuckled at her joke because we knew that would be a response Emily would have. "Just don't let this to complicate dancing for him."

"I feel like it already has. He told me to take tonight off," I sighed.

"You should dance with me and the other girls tonight then," she suggested, and I looked at her as if she had three heads, causing her to burst out laughing. "It might even make him jealous."

I frowned, "Or get us killed. He specifically told me that I dance only for him..."

"Okay? He doesn't want you to dance for him tonight so..."

"I'll come by to watch so I can get my mind off things and maybe pick up a few tricks but I'm not interested in dancing for a crowd anyways," I compromised.

***
4 shots and two cups in and I was on that stage dancing as if it was the only thing keeping me alive. I was sure I was beyond the tipsy stage, but I didn't give a fuck! I was enjoying myself with my best friend, and that's all that mattered.

I was getting cheered on by the guys and the other strippers, and that made me feel even better. I twirled around the pole while giggling before twerking for a guy in the front row. He threw money from a stash he had sitting in his lap while cheering me on even more.

I could see why Rose enjoyed dancing for a crowd. These particular men were very lively and made me feel so secure about myself when they'd cheer for me. It made me feel as if I was doing something right. With Azias, I always felt timid and reserved because he was such a quiet ass nigga. He never cheered me on when I'd dance for him; instead, he silently watched with hooded eyes. The only indications I had that I was doing something right were his eyes or his bulge in his pants.

It felt nice to hear the encouragement from the crowd though, as I never got that from Azias. I didn't need to connect eyes with anyone or check their dick print to know that I was doing a good job. It felt nice not to feel that pressure.

"Oh shit!" Rose whispered into my ear as she tried to hide my face from the stage. "Reaper!"

I shrugged, "I don't care!"

I cheered while twirling on the pole, and the other girls threw some of the money that was on the stage at me. I giggled while getting on all fours and twerking, and some guys in the crowd whistles while the others cheered us on. More cash was being thrown by the second, and I enjoyed having it thrown at me.

Unfortunately, it wasn't long before I was being yanked off the stage by Azias, who flung me over his shoulders as I screamed and kicked. It was as if the liquor had left my body. I was alert of the dangers Rose had been warning me about. Azias was going to fucking kill me for what I did. I was sure to meet my death. Rose came running after me, but two guards blocked her from reaching the only staircase available, and by then, Azias was already ascending it with me still screaming for dear life.

It surprised me that everyone else was unfazed.

"Rose! Help me! I don't wanna die!" I screamed as I threw weak punches at Azias' back. Azias slammed the door to the basement, and the noise from down stairs was cancelled out. "Reaper, please! I'm too young to die! Please! I'm so sorry!"

"Shut up," he commanded, his voice never raising but his tone deadly as fuck. It got me to shut up immediately.

I didn't even know where he was taking me. I just knew I was a dead woman.

Soon I was sobbing. I was crying and crying and crying. I couldn't stop. I wasn't ready to leave Earth yet.

"Please!" I sniffled, hoping he'd have mercy on me. "Reaper!"

"Not gone say it again," he replied as he continued bringing me to God knows where.

With all the crying I was doing, it wasn't long before my eyelids gave out on me, and I was knocked the fuck out, sleep consuming my entire body.