Do me right • Tokyo revengers

Chapter 3

After flashing the crowd one last seductive smile, I exited the stage to a burst of applause. I strode down the hallway leading to the dressing rooms, the chatter amongst customers growing more and more distant in the background. A few minutes later, I realized I had forgotten my water bottle next to the stage so I had to walk back out of the dressing room to go look for it.

The regular click clack of my high heels on the polished concrete floor suddenly stopped as I jerked to a halt.

In the dimly lit hallway stood Rindou Haitani. He was leaning his back against the wall, visibly waiting for someone. A cigarette was dangling from his lips. My gaze found his through the haze of smoke surrounding him.

"Can't you read?" I asked, pointing a finger at the sign 'Access reserved to the workers' on the wall. 'You're not allowed to be here. And also," I walked up to him and plucked the cigarette out of his mouth. "You can't smoke in here."

His eyes fell to my right foot as I used the sole of my shoe to crush his cigarette against the floor.

"Oh, but let me guess.  You don't care about the rules, do you?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

His gaze slowly moved up my legs, lingered on my thighs, and then finally came to my face. 

A corner of his lips lifted. "Smart girl."

I watched as he pulled his wallet out of the inside pocket of his suit jacket. "How much for twenty minutes with you? 1 million yen?"

It took a few seconds for his words to register but when they did, I had to swallow my anger before answering, "I'm a dancer, not a prostitute."

He simply pulled out another stack of bills, not fazed by my tone in the slightest. "How about 2 million yen?"

I scoffed. "You would seriously pay two million yen to spend twenty minutes with me?"

He gave a light shrug. "It'd be worth it." 

He pushed off the wall and handed me the money. I trapped my bottom lip between my teeth as I stared down at the 10000-yen bills in my hand. 

His offer was tempting. Irresistible almost. But accepting it wouldn't benefit me on the long-term for one simple reason: I would have been ready to bet that Rindou was the type of man to get bored if he got things he desired too easily, and if I wanted to eventually get more information on him for Naoto, I'd have to keep him coming back to the club for more.

"Well," I inhaled, looking back up at his face. "I have to say I'm flattered but like I said, I'm not a prostitute."

I tried to hand the money back to him but he made absolutely no attempt to take it and instead, he slipped his hands into his suit pants pockets. "I never said I'd try to fuck you."

My gaze narrowed at the edges in disbelief. "So you would pay money to do what? Talk?"

The low chuckle he let out sent a shiver down my spine. He ran a hand down his face, wiping off the hint of amusement. "No, you and I are not gonna talk. You're gonna dance for me."

So demanding.

I took a step closer to him, the top of my head gracing his chin. I slowly slid a hand under his suit jacket. My fingertips grazed his firm chest through the fabric of his white shirt until they had found the inside pocket of his jacket. 

I peeked up at Rindou through my eyelashes, finding him already staring down at me. Our eyes stayed connected as I stood on my tippy toes until my breath was coasting over his lips. 

"No. Thanks." When his eyes ever so slightly widened, I knew I had successfully mislead him. I took a step back and mustered an innocent-looking smile. "But I'm sure any of the other dancers would be more than happy to dance for you."

Rindou licked his lips, then he released a short sardonic laugh, clearly surprised by my refusal. "I gotta say I'm not accustomed to women saying no to me."

"Well, if I were you, I'd get accustomed to it, Mister Haitani," I teased. I moved to walk past him but stopped by his side, my arm brushing his. His head turned to me, his eyes dropping to my lips while I spoke, "Because then it feels so good when they finally say yes."

His face remained impassive, but his eyes didn't. They were gleaming with his desire to rise to the challenge I had just thrown down at him.

---------------

The next night, a bouquet of flowers was laying on my makeup vanity in the girl's dressing room. My heart picked up a pace as I read the card attached to the bouquet.

"Nice performance tonight." – R. H.

"Is it a secret admirer?" Suki asked me, eyeing the expensive-looking bouquet of tulips with envy.

"Not that secret," I mumbled.

This was only the beginning because over the next few days, I was showered with presents. Purses, coats, jewelry, lingerie,... Chanel, Cartier, Louboutin,... At the end of the week, I barely had any space left in my apartment to store all of the gifts I had received from Rindou.

That Monday night, I walked out of the club with an expensive fur coat draped over my shoulders. It was yet another gift from Rindou. 

Using the back entrance reserved for the staff, I slipped into the narrow alleyway located on the left side of the building where a gust of cold air greeted me. I tipped my head to the dark 4am sky and inhaled deeply.

"Did you like my gifts?" 

A deep voice coming from the end of the alleyway startled me.

My gaze found Rindou as he emerged from the shadows. He stopped a few meters away. His pretty face was doused in silver moonlight.

I forced my face into a placid expression, even though each cell of my body was tingling in his presence. 

"They were alright," I answered with a light, nonchalant shrug. 

He blew out a breath like my answer was equal parts amusing and frustrating. "Just alright? You're hard to please."

"Very," I replied.

My answer only seemed to entertain him more because his smirk slowly widened to an amused smile. 

The longer he remained silent, quietly studying me, the harder it became for me to stay still. There was just something about the way he looked at me... It was different from the first time he had watched me perform. 

Aside from the same hunger I could see in his eyes, there was this want to read me, to figure me out. And I did not like it. Not one bit.

"Goodnight, mister Haitani," I said before turning to the entrance of the alleyway.

"Wait."

He called after me but I ignored him and continued walking.

"Mia."

My real name slipped past his lips in a murmur, as if he was merely testing what it felt like to say it out loud, but I caught it. And I felt like a bucket of freezing water had just been poured over my head.

If Rindou had found out my real name, what else had he found out about me?

Just as a gaggle of customers walked out of the club and past the entrance of the alleyway, I whirled around and walked up to Rindou. Grabbing him by the sleeve of his suit jacket, I dragged him to the end of the alleyway. As soon as we were hidden in the shadows, I let go of him and pointed an accusing finger at his chest. "You can never, ever call me that here again."

"Alright, I won't. On one condition." He bargained.

Of course. Everything always comes with terms and conditions with men like him.

I dropped my hand back by my side while I waited for him to continue.

"You have to dance for me once," He finally said.

I sighed. "Fine... Just come back to the club tomorrow night and-"

"No, not here." He cut me off. "I want it to be somewhere private."

We were now playing one dangerous game, a game Rindou had chosen with rules I had no choice but to abide by. Who would be the winner?