Princess of St. Vincent

Chapter 29

Vada hadn't missed that Davide was in the crowd tonight. She had tried to remain aloof as possible while dancing but she couldn't help it- when she saw him all her hatred rose and she was certain everyone had seen her anger.

It had been hard for her, to do this. Chachi had told her that she should try a gimmick or a style, there would be more tips. Any money that she was given or was thrown on stage was to be distributed among all the girls at the end of the week. That was the rule- no personal tips. Where the other girls actively interacted on stage in a effort to get more money on the table, Vada refused. And tonight, when the tips from the stage would be divided she would refuse to take it.

The first couple of nights were the worst, she threw up before and after, finding the entire scenario revolting. True to Chachi's words, none of the other girls every spoke to her, or even really looked at her, so it was a surprise to feel how one of them squeezed her shoulder gently as she cried in front of the mirror the first night.

Vada had quickly turned to see how had done it but none looked her way.

Now, as she strapped on her tray and prepared to go back out and sell cigarettes, she'd decided that she wouldn't give Davide the satisfaction of seeing her upset.

She glanced at herself in the mirror, feeling she would never be happy with her own reflection again and wondering how she would ever face her parents... this is when she knew why he had put her on the stage.

----

"Look at you, Nicky. Good job out there." Davide said with a smirk as she approached the bar where he sat with a man she had never seen before.

"Cigarette?" She asked the man with a smile and he shook his head.

"Cigar." He said, looking at her from head to toe. "She sure is stunning- much better up close."

Vada ignored the man's comments and simply took the cigar and handed it to him while taking the bill he gave her.

"She is, isn't she?" Davide said, giving Vada a nice smack on her butt cheek, making her blush. She would have liked to give him an equally firm slap in the face.

"I'd remember if she was here before. Nicky, is it?" The man said. Nicky nodded, holding out his change. He reached out, taking it from her hand but catching her fingers as he did. "I'm Armando."

"Hey- you know the rules." Davide said with a chuckle. "No touching." Armando raised a brow as he released her hand.

"I see- she belongs to you." Armando said and Davide smiled. "They all do."

Vada tried not to roll her eyes- She wondered if Davide was just playing dumb or if he wasn't aware of just how much more men tried to touch her now. In fact, there hadn't been a night when someone didn't try to reach out for her but so far, no one had gotten farther than a graze before she shooed them off. She looked at Armando- an older man with black hair which had begun to fade and a mustache- he looked like the typical caricature of a Spanish man.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" She asked. Armando smiled.

"Nothing your boss would let me have." He said, making her blush. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Nicky."

Vada sighed and turned to Davide who smiled and pointed at his cheek. Chachi had explained that whenever Davide was with a customer, and the girls were going to walk away, they would plant a kiss on his cheek. It was Davide's way of showing the customers that the girls did really belong to him and so they should maintain their distance. Chachi said it helped keep them from crossing any lines, but Vada knew this wasn't about their protection at all- it was about Davide's reputation.