Big Brother Billionaire (Part Two) Read Online Free

love, too. I wanted to rely on myself. I wanted to know that I could survive by myself. Would I have liked to be able to count someone as my partner, forge forward in this existence alongside someone I loved? Sure. But that wasn’t possible now. I had to make my own path.
    Another button, and I heard a whoop from the same direction as the heckler. Good. That meant they were paying attention. It meant that, in spite of my lack of splashy attire and makeup, I was making a splash.
    Still moving in time to the music, I opened the front of my blouse a little, allowing my sheer bra to peek out before concealing it again. I was doing more of a tease than a full-on strip. Would that be enough to secure a job here?
    The prospect of working my way out of my slacks was daunting, and I didn’t think there would be a sexy way to accomplish it. Instead, I rubbed my hands over my rump, rubbed my butt against the pole, and did everything I could to accentuate my curves—arching my back and running my hands through my hair, loosening my bun, letting my dark strands cascade down over my face. I tossed my head with the beat, wishing my hair were a little longer, promising the gods of strip joints to grow it out as long as I was hired here. I needed this, I was starting to realize, and it was for more reasons than just the money.
    I unfastened the final button on my blouse and let the material slide open naturally with my dancing. My bra—and what was underneath—was on full display, and there were some scattered cheers and applause from the lightly populated tables. I’d never taken my clothes off for anyone but Marcus. His eyes were the only ones who’d seen me at my most vulnerable. This seemed like as good of a way as any to purge that, to retake my strength, to make the conscious decision to pick up the pieces of my life and move on.
    If more people saw me like this, if I got this job, then I’d become stronger. I’d loosen Marcus’ hold on me—the hold I perceived him as having—and I could finally be free, really free.
    The song ended suddenly, and I whipped my hair back, standing at the end of the stage in a wide stance, my hair and eyes wild, daring anyone to try and take this away from me. I needed this, and I was going to get it. I’d never felt more certain about something in my life.
    “Very impressive, Parker,” Jake said, clapping as he walked forward. He offered me a hand down from the stage as the next song began, a new dancer clambering up the stairs behind me to start her routine. I studied his hand for a moment before taking it and hopping down.
    “Just think of what it will be like with a costume,” I said, turning to watch the new dancer sparkle her way down the stage and to the pole.
    “I don’t see you as a glitter girl,” he remarked. “More of a black leather and latex temptress.”
    “You mean a dominatrix,” I said, almost breaking character, almost busting out into laughter. That guise was the absolute opposite of who I really was, but if it complemented the new Parker, I would have to get used to the idea.
    “Call it whatever you’re comfortable with,” he said. “If you’re interested, you’ve got the job.”
    The Parker who’d walked in this door wanted to jump up and down and clap her hands with excitement, thrilled that she was going to finally be able to afford rent and bills and food and everything else that money could buy her.
    But this Parker—the new Parker, the person I’d decided to become in order to try and forget about Marcus and cement the new life I was making for myself into reality, not just some temporary placeholder while he could swoop in and save me—this Parker gave a half smile.
    “I’ll start tonight,” I said easily, absolutely flummoxing Jake, as I turned heel and walked out the exit.
    I’d been drifting along in life for so long now, just trying to go with the flow to survive, unsure of what it really took to do so, but now I was seizing life, forging