anything.” Her husky voice and breath tickled Kasen’s ear.
“How can I not?” Kasen hissed, trying to clamp down on his arousal and his anger. Marise’s eyes darted to the mirror and looked at him, hoping that he comprehended what she was telling him.
16 | P a g e
Nevea Lane
Private Dancer
Kasen’s eyes shot to the mirror and returned. He focused top of her forehead. He knew he couldn’t stare at her, and he didn’t want to look anywhere else. Not if he wanted to walk out of Harem with his respect for her intact. Kasen expelled a breath.
“What are you doing here, Marise, this just doesn’t seem like you.”
“I have to do this and you don’t know me.” Marise hissed back, rolling her eyes. She turned and put her back to him again. Kasen clenched and unclenched his fists several times. Why am I so angry? Isn’t this every man’s fantasy? His prim and proper secretary was doing the nasty grind in his lap? No not him and not Marise not like this.
“I think I do know you, and you don’t have to do this. Don’t I pay you enough?” he whispered against her ear.
“Yes, Mr. Montgomery. You pay me quite well, but not enough to pay off my debt.” She whispered. Kasen could almost feel her shame and tried to check his anger.
“Then why didn’t you come to me? We could’ve done something.” His voice low and endearing, he felt like he finally had some control over his sex drive and could get her out of this place.
“No offense, but it is not your problem. I’m almost done with this shit. I just need a little more.” She hissed.
The music quieted. Marise got up off Kasen’s lap, turned, and refused to look into his eyes again.
Out of options of where to stare, she chose to focus on his necktie. Her hands on her hips, she looked as though she couldn’t bear to look at him. She tried to smirk, to seem confident Kasen was sure, but he could tell it was a false show, as false as that awful wig and her smeared beauty mark.
Kasen handed her a fifty-dollar bill. Marise was surprised; he knew a private dance was only twenty bucks thanks to the many women who had approached him earlier. When she reached out to grab it, his fingers curled around hers and he pulled her close.
“Come to work tomorrow, please.” There was a hint of desperation in his voice. “Trust me on this. Just don’t run from me, and don’t come back here tomorrow.” Marise nodded her head in agreement, took the fifty and ran from the lounge.
17 | P a g e
Nevea Lane
Private Dancer
She’d a choice to make. Would she take Mr. Montgomery at his word or continue to do this?
She looked around the dressing room. She was due for another set on the stage in a few minutes. What is she going to do? Sitting down on the metal folding chair in front of the long mirror, she weighed her options. It isn’t like Mr. Montgomery came unto her. He could’ve and she couldn’t have done anything about. It was a strip club and after hours. Damn he really could’ve made her beg back there. Marise looked at the crumpled fifty in her hand. He didn’t but that didn’t that he wouldn’t, or won’t tomorrow, if there was a tomorrow. Fatima came clicking into the dressing room again.
“What did I tell your stuck up ass last month? You can’t come down here hiding all the time; you aren’t making any money that way. Get your arrogant flat ass up there and mingle!” Marise sighed as she realized the decision had been made for her. She couldn’t take any more of Fatima calling her stuck up or telling her that she didn’t have an ass.
“You know what Fati, I may be stuck up, but at least I have some damn manners.” Marise took off the high heels and slammed them into the one of the lockers. She pulled the wig off her head and rubbed the lipstick and beauty mark from her face. Marise threw on her sweatpants and a t-shirt and walked up to the prideful pimp and shoved a twenty down the front of her bra.
“There is the house money for