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༊*·˚ main materlist | pete’s place’s opening night | the playlist ༊*·˚

⁀➷ previous chapter

✧.* ೃ⁀➷ pairings pete brenner x female!reader. ari levinson x female!reader. ✧.* ೃ⁀➷ & future pairings: lloyd hansen x female!reader. curtis everett x female!reader. steve rogers x female!reader. jake jensen x female!reader. (and others that will be revealed at a later date.)

word count: 13, 987. | series rating: explicit. ༊*·˚

warnings: alcohol, general sadness, advances, pete being a scumbag, blow jobs, choking, dub-con, blackmail, abuse (kinda, it's just pete being a mean asshole), coercion, cigarettes, rough sex, dirty talk, oral.

please let me know if i missed any, i am tired and i think i've listed everything.

this is a dark au. minors are not welcome here.

CHAPTER TWO BAYBEEEEEEE!!!! ARI IS HERE!!!!! the others were meant to make their first appearance but it is getting late and i wanna get this chapter out so we shall be meeting them next time!! i do have a busy week coming up, but i shall be around for the next couple days to scream about this with you!! pleaseeee let me know your thoughts, it gives me motivation to keep up and keep going!! i cannot thank u enough for the love i received on the last chapter and i hope this one pleases you all the same!! all mistakes are my own, please let me out if anything stark jumps out so i can correct it as it was partly written on my phone and ios likes their silly auto correct that tired eyes tend to miss! enjoy!!<333

Over the next few weeks, Ari became a permanent fixture at the club bar. Greeting you at the start of your shift with a grin and heavy hand on your back, wordlessly flirting every time you walked by. You wasted time standing at the bar idly chatting, flushed cheeks and exchanging cheesy smiles as you rambled on about anything and everything. However, despite the countless attempts, Ari never took you up on a dance. Always dismissed it as not having much time, but you would always find him back at the bar by the end of your shift.

Not that it bothered you… It was a nice, welcomed change.

You could spend your time flirting with the mysterious man at the bar… Yeah, who were you kidding?

It bothered you a lot.

You wanted nothing more than to make him crumble as you were grinding in his lap. You wanted filth talked in your ear, you wanted to bat his hands away with a playful glee, you wanted an offer of going home with him. You wanted to know what he felt like between your thighs, wanted to know how he sounded when he came. It was driving you insane.

It drove you batshit crazy when one night, you waltzed into the club and found Ari’s usual barstool empty. You spent the entire night, and the following week, waiting on bated breath for him to appear back in his seat. You had given up hope, thinking you’d scared him away, or that he’d gotten bored and moved on to something– someone, new. However, on a surprisingly warm Thursday night, there he was, perched on his usual barstool, drink in hand and greeting you with a smile.

You went about your usual routine, glee in every step, counting every bill until you had racked up a decent amount; enough to go and waste the rest of your shift propped against the bar, staring up at the gorgeous mountain of a man until the club quietened and the lights threatened to turn on.

‘’You’ve been busy tonight,’’ Ari observed, the gravel in his voice making your knees want to give way as you sauntered over to him, a dazed smile and an aching in your legs that you would happily beg him to ease… Or add to. ‘’Looking for a break, Sugar?’’

‘’Oh, well, that depends on the break,’’ You replied, a coy smile tugging at your lips. ‘’You’ve not been around here much.’’

‘’I’ve been here,’’ He replies, sipping at the amber liquid in his glass.

You shook your head and wagged your finger, ‘’I would not miss a man like you. You absolutely haven’t been sitting round my stage either.’’

‘’Let’s circle back to the ‘man like you’ thing,’’ He laughed. ‘’And, what is a ‘man like me’, Sugar?’’

‘’Have you seen you?’’ You waved your hand around him. ‘’You’re a giant– Not that I’m complaining… Just not exactly unnoticeable.’’

‘’That your type?’’ He questioned enticingly, leaning down a little making your cheeks heat up and making you hold up your hand to cover the smile that broke out on your face as you turned your head.

‘’You are trouble, Sir.’’

‘’Oh, I’m the trouble?’’ He chuckled, following it up with a playful hum as you nodded your head. ‘’I don’t think I’m the one that’s trouble, Sugar.’’

You sucked in a breath, begging the butterflies in your stomach to land as you leaned over the bar to get your usual glass of water, taking it from the hand of the bar staff and taking a big gulp.

‘’Loud in here, right?’’

‘’Quieter upstairs,’’ You informed, eyes bright and gesturing to the balcony and placing your glass down.

Ari moved in closer, close enough to feel the heat radiating from his chest and peering up at him as he searched your face with longing, not the same lustful gaze of the clients or the possessive hunger of Pete. He looked at you like he actually saw you; wanted you. His large hand came up to fix the strap digging into your shoulder, rough fingers grazing your skin and making it leap for more of his touch.

‘’You wanna spend a song in my lap, Sugar?’’ He teased a playful glint in his eye.

‘’You finally gonna let me?’’

‘’Gotta little extra time tonight, so why not? You gonna give me your best?’’

You nodded breathlessly, lost for words because not only had he finally caved, not because he had been the one to offer this time, but because for the first time since you stepped foot in Pete’s Place, there was finally a man you’d happily waste a night with for free. You kept your eyes glued on him as he turned to get a refill on his drink before he turned back to you and grinned bright.

‘’Lead the way, Sugar.’’

You lured Ari by his large hand through the thumping bass, spotlights and clouds of smoke, turning your head back to steal shy glances at the moving mountain; heat burning at your cheeks when he would grin back at you. The steps seemed like a mountain, your heels clicking with step, his heavy footsteps parroting with deep thuds as you climbed. You hung your head past your regular clients as you led him to the back booth, stowed away from peering eyes and hidden from Pete’s suffocating authority; a secret sanctuary for just them.

You let go of his hand to turn and wave him into the booth, your eyes locked on his as he sank into the seat, practically squeezing himself into the booth, his large frame taking up half of it as he splayed his legs open for you to step into and draped his arm across the back of the red leather. His heavy, brooding eyes and knowing smirk drew you closer until you stood between his legs.

You tilted your head, fingers drumming against your thigh; waiting and watching as he finally moved forward to place his glass on table after taking a long sip and then reached into his pocket, pulling out a large stack of bills and flicking through them before plucking a few and holding them up to you. With a slow moment, your fingers grazing his, you took them, folded them neatly and stashed it in your bra.

The music slowed, a languid grinding rhythm flooding the upstairs booths, you lowered yourself into his lap, his large thighs a welcomed seat. The air suddenly felt thick, stealing your breath as your head tipped back against his shoulder. The contrast was staggering, his large frame wrapped around yours, you felt tiny and delicate against the sheer bulk of him. You prayed to find your balance, the ridge of your shoes clattering against the floor as you moved against him. His hand came up to your hip, hidden from eyes thanks to the booth’s table, aiding you in your balance, rough finger tips stroking against your skin.

“Struggling, Sugar?” He hummed lowly in your ear.

“Little cramped,” You laughed breathlessly. “Not like you can help it, though?”

“Booths definitely weren't built with me in mind, hmm?”

You shook your head, breath catching in your throat as you arched your back, finally finding your rhythm and enjoying your hidden moment.

You found it hard to concentrate, your focus pulled to the fingers that rubbed against your thigh, the hand on your hip, the woody smell; the hard ridge pressed against your ass that made you gasp and your stomach flip. You found yourself honing in on it, moving your hips just right to elicit a deep, chesty groan that vibrated against your back; your breath hitched as Ari’s grip tightened and pulled you flush against him.

“Easy—“ You tried to warn, but got a slow shush in return, your eyes falling shut as you felt his fingers now stroking at your inner thigh, goosebumps raised up to meet his fingertips. “If my boss comes up here—“

“Well, be a good girl and keep a look out, Sugar.”

Your eyes fluttered open, dazed and heavy as you felt Ari’s breath on your neck, the sweet alcohol on his breath making you dizzy as his fingers climbed up your thigh. You fought to not turn your head back and look at him, the view of the club an increasingly sore sight compared to the man who was working his way up your skirt.

“I’m gonna be so fucked if we get caught.” You spoke sullenly, panic setting in as you caught the eyes on the few men sitting in the booths, eyes leering on your body; hungrily waiting their turn to have you in their laps.

“You’re gonna be fucked once I get my hand under your panties, Sugar,” Ari rumbled, rough and breathy as his finger teased down your clothed seam, making your chest rise and fall heavily as you caught the moan that wanted to escape your throat. “Gonna have to come home with me one day, baby. Just so I can hear those pretty noises.”

You nodded, words escaping you as Ari pressed down with a surprising gentleness over your clothed bundle of nerves. You rocked softly into his hand, desperate for more friction. The deep, throaty chuckle from Ari as you turned your head and hid your face against his neck, mouth propping open made you whine while you grinded back against him.

“Gotta keep those eyes peeled, Sugar,” Ari instructed. “Could sit you on my cock right here, have you grind those pretty hips on me. Bet you could make me cum quick, couldn’t you, Sugar?”

“Fuck, I can’t— We gotta stop—“ You dared to peer up at him, finding heavy set eyes and sly smirk.

“Shh, shh, shh,” Ari hushed in your ear, “Come on, be good for me, keep an eye out.”

“Fuck,” You whispered and turned your attention back to the balcony, unable to meet the eyes of any of the men; cheeks rosy and chest flushed; sweat clung to your skin, your hair stuck to your forehead. You knew how it looked, there was no way of hiding it. If Pete came up onto the balcony, you were absolutely royally fucked, but you found it hard to care as Ari slipped a finger under the fabric, his calloused finger tip sliding between your folds, gathering the slick that had pooled there as he groaned deep in his throat. “Ari, I— Fuck.”

You couldn’t remember the last time you were this turned on. It was like your brain was overloaded with error codes. Your lungs craved the smell of him, your thighs begged to have him between them; every inch of you wanted him. A second finger joined as you bit back a moan, grinding shamelessly, offbeat and staggered, against him while he rubbed slow, agonising circles on your clit. The hand on your hip disappeared, feeling it against your back as he nudged you forward.

“Gotta give me some room, Sugar— Gimme a sec, fuckin’ tight in here,” Ari murmured in your ear, breathy and deep. “Gotta keep quiet, baby. Gotta be good, remember. Don’t give it away.”

You whined pitifully when he took his hand away from your core to work his belt open and pull down his zipper, you looked back at him with pleading eyes to be met with an intense stare and a nod of his head to your gaze back which you did reluctantly. Your chest rose and fell heavily in anticipation when suddenly his large hand splayed across your stomach and slid you back with ease; ending up with your back flush against his defined chest, the fabric doing nothing to hide the hard muscles that attempted to hide underneath. His other hand found its way back to your underwear, fingers hooking under the band and pulling them to the side.

You eyed the crowd, thankful for an entirely different reason that it was starting to quieten down. The neighbouring booths were now empty and the other men were distracted by the girls on the poles down below. The chances of being caught were slimmer now, but still a worry. You knew better, you knew you shouldn’t be so blatant where Pete could easily find you, but you couldn’t help yourself. Ari had set off something deep and primal, a searing need to feel him; be taken apart by him.

Before you could even speak, that suffocated fear trying to bubble up through the thick desire, it was like Ari had a sixth sense as he hushed you again.

“Let it happen, Sugar. You know you want it,” He said simply before his arm snaked around your waist and hoisted you up a little to allow his cock to slot between your thighs and nudged himself between your slick folds. “Fuck, you feel me, Sugar? Feel what you’ve done to me?” He moaned in your ear. “Can feel what I’ve done to you, so fucking wet for me. Gonna let me inside, Sugar? Right here? They know, you know? They know what I’m doing to you…” He trailed off as you rocked your hips, his thick cock sliding with ease between your folds, the head nudging against your clit sending shivers down your spine and a burning ache in your thighs. “So fucking jealous that it’s not them, so fucking jealous they don’t get feel this pussy around their cocks. Just me, hmm? Just met me and lettin’ me ruin you in front of a crowd.”

“God, you’re a talker.” You whined in a whisper, lips parted, letting out little gasps and muted moans. “You’re driving me crazy.”

“Bet you wish you could spread those legs and bounce on it,” Ari continued, the gravel in his voice rumbling against your back. “Bet you take it like a champ. Think you could take it all, Sugar? Can you feel it? You thinkin’ about me stretching you open, splitting you open on my cock? Bet you’re so fuckin’ tight, baby? You gonna let me in?”

“Not here, we can’t— Ari, fuck—“ You stuttered out brokenly, hand reaching behind to grip at the long strands, your other gripping his thigh as you rocked harder, quicker; swallowing the moan desperate to escape as his hand came up to your throat, his large hand covering the entirety. His fingers flexed against the column, showing off what he could do but chose not to while his other hand moved back to your hip, keeping you steady.

“Keep rocking those hips, baby. Keep doing that, don’t you stop,” Ari spurred on, bringing up his own, thrusting his cock through your folds. It was like someone had shut off all sounds of the club and all that was left was the lewd sounds of his cock slipping over your clit. “Can you feel you tensing up, Sugar. You close? You gonna cum on this cock, not even been inside you, you gonna drench it for me? Know you can, know this is all you need. S’okay, I’m close too, so fucking close.”

Your breath hitched jaggedly, feeling that all familiar coil wind and wind as you shamelessly grinded against him, turning your head to hide your moans in the crook of neck, lips against the sweat-slick skin. Your fingers tightened in the locks on his hair pulling a sharp hiss as he tightened the grip on your hips in return. You prayed to whatever higher power that there would be bruises from his finger prints in the morning. The hand on your throat increased its pressure, squeezing a moan into a breathless gasp. A few more nudges sent you over the edge, head dropping back as his hand moved from your throat, clamping down on your mouth to silence the string of moans that desperately wanted to find a home within the walls surrounding the booths.

Ari picked up his pace, rocking up against you through the throws of your orgasm, breath heavy and quick.

“‘Atta girl, cuming on my cock, fuck— M’right behind you, Sugar, don’t you stop, keep rubbing that pretty pussy on me, keep going,” Ari babbled, strained and husky, head tipping down to muffle his moans against your shoulder as his hips stutter and you felt the wet heat paint between your thighs. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” He rasped against your skin. “Holy fucking shit.”

His hand slipped from your mouth, your chests heaving in unison as you turned your head to hide in the crook of his neck, both of you letting out small laughs. Your legs trembled as you spent a moment trying to catch your breath, Ari’s hands stroking up and down your sides, his cock still thick and spent between your legs. Your hands shook as you reluctantly leaned forward to awkwardly pull a few napkins from the centre of the booth table and reached under your skirt to clean yourself up the best you could while he slipped you forward to tuck himself away.

“That was—“

“Good,” Ari quickly cut in. “So fucking good.”

“—Can’t happen again,” You finished, turning back to look at him and that dazed smile on his face. “Reckless and stupid. We could’ve gotten caught and then I would’ve been out of a job.”

“Oh, it’s gonna happen again,” Ari beamed, chuckling and rubbing at your sides. “You’ve given me a reason to keep coming back, Sugar.”

You dropped your head, shaking it as you let out a laugh before getting to your feet despite Ari’s protests.

“I gotta go,” You said, looking down at him with a slight pout, knowing you’d happily spend hours more tucked away with him. “Clubs gonna close soon and I’ve spent way too long up here; gotta go show my face and all that.”

Ari just nodded as he rose to his feet, towering over you once again.

“I look forward to tomorrow, Sugar,” Ari whispered after leaning down to press a kiss to your cheek.

You raised a hand to squeeze at his cheeks, his rough beard pricking the skin.

“Trouble,” You bit playfully.

You left Ari with a grin on his face, rubbing his beard with his hand as he watched you walk away. You passed the emptying booths and with shaking legs navigated the stairs back down onto the club floor. Dancers were finishing their sets, giving you small smiles as you passed. You knew how you must look, so you didn’t stop to speak to anyone or lingered too long in front of the stages. You hurried back to the dressing room, hoping to find it empty but instead were met with multiple sets of eyes from your fellow dancers with parted lips and raised eyebrows.

“You… You looked fucked out, Sugar,” Lolly said, lips parted in shock as she scanned your face.

“Yeah,” You said, still trying to catch your breath and begging your heart to slow down.

“Don’t tell me you did it here,” Navy spoke as she placed her shoes into her locker, slamming it shut. “Please tell me you’re not that stupid.”

“I didn’t fuck him,” You protested.

“Please don’t piss me off,” Rachael groaned. “You sure as shit did something. If Pete finds out—“

“He’s not gonna find out because I didn’t do anything! It was a long dance, I’m tired. I don’t need this shit!”

“Hey,” Crocki soothed, letting her bag drop to the floor as she strode across the dressing room floor. “No one’s giving you shit. We don’t wanna see Pete give you more trouble and this…” She waved a hand around you. “…Is trouble. Clean yourself up before Pete sees you and be careful.”

“I didn’t do anything—“

“Do you think we’re stupid? It’s all over you— He’s all over you.” Lolly shook her head. “Please be more careful and don’t be doing that shit in here. We like you, we don’t need to lose another girl through poor choices. Please.”

You looked around, trying desperately now to catch your breath before covering your face with your hands and nodding your head. You knew they were right, you knew you couldn’t do it again and you also knew that if the opportunity presented itself then you would absolutely be doing it again. The girls gave you hugs and comforting words before they departed, leaving you alone in the dressing room to gather yourself, clean up and change before having to face the devil.

You sulked your way into Pete’s office, threw the cash down on his desk, not giving a single glance at the man before turning around and heading out the door before he could even dish out your pathetic cut. You thought you had escaped him for the night, but the quick, heavy footsteps and the tug on your shoulder told you another story. You stopped, sighed and turned around; folding your arms and sucking in a sharp breath.

“The fucks up with you tonight?” Pete questioned, a sour look on his face. “You were in such a good mood earlier.”

“I’m exhausted and to be honest… Kinda don’t wanna deal with you offering whatever bullshit you’re gonna throw at me tonight.”

You regretted the words the second they left your mouth. Pete’s face twisted up with rage before he grabbed your arm and practically dragged you back down the hall and back to his office. Your heart hammered in your chest as you were flung into the room, footsteps faltering, but you managed to catch yourself and spin around as he slammed the door shut. You threw your arms up in surrender as tears welled up.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” You quickly pleaded. “I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that—“

“You’re damn fucking right,” Pete cut in sharply, crossing the room and standing inches from you; his hands tucked into his pockets as he leant down close to your face.

“I’m so tired,” You whined, putting on your best performance yet. “I’m so exhausted. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. I didn’t mean it. I’m so, so sorry.” You took a step forward, closing the space and curling yourself up against his chest, arms clutching at his shirt. “There was a guy, and he made me uncomfortable and it felt like I was gonna get away from him,” You spewed, hoping he’d take the bait and calm the rage that was set deep in his eyes.

Pete tensed for a moment before he let out a long sigh and you heard the pull of fabric as he peeled his hands out his pockets before he wrapped his arms around you. You instantly relaxed, letting out a small breath of relief as you managed to subdue him. You felt one of his hands come up to the back of your head, stroking your hair softly as held you close.

“It’s a hard job,” Pete started. “It’s hard and there’s gonna be days where you feel like giving up, but…” His hand suddenly tightened in your hair, forcing your head back as you let out a small whimper. His eyes peered down into yours, the rage still sat heavy. “You never bite the hand that feeds you. Understood?”

You nodded despite the tight grip on your hair, hand coming up to cover his as he pulled your head back further, neck straining as he peered down at you. You held your breath, scared to make another move in case you provoked him further. With a sick smile and a firm kiss pressed to your cheek, he roughly released you. You stumbled backwards a few steps, bringing your hand up to the sore, thumping at the top of your scalp as Pete collected your cut from the pile you threw down on his desk earlier.

“Thank you,” You said shakily, carefully taking the bills from his outstretched hand.

“Get the fuck out of here,” He dismissed sharply, turning his back to you to straighten up his desk.

You swallowed the lump in your throat and quickly made your way out of the club. The cool air was a welcomed reprieve, you stood there for a moment, wiping your tears and taking in deep inhales of the fresh air. You didn’t know how much longer you were gonna be able to put up with Pete’s antics, the crude men, the stale smell; the micromanaging, the advances that left a sour taste in your mouth. You knew you had to get out of there as quickly as possible.

You spent the next few weeks taking extra risks, seeing more clients, and raising your prices. Your free time was spent between houses, apartments and luxury hotel rooms. You meticulously kept track of every bill that touched your hand, stashing it away in the hotel room. You searched for a temporary apartment in the next town, weighing up all your options on how to get out as quickly as possible. You even took the chance of not showing up at the club, feigning exhaustion to an infuriated Pete on the other end of the phone, to build your hidden bank.

The nights you were at the club, you spent them searching the crowd while on the pole for Ari, wasting time you could’ve been earning money moving lap to lap by grinning like a love-sick puppy while he leaned against the bar as he idly talked about his day, and hiding away with him up in the booths; his hand under your skirt and crooning filth into your ear. You didn’t get it… Most men would’ve begged for you to come home with them by now, but Ari seemed more than happy with stolen moments and flirtatious comments at the bar. Pulling away from him at the end of the night was the hardest, you hated how much you actually liked him, knowing that you’d never have anything more than stolen moments and a hand between your thighs.

It was a miserable Tuesday night, grey clouds and drizzle. You shook off your coat as you stepped into the club and took your usual route to the dressing room, passing smiles and nods to the regulars dotted along the way. You almost made it inside the room of perfume, giggles and feminine company when you were called over by an all familiar voice. Pete was standing against the wall by his office door, stern faced and cigarette between his fingers. You sucked in a breath and slung your bag into the dressing room as you trudged over to him, following him inside the stale-smoke dim office.

“Where the fuck have you been? Two days and you haven’t shown your face,” He questioned, gruff and irritated as he took a drag of his cigarette.

“I told you, I’ve been working during the day,” You answered, searching his face hoping to ease his irritation. “I picked up a waitressing gig, I still owe you money and I want to get an apartment and get out of that hotel. It’s driving me insane,” You finished explaining, hand running through your hair, fiddling with a tangle as you desperately waited to be able to bolt out of the door and get on with your shift.

“Why haven’t you said anything? You could’ve—“

“Asked you for more money?” You scoffed, throwing up your hands. “Pete, I can’t…’’ You stepped towards where he was perched against his desk. ‘’I’ve taken too much. I’m not taking anymore. I’ll figure it out… And, I’ll be here all week, I swear.’’

You waited for a response as Pete went strangely quiet. He scanned you top to toe, pursed lips and drummed his fingers rhythmically against his desk. You had already had a conversation a week prior about you suddenly not needing money anymore, and since then he’d become increasingly more irritated with you, even more so on the nights you didn’t show up, but it was a risk you were willing to take. He seemed more bothered about you not being around than worrying about what you were doing while away from the club– or at least, that’s what you hoped.

“Alright…” Pete spoke, stubbing out his cigarette and standing straight. He let out a sigh and rubbed a hand down his face. “I can’t have you exhausting yourself. My pockets also notice the difference when you don’t work, so how about I let you start in VIP… A trial run for a week or two.”

“I’m fine—“

“Are you fucking kidding me?” He cut in, loud and exasperated. “You ride my ass for weeks about wanting to work more and now you don’t want it?”

“It’s just that you were right,” You answered, eyes wide and frantically working to calm him down, not wanting a repeat of the night with Ari. “After speaking to the girls, I can’t do it. I wouldn’t be able to do it,” And I don’t wanna share the profits made on my body, you sleazy fuck.

“That’s why it’s a trial run, Sugar,” “So you can figure it out.”

“I know it’ll take longer to pay you back, but if my cut could be a little bigger then I could give up the waitressing job.”

Pete laughed, ‘’I’m taking as small of a cut as I can already, Sugar. You’re lucky I’m not taking every penny you earn.’’

‘’I’m gonna have to keep doing what I’m doing then, or I’m gonna have to quit.’’

‘’Quit?’’ Pete’s voice was dangerously low, eyes wide and fist clenched. ‘’You threatening to walk out on me? After everything I’ve done for you?’’

‘’I don’t want to.’’ I do. ‘’I just– I’m barely surviving, Pete. I can’t keep up with this. If I knew taking that money would keep biting me in the ass then I wouldn’t have done it. I’m stuck in a shitty hotel, eating shitty food, blisters on my feet, strangers hands all over me, and then I get a few shitty hours of sleep and have to deal with the bullshit at my other–’’

‘’Alright, alright, alright,’’ Pete caved, hands thrown up in a bid for you to stop. ‘’Jesus fucking Christ, any idea how loud you fucking get?’’

‘’I’m tired,’’ You pleaded, swallowing the insult he just threw, the first bit of truth you’d given him in a long time. ‘’I’m reaching a breaking point,’’ You told him, hoping to appeal to whatever little strand of humanity was left inside him; well, if there was any left at all.

“It’s gonna take you longer, Sugar… If you really wanna do it your way,” “But, we could always work something out if you wanna wipe that debt clean.”

“Pete, I’m not sleeping with you—“

“Please, plenty of my girls give up pussy for me,” Pete said dismissively.

You couldn’t stop your face scrunching up at his words, bile rising in your throat. Pete really wasn’t unattractive by any means— He certainly wasn’t Ari, but not bad looking in any way— it was his mouth, his demeanour, his being that was the biggest turn off on planet Earth. Had he been a kinder man, a better man, you would’ve happily done what he wanted.

“Just some head,” He proposed, shrugging like he had suggested picking up an extra shift.

‘’You’re out of your mind if you think I’m going anywhere near your dick, Pete. God knows who you’ve had on the end of that thing,’’ You huffed, arms folding over your chest as you shook your head. He’d made advances before, propositions and crude jokes, but nothing as brazen as this.

‘’Guess you’re mine for a good while, Sugar,’’ Pete grinned, smugness painted all over his face.

You hated it; hated the power he had over you, and how much he loved it, basked in it. You didn’t know if you could survive being here much longer, and here was a golden opportunity to finally be done with it.

“I do this… And I owe you nothing.”

“Not a dime.”

You pondered for a moment, trying to pluck up the courage to actually do it, to be done with him and the club and run with the money stuffed under your shitty hotel bed. The longer you were here, the higher the chance of him finding out what you were doing on the side.

You sighed, defeated.

“I can’t— I— That’s just not me. I can’t do it.”

“Guess you’re stuck with me then, Sugar,” Pete shrugged, tone smug like he knew you wouldn’t do it. “I’ll let you have a bigger cut, but you’re not leaving here until every penny is paid, you hear me?”

You nodded and accepted your loss before turning to leave, you opened the door and stood there for a moment. You listened to the overlapping voices, the boisterous laughter of the men, the thumping off the bass that had left you with headache after headache. You thought about the dread that would sit heavy in your stomach every time you stepped on stage, the shoes that left blisters, the costumes that left indents on your skin; the shitty pay, and having to deal with Pete longer than you had thought you’d have to, and with those thoughts… You closed the door and flicked the lock.

You turned with a sigh, finding Pete with a knowing grin on his face, twirling a pen in his fingers whilst lounged back in his chair. He didn’t say anything. He simply dropped the pen on his desk, letting out a pleased sigh as he rose to his feet and slowly unbuckled his belt. You swallowed the bile, the pride, the screams of anger that wanted to escape and hesitantly stepped over, moving around the desk as Pete seated himself back down, before you sullenly lowered yourself onto your knees.

“Every penny?”

“Every penny, Sugar,” Pete confirmed, unbuttoning his pants and nudging them down and beckoning you closer with a crook of his finger. “Knew you had it in you, Sugar… Just needed the right kind of motivation, hmm?””

You inhaled a deep breath before slowly reaching out, hands trembling slightly, shuffling yourself closer so your chest was flush against his office chair, fully encased by his thighs. You reached inside the band of his boxers, awkwardly working to free his cock, already hard; head leaking with anticipation. Pete let out a breathy sigh, eyes hooded as he stared down at you. Your heart thumped harshly in your chest as you held him by the base and gathered spit in your mouth.

With a final inhale, a silent prayer and the promise of a quicker route to freedom, you leaned forward and licked a slow stripe up the underside of his cock, earning a deep groan as Pete let his head fall back against the top of his chair. You closed your eyes, hoping to get through it as quickly as possible as worked to get him as wet as possible, hand stroking his length as you took the tip into your mouth, letting your tongue work against the slit, daring to peer up just as Pete gripped the arms of his chair; lips parted as he took in a deep breath.

You hated the thought that popped into your head; he really didn’t look half bad right now. Something about rendering the most mouthy man speechless seemed to spur you on. You took him deeper, earning muttered curses and creaks from the chair. You kept sneaking glances, until your eyes finally met, and a strung out smile appeared on Pete’s lips. Your cheeks flushed, feeling caught and exposed; lips stretched and spit pooling at the corners.

‘’Yeah, that’s it, Sugar,’’ Pete moaned, low and rough. You suddenly felt a wave of shyness take over, averting your eyes to the buttons of his shirt, but he quickly followed up his lustful phrase, ‘’Look at me, don’t hide those eyes from me, come on,’’ He coached, honeyed and breathy. ‘’S’not so bad, is it?’’

You hummed, looking back up at him, hooding your eyes and playing into exactly what Pete would want. Innocence to be stolen, a prize he’d finally won; the girl that had finally given in. It earned you a sharp hiss and jolt of his hips, the tip nudging at the back of your throat. You squeezed the base of his cock, working your hand in time to the bobs of your head.

‘’Knew you’d like it,’’ Pete crooned, hands leaving the arms of the hair to smooth over your hair and cup at your cheek. ‘’All that pretending, for what, hmm? Better down there, isn’t it?’’

You ignored his words and the way they settled heatedly between your thighs, picking up speed and taking him deeper until you were gagging, ears burning when he mockingly chuckled and cooed down at you. You pulled off, taking in a few heaving breaths as you moved your closed fist tightly over his length, lips slick and swollen. His fingers curled into your hair at the top of your scalp, dragging you back towards him before you had a chance to fully catch your breath. You sucked in a long breath before taking him into your mouth again.

‘’Keep going, that’s it, so fucking good,’’ Pete praised through gritted teeth.

You took him in; the sweat stuck to his brow, the rise and fall of his chest, the way he gasped every time he nudged at the back of your throat. The dull drum of the bass from the club floor mixed with the lewd wet noises bouncing off the office walls. The fingers tightening against your scalp and the uptick in his moans spurred you on, knowing you were close to being done; knowing he was close to being done. You took in a long, deep breath through your nose, swallowing as you did so, taking in his length as much as you can.

‘’You can do it, know you can do it, keep swallowing,’’ Pete encouraged, pushing with the hold he had on your hair until your lips stretched around the base, lips stretched to capacity, jaw aching and begging for a break. ‘’That’s it. Fuck, fuck, fuck,’’ He chanted, heated and urgent.

With a final curse, you felt him tense up, hands coming up to push against his thighs as he held you down on his cock, fighting a cough that wanted to escape. After a moment, he finally let you go, and you sunk backwards with a hard thud. You were tempted to spit straight onto the floor, but he roughly grabbed your cheeks.

‘’Don’t you even think about it,’’ He warned, keeping a harsh grip on your cheeks until he saw your throat move with an exaggerated swallow. ‘’’Atta girl,’’ He praised with a tap to your cheek. You had no time to recover as he stood and tucked himself away and dismissed you with a flick of his wrist. ‘’Now, get the fuck back to work.’’

‘’So, I don’t owe you?’’ You asked as you winced, getting to your feet and rubbing at where the carpet had bit into your knees. ‘’We’re good? Done?’’

‘’I’ll think about it,’’ Pete said dismissively, smoothing down his shirt and sitting back in his seat.

‘’What?’’ Felt out, dumbfounded. ‘’You just said–’’

‘’Honestly, I thought it was gonna be better,’’ Pete replied, shrugging as he reached for a cigarette, taking a dramatic pause to light the end and take a deep drag, blowing out the smoke. ‘’So, like I just said… I’ll think about it.’’

You stood there, eyes wide, tears welling up; speechless and perturbed. You watched as Pete continued with his night, right in front of you; like you weren't even there. The sore jaw, the carpet burn and the bitter taste in your mouth… All for nothing. Conned out of you. You clenched your jaw before storming out of the room, slamming the door with a force that turned a few heads from the people scattered down the hallway. You stormed into the dressing room, ignoring the other girls' concerned questions as you changed for your shift.

You spent the night with a feigned smile and eyes on the door, waiting for your tall reprieve to walk through, but of course, he turned out to be another added disappointment to your already horrific night. You cut your losses early, giving up and changing out of the lace and back into your clothes before heading back to Pete’s office. You gave a couple raps on the door, waiting for him to call you in, but after a few moments, all you got was silence.

‘’Pete?’’ You searched, opening the office door slowly.

You let out an aggravated breath, hanging your head as you shook it before looking around the empty office.

Of course.

Of course he wasn’t fucking there.

Why would he be?

You knew you should’ve known better, but the bitter feeling of being slighted made your blood boil.

You slammed his office door shut, stomping your way back into the club and doing one last final look around before giving up. You hoped to find him and convince him to stick to his word, to wipe the debt and finally free you from the hellhole you had come to loathe. For the first time since you stepped foot into the club, he was finally nowhere to be seen. He wasn’t breathing down your neck, touching you and making your skin crawl and you hated it. The one time you actually wanted him around and he had vanished.

The following night, there was still no sign of Ari or Pete, and you didn’t know which one you were more upset about. You hoped to drown your misery in the arms of a man that you actually wanted to see, and you hoped to curse out and get the upper hand out of the man you didn’t want to see. You were internally kicking yourself for stupidly trusting a man that had given you absolutely no reason to trust him in the first place. You were being played since the moment you had stepped into Pete’s club, and you hated yourself for not seeing it sooner.

You sourly made it through your shift, giving half-hearted sets and lazy lap-dances that earned you a pitiful sum. You chucked the bills on Pete’s desk, and stomped your way back home. Fed up, depleted and pissed the fuck off. You knew you had to get away. You knew you couldn’t stay there any longer. So, you made a deal that you would see it through until the end of the month, let Pete keep whatever you earned and hopefully pay him off before skipping down. You spent the night sorting through the cash you had saved up, dividing it up and stowing it back away before you fell into a restless sleep.

A few nights later, Ari finally decided to show his face– His beautiful, bushy-beard, face. You let out a sigh of relief, beelining for him, and resisting the urge to throw your arms around him when you finally made it into his vicinity. You didn’t bother with your usual greeting, you just grabbed his hand after giving him a moment to snag his drink from the bar and led him up to your usual booth. You waited anxiously while he got himself seated before you finally climbed into his lap and pressed your forehead against his.

‘’You missed me, Sugar?’’ Ari chuckled affectionately, hands stroking your hips.

You nodded against his forehead, eyes closed as you took in his smell; the woody aftershave, the leather of his jacket, the faint smoke that clung to his skin. The similar mix on the other men made your stomach turn, but on Ari, it enveloped your senses and made your head swim.

‘’Where have you been?’’ You asked, leaning back, your hands settling on between his neck and board shoulders, fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

‘’Had some work out of town,’’ He explained, tucking a stray hair behind your ear. ‘’I’m back now, Sugar.’’

Your lip wobbled, finding it ridiculous that you were conversing with him about something so simple under the given circumstance; knowing it wouldn’t last, that one day you’d never see him again.

‘’Hey,’’ Ari cooed, thumb stroking your cheek. ‘’What’s going on?’’

‘’There you are,’’ an all too familiar voice spoke, turning your blood to ice.

The same voice you had spent the past week trying to find. The very same that had conned you to your knees, all to spit in your face after what he’d gotten what he wanted and you just knew the amount of shit you were about to be in. You slowly turned your head, finding Pete stood by the booth, hands in his pockets with a slick smirk on his face. You sat up in Ari’s lap, trying to put as much distance between you and him as you could, a feeble attempt to soften the inevitable blow that was coming your way.

‘’Who’s your friend?’’ Pete spat, tone even as he was trying to feign a sense of politeness in front of a club client.

‘’Oh, uh…’’ You tried, voice wavering and refusing to cooperate. ‘’This–’’

‘’Ari,’’ Ari greeted, cutting in with an outstretched hand.

‘’Pete,’’ Pete replied, short and not offering a hand in return. ‘’Sugar’s boss.’’

The air suddenly felt thicker than normal. Rather than the suffocating air of smoke and desperation, it was replaced with stifling tension that you couldn’t quite put your finger on. You knew Pete was weirdly possessive over your every move, but this was different. Your eyes darted between them, feeling exposed in their stand off.

‘’So, you’re why she’s been pulling disappearing acts,’’ Pete accused, looking right past you and straight at Ari. ‘’You really shouldn’t be entertaining personal company on the club's dime, Sugar.’

“She’s dancing, I’m paying… Or, is that not how it works?” Ari challenged.

You felt trapped, awkwardly perched on Ari’s lap whilst him and Pete conversed sharply like you weren’t even there.

‘’Not personal,” Ari retorted, reaching past you, hand brushing your side as he reached for his drink. “She’s just doing her job, she’s not breaking any rules,’’

‘’We’ll see about that,’’ Pete laughed. ‘’I need you downstairs,” Pete said bluntly, turning all his attention back to you. ‘’Now.’’

‘’I just paid for a dance,’’ Ari protested, a short laugh of agitation bubbling out of his throat.

‘’She’ll give you a refund. Two minutes, Sugar, or I’ll be dragging you out that booth myself.’’

Pete gave no room for a further argument as he turned to leave and slowly walked down the balcony floor. You waited until he was out of sight before turning back to Ari, hands coming back up to his neck; eyes softening and swallowing down your embarrassment.

‘’I’m so sorry,’’ You rushed out. “He can be such a dick. I’m so sorry.”

‘’Don’t apologise, just go,’’ Ari said softly, stroking your cheek and helping you off his lap. ‘’Guy’s an asshole. I don’t want to get you into any more trouble than I already have..”

‘’It’s not your fault, not at all.” You risked pressing a kiss to his cheek. “I’ll come find you later.”

You left after Ari gave you a sympathetic smile, squeezing your hand before you turned to make your way down the steep, balcony steps. You found Pete waiting at the foot of the steps, arms crossed and a sour expression. He didn’t say a word to you, simply turned and began to walk into the crowd. You didn’t need him to say anything, though… You knew you were fucked. You hung your head, unable to meet the eyes of anyone in the room in anticipation of your scolding, hoping that the rage you felt from it would be enough to call him out in return.

You followed him into his office, ready to begin your string of pathetic apologies when the door slammed violently and the room became a blur

“Pete, you’re hurting me,”

“I don’t give a fuck,” Pete seethed, close to your face, his twisted in rage. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re up to, but you better cut the shit right now.”

“Pete, I’m not doing anything,” You pleaded, clawing at the hand at the back of your head, uselessly kicking your legs.

“Oh, yeah?” Pete chuckled darkly, releasing you and letting you thud to the floor. “Empty your fucking purse.”

You grab it by the strap, dragging it across the carpet before pinching it open and shaking out the contents with trembling hands and sniffled sobs. All that fell out was a small lipgloss, your phone and some mints. You had already deposited your nightly earnings onto Pete’s desk earlier in the night and you realised you hadn’t taken the cash from Ari after his and Pete’s stand off. You dared to peer up, finding that Pete seemed more upset that he didn’t find whatever it was he was looking for.

“Get the fuck up,” He ordered, enraged and hauling you up by a tight grip on your arm. Your body shook as he slid his hand down your body, feeling for hidden cash in the crevices of the thin material. His hand slipped under the bands, into your bra; fingers pushed roughly under the soles of your feet between the harsh leather of your shoe. He stood back, defeated and irritated as he ran a hand down his face before the very same had shot out to grab you back your neck, almost throttling you as he pulled you close to him.

“If you fuck me, Sugar, I’ve got a line of buyers more than happy to take a shy little thing like you. Make myself a nice chunk of change,” Pete seethed, a sick grin on his face as he pointed a finger in your face. “No more nights hidden away with tall, long haired strangers, alright?”

‘’Why should I listen?’’ You challenged, which was a dangerous thing to do considering the fingers wrapped around your neck. ‘’You fucking played me,’’ You spat, tears starting to stream down your face.

‘’No, Sugar,” Pete replied, a cruel laugh wavering through his voice as he tightened the grip on your throat, his breath hot against your face as he dropped to an almost whisper. “I just gave you a little false hope.” He released his grip on you, leaving you standing with an ache against the skin. ‘’It’s what you get for being so fucking naive! Did you really think I’d just forget about what you owe me over some shitty head?’’

‘’You fucking lied to me.”

‘’You’ll get over it,’’ He said dismissively as he perched against his desk. ‘’Get back to work, Sugar.’’

Pete spat your name as if it was venom in his mouth.

You didn’t need to be told twice.

You grabbed your things from the floor, wiping your tears and tearing out of the room. You smoothed down your clothes and cleared your throat as you made your way back into the club, but stopped dead at the sight of Ari. He was back in his usual place at the bar, your glass of water ready and waiting for you right next to his drink. His eyes softened when they met yours, and he patted the empty space next to him.

“Hey, Sugar,” Ari greeted gently, hand smoothing down your back as you grabbed the glass of water. “Meet me back upstairs?”

“I can’t,” You sniffled, taking a long sip. “Pete’s on my ass, if he sees me with you… I hate this fucking place.’’

“I’m paying, so what’s his problem?” Ari questioned, brow raised slightly.

“He knows I’d rather be sat up there with you than dealing with him down here.”

“Okay,” He said slowly, going quiet for a moment as his gaze danced over the room before looking back at you with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Why don’t I meet you after work?”

“Really?”

It was like time stood still, like the noise of the club, the clink of bottles and stifling still air all faded away. You stared at him for a moment, eyes bright and an aching thumping in your chest. Weeks of waiting had finally paid off. He was actually wanting to take you away from here, make you forget, even if it would only be for the night.

“Yeah, really,” Ari laughed a little. “Got something back at my place that’ll make you forget all about your shitty boss and a nice chunk of change—“

Your smile dropped as you rushed you shush him, head whipping around to make sure the surrounding bar staff didn’t hear.

“Not here, if he finds out– Just…” You trailed off, thinking for a moment before scrambling to pull out your phone and turning your back to the bar and slyly sliding your phone into Ari’s hand. “Give me your number,” You instructed quietly, huddling close to block the screen light from the room. You’d usually receive numbers and addresses scrawled on napkins, tucked between bills or slipped into your bag. “I’ll text you when my shift is over. I’m staying at the hotel down the street, meet me there.”

You parted from him with a squeeze of his hand, your usual goodbye, and returned to the floor; however, the experience was different. The thumping of your heart mixed with the bass that pulsed below your feet. Every touch from a club client felt like a countdown, each one helping to pass the time, every smile was a mask for the anticipation that hummed through your veins. You worked the rest of your shift with a kind of clinical efficiency, your mind already halfway out the door and stuck on the mountain of a man waiting for your text. You continued to collect your tributes, bills filling the straps of your dress.

As the clock ticked towards the end of the night, the club's energy shifting from a chaotic roar to a scattered murmur, you shot Ari a text, giving him an hour heads up. You gave your final dance, grinning with glee as you added it to the tally of bills, pulling the small plies from the straps of your dress, folding them neatly as you made your way to hand them over to Pete with a smug smile. You thankfully found it empty, keeping half of the stack for yourself and throwing the others down on the solid wood before moving quickly to grab your bag from the dressing room, not even bothering to change and beelined for the door.

The cold night wind wracked through your bones, but it didn’t bother you, because there at the end of the street, right by your dingy hotel room, was Ari.

He was propped against a sleek, one leg hooked over the other, black luxury car that looked way too expensive for this neighbourhood. His eyes lit up when they finally landed on you, taking a long drag of his cigarette, the cherry glowing in the dark of the night. He was wrapped in a large leather jacket that made his shoulders look impossibly broad, filling the space around him. A slow, lazy grin spread across his face as he exhaled a cloud of smoke, standing up straight, readying up to greet you.

‘’Had me worried there, Sugar. Thought you weren’t coming,’’ He teased as you got close enough, the night air carrying his words to meet the click of your heels.

‘’I’m two minutes late,’’ You laughed after checking the time on your phone. ‘’I had to walk. Not all of us own fancy cars,’’ You teased back.

‘’Yeah, in that,’’ He replied, referring to your dress. You grinned up at him as you finally stepped into his space. ‘’Are you insane? You’re gonna get yourself thrown into the back of van,’’

‘’Nah, not with you waiting for me…’’ You said with a playful poke to his chest. ‘’You’d save me right?’’

‘’I’d be the one taking you, princess.’’

‘’You promise?’’

Ari didn’t reply, he just shook his head with that gorgeous grin before he took the last drag of his cigarette, blowing the smoke downwards before flicking it onto the concrete and crushing it beneath the sole of his boot. He then shrugged off his jacket, shaking it out. He loomed over you, the height difference was stark under the flickering yellow street light, leaving you feeling drastically small and exposed in a way that made your pulse thicken and a heavy ache set between your thighs. He held out the jacket, opening it ready.

‘’Come on, get this on before you freeze,’’ He coaxed sweetly.

You turned and let Ari slip the heavy leather over your shoulders, turning to face him slowly, his hands coming up cup your cheeks, thumbs rubbing your skin gently. You raised onto your tiptoes, his height a decent foot above you despite the heels, as he leaned down to press a soft kiss to your lips. The roughness of his beard pricked at your skin, the taste of sweet alcohol on his tongue, the gentle heaviness of his touch invaded every sense.

“The things I’m gonna do to you…” He whispered against your lips. “Let’s go before I bend you over the hood of my car.”

You let out a small whine as he moved away to open the car door, holding it open and waiting for you to get in.

You slipped into the car, holding your breath as he reached in to buckle you in, his fingers grazing your skin. He shut your door and with a small jog, opened the other side and got in beside you, sliding into the driving seat; the car dipped slightly under his weight, making you hold in a small laugh.

He wasted no time, starting the car and pulling away from the curb.

The warmth from the heater soothed your cold-bit skin. The interior of the car was a welcomed cocoon of leather and luxury, the scent of his aftershave clung to the seats, filling the cabin. The seat was plush and warming up under you, soothing your aching legs. You reached down to unclap your shoes, pulling them off and wiggling your toes as the warm air blew over them.

‘’You can relax now, Sugar, you’re officially off the clock,” Ari spoke softly, sneaking a glance over at you as you stuffed your heels into your bag.

He reached down with his right hand, keeping his left on the wheel, and took the heavy bag from you and stuffed it between the car seats until it hit the car floor behind you. Rather than returning his hand to the wheel, it found its home on the meat of your thigh. His large palm basically covered the entire width of your legs, rough finger tips massaging at the skin.

You let out a sigh of relief and let yourself sink into the leather. You watched the city lights blur into streaks of gold and white, the hum of the engine became a soothing vibration underneath your bare feet and for the first time in a long time, you felt the tension in your shoulders begin to unravel; left to the dirt in the road under Ari’s car tires.

As Ari navigated the city streets, a comfortable but charged silence lingered in the cabin, heavy and thick. The anticipation of the night ahead set deep in your bones as his hand began to wander, stroking the sensitive skin of your inner thigh with a slow, rhythmic pressure. Every brush of his calloused thumb by the band of your underwear sent a jolt of electricity through you, making your head swim and your breath hitch. By the time the city lights began to disappear, driving into the dark of the night, you felt dizzy; your mouth dry and begging for something that definitely wasn’t water.

Your hand came up to rake your nails down his forearm, earning a gentle hum from the driver's seat.

‘’You feeling better?’’ Ari asked, soft and wondering, breaking the silence.

‘’Yeah,’’ You nodded, clearing your throat. ‘’I just can’t wait to be done with that place, be away from there– from him.’

‘’What’s going on? He’s not hurting you, is he?’’

‘’Depends on your definition of hurt,’’ You sighed ‘’Basically…’’

You gave Ari the quick run down, telling him everything from the contract, the clients, the con. You told him about how Pete made you feel, the propositions, the late nights and no rest. The debt, the arguments, the shitty hotel room and your plan to escape.

‘’Yeah, he seems the type,’’ Ari admitted simply. ‘’Pete’s a scumbag, a known scumbag,’’

‘’I thought you didn’t know him,’’ You quizzed with a raised brow.

‘’I don’t,’’ He said, glancing over at you. ‘’I know of him by just going to the club, never met him until that night up in the booth,’’ Ari explained, hand flexing on the wheel. ‘’And, I know men like him. Once you owe them, that’s it. You’ll owe them forever– There will always be something else, some other tacked-on bullshit sum, something you did wrong, or something you did right that belongs to them now. A vicious cycle.’’

‘’A couple more weeks and I’ll have more than enough to get out of here and away from him, and I’m running far.’’

‘’Yeah? What’s your plan, Sugar?’’

‘’I’m gonna go and sign a temporary lease on an apartment next week, pay in cash, not in my name,’’ You revealed. ‘’I’m gonna spend that time setting up a new job back home, I’m gonna hop on a flight and forget what happened this year. I never, ever wanna see Pete Brenner or high-platformed shoes ever again. I’ll never trust another man for as long as I live.’’

‘’You don’t trust me, Sugar?’’ Ari asked teasingly, looking over at you as he gripped your thigh with a playful pressure.

‘’Not one bit, but you’re a nice break from the usual type I spend the nights with,’’ You admitted.

‘’You fuck any of them?’’ He enquired bluntly, looking back out at the road.

‘’No,’’ You emphasized. ‘’I just dance, talk to them, give them a sense of having something; someone.’’ You looked out the window, taking in a breath before looking back at him. ‘’Most of them are just lonely. Weird, but lonely.’’

“You’re telling me you’ve never fucked any of them? Not a single one?”

“Nope.’’ You popped the ‘P’ as you watched your fingernails dance up and down his tanned forearm. “Not for their lack of trying, and there’s a few who are absolutely my type, but the situation puts me off. It never feels right… And I don’t wanna talk about this anymore, or Pete– Any of it.’’

“I’m the only one… That you’ve come close to, that is,” Ari grinned, teeth gathering his bottom lip slightly as he glanced at you again.

“Just you,” You nodded before laughing. “Oh, do not look smug right now.’’ You swatted his arm, earning a light tap to your thigh. “I don’t know what came over me that night.’’

“Oh, I did!” Ari abruptly said, gleeful and grinning wide. “I did that.’’

“Shut up and drive,” You groaned, giggling and shaking your head. “I can’t believe you just said that to me.’’

“You fucking loved it,” Ari teased, hand sliding up to cup between your legs, making you gasp and place your hand over his. “Gonna let me inside you tonight, Sugar?” He purred, voice dropping low as his fingers stroked gently. Your breath caught in your throat as you nodded. “Yeah? That’s my girl,” Ari cooed before sliding his hand back up to your thigh with a wicked smirk, watching and waiting for your reaction.

“Focus on the road before you kill us both,” You said breathlessly, swatting his arm lightly as he chuckled.

“Alright, alright,” He relented, turning his attention back to the road, but kept his hand heavy on your thigh.

The car fell into a comfortable silence once again. You kept your gaze out the window, the dark night giving away to an upscale neighbourhood. Large trees, trimmed hedges and sprawls of gated estates. You admired the houses, wondered about the lives of those who lived inside and found you couldn’t wait to see what Ari’s home looked like, and as soon as you had that thought, Ari steered the car and began ascending down a long, winding driveway lined with ancient oaks and stone pillars.

A heavy iron gate greeted you, the car slowing as Ari rolled his window down and reached out to punch in a code into a keypad. The gate groaned as it opened, admitting you both into another driveway that seemed to go on for miles longer. It was flanked by manicured hedges, fences and tall lampposts, evergreen grass illuminated under the white lights. At the end of the road, sat the manor. It stood grand and intimidating, almost like you weren't supposed to be here. It was a monolith of grey stone and ivy, the windows glowing with dim, amber lights. It looked less like a home and more like a fortress.

Ari pulled the car to a stop inside the circular dive, shutting off the engine and looking over to you with a soft smile and a comforting pat to your thigh.

‘’Welcome home, Sugar,’’ Ari honeyed before he opened his car door.

He stepped out, shutting the door with a thud that made you jump a little. You watched him as he walked around to your side, opening the door and offering out a hand. You unbuckled your belt, and hesitantly took his hand and stepped out into the cool night air, missing the warmth of the leather seats. The smooth asphalt was surprisingly comfy under your bare feet. The scale of the house loomed over you, imposing and almost mocking; like the house itself knew you shouldn’t be here. He kept a solid grip on your hand, keeping you grounded as he led you towards the massive oak doors.

Ari twisted the ornate knobs and pushed them wide open.

You stepped inside, following his lead, and all of a sudden, all quickly built anxiety left your body.

You were alone with him.

Inside his home.

You were alone.

As soon as he kicked the doors shut behind him, you didn't wait… You lunged.

You planted a bare foot against his thigh and used his broad shoulders to haul yourself up, practically climbing him like a tree. A low, guttural growl escaped Ari’s throat as he caught you, one hand planting itself on your ass and the other arm wrapping around your waist. He held you steady as he dropped his eyes to the floor as you smashed your lips together fervently, a mix of tongue and teeth; hungry and desperate.

‘’Impatient little thing,’’ Ari chuckled darkly into the kiss.

You stayed locked into a bruising, frantic kiss as Ari carried you into the main room of the manor.

The walls were lined with fancy artwork, baroque frames, vases and picture perfect furniture, but all you could see was Ari as he lowered you to a plush rug beside the hearth of a massive stone fireplace, the hearth acted as a dancefloor for flickering amber flames. The heat from the fire warmed your skin, but it was nothing compared to the heat of Ari. He knelt down in front of you, legs either side of your thighs as he tugged you up by his leather jacket, stripping it off you in a quick, fluid motion. He rid you off your dress with a rough and urgent hunger before pulling off his shirt and guiding you to lay back down.

He paused for a heartbeat, his heavy lids drooping as he took you in, his chest heaving with a slow, rhythmic breath; his hand slid down your bare body, slowly and achingly.

‘’Perfect’’ Ari mumbled, as if to himself.

He took his time, peppering kisses down your jaw, nipping at your ear, tongue travelling down the valley between your breasts; nipping at the skin of your stomach and hands stroking up and down your thighs. Your body thrummed with a heated anticipation, chest heaving and letting out little moans with every kiss and nip. The firelight casted amber shadows across your bodies as Ari settled between your legs, lifting them and holding them firmly as his eyes locked on yours.

‘’Keep your eyes on me, Sugar,’’ Ari husked before leaning down to press a kiss to your clothed cunt.

You let out a mix between a gasp and a moan as he pressed his tongue to the fabric, tip of his tongue pushing the rough fabric against your clit. Your fingers gripped the fluff of the rug as you fought the urge to tip your head back and shy away from the scene below.

‘’Fuck, Ari, please,’’ You whined, taking in little gasps as he pulled away slightly to rub his thumb in light circles over the fabric.

‘’Yeah, I know what you want, Sugar,’’ He rasped.

Ari sat up enough to slide his hand under the band of your thong by your hip, but rather than pulling them down, with a quick, rough tug, he snapped the band before repeating it on the other side and throwing the useless fabric to the side.

‘’Let’s see what other noises I can get out of you,’’ Ari posed.

With that he dove back between your legs, gone were the teasing circles of his thumb, the muffled touch of his tongue and instead it was replaced with a desperate eagerness. He knew where to press, how much pressure to apply, how to render you to nothing but a whimpering mess against the soft rug. Your fingers found your way to his hair, a heated chuckle rumbling against your core as he spurred on. His tongue lapping and circling at your clit, his fingers bruising into the meat of your thigh.

The world around narrowed down to the scent of the woodsmoke and the overwhelming sensation of Ari’s mouth.

Your cries and moans, the strings of curses and the chants of his name echoed through the open room, bounced off the high ceiling and etched themselves into the walls. Your toes curled into the rug as Ari released one of your legs to slide a large finger into you, the digit broad; stretching you to a point you didn’t know how he was going to fit anything else, but despite the worry, he slipped in another, curling them and pushing them in and out to ease the slight sting of the stretch. He worked his tongue in tandem with his fingers, stroking both bundles of nerves with a lewd skill, quickly bringing you to the edge.

When you finally broke, back arching and strung out moans, he held you down, refusing to let you pull away while he fucked you with his fingers through your orgasm until you were shaking and breathless. You were left as puddle, panting and breathless as he pulled back just an inch or two, peering at you with dazed, hooded eyes.

‘’One,’’ He rasped.

Ari didn’t give you a moment to question or recover before he dove back in. His tongue flicked and teased, fingers deep and rocking. He reignited the fire he had just stoked, enjoying pulling right to the edge before pushing you back down by chuckling with a dark mocking, pouting at your cries as he fucked you with his fingers through your frustrated tears. He was methodical and sadistic, continuously switching between coaxing you towards the edge, urging you on with filth.

‘’That’s it, baby,’’ Ari cooed. ‘’Gonna come for me again? Wanna come so bad, don’t you? Come on, Sugar, you can do it.’’

Just as your thighs would tighten he would pull his hand back and ease up the pressure of his tongue, laughing and giving mocking hums.

‘’Let me hear you, Sugar. Beg me–’’

‘’Please, please, please,’’ You cried out, gasping and pleading. ‘’Please let me come, please, Ari, please–’’

Ari got back to work, skillfully working his fingers and waving his tongue over your clit until you were finally hit by a second, blinding climax. You could’ve swore your soul left your body, your fingers dug harshly into his hair, earning a sharp hiss against your spit-slick cunt, as Ari continued to stroke his fingers deep inside you though the throws of your orgasm.

He finally pushed up from inside your thighs, sliding up your body with a slow, primal pace; his eyes dark and clouded with need. He suddenly stood up, boot-clad feet planted either side of your torso, his eyes locked on yours as he unbuckled his belt and kicked off his boots; one landing by a coffee table, the other landing on the hearth. He unbuttoned his pants, showing off a line of hair leading down and disappearing under the band of his boxers.

He reached down, his massive arms sliding under your back and thighs, hauling you upward and brought you close to his chest before he carried you a few steps over to a wide, leather sofa that looked like it would be suited for a museum. He dropped you with a heavy thud against the cool leather, sliding you by your calf so you laid down the cushions before he shucked down his jeans and kicked them off.

‘’Oh, fuck,’’ You gasped as you laid eyes on him.

His hand gripped the base of his cock, thick and heavy, stroking himself with a lazy motion as he scanned your already spent body and stepped closer to the couch.

‘’S’matter, Sugar?’’ He asked, playing like he was completely oblivious to the size between his legs.‘’I’mma make it fit, don’t you worry.’’

You let out a shaky breath as he joined you on the couch, one leg hung off the side as he settled once again between your legs, hooking one leg over his hip. The firelight danced across the ridges of his muscles and the broad expanse of his chest, casting him as a silhouette of pure, raw strength as he hooked a hand under your other thigh and brought it up to your chest. He took in a sharp breath as he ran the tip of his cock through your folds, nudging at your clit the same way he did that night in the club.

‘’My turn now, baby,’’ Ari said, his voice a dangerous rumble. ‘’Don’t you think for one second I’m gonna be gentle, I wanna hear you cry for it.’’

There was no slow entry, no tentative testing of the waters. He drove into you with a sudden, almost violent force that punched a gasp out your chest and made your head fall back against the arm of the couch. His hand reached out to grip at your throat, fingers flexing against the column as he leaned down, taking a moment; resting his forehead against yours until you let out a small moan and nodded your head.

He grinned, eyes closing before pressing a soft kiss to your lips.

Ari leaned up, hands moving to your hips, fingers digging into the skin to the point you knew you were waking with bruises in the morning, and you couldn’t find it in you to care one bit.

‘’You sure?’’ Ari checked in, finally sounded just as wrecked as you. ‘’Gotta tell me now, Sugar, because I once I start, not sure I’m gonna be able to stop.’’

You nodded, lost for words and walls clenching around his cock in a silent plea for him to finally move.

He sucked in a breath and you braced yourself and thank God, you did. He fucked you with a rough, punishing pace; the kind of sex that felt like an intimate moment between lovers and more like a driven conquest of a man gone mad. He fucked you like he was a man that had been starving for years, his thrusts deep, thorough and bruising. You cried out his name with each slam of his hips, gasping and clawing for air. He fucked you as if he was trying to claim you from in the inside out.

One of his large hands migrated from your hip and to your hair, hand winding in the strands to pull your head back so he could lean down and hide his face in the crook of his neck, sweat clad forehead meeting the skin. His breathing was heavy and ragged, each thrust driving deeper than the last; more demanding.

The room seemed to shrink around you; the only sounds being the crackle of the fire and sordid wet, slapping sounds of your bodies colliding. You were swept away in a storm of sensation, the roughness of it fueling your own desire. You clung to him, lifting your hips to take him as deep as you possibly could.

‘’Don’t stop, please don’t stop,’’ You moaned out against the skin of his shoulder.

‘’Don’t plan on it,’’ Ari moaned roughly, strung out and breathy.

The small jolts of pain when he would fuck into you a little too deep would mix with the revelations of pleasure when he would pull back ever so slightly to thrust shallowly until you were digging your nails into his biceps and crying out for him to carry on.

When he finally hit his peak, he let out a guttural broken moan, his hips stuttering as he continued to fuck you through is release before his entire frame tensing as he collapsed on top of you, his heavy chest heaving against you.

For a good while after, you stayed tangled up together, basking in the warmth of the fire. Ari eventually shifted, rolling onto his side but pulling you close until you nestled into his side, his arm draped over your waist as if he was trying to anchor you to the spot. His head lulled back onto the arm of the couch, eyes closed and breathing evening out. You studied his face, noticing the heavy-set tiredness around his eyes; weathered from the years gone past, how he had the odd grey streak hidden under the golden brown of his beard.

You swallowed toughly, your mouth dry and Ari peeked down at you, before rubbing your arm and untangling himself, getting off the couch to pull his boxers on.

You looked around the room as Ari made his way over to the massive mahogany bar, stocked to the brim with different bottles of assorted liquids, crystal decanters and glasses of various sizes. You eyed the grand staircase behind you, took in the smell of the beeswax that clung to the leather, the deep leather arm chairs that sat beside the couches. The whole room gave off a sense of masculine comfort, devoid of the frantic, desperate energy of the club which you were grateful to be rid of for the rest of the night and secretly hoping that Ari would offer a longer stay.

Ari walked behind the bar, grabbing two glasses and depositing ice from a silver bucket into them before plucking a bottle from the bar and pouring two fingers of a dark, amber liquid. He swirled the liquid in the glasses before heading back over to the couch, handing you your glass with a soft smile before sinking beside you and pulling you back into his arms. You sank into his hold, sipping out your glass as you watched the fireplace cast flickering orange streaks across the room.

The comforting crackles wouldn’t last long though.

Something just had to give.

‘’Debt is a funny thing to a man like Pete,’’ Ari said plainly, breaking the silence. Your head whipped up to find his blank stare. His voice was strange, suddenly devoid of any emotion, speaking out to the open air of the room. ‘’It's not about the money. It's never really about the money,’’ Ari offered, his voice dropping to a low, thoughtful rumble.

He reached out, his large hand sliding up and down your thigh, fingers grazing over your bare knee. His palm was warm, calloused and massive, taking up a large size of your thigh with every pass. There was a strange contrast between the light, open space of the room and the grounding, heavy weight of his tough. Ari tilted his head back against the couch, looking up at the ceiling idly, his expression growing strangely somber.

‘’It's about the chain. Once you owe a man like that, you aren't a debtor… You're an asset. They don't want the cash back, Sugar. They want the feeling of knowing they can call you at three in the morning and you'll come running because you have nowhere else to go.’’

‘’It’s really starting to sound like you know him well, maybe better than I do,’’ You laughed awkwardly, an uneasy feeling sitting in your gut. ‘’Why– Why are you bringing this up again?’’

‘’Just met one too many men just like him. The kind who loves when people tremble when they enter a room because then he gets to feel like he’s not the smallest person in there.’’

Ari took a swig of his drink, the silence in the room punctuated by the rhythmic crackle of the fire in the hearth. You watched the flames dance as you felt Ari’s hand increase its pressure ever so slightly, fingers massaging into the meat of your thigh.

‘’I don’t wanna talk about him anymore,’’ You sighed, placing your drink down on the side table next to the couch.

‘’I’m sorry,’’ Ari said, sounding earnest as softened his touch, stroking your thigh. ‘’Guy’s rubbed me the wrong way, s’all. I hate you have to put up with that.’’

The flickering orange light of the fireplace danced across his rugged features, softening the hard lines of his jaw and illuminating the weird vacancy in his eyes. The conversation about debt and power and men like Pete vanished. You searched his face as his eyes flashed with a dangerous, dark glint as a low, rumbling sound; a half-growl, half-laugh, escaped his throat.

‘’And, I wish I could say I hate how you’re gonna be stuck putting up with him for so much longer, Sugar.’’

The tension in the room shifted, from a steady, ravenous hunger to suddenly being charged with a sudden, volatile energy. It was like someone had set off warning sirens in your head, it ringing deafeningly in your ears. Your breath quickened as his hand smoothed up your naked body, pressure increasing gradually until he reached your throat; his large fingers wrapping around with just enough pressure to set in a stark reminder of just how much smaller you were compared to him. He leaned in until your lips were mere millimeters apart. His dark eyes bored into your soul, searching deep before a dark smile tugged at his lips.

‘’Where are you hiding the money, Sugar?’’

Before you had a chance to process the question Ari had asked, the sound of the heavy, oak doors opening with a slow, deliberate creak crept through the hallway. Slow, meticulous footsteps clicked against the floor; a familiar sound that made dread set heavy in your gut and bile rise in your throat. You stared at Ari with wide eyes before looking back to the darkened hallway.

Your world shattered when Pete stepped out from the shadows. He wasn't wearing the club owner's mask of greedy professionalism; he looked smug, his eyes scanning the scene of you tangled up with Ari with a cold, calculating glint.

‘’Oh, shit,’’ You whimpered, eyes wide and body trembling.

‘’Oh, shit, indeed, Sugar,’’ Pete crooned, grinning a mile wide. ‘’Where’s my fucking money?’’