A/N: This is probably one of my favorite chapters >:)

The outside of the strip club looked like any other old brick building in midtown. Five, maybe six stories high with arched windows on each level. There where three, bigger and more intricate arches on the second floor above a black canopy that reached over the sidewalk in front of the building. Hanging from the middle of the three arches were antique looking chandeliers, though I doubt they were actual antiques. The underneath of the canopy was lit with Edison bulbs hanging down from black wire every few inches. The words "Club Se7en" were illuminated with individual circle light bulbs in old time letters above the arches.

If I didn't already know what was inside this building I would think this building was beautiful. However, this was a building filled with all sorts of debauchery that I had never been around before. Not to mention my brother is apparently in there with Jay selling drugs.

Once we made it through the front door, walking right past the long line of future patrons and bouncers, we made our way down a long, dimly lit hallway. The walls were painted gold while the floors were all a cream colored, mini octagon shaped tiles with a red velvet carpet down the middle. I felt like I was in some old-timey theater with all of the intricate art deco designs. There were paintings hanging on the wall and the more I focused on them the more I saw that they were erotic paintings, all of girls in boudoirs, scantily clad or naked in seductive positions.

I was mortified and I guess it must have showed on my face because when Declan looked down at me he couldn't help but laugh at how uncomfortable I looked. If I can't handle a hallway with some risqué paintings, I am going to die once we get to the club part of the building.

The end of the hall opened up to a circular room with a desk situated in front of two massive dark wood doors with a swirly damask type pattern carved into the wood. On either side of the desk were two victorian type lights with cloth lamp shades that had tassels hanging from the rim.

I wasn't going to admit this out loud but if this place wasn't a strip club, I would love to live here.

Declan led us to the desk where a slender man in a Moulin Rouge inspired outfit stood leaning with his elbows resting against the desk. His chocolate eyes were rimmed in gold, sparkly eyeshadow and black liner. When he saw Declan his glossed lips slowly lifted up to the right in a half smile.

"Declan, long time no see." He said in a low, seductive tone.

"Audrey." Declan smiled, matching Audreys' tone.

Audreys' eyes darted over to me, his right eyebrow lifting into an arch as if to question who I was. Audrey looked me up and down twice before turning to Declan. "I didn't know it was BYOB tonight."

"Be nice, Aud." Declan chided, trying hard to not laugh at his comment.

Audreys' lips pursed, side eyeing me one more time before speaking. "You know there is no cover charge for you, Declan baby. But for your little friend here... or is she a new recruit?"

As if I couldn't be more mortified. My cheeks burned red and I wanted so much to disappear.

Declan scoffed, swooshing his hand in my direction, telling Audrey to ignore me. "No, just a patron, put her on my tab. Anyway, Audrey, can you please run two names for me? I want to know if someone specific has come in."

Declan wrote down Alex and Jay's name on a piece of paper and handed it over to Audrey. Audrey pulled out a tablet from under the counter and started typing away on the screen.

"Yea baby, they came in about thirty minutes ago. Real sleazy guys." Audrey said, grimacing. "Seems like your bouncers will let anyone in."

"Thanks, Aud." Declan winked and slid a bill across the desk towards Audrey.

Audrey smiled and took the money, pocketing it. Audrey blew a kiss in Declan's direction and told us to have fun while he tugged me towards the doors. Declan placed his hand on the door and pushed. I was overwhelmed instantly between the bass heavy music, laser lights and all of the people.

Declan leaned down so his lips were by my ear. "After you, little one."

Glaring up at him, I slapped him with the back of my hand on his chest before I stepped inside. Walking down the few steps, we stopped on the first landing. To the left was a long bar that spanned half of the length of the building. It was lit up with a mix of dim hanging Edison lights and chandeliers much like the three on the outside the building. The men and women bartenders were dressed in similar outfits to what Audrey was wearing but far more revealing.

Private horseshoe shaped booths rimmed the rest of the landing. Most of them were filled with groups of either college aged kids or older men in business suits. A few of the booths had their own private poles with women twirling around them and teasing the patrons who sat at their feet.

Girls dressed in burlesque showgirl type outfits, red and black corsets complete with mini tule trains at the back, fishnet stockings held up by a garter belt and knee high boots walked around this landing carrying liquor bottles and sparklers. They would stop at the booths that had no dancers and would pour shots of whatever into whoever opened their mouths for them.

The main floor was another few steps down. Plush red velvet chairs and small tables surrounded the dance floor that surrounded the long stage that came out to the middle of the room from the DJ booth. The end of the stage was a half circle that had a pole in the middle that stretched up to the high ceiling that was covered in more erotic paintings that mimicked Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.

I had no idea what to do or where to go, instead I just stood there with my mouth open, taking it all in. I could hear Declan laughing over the music.

Sliding into one of the booths in the corner, I kept my eyes down on the table. I guess those boys in high school who used to call me a prude weren't wrong. I mean, I didn't want to be rude and stare at all the beautiful bodies walking and dancing around.

You idiot, do you know where you are? You're supposed to stare! I mentally face palmed myself.

Declan removed his peacoat leaving him in a tight black t-shirt and jeans. Seemingly the only thing the man wears.

The already dim lights got even lower and the bombastic music was lowered to a normal volume so the DJ could announce the name of the next dancer who was about to take the stage.

"So, uh, Audrey. Does he work for you guys?" I asked over the even louder music playing for the brunette bombshell who was now laying on the stage with her bottom arched up in the air before she slammed her hips down on the stage to the beat of the song.

"Not really. When Desmond put me in charge of this place, it was a mess. Audrey was working here for a while and was the self appointed manager. He was doing all of the scheduling, inventory, maintenance so I figured he would be best for the manager role." He explained while his eyes roamed the crowd.

"Do people normally sign in to strip clubs?"

"No." Declan sighed. "We swipe people's cards to make sure they're 21. We just so happen to save their information in case of any issues with our girls. We can easily identify anyone who tries anything. It also helps with my line of work."

Declan raised his hand and almost instantly a tall and slender brunette sauntered over. Her smile growing almost from ear to ear when she recognized Declan.

"Hey Declan. The usual?" She asked in a playful voice. She was in a skin tight red pleather mini dress that barely held in her chest and had a slit up the side that went above her hip bone, showing off that she was not wearing anything underneath.

Declan nodded and then looked over to me. "I... oh. Can I please have a vodka cranberry? Uh, Please?"

"She legal?" She laughed, twirling a lock of her curly hair and shifting her weight to one leg, popping out her hip so it was level with Declans' line of sight.

"She's a virgin." Declan winked up at the girl.

I slumped back into the booth and put my head in my hands. That's it. I'm done. Kill me now. The brunette laughed and then headed over towards the bar to put our drink order in.

"Can you please stop making this more awkward for me?" I begged.

"Jesus, relax. It was a joke. And the truth." He winked at me again and I felt my stomach flip. God, why did he have to be such an asshole?

"Yea well, I'm not a virgin." Oh God, really? I kept digging myself deeper into this hole of awkwardness.

Our drinks came back and as soon as my glass was handed to me I chugged half of it. The brunette scoffed and then laughed at me. Handing Declan his drink, tucking the tray under her arm before she leaned over and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Won't have to try very hard tonight." She giggled.

"I have no intention of fucking him." I retorted. I was starting to get really annoyed with how these people were treating me.

She put up both her hands in a silent surrender and then backed away slowly, purposefully stomping so her breasts would bounce dramatically. Declan couldn't help but glance at the show she was putting on and smirked.

"Well I'm glad your having fun." I grimaced, taking another sip of my drink.

Declan moved so he was in the middle of the booth and placed his arm on top of plush backrest. Taking a sip of his own drink he studied me while I swirled the liquid in my glass around, not knowing what else to do.

"You don't get out much, do you?" He asked.

He would be right. I was never allowed to go out with any of my friends from school. My dad always kept a tight leash on me which I found hilarious because he could care less what Alex was doing. To top it off my dad and Isabella were rarely home, they were always somewhere vacationing but I always had to stay locked inside the house. When I moved out, nothing changed. I spent all my time working so I could afford to pay for my rent and food that I rarely went out and did anything fun.

Declan offered me a cigarette which I took and searched the pockets of my coat for a lighter. Reaching over, Declan flicked his lighter and lit the end of my cigarette that was between my lips, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Pretty girls don't light their own cigarettes." He chuckled when he saw my cheeks turn a dark shade of red at his comment.

"Take your coat off, relax." He said before lighting his own cigarette and then blowing the smoke into the air above us.

I obeyed and slid my coat from my shoulders and placed it in the now much smaller space between us.

"Easy for you to say." I muttered before taking a drag.

"Hmm?" Declan hummed.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. It was annoying how comfortable and smug he was acting.

"I said easy for you to say. You're not in the middle of a strip club with some mobster to spy on your brother. A gorgeous strip club, albeit." The vodka was starting to take its hold on me. My filter was slowly starting to slip away and I could feel my tense shoulders starting to fall from practically being held up to my ears.

"Speak of the devil," Declan growled and pointed with his hand that was holding his glass of whiskey at the crowd.

I followed the invisible line he was making with his finger and saw Jay and Alex sitting on two of the chairs that were around the edge of the dance floor. There were three dancers hovering between the two of them, leaning over the back of their chairs and running their hands down their chests. One of the girls giggled and fell onto Jay's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

I could feel my heart breaking for Loey. She was probably back in New Hope throwing up whatever she ate so she could meet Jays' ridiculous standard of being 90's super model skinny.

Continuing to watch, one of the girls straddled Alex and started to grind against him. I quickly averted my eyes. That was not something I wanted to watch. Before I could turn and make a snarky comment to Declan I saw Jay tap out a powder onto the back of his hand. The girl on his lap put her nose to his hand and inhaled. She licked her lips and used the back of her finger to wipe away the residual snow white powder from her nose and giggled.

Declan slammed his fist onto the table making me jump. Ashes from my cigarette fell onto my jeans and I quickly flicked them away, not wanting my thigh to burn.

"In the middle of my fucking club. Do you believe me now, Scarlett?" He hissed, turning to me.

"I mean, how many other dudes do this stuff? And Shouldn't you be yelling at your staff for doing drugs while working?"

His fingers tightened around his glass. "Stop trying to explain it away. What other proof do you need? You've found pictures, you were threatened by them, you just saw him pick up drugs and dose someone!" Declan rose up in his seat as he spoke so that he was looking down at me, making him seem even more imposing.

"I... well,"

Declan cut me off, placing his index finger on my lips. "If you aren't about to agree with me, I don't want to hear anything come out of your mouth."

I slapped his hand away from me. "How dare you-"

"How dare I what? Stop being a child and open your goddamn eyes." His head snapped in the other direction, going back to watching Alex and Jay.

Finishing my drink in one swig, I moved out of the booth. Standing up in front of the table with my hands on my hips I glared down at him. His eyes moved up to me, silently questioning what the hell I was doing.

I saw the waitress from earlier and grabbed my empty glass and held it up so she could see it. She smiled and winked then made her way to the bar to get me another. I started to walk away but felt Declan grab a hold of my wrist, stopping me.

"And where do you think you're going?" Declan asked, now sitting at the edge of the booth.

I brought my wrist up in front of me and slowly pulled each of his fingers back from my wrist while holding his gaze. I held his hand up by his index finger with my thumb and middle finger before I let his hand fall onto his lap. "Going to relax."

A tap on my shoulder made me turn and I saw that the waitress had my new drink for me. I took it from her with a smile and a thank you then looked back at Declan. I shoved my middle finger in his face before I made my way out into the crowd.

Declan

I had never met a more insufferable human being than Scarlett. I feel like I have been pretty clear through this whole thing, explaining what is going on multiple times in as much detail as possible yet she still couldn't wrap her goddamn head around this.

Couldn't or wouldn't.

You would think after the pictures she would have believed me but no, she was still playing stupid. The email from earlier today rattled her and for a brief moment in her apartment, I thought she had finally except all of this but no. She's still fighting me tooth and nail.

Melony brought me another whiskey not long after Scarlett had stormed away into the crowd.

"Who's the girl? She doesn't really seem like your type." Melony questioned.

"I don't have a type." I answered, looking between Jay and Alex, who had now split up to walk the crowd and Scarlett.

"Of course you do." She scoffed. "Ditzy, easy girls who hang all over you. You know we all joke about it, right?"

"You know I'm still your employer, right?" I asked, matching her bubbly tone in a sarcastic way.

"Whatever, prick." She laughed, starting to walk over to a table that had beckoned for her.

"Can you keep an eye on her for me? I'm kind of in the middle of something and I didn't expect her to walk away."

She waved me off, swaying her hips as she left. "Yea, yea."

After taking another tables order she had called a few of the dancers over to her. Mel asked, told really, them to keep an eye on Scarlett while she was out hopefully enjoying herself. There was only so much I could keep track of, having to watch Alex and Jay as they went around making deals with the people in the club. I needed to make sure that Scars was safe from Jay should I lose track of him. The girls here have more protection than the British royal family and if anything should happen to Scarlett while the girls were with her they would be able to call security and have that fucker brought to me within minutes.

I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and quickly pulled it out.

Dez: How are things?

Me: They're here, making rounds.

Dez: Fuckers. I sent Nick in to help keep an eye on things since you're preoccupied.

My stomach dropped. Because of Nick and whatever bullshit he fed to Desmond the other night he now doesn't trust me. And with Scarlett announcing herself earlier, he now thinks I'm not focused. Great.

Me: I know Nick is your nephew but he's also a lying bastard.
Me: I'm focused.

Dez: Don't let this piece of ass get between the two of you.
Dez: And yes, he is my nephew. Watch what you say.

Fuck.

It had been about an hour since I was left to sit alone. Jay and Alex were now at their own separate tables on either side of the dance floor watching the dancer who was preforming on center stage. Jay was throwing bill after bill at her in hopes that she would come closer to him but to no avail.

That's right fucker, no woman would want you even if you paid, I thought bitterly.

Girls cheering and laughing caught my attention. Ripping my eyes from Jay I scanned the place to see where the hollering was coming from and quickly found it.

A few places down and across from where I was sitting, I saw a bunch of dancers sitting in one of the booths, all cheering on a girl who was trying to seductively take her shirt off as she stood in front of their table. The blonde was swaying her hips to the beat of the song that was playing and when she had her shirt up over her head, she twirled it twice and then let it fly across the table.

One of the dancers jumped up and caught it, laughing as she did so. The blonde leaned over the table, arching her back so her ass stuck out on full display. She brought her knee up onto the table and grabbed ahold of the pole that was situated in the middle of the table and pulled herself up the rest of the way so that she was on her knees. Both of her hands slid up the pole before she rolled her hips forward to make herself slide on her knees towards the pole so it was just between her thighs. Rising up on her knees she leaned back, letting her head dip back and roll from left to right.

Jesus Christ. Scarlett?

Scarlett

As soon as I was away from Declan and in the crowd on the dance floor I felt some relief. Dancing wasn't really my thing. In fact, I don't even really know how to dance but I wasn't about to let that stop me. As I realized earlier, I don't get out at all and here I am in a dance club, strip club... whatever. I'm going to live it up.

I could hear my inner voice yelling that I was drunk and should just go back out to Declan's truck until he was ready to abandon spying on Alex. I quickly shooed that voice away and started to dance when Fate by Ghosts came on.

I wasn't alone for long. Three dancers who were walking around, sizing up the guys who were hanging around like vultures, came up to me. They smiled at me and started with some small talk. Before I knew it we were chatting and laughing like we were best friends, making fun of all the creepy guys who were here and debating who was the hottest or richest.

A few drinks later, we found ourselves in one of the booths on the upper level that surrounded the main floor. All of my prudeness had been washed away by the fourth drink.

"So like, where do you guys get your outfits? I love this bra, you look so gorgeous!" I gushed, a slight slur in my speech.

The girl named Candy laughed, covering her mouth as she did so. Jade, the girl who first came up to me playfully hit my arm with the back of her hand. "Stop it, you're gonna over inflate her ego!"

"Shut it, Jade!" Candy laughed, drinking more of whatever hot pink drink was in her glass.

"So you've never been to a strip club before?" Another girl, I think her name was Roxy, asked.

"Nope, first time!" I beamed with a forced, awkward smile.

"Having a good time?" Roxy asked with a giggle.

Surprisingly, I was. Probably because I was surrounded by girls who were acting like they were my best friends rather than being stuck sitting next to Declan.

Speaking of the devil, I glanced his way. He was still sitting at the table I left him at earlier. He was slouched down with his one arm resting on the top of the backrest, his fingers thrumming along to the beat of Engel by Rammstein that was coming from the speakers. His hand dipped under the table and he pulled out his phone. In a not so conspicuous manner, he took pictures of something that was going on on the dance floor and then started typing away on the screen.

I hated the way I got butterflies just from looking at him. I mean, I should be running and screaming to the police about all of this but here I am, ogling over him. There wasn't a day that's gone by that I hadn't thought about us kissing in my apartment. How his hands roamed my body and I was completely under his control.

I pushed my thighs together trying to feel some friction as I imagined him touching me. My cheeks started to burn from the smutty thoughts that were racing through my mind.

"Didn't you come in with Declan?" Jade questioned.

"Ugh, don't remind me." I groaned, mad that Jade pulled me out of my x-rated imagination.

"What do you mean? The guy is a dream!" Candy practically yelled.

She wasn't wrong about that.

"I don't know how you left him, I would be all over him. I mean, if you're saying he's fair game..." She sat up and rested her elbows on the table so her chest was pushed together and on full display in his direction.

"Candy, when are you gonna learn; he's not interested in you, love." Jade pouted her lip at her.

"He just doesn't like girls who are so dominant." She replied, winking in my direction with a devious smirk. I felt my cheeks turn a darker shade of red at her comment.

"So, Scarlett. What's the deal with you two?" Candy asked, turning towards me with her drink in hand.

"Uh, what do you mean?" I replied in a sing song voice, praying the conversation topic would change.

Candy smirked and rolled her eyes. "Normally when Declan is here with a girl she is hanging onto him like she doesn't know how to stand, laughing at whatever he says."

"Yea, It's disgusting, really." Roxy added.

"And here you are, running away from him yet this is the third time I've caught you staring at him like a lecher."

I scoffed. "He's an insufferable little shit. Thinks he can get whatever he wants regardless of other peoples lives. He even Kid-" I quickly shut myself up, biting my lip.

Before the conversation could continue, Party Monster by The Weeknd started to play.

"I love this song!" Drunk me proclaimed. I silently thanked the DJ.

Getting up from where I was sitting to side step around the table until I was in front of it. My hips started to move to the beat of the song. Jade followed suit and started dancing behind me. Before I knew it, I was grinding against her while she smacked my ass making me laugh.

"Take it off!" Roxy encouraged, motioning for me to take my top off.

Getting way too into this song, I crossed my arms and reached for the bottom hem of my shirt and lifted it over my head. Roxy, Candy and jade started cheering for me when I was standing in front of them in my black lacy bra and low rise jeans. I twirled my shirt above me and let it go towards a laughing Candy who jumped up excitedly to catch it, nearly knocking over her drink.

"Yea, baby girl!" Jade clapped, encouraging my antics.

I put my knee up on the table, grabbed the pole in the middle of the table and pulled myself up. When I was on my knees, I wrapped both hands around the pole and slowly slid them up and down in, what I thought, was a seductive way. I pushed my hips back and then rolled them forward while pulling myself closer to the pole until it was sitting between my thighs. I felt the pressure of the cold metal rub against my core and closed my eyes while trying to stifle a moan. Declan's face flashed in my mind and I couldn't help but roll my hips against it again.

The girls were yelling my name at this point as well as commands for what move I should do next, not that I knew any of them. To move my hair out of my face, I arched my back and leaned backwards while holding onto the pole, letting my head fall back. Opening up my eyes while I rolled my head from left to right, I locked eyes with Declan.

He eyes were trained on mine and instead of feeling embarrassed from him watching me dance, I felt a surge of excitement. I could feel myself start to pool between my thighs just from him watching me. Pulling myself upright, I looked over my shoulder at him while my freshly tousled hair fell and curtained my face. I watched as he fumbled with his lighter, trying to light his cigarette while I continued my show.

Rolling up onto the balls of my feet, I slowly slid up the pole, making sure to stick my ass out as I did so, shaking it. I could see him swallow hard and lick his lips before he took a sip from his drink.

Midway through the song the DJ changed it to False Alarm. Turning so that I was facing him now, I rested my back against the cold metal and continued dancing to the faster tempo. Sucking in my bottom lip, I kept it between my teeth while I swayed. Letting the music take over me, I let my hands roam up and down my body, pausing for a few seconds when I reached my chest and then pushed them together and winked. I could see his Adams apple move up and down his throat while his eyes roamed my body.

Seeing the way he was reacting to me on this table made me understand how women could love doing this. Having a man eating out of the palm of you hand just by doing something as simple as dancing. I could feel the friction from my jeans against my now needy core and I wanted everyone to vanish, leaving only Declan and I so we could finish what we started the other night.

"Ow, ow, take it off, Scars!" One of the girls yelled, smacking their palm against the table. Breaking my gaze with Declan to look back at the girls I burst into laughter when I saw Jade throwing dollar bills at me.

Giggling at their yells of encouragement and the money showering around me, my drunk mind complied. My fingers slid down my bare stomach until they got to the button of my jeans. Undoing the button, I lowered the zipper and then hooked my thumbs into the side of my jeans.

I had my pants slid down to just below my butt, my matching panties on display when I went to look back at Declan. Before I could find him in his booth across from us my eyes met with Jay. His eyes raked over my exposed body while he eagerly pushed his way through the crowd towards me. Fear consumed me making it feel like someone had dumped ice water all over me.

My mind started to spiral while I stood barely dressed and practically on a silver platter for the man who tried to...

He was only a few feet away from me when I felt a wool coat being wrapped around my body. Declan wrapped his arms around my torso and pulled me off the table.

He brought me into his chest to keep Jay from getting to me but I was powerless and couldn't rip my eyes from his disgusting stare. His face went from one of animalistic lust to rage when he recognized Declan. His fingers dug into my skin in a possessive way that was sure to leave more bruises and moved me so that I was behind him. His rapid movements left me dizzy making me acutely aware of how drunk I was.

Declans' glare directed at Jay was deadly and I felt my blood turn cold.

Before either of them could say a thing a blood curdling scream broke over the blasting music. The people around the club had all started to scatter towards the exits and Jay took this as his opportunity to make a get away, disappearing into the crowd.

"Candy!" Declan yelled, holding up an open hand. Candy understood what he meant and threw him my shirt. He tugged it over my head and then pulled me in the direction of the scream.

As he pushed his way through the crowd there was another scream, this one sounding masculine.

"Get her the fuck off of me!"

Declan's hand gripped my wrist tighter while he tugged me through the crowd that was all moving in the opposite direction.

When we got to a side room that was lit in all red lighting and had a few high backed chairs set up along the walls, the reason for the screaming became evident.

One of the dancers, the same one who had snorted the drugs from Jay's hand earlier, was straddling a male patron on the floor. Her fists were pummeling into his already bloodied face. His nose was very clearly broken.

"Get her off!" He yelled while choking on his blood when he saw Declan and I in the entrance of the room.

The dancer leaned over him and sunk her teeth into the skin on his cheek, pulling it back until it started to tear away from his face.

"Oh... oh God..." I muttered before I felt bile raise in the back of my throat.

"Jesus Christ." Declan sprinted towards the girl, wrapping an arm around her torso and pinching her nose with his other hand in hopes that she would open her jaw.

A few more people pushed passed me, bumping into my shoulders while they ran to help Declan. The girl jerked back further and took the man's cheek with her. Blood sprayed all over her face and hair while she let out a scream. The man's skin was hanging from her clenched teeth.

My knees buckled from the sight and the taste of sour stomach bile and cranberry juice flooded my mouth until I let it splatter to the floor in front of me.

"Nick, get her out of here. Call Audrey!" Declan was barking commands at all of the people who were now crowded around the scene.

Declan brought the girl up on her feet, the straps of her shoes were still wrapped around her ankles but her feet were out of them. As soon as Nick appeared, Declan pushed her into Nicks' chest. He quickly moved his arms around hers in a bear hug to stop her from trying to attack him.

The way she was thrashing and screaming, I could swear she had rabies. I had never seen a human acting so animalistic before. It was terrifying.

She roared out insults and demands to be let go, that she must kill the monster who was trying to take her eyes. My brows furrowed at the strange things that she was saying. Then I saw her eyes. Her pupils were dilated so much that I couldn't see her irises at all and the whites of her eyes were stained red from the blood that was dripping off of her brow into them.

My stomach lurched again and I felt more sick rise in the back of my throat.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I scooted back against the wall and watched while bouncers came with first aid kits and started to clean the mans face.

"You okay?" Declan asked, crouching down beside me and moving some hair out of my sweaty face.

"What... what the fuck was that?" I stuttered. The bouncers now had a bandage on the mans face to help stop the bleeding while helping him out of the room. I imagine they had called paramedics and were taking him to them.

Declan took a deep breath in through his nostrils. "That was Z."

I turned to look at him, confused. "She was yelling about how he was trying to steal her eyes? She was acting like a rabid animal..."

"That's what street Z does. It causes hallucinations. People get insane spikes in adrenaline, like the ones that cause mothers to lift cars off of babies. She was the one who snorted it of Jays' hand."

I remember this. I remember seeing him earlier, extending his hand that was covered in white powder before she cleaned it with her nose.

Declan grabbed my bicep and pulled me up onto my feet. Without a word he took me across the now empty dance floor and up onto the main stage. Behind the floor to ceiling black velvet curtains was a hidden side passage that led to the backstage area all of the girls use to get ready.

I saw Jade, Candy and Roxy all huddled together, their arms around each other and worried looks painted the faces of the other dancers. More girls were crowded around Nick who was on his haunches over the girl from before, she was now laying on the floor, limp.

Declan brought me to her side and I could see her shallow breathing. Her chest barely rising and falling in rapid succession while she choked for air through her parted lips. He told me to look at her arm and when I did I felt nauseous all over again.

On her left arm, in the crook of her elbow was an open wound that looked infected, about the size of penny. The skin around it was a dark purple-red color. The artery running down her arm was so pronounced and a grey-ish black color it almost didn't look real. To make matters worse thick black blood was pooling at her nostrils.

"That is how I know she's using Z. You see the skin on her arm? That's what they call skin rot, it's what happened to you from being injected. This is what Alex is doing to the people of this city. This is why they have to be stopped."

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