Santa Ana, California - 11:30PM

Dinah's POV

The entrance was dark, we passed by some men dressed in black suits, the club's security of course. I could already hear the loud and frenetic music fill in my ears, and then we entered the main room. I was without a doubt amazing, the place was huge and exuded lust, it was dimly lit with some focuses of red or pink lights everywhere. In some strategic locations, we could see small stages with poles for pole dance, women practically naked danced sensually for men and women who watched attentively.

"You brought me to a Strip Club?" I whispered in Cardi's ear.

"Awesome, right? It's the best in Santa Ana, Dinah!" She exclaimed very excitedly, and kept walking.

I shook my head, mentally cursing for the craziness I was doing. We walked between the people, being guided by the woman with dark hair, until we got closer to the main stage, where there seemed to be some kind of VIP are because not everyone could enter. Leigh gave us a small green bracelet so we could enter the area.

"The best place, for the best customers." Solána  said smiling.

"This is why I like you!" Almanzar said, hugging the woman.

"Enjoy it, today we have the club's best dancer, I hope you like it."

"Thank you, Solána ."

The woman just nodded and left.

"I'm going to kill you! I am!" I grumbled to Cardi who let out an amused laugh. "Why are you laughing?" My nervousness was noticeable from miles away.

"Because of your agony, DJ, why are you like that? If I didn't know you better, I'd think that you've never been to a Strip Club before!"

"I'm not that irresponsible girl from before, Belcalis, people know me now! What are they going to say if they see me in a place like this?"

"That you're having fun?! Stop being so boring! Do you really think those businessmen are going to say something about you? Don't be stupid, you're one of the best, no one will challenge you like that."

I looked around, where clearly there were important people, with a high purchasing power.

"I need a drink!"

"That's what I'm talking about!" Cardi said excitedly. "Hey!" She called one of the girls.

A redhead woman with a slender body approached us, wearing a small piece of clothing that barely covered her body. She was beautiful and very sexy.

"Can I get you something to drink?"
Her voice came out slurred and sensual.

"Two shot of Tequila to begin with." Cardi ordered, and the redhead nodded and left to get the drinks. "It's good to have you back, Hansen." She said smiling.

Minutes later, the same redhead from before came back with two small glasses, where our tequilas were. I stared at the transparent liquid in the glass, trying to gather enough courage to drink it all at once. I looked at Almanzar who made a 'get ready' sign, indicating that it was time to drink, and I nodded, grabbing the small glass,  bringing it to my lips, where with one swift move I drank it all. The liquid began tearing at my throat, the burn was staggering, but the feeling was good, it tasted like old times.

I as afraid to be seen by someone important. It wouldn't be nice to wake up and read headlines like 'Owner of Hansen Industry spends the night at a Strip Club', that would be the end. The redhead danced sensually in front of us, doing positions on the pole that were enviable, but for some reason, she didn't hold my attention as much as she did with Cardi. Did I stop liking women? I questioned myself, but in the same instant I realized that that was completely stupid, never in my life would I want a man. Ugh! Maybe it was the years I spent without having fun, without being with a woman who really attracts me. Living according to your work was not for everyone, to do that, I had to give up on a lot. It wasn't for nothing that people saw me as someone unhappy, but their opinions didn't matter to me.

"Do you want another dancer? Maybe you don't like redheads." Belcalis said smiling.

"I prefer darker hair women, but this redhead is beautiful! Be careful not to drool on the woman."

Cardi looked at me, amused, taking a sip of her drink. We stayed there for a few hours, enjoying the atmosphere and the women dancing. I even witnessed Almanzar kissing the redhead who served us our drinks.

"I don't think you're having fun, do you want to leave." Cardi asked, approaching me.

"I'm just scared that someone will see me here, Cardi."

"Right, I'm going to the bathroom, and then we can leave, okay?"

I nodded, and then Cardi got up. I looked around, and and I could see a lot of rich people, businessmen, owners of a big financial power, smiling with eyes full of lust as they watched the beautiful ladies dancing sensually for them. But that place didn't have only men there but a lot of women who also melted while watching the dancers.

"Shall we go?" Cardi asked.

"Yeah, let's go, this was too much craziness for me for one night." I said, getting up, but suddenly the music stopped.

Cardi and I looked at each other, when we noticed a single spotlight on the center of the stage.

"Oh God! It's the dancer, DJ, the one that Solána talked about, can we stay just to see her performance?"

"Cardi..." I scolded her.

"Ten minutes and we'll leave, now sit down again."

Reluctantly, I sat back down on my chair, huffing at the choice of staying. I didn't want to be there, I didn't want to drink nor see the women dancing, what was so hard to understand? I took a sip of my Scottish Whiskey, feeling the liquid warm my stomach. I closed my eyes, hearing the eager murmurs about the club's best dancer. What did the woman have that was so extraordinary? She was just another beautiful woman who entertained people with an erotic dance for a few minutes. Imbeciles.

"People say she's the best dancer here." I heard Cardi say excitedly.

I remained sitting there, without the same excitement that everyone in there seemed to have. I shifted my body, letting a bit of drink fall on the cloth of my skirt, and I cussed when the music started filling the room again.

The main stage went dark, making the murmurs even louder. Within seconds, a sensual and purely erotic voice spread everywhere, the music had started. On the center of the stage, the spotlight lit up on a woman's body,and everyone there went crazy.

My eyes were glued to the woman's body that slowly moved in perfect sync with the music. Nayana, like everyone called her, started the choreography on the pole in the middle of the stage, shaking her sinuous curves while her arms were supported on the pole. I couldn't see her face perfectly well, the darkness of the place kept me from seeing her in detail. But for some reason, her dance held my attention, like a cast spell on a poor and innocent spectator. She let her body move in a very hot and sensual way, in tune with the music, and I could swear that I was in a different dimension. The things that she could do were simply impressive, her body was practically upside down, with her legs intertwined on the pole, while her hands slid over her own body, on places that everyone in here would pay a fortune to touch. She grabbed the pole again, now having her legs free, which parted, giving a wonderful view of her assets. That made my whole body shiver, but by pure luck or bad luck, she returned to the ground again.

Her hair was dark, it could be black or brown; her skin a glorious shade of brown and so delicate. The stripper was the owner of desirable and provocative curves, and she had long and shapely legs that were covered by black lacy stockings, which were attached to a garter belt, making her look even more sexy. Nayana turned her back to us, descending slowly to the ground, making everyone see how God was generous with her. The urge to touch the huge volume of ass was tempting.

The woman smiled devilishly when people stirred up, damn dancer. Her hands went to to her silky hair, letting everyone see her face that was covered by a black mask, leaving only her pink and fleshy lips showing. She walked towards the other pole that was closer to the front row, where I was. Even with the mask on her face, her provocative look was noticeable, hallucinating, what the fuck was that woman doing to me? She bit her lower lip, her back was touching the pole, letting it rub on it slowly. And when she got up again, she pulled the black narrow ribbon that was holding her corset, making the tight piece of clothing fall on the floor, leaving her tight breasts covered by the lacy bra showing.

It wasn't an exaggeration, nor a metaphor, over the stripper's body was raining money, the mark of power. Her body moved in a perfect sync with the sensual music, the woman was driving every human being in that place crazy. Nayana brought her hand to her skirt, gesturing that she was going to take it off, causing an uproar and the proclamation of men and there who longed to see her with the minimum number of clothing.

"Damn, you're so hot."

"I'll pay whatever you want just to have you."

"Come closer, sweetie, let me give you what you like." A man said, with several dollars in his hand.

I heard some people screaming for her, and she just smiled, as if amused by the desire of the poor mortals who wanted what was sculpted by the Gods or demons, due to how beautiful and provocative her body was.

She swayed her hips from side to side, but swayed in the hottest way a woman could, and then she turned to the front, and for a split second, her eyes met mine, eliciting a sudden warmth in every part of my body, especially in a place I didn't know how to explain. Was that possible? To get turned on by a woman I never seen before? I felt on fire, with an overwhelming desire for a woman whose body was so fucking good. Her eyes were still on mine, and I could see that in me, she saw a challenge. She smiled devilishly, trapping her lower lip between her white teeth, to then wink at me in a sexy way, son of a bitch.

I swallowed hard when Nayana brought her hand to her skirt, taking it off her body, without taking her eyes off me. What did she want? For me to go up there and take the rest of the clothes that still covered her? Because that was my only urge in that instant. The brunette was now only wearing a tiny lingerie that I would take off with my mouth if she granted me the honor. I closed my eyes and shook my head, drinking all the Whiskey that was still in my glass, letting the liquid go down, burning my insides. Burning? I was already on fire with that woman. What kind of power was that? Now I could understand why everyone said that she was the best of the best, that stripper transported you to a world where pleasure was the only sensation, where her erotic gaze caused you a bunch of mind-blowing and pleasurable sensations.

She continued her choreography, insinuating herself to me? Or was I fantasizing her attention on me? I didn't know, I didn't know what was happening, I found myself surrendered by a fucking hot woman who swayed her hips in front of me, and who was now leaving, no...no, Nayana!

Her show was ending, so she moved to the back of the stage, and then the music stopped and the spotlight turned off, the show came to an end, but that wouldn't be the end for me.

My eyes followed her as far as I could see, but the she disappeared. The frantic and hectic music started playing again, and the people around were celebrating the dark haired woman's performance, which took everyone out of orbit.

"I'm speechless." I heard Cardi say beside me. "She is really good at what she does."

I didn't speak, I was still hoping to see her at the back of the stage, even knowing that that wouldn't happen.

"Oohh, I have the feeling that someone really liked it."

I looked at Cardi who was staring at me with a smile full of sarcasm.

"I need to talk to that woman, Belcalis."
-
Normani's POV

Do you know when you feel drawn to someone? Or even a gaze? The intense hazel eyes that stared at me tonight wouldn't leave my head. Who was that woman? God, I've never felt so exposed to someone in this place. Her eyes stared at me like she was hypnotized, I could the list overflowing in her light brown iris. For some reason, her gaze caught my attention, she was beautiful. The woman, whose name I didn't know, had straight blonde hair, her skin was perfectly tan, her fleshy lips were covered with lipstick as red as blood. She didn't seem to be someone ordinary, her clothes were formal and sophisticated. Her expression was strong, determined. I felt surrendered to her intense gazes.

I don't know how that happened, but when I met her gaze, an electric current triggered all my senses, like an animal that hunts his best prey. In that instant I danced for her, for her gaze courted me. I instigated her, I provoked her for some reason that my thoughts and my reason couldn't explain.

"Wow! You slay it, girl!" I heard Lauren's voice enter my dressing room.

Lauren was my best friend, or rather, my sister. Since I joined 'Imperium', we got closer in such a way that was impossible to explain. She knew me like the plan of her hand, and I knew her the same way. On my worst moments, she was by my side, protecting me like a lioness protects her cubs, and that's why I loved her so much.

"That was pretty crazy." I said, somewhat speechless.

"Do you know that woman?" She asked, taking a sip from the water bottle that was in her hands, and I looked at her, shaking my head. "Hmmm..." She murmured. "You seemed to want to impress her." She said with a smirk.

"You think?" I asked as I removed my mask.

"I'm sure, Normani, you've never danced in such a sensual way like you did today, everyone left happier than usual." She laughed, making me laugh too.

"I don't know why I danced like that, I never saw that here woman before, do you know her?" I asked, taking off the few clothes from the show.

"I saw Solána come into the club with her and another woman, she seems to be someone important."

Yeah, the woman of the hazel eyes seemed to be very important. Her businesswoman aura was evident, she had a serious posture, and somewhat arrogant, that was so attractive to me.

"She's very beautiful." I said without realizing.

Lauren looked at me, somewhat curious, her gaze was suspicious and evaluative. "You liked her, didn't you?"

"What? Where did you get that from?" I asked faster that I should have, showing a hint of nervousness in my voice.

"The way you danced for her, Mani, it seemed like there wasn't anyone else there. I bet that she must have her panties wet." Her laughed echoed through the dressing room.

I rolled my eyes and put on my clothes.

"Don't speak nonsense." I said, throwing a small pillow at her face.

"Well, well, what an amazing show!" I heard Solána's very excited voice.

I turned towards her with a broad smile. "You liked it?"

"You were wonderful, Nayana, it couldn't have been better. I already received high offers for you, you know?"

"You told all of them that I wasn't available, right?"

The club was for striptease, but a lot of the dancers did some extra things with the men who offered them a good amount of money or goods, but I wasn't one of them. Since the beginning, my deal with Solána didn't involve intercourse with Imperium costumers, and she always respected that. Today wasn't the first time that I have received quite the attractive offers, I admit that the good amount of money they offered was tempting, but my character wouldn't allow me to do such act.

"Yes, I said no to all of them, Normani. They were somewhat disappointed with me, but I told them you're just a dancer."

"Thank you, Solána." I said, hugging the woman.

These last few years, Solána has become kind of a godmother to me. She help me, took me in, and treated me like a daughter, which obviously earned me a series of enemies, after all, I was seen as the favorite. But I don't really care about it, in the beginning it was hard, having half of the girls against me wasn't easy, but with the help of Camila and Lauren, everything became easier, and of course, with the blessing of Solána.

"You know you don't need to thank me, Normani, you were wonderful, you're Imperium's gem." She said smiling. "They call you the 'untouchable'."

"One of these days I'll want a job here." Lauren said laughing.

"I don't know why you haven't joined us, Lauren, men would love to see you dance with that body."

"I always tell her that." I said, packing my things.

"I can't, Ty will kill me for sure." She said laughing. "I rather stay in my area in the office."

"Well, girls, I'm going to go back to the club, I need to give some attention to some special guests." The dark haired woman turned towards the door, but I called her. "Yes?" She asked, turning to face me.

I was a little unsure about about asking it, but I needed to know who that woman was.

"Who was that woman who was watching me today?" I asked in a small voice.

"What woman?"

"The businesswoman who looked more like a magazine model." Lauren said smiling. "The one in the first row, you know? Where Normani swayed her hips for her."

"Lauren!"

Solána started laughing, making me feel embarrassed.

"I know who she is, she is a very important businesswoman. The woman who was next to her is my friend, it was she who brought her here, but I can't remember her name now, the alcohol leave me with a little amnesia." The woman said, chuckling.

I just nodded, somewhat dispirited by not even knowing that woman's name. Maybe after today I wouldn't even see her again. I grabbed my small bag, putting it on my shoulder, making a brief sign for Lauren to accompany me.

"She like you." Solána said, making me stop.

I turned to her, and she was looking at me. "How do you know?" I asked, suppressing my excitement at the knowledge.

"Let's just say that she was one of the people who offered me money to meet you, Normani."

Oh my God! The woman of the hazel eyes really was interested in me, I thought, somewhat nervous with the situation. Should I go talk to her? No, you don't even know her, Normani.

"Should I have asked you?" Solána asked, seeing the explicit doubt on my face.

"No! Of course not, it's the same answer for everyone." I said, trying to convince myself more than her.

Lauren and I said goodbye to Solána and we left through the back door. I remember that night I could only think of the intense gaze of the woman, and how her authoritative way attracted me.