"Seems you have an admirer." Colton ignored him, watching Vida climb the steps to what Colton knew was the room that King had set aside for the private members.

"How many does she have scheduled for tonight?" Colton asked, nodding his head towards Vida.

"She's a popular little thing. She has three scheduled and several more will purchase one when they see her at work."

Colton gave King a hard look before taking his beer and getting up from the table, turning towards the stairway.

"There's a fee to go upstairs, Colton," King reminded him, trying to hide his amus.e.m.e.nt.

"Add it to my tab, a.s.shole."

Vida finished giving a dance to one of the men who had become a regular and went to the bar for a drink of water before going into the side room to give another dance. Each dance lasted no more than ten minutes, but every time she felt as if she needed to take a shower to clean herself.

Vida glanced at the door when she heard it open, trying to hide the surprise on her face when Colton walked into the room. He cast her a hard look before taking a seat on one of the expensive couches. Finishing her water with trembling fingers, she put down her bottle before placing a seductive look on her face for her waiting customer. It was unnerving her that she felt Colton's dark eyes on her as she moved towards Briggs.

"Hey s.e.xy, you ready?" Vida murmured.

His hot eyes ran over her body. Vida felt her skin crawl as his disgusting gaze slid over her. Carefully hiding her reaction, infusing fake warmness into her eyes, she held out her hand playfully for him to take. Briggs took her hand, rising to his feet and following her tamely into the private room where she would perform the lap dance.

Vida playfully pushed Briggs down onto the plush chair and backed away. The music started and Vida drew closer to Briggs, straddling his chair, grinding her corset-covered b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his chest. Twisting and turning her hips, she kept a distance of mere centimeters between her mound and his crotch.

Blushing in embarra.s.sment, Vida fervently hoped that Colton hadn't turned so that he would be able to see into the room. It was semi-private due to a window so the bouncer would be able to watch and call a halt if one of the clients got out of hand.

King also provided completely private rooms, but Vida never went into those. It didn't take a genius to realize that more went on in there than lap dances. Usually the higher paid dancer's took advantage of those rooms.

The music sped up and Vida let her b.r.e.a.s.t.s lean more heavily onto Briggs's chest as she rubbed against him. Vida noticed sweat break out across his brow. A self-satisfied smile curled her lips and she let her bottom sink onto his lap, grinding her a.s.s across his thighs.

"You're making me hard as a rock." Briggs's eyes stared l.u.s.tfully into hers.

Vida swallowed down the bile in her throat and started silently counting in her mind to distract herself.

"Meet me after you get off tonight," he begged.

Vida shook her head, forcing herself to let more of her weight grind down on Briggs at the same time that a fake moan pa.s.sed her lips. Taking a deep breath, she took her life in her hands.

"I don't trust you, Briggs. You work for Digger. I haven't seen Sawyer since his man took her out for a date." Vida let her voice go breathy.

"I didn't have anything to do with that, it was Rick. I'd take good care of you." Briggs's hands came up to cup her a.s.s. Vida paused."You know you're not allowed to touch," Vida scolded him.

Briggs immediately removed his hands and she felt his c.o.c.k grow thicker under her. She subtlety lifted her weight off him, using the beat of the music. Vida was sickened when she recognized that he had responded to the dominance in her voice.

She let her weight fall back down for the remaining minutes of the music. Briggs was grinding his teeth and Vida felt a spurt of satisfaction she couldn't repress. He wanted her. She was determined to use whatever means she had to get Sawyer back. The music ended and Vida pretended reluctance at getting off his lap.

"Come on, meet me tonight. Let's get into some trouble." Briggs thought he was being cute with his pun while Vida only thought he was pathetic.

Vida shook her head. "Maybe next time, Briggs. I'll have to think about it. Sawyer was my best friend and I miss her. I don't want to find myself in her shoes." Vida tried to appear frightened of him.

"Trouble, you're too fine. I'll take good care of you. I wouldn't let Digger touch you; he listens to me," he boasted, taking her arm in a hard grip.

"Really?" Pretending to think about it for a minute, she again shook her head. "Let me think about it, Briggs. I work next Friday. Will you come and see me dance?"

Briggs didn't try to hide his growing anger and Vida could tell she had pushed far enough for the night. She didn't try to pull her arm out of his grasp.

"Let me go," Vida demanded, trying to put just the right amount of dominance into her voice.

"I'll be here," Briggs said, reluctantly letting her arm go.

Blowing him a kiss, Vida slipped out of the door and walked into a hard wall of flesh. She looked up in surprise at the furious eyes staring down at her. Colton thrust her robe into her hand before taking her arm and leading her from the room. She almost fell trying to keep up with his angry strides.

"I can't leave, I have another customer."

"You're done for the night. I'm ready to leave. I told Henry to tell King to find a replacement for the end of your shift." Taking her to the doorway of the dressing room, he set her arm free.

"Get changed," he said stonily.

Vida wanted to leave, so she decided not to argue with him. She went into the dressing room and quickly changed into jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt. Grabbing her jacket, she headed back outside to a waiting Colton. He followed her outside into the crisp air, which felt wonderful to Vida after the stuffy confinement of the nightclub.

Handing her the helmet, Vida put it on and then climbed on behind Colton. Expecting to go back to his apartment, Vida was surprised when he pulled into a late night waffle house.

"I'm hungry; let's get something to eat," Colton said, getting off the bike.

Vida was never hungry after working at the club, but didn't say anything, merely going in with him and ordering a coffee when the waitress came.

"Bring her a stack of pancakes and some bacon," Colton ordered.

"But I'm not hungry," Vida protested.

"You've lost a good five pounds since you've been living with me. Your clothes are falling off of you. You're going to eat." Colton motioned the curious waitress away with a gesture of his hand after placing his own order.

Vida's lips tightened. She had been well aware of the weight she had lost, although she hadn't thought anyone else had noticed. She wasn't happy Colton was the one who'd paid that much attention. h.e.l.l, she thought he hadn't even been aware of what color her hair was the way he constantly ignored her.

"Now that my cla.s.ses are over, my weight will come back. I've been overworked."

"Shaking your a.s.s all over that stage and rubbing it against every man that has a hundred takes a lot of energy," Colton said snidely.

Vida stiffened in her chair. "Yes, well, I don't have much of a choice about that, do I?"

"You have a f.u.c.king choice; you just won't make the right one. Shake this town off and leave. King will eventually get Sawyer back."

Vida stubbornly shook her head. She couldn't believe how he expected her to turn her back on Sawyer.

"I saw the game you were playing with Briggs. You're going to get yourself in more trouble than you can handle, Vida."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Vida looked out the restaurant window, avoiding his eyes.

"Yes, you do," Colton countered.

The waitress brought their food, setting it down in front of them. Vida took a bite of the warm, sticky pancakes and found herself starved, eating most of the plate without looking up. The waitress refilled her coffee and it was when she took a sip of the strong brew that she caught Colton's amused gaze on her.

Blushing, she looked at her almost empty plate with a smile. "I guess I was hungrier than I thought."

Laughing, Colton teased, "I see that, do you want me to order you another stack?" Vida couldn't help staring at the change in his face that the laughter had brought.

He was extremely good looking; his long, dark hair was tousled from the wind, giving him an untamed appearance while the metal ball that pierced his sensual bottom lip caused Vida to lower her gaze to his mouth. Reverend had talked him into it last week. Vida had almost died laughing when Rev had also offered to pierce his c.o.c.k and Colton had told him where to stick his needles.

Vida could understand why he didn't have any trouble getting women in his bed. He was a woman's fantasy with the s.e.xual vibes emanating from him. In fact, several women in the restaurant were constantly looking at their table. Even the waitress kept making frequent trips back to their table, brushing against him unnecessarily every time she refilled his coffee cup.

"Are you finished?" Vida suddenly became aware the waitress and Colton were looking at her.

"Yes, thank you." Vida turned to the waitress and asked, "Could I get a to-go box?" Both Colton and the waitress looked at her almost empty plate.

"Be right back." The waitress left to go get the box. Colton didn't say anything to her when the waitress returned, silently watching as she put the remains of her meal in the box then waited expectantly for her to finish the coffee.

"Ready?" Colton rose to his feet, going to the cash register to pay. Vida waited patiently by the door, watching as the waitress flirted with him now that Vida's presence wasn't stymieing her.

The two men sitting at a nearby table smiled at her, Vida turned her eyes away, not wanting to encourage their attention. It didn't matter, within seconds the younger of the two got up from the table, finally brave enough to approach her.

"Me and my friend think we recognize you from the Purple p.u.s.s.ycat. Aren't you Trouble?"

"Yes, she is, so you better move along before it finds you," Colton said from behind the young man, who jumped when he heard the threatening voice behind him.

"Sorry, man, just curious."

"Yeah, well curiosity got the cat killed." The man practically ran back to his seat at Colton's threat.

"That happen a lot?" Colton asked, glaring at the embarra.s.sed man's friend smirking from the table.

"Some," Vida responded evasively.

"At school?" he probed.

"No, thank G.o.d." Colton held the door open for her and Vida walked through the doorway, aware of several sets of eyes watching their departure.

She climbed on Colton's bike after putting the helmet back on. He never wore a helmet, but he refused to let her ride without one. The restaurant was only a block away from the apartment; Vida wished it was a longer ride. She had grown to enjoy riding with Colton; he was a good driver and handled the bike expertly.

Colton unlocked his apartment door, letting her go through first. Vida came to a dead stop seeing Tessa sprawled across the couch completely naked. Vida tried not to let her mouth hang open, but didn't think she was successful. She didn't know why it shocked her so much. After working at the strip club, nudity should have become familiar to her, yet she thought it was simply the surprise of finding Tessa with all her a.s.sets on display right on the very couch where she usually slept.

"What the f.u.c.k?" Vida felt Colton come to a stop behind her.

Tessa's face was priceless. Vida didn't think the woman appreciated that she was standing and gawking at her. The woman's face turned a dark red as she jumped up from the couch, pulling on her clothes.

"What the h.e.l.l is she doing here?" she screamed at Colton.

"Don't worry why she's here. You need to get out, now." Colton came further into the room and closed the door behind him. Vida jumped at the sound of the slamming door.

"I need to take a shower," Vida said, moving towards the bathroom.

"You need to get out. Colton and I need to talk." Tessa tried to regain control now that her clothes were back on her body.

"You have something to talk to me about, talk to me tomorrow at the shop," Colton told the woman. Vida almost felt sorry for Tessa. Pulling her gown and robe out of the hall closet, she tried to ignore their voices as she went into the bathroom. The loud yells were smothered with the water as she turned on the shower.

Vida took her time showering, washing her hair, shaving her legs and then combing and braiding her hair. Dreading going back into the living room, she was relieved to find it empty. Putting her to-go box in the refrigerator, she carried her sheets and blankets to the couch. Pausing, she hurriedly flipped over the cushions then laid out the sheet on the couch and neatly made it up for the night.

The front door opened just as she finished with the couch and Vida saw him hesitate after it had closed. When his eyes then brushed over her body in the blue toweling robe and neatly braided hair, Vida's stomach clenched at the look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't know she had a key. That won't happen again." Vida would take that bet. Tessa had been humiliated in front of Vida. No woman would risk that twice in a lifetime.

"It's all right. I'm sure she was as embarra.s.sed as I was," Vida lied.

"That's doubtful." Vida saw the anger in his face, glad that it wasn't directed towards her.

Running his hand through his hair, his frustrated sigh filled the silent room. "I'm going to bed. Need anything?" He paused before leaving, waiting for her reply.

"No thanks." He gave a sharp nod at her reply.

Vida turned out the lights before lying down. She had actually slept better the last two weeks in his apartment than she had in a long time. Colton's presence made her feel safer than she had felt in King's guarded nightclub. Vida's mind shied away from figuring out why, snuggling down into the warm blanket and letting the sound of the shower lull her to sleep.

Chapter 6.

Vida woke with a start when Colton shook her shoulder.

"Shake that a.s.s; we're running late." Vida sat up; looking out the window to see the sun was bright. Forgetting that she was only in her t-shirt, Vida jumped from the couch then, disoriented, she tripped over her backpack and fell against Colton before he could move out of her way. Putting her hands on his chest to regain her balance, Colton's hands landed on her hips to steady her.

"You all right?" His voice sounded amused.

Vida nodded. "Sorry," she mumbled, moving away towards the hall. She picked out clean clothes, went into the bathroom, and pulled on loose jeans and an oversized shirt. She hurriedly brushed out her hair before pulling it back.

She was in the kitchen eating her leftovers from Waffle House when Colton came into the kitchen. Giving her a sour look, he pulled out a box of cereal and made himself a bowl before joining her at the table.

Vida finished eating, licked off the last of the syrup from her lip and was rising from the table with her plate when Colton's eyes caught hers. Vida froze, she had seen that look enough on the men's faces in the front row to know exactly what it meant. Quickly averting her gaze, Vida washed her plate before putting it in the drainer to dry.

Gathering what she would need for the day, she put her recharged computer into her backpack while waiting for Colton to wash his bowl. Getting his keys, they went outside to the motorcycle. Vida ignored the tension-filled silence from Colton, grabbing his waist when he throttled the engine.

She had promises to keep and future plans that a man like Colton would derail. He obviously enjoyed a variety of women and Vida had no intentions of being just another piece of gum he chewed and discarded.

Sawyer, Vida and Callie had made promises to each other that they wouldn't grow up to be like their mothers. Vida's own mother would fall in love with any man who wanted her, making her false promises that were never kept. Each time Vida watched her mother sink further and further into depression, blaming herself because it never worked out.

Sawyer's father had been killed in a car accident, devastating her mother. She had never sought solace in another's arms. She had held her heart untouched by another until the day a vicious mugger had taken her life for twenty dollars in ones and some change.