Never Again

Glasses clinking and men cheering rang through the large, dimly lit room. The air was so thick with smoke that Leah often found breathing difficult. She yawned, glancing at the clock on the light gray wall. It was nearly midnight, and she only had a few more hours of work until she could finally clock out.

The club was packed and stuffy. A thick black curtain hung on the threshold leading to the main entrance. Its only purpose was to obstruct the view from pedestrians when the main door was open. Dozens of men inhabited the tables, craning their necks to see the dancers on the stage.

The boss didn’t allow the women to get entirely naked. Still writhing on a poll in a bikini top and thong drew a crowd. The dancers loved their jobs and often talked about the relief of having a boss who looked out for them.

As far as strip clubs went, it wasn’t all that bad. Still, it was far from Leah’s dream job. At least, as a short woman with a much thicker figure than the dancers, she didn’t get as much attention. Most patrons didn’t give her a second glance, not that she tried.

Leah wore very little make-up and typically had her long brown hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. The dress code was flexible; she could wear form-fitting jeans and a V-neck T-shirt with the company’s logo. The large black bird perched on the club’s name, The Raven’s Roost, seemed odd to Leah.

She regularly wondered about the name. The boss, Elijah Hicks, who most people called Wild, could have named his club anything. Honestly, Leah would have expected something more like BJ’s or some other crude name. It seemed that Wild respected his property too much to do that, like his employees.

No, working at a strip club wasn’t Leah’s first choice of work, but it paid the bills most of the time. Overall, Wild and the rest of the town had been good to her and her daughter since they had moved here. Leah hoped they could finally settle down and stay for a long time.

Her coworker Mindy, who worked on the poles on stage, pointed out she could make more money dancing. Leah felt exposed enough just being in the club, though. She was by no means a prude, but her past made her wary of the few stares she did get. The occasional ass-smacking often sent her into fight mode, though the men were quickly evicted and told not to come back.

Leah didn’t trust men. She had been down that road one too many times, to the point that even the cat calls and stares made her nervous sometimes. Leah knew she was overreacting. Most men meant no harm, but the disrespect still rubbed her wrong, even on the days it didn’t terrify her.

That’s just how waitressing at a strip club went, though surrounded by horny men who were, most often, too drunk to show any form of respect. The impudent customers sucked, but it was the only job Leah had found that worked for her schedule, and she was lucky to have found a job so soon after arriving at Everthorn, South Carolina.

This day was not one of the good ones, though. Since Leah woke up from another nightmare, she’d been on edge all day. The added stress from her financial hardship wasn’t helping her chronic anxiety.

Leah sighed, reaching back to tighten her ponytail, hoping this would be their last stop. She was so sick of running, and it had been years. Maybe it was safe to assume their pursuer had given up looking for them.

She was suddenly distracted by the feeling that she was being watched. Instinctively, Leah knew that he had come in. There was no mistaking the intensity of his gaze, even if she hadn’t looked up to see him. Yet.

Despite her best efforts, her heart began to race, and her palms were suddenly sweating. Only one man’s deep, dark brown eyes made her body react that way. She hated it. She hated the way he made her want to risk everything with a simple glance.

“He’s staring at you again,” Mindy smirked as she slid into the seat next to where Leah was typing an order into the computer.

“He’s probably looking at you,” Leah replied, trying to distract her coworker. “I mean, those boots are totally hot girl.”

The twenty-one-year-old rolled her eyes, but blood flooded her cheeks. She was a thin, long-legged, blond-haired, blue-eyed woman. She was every man’s wet dream in her mini skirt, crop top, and knee-high leather boots. Leah was more than content to let her have any attention they offered.

Leah may only be seven years older than Mindy, but she had learned her lesson. Men were nothing but trouble. The threat they would bring to Leah and her daughter’s lives was not worth it. She had her own solution to her needs in a drawer next to her bed at home. It was much safer than letting another man around herself or Amelia.

“God, I wish.” Mindy swooned, drawing Leah’s attention back to her. “I would love to take him for a spin. I wonder if he would give me a raise after finding out how naughty I can be.”

“You’re disgusting.” Leah grimaced, rolling her eyes.

“That’s what men like him want, babe.” She rolled her eyes.

“You’ve never even talked to him.” Leah pointed out.

“I’ve gone home with enough men to know the type. He is totally the chains and whips type.” She winked. “Maybe even the leave marks type.”

Leah involuntarily shuddered as memories assaulted her. The bruises that had long since healed suddenly felt more visible than ever before. Her stomach churned at the memory, and she told her friend to shut up.

“Hey, don’t diss it till you’ve tried it. I knew a guy who enjoyed holding me down by my throat.” Mindy chuckled. “It was so hot.”

Leah felt the blood-curdling constriction in her own throat before the burning acid began to trail up. She was suddenly sure she would throw up, a common enough response to the particular memories Mindy was unintentionally bringing up.

Placing the platter down, she darted to the nearest exit, knowing she wouldn’t reach the bathroom. She pushed past the crowds of people but had the horrible suspicion that she wasn’t going to make it. She could not get sick in the middle of work.

Miraculously, she managed to make it outside. She heaved into a bush on the edge of the parking lot, the acidic taste burning her throat. As she emptied the contents of her stomach, she hoped her boss hadn’t noticed her sudden departure. They were busy, and she couldn’t lose her job.

Leah’s heart was hammering, and she felt invisible fingers tighten their grip on her exhausted lungs as she gasped for air. She fought the panic attack, forcing herself to breathe deeply. Squeezing her eyes shut, she sunk onto the concrete. She hugged her knees tightly to her chest and slowly rocked herself back and forth.

“You’re safe, you’re safe, you’re safe.” She chanted the mantra as if her life depended on it.

“What’s wrong?” A purely masculine voice asked in what was supposed to be a comforting tone.

Leah instinctively jerked away from the sound before turning towards the voice. There he was, all six foot six of muscle, crouched only two feet away from her. Tonight, his long, ashen brown, curly hair was loose and hung past his shoulders. His long, thick beard matched, somehow making him look even more intimidating.

Wild wore a white dress shirt, with the top button hanging open, that clung tightly to his board chest. His black leather jacket and black slacks couldn’t hide the cord-like muscles in his arms and legs. Tattoos crept up his neck and down his hands from under his sleeves. He was enormous and, by far, the most attractive and intimidating man she had ever seen.

It was his eyes, though, that always drew her in. Despite his odd mixture of mountain man and professional exterior, the dark brown orbs were soft and gentle, showing a different version of the man. Now, they stared intensely at her with genuine concern. His face was soft, kind, and not at all angry.

That didn’t negate Leah’s concerns, though. She had proven repeatedly that she was a horrible judge when it came to the opposite sex. She didn’t trust herself any more than she trusted him when it came to emotions. People previously described Leah as too emotional, quick to trust and easily manipulated. Well, never again.

“I’m fine,” Leah responded, standing quickly, glad to notice her attack had subsided mostly. “I’m so sorry. It was just so stuffy in there, and I just needed some air. I’ll work through my last fifteen.”

Although she was still trembling slightly, she forced herself to stand tall and not move even as he stood at his towering height.

Standing at five foot five, Leah never expected to be the tallest person in a group. This man stood at least a whole foot taller than her.

“I wasn’t asking as your boss,” Wild smirked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Then, as a total stranger, it’s none of your business.” She quipped, heart racing as she moved to walk around him.

She could swear she heard him chuckle softly before he called after her. “Take you fifteen when it comes time; you look tired.”

She didn’t respond or turn around, even when she heard his thick-soled boot steps behind her. She had always been attracted to the bad boys. So, his biker jacket, unkempt appearance, and tattoos were hot as hell. However, she told herself once again that she didn’t need or want a man in her life, ever.

She felt him watching her the rest of her shift, so she purposefully worked straight through her final break. She had to admit that he was right; she was exhausted. She yawned as she slid into her coat and grabbed her bag.

The walk home at four in the morning was never a fun one. On days when she could hardly keep her eyes open, it was worse. Usually, she walked half of the way with Mindy. Other times, like that night, Mindy found a man willing to take her to his house. So, Leah headed down the sidewalk alone, clutching her purse with one hand on her pepper spray.

She was saving up to try to get her car fixed, but now, she might need a new one. That thought got her thinking about money again. She needed a car; she and Amelia needed an actual place to live, not some rundown motel. She took a deep breath and realized she needed a second job.

She clutched her jacket tighter around her, not because of the chilling night breeze but because she once again felt like she was being watched. This feeling was familiar, but not the same way ’s stare felt; this felt more menacing and calculating.

Shaking her head, she quickly decided that she was imagining things. Her past had made her paranoid, and she needed to get a grip. So, she turned her thoughts back to the problem of finances. Maybe she could find a job during school hours.

She would just have to take a nap when Amelia got home. She sighed, hating the idea of losing the little time she had had with her daughter. Leah could find a place to work the three nights she wasn’t at the club. She could work six to four like she did every other night.

All the brainstorming at that hour wouldn’t do any good, though. Leah was too tired to think properly and knew she was better off waiting till the next day. For now, all she wanted was to get home to her daughter.

The manager at the hotel was a sweet old lady who lived across the hall and had already watched Amelia most nights. Leah hated leaving her daughter alone but asleep, and with the manager right next door, she knew her little girl was safe.