010: The Club

Lara

Kearwood is just as I remembered it.

It's what people like to call a cosmopolitan city. A lot of different types of people can be found around here, and Lycans love this place. I vividly recall my father coming here for business trips when I was younger. I never knew what he was coming to do, but it's a name I've not forgotten. 

It makes sense that Ambrose has a strip club here. It is said that people are more open-minded here.

I've been raised to look down upon such things. Prostitution. Stripping. Dealing drugs. But the man who taught me to never indulge in such things abandoned me and didn't care if I lived or died. He's a man with no moral compass, like all Lycans. I'm not against to the ways of the world. When I was living in the streets, before finding Elwood, a lot of women I encountered had to use sex as a means to an end. I never considered it because I was pregnant and wouldn't want to harm my baby in any way,  but I saw it happen. Saw women climb inside cars of men who didn't even look clean just for the opportunity to make some cash. It seems stripping doesn't involve having to sleep with anyone. It's still not an easy job. I know I'll have to dance scantily dressed, or maybe even without clothes?

Am I ready to face such a thing?

Ambrose is a Lycan but claims to be different. Should I believe him? Usually, I would never trust a Lycan, not in a million years. But something about him almost forces me to trust him. Is it because of how he helped me with the shop owner? Is that why? Maybe. I should've run away a long time ago. This might all be a scheme to capture me and enslave me in some way. And what about Ander? People harm kids, too.

All this thinking makes me nervous.

I glance at Ander. He's staring out the window at the passing buildings in absolute awe. We were here last night, and it was too dark and not long enough to see everything. But today, there's plenty of light and we're driving through the main parts of the city. 

There are a lot more people than I thought. It seems that when they say a city isn't 'big' it simply means that it's not as big as the other more metropolitan ones. Whenever I think small, I think Elwood, so maybe I'm the wrong one here. 

I take a deep breath as I look back at Ambrose's car. Goddess, I don't want to imagine myself here. It's not at all healthy because I don't know if I'm going to accept it. I might not like the environment or end up finding it unsuitable for Ander. He's my priority and I'd rather taken him back to Elwood where it's at least safe and where we're known rather than take him to a place that could scar him emotionally and psychologically. 

"This place is pretty cool," he tells me before looking at me. "Is the job you're getting here?"

I keep my eyes on the road. "I don't know if I'm taking the job, okay?"

"Is it a nice job? What kind if job even is it?"

Goddess. Here it comes. Once he starts asking questions, he doesn't stop. "I'll find out when we get to the place, okay? No more questions."

Seven minutes later, Ambrose is parking his car outside a nondescript building. The walls are painted white and there's no sign on the walls anywhere that suggests that this is a strip club. Ambrose gets out of the car and I do the same. He smiles at me pleasantly and says, "I'll show you to your apartment first. Is that okay? Maybe you can bring your son in. Take a look around."

I shove my hands in the pockets of my jeans. "I think I'd prefer it if he stayed in the car."

"He's safe here," Ambrose guaranteed me. "He won't see anything. And in the case that you think I mean you harm, then wouldn't you say that it's better if he's beside you? Anything can happen to him out here. You should've thought of that before you even came here."

Technically, he's right, but that doesn't make me feel less scared. 

"It's up to you," he ultimately says. "I'll stand by whatever decision you make."

I decide to bring Ander with me. I put an arm over his shoulder. He looks at Ambrose curiously, which makes me wonder what he's thinking right now. What does he think about Ambrose? Despite his age, Ander is a great judge of character. Better than me sometimes.  

We don't have to enter the main building to make it to our apartment. It can be accessed from outside. We climb up a long flight of metal stairs right on the side of building. It zigzags all the way up. My legs are burning by the time we reach the top. The door is made of very dark wood. He simply turns the knob and pushes it open. He gestures for the two of us to go inside and says, "I never felt the need to lock the door, but naturally, you'll get a key if you decide to move in."

The lights are turned on and Ander gasps. The apartment is a two-bedroom one, and has a small kitchen and even a living area. It's completely furnished. In one room, there's a double bed and in the other, a single bed. The bathroom is clean and has everything we might need. Ander looks around more than I do, completely in awe. I grew up surrounded by luxuries but he didn't. The only house he's ever been in is grandmother Rose's, and although her home also has everything we could possibly need, most things are makeshift and not the real deal. 

Our toilet is on the ground and we have to squat to do everything. 

Here, that wouldn't be necessary, as there is a proper toilet. Sink. Bathtub. Shower. 

"What do you think?" Ambrose asks behind us. "The place is small but I think it'll be enough for the two of you. No?"

I turn around to face him. We have to really talk about my job now. This place is amazing and Ander's happiness is killing me. But I have to find out what I have to do and whether or not it's safe. If it's something that could affect Ander, then I'm out. 

"You stay in here, okay, honey?" I say to Ander. "I'll go with Mr. Logan inside the building and talk to him about my job. Don't venture anywhere, okay? I'll be right back."

My son nods, looking around distractedly. Ambrose and I leave the apartment and go all the way down. Once we're standing next to the cars again, he starts to talk. "I reckon you like the place?"

I sigh. "It's not the place I have to like."

"Yes. The job." He then scratches his cleanly shaven jaw and jerks his head in the direction of the man building. "In there. Look around, then, we can talk. I'll walk you through the whole thing but you'll have to get used to what you're going to do."

The metal door creaks when he opens it. As soon as I walk through the door, I realize that the interior is not at all similar to the exterior. We're currently in a corridor, and the walls are a velvety dark blue and there are fluorescent lights above. The floor is dark and I can't figure out what kind of material it is. 

I can hear the music from here. 

Ambrose closes the door and says, "Right down this corridor. We'll reach the main area."

He and I walk side by side. I'm a little nervous but swallow it down. The main area is exactly what I thought it would be. It's vast, and there's a big stage right at the center where women are dancing with only thongs. Their breasts are bare. On other sections, there are women pole dancing. Right at the center, there's a man with a long ponytail and a goatee watching them with his brows pinched together in concentration. When he sees us, he walks toward Ambrose with is hand out. 

Ambrose shakes his hand. He then turns to me and says, "This is Medwin. He's the instructor around here."

Medwin smiles at me. "Hello. Are you new?"

"We'll see," Ambrose answers before we walk past him. 

I catch the eyes of a few girls. They're just walking around with their breasts out. Goddess, will I be able to do this? I've not been naked in front of anyone in a long time. I wasn't even fully naked the night that Ander had been conceived. The only person who's ever seen me naked was my grandmother. 

"This is where you'll be working," Ambrose says. We're now standing in a spot that overlooks the whole club. He points. "Those closed door are the VIP sections. Someone will have to pay for you to dance for them."

"Men, you mean?"

"We have female clients, too," he answers. "We don't discriminate around here."

"And I'll have to do this?" I ask. " The dancing and walking around practically naked?"

Ambrose presses his lips together sympathetically. "It's the job."

"And the other part? The spying part?"

"If you can handle this, you'll be able to handle that part," he states. "You'll be dancing and we're hoping you'll catch your eye. Sometimes, he requests VIPs. Not always. But when there are new girls, he usually does. He never requests them again, so they failed to impress him. We haven't had a new girl in a long time."

"So, I talk to him or...?"

"Usually, you do. Small talk. Polite talk. Never about the family. Just to get some things straight: he's not supposed to touch you in any way. Not if you don't allow it. The first talk will have to be pretty impressive, though. I'll coach you the whole way. I'll tell you what to do and what to say."

"So, you want him to fall in love with me?"

"Most of the men talk business in front of the girls. They don't see them as threats. However, it takes time. You build a trusting relationship with him. But for that, he'll have to request for you more than once."

"I see," I answer, looking around. 

Ambrose asks after a while, "So, what do you think so far?"

I take a deep breath, release it, and then say, "My son really likes the apartment."

"I could tell."

"And the pay?"

"You get five thousand a week if you stay longer than that. Cash, and untraceable. However, we're only giving you two weeks to get this right. If he doesn't ask for you once within these two weeks, then I'm going to have to find someone else."

"Okay," I say firmly. "Okay. I'm in."

We shake hands. "Great. I'm glad I'll be doing business with you. Now, can you tell em your name?"

"It's Lara," I answer before I can stop myself. Maybe I should have given him a fake name. It's too late to take it back now, though. "Lara Jacobs."

"Welcome aboard, Lara," Ambrose says before we head back outside.