His Deceitful Queen

Chapter 6

Amaya's POV

My encounter on my lunch break was strange. The man that ran into me was so good looking and he asked me out. That didn't happen often. I had a boyfriend and I told him as much but lately it doesn't feel like I have one. I haven't even talked to him since he blew me off the other night. I wasn't going to text him or call him. He could get a hold of me. I wasn't the desperate clingy type. Not with him. The only man that ever made me clingy or desperate for his touch would never have anything to do with me again. It was my biggest regret in life but there was nothing I could do. They would have killed my brother, and I would have died protecting him. Without me he wouldn't have anything.

The office was getting ready to close when a delivery man walked in.

"Delivery for Alex," he said, holding a box.

"That would be me," I told him, smiling. I wasn't sure what it was, and I don't know why this person keeps sending me things but it's starting to give me stalker vibes.

I took the box and opened it up. There was a small note in it and the box was filled with my favorite cupcakes. Just looking at them my mouth started to water. I don't know the last time I had something like this. I set the note down, pulling one out and taking a giant bite out of it.

"Who are those from?" Kathy asked, walking up front.

"I'm not sure, but would you like one?"

"They do look good," she said as she took one out of the box.

After I inhaled the cupcake, I picked up the note and sat down at my desk and opened it. This time it said "you." It had nothing else on it. So far, I had "little mouse you" and I had no clue what any of this met but right now this person was treating me great and giving me the best of surprises and so I would keep letting it happen until I saw any red flags.

I went to lunch on Wednesday and when I pulled my phone out of my purse to go on my walk there was a text from a blocked number. When I opened it up, it was pictures of Ryan and what looked like a wife and child. There were several more pictures that came through and my heart sank further with each one. Him picking the little girl up and kissing her on the cheek and then him and the woman in a heated kiss and then her staring at him with so much love on her face.

I closed out of the pictures and pulled up his number and hit send. If I waited any longer I would just cry. Not that I loved him or anything but for him leading me on like he did. Now everything made sense. His random times to call and rarely being able to go on a date and always had to come back to my place.

"Hey baby," he said, answering the phone.

"You f*****g lying piece of s**t. Does she know?" I yelled into the phone.

"Baby, calm down. I don't know what you're talking about?"

"Calm down. You have a family; you are a lying piece of s**t. Don't f*****g call me again," I yelled and hung up the phone and swiped away the tear that fell in anger.

"Whoa, I was hoping to see you again, but remind me to never get on your bad side," said the same voice from the other day. The same man who asked for my number and asked me out. God he was good looking.

"Don't cheat and lie and I won't be so mad."

"How about I buy you lunch to redeem men across the country and also you look like you could go for a good meal." he said giving me his dazzling smile.

"Only to redeem mankind, otherwise I would have to become a lesbian." I said and he burst out laughing and we started walking down the street to a sandwich shop.

We both ordered and he paid thank God because I knew I only had enough money in here to cover my sandwich and nothing else. He also added chips and a drink, and we went and sat down.

"I'm Jake by the way," he said and stuck his hand out to me to shake. I placed my hand in his and his hand dwarfed mine. It made me feel small and secure in a way. It was ridiculous to feel that way when I had literally known him for a total of ten minutes, but he was big and strong and something about him just screamed safety.

"I'm Alex."

"Well Alex, it's nice to finally meet you. OK, so I have this weird thing and anytime I'm eating with someone I place my phone upside down on the table and so does the other person, so you know that you have each other's attention," he said giving that smile of his again and placed his phone upside down and I did the same. I kind of like that idea.

We both started eating and I was trying not to inhale my food, but it was hard because I was starving, and it tasted so damn good.

"Alex, what do you do for work?" he asked between bites and my food went down hard.

"I work at the doctor's office around the corner. How about you?"

"I work in security." he said and that made sense. Maybe that is why I felt so safe with him.

"That sounds fun," I said, and he laughed, making me laugh.

"I wouldn't say that it is fun. It's actually kind of boring, but it pays well."

We finished lunch with some general chit chat and then he walked me back to work, where he managed to get my phone number from me and promised that he would text me later.

I finished out the rest of my day with the biggest smile on my face. I may have been played by Ryan, but meeting Jake seemed like it was meant to be. What are the odds of running into him on the streets when I had been working here for almost a year and never seen him before.

By the time I got home Jake had texted me and we spent most of the evening texting and he asked me out for Friday, and I hated that I had to turn him down, but I had to prepare for my dance. This job was too important. I asked if he could make lunch on Saturday instead and he quickly agreed, and I felt better about it because that meant I would get another meal and I would get to see him again. I did feel a little bad and like I was using him but damn a girl likes to eat real food once in a while.

I went for my normal walk on Thursday and Friday, but I never ran into him. I was bummed each day, but he was always quick to text me every morning and each night. I always woke up in a good mood and he always made me sleep easier. I was quickly falling for him, and I knew I shouldn't because I couldn't get that serious about anyone because one day he was going to get out and I knew he was going to come for me, but I still had years until that happened. I could have fun for now.

Friday night I showered and shaved everything and prepared as much as I could. I read the requirements for tonight. I would have a three-minute time slot along with any other girl that showed up. We wouldn't be tipped and any girl that impressed the owner would be asked to stay for an interview. It was a little odd way of doing things, but I didn't care. I needed this job and so I would be pulling out all the best moves I had.

I took the subway like usual to a better part of town and it was much safer, also would have higher end customers who would hopefully pay more. If I could get enough tips here maybe I could breathe just a little easier.

I walked into the club and there were ten other girls that were lined up to go to the back. The website said to line up here. There were men here already drinking and I could feel their eyes on me. They all gave me the creeps but as long as they paid well, they could look all they wanted.

We were finally allowed into the back and shown where we could get ready and that we had thirty minutes until it started. The other girls were all pretty quiet and kept to themselves. You could tell who had done this before and who hadn't.

"Are you nervous?" one girl leaned in and asked me.

"No."

"Oh, I am."

"Must be your first time?"

"Yes, but I'm desperate for money."

"Just don't look at them. Keep your eyes on the wall in the back." I told her standing up as they were telling us to line up. One girl was before me. The announcer came on and started the introduction. We were just labeled as girl one and girl two and so forth and so on.

We could see her go from where we were, and she was good but not as good as me. When her three minutes were up, I walked up to the end of the stage and strutted my stuff down the stage to the pole. I slowly pulled my leg up over my head and spun around the pole and then like I did with the masked stranger I flipped up on the pole and swung around. The crowd went wild and continued with my dance.

When it was over I bounced off the stage feeling great about things.

"That was amazing," the same girl that asked me if I was nervous said as I walked by and tried to put my top back on.

"Alex, a word," some man in the back said and I walked over there.

"That was great. You've done this before?" he asked.

"Yes sir."

"Are you still working for your old place?"

"No, sir."

"You're hired, can you start tomorrow night?" he said.

"Well, I have a few questions. Like tips, wages, security, and if someone wants a private dance do I have to pay security?" I asked and his face scrunched up.

"I don't know where you were working before but here you keep all of your tips, and you will never have to pay for your safety. There are no wages. What you make in tips is what you make, unless you want a waitressing job?" he asked.

"No sir. I can be here tomorrow, what time?"

"Nine. Be ready to go on stage at ten. You will have two sets that you do nightly and if you want more we offer group dances you can participate in but you have to learn the moves but I don't think it will take you long," he said with a smile on his face as he looked me up and down.

"Thanks sir."

"It's James." he said and walked away to go watch the next girl. I went and grabbed my bag and started pulling my normal sweats and sweatshirt.

"Hey new girl, don't get any ideas, I headline here, and you better stay the hell out of my way," said some women who I had no clue who they were but she sure as s**t didn't like me already.

"I'm not here to press on any toes. I'm just here to work." I told her and she huffed and walked off the stage.

I got the hell out of there and went home to get some sleep before my lunch date tomorrow.