The Devil's Disguise

Chapter 2

I blinked. Once. Twice.

"Come again?" I muttered, not at all able to hide the disbelief in my tone.

"Rafael Knight wants you, doll. Come on. Don't just stand here, show our man a good time!" She shook me by the shoulders, and her words finally sank in.

Oh. My. God.

It actually happened. 

He asked for me. Why? I didn't even think he found me attractive.

The customers behind me definitely did, though, as they started booing.

"Now, now, don't worry boys," Elene quickly took over, practically shoving me out of the room. 

I frowned, taking a couple steps away, as I took a pencil from one of the guards outside my room and tied my hair into a bun again. 

"Where do I go?" I said more to myself, looking directly at the last spot I had seen him in. He wasn't there, obviously, and it took me a second to realize that he'd be waiting in the private suite. Of course he wasn't going to sit in that small room and watch me. He was Rafael Knight. He did everything with a certain class.

Although, this club was far from classy. Anywhere else, people would have swarmed around him, and cameras would be clicking. In here, people were more concerned about the problems they came here to forget, than caring for a practical celebrity. Most men here were extremely drunk, and those who weren't, were sure good at pretending to be. 

"Why are you still here?" Elene hissed behind me, making me flinch. "Come on," she grabbed my wrist, and started to lead me towards the back. "Do you even know how much money you could earn through this? What happened to the dinner you promised your mom?" she scolded.

"Lunch," I corrected, trying to clear my head. She was right. Allowing myself to think about him was making me nervous. He was just another customer. And even though I wouldn't be at the comfort of my normal room, I could easily pull it off. Pull everything off. Right in front of him.

Lord, stop.

We stopped in front of a door, and I could feel the cool air from the air-conditioner seep out from under the door. It sent a shiver through me, and I took a deep breath as Elene turned me to face her. 

"Listen to me, Rosie. You make him come back here again, and I will reduce my commission from your tips to thirty five percent. He's a freaking billionaire. He can load us both up. Do you understand me?" She looked me deep in the eye as she said those magical words.

A smile crawled onto my lips. "You're on, boss."

Her eyes ran down my body, and her expression mirrored mine as she stepped back. "Now you look like my girl. Go on in, and do your thing. May the Lord be with you."

She loved teasing me about my religious choices, in spite of the 'unholy' work I did. I rolled my eyes, but my smile widened for sure. "You got it."

I made my back straighter, and entered the room. Here goes nothing. It was now or never. 

And then I froze up once again, my breath almost catching in my throat.

Rafael Knight was cheating. This wasn't what I expected. 

I stared at him with my mouth slightly parted as I closed the door behind me, shamelessly taking in his new appearance. He had ditched the coat of his suit, leaving him in a plain white button down. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing the veins on his forearms, and his hair was a disheveled mess as he ran a hand through it. His tie had been loosened, and the first two buttons of his shirt were undone, allowing a peek at his toned chest. Rafael smiled, making himself more comfortable on the sofa as he stared back at me, proceeding to completely remove his tie and slowly wrap it around his palm.

Why would he do that? Was he playing a game with me here? I was supposed to be the one turning him on, not the other way round. 

Heat pooled up in my stomach, and I gulped, brushing away the loose strand of hair from my face.

"Hey there, Rosie," he said, standing up from the sofa, leaving his rolled up tie on it. His height made the room look smaller, as he sauntered towards me. I immediately noticed the difference in his demeanour, that 'gentleness' now absent from it. His aura was predatory, and I didn't realize it until my back touched the door. Rafael c****d up an eyebrow, taking a step back. "I'm sorry, am I... frightening you?"

Breathe. JUST BREATHE.

I shook my head. "It's just weird standing in the same room as someone who is a celebrity. You're not frightening, but you're definitely more intimidating than my other customers."

He let out a chuckle, that earlier darkness from his attitude evaporating into the cool air. He was more laid back as he stepped closer again, and this time I did not feel like making any space between us. "Is there anything I could do to make you more comfortable? You can refuse me your services if you want, I already paid your boss."

My eyes narrowed slightly. "There isn't anything you could do, but I do have a question for you. If you don't mind answering it."

"As long as you don't ask me the pins to my accounts, sure."

I smiled, rolling my eyes. "Well, Mr. Knight," I stepped close to him, starting to feel back in my element, "I have other ways to find out those." I winked.

The corners of his lips curled into a smirk, as he leaned in slightly. "And what might those be?"

"I'd tell you, but I like to keep a distance from my customers here."

"Is that so?" He brought his hand near my face, bringing his fingers close enough for me to feel their warmth, but not actually touching me. "You don't make exceptions?" He lowered his hand back to his side.

"Unfortunately not."

"Hmm." He clicked his tongue. "So what was it that you wanted to ask?"

"Why me?"

"Why you what?"

"Why did you ask for me?"

He gave me a slow once over, his eyes glinting with mischief as they returned to meet mine. "Are you really asking me that? I'm sure you've looked in a mirror, Rosie."

"And I'm sure you've seen better," I shrugged, crossing my arms over my chest. "I'm no one to judge, but there are better clubs with prettier girls out there. Why here, and why me? You're Rafael Knight, after all."

"Let's just say," he closed the space between us, calmly holding the pencil in my hair between two fingers as he looked me in the eye, "I am habitual of having anything and everything I want. When it comes to the things that catch my eye, I don't care if people deem them as the very best or not." He pulled out the pencil from my hair, letting my hair fall to my hips once more. "Besides," he tossed the pencil aside, "I think you're really selling yourself short here. A body like yours belongs in far better places."

"Oh yeah? Like where?"

He smiled again. "Pressed against mine, maybe."

"I'd like that," I blurted, barely catching myself as I saw his smile widen, "or not." Heat flooded to my cheeks.

"Or not?" He raised his eyebrows.

"No." I shook my head. "I don't sleep with my customers. Not in here and not outside."

Rafael frowned, looking genuinely surprised. "You don't? Never?"

"No, I don't. I'm a stripper, a dancer. Not a hooker."

"Oh," he muttered, disappointment clear on his face.

"Yep, oh." I said teasingly.

His lips cracked into an amused smirk once more. "So... I can stare, but I can't touch. Is that it?"

"Mhm."

"Sounds like torture, don't you think?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Not really. You see, it earns us more money. Keep them curious, and begging for more."

"Hmm," he nodded in understanding, before chuckling and stepping away from me. "Go on then, don't let me stand in your way. Show me your moves."

"You may want to sit down for this one." I winked, making my way over to the speakers, and pairing my phone with them. I put on my favorite song again, and proceeded to dim the lights. More than him, I was the one who needed that. Staring at him too much would only freak me out. He was too pretty.

"Okay," he said excitedly, dragging out the last syllable as he plopped down on the black sofa again. He grabbed his glass of scotch from the small table beside him, his free hand moving smoothly through his hair once more. Those dark waves didn't seem like they wanted to be tamed anytime soon. 

I stood with my back towards him, before starting to slowly sway my ass from side to side. My hands found the curve of my hips, and teasingly trailed up, moving over my sides, and to my shoulders. My head was slightly turned, so he could still see part of my face, and I could observe his reactions to different moves from the corner of my eye. He seemed to like what he was seeing. 

A weird, fluttering pride bloomed in my chest, as I turned around to face him, slowly walking closer. I fulfilled the urge to lean in closer to him, placing my hand on the back rest of his couch, over his shoulder. My free hand took the edge of his rolled up tie, letting it unwind to its normal form, before I placed it around his collar and moved away, letting it slip from around his neck. He caught hold of the other edge and promptly tugged at it, his eyes narrowed dangerously. I gasped, almost falling on top of him, my lips missing his by a mere inch. His gaze flickered down to my mouth, and his own parted, before I quickly moved away from him again. 

This isn't what you normally do, Lara. Stick to the routine. I had to scold myself. 

I synced to the beat once more, and pulled down the zip on the front of my corset just a bit. It only revealed a bit more of my cleavage, but his reaction was clear. His expression became more serious, gaze clouding with clear lust. 

I felt goosebumps cover my skin, as I continued to dance, trying my best to keep my head clear. I didn't want to force it too much either, or it would ruin the ease with which I was expected to perform. However, someone up there clearly didn't want me to finish any of my dances tonight. 

My phone started to ring, cutting off the music. 

I froze, my eyes widening in confusion. The only people who had the contact number to this phone, were my mother, her nurse and her hospital. And she knew full well never to call me in these hours.

Rafael raised an eyebrow at me. "That's a bummer," he announced, looking slightly annoyed.

"I'm so sorry," I said, quickly rushing to disconnect my phone from the speakers. Just like I had feared, it was her nurse. "Just one second, I'm so sorry. This is from my mother's hospital. So sorry." I picked the call up, turning away from him. Normally, I'd walk out of the room to talk, but I didn't want Elene to be waiting for me outside and give me a huge scolding about this. "Hello?"

The woman started rambling the second she heard my voice, and I had to calm her down first. "I cannot understand anything you're saying, please talk slowly, Rachel." With every second, my heart was beating faster.

"I'm so sorry, I was in the washroom, and she hit her head. I swear I left for her like two minutes, I--"

"Oh my God, what happened?" I asked, starting to feel the tears in my eyes.

"Please come home quickly, Lara, I can't get a cab and she's bleeding a lot. Please just come home!"

"Okay, just--just stay with her, alright? I'll be there in fifteen minutes!" My voice had cracked by the end, and without wasting a second, I rushed towards the door. But before I could even open it, Rafael grabbed my wrist.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked as I turned my head to glance at him.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Knight, my mother fell. She's sick and I need to take her to the hospital. Please let me go," I begged, a tear rolling down my cheek. 

His expression turned into one of concern. "Do you have a ride home?" he asked softly.

"I'll catch a cab." I tried to get my hand free of his, but he only tightened his grip.

"Wait, I'll take you," he offered, opening the door of the room.

"What? Yo--You really don't have to, I can--"

"I was promised I'd get as long with you as I'd want," he cut me off sternly, "so I choose to spend a little more time with you." He took the liberty to pull up the zip of my corset, making me glance down at his hand and then frown up at him. "Let's go, darling, you'll get there faster in my car."

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Is Rafael hot or what? Stay tuned, guys. I'm loving this. Next update probably tomorrow! Follow me on I*stagr*m, @jamersy.dreame, and like my page on F*ceb*ok, JAmersy Writes.