Unassuming and inconspicuous, J steps from the hollowed hallway of the VIP floor, still rubbing his palms with a silken handkerchief. Trailing behind him are his henchmen, one of them sucking the remnants of the young woman from his teeth, and the other toting the sagging velvet sack in his fist.

All in a day's work.

A phrase he often repeated to himself after carrying out his jobs such as this. Rarely as gorey but all the same. He was an executive and executioner of sorts.

His employer's instructions were always simple. Regulate and eliminate whoever put themselves on their radar, which didn't usually involve yanking dead hearts and disposing of the husks of drug-addicted strippers in the Atlantic, but in a city like this, it was never hard to pick out the unruly of the herd.

And with the uptick in disappearances and bodies turning up all over downtown, J needed to bring his skills out of retirement.

His expression is stoic and as dauntingly beautiful as the darkest night as the flashing lights paint his fair complexion in veils of pink and blue. Bordome hardens his brow despite the intensity of the atmosphere but an enamoring aroma catches his attention the closer they draw towards the club's main floor.

Among all of the scents of lust, smoke, sweat, liquor, and blood calling to his thirst, existed one that stood out among the rest.

He paused at the top of the steps, causing his allies to stall behind him as he sniffed the air again.

A long deep inhale.

A whispered growl of an exhale.

"Hmmm...." His raspy hum of approval vibrates in his throat as he swallows.

"Exquisite..." he says with the point of his tongue caressing his canine, his shaded light eyes flashing with greed as he spotted the source of interest.

From across Pulse, Deja exits the dressing room with her backpack over her shoulder, squinting at the haziness that thickened the cool air flowing overhead on the main floor.

The club was at its normal capacity, music agonizingly loud with stage lights spinning cool and warm hues all over to kiss every surface.

Thankful to be in flat Nikes and not her heels anymore, she steps with purpose as she descends the stairs in her skin-tight leggings and cropped hoodie from the second floor.

Tonight was typical. The bottom of her bag sagged with her tips and her feet felt like lead with each downward step.

She wishes security a good night like she always did as she embarked on making her way through the crowd.

She soon finds herself at the bar a minute later and perches up on one of the swiveling seats. Her favorite bartender finds her immediately from across the way and they lock eyes.

"You off?" Crystal mouths and Deja nods in response.

She then gestures a tipping cup to her lips, earning a knowing nod from the curly blonde as she finishes up with the patrons on the other side of the bar.

Deja waits patiently as she glanced around, taking in the usual view of near-naked women bending over in men and some women's faces while they sprinkled their asses with cash.

Bottle girls worked the floors with their trays of sparkling gold Ace of Spades bottles most likely on their way up to VIP.

Her eyes followed one of the girls aimlessly as she approached the stairs leading to that upward section. Just as she began climbing them, an expensively suited male with two larger men flanking him passed her on their way down, and the leader exchanged a look with the scantily dressed bottle girl lustfully behind his dark shades.

As he descended the final step, he tugged at the lapels of his coat as he watched the parade of bottle girls and dancers walking by with mild interest.

He stands out due to his ghostly fair complexion, almost matching his hair that's pushed back as if someone had been running their hands through it all night but still managed to make it look stylish.

Even in the distance, Deja notes his sharp jawline and authoritative presence, highlighted by a sexy and expensive swagger as he steps casually down the stairs with his hands clasped as if he were cracking his knuckles.

He moves at a comfortable pace, scoping the scene and ignoring the music. The large accomplices exchange a word with each other, nodding affirmatively as they too observe the movement surrounding them.

Keen eyes scan the crowd as if they were looking for someone but not with any urgency to find them. Especially the shorter one of the three. Almost as if he didn't quite know who or what he was looking for, but was absolutely on the prowl.

They reach the main floor one after the other and one scans the club with a professional scowl on his face while the other leans in to say something to the most sauve of the three over the music.

VIP security keeps their attention ahead and around the club, pointedly not paying the three men any regard at their post.

Deja shifts in her seat, leaning forward to prop her elbow on the bar. From this short distance and in this lighting she didn't have to worry about looking overly interested in the men posted up near VIP.

Especially with all of the walking distractions floating about, but she still positions herself as if she weren't looking in their direction.

She vaguely wonders who the silver-haired gent was to be toting that kind of muscle at his wings. She'd seen all types.

Rappers. Singers. Actors. Bankers. Politicians. Dealers. Gangsters.

But this guy didn't really fit the build for any of those.

He looked fairly young despite the lack of pigment in his hair. From the way his suit fit him, he had a svelt build that could be accented by some lean muscles if she had to guess.

Suddenly , the object of Deja's attention glances in her direction, catching her gaze unmistakably before slowly removing his shades.

She tenses at his unwavering eye contact from the shadows, a familiar pull zoning her in on his stare despite not truly being able to see his eyes.

But she could feel them, slithering between the many feet scoring the scuffed tile and carpeted paths like a boa zoning in on its prey.

He perks his brow at the hazel-doe-eyed regard, the corner of his lip twitching into a smirk.

The iridescent scales of his imaginary seeker glimmer as it coils at her feet and the enigmatic stranger's eyes drop from her face briefly before locking back on her eyes.

His lips parted slightly and the venom-coated shine of his tongue flashed over his top lip, tasting the air the way a reptile would. Deja's breath hitched at the glint in his pupils as he slowly flashed the sexiest white-toothed smile she was sure she'd ever seen.

"Damn.." she whispers, unable to look away as the grin on her voyeur's face widens.

A poke to her side makes her flinch and she glances over just as Chanel is taking up the space beside her. She doesn't sit though, opting to rest her elbows against the glowing glass surface of the bar with her bare ass cheeks on display for anyone walking by.

She effectively, and appreciatively, blocks her view of the stark beautiful man in the distance and Deja blinks confusedly for a moment.

Noting the petite curvy Latina at her side, Deja exhales.

"Girl!" she exclaims as if to scold her for startling her and Chanel's jaw drops in a mischievous giggle. The look on her face had to have been funny from Chanel's laughter, partially drowned out by the music.

Deja sucks her teeth in annoyance and amusement before looking over Chanel's head towards the VIP entrance.

Not much to her surprise, the dauntingly attractive male and his escorts were long gone, leaving the stairway manned only by club security as it was.

"What are you still doing here? I thought you got off?" Chanel leans in to ask in Deja's ear when she turns back to her. She nods and leans to put her lips near Chanel's.

"I am. Just wanted a drink before I go."

"You already ordered an Uber?" Chanel inquires and Deja shakes her head sourly.

"Yeah but my ride got cancelled so..." She confirms and Chanel leans away with lifted brows.

"So what? You finna order another or take the train uptown? This late?" She asks over the music in concern and Deja shrugs.

"Yeah. It's not a long ride. Won't be my first time.." she waved her hand dismissively as she craned her neck to give the people nearest to her a quick scan before relaxing her forearms against the bar.

Chanel narrows her eyes at her for a moment, chewing the inside of her cheek.

"Hmm...well if you don't mind waiting another hour or so, I can go with you. I know you're new around here but riding the train this late isn't smart for a woman by herself. Especially one looking like you..." Chanel leans in to bump Deja with her hip, making the younger of the two scoffs.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she smirks and Chanel leans back just enough to give Deja a sizing stare.

"Bitch you know. Anyway...Just stick around and wait for me and I'll go with you." Chanel almost yells. Deja rolls her eyes at the offer.

She appreciated Chanel's concern and it kind of made her feel special to at least have one dancer at Pulse that didn't look down their nose at her. Being an only child, feeling like she had found an older sister figure in a Dominican stripper was a treasure compared to the type of mother she had.

A thought occurs to Deja and she turns to face Chanel, mirroring her squint.

"You don't even stay on that side Nel.."Deja lifts her brow and Chanel's lips curl up in a mini snarl.

"So? Don't you watch the news? People been getting snatched up and going missing for weeks around here. Like more than usual. You gotta be careful."

Deja pouts but doesn't think to protest. She'd heard and seen a few things regarding the missing person's reports popping up daily.

"Fine but what about you? How you getting back home? I know you don't wanna sleep at my place since I have Apollo..."

"Yeah, no.  I got hoes uptown. Mind your business..." she slaps Deja's hand playfully and as they share a laugh, Crystal approaches them finally with an exasperated look on her face.

"Whew....sorry DeeDee. Picky motherfucker made me remake his drink twice. What you want? The usual?"

"Yeaaaah hook me up." She smiles cutely and Crystal nods before looking at Chanel.

"Nel? You want one?"  She offers and Chanel shakes her head.

"Naw I'm good. I gotta be sober in these shoes or else I bust my ass.." she says bitterly as she leaned her cleavage to rest against the bar with a sigh. Deja smirks at her fondly before looking back up at Crystal as she pours her drink. Her eyes skimmed past her, noticing that the second bartender who usually held down the other end was missing, leaving Crystal to handle everything on her own.

"Damn C, where the hell is your help tonight?" She asks and the question seemed to amuse Crystal by the way she exhaled a breathy laugh.

"Good ass question." She huffs again.

Deja and Chanel exchange a look as Crystal hands her the freshly poured shot of clear before begrudgingly starting to wipe up a small spill on the bar.

"Ok..so what gives? Why you manning the bar by yourself on a busy night?" Chanel asks with a frown as Crystal wipes the glowing surface aggressively.

"Because Stephanie was a fucking no-show. Again."

Chanel wrinkles her nose at the response but Deja's expression remains stoic but engaged.

"Stephanie? Pretty girl with the blue eyes? She's been working here for a while.." Chanel notes as she rests her chin on her palm.

"Yeah well. Apparently long enough to think she can just not come to work and still have a job. It's the third night in a row she's ditched. Won't answer her phone or texts or anything." Crystal mirths bitterly, tossing the damp towel below the bar with a tired sigh.

She braves a look around the bar to see if anyone is trying to flag her down before continuing.

"It's cool though. I'll be glad when this new girl starts. Hopefully, she isn't a flake."

"New girl?" Chanel perks her brow and Crystal nods.

"Yeah, Benny said he hired a chick a week ago and she starts soon. Said she's nice on the eyes, pretty experienced and shit but I'll still be training her from the sounds of it."

Crystal turns just as a group of men approaches the other side of the bar, one of them lifting his finger the moment she accidentally makes eye contact with him.

She resists the urge to roll her eyes but doesn't put on her usual fake smile as she nods in understanding at the gentleman.

"I'll be back.." she mutters towards the two grouchily before turning away, switching her pert bubble butt in her cut-off shorts in the way she always did. Deja watched them jiggle mindlessly as she lifted her shot to her lips.

From beside her Chanel scans the club thoughtfully before regarding Deja.

"Hmm..Shame. I kinda liked Steph. That's how it is though." She says. Deja grimaces briefly at the burn of the alcohol as she swallows it as she looked over at Chanel.

"That's how what is?" She asks.

"Life. We get girls coming and going through here a lot. Some stick around. Some don't because they either can't handle it or they move on to something better.."

Deja keyed in on that part.

Something better. Something she was sure existed for her, but with rent being the way it was and her being able to save up a lot in a short amount of time working here, Deja didn't have an explicit need to move on yet.

The thought was nice though.

"Something better..." Deja repeats, too quiet for Chanel to hear from the way she didn't pay her much mind.

Just then, the house lights shift from around the club to focus on the main platform to bring all attention from other dancers and their patrons forward.

Deja's brow twitched a little as she turned in her seat, shadowing Chanel as her head swiveled upward toward the redirected
lights.

"The hell?" She scoffs as she looks around through the darkness. Deja keeps her her keen on the stage though as shades of pink and and white halo the curvy silhouette of a dancer as she ascended.

The intro of "Black Beatles" strums its synth melody in surround sound, accompanied by the occasional scratch and reverb effect from the DJ's platform.

"I suggest you mufuckas get them one's ready!" He says over the mic as if he had to. Every man and woman with money to throw was already nearing the stage as Diamond stepped up into the light, tossing 32 of her wavy blonde inches over her shoulder as she approached the pole.

Under the UV light effect casting over the stage, her sheer two-piece glows against her skin and all eyes are on her as she skillfully worked the pole.

She wows her audience with trick after trick, climbing high and twirling down into a bouncing split that is praised by a roar of cheers and a shower of crisp bills.

They litter the stage and her long legs sweep the cash around as she snakes her body over it, flirting with her eyes and arching her back to make her ass cheeks jiggle to the beat.

Among the many enraptured by the experienced dancer's skill and stage presence, Deja watched her.

She looked as unimpressed as she ever could.

Not that she was a hater because Diamond was working that stage and pole like the pro she was. And she was gorgeous, her God-given curves leaving anyone wanting more with how she moved them.

But, fuck her.

Hating ass.

"I gotta give it to the old bitch. She can move." Chanel snarks, turning to elbow Deja playfully before walking away, her large natural booty jiggling with every step.

With her half of a shot in hand, Deja sips and watches Diamond over the glass rim.

Still unimpressed.