Private Dancer. Kimberly Dean

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      ‘Then bring bottled water and fans.’ He slapped the desk in annoyance. ‘We’re making progress, Alicia. We can’t stop now. Crowe and his depraved minions are on their heels.’

      Hardly. Leesha pressed her thighs together tightly. Bas wasn’t backing down. No, he was a fighter, just like she’d pegged him. He might use unusual tactics, but he’d stand his ground. Just look at what had happened to her when she’d tried to go toe-to-toe with him.

      Her face heated and she pulled her skirt and the ledger further over her knees.

      She still hadn’t got over what happened the other night. The feelings were still so close to the surface: the embarrassment, the horror – and the astonishment, the adrenalin and the bliss. She still couldn’t believe what she’d done, but dancing like that? Feeling those strangers’ hands on her? They’d brought her to such a sharp state of ecstasy, she still had to be careful how she walked or sat.

      Even this hard wooden chair was getting to her. She shifted in distress. She’d been so sensitive ever since it happened. It was as if an awareness had been lit inside her. She had a sexual side, a side that needed gratification.

      Apparently it had been starved for too long.

      ‘Please, you need to reconsider.’ She opened the ledger determinedly. ‘The number of worshippers in attendance on Sunday mornings has dropped significantly.’

      He waved off her worry. ‘We don’t need the meek or the non-believers.’

      ‘We need their offerings.’

      His blue eyes finally met hers. They were watery, but steely with fire. ‘Are people not tithing?’

      ‘Well … yes,’ she admitted. As far as their numbers had dropped, the actual dollars in the offering plates had gone up. The believers were showing their faith where it counted. ‘But we’ve got several comments on how radical we’ve become. We haven’t had any new attendees in weeks.’

      ‘Radical?’ That one word brought her father to his feet. ‘We’re fighting against evil.’

      Leesha rocked slowly in her chair. This was not how she’d wanted things to go. She’d hoped to approach this logically, to have a straightforward discussion, but she could see it was too late for that. He was committed to his cause.

      He rounded his desk, his blue eyes narrowing. ‘Has Lucifer touched your thoughts? Are you wavering in your commitment?’

      She wasn’t wavering. Her commitment was just to peace and understanding. She’d already lost one battle to keep that. ‘No, I’m just … Father, we haven’t worked on the bulletin yet for this Sunday’s service. You haven’t signed the checks for the gas or electricity bills. You haven’t spoken to Jeanne about the hymns you’d like her to play. Have you even thought about your sermon?’

      He bristled with indignation. ‘I will speak as the spirit moves me.’

      Which wasn’t a good thing. He could be a powerful speaker when he planned his services, so eloquent and moving. She hadn’t seen that side of him for a while now. He’d become so myopic. ‘I just think we need to spend less time at the Satin Club and more time here.’

      He stood over her, frowning. ‘Did those men at the club get to you? Are you fearful, child?’

      Fearful, uncertain, excited – it was hard to tell which way the adrenalin was pulling her.

      He knelt before her, taking her hands. ‘Evil can be frightening when you stare it in the face, but we must be strong together. We can’t tremble or let them separate us.’

      ‘Dad, you know I’m on your side.’

      There were still questions in his eyes, worry for her. She took hope in that worry. For the first time in a very long while, he was looking outside himself. Vesting himself in something other than hate and vengefulness.

      ‘Let us pray together,’ he said.

      She bowed her head, warmth filling her chest.

      ‘Father in heaven, help strengthen our resolve in the face of darkness. Help us cast out the demons. We are your servants, Lord, your soldiers. We will be strong in your stead.’

      He gripped her hands so tightly Alicia winced, but then he was pushing himself to his feet. He bobbled slightly when his arthritic knee seized up, but grabbed the back of the wooden chair and pushed himself upright. He lifted his Bible high. ‘Let us be off to meet with our fellow soldiers.’

      Stand on the picket line with Bas and Remy watching her through their security cameras?

      ‘Maybe I’ll stay here, just for today,’ Alicia hedged. ‘I have a lot of work to do.’

      ‘Nothing is more important than standing tall against your fears.’ He grasped her by the arm and pulled her upright.

      She caught her ledger before it tumbled onto the floor. This wasn’t working. Instead of getting him to back down, she’d got him charged up.

      There was a spring in his step as he pulled her towards the door. ‘We will win this fight, you and I together. In a few weeks’ time, the Satin Club will be no more.’

      ***

      The Satin Club was hopping by the time Alicia made it there that night. She could see the cars in the parking lot and hear the muted beat of music. She was nervous and uptight as she parked her car at the diner next door. They’d instructed her to park behind the club, but she couldn’t be caught there. She didn’t want anyone to know where she was. How could she ever explain?

      For a long moment, she sat in her car just staring at the building. The desire to run was so strong. They had to have seen her on the picket line with their security cameras and spies. Would Bas be angry with her? She hadn’t got her father to budge, although there’d been no microphone or speakers today. She hadn’t lived up to her end of the bargain on that, but she was here.

      She was going to dance.

      Her stomach clenched. Just dance. Without any clothes, perhaps, but she was not getting back into that cage. There would be no extra-curricular activity tonight, even though her nipples were pinching and her hips were loosening. She was here to entertain … visually, with no touching allowed.

      She blew out a breath. ‘A month of this?’

      There was no way her nerves could take it.

      Before she could chicken out, she got out of the car. She could feel the eyes upon her as she made her way to the club’s back entrance. She keyed in the code she’d been given, but hesitated when she opened the door. On the other side of those red satin curtains, the place wasn’t so lush. The hallway was dark and intimidating. It was industrial with hard floors and metal shelves. The music had a melody now, but it sounded hollow. She wrapped her arms around her waist. Really, it was like the backstage of any other theatre where she’d performed, but she wasn’t comfortable here.

      She stayed near the exit as she contemplated what to do next. She couldn’t just walk out into the performance area. How could she show her face? The last time she’d been here, she’d СКАЧАТЬ