Reyna's Anniversary Part 4 (Patreon)

***

Grace wanted to look away. She was embarrassed by the girl’s nudity. She was disgusted by their surroundings. It was early afternoon, and yet one middle-aged woman was grinding against a pole on a stage while three men - well past their prime - threw money at her. The whole place was … indecent. No. More than that. The whole place was a siphon, a drain on dignity and beauty and strength.

And yet.

Esmerelda moved her hips slightly to the right and left when she was talking, like someone bobbing back and forth on their feet, but with each sway, her belly button piercing caught the light. It dangled back and forth with the hips, reflecting the pale blue light of the club. All of Esmerelda’s piercings did this. They glimmered and danced along Esmerelda’s body, and the girl wasn’t even trying. She wasn’t even on stage, in front of all those people, under those lights, moving her body to make sure she glowed. 

She looked so pretty. 

“Ms. Laurence?!” shrieked Esmerelda. She almost dropped her tray in her excitement. 

Grace blushed as the moment came back to her. She was in a strip club. With a strange woman. Caught by Esmerelda. Esmerelda whom she helped, and yet this is where she ended up. Another failure. Like Guadalupe. 

“Esmerelda,” said Grace, faking enthusiasm poorly. 

“What brings you here?” 

Grace nodded to Reyna. “A meeting.” 

“Strange place for a meeting,” said Reyna. “But I can see why if you know the dancers.” Reyna smiled at Esmerelda. “I love your piercings, darling.” 

Esmerelda laughed as thanks and twirled. She sparkled as she moved, and Grace caught that she had copious layers of glitter all over her. But it wasn’t just the glitter that shimmered. It was the piercings as well. She was like a disco ball with tits and no top. 

“Thanks,” said Esmerelda as she stopped herself. “I’m thinking of getting another.” 

“Where?” asked Reyna. 

The dancer shrunk as though she was blushing, but it was impossible to tell under the strange lighting. “Somewhere private.” 

“Not much is private for a girl in your work.” 

Esmerelda shrugged. “Guess not. Come to a show in a few weeks and see if you can find it.” Reyna laughed, and Esmerelda turned her attention back to Grace. “Do you have meetings here often? I’ve never seen you here before.” 

“Not often. N-no.” 

“First time?” Esmerelda beamed. “I can get you a free dance if you want. I’d do it, but I can’t when I’m working the floor.” She turned around and waved over a large man in a polo shirt. The two started talking, but Grace didn’t hear what they said. The last thing she needed was a lap dance. Why would anyone want a woman to degrade themselves on their lap, let alone on a stage. This whole place was bizarre and perverse. 

And what if the other stripper was someone else she knew? 

What if she glowed like Esmerelda? 

“Like what you see?” asked Reyna. 

“What?” Grace snapped back and looked at the poised woman. 

“Can’t do it,” interrupted Esmerelda. “No freebies.” 

“Oh, right,” said Grace. “Too bad.” She said it automatically, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized what they implied. She blushed and sank into herself. This was stupid. She shouldn’t be here. Whatever Reyna wanted to talk about, they could talk about over the phone. She didn’t need to mortify herself for Reyna’s sick pleasure, if that’s what this was. 

“Grace,” said somebody, but she didn’t answer. She needed to think. Reyna clearly wasn’t interested in money. She would have sent her lawyer if she was serious about it. She wanted something else. What was it? To embarrass Grace? Well that was done. To ruin her reputation in the community? Probably also done. 

“Darling,” Reyna’s soft hand reached out and grabbed Grace’s. Grace yelped but didn’t pull her hand away. 

“What?” she snapped. 

“She asked what you wanted to drink.” 

“Uh … just water would be fine. Yeah. Water.” 

Reyna waved a hand, and Esmerelda walked away. Grace tried not to watch her go, but as she moved under different color lights, it was like she took on the color, her form flickering under the cheap lighting as she walked away. 

“Do you have any piercings?”

“What?” Grace turned and looked at Reyna. She had an amused smirk on her face, and Grace found herself wanting to punch it. Or run from it. Whatever she did, she needed to change the topic of conversation, to get this over with and get out of here. 

“Do you have any piercings?” 

“Um, just my ears.” 

“Shame,” said Reyna. “There’s something delightful about mixing metal with love making.” 

“What do you want?” Grace hoped it sounded confident. 

“I want a refund.” 

“I can’t give it to you. I barely pay rent as it is.” 

“There are many ways to repay me.” 

Grace started to talk but stopped herself. She wasn’t a courtroom lawyer. She didn’t have their way with words or wriggling in and out of deals like snakes. She didn’t know what Reyna wanted. What was Reyna interested in? Legal work? Doubtful. The only sample she had of Grace’s work was a failure. What else did she know about Reyna? She was powerful. Wealthy if she could pay for her servants to get propers papers. And she liked strip clubs? Was that to humiliate Grace or did she think this gross stuff turned her on? 

“What do you mean?” 

“Look at me, Grace.” 

Grace turned and looked at the strange woman. In the pale blue lighting, her eyes seemed to grow brighter. They were almost green in this eerie light, and in the half-darkness, they were brighter than everything else. Bright like Esmerelda’s piercings. 

“Have you ever considered getting more piercings?” she asked. 

Grace tried to talk, but her mouth wouldn’t form words. Her brain was stuck, trying to look directly into Reyna’s eyes. There bright. Too bright to examine. Something about them held her still, calmed her. 

“Perhaps your nose or your belly button? Those are more and more common this century.” 

Reyna’s lips barely seemed to move. They were plump with dark lipstick, but everything was dark in this light. Everything except Reyna’s eyes. 

“Maybe there are naughtier parts you want to unleash. Perhaps even as simple as your eyebrow of your tongue. Does that fascinate you?” 

Reyna’s eyes danced in the light. They seemed to sparkle and dance like glitter, like Esmerelda. She looked closer, trying to see what was happening. 

***

 What does Grace see in Reyna's eyes?