CADGE BY THE ALPHA

RA

, Gerald please,

me." He growle

ng you, please don

d with one hand while the other ripped my shirt of

ause it never helped, never made him stop

'll do anything,

th

into me, hard. I bit my tongue against the scream

, trying not to let him notice, closing around the TV remote first, too

tter o

en about it completely, and in that moment it

nt s

he way he always did when he tho

o his side as

and I grabbed the scissors off the side table and drove them into his shoulder

ent

get up but couldn't , and something in me that had been terrified

tle," he

ain, screaming as I let

Zara,

hands gripping my thighs, heart going absolutely crazy,

ell of perfume, sweat and cigarette smoke that had soaked in

h his clipboard, not looki

five," he sa

nds flat on my th

ut looking up from her phone, already fully beat, r

m f

ways sa

I'm alw

ing in your sl

ne, the costume all straps and shine, my natural hair pinned back tight. The scar above my right eyebro

ng the thin

t th

e at yourself like you're looking

cking my

e finally put her phone down and looked at me pr

een mo

wer as la

ths is eighte

straps, checking her own reflection beside mine,

did he

e to tell you he needs t

n talk

aid b

up my lip gloss, touched up my bottom lip, put

htening things that didn't need straightening, you

ng big l

day, won't say who it is, just keeps telling everyone to be on their best b

oks at you fo

just fact, "he wants the best girls on the floor tonight, which m

okings aren

hat to

wil

start with him tonight okay, just do your set, smile at whoever thi

how it

ing don't let your mouth get a

kept me aliv

uts and a week off the schedule," she sai

ss rattling the thin locker room walls, the crowd noise spiking

een m

for eighteen more mon

it is?" I said, mov

artenders that whoever it is came in a convoy last time, multiple cars, securi

ll the sam

ar

their money makes them God, same guy

tly made Marcus nervous, and I have never in

hit me full force, lights, noise an

Gia over my shoul

I couldn't quite read, somewhe

fice," she said, "Marcus cleane

second, then turned

I said, "you'r

ay," she called after me, "

e coming into view ahead

eels different," I