In The Devil's keeping

nside it-dancing, smiling, pretending. Sometimes I wondered if I'd always been here, in the stale perfume haze of Club Paradi

y be free. I wasn't sure what kind of freedom she meant-maybe the kind that came with

he girls fought over chairs like starving dogs. Powder floated in the air like fa

ed most

pt A

one raised their voice. She just handed me foundation when I ran out

red across my lips. "You don't cry on the floor. Cry

odd

I wore the

would want to haunt them. I didn't tell her how right she was-how

oins. His breath was hot and wet when

e edge of my hip with one thick finger. "Bet yo

I let him thin

und me backstage, peeli

igarette. "Don't let the regulars fall i

not s

u were. Just s

meone screamed in the back-either from pleasure or pain - it was hard to tell an

about this part when they recruit you. They say you'll ma

ait

new. When you age out. When your face loses its freshnes

the older girls-the ones with stitched lips and glassy

dnight when Dan

in the hallway, arms crossed

e. Offi

k-a flash of something I c

ers, past the screaming bathrooms. The club's heartbeat thumped again

whiskey and fake leather. He sat behind t

lf a drink. Did

low. "Clients ask for the girl with the silv

d not

ached his eyes. "But y

pulled out a photo. T

rom Brazil. Speaks little English

wn eyes and a tiger tattoo on her thigh. Sh

ow," Dante said. "Learn to work toge

ed and

waiting b

ewing gum. "Figures. She's hot, dumb,

ed to be

ile more. Laugh at their jokes. Touch th

ant to tou

hen you're in the

didn't care. She laughed loudly, moaned when they touched her, and slid

she made i

ing break, sweat s

he asked, voice

ea

sad. Are

ded.

head. "No one

e walke

ocker room, I c

dn't say anything, just walked past her. I didn't want to kno

About how she danced like someon

eren't so

t the wet pavement, I felt it again-that tight, invisi

ething from me and r

n steel

, but it made me feel real. I looked in the mirror and saw s

ked i

it

ar

s I be

could strip with grace and silence. Someone wh

es and whispered, "Don'

as coming. Something worse

eded to