When the music began to fade and blend into another song, Laurie took her cue and strutted off the stage. A round of applause followed her and Candy took her place.

As Laurie watched Candy from backstage, a hand roughly squeezed her shoulder from behind. Jumping slightly, she turned around and quickly moved away from John. She decided not to make a scene.

He pursed his lips and scolded her. “You’re supposed to strip, Laurie. You didn’t take off your bodysuit. Next time you take it off, comprende?”

Laurie slumped a little and nodded. Her anger was helplessly trapped inside like a furious bee behind a glass window, trying to get out, and just as ineffective as one.

“Good,” John continued. “Your set was pretty good toward the end, but most of it was crap. Did you practice today?”

“A little,” she lied.

“Go onto the floor and watch the other girls. Learn from them.” His tone was non-negotiable.

Laurie hated being practically naked in front of him, in front of everyone. “Can I put on some more clothes?”

She already knew his answer. Her question was a tiny act of defiance.

John burst into sarcastic laughter causing some of the women to stare curiously. “No,” he sneered. “Nick, take her to the floor,” he snapped.

Nick, the thin kidnapper whose toes she’d stamped on, led her across the floor and Laurie followed, feeling vulnerable and exposed. She looked straight ahead and avoided being distracted by the leering faces and comments from the men around her.

When motioned to sit, Laurie cautiously perched on a seat at the bar while Nick leaned against it but remained standing. She watched the performances as directed to.

Candy was finishing her set to roaring applause and Sindy came on. Instead of doing a strip tease, she whipped off her tiny scraps of clothing, stuck out her tongue, and motioned obnoxiously while landing in a perfect split.

Though she was met with hoots and hollers of excitement, Laurie thought her act was horribly vulgar. As Sindy continued being gross on stage, Laurie’s thoughts wandered to the most beautiful man she’d ever seen in the front row and wondered why he needed to come to a place like this.

Couldn’t a guy like that have any woman he wanted in the real world? Why come to a place where women were paid (or kidnapped in this case) to take off their clothes? Her gaze slid toward him…and he wasn’t there.

Where’d he go?

Trying to be subtle, without swinging her head around, Laurie’s eyes bounced around the room, but she didn’t spy him anywhere.

A deep, smooth voice that melted Laurie’s insides suddenly caught her attention. “Can I buy you a drink?”

Mr. Cobalt Blue was standing right beside her! His magnetic presence, so much more powerful up close, drew in all her senses.

She soaked up the tiny flecks of black and gold in his eyes, the small but attractive bump on the bridge of his straight nose, the high cheekbones and bronzed skin, and the deep cleft in his chin and his soft lips.

His neck was strong and perfect for nuzzling and she inhaled deeply of the hint of sandalwood and faint perspiration. His bicep muscles were hard and thick even without flexing….

“Ahem,” he cleared his throat. “Drink?”

For a long moment, Laurie had forgotten where she was. Somehow his presence did that to her. It wasn’t just his undeniable beauty and intelligent expression. His spirit seemed to beckon to her and instantly calm her.

“Sure,” she said quickly.

“What would you like?”

“Anything’s fine,” she replied, forgetting Candy’s advice not to drink.

Fortunately, he ordered her a plain 7Up. Smiling he said, “Thought you’d be thirsty after your set. You were great by the way.”

Uncontrollably, she smiled back, then her face pinched up as she remembered her boobs were practically hanging out and she was sitting on a barstool in a thong! How could she have forgotten? Closing her eyes, she wanted to disappear.

“Are you okay?” He sounded concerned.

She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. “No,” she whispered. Her eyes popped open, and she looked directly at her kidnapper across the stage as he glared at her. She’d somehow sensed his hostile eyes boring into her.

“Angel?”

Her attention snapped back to Mr. Cobalt Blue.

“What’s your name?” she asked, smiling shakily. Wasn’t she supposed to charm the customers? Try to get them to buy a private dance? She’d rather focus on this handsome customer and fantasize that she could leave with him than live in the reality of being held captive in this strip club a moment longer.

What if she took him into a private room and told him what was going on here? Would they really kill her? Could she trust this stranger who seemed so kind to discreetly help her?

He lowered his head near hers and his musky scent suddenly filling her senses made her nearly swoon. Softly, he said, “Alejandro. Yours? I know your stage name’s Angel, but your real name?”

It was on the tip of her tongue to say, “Laurie Winters. I’m being held against my will. Please help me,” but before she could, Nick rudely cut in, “So you want a private lap dance or what? Don’t take up the lady’s time unless you’re gonna pay.”

Alejandro assessed Nick in a cool manner and said, “I’ll pay for a private dance with the lady.”