.

The older gentleman greeted him, already reaching for a paper cup, “Morning.”

“Mornin’.”

Levi’s order, speech, and cadence were automatic and routine. One large pour over, no room for cream. He slipped in the code word as he always did. The man gestured to the back hallway as if reminding him where the bathrooms were.

It’d been so long since he took this job that the daily grind of his regular check-ins with his supervisor blurred together. A long-game routine that would eventually lead him to nailing the major players of a dangerous drug cartel.

And as time had dragged on in this city, you had become a part of his everyday environment. Blending into that same routine and background noise as everything else did.

You never looked up when he walked in. Whereas Levi’s eyes always cut to you first thing.

You sat at that same rickety table in your oversized black hoodie, headphones in, with the hood pulled low over your head. Your fingers aimlessly scrolling on your phone with tired, downcast eyes, as you sipped from your coffee cup.

Levi went downstairs through the hidden stairwell behind the supply door, into the basement, and through the bunker door.

Erwin greeted him with short words, already notating everything he had to report on. Levi quickly traded names, numbers, and timelines, before receiving his next lead.

And then, he came back up, finished his coffee and left.

And you were always already gone.

Until, one morning… you weren’t.

Levi finished up with Erwin early that day, walking back up the stairs at 4:26AM.

He pushed through the back door and paused.

You were still there.

Your hood was down now, revealing immaculately styled hair, and smokey makeup that accentuated the lines of your face.

Though your eyes, still held that shine of bone-deep exhaustion that he’d caught a glimpse of every morning before.

He’d always assumed you were grabbing coffee before a long shift. Now he thought that this was your routine stop after coming from one.

Levi’s eyes tracked as you lifted your coffee cup to your painted lips, sipped, and continued to scroll. His gaze lingered on the lipstick imprint left on the paper for a second longer than he intended, before he mentally snapped himself out of it with a tight jaw.

A break in the pattern.

* * *

Months passed of the same slow progress. Though, inch by painstaking inch, Levi felt himself drawing closer to his goal.

A new change of pace brought a jolt of excitement through him when Erwin relayed to him and his cohort, Miche, that they had a strong lead. And they needed to work it as subtly as they could.

Which found him here.

Levi stood outside the gentleman’s club with a barely concealed sneer on his face. He took a long pull of his cigarette, glowering at the flickering purple neon sign in the shape of a pin-up girl bending over.

The exterior of the building was grimy with one side of the building covered in graffiti and boarded up windows.

“Sure this is the place?” he murmured.

Miche shot him a slip of a grin, “Get that stick outta your ass.”

“Tch,” Levi flicked the smoldering end from his cigarette and crushed the cherry with the heel of his boot. “Gonna have to wash my clothes in disinfectant after this.”

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

“I’ll judge it how I please.”

They paid the bouncer for their cover, walked through the double doors-

And much to Levi’s relief, the inside was clean and polished, the walls painted in rich blues and purples, low lighting highlighting plush leather seating and an open bar area.

“Thank fuck.”

Miche snorted hard at Levi’s dryness and gestured for him to follow.

This lead had been secured by his cohort’s steady and slow infiltration into the mafia circuits in the old city. And tonight was about securing information on their latest drops.

Miche had found out that many of the top players liked to meet at this specific lounge. Something about one of the top boss’s cousins really enjoying one of the girls.

Levi didn’t care either way. He just needed these shit bags to talk.

After introductions, they took their seats around the main circular stage where a dancer had just finished her set, sensually, but efficiently wiping the pole down.

Levi sat back in one of the lounge chairs, arms crossed lightly over his chest, one foot propped up over his other knee. His eyes carded over the establishment with sharp intent.

But damn… he was so tired. He’d much rather be in bed right now.

The next dancer took the stage, rolling her body to slow, rolling music. Levi watched distantly, his gaze tracking the movement and timing.

He appreciated the art of the performance. The sheer skill required to even hold one’s body up to appear weightless in mid-air.

But his ear was locked onto the men seated next to him.

“…shipment moved through the docks Tuesday night,” the guy, Tommy, said in a lazy drawl. “Same route as before.”

Idiot.

Levi’s half-lidded eyes stared forward as the woman shifted into floorwork, platform heels glittering sharply under the spotlight.

He kept his posture relaxed as his fingers tapped against his thigh in slow, deliberate stops and presses.

I-10. Coast, Northwest.

Miche shifted, arm draped casually over the back of his chair, answering just as subtly.

Acknowledged.

He exhaled slowly through his nose, jaw tight. Every word out of this young guy’s mouth was a gift-wrapped confession, and Levi catalogued it with ruthless efficiency. Dates, names, cargo.

He watched as the dancer finished her set, collecting her earnings from the floor with a sultry smile as the men whistled and cheered around him.

Then a familiar song started to play over the speakers. The bass thrumming low and vibrating through the seats.

Anticipation in the crowd instantly buzzed like static.

A staple favorite?

…You stepped out on to the stage.

Levi froze.

Same eyes. Same face. Same mouth he’d seen press against the rim of a paper coffee cup every morning for months.

His eyes widened slightly as your long legs carried you forward with confidence. You were in nothing but a sheer maroon lace body suit. It clung to you like a second skin. Your cleavage and pierced nipples displayed like a teasing gift behind the intricate fabric.

Your eyes glittered, taking in the audience, as your hand grasped the pole with a firm grip and began to strut around it in controlled, purposeful steps to the beat. Matching eight-inch platform heels on your feet had you towering over the crowd like a vixen.

Your gaze swept through the room once, twice, and then landed on him. And just for a second, a shine of recognition flickered.

Your lips curled. A flash of white teeth.

Levi swallowed hard around the sudden tightness in his throat.

The song shifted and picked up a faster tempo. The bass ringing through the space that seemed to grow smaller by the second.

Your thigh hooked around the pole, and you spun into a climb, arms waving into deliberate sweeps to create an ethereal silhouette. Then you braced yourself using only your arms and core strength.

The beat dropped.

And you air-walked down the pole in a sinful spin.

The crowd erupted.

Levi. Could. Not. Look. Away.

The strength, the way every single one of your muscles and high planes gleamed in the low light. As you turned, he was helpless to trace how your perfect ass shifted as you moved.

Onlookers in the crowd moved closer, the chairs around the pole quickly filling up as people rushed forward. The men started building little pyramids of bills on the edge of the stage for you, watching you twirl with complete mastery.

You slid down and dropped to the stage floor in a wide butterfly split. Your shoes clacking right on the beat. Your grin wicked, sharp and gleaming. Bills rained down on you.

Levi had to forcibly pull himself back into focus by shifting in his seat. His ear re-trained on the men in their group, but they weren’t talking shop anymore.

They were too focused on you.

Miche leaned into his side and murmured with a sly grin, “God damn.”

Levi didn’t respond. Couldn’t.

The music shifted to your next song, and you slid to the floor on your chest. You arched your back, pulling your feet up. Sharp shoes swaying playfully in the air. The men all leaned in with hungry grins.

You rolled onto your back with complete intention and lifted your legs fully, powerful thighs and ass facing Levi and Miche’s group.

And then you slowly, teasingly, began to spread your legs in the air. And shifted them quickly so your ass jiggled and twerked.

The mobsters went wild, throwing bills onto your stomach, your breasts, as you grinned and giggled. Arms splayed behind you in complete abandon.

Holy fucking shit.

Levi… did not know how to handle this.

The way you were positioned, he got a very clear view of how tightly your little lace number was clinging to you. How your ass cheeks and muscles were shaking and jiggling made him want to sink his teeth into them.

And fuckin’ hell, was that… a piercing in your-

Levi snapped out of his dazed, heavy-lidded stare when you sat up quickly, heels slamming against the stage again to the beat.

You shifted so you were on your stomach again, elbows bracing your weight as you propped your chin coyly into your palm. Feet swinging playfully behind you.

You crooned to the mobsters with a grin, “Requests?”

His brain filled in the dots quickly.

They’re regulars. Big spenders. She’ll try her best to cater to the group. It has nothing to do with me.

And yet…

Your eyes carded over to him again. The dark, appreciative gleam in them was clear.

Performative. That’s all.

…His cock had different opinions on that matter.

One of the men grinned crookedly. “Grab trick?” He gestured with a thumb to Tommy, “My friend here hasn’t seen it.”

“’Course baby.” You threw them all a wink before rolling over slowly and hopped up into a squat. Then straightened and strutted over.

You pointed to the young man, sitting there practically vibrating in his crisp black suit.

“This your special friend?”

The requester nodded with a grin. Tommy leaned forward with damn near feral anticipation.

You turned with a slow grin, your back to them all, and then threw over your shoulder on a sultry call, “Blink and you’ll miss it.”

You sank into a deep squat, flicked your hips out once, and grabbed the whole pyramid of bills with your ass cheeks. And strutted away.

The room lost its damn mind.

Sound crashed over itself as men shouted and laughed. More money rained on you like confetti as you shifted back to the pole for the next number.

Someone pounded the stage hard enough that the bouncer moved closer out of habit. Miche barked out a laugh, clapping loudly for you.

The bass rattled Levi’s ribs hard as he stared in utter disbelief at this creature on the stage.

He needed to re-focus. He needed to stop watching so damn closely. He needed-

Tommy nudged him in the shoulder with his palm. Levi tensed, stopping himself from immediately reaching out and snapping the young man’s wrist.

He jerked his chin toward Levi, eyes glittering with alcohol and ego.

“Oi,” he jeered. “You need to loosen up, my guy. What? Don’t like the girls?”

Levi turned his head slowly, leveling the young man with a flat stare. Tommy’s grin faltered slightly, eyes taking on a wary shine.

Then Miche laughed warmly, his hand coming down to clap Levi lightly on his other shoulder.

“He’s the quiet type. Don’t mind him.”

The young man loosened again, his grin stretching wider, before he pulled out a thin stack of crisp hundreds, flicking them between his fingers.

“Baby!” he called out over the din of bumping music. “Come show my new friend something special, would ya? He needs it bad.”

Levi’s spine went rigid.

Absolutely fucking not.

His lips parted on a forming scowl, refusal already crawling up his throat-

Miche nudged him with a friendly, casual: “Go on, Levi.” He grinned. “Lighten up.”

His eyes spoke differently.

GO. WITH. IT.

Levi exhaled slowly out his nose, jaw tightening as he leaned back into the seat. His hands unclenched one finger at a time from the leather armrests, forcing his body into stillness.

You paused, and grinned slowly at Tommy. Then slowly sauntered back, heels clicking, hips swaying to the beat of the music.

With a deep lean, you crooned, “How special we talkin’?”

He spread the hundreds in a fan, and waved them at you, “About ‘this’ special.”

You tilted your head slightly, your wicked little smile still in place.

“That’ll get you a peek-a-boo.”

Levi deadpanned, “A what-a-what?”

Before Tommy could answer, or Levi could blink, you flicked your gaze over to him and sank into a deep squat on the stage, right in front of him.

“Wanna find out?” You purred over the music.

Miche crowed with a huge grin. Levi snapped his face to him with a glower that could have frozen lava.

But in that moment of distraction, you had pivoted yourself to sit, scooting to the edge of the stage. And one of your long legs came out and down to gently settle your platform heel on Levi’s shoulder, the barest touch. And then hovered above it.

Levi flinched and whipped his gaze back to you, eyes wide.

Your grin was sin.

“Pay attention. Sir.”

He was stuck. Brain empty.

You brought your leg back to sit into a low squat again, before you leaned back, bracing your weight on your palm behind you, rolled your hips, and dipped your hand down to the inline of your lace body suit.

And moved the fabric aside.

Levi almost swallowed his damn tongue.

Because one: He was correct. You were pierced.

And two: You were wearing a pink crystal butt plug.

You rolled your hips in cyclical figure eights, the jewel through your clit and the bedazzled ass toy glittering in the spotlights.

He knew he was gawking and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.

“Peek-a-booooo.” You sing-songed with a wicked grin.

Miche cackled and the other men went nuts.

Levi felt heat rising quickly up the back of his neck and straight to his ears. And the rest of the blood in his body was fully diving south.

Fuckin’ hell. Abort. Abort-

Tommy leaned in heavily into Levi’s side, voice loud and obnoxious.

“I think he needs a little more, gorgeous!”

Levi closed his eyes slowly, latching on to every single droplet of his remaining will power to not gut and filet this utter man-child.

He heard you giggle, almost melodically, “Private rooms require much more green than that.”

Levi opened his eyes again in time to see Tommy throw out a thick stack on to the stage next to your thigh.

His brain stalled for a second.

What the fuck was this man’s deal? That was at least a full three grand he just threw down.

You wasted no time snatching up the bundle and tucking it into the halter piece of your lace body suit.

“Done, baby.”

You climbed down from the stage with such grace and fluidity that Levi would have done a double take if he wasn’t already in shock that this man basically bought him a happy ending. That he did not ask for.

His eyes jerked over to Miche, fingers tapping on the armrest.

What. The. Fuck.

Miche tapped back just as firmly.

You don’t have a choice. GO.

Tap. Tap.

Fuck. You.

Tap tap tap. Tap tap.

No. Fuck you. Lucky bastard.

You leaned over Levi, your breasts were eye level and your eyes shone with sweet, succubine intent.

“Right this way, Silver Eyes.”

Levi’s face morphed into a scowl as he glared at Miche one last time. And, resigned to his fate, followed you to the velvet back rooms.