CALL ME WHAT YOU WANT đ©âĄđȘ
(Book #1 of the Hellfire Gentlemen's Club series)
strip club owner!eddie x fem!exotic dancer!hargrove!reader
đđđđđđ đđ 18+ MDNI
Chapter 016: 86 It, Baby
When they find out about you and Eddie, his cult following of jealous dancers team up to make your life a living hell. How much of it will you be able to tolerate? And how much of it will Eddie actually allow?
âł chapters: 001, 002*, 003** , 004**, 005 , 006 , 007* , 008**, 009, 010, 011, 012* , 013**, 014** , 015, 016**, 017, 018, 019, 020*
* = somewhat smutty chapters ** = smut chapters
word count: 8.1k words
disclaimers â fluff, smut, angst, oral (fem-receiving), pussy worship, office roleplay, fingering, boyfriend!eddie đ âą bullying, body dysmorphia, body shaming, humiliation, sabotage, profanities, spreading rumors, billy being a narcissistic fuck again
(x)
Chapter 015 recap
"You sure you want to sign up for all of this?"
âą âą âą
From here on out, it's going to be Shy Girl and Eddie... and nothing... NOTHING will ever change your mind or get in the way of that.
âSugarcoated lies unfoldedâŠâ
Chapter 016
âĄ
âOUT OF THE FUCKING WAY!â Dustin shrieks.
âCORNER!â Mike hollers. âHot plates coming through!â
âShit shit shit shit!â This is the third order Lucas has messed up. âArgyleâs gonna kill me. Where the fuck is Eddie?!â
Itâs Hellfireâs busiest Tuesday and the owner is nowhere in sight. And neither are you â Hellfireâs number one dancer.
Surely that has to be a coincidence. Because the last thing on your mind while everyone is going crazy looking for Eddie is going crazy in his office, your legs spread out on his desk while riding his tongue, his mouth and fingers penetrating your sensitive clit with calculated strokes and thirst-quenched laps, Eddieâs eyes rolling to the back of his head as he prowls for your release, the remnants of it trickling down the wooden table and soaking all of his nearby paperwork.
âŠRight?
âHave you seen Eddie?â Nancy demands as she waves her dead curling iron in the air.
âNo!â
âWillâŠhave you seen Eddie?â Jonathan asks.
âNo!â
Argyle isnât having any better of a day.
âAyo, who THE FUCK keeps ringing in the Eddie Special?! We 86âd it an hour ago cuz weâre out of thousand island!â
The frazzled cook shifts his focus back to the grill, wiping sweat away from his forehead in exhaustion. He then bolts to the fryer, ignoring the mountain of tickets piling up on the line.
A few muffled curse words escape his mouth. Goddammit Eddie. Where is that fucker?!
âEddie?!â Dustin calls out as heâs directed to voicemail.
âEddie!â Chrissy attempts.
âEddie?!â
âEddie!â
âEDDIE!â you moan. âOh, fuck. EddieâŠâ
âThought I told you to call me sir.â
Eddieâs lips hum against the ones between your legs as he devours you, tip of his tongue flicking across your folds before circling inwards, lickingâŠsuckingâŠmoaning and spitting as he reels you in for a delicious rotation of all possible combinations.
âMy sweet, sweet secretary,â Eddie playfully swoons. âTheyâre gonna have to wait baby, you taste so good.â
It should come as no surprise that a Dungeon Master like Eddie is obsessed with role-play. Yet it stuns you like itâs the first time, watching him devour you like a starved man in the wild, the heels of his palms anchoring you to his desk by how they hook your thighs in place.
âLove the skirt you wore just for me,â Eddie blubbers. The easy access just does something to him. And the way it hugs your body... Eddie is practically scraping his knees on the floor trying to make you feel good. âLove your sweet pussy. Love everything about youâŠâ
âOhhhâŠfuckâŠâ you mewl as the echos of your wet cunt filter the air around you. âYes, EddieâŠâ
âYou my naughty little secretary?â
âYes, sirâŠâ
Eddie hums again while you toss your head back, bliss-filled and fucked out, squirming underneath him as your ankles dangle limply at his shoulders. Your pornographic moans that bleed into desperate squeals cause Eddie to subconsciously buck his hips and thrust, eagerly sinking his mouth further into you as he sucks harder on your clit. And just before he can pull down his pants to pound you senseless around his office, another type of pounding awaits for you two at the door.
âEDDIE OPEN THE FUCK UP!â Henderson screeches as he knocks. âOur ass is grass out there, what are you doing?!â
Eddie sighs in anguish, irritibably looking over at the ruckus waiting for him on the other side of that door. "I'll be right back, babe.â
You use this time away from Eddie to gather yourself and your belongings. Since you had been folded up for a while, your legs wobble like jelly when they meet the floor.
Youâre a little bummed that you two didnât meet your goal of Orgasm #5 of the day, but youâre content in knowing that there is always an opportunity to later in the night.
The door swings open abruptly causing you to jolt. Eddieâs back.
âShy Girl,â he huffs.
âEds,â you respond.
âI never thought these words would ever come out of my mouth,â Eddie warns you. âBut please put your clothes on.â
âHuh?!â
Eddie fills you in on the shitshow that is taking place outside. Hellfire is in desperate need of an extra server, and you are the only one with qualifications that can do it. But as much as you want to help, you are reluctant. It is a huge pay cut on your end if you took that deal.
âI make way more stripping than serving, Eddie,â you frown. âI need to pay the bills.â
âI can give you a cash advance,â Eddie bargains. âA-and even all my tips from the tip-out tonight. We just really need someone, baby. Just this one time, please. Only for today.â
Your man starts towards you with a flirtatious demeanor now, swooping in to grab your hips that he adores oh so much. You bite your lips, trying your best not to cave.
âAndâŠâ he lowers his voice huskily. âIâll be sure to have another kind of tip waiting for you at homeâŠâ
You giggle into his chest, laughing at the clever pun that he had up his sleeve. And because heâs so charismatic and convincing, you take him up on the offer.
âOkay, fine,â you agree. âJust this one day.â
When youâre fully clothed again, Eddie hands you a Hellfire baseball tee and apron for you to wear as you switch from dancer to waitress. And after one final look at yourself, you reach to turn the knob of Eddieâs office door to go outside. Someone is already waiting by the foot of it when you pull it open.
Henderson.
Confused, Dustin looks at you. You look at Dustin. Dustinâs eyes wander over to Eddie whose got the most devious smirk on his face. Finally Henderson looks back over at you and sighs, issuing you a âdo I even want to know?â type stare.
You clear your throat, attempting to brush off the awkwardness that just took over.
âWellâŠwe going out there or not?â
âHey. Look over there.â
Your ability to take up space in more forms than one inevitably catches the attention of the other dancers. Justice and Emmy in particular. The two watch as you strut around Hellfire with the club t-shirt on instead of the Nothing that theyâre used to, ordering the younger gentlemen of Hellfire around like you were the shift lead.
âLucas stay back here and help Argyle cook the food,â you instruct. âI will run it out. Mike, you start bussing and sweeping so the area looks nice. Dustin, I need you to make set-ups. Will, I need you up front as host and cashier. Someone needs to be at the front at all times. When everything is less crazy, we can all assume our usual positions. Right now itâs just DAMAGE CONTROL.â
Hellfire is not like a standard sit-down restaurant... for obvious reasons. However, the foundation remains the same. Everyone has a lane. They need to stay in it.
The boys are more than receptive to your instructions and follow through almost immediately. Eddie observes as it all goes down. He beams at you in awe, fantasizing about the situation because it's all his mind knows when it comes down to you.
âItâs like sheâs leading them into battleâŠ" he sighs breathlessly. "Sheâs so hot.â
âHOT!â Argyle screams as he dishes an appetizer onto the line. âSomeone throw some chives on there for me, yeah?â
Just when you're about to crash, Steve and Max make their way inside the club, clearly worn out from their shift at Newby's, and stunned by the turnout for Hellfire at the beginning of the week.
âHoly shit, why are men so horny on a Tuesday?â Max exclaims.
She hands you your coffee that she made for you herself.
âThis drinkâs called The Pollywog. Dark and earthy, should do the trick.â
âCoffee does for me what crack cocaine would do for others,â you remark. âThanks sis, I owe you.â
You pan your gaze over to Steve, because you know that he and Max usually like to order food and sit around for a bit before he drives her home.
âUh, just two waters,â Steve mutters. âMax and I will order when you guys are less slammed.â
You smile at him, resting a grateful hand atop his shoulder. ââppreciate it, Stevie.â
The strippers eye you. Again, intently. Youâre close with his roommate too? Little do they know you were also fucking his roommate for a short period of time.
This goes deeper than any of them thought. You and Eddie must be exclusive. And to them, it seems like youâre getting special treatment, fucking your way up to the top like a certain woman once did.
âLooks like we might have another Isabelle on our hands.â
âLook at her walking around like she owns the place.â
âShe thinks she can take over Hellfire because sheâs fucking Eddie huh?â
âI mean why wouldnât she? Sheâs also friends with Chrissy. Birds of a feather.â
đ©âĄđȘ
It feels like youâre submerged underwater judging by the increase of pressure in the room.
The dressing room is eerily quiet. Everyone is whispering instead of the usual singing and shouting. Your intuition senses that people are staring... almost in a way that makes you feel like an art display, or that you have food in your teeth. The only ones who are still acting normal are Chrissy and Nina, while the girls you usually joke around with at their respective vanities have gone radio silent.
Just then, there's a knock on the door.
âHi my beautiful girls,â Eddie coos as he makes his way into the dressing room.
He keeps his eyes covered until everyone says itâs okay.
âQuite the lunch shift huh?â
âYou have no idea, Eds,â Nina sighs. "But it sure as hell paid off."
"Yeah, Eddie," Chrissy agrees. "We all got tipped so well, your tip-out is probably astounding too!"
Speaking of which...
"Just what I came here for," Eddie points a finger gun at you before unveiling to you a huge wad of cash. âHere are my lunch tips, like I promised.â You reluctantly take it from Eddie as he ruffles your hair endearingly.
Eddie's first mistake was not only making you the center of attention, but giving his tips to you â on top of the tips you already had from serving â in front of the other girls. In a way, those were their tips. They only became his, well, yours now, because of the tip-out policy.
Now they're really annoyed. The girls who have you on their radar wait until Eddie leaves to approach you. And when they do you're almost taken aback.
âYouâre starting to do a lot of the positions,â Emmy observes.
"Uh, yeah from time to time," you respond gently. "Today Eddie really needed an extra server on the floor so I jumped ship to help the boys."
âMust be a natural at taking charge.â
"OhâŠI'm hardly ever a dom," you try to laugh it off. "If I am it's usually just for show. I'm more of a soft dom and sub if you ask me."
"Just for show, I see," that's all Emmy seems to get from what you said.
"I'm sorry... did I step on some toes here?" you question her. She's almost shocked at how ballsy you are. But then again, she doesn't know you. "Because you seem pretty fed up with me today, Emmy."
âWeâre just really protective of our Eddie,â she replies dryly. "That's all."
âGirl, trust I donât want any trouble,â you try to sound confident but your voice fails you. Why would you say that? You shouldn't say that, you're his girlfriend. They should be the ones treading lightly.
âOh we would hope so too,â Emmy glares. âCause weâre watching.â
And just like that, the girls you thought you were on good terms with strut back outside in a single file line, their icy stares fixed on you until they are out of sight.
The atmosphere feels arctic now. Eerie. Unwelcome. It's like the remnants of Isabelle Munson still linger after all.
âThe hell what that all about?â Nina questions when she walks over to you.
âItâs a looong story,â you huff.
STRIKE ONE
"And then Emmy says to me, wE'rE jUsT rEaLlY pRoTeCtIvE oF eDdIe AnD wE'rE wAtChInG yOu da-da-da."
You stop your frantic pacing to plop onto Eddie's bed in exhaustion.
"Nina and I were just standing there like... the fuck?" you continue. "WHAT is this bitch's deal?"
Eddie chuckles at your recap of the events from the day before, lazily strumming along to a Metallica song he's learning on the guitar. You're displeased with your man's lack of concern for the issue at hand.
You shoot back up quickly.
"Matter of fact, whatâs everyone's deal?" you demand. "They were all chill and nice to me when I started Hellfire but the SECOND they found out we're seeing each other it's like I'm their mortal enemy. And for what? Itâs not like any of them stood a chance with you anyway. Thirsty ass bitches.â
"OH!" Steve hollers from the living room, causing you and Eddie to flinch. "TOUCHDOWN TAYLOR! Wooo hooo! That's what I'm talkin' bout baby."
Eddie puts his guitar down and starts towards you, realizing now how much this has taken a toll on your mental. He also closes his bedroom door all the way, allowing for privacy between you and him, and Steve with his precious Colts game.
"I'm really sorry the girls made you feel that way," he sighs. "It's just been a while since I have been exclusive with somebody. They know how badly Isabelle broke my heart. And well, ruined my life.â
You scoff, looking away. Eddie is there to ground you once more, placing his index and middle finger on your chin, using them to redirect you back to his reassuring gaze.
âThey're just looking out for me,â he assures you. âPromise."
"They thought I was gonna be another Isabelle," you pout. "That's really offensive, you know."
"They said that with Chrissy too when she was new," Eddie recalls. "I meanâŠYou should've SEEN the amount of drama that unfolded whenever she and I would even breathe the same air. You would've thought at one point, they were gonna chop her head off and parade it on a wooden stake like in Lord of the Flies."
You fold your arms irritably.
"This isn't Lord of the Flies, Eddie. This is real life."
"Lord of the Flies is also real life. In a way."
âNot sure which side of the battle you're on here, babe.â
Eddie then goes onto explain that Chrissy also faced the wrath of Eddie's OG dancers. But after the Hellfire Girls realized that Chrissy was not going to be a threat, they backed down.
Every explanation earns him an eye roll. Eddie needs to realize that being seen as a threat should never be an excuse to be mean to someone. Especially since those girls have been buddy-buddy with you before.
"Strip clubs can be... very catty," Eddie concludes. "The longer you work in the industry the more you'll realize. Take it with a grain of salt, okay baby? All that matters is us."
You don't budge. A part of you still feels discredited, despite kind of seeing where Eddie is coming from. Unless this worsens, he canât 100% take your side. Eddie needs to be mediator for now.
He scratches his head.
âI alsoâŠneed⊠my dancers,â Eddie points out. âSo from a manager-slash-owner standpoint, there isnât much I can do about Mean Girl shit other than keep it under my radar. But youâre a Hargrove, honey. You hold your ground, get your check, fight some chicks outside the club if you have toâŠâ
You giggle at the last part. Eddie reels you in.
ââŠand then come home to me.â
And then he flashes you the Munson smile, that ever-so-charming million-dollar attribute that won your heart in the first place. It all causes you to blush.
"Okay," you say.
Before you two could swallow each other whole, Steve knocks on the door. Eddie pulls it open.
âIâm ordering pizza, any of you guys want some?â Steve questions. âHope you donât mind pineapple.â
Eddie grimaces. âYouâre fucking disgusting. Make half of it a Meat Lovers and Iâll pay for it.â
âFine,â Harrington huffs. His eyes travel over to you longingly. âHargrove? You okay with pineapple?â
âIâm okay with whatever,â you mutter. âAnythingâs better than a can of worms.â
Steve's eyes peer over at you then over at Eddie. He doesn't quite understand your analogy, but still seems supportive of you nonetheless.
âOkayâŠâ Harrington mumbles before closing the door. âPineapple and Meat Lovers it is.â
đ©âĄđȘ
It all makes sense why you ate most of Steve's pizza instead of him a couple days ago. You were clearly PMS-ing, and today you started your period.
At least now you know the Plan B you took was effective.
As grateful as you were, you're still having an awful time 'surfing the crimson wave'. Mood swings were also at an all-time high. Anything anyone was going to say to you was surely going to make you combust.
You're also bloated, a huge insecurity of yours because what you packed for today is rather skin tight. What typically would make you look snatched today looks relatively unflattering today. You try to give yourself grace. Body changes during a cycle is normal. It's part of being a woman.
"Shy Girl!" Eddie calls out to you from the other side of the dressing room. "You gonna be out soon, baby? Got a few regulars of yours at Vecna's Lair!"
The Hellfire Girls' ears perk up when they hear "regulars". Whatever is up their sleeves today cannot be any good.
You call back out to Eddie as you make your finishing touches. "Yes, coming!"
"I don't know," Emmy says, projecting her voice slightly louder than she usually does. You look towards her general direction as she talks. "I feel like a lot of people are uneducated about dressing for their body type. Cuz when you don't dress correctly for your body, it just makes everything look so unflattering."
You look down at your body and start to feel a little sad. Although the conversation was between Emmy and Justice, you can't help but feel attacked.
You decide to make your way over to the DJ and show him your songs for the night. Your choice for the evening is Candy by Doja Cat because its slow and sexy rhythm will allow you to move in a manner that is flexible for this particular phase of your cycle.
After thanking the DJ, you confidently strut back down from the stage, channeling your inner Marilyn Monroe walk as you continue to move around.
"Oh my god," you hear Justice say. "That's kinda really embarrassing. Can you imagine?"
Suddenly, you hear Eddie's voice trail after you. Out of all people.
"Baby!" he exclaims.
Stunned, you turn around. "Yes?"
"I uh," Eddie stammers. "Let's get you back into the locker room huh?"
You're confused. What could possibly be going on to cause such panic in Eddie's eyes? Why was he so frantic, pushing and hauling you into the dressing room â and not in a way you'd like.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Eds, slow down!" you exclaim. "What is it?"
Eddie gulps as he tries to catch his breath. You wait for him to talk, but he's too busy grabbing some spare towels and even some paper ones.
"Respectfully, Hargrove," Eddie says as he strides back over to you. "You need to change outfits or something."
Like Billy, you immediately go into defensive mode.
"OH IT LOOKS THAT BAD, HUH?â you demand. Your mini-freak out earns you some laughter from those girls, but you're too aggravated to give them your attention. âSorry that I'm a little bloated today! Sorry that Iâm a normal human being whose body is different depending on the day."
"It's not that, baby," Eddie insists. "It's just that... your bleeding? It went through."
Looking in the mirror now, you see a HUGE blot behind you. Your tampon had gotten dislodged and now there is blood all over your cute baby blue set. Heat begins to simmer at your cheeks.
Those fucking Hellfire Girls. How dare they not tell you?
When you glare back over at them, the Hellfire Girls are trying to conceal their laughter. What's even more infuriating is that Eddie doesn't seem to notice. But to be fair, he's too fixated on you to pay other women any mind. You want to pop them all, see how funny it is after.
"Seems like you're having a rough day," Eddie comments as he strokes your back.
"I am," you admit. "I tried to tough it out and come to work today, but nothing is going right." The air is quiet again when the girls see Eddie touching you lovingly.
You turn your body back towards the mirror and look at your ruined set in dismay. Eddie hates seeing you upset. Resting his gentle hands on your shoulder, he begins to barter.
"How aboutâŠâ Eddie says. âYou take the rest of the night off? Iâll take you home right quick. To my place.â
âReally?â
âYeah!â your man nods, causing you blush. âHarrington and I have a shit ton of ice cream so you can help yourself. Lay in my bed, watch something on Netflix... When I'm off work and done visiting Wayne, we can cuddle, and I can give you belly rubs. Sound good?"
"Sounds like heaven, actually."
You donât know what youâve done to deserve him. Eddie is so tender and sweet when he lets his walls down. Youâre grateful that he decided to lean into the unknown when it comes down to you. Such a good boyfriend already.
The Hellfire Girls canât help but eavesdrop on your little exchange. Suddenly, Eddie speaks again.
âAre we okay?â Eddie questions you with his beady eyes.
âYes,â you smile. âWeâre more than okay.â
Eddie kisses your cheek. He leaves his peck there for a few seconds before letting go. "I'll come scoop you in 10 once I get everything squared away. Then itâs junk food and cuddles all night long.â
Eddie makes sure that the girls hear this entire conversation. As you start to pack your stuff, Nancy drops in with a graceful smile, spoiling you with pads, tampons, and some ibuprofen. Meanwhile, Jonathan packs you a Sprite in a to-go cup with a smiley face, and Argyle spoils you with your usual â chicken wings, flats only.
The Hellfire Girls are fuming. Their attempt to embarrass you didn't go as planned. Instead, they got a lovesick Eddie with a Shy Girl on her way to his house to drink hot tea, scarf down some junk food, and relish in a heat pack of sorts and cuddles all night. And Eddieâs friends indirectly rushing to your defense.
But this humbling experience doesnât stop their games. No no, it only just issued them a new set of information and ammunition for more intense blows.
The torment isnât stopping here. The girls are going try harder.
---
STRIKE TWO
It didnât stop at the subtle jabs.
If there was an opportunity to inconvenience you, the Hellfire Girls took it. Like calling Eddie on his day off â while heâs out with you â to come scope out a problem that couldâve been fixed without him. Or stealing your song choice when they heard you talking about it with Chrissy, and how you planned on using it for your set. Or âdroppingâ breakable items like your nail polish on accident and blaming it on their âcomplete and utter clumsinessâ. Funny, because Eddie is always talking about how poised they are and a myriad of other good thingsâŠbecause thatâs just who your boyfriend is at his core: a lover and supporter of women. Unlike some people.
It was Dustinâs turn to grocery shop one day. And while the Eddie Special is back on the menu, it was the waffle friesâ turn to be 86âd. Mikeâs girlfriend, Jane keeps eating them and Wheeler of course always forgets to take inventory.
"So what does 86 mean?"
You're eating lunch with a couple Hellfire Girls in the dressing room when service industry lingo is brought up. Everyone eyes you, from Emmy to Lady to Kassidy. Justice seems to be holding her breath.
"86?" you repeat just to make sure.
Kassidy gives you a look, almost a "duh" kind of look that makes you feel slightly stupid.
"Yeah, heard you talking about it with the kitchen staff."
"Oh," you say. "Oh well 86 means to get rid of something. Maybe because it's not available anymore, or out of stock. Not needed, even."
"I see..." Kassidy responds.
"Wish we can '86' people," Lady mutters.
The comment earns her a snicker from Kassidy and Lady. It makes you feel weird inside. They couldn't have possibly been talking about you, right?
You walk away to throw away your food, and while youâre away from them their laughs intensify. Now all they could talk about is â86â and their own personal spins on it.
Oh they were most definitely talking about you.
You decide to leave the dressing room and hang out at the hookah lounge before your next set. It was clear you werenât welcome and you werenât about to be in the company of people who were only going to drain your energy.
The audacity of it all still leaves you appalled. Plotting behind your back is one thing, but the fact they had the guts to say it and do things in front of you now is scary.
đ©âĄđȘ
âAnd then they said, âWish we could 86 peopleâ,â you recall angrily. âThat basically implies they want to get rid of me.â
âThat sucks, sis,â Billy sighs. âYeah, thatâs exactly what it sounds like.â
Youâre on the phone playing catch-up with Billy on your day off. Meanwhile, Eddie is playing a video game with his online friends, allowing you to use his room to pace around in frustration.
âAnd one time when I was on my period, I bled through,â you continue. âAnd then Eddie-â
Billy interrupts you before you could positively advertise your man. You would think your brother would want to know that his twin sister is in good hands judging by the way Eddie took care of you when you were feeling like absolute shitâŠhow instead of forcing you to perform he sent you home early and ate junk food with you and gave you a heat pack and belly rubs to help with crampsâŠBut no.
âI donât wanna hear about that girl stuff,â Billy gags. âItâs fucking disgusting.â
Classic Billy.
ââŠokay,â you huff and digress. âBut you get the picture, right? These girls have it out for me.â
âOh for sure,â Billy agrees. âItâs one-sided beef because theyâre intimidated by you. I hope they get the shit pimp-slapped out of them for being dicks to you.â
âI wouldnât go as far as to say thatâŠâ you mumble.
âBut I would,â Billy laughs pridefully.
No matter how awful the girls were being to you, you wouldnât wish anything upon them like Billy described. They were already miserable anyways, judging by how awful they were being to you for no reason. If anything youâd wish them healing and some love because they clearly needed it.
âI wish I could go over there and give âem a piece of my mind,â your twin brother continues, the thought of violently attacking women quite possibly giving him a hard-on via the other line. âNo one can be mean to my sister BUT ME.â
The execution of his words makes your stomach turn. Because as those words are uttered, youâre back in the San Diego rental, screaming and crying, clawing at Billy to get him off of you because apparently your change in tone towards him was enough justification for you to be accosted against the wall.
âThat was really uncalled for, Billy,â you scold him. âTime and place, please.â
Suddenly, the vibe changes. You can practically feel the heat through the phone.
âWhat, youâve never heard of that expression before?â Billy demands. âIt was a fucking joke, donât get so butthurt.â
âIs it really a joke?â you hiss. âBecause if we revisit the timeline, you havenât been exactly nice to me either.â
âOH MYâŠâ Billy sighs in exasperation. âI canât say SHIT to you without you crying about it. Maybe those bitches are onto something. Maybe YOUâRE the fucking problem.â
âHow can you say that?!â you shout.
The change in your tone causes Eddie to look up from his computer. Like second nature, the tears free fall from your eyes as you scream at your brother through the phone.
âAfter I vent to you about EVERYTHING, Billy, really?!â
âI donât know, maybe since so many people have a problem with youâŠincluding ME,â your brother snaps. â'Think itâs time we look at the common denominator.â
âYOU KNOW WHAT FUCK YOU! I donât know why I tell you anything anymore!â
âYEAH WELL FUCK YOU TOO BITCH!â Billy screams back. âIâm GLAD you and that scrawny red-headed BRAT moved out. My life has NEVER BEEN THIS PEACEFUL!â
âYeah cause you were SO unbothered you had to FLY HERE and CONFRONT ME AT MY JOB, RIGHT?â
Itâs a few more nasty exchanges of words and threats before you hang up and chuck your phone at the wall. Startled, and probably reminded of his own traumas, Eddieâs first instinct is to duck. You watch as he trembles slightly, like a puppy during a thunderstorm, before removing his cupped hands away from his ears.
He then makes his way over to you, demeanor shifting from alarmed to alarmed for you.
âHey,â Eddie whispers to you in consolation. âHey hey hey hey. Come here. Come here.â
He rocks you in place. Immediately you collapse into Eddieâs arms. Youâre absolutely tired. Tired of the Hellfire girls. Tired of putting on a happy face for your little sister 24/7. Tired of Billy. Tired of feeling like a burden.
âI fucking hate him,â you wail. âI hate him, I hate him. I hate him.â
âYou donât need him.â
âI donât need him.â
âYou donât need him.â
âI donât,â you tell Eddie, and yourself. âFuck him. Fuck California. Fuck everything.â
âThatâs right baby,â Eddie whispers. He plants a soft kiss onto your forehead. âYouâre staying here with me.â
âWith you.â
đ©âĄđȘ
Eventually you do get over it and decide that Billy and the Hellfire Girls donât deserve any of your time and energy.
Just in time for another work shift. Today youâre doing personal lap dances at VECNAâS LAIR, but itâs not too busy so youâre essentially scanning the room in search of clients for the first hour.
Your eyes light up when you pinpoint a few regulars. You skip on over to the first one.
âHi, Barry!â you exclaim. âHow are you?â
âOh, god! Hello Shy Girl!â Barry replies. He looks happy to see you, but oddly not particularly excited. âHowâŠhave you been?â
âIâve been well! Long time no see!â you smile. âHow are your boys?â
âTheyâre doing well,â your regular nods. âTheyâre working on their college applications right now, and the younger one has been scouted for some schools on the East Coast for football.â
âYou must be so proud.â
âVery!â
It seems like Barry has cut the conversation there. Strange, because he almost always requests a dance. You decide to push for more information.
âSooo, are you in the mood for a dance today?â
âYouâre a sweetheart,â Barry blushes. âBut no thank you, not today. Iâm trying to save money so Iâm just gonna have a drink and go.â
Now THATâS really odd. First of all, Barry is LOADED, hence being a regular. And even if being frugal was the case, what was his ass even doing at Hellfire? You didnât want to make him uncomfortable by prying further so you just leave it at that, wishing Barry a lovely rest of his day and going about your day.
When you leave, youâre taken aback when Justice makes her way over to your client and asks him the same question.
âHi, Barry. Would you like a dance?â
âOh, hi! Yes, Iâd love one!â
You nearly get whiplash just by how fast you crane your neck back over to them. What the actual fuck? Eyeing them curiously, you watch as Barry slips a 20 over to Justice, to which she takes from him seductively as she sinks onto his lap. Her eyes trail over to you, somewhat satisfied with herself when she sees you watching. Your blood starts to boil. She just took your regular. And in a sense, your money.
But thatâs still something you donât have time to entertain. So you strut over to your next regular, Asher.
Sweet, sweet Asher. Heâs significantly younger than Barry. Finance major, freelancer, only child in his early twenties and his parents are rich. Asher has always been nice to you, and like Steve, spoils the fuck out of you when youâre his dancer.
âHey you,â you bat your lashes at him. âLong time no see!â
âOh my god, Shy Girl!â Asher exclaims. He doesnât hug you like he usually does, but heâs still happy to see you. âItâs been a minute. I actually didnât think you were coming in today.â
âIâm always on Thursdays,â you point out. âYou always get a dance from me.â
âOhhh, thatâs right,â Asher recalls. âYou and Eddie call today Friday Junior Junior.â
âYeah, silly!â you giggle. âSpeaking of dances, would you like one?â
Your question generates a similar reaction from Asher like Barry had given you. It was then that you knew something had to have been up. But nothing couldâve possibly prepared you for what Asher was about to say.
âOh, no thanks!â your client gracefully declines. âI think Iâll wait until you fully recover. I hope youâre okay with that boundary of mine.â
Appalled, you try to construe what he meant by that.
âYes, I respect your boundaries of courseâŠâ you say. âBut, what do you mean by get better?â
âArenât you sick?â Asher questions. âAnd likeâŠtaking antibiotics for something serious? Cause if you are, you shouldnât be at work.â
Asher respectfully ends your conversation right then and there. Itâs like a mental door has closed on your face. Completely distraught, you walk away from your other reliable regular, just to have Lady walk up to him and be granted permission to give him a dance.
This is ridiculous. You need to get to the bottom of these rumors right away. On your way to the bar, you run into Nina. She extends her arms out to you, eyes widening as you walk towards her.
âOMG, Shy Girl!â Nina exclaims, rather panicked. âWhat are you doing here girl, you need to be home recovering?!â
âRecovering from what?â you snapped. âI just had TWO regulars turn me down but then say yes to dances from other dancers. Why did I have to learn through the grapevine that Iâm sick?! Which I am not, by the way.â
âSo⊠you donât have gonorrhea?â
Your eyes nearly pop out of your head.
âWHO THE FUCK SAID I HAD GONORRHEA?!â
Ninaâs face drops when she realizes. You donât even have to pry any further now. The pained look on your friendâs face told you EXACTLY who started that rumor.
Now those girls are pushing it. Because now youâre losing out on money and clientele. Absolutely aggravated, you storm back into the dressing room to collect yourself because youâre sure as hell not going to let them see you fall apart.
When you slam the door, you allow yourself to have a good cry. Luckily, Nina and Chrissy are the only ones in there with you. The only girls you trust at this establishment besides Nancy.
Youâre not sad. Youâre crying because youâre angry and frustrated. Nina and Chrissy understand, swarming you with hugs and validating back pats, letting you cry until you had no tears left to do so anymore.
âShy Girl,â Nina frowns. âI have no words.â
Your bottom lip quivers profusely as you shake your head.
âI just donât understand,â you choke. âWhy are they so horrible to me? I didnât do anything to them.â
âIâm really sorry love,â Chrissy rubs your back as she lays her head on your shoulder. âUnfortunately, I understand that all too well. They did the same thing to me too.â
STRIKE THREE, YOUâRE OUT.
âGod, you need a new car, Munson.â
Youâre smoking with Eddie in his van during your âjointâ lunch break. Itâs become a tradition now for you two to take your meals at the same time to spend time with each other because youâre both way too busy to be affectionate work.
âBabe, really?â Eddie huffs jokingly. âPut some respect on Shielaâs name. Sheâs been through hell and back with me.â
You giggle as you take a huge drag from your blunt, inhaling then expelling, coughing up the remainder and taking in the slight comfort of a warm chest. You pass Eddie the blunt to finish it.
âBut youâre right though,â Eddie admits with a sigh. He fiddles with the blunt before putting it out on his ash tray. âThe good news is Iâm caught up on Wayneâs bills. Next 'big boy' purchase is a new whip.â
âThatâs awesome baby,â you smile. âIâm so happy for you.â
âOr a motorcycle,â Eddie smirks. âIâd love a bike.â
âAbsolutely not.â
âWhy not?â he quips.
Eddie leans over the center console to kiss your temple. When you hum in pleasure, he begins trailing down your neck.
âThought you liked bad boys.â
You and Eddie proceed to have a healthy debate. It isnât about the bad boy aesthetic like Eddie thinks itâs about, but more so the practicality of the situation. Eddie needs something to lug groceries in when he's out running errands, and with Wayne still getting active cancer treatments, the old man needs a ride to his appointments. And that poor man has aged out of the Bad-to-the-Bone 'cyclist scene, youâre afraid.
âSpeaking of practicality,â Eddie says. He nods towards your red Toyota Camry thatâs parked on the opposite end of the lot. âWhyâd you park there? Move your car closer so I don't have to walk you too far tonight.â
You look through the rearview mirror to locate your baby. Eddie was right. It was parked further than it usually is, and if your boyfriend isnât the one escorting you to your car tonight itâs going to be Henry or one of the other boys who are sure to complain. By the door would be convenient for everyone.
âOkay,â you say. You kiss him. âBe right back.â
You climb out of Eddie's van and make your way over to your car. After several tries, you hit a scary realization.
Your car wonât start.
You try again. And again, and again. Still, to no avail. Eddie eventually pops his head out, wondering why the ordeal is taking you so long. You exaggerate a shrug to him so he could see your sense of panic from a distance.
"What happened?!"
"It won't start!"
âLet me at her,â Eddie replies. âI was a mechanic before I started a businessâŠâ
You and Eddie switch places and you decide to wait for him by the door. Jonathan startles you a moment later when he opens it abruptly.
âSorry, Shy Girl. The boys need Eddie for a minute can you go grab him for me?â
âHeâs taking a look at my car, it wonât start,â you explain.
Jonathanâs face drops. âOh no, that sucks. Hope you donât have to take it in.â
âI hope so too. Either way Iâve got a ride home. Itâs just inconvenient.â
Jonathan, whose knowledgeable about cars too, starts asking you some screening questions to help identify the problem. You assure him that nothing was wrong with it throughout the week, and there surely wasnât anything wrong with it earlier.
Soon Chrissy comes out too.
âHey!â she chimes. âWhereâs Eddie? The boys are looking for him.â
âHeâs looking at my car, somethingâs wrong with it,â you explain again. âIt was fine this morning but when I went go move it, it kinda justââ
âFound the culprit,â Eddie grunts uneasily.
Your boyfriend waves you three over and you all follow suit. There's soot and grease all over your man's hands, but that is a kink to be explored much later. For now, the astonished look on his face is one of the main things to worry about.
Eddie points to your gas tank.
âThereâs a shit ton of sugar there. The fuel in that tank is practically semi-solid.â
Sugar in your gas tank. THOSE BITCHES PUT SUGAR IN YOUR GAS TANK. You and Chrissy look at each other immediately, both of your suspicions about whose responsible practically ringing true.
âI know who fucking did it,â you shake your head.
âI-â Eddieâs face drops. He is utterly disappointed in the Hellfire Girls. âI just donât even know what to say.â
He reaches into his pocket to grab his phone. Suddenly, your phone pings. Itâs a Venmo notification.
âBut less saying more doing, right?â Eddie tries to chuckle optimistically. âI just sent you $2K. Wayneâs cancer is acting up again, and I have to take him to his oncologist tomorrow. You let me know if they quote you for more than that.â
âTwo grand?!â you shriek. âItâs bad huh?â
âYeahâŠI ainât gonna sugarcoat it, sweetheart,â Eddie frowns. âYou might need a fuel tank replacement.â
Now you and Chrissy are fuming. Nina eventually comes over to check on everyone as well and is stunned by the news she hears. She starts to angrily take off her hoops, those fucking cunts, but Jonathan stops her.
âIâll fuck âem up!â Nina insists. âIâm from Nocturna, baby. We donât mess around there.â
âMy ex was from Chula, and my brother is Billy,â you tsk. âWe donât play around either.â
Eddie puts his hands on his hips. âI guess weâll call the tow company to come take it to Daveâs. I can take you home tonight, baby. Itâs no issue.â
âNo!â Chrissy snaps. âNina and I are taking her home. If thereâs no issue here, fix the evident ones inside!â
âLetâs go back inside Shy Girl,â Nina grumbles. âThis is ridiculous.â
Your two friends are at either sides of you, linking your arms with theirs in solidarity. Those girls inside are about to get an earful. NO ONE messes with YOU and gets away with it.
âEDDIE,â Chrissy forewarns before slamming the door. âFUCKING PUT THEM IN CHECK, OR WE WILL.â
Youâre too distraught to say anything. Otherwise, you would totally be ripping some cheap extensions out out some heads right now. You canât believe these girls would go as far as to damaging your property, all because Eddie found someone who made him happy after his shitty divorce. If you did to them what they did to you, you know they definitely wouldnât like that.
CLOSED FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT DUE TO STAFFING ISSUES. SORRY FOR EDGING YOU :/
It was Eddieâs decision to close early because there was just so much that needed to be taken care of. But hearing Eddie scold and hold the girls accountable in his office, you know â the same office he was screwing you in â was music to your ears.
But even that state of bliss is short-lived. Because like a deadly virus, when the smear campaign doesnât work, it mutates into a much larger issue: retaliation.
âSee what happens when you snitch?â a voice demands. âEddie loses out on business.â
You turn your head around to see Justice mad-dogging you with her arms crossed. You inflate your chest and stand up to her, showing no signs of intimidation.
âYouâre fucking his shit up, just like his sorry ex wife,â she says to you.
You start to walk closer to her, to which Chrissy and Nina go after you right away.
âWoah woah woah there sister!â Chrissy stops you.
âHey hey hey,â Nina joins in, helping her pull you away.
But Justice isnât scared. Why should she be? Sheâs been here longer than you. Sheâs known Eddie longer than you. But she still has no business butting into Eddieâs. Especially if it fuels the fire that she and her friends desperately wanted to start.
âIf I were yâall⊠Iâd back the fuck up,â you advise her. âI donât think you realize, but youâre fucking with a Hargrove.â
âOkay⊠and youâre fucking with Eddieâs Day Ones,â Lady comes to Justiceâs defense, sneering at you condescendingly. âSorry, Valley Girl, we donât know what that means here in Hawkins.â
âOh but you will. After damaging my rep AND property.â
âOh was that a threat? Youâre threatening us now huh?â
âEddieâs not gonna fuck you,â Nina spits at them. âYou do realize that right?â
âI meanâŠgood,â Kassidy chuckles. âWouldnât wanna fuck him after Miss Gonorrhea did.â
đ©âĄđȘ
Do you accept the risk? Do you accept the risk?
All this time you thought Eddie was asking you because he knew he still had some baggage to sort through. But now youâre starting to wonder if there was a double meaning.
Eddieâs OG dancers are obviously in love with him, thereâs no doubt about it. It stopped becoming a matter of âprotecting Eddieâ when they started sabotaging your experience at Hellfire after learning of your involvement with him. Had you been just another dancer, this would never have been the case.
Eddie tries to text you. But you donât have the strength to reply. The next few days is spent in isolation, using this time alone to contemplate about what it is you truly want.
You came to Hawkins to escape Billyâs never-ending torment. Now that torment has seemed to take on a new form, and your inner peace is something youâre never ever going to sacrifice again.
Your first Monday back, you make your way over to Eddieâs office. And itâs almost like Eddie knows. As much as you know how deep that abandonment wound sits in Eddieâs soul, you knew you still had to put yourself first.
âHi, Eds.â
âBabyâŠâ Eddie pleads at a whisper. âDonât do this. I can already see it in your eyes.â
You werenât leaving him. You want to be with him more than anything. But this extension of him? You can love it to bits but still not want anything to do with it. Especially if the environment is unbearably toxic.
âI just thinkâŠour relationship is bleeding into work,â you swallow hard. âAnd I probably need to go somewhere else if we want this to last.â
âPlease donât word the first part like thatâŠâ
Eddie doesnât tell you because he knows itâs not your intention, but it starts giving him war-like flashbacks to when his marriage with Isabelle started bleeding into work. The abandonment wound with her â and everyone in his life except Wayne â cuts so deep. He NEEDS that bandaid. But for your well-being, you needed to rip it off.
âItâs what we get for shitting where we eat, I guess,â you sniff, trying to laugh the burden of it all away.
âI warned you,â Eddie chokes. âDidnât I?â
âI know,â you sigh. âBut I just couldnât help how I feel about you.â
âThen stay!â he begs. âThe good outweighs the bad, sweetheart. Our friends love you so much.â
âI love them too, but if Iâm gonna get verbally accosted, harassed, laughed at, and have sugar put in my gas tank then whatâs the point?â
The tears leave Eddieâs eyes easily, and he doesnât stop them from doing so. If only the Hellfire girls saw the pain they have caused you AND this man â the man they swore up and down that they were âprotectingâ.
âItâs either that or you fire 60 percent of your dancers and I WONâT let you do that,â you gulp. âItâs best to get rid of just one.â
âJust please, letâs talk it through.â
But thereâs nothing left to talk about. No Eddie, you shake your head. Whatâs done is done, and what needs to be said has already been communicated. And as Eddie hangs his head in shame, you tug at the drawstrings of your cloak, fold it up neatly, and set it down on his desk.
âIâm quitting Hellfire.â
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