The Secrets of Sin Book 2

I tighten the straps on my six-inch heels and, standing tall, I strut out onto the stage.

Squinting my eyes in the blinding lights, I look out anxiously into the crowd of, well, nobody.

It’s the night before the grand reopening of The Silky Bunny and the club is completely and totally empty, except for little old me.

For the past few weeks, since we shut down, my mind has been consumed with all there is to be done: redecorating, training the new girls, and revamping the whole Bunny business model.

This means I haven’t had a moment to practice. Now’s my last chance before the big day.

I hit play on my phone and “Girl Money” by Kix starts blaring through the club speakers.

This is it.

I’m finally back in my zone.

At the sound of the opening chords, I feel my thoughts begin to slip away as my body takes control.

Even though I’m practicing in panties and a bra, slipping out of my summer dress and flats to get this last chance in, the tune instantly makes Sin come to life.

It reminds me of one of the first times Ben ever saw me dance. The feeling of his eyes burning into my body.

I let the memory fill up my core as I start to strut around the stage, giving it everything I’ve got. I sway my hips and let the weight of each step jiggle my chest.

Strolling up to the pole, I grab onto it with my right hand. I jump higher to switch to my left as I kick one leg into the air and use the momentum to spin around. I land evenly.

I lean into the metal, aligning the pole with the stalk of my back. With the flick of my wrist, I twist around. The tip of my nose touches the pole while my ankles are crossed below me.

Again, I give in to the dip of my form and let the memory of every show before guide me through. I slowly untangle my posture and start climbing. I push higher and higher.

It’s at this moment I forget to clasp my hands.

My grip is a little weaker than usual.

I try to hold on, but my palms are starting to sweat.

Releasing one of my hands, I try to wipe the sweat onto my bra. I know I can support my form.

But when the husky voice starts to croon “and take a seat on the rail,” I lose my grip entirely.

I rush whatever grip I can manage to slide down the pole, but I still end up landing with a hard thud on the stage.

As I inspect my body for any bruises, I feel like I’m about to start crying.

I hear the sound of clapping coming from the other side of the club. Looking up, I see the silhouette of a massive man standing near the entrance.

My Beast.

My Ben.

“Encore,” he calls out to me.

He walks closer, and as he steps into the light, I can see a smile on his face. “The men are going to go crazy for that new move. ‘The Fallen Angel,’ is it?”

“What are you doing here?” I ask him, my cheeks flushing red with embarrassment.

“Our bed was feeling a little lonely,” he says. “It’s almost midnight, Mari.”

“Really? I guess I lost track of time again. I’ll be done soon, I promise. Let me just try—”

“Baby, it looks like you’ve already nailed it,” he says with a laugh.

“Ben. This is serious.”

I get back up, shake out the pain in my leg, and hit replay on the song. I’m getting frustrated with myself. I know I can do this. I don’t know why I’m so out of sorts now.

I start to climb up the pole again.

I wrap my ankles around it to try to steady myself. But as I try to lean back to do a simpler move than before, I feel my muscles starting to give out and find that I’m falling again.

This time, I don’t hit the ground. Instead, I land straight into Ben’s waiting arms.

“Thank you,” I whisper in defeat, burying my face in his massive chest.

I give myself a moment but try to wriggle out of his heavy-handed grasp, desperate to get back up there again. But he holds on tight, not letting me go just yet.

“Ben,” I whimper, “I need to practice.”

“Actually, the only thing you need to do is sleep. You’ve been working nonstop. Your body is exhausted.”

“But—”

“No ‘buts,’ kitten.” I can hear the firmness in his voice. I don’t have to look to know there’s no use in fighting him.

He carries me down the short set of stairs and off the stage, before setting me down in one of the new black velvet chairs.

He kneels in front of me and starts to unbuckle my shoes.

“You know I will support you through all this,” Ben says. “But I can’t let you get hurt. Even if you’re the one doing the hurting.”

I let out a sigh and drop my head. “I know,” I grumble into my hands. I feel so deflated.

It isn’t until I feel the soft kiss of his mouth on my sore ankles that I peek behind my fingers. “You’re an amazing husband. I’m sorry I’ve been so busy with all of this.”

I want to go in and tell him how badly I miss him and miss us. If it wasn’t for him, I think I would keep practicing until I pass out.

This is the hardest I’ve ever worked and Ben’s been there every step of the way for me: bringing me food, making sure I drink. He’s even carried me into the bath at times to clean me up.

He’s done every little thing he can to get things off my plate. He really has been the best.

But I’ve been so busy with the club that we’ve barely had any time together since we got married.

“Cut yourself some slack, kitten,”

“I’m sorry,” I say. “After tomorrow, everything will be up and running. I’ll find a way to make it up to you.”

“I have a few ideas in mind if you can’t think of anything,” Ben says with a wink.

I squeal as he grabs me again and throws me over his shoulder, my heels dangling from his other hand.

“Let’s get out of here, kitten,” he says. “I won’t take no for an answer.”

Ben’s right. I do need to get some rest.

But even when we finally lie down in bed together, with my man’s arms draped around me, I find that my mind still doesn’t stop spinning.

“What’s going on in there? You’re so anxious,” Ben whispers into my ear.

I’m not sure if he can read my mind or just feel my racing heart.

“You’re the most amazing dancer this town has ever seen,” he adds. “You’re gonna kill it tomorrow.”

“It’s not just about my act,”

“Come on, then. Talk to Daddy.” Ben pats his chest, making me laugh, lifting me up.

I turn around in the bed to face him, pulling the covers up to my chin. I kiss him on the tip of his nose.

“I know you know how much this means to me. How much this has always meant to me. I’m so scared, Benny. The Silky Bunny helped me. I wanna do everything I can to help it too.”

He hums in reply, letting me just vent into his chest.

“When I was seventeen, Erik and I had almost nothing. Erik did everything he could for me. My own personal superman gave up his whole life just to keep me afloat.”

A soft smile appears on my lips, and Ben’s, too. I know Ben remembers that time just as well as I do.

Gosh, he’s such a good listener.

“Anyway, I had this one teacher who knew that I was in trouble and tried to take advantage of…everything. He offered me a chance to pass.

“I knew better. I knew the stories about him. Everything in my body told me to stop, but I just didn’t listen. I still went over to his house. He swore it was to help me and, well…”

“What was his name?” Ben growls. I can already see a spark of rage igniting in his eyes. Even with the darkness of our bedroom, I know those pretty summer sky-blue eyes are burning red with rage.

“Benny,”—I put a hand against his cheek to calm him—“nothing happened in the end. I ended up running away, straight into Brittany in the parking lot of The Silky Bunny.”

I need to give my sister her credit. Erik will always be Superman, but Brittany is my Wonder Woman. I’ll never be shy about that for them. I have an amazing family.

“The club showed me my power. It gave me Sin. And Sin led me to Beast. In a way, the club gave me you. I don’t know what my life would be like right now without it.

“Now I have a chance to give something back to them. To help other girls the way it helped me.”

Ben pulls me in and presses his lips against mine, kissing away my fear.

“I have never doubted you, baby.”

I want to believe him. I really do. I cuddle up into his chest and take a deep breath, letting my eyes drift shut.

My eyes fly open and I stare into the darkness.

I know that Ben means well, but his words don’t comfort me in the way we both want them to.

Ben has been taking care of me my whole life. And Erik. And Ross and Stevie and Brittany.

I’ve felt like a burden to everyone around me for as long as I can remember.

Now it’s finally my chance to prove once and for all that I can take care of myself, and an entire business, too.

I don’t ever want Ben to see me as the helpless little girl I once was.