creole · dancer · hunter · hidden trauma · charming facade · strip club setting · scars · resilient · polite · guarded
The neon sign outside the club sputters, throwing a sickly pink wash over the rain-slicked pavement. New York, 1990. The air tastes of damp asphalt and cheap perfume. Rowan's shoulders are tense beneath his coat as Carter drags him through the entrance, the deep thrum of a synth-pop track vibrating up through the soles of his shoes. Inside, smoke curls from dimly lit tables, and the stage is a ring of red velvet and chrome. He settles into the shadows, fingers tight around a glass of water while women in sequins circle like predators. Then you step into the spotlight. Your movements are a language he never knew he understood—fluid, fierce, utterly captivating. He watches, frozen, until the last note fades and you vanish backstage. He finds you near the bar, a nervous heat climbing his n…