Daniella put two freshly manicured nails up to her temple. She had the manicurist file them into long, bright red points with gold gemstones lining the base. She hated the way they looked. Catching a glimpse of them in her dressing room mirror made her stomach flip. They were tacky and made simple tasks, like putting in her contacts, nearly impossible. The only reason she requested them was for him.
He was her best customer.
Doctor David Chen.
He was a married dermatologist. He told her he was forty, but she clocked his real age at closer to sixty. He was shy and incredibly generous. He'd only been coming to the club for about three months. He immediately gravitated toward Daniella. He told her the first night that she danced for him that she had the same dark brown eyes and smooth olive skin as his college Italian tutor. He had lusted over her for four years, paying for tutoring that he didn't need. Eventually he was heartbroken when he graduated and she rejected him. Daniella went home that night at took a beginners course in Italian online. It had landed her two diamond tennis bracelets and hundreds of dollars in tips.
"Earth to Dallas!"
Daniella jumped back to reality. The echo of the club music beating softly in her ears. The unmistakable sound of stiletto heels clicking around the tile floor. She looked up to see her friend beaming at her, her only friend at the club, Breanna. Breanna called her Dallas, which was Daniella's appointed stage name. It was given to her by Mikey Bello, the sleazy club promoter on her first day. He'd name girls after cities, he claimed it was easier for him to remember.
"Hey there Abilene," Daniella winked at Breanna.
"It's dead out there tonight," Breanna huffed. Daniella watched her wobble unsteadily over to the mirror.
Breanna was gorgeous. She'd been Miss. Texas and had a full scholarship to Texas Tech. Sophomore year, she'd gotten into a terrible car accident that broke both of her legs and left her addicted to her pain medicine. She quickly blew up her life, burned every bridge in sight, and ended up here. Men giggle when she stumbles around the floor, assuming that she can't walk in her heels. Daniella knows it's a combination of oxycontin and the aftermath of skipping physical therapy.