Sapphire stood there frozen in shock, her mind racing with thousands of questions. She couldn’t fathom why Mr. Sullivan would do this, but she knew one thing for sure, she needed to find out why. She rushed to grab her coat from the rack and stormed towards her car. The cold February air burned her lungs and she attempted to get her breathing to steady. She slammed the car door shut and rammed her foot on the gas, but slowed down once her common sense had gotten back to her.

The Blue Moon came into view. The offensive glow of the sign put a bad taste in her mouth. The bouncer nodded at her as she enters, and she made her way to Mr. Sullivan’s office. The faces of the lonely men staring at Lioness started to warp in her mind. The people with who she empathized now seemed like lust filled monsters, and the rusty haze of the lights only added more fuel to the fire. In hindsight, sneaking into the club owner’s office was risky move, and most definitely illegal, but Sapphire had other people’s safety to worry about rather than her own. Carin emerged from behind the black door with an aloof look on her face. Her eyes were glazed over like a doll, and she stumbled around like a zombie.

While Sapphire wanted to check on the girl, she wanted to quell the burning sensation within her first, so she slipped in behind her. Mr. Sullivan had his back turned, and was nursing a whiskey as he poured over some files. Sapphire ducked behind the velvet sofa and waited, for what, she didn’t know. Suddenly. A drunken man burst in through the door. His speech was slurred, and his smile was wide but thin, like a razor blade.

“Heeey buddy. Man thanks for last night, that girl was wild.” Mr. Sullivan looked at the man, bemused. He smiles with gritted teeth. “Look, I’m glad you enjoy our product, but could you not try and make such a scene. This is supposed to be covert and I don’t need you barging in here, practically proclaiming to the world my side business.” Mr Sullivan stood up from his chair and sternly set his hand on the man’s shoulder, he tried to guide him out, but to no avail. The man just swung back around and out of his grasp.

“Don’t worry about it S, I just wanted to rent out Lotus again. Hey...” He leans to whisper, and Sapphire peers out from behind the couch, eager to hear. “If I pay double can I not wear a condom. I’m preeetty clean and *hiccup* I know your girls are on the pill.” Sapphire whips back and almost vomits on the floor. The realization struck her like train. The color seeped from her face, as she was left as nothing but a shaky phantom of herself. Mr. Sullivan shoved the man away adamantly and yanked the man along with him outside, leaving Sapphire alone quivering on the floor.

She stood up slowly, the darted towards Mr. Sullivan's abandoned whiskey. Her hands shook as she lifted the bottle to her pursed lips and chugged. She lurched forward and retched into the nearby trash can. She wanted so desperately to forget, but the knowledge was imprinted in her brain forever. Images of her blissfully unaware friends bombarded her mind. She had to tell them. But could they live with the knowledge that they were being raped for money? Her mind kept racing until one thought made her stop dead in her tracks. Carin. She had to get to her before it was too late.

A/N- Like I said in the previous chapter, let me know if you would like to see this continued. All feedback is appreciated!

A/N 2- Also, The strippers names switch between their real and their actual. If they are performing their role (on stage or when Sapphire is paying) they will be referred to as their stage name. If they are not performing, their real name will be used (Carin is her real name. Lily is her stage name) Just wanted to clarify for further chapters where the names will switch