A little Seth/Kate pairing. Disclaimer: Don't own the from Dawn till Dusk the Series.
She hurried her step on her way into work she wouldn't be late but Steve always gave her a hard time anyway. It wasn't a perfect job, but it paid the bills comfortably, leaving enough room for some luxuries and some savings. She had tried waitressing for a while at first, even bartending, but stripping paid the best, especially at the weekends. It was strange and she hadn't expected it but she found that she actually enjoyed being on stage. There at least she felt in control, dancing allowed her to be sexual and sensual without risk. She enjoyed the way men looked at her, the lust, the need but she wasn't expected to fuck anyone. She did some private dances but she was not a happy ending kind of girl. That usually meant most of the private dances went elsewhere, but she occasionally was requested specifically. She had a look that appealed to some and the lack of sexual contact only seemed to add to that fantasy for them. She didn't get it, but she didn't have to understand to get paid.
She bustled through the door and ignored the pair of people sitting in the empty club, hoping not to be noticed "You're late". "I'm not, I'm the first one here and I am two minutes early and we are not even open yet, jackass" She shouted back. "I heard that", "Yeah well, I meant you too Steve". She was about to pull open the dressing room door when she heard a familiar silky voice "A handful?". Her heart almost stopped for a moment and felt the blood drain from her face. She forced her feet to move at least until she was behind the door. Her hand nearly missed the makeup counter barely inside the door and a single hot tear streamed down her face. She remembered that night as if it was yesterday.
They had both had drank a little too much tequila and one thing had led to another. Such a clichéd story but after three long months Seth had finally seen her as a woman and had made love to her. It had been more than she could have ever have asked for a first time. He had been loving and considerate, kind and really fucking good at it. It had been all her fantasies combined and more, she had been so happy right up until she had woken up the next day, to an empty bed, a note and a bag of money.
"Kate,
This is unfair to you, I have been unfair to you, so this is me doing the right thing. Car is yours, Motel is paid up until the end of the week and that is most of the money from the last job and your new passport.
Seth".
She had thrown up after reading it, then she cried on and off for the rest of the day. She had pathetically waited until the end of the week hoping he would come back to her, but he never had. When her time was up there, she packed up her things and drove to the next reasonably sized town and got a job. She crossed the border as soon as she could afford to after that. She still had that bag of money but never touched a cent, she hadn't even counted it, thinking about it made her feel too much like a whore. It had been nine months since that day and the feelings flooded back; the pain, the hurt and worst of all the love.
That voice had brought it all crashing back and she struggled to breathe. She took a couple minutes and pulled it all back. She would not break, not because of a fucking Gecko. She wasn't alone when she came too, some of the other girls were already filing in by her and were getting ready around her. She already knew, if he had recognized her, he would want to talk, the easiest way to do that here would be to ask for a private dance. It was his way and she already knew that he would be all angry with her for not going home and becoming a pious church going little girl again. He had never really understood her when she had tried to tell him so many times that she had nothing to go back to. She finished her makeup and stripped and pulled on her lingerie. She wasn't up on stage until later. Any of her body hang ups had long disappeared.
Steve discretely popped his head inside the door averting his eyes out of courtesy "Hey Cupcake", "Yeah Steve" she replied, "You got a private, VIP Booth", "Doors aren't even open yet Steve", "Special client, treat him well ok?", "I always do Steve". Steve may have been an asshole but he was a harmless one who really who took care of the girls. She took a deep breath before heading out, he is just like any other client, don't make him special. You don't love him and you are not that girl anymore.
She sauntered into the private booth. This wasn't the first time she had to dance for someone who made her uncomfortable. "Hi there" she said with her seductive smile plastered across her face. "Kate?" he replied somewhere between disgusted and angry. "My name is Cupcake here", she began her routine. He could barely look at her while she dancing and it pissed her off. "You were supposed to go home" he gritted out. "I have no home to go to". "So, what? you become a fucking whore?". It wasn't the first time she had been called a whore, but hearing it from him was the first time it stung. She had a good poker face though and she kept dancing "No Honey, I just dance like a whore, but you do seem intent of making me feel like a whore. Is that what you want me to be baby? A whore?". She heard the upset creep into his voice "Kate, please stop, I didn't want this for you, please stop and just talk to me". "I'm not paid to talk, just to dance", she reached around and unclipped her bra and ground herself into his lap. "Please Kate". "No, you left and I did what I had to do. You're not the first man to call me a whore in here you know but you are the only man to ever make me feel like a whore. You fucked me, paid me and left, isn't that, right?" She turned to him and shoved her breasts in his face. "What? No? You know it wasn't like that, Jesus Kate" he pushed her off him. She walked back angry now and pinned him into his seat making direct painful eye contact with him "That is exactly what it was like, tell yourself whatever lies about it you want about it. I was so happy when we slept together, you had finally seen me as something other than a fucking child, a burden on your life. It was better than all the fantasies I had dreamt up about it. Then I woke up the next morning and read that fucking note. It made me feel sick… disgusting… used... and really, really alone. I waited in that room until the end of that week, desperately hoping you would be back but you never were so I did what I had to do. You can have your money back, I never touched a cent of it. I won't be anyone's whore Seth Gecko". Another hot tear slipped down her face, but that was all she would give him. "Times up get out".
Seth looked back at her hurt and confused. He stood to leave, he almost said something but instead he leaned over and left money on the table, "I don't want your money Seth, just pay for the dance or whatever arrangement you have made with Steve or I will get in trouble". She slipped back on her bra and walked out.
The main area was beginning to fill up when she got out and she waved over at a couple of the other dancers as they mingled. She was chatting to an older gentleman at the bar when Steve walked up to her a couple minutes later and pulled her aside "You can head out now Cupcake", "What the fuck I just got here?", "Mr Gecko bought out your slots for the night, you must have made a good impression. He is a good man to know" he said with a good-natured wink. She knew Steve thought he was doing her a massive favour. Seth though was just an asshole just couldn't leave it alone. She nodded back at Steve and smiled, she no longer wanted to be here tonight in any case. She went back and got dressed and headed out.
