Something's Got A Hold On Me.
Summary: Exotic dancer Catherine Flynn used to work at the French Palace, earning good money for her and her boyfriend Eddie to live. Unfortunately for Catherine, Eddie turns out to be not so trustworthy as she had hoped him to be. He makes her work in another club, The Pussycat, where she turns out to work for money she's not allowed to spend herself. While Eddie spends her money and treads her like his slave, Catherine slowly turns into a insecure, scared and sad prostitute instead of the confident dancer she used to be. How the hell will Catherine be able to turn out to be the woman we all know today?
Rating: M. Drugs, sex, prostitution.. Need I say more?
Spoilers: None.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Not even the name The Pussycat.
Note: Hi folks, here's a new little something. I recently started watching Matrioshki 2, a sequel on Matrioshki 1, a show about prostitution set in Antwerp, Belgium and other countries like Thailand and Russia. It seems pretty realistic, and it's producers have been doing research for 2 years before they started to film Matrioshki 2. I would really recommend you all to watch it, it's quite shocking and interesting at the same time. Anyway, I came up with this idea while watching. Give it a try and let me know what you think of it! xx.
Chapter 1: Nothing Like She Used To Be.
"I'm tired, Eddie. I've been working here since forever Ed, I can't do that! This is not what I want and this is not how I want to earn my money. I'm not a whore!" Catherine's blue eyes were filled with rage and her eyes were fixated on the man in front of her. Eddie, however, didn't seem to be touched by her words at all. Being her boyfriend, Catherine would expect him to be unhappy about her dancing half-naked. Instead, he wanted her to now sell herself for sex as well. Something she wasn't planning on doing. "Cath, baby, listen.. I'm trying to break through in the music business and I need money for it. You know that, honey." "Oh, don't you try to sweet talk me, mister. You don't earn shit! You use my money to do everything you want. I'm really doubting that breakthrough of yours." Eddie knew she was angry. He also knew that she was only standing up to him like this because she'd just had her fix and wasn't scared or insecure anymore. He simply laughed at her and said: "Get your ass on that stage, Catherine. We'll talk about it later, but either way, this is your last night here at the French Palace."
Catherine watched Eddie walk away and let her head fall against the wall, closing her eyes in the process. She didn't know why she wasn't able to walk away from Eddie. He used her, hit her… Why was she spending all her money on him and drugs instead of saving money herself and quit dancing in a bit. She'd loved Eddie when she'd met him for the first time. He was a bad guy, and she'd known it. But he had been sweet to her, told her he loved her. She felt good, being around him, knowing people would look up to them as they looked gorgeous together. But as soon as he'd got her to use cocaïne, things had gone wrong. Not only did Eddie become violent after using any kind of drugs, her personality had changed, and not for the better. Catherine knew she could get back in school, become someone her future child could look up to. She heard herself being announced on the stage, and started making her way to the stage. She started her routine as usual, doing the same thing she did every night. The only difference was though, that she was making up a plan in her head. She would grab all the money she could get that night. She would grab her bags, get in a bus and leave. Leave Las Vegas. Leave Eddie. Leave The French Palace. She would leave everything, and start a new life. That was what she was going to do.
She knew Eddie would come to her dressing room in ten minutes or so. She had to be quick. She thanked herself for being the neat and tidy person she was as she had all the stuff she needed in one bag. Instead of putting her tips in the jar to share with her friends, she took them all and threw them in her purse. She kicked off her heels and got out of her skirt, and put on a pair of jeans and her flip flops. She then put on her leather jacket. While she threw some make-up in her bag, she looked around her room, knowing she wouldn't forget anything special; everything she needed was in her big bag and little purse. She silently said her goodbyes to her room and the Palace before grabbing her stuff and walking into the direction of the back doors. She looked around like a deer afraid of being shot. As soon as she'd exited the building, Catherine started to run. She looked behind her, afraid of being followed by Eddie. Unfortunately for her, she bumped into someone on her way to the bus station. She dropped her purse, and while she bend down to quickly grab everything again she said: "I'm sorry, sir, I'm in a hurry, I didn't look." "In a hurry for what?" She recognized the voice immediately and she knew she was screwed. She slowly looked up and before seeing Eddie she already felt his hand burning in her cheek.
"Fuck," she cursed, knowing she was screwed now. "Where the hell were you in a hurry for," Eddie hissed. He grabbed her arm, and Catherine could feel she would have a bruise in a few hours. She couldn't keep her voice normal as she said: "I… I just.. I wanted to go.. Home. I didn't want to.." "Oh, stop talking. Your lying through your teeth and you know it. I can tell you were trying to run away and I can tell you, if you'll ever do that again I'll swear to God you'll get more than just a red cheek." He took her arm and lead her to his car. Catherine wanted to cry, but she didn't want to do that in front of Eddie. He almost threw her in his car, and as soon as he was in, he locked the doors and said: "Why are you trying to run away from me, Catherine? You know I love you, I would never want to hurt you." It was ironic how Eddie's mood could change within seconds. Catherine wanted to yell and tell him he hurt her too much, but Eddie didn't even let her answer. He lightly brushed her cheek on the place his hand had been a few minutes earlier. "I'm sorry for hitting you. I just… I want us to earn as much money as possible. As soon as my career gets off the ground, I'll start earning a lot of money and then you can quit working immediately, maybe sooner if we can save a lot. You'll be earning a lot more in the Pussycat, you know that. We'll have a lot more savings then." Catherine didn't want to be weak. The kick the cocaïne had given her was finishing slowly and instead of being the fiercely, secure woman she was on cocaïne, she looked like a little bird that was completely lost. Tears started falling down her face as she said: "I'm not a whore, Eddie. I'll… I'll quit the coke, then we'll have more money and I can stay at the Palace. Please, Ed.. I don't want to leave that place."
Eddie looked at the woman in front of him. She was nothing like the woman he'd fallen in love with. She was scared, insecure, tired and sad. When he'd seen her dance for the first time, she had been gorgeous. Her long reddish-blonde hair, dancing around her shoulders, her big blue eyes showing signs of both satisfaction and arrogance, a body to die for.. He knew he was the one who'd gotten her in touch with the cocaïne. She'd changed completely after that. He knew it was his fault. Yet, he didn't seem to feel guilty at all. He needed her. He needed her money. And he still loved having sex with her; she was an animal in bed. But he didn't love her anymore. Not like he did before. He only needed her. And that was why he was determined to make her earn more money. Whether she liked it or not.
End of chapter 1. I hope you all liked it, please let me know what you think of it. xx.