Belle was startled - she'd been so focused on her motions that she'd had no idea how long Danny had been in the room. Watching her. She squashed the urge to cover herself and climbed off the stage, quickly donning her clothes. Danny walked towards them, giving Belle a critiquing glance.
"You're pretty fuckin good for a flower girl. You've done this?" he raised his eyebrow at her, surprised at the idea.
"Ballet." she whispered.
"Ah." he looked to Mrs. Potts. "Potts will teach you moves, but I think you'll be a pretty good fuckin' draw."
"Mrs." the other woman corrected him, taking a draw on her joint.
"Get ta fuck. You're fuckin divorced."
"Yeah, but the bastard's new wife hates it, so I just have to." she turned, giving Belle a wink. Danny waved a hand dismissively.
"I'll give you a week to fucking put together a routine, then you start performing three nights a week. Your wages go to your debt - tips you fuckin keep unless you'd like to get the fuck out of here a bit sooner, aye?"
Belle nodded mutely, and Danny turned to go.
"Wait... Mr. Devine?"
"Danny"
"Danny..." she paused "Don't tell me dad about this?" she looked at him with pleading eyes. He sighed.
"Fine. I'll just fuckin tell him I've gone soft and decided he can live in my house for free." he turned and strode out, and Belle was not completely sure if he'd been joking.
Belle worked with Mrs. Potts all week to put together a routine. Combined with the learning curve of waitressing and she was exhausted by the time it was done.
"You must stay late tonight, tomorrow is your debut - we have to make sure everything is polished." Mrs. Potts told her. Belle wearily agreed.
She danced, and though she didn't have the same energy to give to it as she felt she should both "Potts" and Mr. Devine said she was ready.
The next night she took off the frilly maid-type apron that signified her as a waitress, handed it to one of her girls, and took the stage. The exhaustion of the week had one good side effect, which was that she was too weary to even feel nervous. Her clothes hit the floor and Belle found herself wishing she was at home, readying herself to climb into the bath. She lost the rhythm once, but regained it quickly. There was applause at the end of her set, and several hands held up bills to her.
Danny approached from the back of the room, where she hadn't noticed he'd been standing.
"You look fuckin exhausted." he stated bluntly, and Belle blushed. "But ye did a good job anyways. The first fuckin week is hard on all the girls." he reached out to pat her on her bare shoulder, and Belle felt her heart warm towards him. For a loan shark /strip club manager, he seemed decent. None of the girls had say anything bad about him.
"You Son Of A Bitch!"
Belle looked up, shocked and horrified to see her dad standing amid the crowd. And he was seething.
"Dad, wait!"
Before she could say anything else, Moe lunged at Danny, throwing a punch that landed right in the eye.
"FUCK!" Danny clutched his eye, guarding himself against the blows her dad was landing on him. Even so, the larger man landed one hit against Danny's jaw that sent him to the floor, unconscious. Some people were staring, others were too drunk to know anything was going on. The loud pulsing music covered most of the noise.
"Dad, stop! STOP!" Belle grabbed her dad's arm, pulling him off Danny.
"Belle, put your clothes on! What did this Bastard make you do!?"
"He didn't make me do anything! I'm working for him!" Belle grabbed her clothes, which Mrs. Potts had brought over to her.
"Sir, I'm afraid you're going to have to leave, or I will call the police!" Mrs. Potts growled. Belle was surprised she wasn't calling the police now. Maybe this sort of thing happened often.
"Working for him? Belle you said you were a waitress - not a STRIPPER." Moe didn't even seem to be listening to Mrs. Potts. Just as Belle was trying to figure out how to get her dad out of there, a man walked in and loudly announced that he needed to speak to the manager.
Mrs. Potts, whose first name Belle still didn't know, went over to him. Belle went to Danny, kneeling down next to him.
"Danny! Danny, can you hear me?" she shook his shoulder.
It was probably safe to say she was fired.
He groaned slightly and Belle sighed in relief.
"Belle?" her dad asked, looking down at the pair in front of him, a lost look on his face.
"Dad - just get out of here, ok?" She should have told him the truth before - and maybe this wouldn't have happened.
"I'm not leaving you here, Belle."
"This is the manager." Mrs. Potts sighed, gesturing to Danny's prostrate form. "I'm going to call the doctor. And the police." She glared at Moe, who just glared back.
Glancing up at the tall man in black. He looked cold in a way that sent chills up her spine.
"This isn't the person I'm looking for." and with that, he was gone.
Danny groaned again, opening his eyes and meeting hers.
"Belle?"
"Danny, thank god you're awake. Mrs. Potts has gone for the doctor." And the police. She added silently. He looked ready to argue, but then clutched his head in pain when he tried to move, muttering obscenities.
"I'm so sorry." He was probably going to add all his medical bills to their debt... and damages, and who knew what else. And she would have no way to pay it back. Danny looked over her shoulder, glaring at Moe.
"Get the fuck out of my club!" he growled.
"Not without my daughter." Moe stood his ground.
"Dad..."
"Then fuckin' take her. I fuckin wash my hands of both of you." He groaned again, curling on his side away from Belle. Belle stood, backing away from him, feeling utterly lost. What was she going to do now? A moment later Mrs. Potts entered with an officer en tow. He approached Moe.
"It's my understanding that you began this altercation?"
"I was protecting my own." He sounded unrepentant. The officer frowned, and looked to Danny, who was now sitting up.
"Sir - do you wish to press charges?" He got out his handcuffs, and Moe paled. They all turned to Danny, who was wiping the blood from his mouth. He looked up at Moe, then to Belle.
"No. No - just leave, and don't fuckin come back." His voice held a note of regret. Mrs. Potts moved to block Belle's view of him.
"Come along, hon." her voice was stern, but her eyes sympathetic "He's usually not so forgiving. I think you'd better go before he changes his mind."
With one more look over her shoulder at Danny, Belle allowed herself to be escorted out along with her father. That was that. Tomorrow she would begin the process of finding another job, and probably another place to live.
Tonight, she would have that bath.
THE END
