Chapter 56 The Real Slût.

Chapter 56 The Real Slût.
~SCARLETT.
Rick stared at me like I'd just volunteered to strip during Sunday mass.
"You do remember the night performance is your thing, right? What about that?"
"I need this, Rick. Today's been a mess and I need the distraction. Besides..." I added with a pout, "they asked for me. Not Rose."
He raised a brow. "And you'll still perform at night?"
I nodded. "Of course. If that's what you're worried about."
Beside him, Rose looked like she was about to burst a blood vessel.
"You can't seriously be considering it," she stared at him incredulously. "She already gets all the good clients, half the rich ones used to be mine until she strutted in. And now she wants to take this one too?"
Rick didn't blink. "They asked for her. And you made it clear you didn't want it."
Her jaw clenched like she was chewing glass. Rick turned to me once more.
"Fine."
Rose scoffed, sharp and bitter, then turned to me as well. "Well... break a leg," she said, her smile sickly sweet. Her voice dripped sugar, but her eyes were knives.
Something about the way she said it made the hairs on my arms rise. But I said nothing, just let her walk out like her exit meant nothing.
Rick sighed. "Alright, star girl. You're about to make me a bunch of money, so snap out of the brooding. Get in the zone, work your magic, and get out there fast."
I gave him a faint smile. "Got it."
Satisfied, he muttered something about "babysitting drama queens." Once the door shut behind him, I let out a low laugh. Rose really thought she could throw dirt and walk away clean?
Not this time.
I moved quickly, brushing on foundation, fixing my hair with practiced speed. Within minutes, I looked more like Red: sharp, polished, unbothered.
Then I walked to my bag, ready to pull out my red sparkly costume.
And froze when I realized it wasn't there. Confused, I checked again. Dug through the pockets and turned the whole thing upside down, but there was nothing.
My heart punched my ribs. That costume was always the last thing I packed each morning, folded just so. It was always there.
Unless someone made sure it wasn't.
My mind snapped to Ivy, who disappeared mid-insult, and Rose, hanging back.
They planned this.
I stormed out of the room, fury tightening every step as I marched down the hallway. I found them clustered backstage-Rose, Ivy, and Blair perched like smug little vultures, laughing about something they probably thought was hilarious.
I didn't slow down until I was directly in front of them. Their laughter died the moment they saw my face. 
"Where is it?" I asked harshly.
Rose batted her lashes, all innocence. "Where's what, sweetie?"
"You know damn well what. My costume. You were in my dressing room. Ivy left, and suddenly it's just you. I'm not stupid."
Ivy twirled one of her braids, smiling. "Sounds like someone's spiraling."
Blair snorted without looking up. "Maybe try keeping track of your things."
I clenched my fists. Rick came striding in like he had chaos radar, cutting me off before I could speak again. "What now?"
"She stole my costume," I said, loud and firm.
"She's lying," Rose said immediately, hand over her heart like she was Mother Teresa. "I'd never do something that petty."
Rick looked between us, his face tired. "Anyone want to prove something?"
Silence.
"They're lying," I snapped.
He sighed like he'd aged ten years in ten seconds. "Look, I don't have time to play detective. Rose, Ivy, touch her stuff again, and you're both done. Got it?"
They nodded like saints. Smug little saints.
Then, without missing a beat, Rose said, "I'll lend her one of mine. Just to prove I had no hand in this."
Even Rick blinked. "You'll... what?"
"I'm generous like that," she said sweetly. "Besides, I'd hate for the birthday boy to miss out."
I stilled. So that was the plan. Sabotage. Humiliation. And I'd walked right into it.
"I'm not wearing anything of yours," I growled.
Rick raised his hands. "Look, maybe you left it at home. Shit happens. Just take hers. The club's waiting. No more drama."
And with that, he walked off.
Once Rick was out of sight, Rose's expression changed completely, and her voice dropped. "Now you know how it feels. To lose something just when it mattered most. To be replaced."
She nodded at Ivy, who vanished for a moment and returned with a hanger, draped over it what could only be described as black betrayal.
I took it and stared.
It was sheer. Not the classy, teasing kind. This was full-on transparent, barely a whisper of mesh. My t!ts would be completely visible. The bottom was no better, see-through to the point of indecency. My ass, my pussy, everything would be on full display. No thong could save this. It was practically soft porn.
My stomach fell.
"You've got to be kidding."
Rose smiled like Christmas came early, and Blair leaned in. "Looks like your sparkly little illusions are over."
They walked away, leaving me frozen-not with fear but with rage, the utter humiliation burning under my skin-until a hand touched my arm and I turned to see Tasha standing there.
She wasn't flashy like the others, just a soft, curvy, dark-skinned beauty who had always tried to befriend me, but I'd ignored her for nearly a year, too caught up in survival mode.
"Don't let 'em win," she said quietly. "They want to see you fall apart. Don't give 'em the satisfaction."
I looked at her, and she smiled gently. "They loud 'cause you a threat. Go out there and remind 'em why."
She squeezed my arm, then disappeared into the wings.
Exhaling, I straightened my spine.
Fine. If they wanted a show, they'd get a goddamn performance.
I changed. Every inch of the outfit made my skin ick, but I refused to let it show. And of course, I wore a thong. There was no way I was putting my pussy on full display. Even if the thong couldn't save the outfit, at least I had that. I walked out toward the velvet curtain like I was dressed in diamonds.
Behind me, Rose's voice rang out.
"Well, well... there's the real slut. No more hiding behind glitter. This suits you better."
Snide and cruel laughter echoed around me, but I didn't flinch.
As I passed Tasha, she whispered, "Damn girl."
I smiled faintly, turned to Rose, and met her eyes dead-on.
"You're right," I said in a calm and cold tone. "This does suit me. You just never had the body to pull it off."
Her smirk dropped like a shot.
At the curtain, I paused, my chest aching with reluctance; I didn't want this, but the thought of them choking on their smugness pushed me forward, and as I stepped out, the music changed to WILD THOUGHTS by Rihanna.
The club still wasn't packed, so I spotted the college group right away-rowdy, loud, and already half-drunk, crowded around a booth near the stage.
"Red!"
"Holy hell!"
"Damn, she fine!"
One of them elbowed the guy in the center. "Bro, that's your birthday gift. Look at her!"
But the guy in the middle didn't cheer, he just stared. Slim, defined build, quiet, and his eyes were locked on mine like I was the only thing in the room.
And for just a second, a cruel second, I thought about Liam.
I hated myself for it because I was still pissed, and most definitely still haunted by the sound of his voice in my house, shattering everything I'd tried to rebuild.
I tried to shake the thought. Emphasis on tried.
But as I slowly walked toward the pole, I saw him seated in a corner booth, alone. Not in my head.
His arms were crossed, tattoos visible beneath the dim lights, shoulders tense, and jaw clenched as though he was holding back an explosion. His hazel eyes were locked on the college boys.
At first, I became even more furious. How dare he follow me here? Why couldn't he just fucking leave me alone? But as I watched the way his gaze burned into the boys-still hyping and staring at me like a piece of meat-as if he wanted to rip them apart for even looking at me, an idea began to form, and my lips twitched before I could stop them.
Well, well. 
Looks like today's about to get a whole lot better.