The smoky air was thick and suffocating as Valentina straightened, a few new bills tucked within the scanty threads of a red thong. She had never taken to the habit of smoking, as she valued her stolen wealth more than that- but she felt the poison of cigarettes bury and settle deep into her lungs regardless, setting her for death by a different sort of murder.
She could feel the grimy dinginess of the club about her. Violent shades of purple, pink, and blue lights flashed overhead almost painfully, turning her olive skin into a darker, shadier tone, and highlighting the fine layer of sweat that glistened over her thighs like a coat of primer. As she slid up and down the metal pole, bending and swaying her body as she did so, the loud beat of some unknown dance music screamed, infiltrating her insides and pounding loudly.
The song came to a close, finally- it had seemed to last for many ages. Smoothly she lowered to the stage floor, scooped a few crumpled (and probably soiled) dollar bills, and tucked them in the cave of her bra. She strutted off of the stage, her heels clicking as they propped up her feet in a manner that flexed the strong muscles of her long and slender legs. The moment she had left the stage, another girl had taken her place, capturing the eyes of all men in the club- except for one.
Valentina was quick about dressing. Though she had no objection to parading about in her undergarments- in fact, she was rather good at it- it filled her with more unease to be seen nude by one man, than by a room of dozens. Maybe it was the way one pair of critical eyes could undress her clothing and her skin to find the naked essence beneath her skin. These were the thoughts she suppressed while pulling over a T-shirt, some denim shorts, and a comfortable pair of boots. She tucked the money she had gained into a safe beneath the desk of her dressing room, and left, running her slender fingers through glossy dark curls.
She sighed as the cool night air hit her face on the walk home, pushing her hair back with tendrils of a breeze. She closed her eyes, feeling the wonderful sensation over her eyelids- and when she opened her dark eyes again, she halted in her tracks.
The man. The man who had saved her. How long had it been? ...Three years? Three years to this day. She stiffened, a hand gripping her purse where she kept a can of mace. Something was wrong with this man; his composure, his air, his confidence.
"Hello my dear. Do you remember me?" asked the stranger, as though his mind was in her thoughts. "I'm the man who saved your life all those years ago. Well, I need to call in on that favor. Mind helping me out?"
Valentina took a slight step back, her face dark. "That depends. Who are you? What did you do to me?" How did you return me to my home and leave me completely unharmed? ...Were you a dream?