Page 1 of Play Room Actor

1

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Dominic

Working nights didn’t bother me—if anything, it kept me out of trouble.

I stood under the covered entrance of a strip club called Red, checking IDs while Vasily, my backup, maintained order. Vasily was a trained martial artist and built like a tank. I, on the other hand, hit the gym two or three times a week—that had to be enough.

“IDs, please,” I said, holding out my hand.

Five young men stood in front of me, already a little buzzed. It wouldn’t have surprised me if they were here for a bachelor party—they were quite a mismatched group. Their chatter died as they handed me their IDs, and I examined each one, comparing names and faces.

While it was obvious they were all over eighteen, this wasn’t just about age. Maurice, the club owner, had given me a list of people banned from entering.

After checking four IDs, I turned to the guy in the black parka, raising an eyebrow in expectation.

“I left my wallet at work,” he said matter-of-factly, flashing a charming smile.

“It’s true,” added the guy in the denim jacket, adjusting his glasses—Sebastian, if I remembered correctly. “He didn’t have it at the first bar either.”

Without saying a word, I pointed at the sign beside me: No entry without valid ID.

“Oh, come on!” chimed in the red-haired guy in the dark blue rain jacket behind Sebastian—Jacob, I guess? “He’s our buddy! We’re celebrating Seb’s bachelor party. Come on! We even work together.”

Another voice joined in, this time from the guy in the green jacket. He placed a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. “Come on, man. He’s getting married soon. We’re just here to have a little fun.”

The guy in the parka stepped into the covered area, where the red light illuminated his pale yet striking face. His features were soft but expressive, especially his dark eyebrows, which gave him an intense look. His hair was short on the sides and longer on top, styled with gel in a way that suited him. I felt a twinge of envy—my hair was much more unruly.

“We vouch for him,” Sebastian spoke up again, slinging an arm around his friend’s shoulder. “His name is Kilian da Silva, and he’s twenty-seven years old.”

Not a name from the banned list and the same age as me, I thought, though I still crossed my arms and gave Kilian a scrutinizing look.

Four years of acting school had sharpened my ability to read body language and understand human behavior, but I couldn’t get a read on this guy. In a situation where most people would be showing some discomfort, he remained perfectly at ease. His gaze was open and curious, as if it didn’t matter whether I let him in or not. In fact, he looked at me as though I was more intriguing than the women inside Red or a private show in one of the playrooms.

Gay.

“I can’t celebrate my bachelor party without him,” Sebastian said with a serious expression. “He’s part of the group. I’ll even give you my phone number to prove he’s with us.”

I tore my gaze away from Kilian’s mysterious dark eyes and turned to the groom-to-be. Before I could respond, Kilian interjected.

“No. I’ll give him my number,” he said, flashing a sly smile.

Is he flirting with me?

Behind the group, new guests were already lining up, and Vasily handled their entry. Two men in suits squeezed past the group and disappeared into the club.

I glanced at Vasily, who silently checked if everything was okay. I nodded and turned my attention back to Kilian.

“All right,” I said, pulling a club flyer from the wall display and a pen from my back pocket. “Write your number on this.”

Kilian squinted at the pink paper, a mischievous grin creeping on his face. “Why don’t you give me your number instead?”

He’s flirting with me.

With a blank stare, I held the paper and pen closer.

“Fine!” he relented.