Bombshell - Toxic Riverside Pt. 03

Before

(Ten Years Earlier)

The bass throbbed through her tight young body as Miranda rolled down onto her knees. She leaned back against the pole, sucking her manicured finger slowly, in and out between her bright pink lips, then working her soft sweet tongue over and around, until every knuckle glistened. A few bills fluttered onto the stage. She arched a little further, thrusting her chest so that her full round breasts were positively gleaming under the multicolored strobes.

Her audience shifted forward in their seats, wearing anticipation blatantly on their faces.

Biting her lip, Miranda made eye contact with several of the rapt men watching her, then reached down to swirl that wet finger around one of her rosy areolas. Her hips continued rolling to the beat as she teased her nipple into a hard pink nub. At the same time, she crept her long smooth legs further apart, letting everyone get a good look at the sheer turquoise nylon clinging to her pert mound.

Several more bills were tossed on stage.

Miranda, or Candy, crawled towards the closest guy. He quickly rolled up a bill and stuck it in his mouth. She gave him a vixen grin, then leaned forward and squeezed her tits around his face, slipping the bill out of his mouth as she pulled away.

As Miranda crawled towards the next guy, something caught her attention. A pair of intense blue eyes, gleaming further back from the club lights. She recognized them immediately: Warren Ashton. He was sitting by himself at a table near the bar. Her heart did a little flutter when their eyes met, and he smiled at her.

The next guy was holding a dollar in one hand and beckoned towards her hips with the other. Miranda sat back, draping her legs off the side of the stage and spreading them wide open for him. She looked at him, shy but expectant. He reached out, tucking the bill into her panties. She grabbed his hand, grinding against it so his fingers stroked the hairless flesh just above her pussy. He grinned and she licked her lips at him, taking the bill as she pulled away.

What's he doing back? Miranda wondered, thinking about Warren. Could he be here just to see me? He doesn't even live here, but I suppose that doesn't matter to someone like an Ashton...

Her panties snapped against her hip with another dollar tucked in the waistband. Miranda looked down, the guy at stage side grinned up at her, she gave him a "thank you" boob-shimmy. He quickly stuck another bill between his teeth, so she leaned forward, hugging the firm bulbs around his cheeks to retrieve the cash.

Her eyes flit back to Warren, who was still watching intently. As the client motorboated her, an unusual tickle crawled through Miranda's chest, almost like...embarrassment?

She moved onto the next guy, who made a little twirling motion with his dollar. Miranda spun around obediently, placing her hands on the stage and twerking her tight round booty while he tucked the money under her thong.

Miranda was not ashamed of what she did, not by any means. The money she brought in at the Kitty Galore Club helped keep her and her mom above water. But as she shook her ass for that dollar, she couldn't help but wonder what Warren was thinking watching her. Sweet, slightly naïve, fabulously wealthy Warren Ashton who had never wanted for anything in his life -- why was he back?

Don't be stupid, she told herself. He's back to see some titties, obviously...

She'd spent one long night with the young man, not even really dancing, mostly just chatting and talking...well, there had been a few steamy dances. His brother had bought her out for basically the whole night, but when she'd been in that room with Warren it had seemed like something more...Miranda urgently dismissed the thought. Most of the girls had regular clients, Warren wouldn't even be her only one, if that's what's this was becoming. Of course, none of the other regulars were stunningly handsome heirs to billion-dollar companies.

Don't be stupid -- Candy, she reiterated mentally. He's just got a bit of a sweet tooth.

The next customer held out a dollar and Miranda pulled his hand into her panties, rolling her hips and blowing him a kiss as his fingertips grazed her soft, smooth labium.

And as she continued around the stage, Miranda could feel Warren's eyes on her the entire way. Watching everything she did for those men and their money. All the while that nervous feeling fluttered around her chest, flushing her cheeks and making her nipples tingly and sensitive.

He's looking awfully hard, her mind began to scitter while she danced. Is he jealous? Or maybe he likes it...aw, is the handsome billionaire a bit of a cuck?

Finishing her rounds, Miranda crawled back to the middle of the stage. Her perfect heart-shaped ass thrust high and swayed to the music. When she turned back, her sultry green eyes locked with Warren. Her thumbs hooked under her waistband and began sliding off her panties. Her hips gyrated, working the skimpy nylon off their curves. Her tits bobbed and heaved to the rhythms of the music. All the while those intent blue eyes didn't so much as flicker southward, holding her gaze.

Why does he have to watch me like that, Miranda's heart began to race. She had to look away as heat flooded her face.

She stepped out of her panties and spread her legs to show off her primly shaven slit. The audience at stage side murmured excitedly. She sank to her ass, knees high and wide. Miranda reached down, teasing herself for the men, spreading her glistening lips and displaying her soft pink pussy.

Cuz he's in a strip club and you're a stripper, she continued to avoid Warren's gaze. Get it together girl, damn!

Miranda was a little surprised to feel how wet she was. Her heart was still racing, her neck and face flushed. She held up fingers which were slick and shiny with her juices.

She looked at her customers around the stage, several familiar faces among them. Their eyes were so different, expectant and demanding, a few softer almost yearning...but unlike with Warren, she didn't care what they thought of her; and she knew exactly what they wanted.

Candy gave it to them. Licking her fingers clean, then going back for more. She even slipped her neatly manicured fingers into her tight pink hole, pumping and moaning, before indulging in another taste of her own tangy juices. Bills showered the stage.

"...I said -- let's hear it for Ca-andy," the DJ crooned, and Miranda realized it was the second time he'd said it.

The music had already wound down. She quickly scooped up the cash strewn about and snagged her stripped lingerie. As she headed off stage, Miranda glanced back at Warren one last time, but he was already gone.

Chapter Nine

Miranda opened her eyes.

A yellow ray of sunlight was beaming through a crack in the cheap motel room's cheaper drapes. Somewhere her phone was ringing.

She slithered off the bed, trying not to shake it so she wouldn't disturb Vic. His rhythmic near-snores were so deep and resonant it was a wonder she could hear her phone at all.

The ringing cut off just as she located her bunched jeans. As she began to untangle them and fish out her phone, Miranda glanced around the motel room. She chuckled seeing their clothes thrown all about.

It wasn't quite 6:00am. There was no contact info for the missed call, just a number that Miranda recognized immediately.

Donovan Ashton, geez it's like he knew... The thought trailed off as her eyes drifted towards Vic and a very slight pang of guilt flashed through her.

He wasn't the first man she'd been with since losing Warren, but... Miranda shook her head, chasing away pointless thoughts.

What could Donovan want so early? She wondered, thinking back to her brother-in-law as she pulled on the charcoal jeans. She left off her panties since they were still thoroughly soaked, tucking them discreetly into a pocket. Miranda tiptoed through the room collecting her other clothes. She put her bra back on, as well as the black tank top. Then picked up her high heeled boots and carried them to the door.

She gripped the handle ever so gently so as to ease the door open as quietly as possible hopefully without...

"Isn't the guy supposed to be the one sneaking out before dawn?" croaked a groggy voice behind her.

Miranda cringed and glanced back to see Vic sitting up on the bed. He was rubbing one eye, and the dim half-light of the room made the cuts of his muscles look even deeper.

She gestured towards the yellow line between the drapes. "That's why I waited till the sun was up."

He chuckled and glanced around the room. "I could make you some coffee," he offered, starting to get up. "It's particularly terrible, even for motel coffee but-"

"No." Miranda came over and placed a hand on his bare chest. "Um, no, that's okay," her fingers absently traced the ridge of his pecs, "really, go back to sleep."

"Guess you're done slumming it then, Mrs. Ashton?"

Miranda rolled her eyes. "Think of it as you being done hobnobbing, tough guy."

Vic laughed out loud. "Fair enough."

"No but thank you really," her cheeks blushed and she quickly added, "it was educational seeing how you do your work."

"Shit, it was a lot more than that," he grunted.

"It was." Miranda leaned down and kissed him. His lips were warm and even though he returned the kiss, she sensed a tension in them now. She pulled away, biting her bottom lip and backed towards the door. "Maybe next time you're-"

"Nah, probably not," he cut her off. His tone wasn't cold or hurt, just honest.

"Yeah." She opened the door. "Be careful out there Vic Walker."

"Take care of yourself, Randi."

The door shut behind her and Miranda took a second to slip back into her boots before heading towards the front of the motel. She'd need to call an Uber since her car wasn't there. She certainly wasn't going to call Luna to come pick her up at 6:00 am from the smokin' hot bounty hunter's motel room.

Not that she was ashamed, Miranda just didn't feel like answering a hundred questions about her one-night stand, and then hearing about it for the next three weeks. Not this early anyway.

Oh gawd, I do need some coffee...

She took out her phone to call an Uber but found herself returning Donovan's call instead. She'd met with him early a couple times over the last few days. He was in town for a week or so overseeing the rebranding of a hotel the Ashtons owned. They'd reminisced about Warren, and it had actually been kind of nice despite her resentment for Donovan and the other Ashtons.

"Miranda!" Donovan answered overenthusiastically. "Thank you for getting back to me! I-"

"Ugh! Cut that out," she grunted. "It's just me, not some stiff exec."

He actually cleared his throat and chuckled. "Sorry, force of habit."

"Yeah yeah, you called?"

"I was wondering if, er, hoping you'd be coming by this morning."

Miranda swallowed. Geez, do I really want to go talk to my brother-in-law about my husband right after... The thought trailed off as Miranda cringed again and ran a hand through her tangled blonde hair, suddenly realizing what a mess it must be.

"Um I'm not sure I kind of had some other things to do this morning," she stammered, tucking the phone between her cheek and shoulder.

Miranda fished a hair tie out of her pocket and began gathering her sex-hair back into a messy ponytail.

"Really? You do?"

"Yes, Donovan, I do things all the time," she snipped. "Just because I'm not-"

"Obviously, yeah, no -- I meant that's too bad," he interjected. "I've really enjoyed hanging out with you this week."

Miranda's shoulders drooped. It was unlike an Ashton, especially Donovan, to let a hint of vulnerability show.

"It's been alright," she conceded through grit teeth.

"Lunch maybe?" he said quickly. "If I can take a lunch break surely you can." He bit off the sentence as if realizing how it sounded.

Miranda rolled her eyes.

"All the employees here rave about the sandwiches at this coffee shop around the corner," Donovan went on. "Say around one-ish?" Then he added almost perfunctorily, "Will that give you enough time?"

He's pushing this awfully hard, she thought. What's he after? Don't be like that, she scolded herself. He's obviously been missing Warren and it's not like the rest of the family offered anything resembling emotional support.

Miranda unclenched her teeth. "Alright, lunch."

"Noice!" he said and for just a moment she heard her friend Donovan, instead of the brother-in-law who'd abandoned her.

"You're not gonna do anything Ashtony like buy the place out so they'll close it for just us or anything, are you?"

"Um, I don't have to?" Donovan replied. "I hadn't really-"

"Good, just a normal lunch then," she said firmly.

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

"Right," Miranda couldn't help but laugh. "See you at one, Donovan."

Chapter Ten

The air was humid and thick by the time Miranda was getting out of her silver Lexus.

She'd been home to shower off her night with Vic, and already it seemed like a long time ago. Afterwards, she'd checked in with Luna, who had nothing new to report on Dr. Kelvin or the Hammer. Unfortunately, Miranda hadn't had much time to delve into her own research before having to get ready to meet Donovan.

Knowing it would be hot, she had changed into a navy summer dress, with white polka dots and a waist tie that highlighted her figure. Likewise, she'd styled her blonde tresses into gentle waves, anticipating the humidity of a Midwestern summer. The outfit was completed by a pair of strappy sandals with wedge heels.

The sun was high and bright, beaming down on the busy streets. Riverside was not a bustling metropolis, but it was a good-sized city with a thriving shopping district. Mostly locally owned boutiques, or larger franchises designed to look like such. The area had grown up around the swanky hotel which Donovan was in process of rebranding: "The Royal Shore Hotel, formerly the Riverside Summit -- New Name, Same Luxury!"

Miranda had had to park around the block from where she was meeting Donovan, and so she was meandering past the shops. Several had smiling ladies arranging outside clothing stands for the big special event sidewalk sale which they had every day. They were the kinds of places she couldn't afford to shop at when she was younger. Then, after marrying into Warren's familial wealth, she'd felt a kind of odd guilt about shopping at them. And of course, after losing him, the allure and glamour of it all had kind of faded and she didn't do much shopping at all.

But today Miranda paused to thumb through a rack of colorful sundresses, and a sense of wistful nostalgia tickled up the back of her neck.

Then something caught her eye just up the block.

A hunched figure rounded the corner dressed in yellow and gray. He was ambling along, with a familiar derby handled cane clicking the sidewalk. Actually, he wasn't ambling, he was moving very quickly and clicking that cane perfunctorily at best. The figure had on a low-key fedora with the brim dipped over his face, but not enough that Miranda didn't recognize him immediately.

Dr. Kelvin cut across the street right in front of her, moving down the next block, away from the swanky shopping district.

I should call Vic, she thought, reflexively reaching for her cell phone. And tell him I found the evil chemist we're both chasing? Right, after I just explain that I'm the silly superheroine he had to rescue the other night...

She let the chemist get far enough down the block that it wouldn't look like she was chasing him, just like Vic had showed her, then followed.

The shopping district ended right about at the street they'd just crossed. There were a few blocks with some nondescript state and office buildings before they would reach a residential area, but not much else in this direction.

Where are you headed? she wondered as the older man turned the next corner. A friend's house to lay low? Does a guy like you have friends?

It was tough to let him disappear from sight without hurrying to keep up. Per Vic's teaching: she restrained her herself keeping a normal pace as she followed him around the...

"Shit!"

Dr. Kelvin was nowhere to be seen. Now she did hurry forward, heedless of the noise her heeled sandals made on the sidewalk. The navy skirt fluttered around her knees as she passed an empty doorway to an apartment building and came to a closed store front that used to be a neighborhood pharmacy. Halfway down the block she saw an alley and trotted right up to the edge of it.

Miranda pressed herself against the brick-walled corner and listened. There were no footsteps, no sounds at all coming from the alley. She peeked around the corner, slowly and carefully. There was no one in the alley either, nothing but the usual trash and dumpsters.

I think I'd've heard you buzzing into those apartments, she thought glancing back up the block. And there's nowhere to hide over there, she scanned the next street over. A few cars were passing but no pedestrians.

Again, she thought about calling Vic, but instead stepped out to see what was down that alley. The old man had to have come this way.

She remembered the hidden bar Shorty Suites had worked out of. If there was a location like that, she could find it, and then come back when she was dressed a bit more appropriately.

Her heels sounded a lot louder now, the clicks and clacks echoing off the narrow brick walls. She scanned every shadow, moving quickly, but not too quickly.

She was just about to give up and turn around, when she heard voices. They were muffled. She glanced around, searching for the source. A rear door to the old pharmacy was just barely ajar.

"...don't know where the bitch is."

Miranda could just make out the voices as she got closer. One sounded familiar, but the other was definitely Dr. Kelvin.

"Well you better find her," that was him. "She's the only thing gonna keep your ass off the hook."

"Me? I ain't snitch, I was out cold." The second voice sounded like that powerlifting dealer, Tuck.

They're talking about Buzzy, Miranda realized. If these two find her, whatever happens really will be my fault.

"Hammer says she's your floozy, your responsibility," Kelvin hissed. "You know how much product and work we lost when that superbitch crashed my lab?"

No mention of the bounty hunter that was also tracking you, huh? Miranda glanced around the alley. She had to do something before they continued their search for the female weightlifter.

She thought about calling Luna, have her bring the Nandex... no telling how long that would take though.

Call the cops? She wasn't even sure there were any laws being broken at the moment.

The voices quieted again, moving deeper into the building she assumed. Clenching her jaw, Miranda moved towards to the door. She eased it open ever so gradually, peering through the crack. It seemed to lead into the former storage area of the pharmacy.

Suddenly the door swung outward and a big hand snagged her wrist!

"Hey, shit!" Miranda squeaked just before she was yanked inside.

It was Tuck alright, broad and blocky and wearing his bright orange hoody despite the heat. Miranda tried to jerk away, but he held on and twisted her arm behind her back. His other beefy appendage hooked around her neck and throat.

"What da fuck we got here?" he hooted.

"Get off!" she grunted, raking a heel down the front of his shins.

"Ow! Fuck!"

Dr. Kelvin lunged at her out of the relative darkness, the wicked tip of his cane leading the way. Miranda dove into a nimble roll and heard Tuck cry out as he got a taste of the weapon's voltage.

She stood up slowly, smoothing out her skirt and watching the chemist spin towards her. They were in a messily abandoned storeroom, cluttered with half empty boxes and leaning aluminum shelves.