Tina stared at her reflection in the dimly lit bathroom mirror, the flickering light above casting uneven shadows across her face. The red lipstick she had just applied felt too bold, too much like a mask. She pressed her lips together, then sighed, grabbing a tissue to wipe some of it off. Maybe she didn’t need to be “Trixie” tonight. Maybe, for once, she could just be herself.

But who was she without this life?

She ran a hand through her honey-blonde hair, her fingers tangling in the waves. Her mind had been running in circles all day. She was done. She had to be. The late nights, the transactional smiles, the empty words whispered in dark hotel rooms - it had all drained her. She wanted something more. Love. A real kind. Not the kind bought with money, but the kind that wrapped itself around you in the quiet moments, the kind that saw you, truly saw you, and still stayed.

But could she ever have that?

She exhaled sharply, bracing herself against the sink. What man would want me? The thought came bitter and fast. She wasn’t naive. Men liked women like her in secret, in whispers and locked rooms. But in the daylight? In their real lives? No. They married someone else. Someone clean.

Tina shook her head. No. She couldn’t think like that. She had made choices, but those choices didn’t define her future. She had seen women leave this life before. Some disappeared into suburbs, found love, had kids. Others tried and failed, dragged back in by the money, the ease of it. But she had something those women might not have had.

She had hope.

A knock at her door startled her.

“You ready, babe?” came Lexi’s voice from the other side.

Tina glanced at herself one last time. Maybe this was her last night. Maybe she’d step out of this hotel room and never return. Maybe, she could be enough for something real.

She straightened, lifted her chin, and whispered to herself, “I’m done,” and for the first time in a long time, she almost believed it. 

The hotel bar was buzzing with low conversations, clinking glasses, and the occasional burst of laughter from a table full of businessmen already half drunk. Tina dn Lexi slid into the scene effortlessly, their heels clicking against the polished floor, their bodies moving with the kind of confidence that came from years of practice.

Lexi, dressed in a sleek black dress that hugged her curves, leaned in and whispered, “Alright, babe, what’s the goal tonight? I’m thinking two, maybe three, if we play our cards right.”

Tina forced a smile, swirling the drink in her glass. “Yeah.. two sounds good,” she said, though the words felt hollow.

Lexi smirked, tossing her long dark hair over her shoulder. “God, I love this place. High-end, clean, and the men dont ask too many questions.” She took a sip of her dink and scanned the room. “That guy by the bar - grey suit, Rolex, looks like he’s trying to forget his wife exists? He’s definitely got money.”

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Tina followed her gaze but barely saw the man. Her mind was elsewhere, stuck on the weight of the secret she hadn’t yet spoken.

I can’t do this any more.

The thought was a drumbeat in her head, steady, insistent. She should tell Lexi, get it over with. But she knew how that conversation would go.

Lexi would roll her eyes, call her crazy. “For what? A regular job? A normal life? Babe, no man is ever going to love you the way this money does.”

And maybe she was right. Maybe the life she wanted was a fantasy.

But still.. She had to try.

Lexi nudged her playfully. “You good? You’re weirdly quiet tonight.”

Tina forced a laugh. “Just thinking.”

Lexi grinned. “Don’t think too hard, babe. Thinking makes this job harder than it needs to be.”

Tina nodded, taking another sip of her drink. Just one last night, she told herself. Then she’d be done. She just hoped she had the strength to walk away.

As Lexi and Tina were quietly conversing between themselves, a man approached Tina, different from the usual type she entertained. He was tall, well-dressed, but no flashy - no expensive watch screaming for attention, no wedding ring quickly slipped into a pocket. His hard eyes held hers with an easy confidence, and his smile wasn’t hungry like most men who sought her company.

“Can I buy you a drink?” he asked smoothly, his voice warm like aged whiskey.

Tina hesitated, then nodded. “Sure.” She glanced over at Lexi, who was already making her move on the businessman by the bar, flashing her signature sultry smile. She’s got that one locked n, Tina thought. Now it’s my turn.

As the man signaled to the bartender, Tina subtly studied him, instinct taking over. His suit was well-tailored, but not new, his shoes expensive, but slightly worn. He had money, but wasn’t careless with it. 

“Vodka tonic, right?” he asked, handing her a glass.

Her brows lifted slightly. “How’d you know?”

“I saw you order one earlier,” he admitted, taking a sip of his own drink. “You don’t seem like the usual crowd here.”

` Tina smirked, stirring the ice in her glass with the straw. Oh, sweetheart, if you only knew. “And what kind of crowd do I seem like?” she teased.

He chuckled. “Someone who doesn’t waste her time.”

She titled her head, intrigued, despite herself. “Smart man.”

“I try.” He leaned against the bar, looking at her like he actually wanted to know her, not just the version she sold. “Names Daniel.”

She hesitated for a beat. “Trixie.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Your real name?”

Her lips parted slightly, caught off guard. No one ever asks that. She recovered quickly, flashing a slow, practiced smile. “Does it matter?”

Daniel studied her for a moment before shrugging. “Guess not.”

Something about him unsettled her in a way she couldn’t place. He wasn’t throwing money at her feet, wasn’t trying to impress her with empty promises. He was just… talking to her. Like a person. And that scared her more than anything.