King of Hearts

King of Hearts

My life changed about two years ago. I met a wonderful guy named John Bailey. I had never seen a smile like his before. He could light up a dark room with his pearly white teeth. I was a regular girl born in Kelsey, New Garden. My mother and father had never been married. My dad barely came around after he had two more daughters with another woman. My mom did the best she could to provide for us. I was her only child. My mother vowed to never give another man all of her love after her and my dad broke up. She would always tell me, "Baby, don't ever give a man all of your heart. Keep some for yourself! Or one day you may find it hard to love the person you see in the mirror." I did not understand what she meant as a child. But I understood her clearly as I got older. I used to love a boy who was not right for me. He hit me and cheated on me all the time. I ended that relationship, quickly. I knew the way he treated me was wrong. I knew I deserved better and I was determined to find it. I wanted to find love and have a big family. The only problem was I did not know where to start. My mom always told me I had to love myself before I could love someone else. She was right! So I focused on loving me and only me. Then I met a wonderful man, John. The first day I met John I knew he was different! The sound of his voice soothed my soul. He was perfect in my eyes!

My name is Tiffany Winters, my friends call me Tiff. I was dancing at the King of Hearts when I met John. He was not like all the rest of the guys in the club. He used words like "please, thank you, and ma'am." I knew he was not from New Garden. No guy from New Garden would show respect to a stripper! I started dancing to pay off some of my mother's debt. The money became addictive really fast. I would make close to a thousand dollars on a bad night. Some days I walked out the club with three thousand dollars in one night. I was saving more money than my mom made in a year. I was happy! I met John through a mutual friend named Joseph. Joseph lived down the street from me as a kid. We were not really close friends. He only spoke to me because I was friends with the other women in the club. He always asked me to "hook him up with girls." Joseph and his friends always spent a lot of money in the club, so I never complained.

King of Hearts was not your typical strip club. It cost one hundred dollars to enter. Parking was between thirty and fifty dollars every night. The building was designed like a castle! There were two long stair cases that led to the door. There were always at least ten guys guarding the doors with loaded weapons. There were five revolving doors at the entrance. Two guards stood at each door. Three beautiful girls would always be waiting inside to greet everyone who entered the door. They were required to wear tight black or red cocktail dresses. The guys loved it because they were always dressed cute and very polite. The girls led every customer to their table and gave them a menu. Then a waitress would greet the customer and take their order. King of Hearts was a club full of women employees. The ten guards, four bouncers, and the manager were the only men you would find working in the club. The manager even hired all female DJs. The club was full of mirrors. There were mirrors on the walls and ceiling. The stage was long like a runway. The tables were set up like booths in a restaurant. It was a very big club. There was no need for VIP at the King of Hearts. Every man who entered the door was wealthy and respected the club rules. Every man was required to become a member of the club. They had to provide all kinds of personal information on the membership application. Only a few applicants were accepted to become members. Their information was always kept secret. The manager, Kevin, always said he wanted us to be protected and that was his way of making sure we were. He called it his "insurance policy." Nothing illegal was allowed in the club. Some girls took on side business, but it was against the rules. If a girl got caught dancing after hours or at private parties she would be fired. Kevin would tell us if we did something wrong or something happened to us outside the club he would not help us. He wanted us to have the best reputation we could! Most strippers in the area were known to steal, do drugs, or get caught up in negative things around the neighborhood. All the girls who worked at the King of Hearts were known to be classy.

The night I met John the club was full of people. I was the last girl to go on stage. I loved to be last because the guys would spend the most money. By the end of the night, most of the men were drunk and happy to give their cash away. After I danced, I saw Joseph standing in a corner trying to get my attention. I recognized all of the guys he was with, except one. I told him that I would be right out after I got dressed. When I came out the door all I saw was John's beautiful teeth. The club was always dim but his teeth demanded attention. He was smiling from ear to ear! Joseph asked me about a new girl who had just started. I told him I would put in a good word for him. Then he introduced me to his new friend, John. John was about six foot tall. His body stood over my 5 foot 2 inch frame like the "Jolly Green Giant." He had a rich caramel complexion and bald head. He was a very muscular man. He had to weigh about 200 pounds. He was African American but he could past for a Mexican. Joseph said, "Tiff this is my friend John! He thinks you're the finest girl in here! But, I told him you alright!" I smiled at John and he extended hand. I shook his hand and said, "Hi, John!" He smiled back and wouldn't let my hand go. "You are so beautiful Miss Lady," John said. "Thanks! You're not so bad looking yourself," I said. John said, "Thanks, ma' am!" I asked him to repeat what he had just said. I had never been called ma' am before. He repeated his self and I asked, "Do I look that old?" He just kept smiling and said "Not at all, you are beautiful." He then asked for my number and I gave it to him. He was so polite and well mannered. Kevin did not like us to give out our numbers, so I usually didn't. John was the first guy I had ever given my phone number. Something about him was special and I knew it from day one. Usually the guys, in the club, acted arrogant and rude. John was sweet and gently. I had to get to know more about him.

John and I talked all the time. We had become really close friends. The only problem was that I was a New York girl and he lived in a small town. John was raised in a different background than I was. Since he was born he had everything