Alex doubles down, that vulgar mouth of hers almost biting off the end of each unpleasant word, and even as he knows he shouldn't give in to it, something about it reignites his own anger. "Oh, of course, it's just stripping," he says, looking up again, catching her dark and furious eyes with his cold blue ones. "Just taking your clothing off for money, just letting yourself be ogled like it's the only thing you think yourself capable of, just...what, going into the back room with whoever's got the money to ask you for a personal show?"

He hears himself say it, and it shocks him. He should take it back, and he should do it immediately--but he doesn't.

"There's nothing to be jealous about there."