“It’s because you’re my number one girl that I give you the most important assignments.”
I smiled but my stomach twisted. He wasn’t answering me about the VIP room. I’d been working up to ask about it for weeks and he brushed it off without consideration.
“I need you to help out your family now. I need you to step up.”
“Okay. You know I will.”
“That’s my girl.” He pushed back my hair causing it to fall out of the bun I just created and tugged my head toward him.
There was something in that grip. A little voice deep down inside, the one I had learned to ignore a long time ago, warned me to get out. He grabbed my hair into a fist and yanked back my head so our eyes were locked. It stung enough that my eyes watered.
“The G-Spot is our home. All these people that work here, all your family in the Black Demons, they rely on it. And,” he ran his free hand down his face, “the Man wants us to fail. They hate that us working folk are busting our asses and finally making our way up in the world. So they’re putting bureaucratic red tape all over the place.”
His rant was mostly to himself, but when he looked up again his face hardened with focus. I didn’t know what he was building toward but I wish he’d just tell me already.
“Now don’t worry your pretty face over the details. Just know the Man doesn’t like us. He’s trying to bring us down. I work hard to protect you and the girls. I do things to protect this family…” He trailed off with a shake of his head. “Like I said. I need you to do something. You’re a good girl and so I know you won’t let your family down.”
“Just tell me what you need, baby.”
“There was a suit in here tonight. Tryna to tell me that my work’s not up to snuff. That we aren’t working hard enough and that just ain’t fair. He wants to make a dime off our hard work.”
I knew exactly who he was talking about. I thought of that man again. The one who hadn't worn a suit but was dressed totally different than most of the men in this place, with that little dorky bowtie. He was intriguing. He had watched me on stage so intently. Couldn't take his eyes off me. But it was the way he focused on my eyes that stuck with me. He had strayed briefly to study my moves but he always came back to my face. His attention drove me to push harder, be sexier, feel more. Normally up there, I didn’t think—I just felt.
Suddenly, I didn’t want to be here on Occum’s lap waiting to hear his plans for me. I didn’t want anybody telling me what I wanted or needed. I wanted the attention of a man like that. A sophisticated and classy man. But I kept all that to myself because I was torn. Occum was real upset but that man seemed like he was just trying to do right. He seemed like he was just doing his job. But maybe I wasn’t thinking straight. I’d been fooled by a man before.
“He must want his cut but he isn’t taking cash.” Occum ran dirty fingernails down my arm. “But every man has a price, you understand.”
His finger traced across my collarbone. There was a time where this action would have had me purring under his attention but now my stomach soured. I was trying to change, be better. No more swearing. No more stripping.
“Occum, I want to help…” But what? I didn’t finish. I didn’t want to know what he was getting at.
“Good.” He released my hair and gently kissed my forehead. “So you’ll go to him. You’ll give him whatever he needs to get this renovation moving.”
The dread in my gut solidified into a block of ice that shot through my veins.
I knew what he was really asking me to do. Despite what everyone said, I wasn’t an idiot. I wasn’t that type of girl. Sure, I’ve had good times with a few of the guys, but that was always my choice. That was what I wanted to do. This. What he asked me, this felt awfully close to that line I promised myself I would never cross.
“I can talk to him but I d-don’t—” I couldn’t get the words out.
Occum had some of the girls doing things under the table—literally—but he never asked that of me. I thought I was above that. I thought. And wasn’t that my problem? Thinking. I’ve been told my whole life I was too pretty to worry about thinking.
“Oh, look at you.” He rubbed a thumb over my bottom lip. “I can smell the smoke. Don’t think so hard. This is easy. This is what you’re good at. Look at you. You’re gorgeous. You’re made for this.”
For what, exactly? I focused on his hard stare as it bore into me. I pushed away the scary and overwhelming thoughts that tried to pull me under. Better when I didn’t think at all. I knew that.
I nodded slightly.
“You want to go back to the Wraiths? You want them to collect what’s owed to them the old-fashioned way? The way I see it, you have it pretty good here. Don’t you want your big stage?”
I nodded.
“I need you and the best girls. I’m throwing a private party.”
I didn't know I was available for assignments. My schedule was pretty full between the club and keeping my social media accounts up to date. I had almost five thousand followers on my Instagram and not all of them were men. Women were always asking for health and makeup tips. I wondered if I could …
“Suzie, goddammit! Pay attention. I swear to God, you’re no better than a bitch in heat at a dog park.” Occum was in a no-lip mood so I smiled pretty for him. “I’m throwing a private party for some very important people. Very important. Very intimate.”
“Okay,” I said. “You want me to dance?”
