Page 22 of Beguiled

“I am thoroughly confused.”

“Okay, I’d forgotten I never went into any real detail.”

“No, you did not.” I had such a bad feeling about what she wanted me to do I began closing myself off, folding my arms as a strange chill coursed through me.

“I’m a card girl.”

“Gambling?”

“No,” she chuckled. “For a fight.”

“A fight. You’ve lost me, Tawny.”

“You’ve heard of MMA fights. Right? Mixed Martial Arts?”

“Yeah, sure. Aren’t they brutal fights where anything goes?”

Her shrug was an answer, but I could tell there was more. “Yes, almost no rules apply. It’s an underground club run by some Irish folks.”

“Irish folks. Why underground?”

She was suddenly very interested in toying with her long hair. Her obvious nervousness caused me to check to ensure my bun was still somewhat in position. Thankfully, I’d foregone ripping it out after my meeting with Mr. Chertov. I would no longer refer to him by his first name. Doing so was way too personal, and I needed to be on my best behavior around him.

“Between you and me, I think they’re the Irish mob, but the only business I’ve ever seen them engage in is the fights. They usually have three, two that are fairly benign. I think it allows fighters to practice their moves.”

“Okay, and what do you do?”

“You’ve seen fights on television where a sexy girl holds up a card in between the rounds. Right?”

“Yeah, maybe a million years ago before electronics were invented.”

Her look was challenging. “They like to do things the old-fashioned way. I parade around for a few seconds holding a card and strutting my stuff. If the men like what they see, by the end of the evening I leave with a thousand in cash, sometimes more depending on the night and the size of the crowd. Plus, I get paid a cool five hundred in cash just for working about two hours. I was thinking that since you need money…” She allowed the rest to trail off.

I was taken aback by the idea as well as the amount of cash I could earn. If the amount was accurate, I could ease some nerves for a little while. “Wow. Not bad.”

“See? I thought you’d like it. All you need to do is to wear a sexy outfit, toss your long hair around, and smile a lot. Oh, and I add to the fantasy by painting my face. You know what I’m talking about. Like I did for that Halloween party last year.”

She was an artist, talented with makeup. When she’d finished, she appeared like a sensual butterfly. I was not nearly so talented.

“While enduring sweaty men pawing at you.”

“Don’t worry,” she added. “They have huge bouncers that keep the guys from hassling me. Plus, they’re professionals.”

“The fighters. Well, I’d hope so.” MMA could be brutal, but what little I knew about the sport, the training was very specific, the fighting for real. Not like the wrestlers who’d gained fame from putting on an act.

“The customers. There’s a strict dress code so they’re all in suits. And they’re rich. You can tell by their jewelry and the wads of cash they pocket. Everything is under the table.”

I eyed her suspiciously. “You mean criminal.”

“Maybe you’re the one who needs to get out more often. If there’s anything criminal going on, I wouldn’t know. I do my job and I’m treated very well, like a princess. Honestly, I can’t lose this job.”

“Is there something else you’re not telling me?”

Her expression turned pained. “My dad thinks he knows best for me. He wants me to come work for him at his company.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad.”

“You don’t know him. Let’s just say if I can prove I’m independent in buying this house, he might leave me alone. Just for one night. Two hours. That’s all I’m asking.”