Page 46 of Riding Dirty

And I did it.

Happily—willingly… eagerly.

CHAPTER

THIRTY-SEVEN

ELODIE

Alex leads the way, holding the door open for me, which I’m grateful for, because I don’t think I would be able to open it myself at this point. I’m half tempted to turn back around and run out of here.

Fuck the contract.

But then I remind myself that the money is life-changing. It can do things for me and Alex that nothing else can. This life doesn’t hand people like me many life-changing opportunities. I need to hold on with both hands, gripping it tightly, and only when the contract is done do I let go.

Stepping into the bar area, I look around and wince. There are naked people everywhere. They’re all passed out. The bar is quiet, and I can’t help but wonder what I’m going to find in the bedrooms.

I decide that I don’t want to know, at least not yet. They all need to wake up and get the hell out of here—namely, Coast. Hopefully, I won’t see him. I’m hoping to avoid him for a year, but I don’t know if that’s possible.

“I’m going to start in the bathrooms,” I announce, holding up my cleaning caddy.

Alex lifts his hand, waving it as he turns toward the kitchen. “I’ll do the kitchen first, the bar next. Hopefully, some naked people will clear out by then.”

“Hopefully,” I murmur.

As I walk toward the bathrooms, I wonder what I’m going to find. The very first cleaning was a nightmare, but it’s been better since then. And today isn’t any different. It’s a bit messy, a bit dirty, smells a bit like pee, but it could be a million times worse.

It only takes me about an hour and a half to have the rooms sparkling again. When I’m finished, I look around, proud of the work I’ve accomplished. I would seriously love to gut this place and have everything redone. It would look so good because it seriously needs a refresh.

“I see why he hired you,” a woman’s voice calls out from behind me.

Spinning around, I flick my attention up to meet hers. She’s leaning against the doorjamb, her arms crossed just beneath her boobs. She’s wearing nothing but a pair of panties. I arch a brow as I look at her, unsure of how she wants me to respond to that.

“Wrath,” she states. “You’re beautiful. I see it now.”

I have about a million questions but decide that I’m not going to ask any of them. I can tell by the way her eyes are searching mine that she’s not just looking at me, she’s trying to read me. I don’t like it at all. But I’m not going to tell her that.

“I’m not sure what he’s said,” I begin, but she interrupts me before I can continue.

“He hasn’t said anything,” she states. “But he didn’t hire me, which means you’re different.”

The entire conversation already confuses the fuck out of me. I don’t say anything, though, because I have a feeling this woman would have some kind of comment about that, and honestly, I don’t need the commentary or judgment or whatever the hell she’s got going on.

“Hire you?” I ask.

She shrugs a shoulder, staying where she is, which completely blocks my exit. I wish I could walk right past her, but I am stuck where I am, staring at her face and wishing she had some damn clothes on, because as much as I want to hate her right now, she looks absolutely amazing.

“Usually, the most senior club girl is in charge of the clubhouse, cleaning, laundry, and food. All the things that encompass the daily running of the club.”

I bite my bottom lip and worry the flesh there, wondering how I’m going to get past her and out of here. I want to go. Far away. Actually, I want to finish this job and get home so I can crawl into bed and sleep.

Hopefully, I can sleep a lot—so I don’t eat my feelings.

Because I know there is at least one chocolate cheesecake, one box of macarons, and a pint of gelato in the freezer, all of which I want to devour immediately. And if they were here right now, I would eat it all… every damn bite.

“Club girl,” I whisper.

“Yeah, you know what that is, don’t you?”