Page 105 of Direct Action

Sterling reached up and ran his finger from my temple down to my chin. I had to fight back a lip curl, but that wasn’t what freaked me the fuck out. It was the sadness in his eyes. Sorrow even.

What the hell?

“See you soon, Chloe.” He turned and smiled at Poppy, then walked away.

“Is this your first time?” the woman, Laura, asked.

She sounded chipper and happy. I wasn’t sure if, like us, she was faking it or if it was genuine.

“Yeah,” Poppy answered. “Any pointers?”

“Smile a lot,” Laura started as she began to walk through the foyer. “Tonight will be a great night to break you in. It’s a small crowd, only twelve guests. There’re always two hostesses per guest, and most of the girls here tonight are repeats like me. But bottom line, your only job is to make sure the guests are taken care of and have whatever they need.”

“And what, for instance, would a guest need?” I asked.

Laura stopped and tilted her head. “You came in with Mr. Blackwell from California, correct?”

“Yes.”

“And Muriel didn’t give you the specifics?”

Muriel?

Holy shitamoly.

“Um, no.”

“That’s strange. She always briefs the girls from Cali. Do you not work at the Vault?”

Holy shitamoly.

“We do,” Poppy answered. Then added, “Chloe’s new. We lost a server, and things have been super busy.” She added a shrug and went on. “Maybe that’s why she didn’t have time.”

Laura sighed, but it didn’t sound like frustration, more like resignation. “Dinner will be served in the courtyard.” She pointed toward the window, indicating the tables outside. “There’s catering staff that will serve the food. We’ll mingle around the tables; if someone needs a drink, you bring them one. If someone invites you to sit down, you sit and talk with them. If they offer you a drink, you politely accept.”

Well, if a hostess could turn into a guest, that explained why there were two hostesses per guest.

“The main floor is open to all guests.” She swept her hand around the room. “The upstairs is roped off; only premium members are allowed up there.”

Premium members?

“Members?” Poppy inquired.

“This is a supper club. There are different tiers. Tonight there will only be three premium members—Mr. Blackwell, Mr. Taylor, and Mr. Gamble. You can’t see them from here, but there are three guesthouses around the side of the pond. Each house has four fully equipped bedrooms—those are for all members to use.”

I didn’t ask what fully equipped meant. Mainly because I hadn’t had the time I needed to brace for all I was about to see.

“Twelve guests for dinner, twenty-four hostesses, plus catering staff,” Poppy reiterated. “I’m assuming there will be bartenders, or do we mix drinks as well?”

“There will be six bartenders and anywhere from twelve to fifteen entertainers.”

My stomach clutched.

Before I could give Poppy a sign to drop the topic, she asked, “What are entertainers?”

Please say baton twirlers and those people who dance around with torches blowing flames.

“Whatever they need to be.” Laura gave a tight smile, the first one I’d seen that seemed fake. “They won’t come down until after dinner. Sometimes they mingle in the main room, but mostly they’ll be around for five, ten minutes, then will head to guest houses.”