AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Okay. Well, if you’re serious about paying this off, there’s only one thing you can do.”
“And that is… ?”
“Sell your virginity.”
CHAPTER 8
Tate
THE LIMO was swaying side to side with the kinetic force of Colin jumping to and fro.
“Sit down,” I muttered, putting a hand over my eyes.
He responded by pressing a button that opened the sun roof and standing up, sticking his head out the top. The other guys in the limo cheered and pumped fists in the air, some clinking glasses and giving him words of encouragement.
“I love Las Vegas!” he shouted to no one in particular.
This time, I snapped. “I said sit down.”
Colin re-emerged from the open air, quietly taking his seat and knocking back a shot of tequila. The other men — my entourage, I guess — stared at me, waiting for their cue.
“Sorry,” I sighed. “Go ahead, have fun.”
Once again, the limo broke out into boisterous noise, and I was slipped under into a world of meaningless partying.
When you’re rich, you have an entourage. I don’t make the rules, I just follow them and keep my head down. Men who are less rich attach themselves to you like sea barnacles under a ship and hitch a ride through ‘til morning. It’s fine, I guess — gives you something to do, and these kinds of men are always entertaining, at least for a little bit. Plus, it looks bad to roll up to your own casino alone, like some kind of depressing outcast. For the investors, you have to seem as though you’re having the time of your life.
Me personally, I’d rather go alone. Having friends because of your money isn’t rewarding. But whatever. This was part of the deal, keeping up appearances and doing the bare minimum.
Besides, I thought with absurd glee, at least I’ll get to see Kiki.
My palms had been sweating all day at the thought of another encounter with her. As the hours had ticked on, my brain had increasingly oriented itself around her, like water spiraling down through a drain. Surrounded as I was by these yes-men, her outspoken, unapologetic nature had begun to appeal more and more. And it didn’t hurt that she was easy as fuck on the eyes, all that red hair bouncing in perfect curls.
At last, the eternal limo ride was over, and we disembarked on the curb of Dazzlers, unfurling ourselves from the vehicle like it was a clown car. One by one, all ten or so of us got out and, with many slaps on the backs, we made our way inside.
“Make way for the prince of Dazzlers!” Shane, a particularly rowdy crew member, crowed out behind me. “Tate’s here, baby!”
I ducked my head down, hoping guests wouldn’t assail me. It was boring enough to run a business you didn’t care about, but then on top of that being expected to sign autographs and be a celebrity of sorts… well, it was dull.
“Let’s just get to the theater,” I huffed, quickening my pace and forcing the other men to nearly jog to keep up.
After rounding a few sharp corners, I arrived at the theater, giving the door girl nothing more than a nod before swooping inside into the safety of dark lights and thumping music. In a club, I had anonymity. So as much as I didn’t like the trappings of an evening out, my expected entourage included, I cherished those moments when I could just walk amongst other people, no hands to shake or photos to take.
As soon as I stepped into the room, I did a sweep, scanning for the only woman I cared to see. The throng was leaning in to the stage, watching with bated breath as a performer did a trick high up the pole that ended with the flourish of her bra fluttering down to the stage. Money rained, and through the haze of green, I saw a burst of red hair.
There she was, across the way and to the left: Kiki.
My muscles clenched with adrenaline. I strode over, hoping my entourage would lose me in the crowd. I had to get to her, to my island in the sea. Patrons parted for me — there was only so much dim lighting could do for my recognizable features — and before long, I was within spitting distance of her.
“Kiki!”
She turned, skirt swirling around her hips.
She was a vision. The red getup went perfectly with her hair, making her look like Jessica Rabbit’s more innocent baby sister. Her green eyes did a double take before she realized it was me and made her way over, shimmying around men whose sole focus was on the naked girls atop the stage.
“Tate?”
“Yeah,” I said, breathless, coming to a stop a few feet in front of her.
A man at a table waved his hand impatiently in her direction, trying to get Kiki’s attention.
