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“Seven o’clock, Mellie. And Niall,” his eyes meet mine as I glance at him, my eyebrow raised, “send Arthur and Daryl in.”
I nod. Daryl is lucky he’s only getting fired after the way he spoke to a stranger about his position here at the club.
If Seamus had heard his proclamation, he might have ended up downstairs strapped to my table.
MELLIE
The unmarked dark sedan is still out of the front of the club, though the two men inside look different. I swear one was a blonde earlier today.
There’s a gorgeous woman at the coat check when I walk in.
“Coat?” she asks, her bright red lips complementing her curled, jet-black hair.
“Oh. I’m starting work here tonight as a bartender. Do I leave my coat with you?”
Her coal-black eyes dip to take in my dark skinny jeans and black button-down shirt. It’s what Arthur and Daryl were wearing – or as close as I had – and I wanted to fit in.
“No. Go through. The strippers have lockers in their dressing room. Everyone else manages. Good luck.”
Effectively dismissed, I turn and walk through the elaborate archway. The overhead lights are off, and a stripper is shaking her ass on the stage, moving to the pole and doing a seriously talented swinging move. There was no way I could have managed something like that in those heels. Good for her.
“You lost?”
Jumping, I spin and find myself face to face with a petite blonde, stacked like all get out, wearing little more than a thong and stiletto heels.
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” I call over the song. Her eyes trail over my outfit, her eyebrows raising.
“Because you look like you’ll jump out of your skin if someone says boo to you?”
“I’m tougher than I look,” I sniff, squaring my shoulders. The blonde stripper grins at me, sweeping her hair over her shoulder.
“Good for you. If you’re not lost, where are you supposed to be?”
“I’m supposed to be starting as a bartender.”
Her eyes dart over me again, an inscrutable look there.
“You’ll want Arthur. He’s the new head bartender.”
My head swivels as I look around the room, filling up with patrons. I don’t see either Arthur or Daryl here.
“He’s in the VIP room, this way.”
My new guide jerks her head, leading me back through the hallway the hot blonde guy, Niall, from earlier today, took me through.
We step into the smaller bar, which is also no longer brightly lit. This one is cozy and sultry. I love it. Arthur is standing at the bar and jerks his head at me when we walk in.
“Good luck, girl.” My blonde stripper smirks as she moves to the door through to the back area.
“Thanks. I’m Mellie.”
“Fiona.”
She disappears after telling me her name. Fiona. I’ll remember that.
“Oh, good. You’re here.” Arthur flaps a hand at me. “Stick your pocketbook and coat under there.”
I shove them into the small space under the bar he pointed to, straightening and turning to the glasses he has laid out.
