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“Don’t worry. I won’t.”
Now his curiosity was piqued. “Then where?”
Without answering, she rolled her lips under like she had a secret and grabbed his hand.
Was he a damn fool right now because he’d follow her just about anywhere?
Yes, yes he was, but, with her firm tug, he went with her anyway. She paused at the back of the stage only long enough to snag the fedora from the floor and drop it onto his head with a smile that lit up her face.
She continued on her mission and he let her blindly led him to whatever she had planned next. Which was down the stage steps and back hallway, until they stood in front of VIP room number two.
The knob turned freely in her hand, surprising him, and she pushed the door open and yanked him into the dark room.
A switch was flipped and the room lit up with a red glow. For a second, he thought he stepped into a damn cherry. Everything in the room was red, not just the filtered light. A red high-backed couch sat along one wall, upholstered in vinyl. Most likely for easy cleanup. The opposite wall was completely made up of mirrors. A red armoire was tucked into the back corner. A small table sat next to the long couch, holding a lamp, a box of tissues and what looked like baby wipes.
No surprise there wasn’t a pole since the ceilings were of normal height. Would he love to see Mel working the pole totally naked?
Fuck yes.
Some kind of small screen sat on another corner table and Mel immediately went over to it.
“What’s that?”
“A smart system that controls the lights, regulates the room’s temperature and plays music. There’s also an emergency button the dancer can push if she needs help. There’s a notification system at both the bar and also up in the front lobby, as well as in the dressing room. If the emergency notification goes off, an army will come running.”
Smart.
She tapped on the screen and the lights dimmed a bit further. A few more presses later, music filled the room from hidden, built-in speakers. He didn’t recognize the song but it had a heavy bass.
“Do you all have personalized playlists ready to go?”
“Yes.”
This was no half-assed business. At least until the Demons got their grubby little paws on it. They had already started cutting corners—like replacing good employees with prospects—and he doubted they would be upgrading anything. Or even be worried about the girls’ safety. He could see the club spiraling into a dark pit and everyone beginning to bail as that ship sunk.
But the Demons’ lack of business sense wasn’t his problem at the moment. His focus was elsewhere. “How often is this room cleaned?”
She turned and regarded him. “The cleaning crew cleans it every night after closing. From top to bottom.”
“And in between bookings?”
“Girls are on their own for that. If we’re available, Sapphire or I will do a quick wipe down. But on the nights the VIP rooms are busy that means the club’s busy and we’re hustling as much as the girls.”
She moved over to the wooden armoire and when she opened it, he could see shelves full of things like towels and cleaning supplies. As he moved closer, he also spotted condoms and dental dams.
What the fuck.
“You keep condoms in the rooms?”
She licked her lips. Was she nervous? Well, he was a cop and getting paid for sex was illegal in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Cops went undercover all the time doing stings on massage parlors and clubs for that reason.
“They’re not charging for… that.”
“Mel…”
She shook her head. “They’re charging for renting the VIP room by the hour, or partial hour, or even by the number of songs plus any alcohol, like a bottle of champagne. If one of the girls wants to take it further, that’s on her. Once the door is closed, what she does is her own business.”
“That’s skirting the law.”
“As long as it’s not breaking any laws… Again, it’s up to the girls what they do and how far they take it. However, I’m worried if it’s up to Saint, that might change.”
“If he pushes them into prostitution, him taking a cut would make him a pimp. He could get charged for that alone.”
“If that happens, the girls would get charged, too. Even if they’re forced.”
Of course they would. “If it comes to that, you all need to walk out.”
“Easier said than done. A lot of people have no choice to stay at jobs they hate.” She sighed. “Enough about that. Please. That’s not why I brought you in here.”
He cocked one eyebrow. “Not to have sex?”
“Well… not to have sex for money.” She threw a couple of condoms on the vinyl couch, then dragged a chair over from the wall to the center of the room.
