An Improper Deal(5)
Caroline is still up, sitting on the couch with her feet on the coffee table, a tablet clutched in her manicured hands. She doesn’t go to bed until at least four a.m. Her hair is red—like mine, but hers comes from a bottle. For once she doesn’t have any makeup on, although she’s wearing green contacts that turn her eyes a strange shade of hazel. She bounces up, tablet still in her hands, and gives me a wide grin. “So! How’d your job go?”
“Horribly.”
She cringes. “Oh no! So you’re back to square one?”
“Something like that.” She has no idea.
“Well… That sucks.” She taps her lower lip. “But I may have something for you.”
“What is it?” I say, suppressing a groan. Knowing her, it’s probably really bad.
“It’s a pretty decent gig. Pays really well.”
My radar’s beeping. “What kind of ‘gig’?”
“It’s actually this Friday thing I have, but my parents said they’re coming over, so I can’t do it. I always tell them not to show up on such short notice, but they just don’t listen. It’s so frustrating. Ugh!”
I manage a pat smile of sympathy for her. I wish I had parents who came over, unannounced or not.
“So anyway, I need somebody who can, you know, sub for me. Madame G. gets furious when her girls don’t show. And the client paid a lot of money.”
“What is this job?” The way Caroline calls her boss “Madame G.” is not reassuring.
“Oh, it’s super easy. Just be a birthday girl.”
“A birthday girl.”
She sighs and looks at me like I’m four. “Okay. It’s this guy’s birthday, right? You basically get inside a big fake cake and jump out when it’s time. And you scream ‘happy birthday’ and maybe even kiss him on the cheek if you want. That’ll get you an extra big tip. And you just put on a good show for everyone at the party. It shouldn’t be that hard. The kind of people who can afford the service tend to be rich, and they pay really well. Totally different from a club, with all those annoying drunks.”
After tonight, I don’t ever want to do a strip show, private or otherwise. “Yeah…I don’t think—”
“But the money’s really good! Like, enough for your half of the rent.”
My jaw drops. “One night’s work is going to net me enough to pay the rent?” I put a hand on my chest. “My half?”
“Yup.”
I cross my arms. “Caroline, do you have to…you know…sleep with those men?”
She laughs and rolls her eyes. “Of course not, silly. You don’t have to. But you can, if you want. They tip really well for that. Most of the time they just want a blow job, nothing serious. Really doesn’t take that long, if you know what you’re doing.”
My skin crawls at the casual way she talks about it. I want to turn the work down. I doubt this client’s house has a bouncer who’ll protect me from overeager friends of the birthday boy.
On the other hand, it’s that much more money I’ll be able to sock away. Given how Mr. Grayson basically told me to strip or be tossed out on the streets, I need to have a nest egg saved to be able to stand up to him and take care of myself and Nonny. I’ve been so stupid and complacent, thinking that we’d be okay, not realizing there’s no free lunch. I need to dig myself out of the hole I’m in so nobody can push me around anymore.
“The job is just jumping out of the cake, right? Anything else is up to me?”
“Right.”
“So if I don’t do anything, no one’s going to be mad?”
“Absolutely.” She raises her right hand in a pledge.
I sigh. “All right. I’ll do it.”
Caroline launches herself at me and gives me a tight hug that has nothing to do with affection. “Thanks, babe. You’re really saving my butt.”
“You’re welcome.” I just hope I’m not making a big mistake.
Chapter Three
Annabelle
Two days later—on Friday, when I’m supposed to sub for Caroline—I get a call from Chuck at two p.m. I’m tempted to ignore it, but maybe he’s calling to say he owes me some money. I did dance at his club after all.
“Hello?” I say, settling down in my couch.
“Can you get your ass down here tomorrow night?”
My eyebrows shoot up. “I thought you fired me.”
“Yeah, well. One of the regulars asked for you yesterday.”
“You gotta be kidding.”
“Nope.”
“You said I sucked.”
“Hey, what can I say? You did. But he wants to see you anyway.”