Chapter 5

• I widen my eyes, Lance can’t be this clueless. “Well, if he doesn’t like my coffee and he came back, it means he’s coming to see me, doesn’t it?”
• “Perhaps he just works close, and this place is convenient.”
• “Maybe.” I smile as I wipe the counter. “We’ll see tomorrow, won’t we?” I smile as I reorganize the menus. “If he comes back tomorrow, it’s definite confirmation that he’s coming to see me.”
• “You women and your mind fucks.” Lance rolls his eyes. “If you like him, why don’t you just ask him out? You don’t have to make the poor bastard drink your petrol coffee.”
• I giggle as I remember the disgust on his face.
• I really am a funny bitch.
• I exhale heavily and look up at the sign over the door.
• C L U B
• E X O T I C
• I can’t believe I’m actually doing this. I’ve never even been to a gentlemen’s club before, let alone considered working in one.
• It’s fine. It’s totally fucking fine.
• It’s not—not by a long shot—but I can’t live where I am for much longer. Penelope and her Rave Cave have me going insane. I push on the large brass knob on the heavy black door, and I walk in.
• Instantly, my senses are overloaded with luxury, dark charcoal walls, huge chandeliers, and incredible gilded mirrors that are hanging as artwork.
• “Hello,” a pretty blonde girl says with a smile. “I’m Anne-Marie.”
• “Hi.” I grip my resume folder with white-knuckle force.
• Run. Run the fuck away, right now.
• Oh, hell, what am I doing here? I think I’m going to throw up.
• I swallow the lump in my throat to try and push some sort of sentence past my lips. “H-hi. I’m April. I’m here for an interview.”
• Anne-Marie looks down at her clipboard and ticks off my name. “Great. Just this way, please, April.”
• She turns and walks off across the club. I follow, looking her up and down.
• She’s gorgeous and looks so glamorous in her black, knitted, turtleneck, tight dress. Like a sexy, smart businesswoman or something. How does she walk in shoes that high?
• She opens a door to a waiting room of some kind. There’s a girl sitting alone in the corner, and she looks up at us with a timid smile.
• “Just take a seat here. Porsha will be with you shortly,” Anne-Marie smiles.
• “Thank you.”
• I sit down in the closest seat, and Anne-Marie disappears, the door clicking closed behind her. The room falls silent, and I drag my eyes up to the other girl who is waiting. She gives me a lopsided smile.
• “Hi,” I say softly.
• “Hi.”
• We fall silent again, and finally she whispers, “What the hell am I doing here?”
• “I know. Me, too.”
• She moves to sit beside me so that nobody can hear us. “You need to tell me to leave. This shit is crazy.”
• “If you tell me first,” I whisper back. “Are you here for the bar job?”
• “Yeah.”
• “Me, too. I’m broke.”
• “Same. I’m studying. I’m Kayla, by the way.”
• “Same.” I smile. “I’m April.”
• “What are you studying?”
• “Law.” I look around nervously. “Is this place even legal?”
• “Who knows?” Kayla shrugs. “I’m studying medicine. In my third year.”
• I smile, feeling a little at ease. Kayla is attractive and obviously intelligent. “Apparently, they pay seventy pounds an hour, and you work ten-hour shifts.” She whispers.
• “Shit, really? God, I could do with that.”
• “Me, too. I’m living in the biggest dump on Earth.”
• “Well, I’m on campus, and it is literally Hell.”
• “I did that my first year. Never again. Let’s hope we both get the job so that we at least know one person.”
• The door opens, and a beautiful woman with a black bob comes into view. “Hello.” She smiles and looks between us. She’s gorgeous, made up to the nines with a full face of makeup and red lipstick. “My name is Porsha. I’m the manager here.”
• “Hello.” We both smile.
• Porsha looks between us with calculating eyes. This woman is no pushover. I can tell already.
• “Who was first here?” she asks.
• “Me,” Kayla says nervously, standing. “I’m Kayla.”
• “Hello, Kayla.” Porsha smiles. “This way.” She turns and walks into the office, and Kayla gives me a nervous shake of her head.
• “Good luck,” I mouth.
• “Thanks,” she mouths back before disappearing into the office and closing the door behind her.
• I tip my head back and stare at the ceiling. There are old-fashioned paintings on it, as if it’s the Sistine Chapel.
• Wow… weird.
• This place really is something. I wonder what used to be in this building?
• I wait for fifteen minutes, and then the door opens. I watch as Kayla shakes Porsha’s hand. “Thank you for the opportunity, I’m really excited,” she says.
• Oh, she must have gotten the job.
• “Take a seat, Kayla. I will be with you after I interview April.”
• “Okay, thanks.” Kayla hunches her shoulders together and sits down. “Good luck,” she mouths to me.
• “Hello, April, nice to meet you,” Porsha smiles at me and holds out her hand to mine. She then holds the door open for me. “Please take a seat.”
• After shaking her hand, I sit down at the huge, black desk.
• Porsha sits down opposite me, and she studies me intently. “Welcome.”
• “Thanks.”
• She has an air about her that’s powerful and confident. She waits for me to speak, as if assessing everything that I do and say.
• “So, tell me… why are you here?”
• “I…” I pause. “I’m applying for the bar position.”
• “And what do you know about Club Exotic?”
• “Not much, I’m afraid. I’m hoping you can shed some light on the position.”