Oh-my-God—Toxic has me giddy like a schoolgirl.
Sure enough, when I conjure up an image of him in my head, my heart races like a pig’s would when scouting a truffle.
I loathe that he’s done this to me because nothing good could come from falling for a stripper. Or any man, for that matter.Just look at my brother, who’s still pretending to be engaged to his runaway bride.
I open the message and all feelings of excitement drain from me.
Toxic:Since Maria is working out, we need to set an appointment to check on little droid.
First, Maria has been with me for only a few days. Second, and more importantly, who the fuck is he to tell me what to do?
I ready my thumbs to type out a furious response, but decide against it when I realize how paranoid it’ll make him when I don’t respond.
I’m a woman of many talents, one being torture.
To calm myself, I peruse tabloids. My attention draws to a headline.
Oh, no…
Please say I’m hallucinating. That this is a dream.
My star client is currently sitting in jail, as he should be, because he assaulted his girlfriend.
Fuck him for that.
Hard.
Without lube.
It’s safe to say I’m officially in crisis mode with work. Over the last month, I’ve lost four clients, only gaining one, and every day there seems to be a new scandal on the horizon. If things don’t change soon, I’ll have to open my business to lower-level reality stars, and eventually, I’ll be working twice as hard for half the cash.
With my jammies still on, I decide coffee is very necessary at this point.
Unfortunately, when I walk into the living area, I find I have an unwanted guest.
“It’s not like you to sleep in,” Dorrine says. She’s seated on the edge of my dining table, her thin arms crossed over her chest.
“What does it matter to you when I sleep to? I actually work for a living.”
She chortles. “You think I do nothing?”
“I think you tell yourself you do a lot.”
She exhales, bringing her eyes to the floor as she pushes off the table. “I’m calling a family meeting.”
“Regarding?”
“Apparently, Bianca left your brother. I think she’s playing hardball with the prenup.”
“Is that what you think?” I chuckle.
“I was wondering if, during our upcoming negotiations with her, she might benefit from a role within the family business. What do you think about taking her under your wing?”
I blink back at her, furious at her audacity.
Dorrine has always been an advantageous clown, but until now, she’d left my business alone.
And make no mistake, her whole ‘take her under your wing’ request isn’t innocent. She’s using Bianca to usurp my business.
