“No. I am not an escort. I am a coordinator. I am not the girl for the job,” I state.
“And I said ‘stand.’ Again, you are wasting time. You do work for Prestige Partners, do you not?”
“True—”
“I am a well-paying client. You can lose your job because of me.” He shrugs like he didn’t just threaten my job. A job that treats and pays me well.
“You’re a jackass,” I reply, gripping the side of my seat.
“What I am shouldn’t be your concern. Stand.” He flicks two fingers when he says the word “stand.”
This motherfu— No. I have to keep this job. I push back my chair and stand. There is something irritating about having a man command you. I have no idea how the girls do it.
He swirls his finger in a circle. “Turn around.”
“There is something humiliating about having a man tell me to stand in the middle of a bar and then twirl.” Shit, I close my eyes, trying to remain calm. “I’m going to the bathroom and—”
I hear a chuckle, and I open my eyes. Lia is going to kill me.
“You will do.” He stands and drops some money on the table.
“Excuse me?” I clutch my neck.
Roman stops at my side, shifts my arm, and pulls hard at my dress.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I screech. Roman takes my hand and places a white and blue Ross tag in my hand.
“I will contact Lia. I will see you tomorrow.” Then he leaves, just like that. Leaving me standing and squeezing the crap out of the tag.
“My flabber have never been this much gasted.” I turn just in time to see him leave through the crowded lobby.
***
I storm into my apartment, still both embarrassed and upset. My green dress still has splotches of dried champagne on it, and the cheap scent of Donovan is still on my body.
My phone buzzes in my bag. It doesn’t take me long to retrieve it. Of course it’s Lia.
“Lia.”
“So, you met Mr. Voss. He was impressed. So impressed that he doesn’t want Anushka.”
I drop my bag on the mustard sofa and begin to pace. “Met him? More like I endured him. Don’t get me wrong, he is fine. Like,fine. But he had me stand in the middle of a bar, which I can’t believe that I did, like I was auditioning for a reality TV show.”
Lia chuckles. “Kukolka.”
“Yeah, then he stands and says ‘You’ll do.’ Excuse me? I’ll do? Lia, I am not a side dish.”
“I agree. You are a whole delicious meal,” Lia says. Her Russian accent is thicker tonight. “This man is important to me,kukolka. Plus, he pays very well.”
Pays well? Lia is kidding, right?
“Lia, I don’t care if he shits gold bricks out of his platinum asshole. I’m not the girl for him. Have Anushka be at his side tomorrow.”
“She cannot.”
I stop pacing. “Lia, I have seen you pull off the impossible. Come on.”
“Malishka, my hands are tied.” Lia pauses. “He needs a fiancée by tomorrow evening. Just think, two weeks in luxury for Christmas.”
