“You’re Aubrey, yes?”
She narrows her gaze, frowning.“Yeah?”
“I’m here to work,” I say, and Aubrey finishes curling a piece of her hair before putting the curling iron back on the counter in front of her.
“Who sent you?”she asks.“I didn’t know we had any new girls starting tonight.”She watches me closely, cocking her head to the side.Does she recognize me?Does she know who I am?Shit.
I lean in close, whispering in her ear.“Can we talk in private?”
She frowns, regarding me shrewdly before finally nodding, then points toward a closed door at the back of the room.
I step back and head over there.Girls watch me through their mirrors.Some are talking among themselves.They look young—too young to be working here.Have the girls been this young every other time I’ve been?I can’t remember.What have I walked into?
After reaching the door, I twist the handle and move inside.It’s pitch black.I run my hand over the wall until I find a switch and turn it on.I’m in a large closet full of clothes and toys.Lingerie of all colors, lace, and leather hangs in front of me.An array of whips and toys line the wall opposite me.Wow.
I spin around, coming face-to-face with Aubrey.
“Okay, what do you want?”she asks, crossing her arms over her chest, pushing up her bust in her tight black corset.
I pull out my phone, bringing up the photo of Jewel, and turn it around.“Do you know my friend Jewel?”
Aubrey’s throat bobs.She looks from me to back outside the room.“Why?”
“I haven’t seen her in months.Have you seen her working here?”
Aubrey releases her arms, rubbing her palms along her bare thighs up to the line of her panties.“Yes, she works here,” she says, looking back toward the room once again.Sweat beads on her forehead.I’m running out of time.
“When?”I ask, and Aubrey moves toward the door.“Please?”
She looks back at me.“I’m sorry, I don’t have much time until he comes looking for me.”
She bites her bottom lip, and I fight the urge to pull her in for a hug.There’s a faraway look in her eyes.She seems broken, lost, and I want to make it better.What is this place, and what are they doing to these girls?
“Who’s he?”I ask, and her hand shakes.
“The enforcer is working tonight.When he’s on, you don’t mess around.Jewel is one of his favorites.”She opens the door, and I move, gripping her arm.She flinches, and I release it.Fuck.
“Meet me in the alley to talk freely,” I rush out.
Aubrey shakes her head.“I can’t.”
“Please.I can help,” I press.
Aubrey lifts the corset a bit to reveal part of her stomach.A long, nasty scar lines her skin.“No, you don’t understand—I can’t.”She points to the scar and my stomach drops.I’m going to be sick.They did this to her?Oh my God.This is worse than I thought.
“When will Jewel be here?”I ask, and Aubrey releases a heavy exhale.
“Come back Friday,” she says, then leaves.
I came here looking for answers, and now I have even more questions.Who’s the enforcer?What operation are they running here?Does Zeke know about this?Surely he doesn’t.He wouldn’t do this behind my brother’s back.He’s one of us.
It’s no secret that Magick is a strip club, but it’s all legitimate.The women choose to work here; they want to put on a show and get paid very well for it—or so I thought.Now, with what I’ve learned, nothing is what it seems.Something else is going on behind the curtains, and I’m determined to find out what.
Friday can’t come quickly enough.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Zion
