I let off the throttle and rolled up next to him when he stopped on the edge of the lot.
“You know they charge double for the drinks in these hellholes, right?” I flashed him a grin that I hoped would encourage him along, but he was already climbing off.
“Shit,” I whispered, as I hopped off and followed him toward the door.
He sauntered right up to the gal at the front counter, flashing her that toothy, brilliant grin of his as he plucked his glasses up to rest on top of his head.
“How’s it goin’, Ginger-Doll?” Without waiting for a response, he took up the entire surface of her narrow countertop with his arrogant lean and flipped the air like he was trying to find the right words, “Listen, why don’t you run along and get that jerk that paid for my drinks the other night.”
“My name is Melanie!” she scoffed, her face pinching up with distaste. “If you want someone fetched, I suggest you wolf-whistle, flash your little single bill, and hope for the best.”
Mark grunted, a crisp, snuff of a sound that convinced me she’d tickled some little dark part of his soul.
He whipped out a wad of cash that was too fat for him to really get a good hold on, and I wildly glanced around the vicinity. The smile never left his stubbled face as he peeled three bills off, glanced pointedly at her panties. He slowly hooked the front with one finger and slid that money as low as he could. I didn’t have to look to know he was rubbing it for all he could get by with.
“We can do this nice, or we can do it ugly, Ginger. I don’t rightly give a fuck. It’s been a long fuckin’ night, Doll. I’m sure you know what those are like.” He winked and tipped his chin toward the hallway behind her. “Tell your boss he has an appointment. Do it now.”
Every fiber in her was bristling, I could see it from where I stood.
“Mark,” I quietly bid, just as the office door opened.
The man who had instilled order the night before stepped out in an equally impressive jacket.
“Gentlemen,” he greeted, like we were the oldest of friends. “Gentlemen, come on back. What can I do for you?”
He glanced back several times while leading the way down the short, carpeted hallway. The office had a leather sofa against one wall. The other side of the room had a desk large enough to make a medieval banker weep. A large picture of a red-haired woman sprawled out on her belly hung on the wall behind his seat.
“Please sit down.” He gestured to the sofa.
Mark gave a long, low snorted, “Yeah, no thanks. I ain’t never required a test for venereal disease after sitting on furniture and I’d as soon not make today that day, if it’s all the same to you.”
“Oh– Of, course,” the man nervously stammered, before bleating with laughter that cut short when no one shared his amusement. “Wh–what can I do for you?”
“That little twat that danced for my guy the other night…” Mark began, before leveling a hand at his chest in demonstration.
“Uh—uhh…” The man blinked.
“He means the one that calls herself Jade. Crystal Nance.”
“Yes.” The man spat the word and nodded, his lips pinching together after stammering, “The uh—Well, the Nance girl.”
The man’s posture stiffened and he suddenly looked twice as nervous.
“I–I don’t speak for them. It’s not like that here. If you want her to work for you, you’ll have to ask her yourself. I don’t fix that kind of thing up. I’m no pimp.”
“I don’t want to fix her. I want her gone.” Mark clipped.
The shuddery breath that escaped the strip club owner, and the way he clutched the side of his desk made clear the misunderstanding. I kept my gaze locked on the wall behindhim, willing the muscles of my face to be still and not give away my thoughts.
I didn’t like this shit one bit. Why the hell was Mark over here ruining this girl’s livelihood?
“Relax. I’m not asking you to fuckin’ kill her. I just want you to tell her to fuck off. Get rid of her. She’s fired. If she ever looks for that biker again it’ll be the last time she dances. Make it clear. You need to make her understand that this kind of message coming from you is a whole lot more friendly than the type of chat she and I would be having. You follow?”
“Y-yes. She’s fired. She won’t be coming back.”
“No, she won’t.” Mark gave a single shift of his head, without breaking eye contact. “Why the fuck are you still holding the desk, jackass?”
The guy in the suit flinched to life.
