I didn’t get into the “if you still want to dance” part.
I said, “I already arranged it with Smithie, Marcus.”
He chewed his bread, swallowed, and locked his eyes on me.“I’ll rearrange it.”
Oh boy.
“Okay, sugar, just to say, that’s my job and Smithie’s myboss.I know you got a stake in that club buthe’smy boss, and we gotit arranged.”
“And like I’ll said, I’ll rearrange it.”
“I got a Porsche to pay for.”
“And you’re on paid leave.”He shook his head and took uphis fork.“It’s too soon.”
“Honey, I need to get back to life.I had my time.I got mydaisies.I did my drama.I’m notsayin’nothin’ else isgonnaspring upwith all that and bite me in the ass.I’mgonnahavemy moments.But now,sittin’ around the house is onelong moment that reminds me my life was interrupted by that asshole.”
“You won’t be thinking about that in Aspen with me.”
“True enough,” I agreed.“And Iwannado that, Marcus.I really do.I’ve never been to Aspen and I bet it’s realpretty.And it’s sweet youwannaspend time with methere.It’s just sweet you like spending time with me.But Smithie takes careof me.It’s time I take care of him right back.Maybe after a while, I can takea few days and we can go.”
“Smithie’s fine, Daisy.”
“Without me there, Smithie’s bleeding money, Marcus.”
“He isn’t.”
“Maybe you don’t get to look at the books but when I say hepays me a whack, he pays mea whack.”
His gaze steady on me, he socked it to me.
“He doesn’t.I do.I cover your salary, Daisy, and I havefor the last two months.”
“Say what?”I whispered.
“I pay your salary.Smithie couldn’t afford you.”
But I was stuck on thelast two months.
The last two months.
The last two months where that time ago Smithie took away awhole set, one song off the other sets and ended my lap dances but increased mypay so much, my eyeballs burned when I got a good look at the first paycheck.
And…
Two months.
Before the rape.
Beforeanything.
“Say what?”I repeated, not on a whisper, on a breath.
“I didn’t want you on the stage for four sets with thosesets being three songs, too long alone up there and exposed.And Idefinitelydidn’t want you doing lap dances.So to cover the loss in tips that would be,we elevated your salary, and because Smithie couldn’t pay that and it wasn’this decision, I covered it.”
“You didn’t know me.”
“No.But I knew I wanted to.”
