“Oh, good, there you are,” I sighed like I was beyond done. “Someone said you were here and normally had stomach meds.I’ll bring in a bottle next shift—fucking quick meals before I know where to eat around here.”
She winced and went over to the desk. “Yeah, everyone knows I have IBS, but get a list from the others on where not to go. We have some real shitholes that need to be shut down.”
That washystericalwhen I wouldn’t dare eat from the club’s kitchen.
“Club sandwich should be fucking safe anywhere,” I grumbled as I accepted the medication with a thank-you. I nodded when she mentioned the restaurant and listening to her rant about the place was beyond gross. I hadn’t known and just played along, but it worked out.
“You good?” she checked.
“Yeah, normally iron stomach so just need five,” I promised. “If the bar has ginger ale or something, I’ll make my set in ten.”
“Must be nice,” she mumbled. “I’ll have one sent in here since you’re covering and we could use the distraction of the new girl with—I’ll have it sent. I keep the pills in that drawer, so help yourself.”
People really needed to be more careful with what they offered. I thanked her and then the security guy who brought the pop for me. He had some advice on where not to eat either, saying I was too pretty to have gas or the squirts.
Charming.
Seriously, what a catch.
Still, I played the game and thanked him like it was the sweetest thing I’d ever heard. I waited until his radio said he was needed and then did what I needed with my phone so it electronically wormed into their system and we had access to everything.
Like everything.
I really enjoyed my job some days.
My set was good, but then I handed off some lap dances, telling a few of the girls that I ate some bad food and was just keeping it together to help cover. It was a Wednesday, so slower, and they appreciated the help. The guys were less than thrilled, but I promised they’d see me again and gave them a bit of my influence so they went off happy.
“You’re good with the customers,” Nicole muttered as she moved over to me later.
I snorted. “It’s the new car smell. Some are still trying to impress me and think they have a chance to make me their girlfriend before they realize it’s a job for me too.” I decided to take a chance since she wasn’t as threatened by me anymore. “Did I hear right and someone here does an extra hustle of getting customers’ initials on her nails?”
Her desires were instantly dark and full of bullshit. “Better not be. That’s not on the menu, and if they’re hustling—”
“I might have misheard,” I quickly interjected. “Most guys don’t talk about their girlfriends or wives while here. I assumed it was one of the girls here. He said something about the price of the nails with his initials.”
“Who?” she asked.
I glanced around and then back again. “Gone.” I pointed to an empty table with a couple of bottles not cleared yet. “Was sitting there with a buddy.”
“Must have been his girlfriend,” she muttered. “We don’t do extras like that, and no one’s allowed to see customers outside of here. Not on purpose. You tell me if you hear more.”
“Yeah,” I replied, nodding when she gave me a hard look. “No, I will because it’s dangerous. If someone here is doing it, she’s probably stupid or biting into fun that could get her dead. I hear you that you don’t want people hurt. I’ll tell you if I hear it again. I thought maybe you guys had like a promo or top customer for the month got it like other promos.”
“Not a bad idea but no,” she said and walked off.
So it was under the table then. Yeah, it made sense.
I frowned. It was probably sloppy of me to have brought it up to Nicole, but clubs like these—everyone talked and gossiped. I honestly couldn’t have thought of a world where shedidn’tknow when she was overbearing and involved in everything down to handing out songs to the dancers like parts in a school play.
Interesting.
I spent the rest of the night chatting up the people I locked in on as regulars under the guise of getting the lay of the land. The dancers and club workers thought it was because of my stomach issues or I was just temporarily filling in and the regulars thought it was because… They honestly didn’t care.
They just wanted the attention.
That was why people went to strip clubs more than to see naked women. They could do that online now and so easily. They went for the interaction and the care andattentiongiven them even if they had to pay for it.
No judgment. None at all. I knew lots of people did, but I didn’t.
