“Define disgusting.”
Jessie spoke up quietly. “They started grabbing people.”
My jaw clenched.
Genie added, “Not just the usual sleazy hand on the ass stuff. Full-on grabbing. One guy tried to grab me onto his lap.”
Her sister shuddered.
“And Tucker?” I asked.
Genie’s eyes darkened. “He watched and laughed.”
Rage flared hot under my skin. “Of course he did.”
“I shut it down,” Genie continued. “Told them the girls were staff, for looking at but not touching. Tucker told me to relax. Said we should take it as a compliment.”
I dug my nails into my palms. “That slimy bastard.”
“He tried to grab me next,” Jessie cut in. “I said no, but he wouldn’t let go.”
She held up her arm. Bruises shone on her wrist.
The room went very still.
Fury descended over Genie’s features. “I pulled her away and announced that the event was over. He got in my face and told me if I walked out, he’d make sure I never worked another event in Deadwater again.”
Steam was probably coming out of my ears. “You left anyway.”
Jessie nodded fiercely. “She marched us all out.”
“Good,” I said. She should’ve called the police on him, but I knew without asking she wouldn’t have. No cop would arrest someone like Tucker on the word of a topless waitress. He was probably friends with the top brass. Perhaps they’d even been there.
Genie sagged. “I’ve had three cancellations since.”
“You think he’s carrying out his threat?”
“To ruin my business? Yeah. I do,” she finished with a humourless smile.
For a moment, none of us spoke.
The anger bubbling in my chest turned molten. Douglas Tucker. That smug, disgusting man.
A soft chime broke the silence.
The screen lit up of Elijah’s iPad, across the room on the coffee table.
Jessie leaned to peer at it. “Ooh. Cute guy calling. Who’s he?”
I collected the tablet. “It’s Ethan, Elijah’s brother.”
Genie shook her head. “Won’t he get pissy at you touching his tech?”
“Actually, no. He gave me all his passwords and codes and begged me to snoop.” Such a green flag guy.
I tapped the screen.
The video call connected, Ethan Westwood’s grin spreading. He leaned back in his chair in a messy office.
