That’s the fear.
It’s trouble that I worry about but… that’s not what he means. He’s talking about the money. The money I stand to make from being here. He’s covertly asking me that question again of what I’m doing here. What happened to me. All questions I don’t want to answer.
I don’t want my life outside the walls of the club to bleed into this one. That means Rosie too.
I had to tell Mimi and Louise about her when they asked in my interview if I had kids. But I don’t want to look even worse than I already do by looking like a bad mother.
“I’m coming out of trouble. I left it, so I’m not in trouble now.” It’s half a lie, but partly a truth. If he could just give me back the job, I applied for everything will be okay. In a manner of speaking.
“The money isn’t for a debt?”
“No. It’s not for a debt.”
“You have no debts?” he asks pointedly giving me that stare like he can see straight through me. “You have no debts at all?”
“I have a little debt,” I answer.
“Little? You don’t dance at the fucking Dark Odyssey and sign your body away to do anything for a little debt. Lilly, I fucking swear if you make me check you out, you won’t like it.”
I tense, and my heart stills. He’s serious. He actually wants to check me out.
“Why do you want to know?”
“How much is the little debt?”
“Ten grand,” I answer feeling foolish for calling it little.
“Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. The ten grand will be in your account within the hour.”
My mouth drops and I gaze back at him in shock.
“What?” I rasp, my voice quivering.
“You heard me.”
“You’re giving me ten grand?”
“Yes, and don’t even try to refuse it. There’s no point. I won’t allow you to.”
“I …” I stare back at him thinking about what this could mean. I can pay Lev and his assholes can leave me alone. I can be free of them and at least the worry of them bothering me will be gone.
“Tell me about the rest of the money. That’s just ten grand ticked off the list.”
“I just need the money.”
“By my estimate you were probably looking at making a minimum of a hundred and twenty grand over the next two months. The idea of making that kind of money is great. If you didn’t need it, you wouldn’t have come to me last night. If there’s more trouble let me take care of it for you.”
My lips part and I stare back at him in disbelief unable to process what he’s saying.
“There isn’t any more trouble.”
“But you need the money,” he points out. “Why do you need so much if you aren’t in trouble.”
“Because it can change my life, and I have people who depend on me.” It’s best I put it that way. “Having that kind of money would change my life and I would be able to go back to dancing. I applied to dance with the Aurora Dance Company. That’s months away. If I get it, it will mean I can get back to who I’m supposed to be. That’s why I need this job.”
He stares back at me, runs his hand over his chin, and sighs.
“Okay…I have an offer for you.”
“An offer?”
“Yes, but I’ll be completely transparent with you so you can make that choice. You stand to make a lot of money by the time the show ends. I can’t say how much, but it would be a fuckload more than what you thought you’d make,” he sets out and my pulse skitters in anticipation of what he’s going to say next. “My offer is this: A million dollars to be with me.”
A bolt of shock flies through me at such an intensity it brings me to my feet.
I rivet my gaze to him and try to steady my breathing so my heart won’t leap out of my chest.
He stands too towering over me with his height.
“One million…” I croak, disbelief lacing through every fiber of my being.
“One million dollars. Anxious to sell your body? Sell it to me. Do anything with me for the next two months. Nothing is off limits. When it’s over we walk away. No strings attached.”
Numbness fills me and I can’t move. I can’t believe what he’s saying to me.
“Why would you make me such an offer?” I have to know.
“Because, while I want you dancing in my club. I don’t want anybody else touching you besides me. I want you for myself.”
We stare at each other and I mull over what he’s saying to me. It’s a no brainer. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t accept one million dollars. Definitely not anyone in my situation.
Rosie would never want for anything ever again.
“Well what’s it gonna be, Lilly St. James?”
I look at him making me this unbelievable offer and I see another path to freedom. But I see something else too that I never expected. Him.
“Yes,” I answer.
Chapter Eighteen
Christian
“I got the name of the cop,” Gibbs announces and that’s the first thing today to take my mind off Lilly.
Both me and Salvatore straighten up and stare on at him.
“Holy fuck,” Salvatore beams and lowers to sit in the sofa. I remain standing. “Gibbs you never cease to amaze me.”
“Me too,” I agree.
We’ve known him for years. He was referred to us by Claudius Morientz, another boss and close family friend. It’s enough of a reference since Claudius only uses the best. More importantly, Gibbs is a man who goes above board to find anything you need. He can work with even the most difficult of things, and if he can’t find exactly what you need, he’ll have some kind of lead. Having the cop’s name is more than a lead.
“Great to be appreciated,” Gibbs says with a smirk running a hand over his salt and pepper beard. “Office Wyatt Tanner is our guys name. He’s supposed to be a long-standing member of the Chicago Police Department with his twenty year service. But believe me when I say this guy is dirty as fuck.”
Gibbs takes out a document and hands it to me. I sit next to Salvatore so we can both look over it.
Within seconds I see exactly what Gibbs means and my is Officer Tanner one dirty motherfucker.
Links to drugs, prostitution rings, and human trafficking seem to be his favorite past times. Along with illicit arms dealing.
I don’t know how Gibbs finds this shit out, but he has his ways.
“Fucking hell,” I say. “This guy is crooked as fuck.”
“And still on the force like he’s one of the patron saints guarding the gates to heaven,” Gibbs answers. “You’re gonna have to be careful with this guy. because he’s working with Kar Pleshov and arms dealer from the Ukraine. That’s where the guns are going. The end destination. Boys, take my advice and do not strike yet. Not until this.”
He takes out another document and I take it.
It’s another list. Another schedule of things that will be stolen. Not from us though. From other companies. The next hit is listed for three weeks’ time. Three days before our case of guns is supposed to leave Chicago. They’re planning to steal more guns. This is from a gun shop warehouse on the other side of Chicago. It’s a case of four hundred revolvers. They even have the time listed. Ten P.M Wednesday the 16th of October. The delivery drop off is at Check Point A. Motherfuckers.