With her apparent inexhaustible energy, Kelsey continued to spit out orders through her headset.
"Denea needs a tampon on stage seven."
"Someone go remind Paige to take a break! Has she eaten yet? Fuck, someone bring her dinner."
"Sherrie! Do you mind taking a shift in the foot fetish room?"
"Someone go tell Cassandra to stop making out with Julius in the storage closet and get ready for her underwater masturbation display on stage eight."
"Nikki is our star performer. If I don’t have at least thirty chairs ready to go at her stage, I will personally shove my stiletto up your ass."
"You need a foot rub, Brandy? I’ll have a massage therapist here in twenty minutes. You just say the word."
"We have a pervert fucking with the talent on stage four. The guard needs backup."
"Nikita cannot perform under these conditions. She needs Vaseline, a can of whipped cream, some leather, and a decent pair of heels. We are serving fantasies here, not disasters, okay?"
I was in awe. Shocked. Honestly, I couldn’t even keep up. I could see why they needed a second hostess. It was nearly impossible to coordinate with performers while checking people in.
Once we were done, I was bone-tired and starving. I sat down once the last club member left, and let out a loud sigh. "Fuck, Kelsey. How did you do all of this on your own?" I asked.
She nonchalantly was typing up a report for a new member and smacking her gum. "You’ll get used to it."
"My feet are killing me," I cried. "I mean, seriously, you just run around like it’s nothing."
She eyed me. "Gel insoles for your shoes. Total game changer."
It was nearly three in the morning, and I was ready to go home. I pulled out my cell and checked where the nearest bus stop was and sighed when I realized it was about a half mile away. This wasn’t a part of town I wanted to walk home in. Especially in these heels. It was the sort of place where you needed a solid pair of running sneakers and mace.
Hale was nowhere to be seen, though. Malice wanted to meet with me after my shift but had already gone home. Did he expect me to go back to his mansion? I didn’t know where Anthony was, and William apparently stayed here until six a.m. to get ready for the next night.
"Well, that’s a wrap," Kelsey said before grabbing a pair of sweats from a secret cabinet under her desk and slipping them on over her clothes. "You did good," she said with a smile. "Go home and get some rest."
"Thanks for all your help," I replied. "I really appreciate it."
"Want to walk out with me?" she asked. Pride had me keeping my mouth shut about not having a car. I didn’t want to have to explain that I had to walk to the nearest bus stop. I hated public transportation at night. I’d probably have to wait for about thirty minutes at the stop since fewer buses run after midnight. Maybe I could see how much an Uber cost. It would probably be more than I could afford at the moment, but pretty soon I wouldn’t have to worry about it. My new salary made this entire crazy job worth it. I’d buy groceries that didn’t have to cook in a microwave. I could go out to eat with Grams. Buy her those orthopedic shoes she’d been eyeing. I was so excited.
"I have to go to the bathroom," I lied. "Go ahead, I’ll be out there soon."
She patted me on the shoulder. "See you tomorrow," she replied brightly before leaving. A bodyguard escorted her out of the building.
I dialed Malice’s number on my cell phone. It rang and rang and rang. When it went to voicemail, I hung up instead of leaving a brief message. If he wanted to talk, he would have given me more instructions. It wasn’t like I had anything to tell him, aside from my evidence-less assumptions about Hale.
I decided it was probably safer to ask William for a ride, but when I walked by his office, it was empty. Shit. It wasn’t like I had his number either. I clicked on my Uber app and was horrified to discover that a ride home would cost sixty dollars. Considering I only had twelve dollars to my name, that wasn’t an option. After much agonizing, I decided that the only way I was getting home was by walking and taking the bus.
Fuck.
The night air was humid but not miserably hot. It wasn’t a well-lit part of town, but I used my cell phone to illuminate the streets. It might have drawn more attention to me, but at least I wasn’t screaming at every shadow and every alley. I’d grown up in this town, and since meeting Malice, I knew that my fears weren’t unfounded. I was very much in danger and would have to find an alternative ride moving forward. William had mentioned getting me a car before, and I just hoped that he meant it.
Thankfully, I still had my cardigan and jeans to hide my scandalous outfit. A few homeless men on the street watched me with their bloodshot eyes as I walked by. A couple catcalled me. One followed me for half a block before giving up.
My aching feet tingled with every quick step, and I prayed the bus would arrive quickly. Despite the exhaustion, I was full of adrenaline from my terrifying walk. Once at the stop, I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew it was just an illusion. I still wasn’t feeling that safe, but at least I was under a structure and had finished the most difficult part of my trip.
I sat down at a bench and steadied my breathing while waiting for my ride.
"It’s such a late night. Mind if I sit with you? Us girls have to stick together, yeah?" said a raspy voice with a slight Southern twang.
I jumped a little at the sound and turned to face my intruder. She was a beautiful woman with shoulder-length brown hair, brown eyes, and long lashes. Her lips were slightly chapped, and a light dusting of freckles was sprinkled across her nose. The harsh bus stop lights overhead cast shadows under her eyes, and she pulled at her soft silk shirt while assessing me.
"Have a seat," I said while scooting over on the bench. She seemed out of place for this part of town. But I supposed I did too.
"Just get off work?" she asked.
"Yeah," I replied. "Just ready to get home. What about you?"
The woman crossed her legs and stared out at the road. "I suppose I’m always working. Never really off, you know? Even when I am, I’m still taking care of my brother."
I knew that feeling well. The responsibilities never ended, and neither did the burdens. I loved my Grams and wanted the best life for her, but I also spent many nights crying myself to sleep because I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it all work.
"My brother had so much potential…," she continued, as if baiting me. Maybe she just needed someone to talk to.
Deciding that I didn’t have much else to do while waiting for my bus, I gave in. "What happened to him?"
Her answer was instant. "He was shot five times. Miraculously survived. Unfortunately, his life came at a cost. He’s nothing but a shell of the human he used to be. It’s tragic, really."
I felt for this strange woman, I really did. "Wow. I’m so sorry." I didn’t really know what else to say.
"I’m determined to take down his shooter. I feel like it’s consumed my life. And can you blame me? We’d do anything for the people we love, wouldn’t we...Juliet?" The sound of my name turned my veins to ice. How did she know me? I shot up from my seat, but she merely smiled. "I hope you don’t mind, but I just had to meet the girl that Nicholas Civella is all worked up about. You’re just a child, hmm?"