Page 14 of Worthy

“I’m Cassius Blackwood, the president and CEO of Club 444,” I stated. “My brothers and I wanted to introduce ourselves and to welcome you. The club opens tomorrow night, and we are thrilled to have you onboard. This club is a passion project of ours, something we’ve been dreaming of for years. Our members are so excited to attend the opening tomorrow night, and I hope you are, too. Club 444 is a very special place, a private club for billionaires only, a sanctuary where our patrons can relax and enjoy the best things that life has to offer.”

The virgins listened with rapt attention, eager to hear more.

“The five of you are special,” I continued. “You’re different from the other girls who are joining our staff.”

Murmurs broke out amongst the virgins again, but the frowning young woman didn’t join them. She simply stared at me, blue eyes wide in her face.

“You represent a premium offering here because your purity is intact,” I continued. “All five of you are virgins.”

They all looked at each other, gobsmacked. Then they started chattering again until I raised my hand, silencing them.

“We’re excited to offer this tier of service to our members. Patrons are able to interact with the other girls with a gold-level membership. But because you are virgins, there’s a special pathway to interact with you, a higher tier of exclusivity—platinum membership. There are only five such memberships available,” I said, letting them figure out the math.

“Any patron that wishes to connect with you has to be cleared by Management first as a platinum member. As such, you will need to report any such requests immediately and directly to the Madam. Do you understand?” I asked.

The five virgins nodded.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you,” I said, my voice stern.

They looked at each other nervously. Gina leaned closer and whispered something to them. Then, in a chorus, they said, “Yes, Sir.”

I checked the frowning girl. She answered, too, following their lead. Or at least, she moved her full, luscious lips in time with the others.

I tore my gaze away.

“We are charging a premium price for this premium service,” I continued. “So if a patron requests permission to interact with you—and they certainly will—you’ll receive a platinum bonus.”

Whispering broke out among the girls again.

“Silence,” I ordered, and they immediately fell quiet. “The platinum bonus is two million dollars. That’s in addition to your signing bonus and your regular compensation.”

They erupted into excited chatter again, and this time, I didn’t bother quieting them down. Instead, I watched as they squeezed each other’s hands and murmured, except for the flaxen-haired frowner, who was sitting apart with her brow furrowed. She didn’t look excited; she looked pale. “We have special markers for each of you,” I explained. “They need to be worn at all times for identification purposes.”

I snapped my fingers, and Sterling and Rhodes rose, dividing the velvet boxes between them. I snatched one from Sterling and approached the young woman who sat apart. She eyed me suspiciously as I approached.

She should be wary; I intended to put her in her place.

“What’s your name?” I asked coldly.

She licked her lips, which were pillowy and mesmerizing. “Faith,” she said haltingly.

“Lift your hair, Faith,” I instructed.

She looked at me like I had three heads. She didn’t move.

I held her gaze. “I said, lift your hair.”

The furrow in her brow deepened. She appeared frozen, a deer in the headlights. “W-Why?” she asked, voice tremulous.

What did this girl think—that I was some sort of vampire who planned to ravish her neck?

“I shouldn’t have to explain myself, but I need to put this on you,” I said, opening the box. A pendant shaped in the letter V was nestled inside, glittering with diamonds. “It’s a necklace. So, I’ll say it again: lift your hair.”

“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t understand what you meant,” she babbled, obviously anxious. “I guess I’m just nervous—and there was all the talk about the money. My head’s spinning.” She cautiously gathered her thick, tawny hair with her hands. She waited, looking up at me expectantly.

But her tone was too familiar, too casual, too… equal. I needed to teach her a lesson. I stood perfectly still. It was my turn to frown.

She stared at me, waiting. “Did I do it wrong?” she asked, indicating her hair. She dropped it, shaking the tawny waves out over her shoulders.

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