Page 31 of Ruthless Lullaby

Her tone shifts, desperation creeping into her voice once again. "Please, Mindy. The real reason I need money is because I couldn't pay my dealer and now he's after me. But I swear, I swear, I swear, this will be the last time."

I stand up, my hands clenched at my sides. "I'm done, Alexis. I can't keep bailing you out. You need to take responsibility for your own actions. If you're in trouble with your dealer, that's on you. I have my own problems to deal with." I turn away from her, my voice cold and detached. "And now, I can't afford any more distractions, because I have to go to work. My Uber is on its way."

She gets up, a little wobbly on her feet. "You're obviously gonna hook up with some rich dude for his cash tonight. Don'teven try to deny it," she says, getting closer and invading my personal space. "Maurice will be interested to know."

"No sweat," I reply, shrugging. "He's not my man anymore."

With an annoyed huff, Alexis turns and storms out of the apartment. "Make sure to close the door behind you," I call after her.

The door slams shut and I slump against the wall, suddenly feeling exhausted. The weight of my sister’s words, the accusations, the guilt - it all comes crashing down on me, every single time we see each other. For a moment, I even consider calling Kevin and canceling the gig. How am I supposed to go out there and perform when I feel like I'm falling apart inside?

But of course, there's absolutely no chance I'm going to cancel a gig like this. Especially not because of my sister's latest tantrum. Mom needs treatment and I’m the only one she can count on. I’m not letting her down.

I push aside the drama and concentrate on the task at hand – all that matters now is this gig. I need to give it my all if I want to walk away with the paycheck I was promised, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Chapter Fourteen

Mindy

This must be it.

The address Kevin had texted me turns out to be a discreet entrance to a private club. It's located on the top floor of one of the city's tallest, most luxurious buildings. As I step out of the sleek elevator, I feel my heels sink into the plush crimson carpet. As I walk along the long corridor and look around, I can tell that the place oozes wealth and elegance.

I quickly pull out my phone to double-check the name of the lounge I'm supposed to meet Kevin at. It's called Diamond Terrace. After wandering around for what feels like an eternity, I finally spot the sign. As I step inside, I immediately see Kevin waiting for me with a smile on his face.

"Well, hello there, gorgeous," he says, giving me a once-over. "You look absolutely stunning, as always." He motions for me to come closer and leads the way. "Right on time too, just as I expected. I knew I could count on you."

He leads me down a dimly lit hallway lined with ornate doors until we reach the VIP section, then ushers me into a decadent lounge area where the lighting is soft, the furniture buttery leather, with calming ambient jazz playing through the speakers. Everything from the crystal ashtrays to the muted gold accents reeks of extravagant wealth.

Kevin leans in close and whispers, "This is a highly exclusive event, Mindy. Only for top club members and their guests."

I'm in awe. A little overwhelmed as well. This is a long shot from the venue I used to perform in. "This is incredible, Kev." I continue to gaze around the room. "I have a few songs that always seemed to be a hit. Hopefully, they will suffice."

"Just do what you do best, Mindy. Like you did before." Kevin flashes me a smile. "Just sing with your beautiful voice. Make this night one they’ll remember." He pauses and looks at me intently. "If they areentertainedas expected, you will receive generous tips on top of the agreed amount." He places extra emphasis on the word 'entertained.' “And don’t worry,” he adds. “I’ll keep an eye on you.”

I swallow hard, giving a barely perceptible nod.

"This is where you will perform, honey," Kevin leads me to the stage that has a deep violet velvet curtain separating it from the rest of the venue. "I will take care of the music." He gestures for me to take my place by the mic stand. Pushing aside my anxiety, I drink in the opulent setting and remind myself - this is why I'm here. Give the audience an unforgettable performance, and that astronomical paycheck is mine. Mom's latest hospital bill is sorted.

As for Maron Korolev, he can go straight to hell. I'm done with his ego, arrogant attitude, the impossible workload, and his irritating habit of standing in my doorway, barking orders in person instead of emailing me. Good luck finding someone who can tolerate his attitude and do what I do.

Suddenly, an unwanted -and somewhat inconvenient- thought sneaks its way into my mind - I may never see MaronKorolev again. I no longer work for Global Media, after all. The image of him standing at my office door, one leg crossed over the other, his signature scent of cedar filling the room, and my arousal going through the roof all flash through my mind.

Stop it, Mindy.

This is not the time.

Kevin inches his face closer to mine, his voice dropping to a hushed tone. "Mindy, just a reminder. There will be some very powerful guys in the audience tonight. Play your cards right, and you might be set for life."

My brow suddenly shoots up a few inches. This is not the first time he refers to this, and I’m starting to have a really uncomfortable feeling creeping up my spine. Surely, he’s not expecting me to become someone’s personal call-girl, is he?

"What do you mean by that, Kevin?” I echo my concern. “How can one gig set me up for life?"

He smirks knowingly. "Just trust me on this, honey. Impress them once, and they'll keep coming back for more."

He pulls out a thick envelope and presses it into my hands. "This is twenty grand cash, upfront. You’ll get the other thirty at the end of the show, as long as you do everything right. Got it?" He raises an eyebrow meaningfully.

Holy shit.

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