Page 13 of Promiscuous Lies

Nothing great ever comes from love, and I wish my sister wasn’t so sucked into the notion of it. I have loving parents in a successful marriage. I see its advantages, but I also know thelevel of dependency it creates, and I could never imagine myself being so invested in another’s wants and desires above my own.

It either makes me a profit or protects my family.

That’s all I need.

CHAPTER 7

Posie

Dutton hasn’t been at the club for the last two weeks, which I’m thankful for. But to say I haven’t been looking for him would be a lie. Because I’m certain he’s going to try and ruin my fucking night.

When I think of the boss of a gentlemen’s club, I think of an old, rich man who is a sleaze. But Dutton is definitely not that. Assuredly, he’s an undeniable asshole, but I’ve realized he barely interacts with any of the other dancers. The dancers, however, gossip behind his back as to how they all wish they were fucking him. If only they understood what they were asking for. Yes, the man’s beautiful, in the same way an ice sculpture is. He looks like he’s been built by God’s divine hand, but his personality could freeze over the Sahara Desert.

That’s most likely why I can’t bite my tongue around him. I’m positive that this man is used to everyone obeying him and throwing themselves at him, and I just can’t do it. I promised myself I’d never do that for a man again. I wonder if that’s why he’s so hard on me because he’s not used to someone telling him no.

Tonight, the club is closed to guests but open for the staff to celebrate three years of being open. Dutton supposedly putson a celebration every year and hires caterers. In those three years, he’s allegedly also opened another eight gentlemen’s clubs internationally. And I heard that’s why he’s been gone the past two weeks; he’s in Italy to open another one. That’s what one of the girls said, but they gossip about everything, so who knows if that’s fact or if he’s off conducting other lucrative business. Or maybe he’s on a pleasure trip because, for sure, that man is up to no good in his spare time.

I only agreed to join the party for a few hours tonight because, apparently, he’s never attended the celebration, and there are prizes to be won. One of the girls bragged about winning a twenty-carat diamond bracelet last year, so it’s fair to say I’m intrigued. Again, rumors are a wild thing here.

I considered taking the night off, but when Amy was readily available, I thought,why not?Apart from work, I don’t really do anything without my son, and that’s not exactly social. I just hope it’s worth it, so I don’t consider paying the babysitter tonight a waste of money.

So here I am, walking into the club—without lingerie on for a change—and finding mostly everyone already here. I know I’m late, and it’s not that I intentionally do it to piss people off, but I prefer to have dinner with my son before I leave.

I place my bag on the table in the back, then reapply my lip balm—the cold has been wreaking havoc on my lips—and I ease into the sound of everyone enjoying themselves out on the main floor.

“Late as usual,” someone says from behind me, and Dutton walks in.

My breath hitches because I forgot how intense his ocean-blue gaze and dangerous aura are. Two weeks without this man is not long enough to wipe away the fact that despite being beautiful, he’s an asshole.

I focus back on the mirror and pucker my lips. “Seems I’m right on time if the boss is only arriving now.” He briefly looks me up and down before coming to a stop behind me with his hands in his pants pockets. I’m sure it must be different for him to actually see me in clothes for once, and yet, somehow, I feel even more judged than when I have my body on display.

I’m dressed in jeans tight around my waist and ass, which flare at my ankles, a shirt that says something about riding a cowboy, and my hair is up in a bun.

Samantha bursts through the door, wearing a short pink dress. “Yay, you’re here!” She runs up to me and almost tackles me in a hug.

“How much have you had to drink?” I ask her. It’s only then that she realizes Dutton is in the room, and her demeanor changes, if only slightly, because the alcohol won’t let her act any other way. He’s taken two considerable steps back, however.

She wisely chooses to ignore him and place her full drink into my hand. “You have to catch up, come on.” She grabs my hand and pulls me toward the main floor.

I sniff the drink and am blinded by the toxicity of the vodka. “Jesus, Samantha, did you put a dash of orange juice in this just for kicks?”

“That’s what happens when the brats get into the liquor cabinet like dirty little raccoons,” Mike says as I’m dragged past him. “Want me to get you something drinkable?” he quietly whispers to me, and I nod silently.

A few of the other girls with whom I don’t work many shifts are dressed more presentably than we usually do. I’m sure this is a warm-up for a wild night out.

Paula steps in front of Samantha, cutting her off, and I’m so fucking grateful I could kiss her.“Help me,”I mouth.

Paula keeps her expression composed as she asks Samantha to give us a moment.

“Okay, but you better have finished that drink by the time I return! I’ll pour us another one!” Samantha says giddily. I don’t even know if she’ll make it out tonight.

She skips to the bar despite premade drinks being readily available by a hired bartender.

Mike walks over to Paula and me, and she says, “I didn’t think you would come.”

“Free food? How can I pass that up?” I say with a smile as I place the toxic concoction of Samantha’s drink on the high-top table beside me.

“Well, I was shocked you left your house,” Mike says, pulling me in for a side hug and placing a flute of bubbly liquid into my hand. “Here, have this, these taste great.”

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