Page 43 of Of Mercury and Mist

Why did I miss the jerk? Stockholm Syndrome had come up in my thoughts regarding Della’s situation, but I was beginning to wonder if it applied to me, as well.

While traipsing the streets searching for help wanted signs and attending job fairs, in between scouring the internet for opportunities, I’d kept searching for the man. Especially whenever I was in the area of their building. I hadn’t seen anything other than the sleek foreign car I’d ridden in the last night I saw him, idling at the curb. I’d almost stumbled, thinking he’d appear at any moment. Staking it out or loitering would’ve been too obvious, so I didn’t linger, and besides, he had to pretend I didn’t exist.

It was getting to the point I’d started to wonder if my melancholy was indicative of a deeper issue. Was I broken somehow, that’d I want the company of a monster? Reality was, it likely had something to do with my adrenaline addiction. I was hooked on danger and Micha possessed that trait in spades.

Seriously, that had to be all it was. I was hopelessly attracted to danger, and I’d found it in an over six-foot-tall devastatingly sexy package who’d been practically my stalker at one time.

“Good morning sunshine,” Andy said, and I whipped my head around, torn away from my intrusive thoughts. He was greeting a cute blonde who was sauntering down the hall toward us. A pretty girl I hadn’t realized was apparently an overnight guest.

“You’re so rude,” I lectured my friend. “I only made breakfast for two.”

“It's okay,” the woman reassured me. “I don’t eat eggs.”

“Ashley this is Kayla. Kayla, Ashley.” Andy introduced us and I smiled at her.

Opening the refrigerator door, I asked her, “What do you want? We have fruit. Yogurt. Toast?”

Kayla shook her head. “Just coffee is fine.”

I grabbed a mug and handed it to her, directing her to the coffeemaker. “Cream is in the fridge.”

“Did I hear you’re looking for a job? Angels is hiring. They’re always looking for hostesses and dancers. Waitresses. They pay really good, too.” She had my strict attention. “I work there per diem; whenever I want.”

Angels was a higher end strip club and restaurant. A gentleman’s club was probably the best term for what I’d heard about the place. I’d never been inside the burgeoning chain of entertainment venues, but I’d heard they were quality compared to the stereotypical titty bar.

“Oh yeah?” I replied, immediately interested.

“Yeah. I can put in a good word for you if you’d like.”

Andy stared me down until I finally glanced at him and then he dragged a finger across his neck. He was always trying to tell me what to do.

“Yes, please. Wait—am I too old?” At thirty years old, I’d be a senior citizen compared to the eighteen to twenty-one crowd that probably worked there.

Kayla laughed. “No, no of course not. That’s a stereotype. There are people in their eighties working there. As long as you take care of yourself, there’s someone for everyone.”

“You spilled your coffee,” Andy pointed at my T-shirt.

Good thing it’d cooled down enough to almost qualify as iced. Wiping at my shirt, I asked, “Seventy? What the hell? That’s, um, different.”

Kayla shrugged. “You’d be surprised what you see there. I worked in a nursing home a long time ago and those grandmas and grandpas are horny as hell.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Andy cut in. “I don’t want to hear anymore.”

“They’re old, not dead,” Kayla stated, as he wrapped his arms over her shoulders and kissed her hairline.

He shook his head. “The visuals. No thank you.” He pecked Kayla on the cheek. “You want a ride? I gotta head in.”

After saying goodbye to the lovebirds, I headed to my room to get changed, setting a couple outfits on my bed. What should I wear to be considered at a strip club? There was no time to be wasted, the bills were already piling up and I was going to head straight to Angels, without a reference.

It was a wonder I hadn’t thought of this before, working as a dancer. The rushes I’d get from doing something so risqué and teasing men into giving me their money would be amazing. Maybe I’d even let someone put a collar on me. It was crazy I hadn’t thought of this before.

I hadn’t had any more of the waking dreams, though I’d hoped for one. I wanted to ask Micha why he’d just dismiss me the way he had, not even saying goodbye, if he showed up. He didn’t seem like the type to give a farewell, but I would’ve taken a scowl or an insult for the road.

I couldn’t explain it if I tried but I suspected, being a supernatural creature and all, he’d somehow infiltrated my dreams and that had been him in the mansion bedroom. It didn’t make any sense, but what did these days?

Foolish thoughts, wanting to see him, since he cut me out of his life so severely. I didn’t understand what had happened and tried not to think about it, but it was becoming increasingly impossible.

Josiah mentioned plans changing; Kiam had said something about getting paid, and I had no idea what any of those things meant. What plans? What was Kiam going to get paid for? What the hell had Micha been planning on doing to me?

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