Page 11 of Goose

The door opens and Mad Dog stands on the other side, a chocolate bar in his hand. “Brought you some chocolate because you know, woman shit. You okay?”

I laugh and push my chair back from my desk so I can get up. “Thank you. And yeah, I’m fine. Just my normal go around with Goose. I won’t let it happen again in front of the girls. Maybe I should just go back to being a club girl so I can avoid all this drama. Back then it was black and white.”

He just shakes his head. “Yeah, right. One guess on what happens when any of us looks your way or tries to bring you back to our rooms when he’s around?”

“Chaos.”

“Exactly, Bambi. Goose has this weird hold on you that nobody can explain. Even if you went back to being a club girl, things would never go back to normal. Since the day you came to us, Goose has staked this unspoken claim on you.”

I sigh and fix my skirt. “I hate him.” Walking over to Mad Dog, I grab the chocolate bar and rip it open. “But that doesn’t matter right now. Let’s get this fucking show on the road. Thanks for the candy bar, sweet cheeks.”

I place a sloppy kiss on his cheek, making Mad Dog laugh as we make our way to the backstage area. All the girls are already waiting and gossiping about my little scene with Goose. As soon as Mad Dog and I walk in, they stop whispering. Time for me to put these bitches in their place where they belong.

“Listen up, girls. You all saw what happened. Stop fucking talking about it. Focus on shaking your asses and don’t fuck up out there.” Tiffani snickers from the front of the group and I zero in on her. “And let that be a lesson I don’t take shit from anybody. I don’t give a flying fuck who you are. Treat me like shit, I’ll give it right back and then some.”

Tiffani’s eyes get wide as I glare in her direction. Mad Dog steps out from behind me and clears his throat. “Okay, let’s give them a show tonight, ladies. If you’re on drinks tonight, get out to the bar. I’ll be bartending since we lost ours today. If you’re downstairs, head down now. Everybody else, hang tight until Bambi gives you the signal to get on stage.”

The girls rush around us in their barely there outfits and sky-high heels. Make-up is dark and sultry; hair perfectly placed without a piece or lock out of line. My girls know the deal and make sure they keep up appearances.

Sighing, I grab my clipboard as I hear the men coming in to take their seats. Half an hour from now, our first girl will take the stage and my night will officially start.Time to get this party started.

––––––––

MY SHIFT IS FINALLYending at five in the morning. I yawn as I watch the last girl leave. Things went well tonight and I couldn’t complain. Tiffani put on her show, but it didn’t hold everybody’s attention like she wanted.

She threw a fit and locked herself in her dressing room. I left her there for the rest of the night until she came out and apologized. I shoot Mad Dog a text telling him we needed to talk to those other girls ASAP and set something up.

Once the last girl leaves, I lock up my office and check the security to make sure there are no stragglers. Coming to the back door, Mad Dog is leaning on the wall waiting for me.

“You good to go, babe?”

I nod as he holds the door open for me. Closing it behind us, he sets the security code on his phone and the building locks up.

“Talk to you later, Mad Dog.”

He just nods and heads toward his bike. I start up my steps and gasp when a shadow comes from the corner of my balcony.

I quickly grab my gun from my flashbang holster in my bra. “Stop! Who the fuck are you?”

The shadow comes out and steps into the light.It’s that bitch, Ellie Jo.We used to be such good friends until she got crazy on me and Goose.

“It’s just me, Bambi! Please don’t hurt me! I just want to talk. Can I come in, please?”

I don’t put my gun away, but lower it instead. “No. You aren’t welcome in my home. We can talk here even though I don’t have much to say to you.”

She nods and sits down in my chair. “I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for the way I’ve treated you. I wasn’t a great friend.”

Laughing, I look at her sitting in the chair like she’s a child. “Wasn’t a great friend? You acted like a fucking psycho, Ellie Jo! You said such hurtful things. You tried to fucking fight me! Talked shit to my friends, talked shit to anybody willing to listen to your sob story around town, and have been overall a downright cunt.”

Ellie Jo gasps. “That’s a nasty word!”

“Oh, cut the prim and proper shit, Eleanor. Your shitty apology doesn’t mean a damn thing to me.”

“I just want to start over. I had some things going on, but I’m doing better now. Seeing a therapist for things. I just wanted to say sorry...”

I sigh and lean up against the railings. “Look. I’m fucking exhausted. Can we talk more tomorrow? Thank you for apologizing, but it will take a lot to make up and earn your trust again.”

Ellie Jo smiles and stands up. “Oh, thank you! Yes, we can talk about it tomorrow. I still have the same number.”

---