Page 46 of Hitch
“Don’t you dare say anything about her,” Michael leers. “You don’t know her.”
“And apparently, you don’t either,” I snap.
The sugar baby steps closer, cracking her knuckles. “You want to say that again?”
Todd steps up, his mouth pinched. “Can I help you two?”
“It’s fine,” I say. “They were just leaving.”
“No, Reggie,” Michael barks. “We paid the fucking cover charge for this disgusting bar. We’renotleaving.”
“Her name is Secret, and you need to respect my girls,” Todd says, correcting Michael. Michael scoffs, but Todd straightens his shoulders, making his size advantage abundantly clear. “So, you’re staying, right? You gonna go do some pole tricks for us?” Todd gestures at the stage where one of my coworkers is making her ass clap. “Maybe you can make your girl get a job so she can earn back that ten grand you’re missing.”
I snort in laughter, and Michael bares his teeth at me.
“You think this is funny?” he asks. “Should I tell themwhyyou were at my house?”
I lift my shoulders. I was there to get hidden cameras for a purse that I keep in my locker during work. A detail like that doesn’t matter here.
“I don’t care what you do,” I say.
“I know it was you, Regina. You’re a fucking thief.”
Todd pulls Michael and his sugar baby aside, giving them a stern talking. After that, Michael and his sugar baby give me some space, but they’re always a seat or two away from me.
A little while later, Michael slams down his empty glass.
“Don’t let her fool you,” he says, interrupting my conversation with a new customer. “She’ll make you think you’re helping her, but then she’ll suck the money from your soul like a fucking leech.”
The customer swivels between us, not sure whether to believe Michael or me.
“Don’t worry about him,” I say, brushing it off. “He’s just jealous that I like you better.”
“Don’t believe her lies,” the sugar baby squeals. “Or she’ll rob you too!”
The customer apologizes and gets up from the bar, finding another stripper to sit with. I glare at Michael and the sugar baby. I don’t have beef with Michael’s new paid-girlfriend. I get it; she’s protective over her income. But it’s still irritating that she’s most likely the one who took Michael’s money, and she probably did itjustto frame me so that Michael will never be tempted to help me again. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if the money magically reappears as soon as she’s confident that Michael has written me off for good.
And honestly, I can understand that. Sometimes, you have to do some crazy things to survive. But no one wants drama like that when they come to a strip club, and by causing a scene like that, they’re cutting intomycurrent income. I wish the sugar baby understood that I don’t want anything to do with Michael, but even if I say something to her, it’ll be a lost cause.
I briefly consider going home early, but once you lock yourself into a shift, you’re supposed to stay for the full five hours or you risk hefty fines, and staying in the dressing room is against the rules.
So, I’m stuck here. With an ex-sugar daddy and his new sugar baby.
I text Duane:I’ve got a favor to ask.
The text is sent off before I realize how strange it is. Duane snuck into my house, forced me into anal sex, made me come so hard that I couldn’t comprehend what my body was doing,andhe has dismembered fingers—and who knows what else—decomposing in his mushroom farm. And yet, I still feel safer, askinghimfor help, than I do asking anyone else.
Yeah?he responds quickly.
Take me to the VIP room until my shift ends,I send.I’ll pay you back.
Be there in five,he sends.
My stomach drops.
He didn’t even hesitate.
In less than five minutes, Duane enters the club, his shoulders stiff, his thumbs tucked in his belt loops like always. He’s calm, almost as if he was waiting for me to text him. Michael spins around, his jaw dropping when he sees Duane; Michael is above average height, but Duane is huge in comparison. Even the new sugar baby sizes Duane up, gauging how much he’s worth.
