Page 97 of Whiskey Splash

“I’m on it,” Naomi confirms. “I can probably buy you a good fifteen minutes. Is that enough?”

I nod and Naomi turns down the hall toward Mrs. Rose’s office. I thank her as she goes, heading for the locker room myself, moving past the massage rooms and Buddha fountains. I’m about to slip undetected into the back room when I hear footsteps behind me.

“Excuse me?”

I turn to the voice, expecting to see security or Mrs. Rose, or one of the resort’s upper management, but instead it’s one of the spa patrons. A man in his mid-forties wearing his spa robe and flip flops walks up to me, looking like he’s made a wrong turn.

“Hi, sir,” I say politely. “Can I help you?”

His eyes light up as I address him and he moves down the dark hallway toward me. “Yes, actually. I thought that was you.”

I squint at him and shake my head, not following. “Excuse me?”

He peers over his shoulder quickly before shimmying up next to me. “I’m not sure of the etiquette,” he says, raising his eyebrows in question.

“Etiquette for what, sir?”

He lowers his head and whispers. “Do I simply request you for a massage, or do I pay you directly?”

“What are you talking about?” I frown, and the man looks over his shoulder again before squaring off in front of me and opening his eyes wide like I should know. “What do you want to pay me for?” But as the words come out of my mouth, his smile turns dark and he loosens his robe, flashing me his semi-erect lower half. “Oh, my God!”

“How do I order a massage? Do you do room calls?” He’s completely serious as he says it, not fazed in the least that his robe is open and he’s almost cornered me.

“What the hell is wrong with you!?” I yell, my whole body turning red with rage and embarrassment. Who the fuck does this guy think he is? Who the hell does he thinkIam? “This is harassment!” I growl at him and he flinches, yanking his robe shut.

“Excuse me? I thought you—”

“You thought wrong!” I snap, lashing out at him. “You can’t just flash me and ask me for sexual favors!”

“I know you do this,” he barks back, enraged. “I saw you in—”

“You see one picture of me on the internet and you think what? I’m a call girl? I’m going to blow you for money? Jerk you off? You suddenly think there’s a happy-ending spa package with your name on it? I’m a human being, not your personal fuck toy!”

“Sluts like you get off on it!” he hisses, clutching his robe and glaring at me. I’m ready to punch him. I can’t even deal with the audacity of this guy, of anyone, to see one photo of me and think I’m for sale!

I hear footsteps and doorknobs opening, and suddenly Mrs. Rose is storming down the hallway glaring at us. I know she’s about to throwmeout for what’s happening, as if this asshole’s actions are my fault.

I shake my head, furious, and push past the jerk, stalking up to my boss. Mrs. Rose’s tight-lipped face is already frowning at me, ready to pounce, but I beat her to the punch.

“Don’t even bother,” I hiss, before she says anything. “I’m fired, I get it. I was only here to get my things anyway.”

“You will leave now!” Mrs. Rose hisses.

“Already on it! You can have Naomi collect my things for me.” Mrs. Rose turns up her chin, a glimmer of triumph in her face. “Oh, I see,” I continue. “Gloat all you want. But you were afraid this would happen, Mrs. Rose, and guess what? It’s happened! But not because ofme.I’mnot the one who solicited that asshole.” I point back at the patron who’s listening intently.

“Ms. Noel, you’re not allowed on the premises—” Mrs. Rose starts, but I cut her off.

“You’re banning the wrong person,” I snap. “That man just propositioned me. He’s the one giving your establishment a bad name, not me! But because he’s a client, you don’t care. You’d rather cater to him than protect your employees.”

“We all saw your photo, Ms. Noel,” Mrs. Rose pinches out through pursed lips. “We all saw what kind of woman you—”

“Photos of my personal life.Personal, not public, my personal life, Mrs. Rose. Photos that are none of your business and has nothing to do with my job!”

“Your reputation—”

“Oh no! Don’t go giving me the ‘if a girl wears a short skirt, she deserves it’ speech! If that’s what you really think then you’re part of the problem! If you actually care about the reputation of your spa, maybe you should worry a little more about the type of clients you allow in here, and how you’re putting your employees into a dangerous situation!” I motion back to the man, who’s scowling. “Rather than blaming the girls who are victimized. Maybe you should think about that!”

I huff past her; Mrs. Rose’s eyes are as cold as stones. She doesn’t want to hear anything I’ve said. She’s already made up her mind about me, same as that man who’s just harassed me. It all makes my skin roil. This damn world is flipped upside down and backwards and frankly, I can’t stand another second of this establishment!

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