Page 8 of Loving Lex

It would be tabloid fodder for sure. The thought brought a rise of bitterness in my throat.

I saw Chloe finish up and exit the stage. She motioned to me that she’d be a minute as she headed to the back.

“Hey, do you still drive that red Mercedes, Carl?” I heard one man ask another as he arrived to join a table already seated near one of the stages.

My ears tuned in.

“Nah,” Carl said distractedly as he watched a voluptuous woman with red tips in her long hair do things with a pole that made me blush. “Gave that to my wife last year and bought a Range Rover.”

“Good thing,” the first man said on a chuckle. “There’s one that looks like it’s being towed out there.”

Dread peppered my skin with goosebumps as I rose and ran to the front entrance, blindly exiting to the bright light of day. Just in time to see my beautiful car, the last gift my dad ever gave me, riding away on a tow truck’s hook.

“No,” I breathed, hot tears filling my eyes, making the image swim in front of me before they streamed down my cheeks.

“What’s wrong?” Chloe’s voice asked from behind me, sounding a little breathless as she pushed through the door. “I saw you run out like someone was chasing you.”

They were. They were chasing me right out of my own life.

“My car,” I said on a sob, pointing.

“What—” she began, looking from me to the truck pulling away. “Was it repossessed?”

I nodded. “By my father.”

“Oh, my God, Shay,” she said softly. “Shit, girl, that’s just—”

“Horrible? Evil? Manipulative?” I filled in, nodding. Everything I’d felt earlier about being embarrassed if anyone saw me here... just drove away. “Fuck them,” I whispered through my teeth, through my tears. “I’ll wait tables naked if I have to.”

“Let’s not get that crazy,” Chloe whispered back, patting my shoulder. “Come on, I’ll drive you home. Can you get an Uber back tonight? We’ll figure something out going forward.”

I looked at her and nodded, following her like a whipped puppy.

“You know what?” I said, trying to stop the tears. “You’re probably the coolest, nicest person I’ve met here in the three months I’ve been in Vegas.”

She smiled at me and bumped me with her shoulder. “You’re family now, Shay.”

CHAPTER THREE

Lex

Ichecked inwith Lucky again and gave him an update before showing up at Cameo at seven thirty and parking in the employee lot. I’d never been one to be late. Guess it was a remnant of my military days. I also wanted to have time to take in the place and the people beyond the tiny bit I’d seen the last time, which honestly hadn’t been much other than the muscle at the door. Guess that was gonna be me now.

They seemed to be expecting me since I strolled right in with no resistance and made my way downstairs toward the back office to find the guy who was going to train me. Glancing up, I saw the subtle cameras placed everywhere. Kane wasn’t kidding. Security was tight but unobtrusive.

A redhead with bright-purple lips and a skintight, black sequined catsuit sidled by and offered me a flirty smile. “You new?” she asked, her blue eyes taking in my black jeans, white t-shirt, and combat boots like I was her next meal.

“I am.”

“Nice.” She kept walking but flipped me a glance over her shoulder. “I look forward to seeing more of you real soon. Name’s Sundae, by the way. Like the dessert, not the day.”

“I’m sure,” I mumbled under my breath, sure that Sundae was probably delicious, but not my taste.

I listened to the click of her heels as I strolled my way down to the office I was looking for and gave a quick knock.

“Yeah, come in,” a deep voice commanded.

I opened the door to find a dark-haired guy behind the desk with a woman on his lap, her face pink with laughter like he’d just pulled her there.

---