Page 76 of Illicit Heir

Emily cocks her head. "What's going on?"

"Emily, you and I can handle things tonight, right?" I ask.

"By ourselves? Ya know how packed this place is going to be."

"More tips," I state.

Jessica moans, "I need to make money. Tonight's going to be a great night."

"Not really. The money will all go to the strippers. Or did ya forget about last time?" I point out.

Her face falls.

Before she can reply, I command, "Alison, you and Jessica take the night off. Emily and I are going to handle it."

"We're going to have to work extra hard," Emily declares.

I arch my eyebrows. "I thought ya needed to make good money to help your da pay his rent?"

"I do."

I nod. "For either of us to make good money tonight, only two of us need to be on the floor. It'll be more work but worth it in the end."

"I need to make money too," Jessica whines.

"Emily's da is more important to take care of, unless you have something ya need to spend your earnings on that's more important?" I suggest.

She snaps her mouth shut. Guilt fills her expression. Emily's da's been sick with cancer for a few years, and she's helped him stay in his house.

"Jessica, Alison, you two go," I order. "You won't miss out because if there are four of us here, we're not making shit tonight. So go."

"Are ya being serious right now?" Jessica asks, putting her hand on my forehead. "Or are ya ill?"

I shrug off her touch. "Ha, ha, funny. But seriously, you two go home. Now."

"I guess we can go out on the town, then," Alison declares, turning to Jessica.

Her face lights up. "Yea! Let's go have some fun."

Panic hits me. I sternly state, "No! You're to both go right home."

They freeze, staring at me with the same suspicious look my mum gave me.

Jessica asks, "Why do we have to go home?"

My heart races faster. I haven't thought about this or what I would say.

Emily has my back, like always, even though she doesn't know what's happening. She interjects, "Because if Lauren says ya need to go home, then ya need to go home."

Alison peers at me. "What's really going on?"

"I just need both of ya to go home. Do ya understand me? Ya go directly home, ya don't stop anywhere, and ya text me when ya get home so I know you're safe."

"Why wouldn't we be safe?" Jessica asks.

I groan and rub my hand over my face. "Jessica, for once, can ya just do what I say and not question it?"

"Well, you're not making any sense."

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