by Erin R Flynn
Luckily the place was already furnished now, though they’d probably fix a bit of this and that to fit the cover. They would use a portal for that but then wipe all traces of anything before I showed up as the new person staying there.
I dove into the club owner as I kept eating. It took me about three minutes to hate Travis Manson. He was a first rate asshole and had a laundry list of charges filed against him along with even more suspected. He’d been busted on a few small drug charges that had gotten tossed out somehow. A rape charge that was dismissed. Several assault ones. Apparently he liked to hit women.
A lot. He seemed to get away with it all because he hired a very good attorney while paying his employees shit. He not only charged them an off-stage fee every night they worked, even if they did stage dances, he got a cut of all lap dances and most of it.
In other words, he was my favorite kind of asshole to take down and show him his place in life.
By the time I crawled into bed, the food was long gone, and I had several steps planned for my new case.
Who needed a break anyways, right?
2
The next morning I slept in a bit, trying to get on my new time zone. Then I packed the bags I had just basically unpacked and washed from the last case before heading to the office. I picked up my new packet and situated myself with the right purse to match my persona, putting what I needed in it, before tucking the rest away in my bag.
“We updated the condo as needed and fits a rich businessman who stays there rarely,” Lewis explained. “One small part of the master closet will have his backup clothes and all of that. The movers—as always—are our guys and will be working surveillance on the place the first few days to see if there are any problems. It’s an expensive place so I doubt it. It’s definitely not that dive you had to stay at several cases ago.”
I wanted to ask which one, as there had been a fair few fitting the part. I nodded along with the rest of the last minute instructions, took my new cell from him, and then headed out. He had outlined which portals I needed, and from the moment I walked out of corporate through the first one, I was Acadia Collins.
Checking the time, I saw I had enough to grab some food before I hopped a few more portals and ended up at O’Hare airport in Chicago. From there it was a two and a half hour flight like I’d connected there from wherever. That gave me enough time to drop off my stuff at the new condo and head to the club to interview.
Which was always hard because it would set the tone for the next few weeks or however long it took me to catch a killer. In all honesty, the work I did to take over a club and get a new location in the area didn’t take long. My team did most of it after I got them the info, and we could do it in under a few days if we wanted to.
And we had in the past. So the length of time was based solely on catching the murderer. It went without saying I did my best to always make sure that went as fast as possible.
I turned several heads in the airport as I sat in a corner, studied my new cover, and ate my food while waiting to board. People would look at me and think I was reading a book on a Kindle, but I was reading my packet again and again, drilling the finer points of my past in my head. Some of it I knew inside and out, as we recycled back stories as often as possible because it was easier to remember then.
Besides, Lola Chase was already someone else and helping another lust demon.
They called us to board, and after my ticket was scanned, she sent me to the desk which worried me. It turned out I was getting bumped up to first class.
Thank you, Lewis. It might have only been a short flight, but I was already a ball of nerves, and sitting on top of people in coach would not help my mood.
Or need to feed.
The flight was fine and the woman next to me gave me a few curious glances but focused more on her own book. We landed, and as I headed to baggage claim, I saw a demon who was clearly looking for me. He brushed past me, and I felt him slip something in my pocket. I made sure they were car keys, and they even had a sticker with where the car was parked. That was sweet.
But who was the car under? Was it mine? The mythical condo owner?
I spotted my bags and headed out to parking, getting my answer once I found the car and checked the glove box. Mine. It wasn’t super fancy, but it was brand new.
Apparently the mythical condo owner/supposed sugar daddy had gotten me a new toy. I could work with that.
I followed the directions on my phone for the condo and wanted to pump my fist when I saw how nice the building was. Awesome. I even had garage parking, which was awesome for early October in Denver at that elevation. Snow would be a ways off, but if I was having to skip my normal break, at least I was getting some nice amenities.
And the condo was sick. Seriously sick.
And it was a Four Seasons Residence building. I knew Lewis was my favorite.
I had a killer view from my thirty-seventh floor balcony, a huge tub, two fireplaces, and laundry in the unit. Awesome. Seriously, awesome. And there was even a concierge.
From what I read of the updates to my packet, the building had been notified I would be residing there for the foreseeable future and what was included.
I hurried to bring everything into the master bedroom, wanting to get the job at the club before my stuff arrived in two hours. The faster I got more of the cover in place, the faster I could get to fucking work.
The drive was fine, a few miles out of the downtown ritzy area over to a seedier block with the “gentlemen’s” row of a few clubs where men acted like anything but gentlemen. I checked with my packet that they had it on the site they were hiring when I didn’t see a sign at the club. It was already open for sad lunch time, and I walked right in.
“Hey, is the owner around? I’m looking for a gig,” I said to the bartender, slapping on my most pleasant but subdued smile.
He raised an eyebrow and looked me over. “You? I think you in the wrong spot, honey.”
“I’m new to Denver,” I muttered, giving him a funny look. “Is this not a good spot?”
He snorted but glanced behind me quickly. “One of the best for good looking girls like you.” He looked at whoever was behind me like he’d just seen him. “Travis, got a girl looking for a job.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Travis, giving him my best fuck me gaze instead of wanting to gag at the heavy set, greasy man with an apparent chip on his shoulder.
“Sure, let’s talk in my office,” he said, actually licking his fucking lips as he eyed me over like his next meal.
Not in this fucking life time or the next. I never, not ever slept with the bosses or anyone at the clubs. That was a fast way to get into lawsuits and shit later after we took it over… Especially if I helped put them in jail.
“So you need a job?” he asked after he closed the door behind me and gestured to the loveseat there.
“I don’t really need one, but I like to keep busy,” I answered as I sat in one of the chairs across from his desk instead, knowing the score. “This is the first place I’m checking out since I just got into town.”
“Is that right?” he asked, giving me an annoyed look at where I sat but seemed to recover as he got to sit behind the desk while I was in a smaller chair. “You dance before?”
“Yeah, I got experience,” I promised. “You want a resume?”
“You can fill in previous experience on the app if I give you one.” He ended up leaning his butt against the desk. “But we’re not really looking to hire right now. I’ve got some really great girls who bring in the cash, and I don’t want to mess up our juju right now, you know what I mean?”
I nodded. “If you got that sort of groove, you’ve got to stick with it. It said you were hiring on your site so I came in. You might want to take that down then.” I stood like it was no big, ready to move on.
“Hang on, you might be able to convince me,” he said as he reached out and grabbed my arm.
I raised an eyebrow at him befo
re gesturing to my body. “No, I really don’t have to do any convincing ever.”
“You’d be the first,” he said under his breath, and I swallowed my desire to punch him, knowing he meant every girl dancing there had done something sexual to get the job. Bastard. “Let’s see your tits and we’ll go from there.”
“I don’t show my breasts to anyone but private dances or people I have sex with.”
“It’s a topless club,” he snapped, letting go of my arm. “Why did you come in then?”
“I get topless, just not on command and only privately. You’ll still have others topless on stage so that’s accurate.” I shrugged. “I can’t do a lot of my pole work and dancing with the girls free either.”
He rolled his eyes. “Right, because you’re so awesome it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen.”
“Probably or at least that will dance here,” I said confidently. “If you don’t buy it, call my last boss. Or any of them. I made them bank.”
“So why’d you leave?”
“I like to travel. There’s always a place looking for a dancer. I’ll probably be in Denver six months or a year before I decide to live in Europe for six months again. Maybe Japan in the winter. It’s gorgeous, and the money’s good.”
He frowned. “You saying I’ve got to train you and then you’ll leave?”
I chuckled. “I come fully trained. Anything else most try to ‘show’ me I won’t do. I don’t do customers. I don’t do anyone unless I want to and not for money. I don’t do drugs. I don’t drink on the job besides a shot now and again. I’m a fantastic fucking dancer, and I love it so I do it. I like when the club is fun and the customers want a fantasy I can give them. If you’re not interested, another owner saw me dance and invited me to interview tomorrow.”
“Which one?” he asked suspiciously. “Then why come here?”
“Because I’m not stupid and I always check out my options,” I answered and then named a much nicer club than his. “He seemed more interested in who my date was at the time and like he wanted to take his place, but that’s not my scene.”
“Who was your date?”
I smirked at him. “A man. I’m sure I forgot his name and won’t ever remember to tell.”
He bit back a smile, his eyes shining with glee at finding someone who knew how to keep their mouth shut. Sure, I did, when it was stuff no one needed to know. He was an asshole, and everyone needed to know that. “You sound high maintenance with not showing your tits and a list of demands.”
I bit back a sigh. His tiny brain seriously didn’t realize that he should be giving everything for a dancer like me but he really believed we were all the same and whores. This would be fun.
I let out my power, figuring that was the quickest way because soon he was going to be an ass, and slapping the owner when he grabbed me was not the way to get the job. Plus, the movers were coming in just over an hour now.
“Why don’t I fill out the application and you can verify my references before I come in and take a test dance tonight? You don’t like it, I check out the next place.” I moved in closer. “But you don’t want them to steal me from you, do you?”
“No, yeah, let’s get you that application,” he muttered, bobbing his head. He went and grabbed me one, sliding it on a clipboard. “Here you go.”
“I’m not going to fill in my social or license number until we’re sure we’re a good fit,” I told him as I leaned over and started writing so he could see. “But my address and references are enough to know I’m legit.”
He nodded, moving closer, but then flinched. “You wrote the address wrong. There’s no way you’re staying there.”
I chuckled. “I know the address. I had to get there from the airport. Yes, I’m housesitting for as long as I want.”
“You mean as long as they’re gone,” he corrected.
I glanced at him and smirked. “No, I said it right. As long as I want. He doesn’t mind.”
“I see,” he murmured, giving me an appraising look as if wondering whether I could introduce him to the right people and circles.
Yes, like I very much wanted him to become closer with the police. It was one of my goals. Probably not who he meant, but I would enjoy it.
“Friday night is busy and we’ve got some specials,” he told me. “Come in at seven and we’ll get you on after that.”
I nodded. “Is the DJ here for me to check if they’ve got my music?”
He gave me a look like I was a pain. “We just put on whatever that has a beat.”
“I do dances with costumes and the whole thing. Two songs.”
He shook his head. “You do your dance on the main stage and take over a smaller stage if one’s open and do lap dances there.”
I swallowed a shiver. That was such a bad way to do that and dangerous as people got ballsy in a group. “I don’t think we’ll fit. I do real dancing to songs and then if I keep going at another pole that’s fine, but I won’t take off my top for just anyone to watch. It’s dangerous.” I grabbed my purse and gave him a wave, flaring my power since the cameras in the office wouldn’t be able to know I was doing that.
“Wait,” he muttered as he grabbed my arm again. “Don’t go. We can figure this out. We could use a higher class girl. Let me see if the dancing is worth it and we can talk.” Even through my power I saw the challenge in his eyes.
And his desire to have me land him some serious whales. Fine, I could play that game.
I wanted to roll my eyes when we went out to the bartender and his solution was for me to bring my iPod in with the songs I wanted on it. The bartender looked like he was having a hard time not laughing at whatever was on my face. I smiled politely to the owner, and he went back to his office.
I shrugged. “A girl needs to make money.”
“Not here you don’t looking like you do,” the bartender muttered, giving me a suspicious look.
I smirked at him. “I find they come find me wherever I want them to, and this is close to my new place.”
“Alright, alright, I’m hearing you,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “I’ll play whatever you want, just make it easy for me because we get busy and he doesn’t have enough of us on each shift. Awesome for tips but I work.”
I nodded, glancing around the club, hating the layout and how tacky it all looked. “If we’re working the private table poles, do we come get their drinks?”
“You can if they’re all in the same group or party, but they rarely are. They normally group around whoever they can get the best grope of and slide sticky singles into thongs, and you don’t want to know what the sticky is.”
I swore I almost threw up a bit in my mouth. Great, so the owner and place was complete trash. Awesome.
I thanked him and headed out, picking up food on the way to my new place, hoping at least to get settled in and hook up my computers. Given I had a test dance, that was still a lot handled in one day.
They showed up right on time, and I went to let them, giving the distraction needed for them to get some basic mics in place as I’d hack them into video feeds. I spoke to the concierge and got the list of other amenities and services. The building had its own spa for residents, which I fully planned on taking advantage of. Maybe the gym too if we saw people actually used it, otherwise I’d use one of the fancier gyms Denver had.
I smiled politely at any residents we saw, even pushing one of the carts to help the movers, as it would make certain people talk like I wasn’t used to a building like that. People would run their mouths no matter what I did.
They stayed a little bit to help me unpack and move things along since they knew I was tight on time given five were already dead. I escorted them out, and a very handsome human got on the elevator with me.
“You’re new here?” he surmised. “I would remember seeing you around.”
“The hair stands out, but it’s fun,” I chuckled, nodding my head as I held out my hand. “Acadia. I’m housesitting for a friend for a w
hile.”
“Oh, a good friend?” he asked as he shook with me.
“Depends on how well he behaves,” I answered casually. “Your name?”
“Right, sorry, Jamison. I’d love to show you around if you’d like.”
I very pointedly checked his other hand before nodding. “Sure. I’ve got an interview tonight, but maybe you could show me the good places to eat.”
He let go of my hand and frowned as the elevator stopped. “An interview at night?”
“I’m a dancer.” I smirked at him when he stepped off and turned to look at me with a hesitant gaze. “Yeah, the type you’re thinking of.”
His desire went through the roof as the doors closed. Well, apparently I’d found food… And maybe he had some friends. He was successful enough to be off work and home just after five on a Friday so maybe he would be useful.
He’d enjoy it.
I booted up my systems in the office that now had a keypad entry, serious lock I would pretend not to know how to open. I hurried to hack the security cameras in the building and sent everything to the guys who’d brought my stuff, as they’d be close watching and learning everything we could. I added a note that I’d made friends with Jamison and on what floor so they could keep watch on him.
I could get my own background on him and did. Yeah, he might be useful.
I grabbed the right costumes after putting the songs on a playlist on my iPod so it was easy for the bartender. I hurried to the parking garage and made it to the club about quarter to seven.
“I’m here to interview,” I told the guy working the door when he tried to charge me cover. “The owner said to come back at seven for a test.”
“Yeah, we’ll test you out, baby,” he chuckled, leering at me.
I smirked at him like I dared him. “Baby, I have a few black belts. You try that shit with me and I’ll put you in the hospital before I press charges. Just so we’re clear.”
He gave me a look like he was thinking of pushing it or saying shit back but just waved me on. Smart. A douche to greet a new employee that way, but at least he was a smart douche.