Jealousy instantly hits me, and right now that frightens me. I have no right to be jealous; I don’t even know the man. We spoke for less than five minutes and in those five minutes all he did was try to boss me around.
I start to walk around them, needing to get the hell out of here before he starts trying to make me get a cab again.
“Christ, Layla,” Owen bites out, pulling her arms off him. “What are you doing here? I told you I had to work tonight.” He’s being quite abrasive with her, but it’s not my business to say anything, especially when Layla smiles at him and leans up and gives him another kiss.
I manage to skirt around them and make my way out of the hall and into the club before he says anything. God knows I’ll have to try to escape Kieran too. I really need to get out of here, I make my way out the front of the club, and I’m shocked to see a different person on the door. Where is Kieran? I thought I was going to have to evade him. He must be dealing with Tyra. I know she doesn’t drive either, so I wonder how she’s getting home.
The cold air hits me as soon as I exit the club. I walk fast to make sure that I put enough distance between me and the club. God, I can just imagine Owen running out, demanding that I get a cab. As soon as I round the corner, I see Tyra walking down the street. She’s in a hurry. and I’m not sure if I should try to catch up to her or not. We don’t really know each other that well, only from the few times we’ve spoken while training and then tonight. I leave her be and continue my trek towards the tube station.
Just as I reach the station, my phone starts ringing. It’s almost midnight. Who the hell is calling me at this time? Rummaging through my bag, I quickly pull out my phone, not even looking at who’s calling, just swiping the screen to answer. “Hello?”
“I see you.” Molly calls over the phone, and I immediately stop and turn around, trying to see if I can see that stalker Molly. She always does this to me. If she sees me before I spot her she hides and challenges me to try and find her. “To your left,” she tells me, and I turn to my left, but I can’t see her. “No, your other left.”
I turn to my right and see her hurrying towards me, a smile on her face. “Fancy seeing you here. I thought you weren’t working tonight.” She started work on Monday, and tonight and tomorrow night were supposed to be her nights off, since they wanted to ease her into working there.
“Yeah, it wasn’t meant to be. Someone called in sick, so they got hold of me, and thankfully I finished at half eleven. Now I’m starved. Fancy going to get something to eat? I want chips.” She’s begging me with her eyes, acting as if she’s not eaten in days, though knowing her she ate about an hour ago. “Please, Katy?”
I sigh, knowing that I’m not going to be able to say no. “Where do you want to go?”
She claps her hands before reaching for my arm and pulling it. “We’ll go to the chippy. We won’t be any longer than twenty minutes, half an hour tops.” She’s pulling me behind her. “So how much did you make? You look really pretty by the way.” Oh, my God, what a nosey cow.
“I don’t know. I haven’t had a chance to check yet. And thank you, I think.” I can’t believe she actually had the cheek to ask, and it’s the damn makeup. I never normally wear makeup and if I do its mascara and eyeliner.
“We’ll check when we get to the chippy. What was it like? Did you fall?” She’s actually laughing, some friend she is.
“No, I didn’t fall, it was actually really good. I was scared at first, but as soon as the music kicked in, the nerves faded.”
She gives me a weird look. “So you actually enjoyed it?”
I frown, wondering where she’s going with this. “Well yeah, it was exhilarating,” I say, kind of upset that she’s making me doubt myself. I felt happy, but now I feel ashamed.
She smiles. “Thank God. I thought you’d hate it. I thought you’d do it tonight and never want to do it again. I was worried about you, so hearing that you enjoyed yourself makes me happy.”
Phew. “Okay, I thought you were being judgy.”
She gives me a dirty look, and I instantly regret thinking she’d judge me. “I wouldn’t, I’ll have your back always. I thought you knew that.”
I link my arm through hers. “I do know that. I’ve always known that. I think I’m judging myself. I shouldn’t have liked it, but I did, and I think that’s what’s got my mind running.” I feel awful for making her think I doubted her loyalty.
“Come on, let’s get some grub and count that money you earned.” She’s back to her happy self. We never really get mad at each other. I don’t even remember the last time we had a proper argument.
It doesn’t take us long to get to the chippy and order some food. We take a seat and wait for them to bring it down to us. I place my bag on the table and Molly immediately opens it then pulls out the money and starts counting it.
“Shit Katy, you made five hundred and seventy-five pounds! In one night. I think I should come and work there. That’s amazing.”
I don’t know who’s more shocked at how much I made, me or her. “Katy, that’s fantastic, you’ll be able to start paying off the debts right away.”
I smile. “Twenty nights like tonight, and I’ll have Mickey’s funeral and plot paid for.” That’s the first thing that I want paid off, I hate knowing that it’s not paid and that’s a debt no one should have hanging over their heads.
Molly smiles back at me, “He’d be so proud of you.”
I really hope that Mickey is proud of me, just as I was proud of him.
Chapter Nine
Sitting at the mirrors, taking off my makeup, my feet ache as does my entire body. I had to work in Delight this morning. I was up at half past five after getting in at half one last night. I couldn’t get to sleep straight away either so when I woke it felt as though I had just gone to sleep. I couldn’t sleep this afternoon either, as Mum and I went to visit Mickey’s grave. I honestly think that took more out of me than the lack of sleep, I felt completely drained when we came home, there wasn’t enough time for me to have a quick nap, so I’m now running on empty.
Today I have more time to get everything organised and get ready to leave, that means taking off my makeup and counting my tips. Tyra’s already gone, she made five hundred last night too and the same again this evening. She’s happy like I am, to be making that much money already. She rushed out of here before I even came off stage. I think Jess is gone too. She’s now looking for more girls to work here, as yesterday Tyra and I were the only ones to turn up. I couldn’t believe it. Why on earth would they not come in to work without saying a word?
“Hey, you’re Katy, right?” I look up into the mirror and see a red-haired woman standing behind me with smile on her face.
I quickly spin around in my seat to face her. “Hi, yes I’m Katy.”
Her smile widens. “I watched you dancing last night and tonight. Jess told me that you had never done it before. You’re a real natural.” She talks really quickly, and her accent is really heavy. It’s hard to understand her. I think she’s Scottish. “Oh, I’m Bailey by the way.” She reaches out her hand to shake mine. “I work in the back room, so I’m usually not in here too often. Tonight, though it’s quiet in the back room, I’m hoping it’ll pick up.”
It takes me a second to realise what she means by working in the back room. She’s a lap dancer. “Is it usually busy?” I’ve no idea about that side of the club. I’d say a lap dancer would be paid a hell of a lot more than five hundred pounds a night.
“Usually, yeah. I tend to do about eight or nine dances a night. Tonight, though, I’ve only done five. With it being a Saturday, members tend to come in later although it’s one of the quieter Saturdays I’ve seen in a while.” She comes to sit down beside me, reapplying her flawless makeup.
“Really? I thought it seemed busy out there.” I could have sworn it was busier than last night, but what do I know?
“It is. See members who have lap dances are usually the richer ones. It’
s not cheap to have one whereas being in the main club you don’t have to tip but you really should. So, the high flyers tend to be in the back room.” She smiles at me again, and I can’t make out if she’s being bitchy or not. She seems relaxed and happy, so that’s making me think she’s just being friendly. But her tone is catty, and I’m not really sure what to make of her.
I keep chatting to her, because she does seem nice. “How long have you been working here?”
“Two years now. It was hard at first because of Layla. She had her posse of stuck up bitches, and they hated anyone who took attention away from them. Then she was sacked and slowly but surely her posse disbanded and left. They were horrible to all of us. They called everyone fat and ugly.” She shakes her head in disgust, and I can’t imagine anyone calling Bailey fat or ugly. She’s drop dead gorgeous and has a tiny waist.
Layla… Why does that name sound familiar?
“That’s awful. I hate people like that.” I can’t stand cliques or anyone who thinks they’re better than someone else.
“They’re gone. Everyone who works here gets along really well. We’d do anything for each other. We’re like working girls sisters.” She laughs seemingly to herself. I still can’t make her out, she really does seem nice. She looks at me and her face changes; a look of seriousness comes across. “I’m sorry if I’ve come across as bitchy. I tend to do that when I’m excited. Honestly I’m the furthest thing from it.”
I smile at her, and she instantly smiles back. “My mum tells me I have a resting bitch face.” I shrug. As long as she’s not a bitch to me we’ll be fine.
Bailey jumps to her feet. “I had better get a move on, I don’t want to be caught slacking. I help Saff out in the bar by waitressing. I get tips for that too.” She can’t stop smiling. I’m finding it hard not to smile back at her. “Oh, just a heads up, I saw Owen talking to you last night. Be careful with that one, he’s dating that viper Layla, and if she sees you talking to ‘her man’ she’ll make your life hell. I wish they would banish her. I hate her, and I never hate anyone. I’ll see you around, Katy.” She waves goodbye as she exits the room.
Shit. Of course, Layla’s the name Owen called the woman he was kissing last night. Great, the last thing I need is her to get the wrong end of the stick and think that I want Owen. But if she’s as bad as Bailey says, then surely, she would have said something last night, wouldn’t she? From now on I’ll keep my distance from him, he seems as though he’s okay, just a tad bossy.
Once I finish taking off my makeup, I quickly begin to count my tips. Holy shit. Six hundred and fifteen pounds. That’s over eleven hundred pounds in just two nights. I honestly can’t believe it. Never did I think I would make this much in just two days. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for paying off our debts. I’m going to have to go to the bank on Monday. I’ll have tomorrow night’s tips added onto that total. I’m going to be on edge about having that sort of money in the flat. Thankfully Mum’s always there, so it should be okay.
It’s packed tonight, and upon walking into the main area of the club, I immediately notice that Bailey and Saffron are rushed off their feet. I watch as Bailey hands a group of men their drinks. She wasn’t wrong when she said she gets tips. I see one of the men hand her a twenty-pound note. Shit, Bailey must be making a lot of money from working here.
“Ah Katy, just the person I was looking for,” I hear Jess’s voice and turn to see her standing at the bar with a weird look on her face.
I make my way over to her. “You were looking for me?” I should be gone home by now. Why would she be looking for me?
“Well, Damien more than me. He wants to see you in his office. Do you remember where it is, or do you want me to show you?” She doesn’t seem mad, so I’m hoping whatever it is that Damien wants to see me about isn’t bad. She shifts her weight onto her other foot, placing her hands on her hips.
Shit, she’s waiting for me to answer her. “No, I’m good, I remember. Thank you.”
Her smile intensifies. “Great, I want to make a move and get home.”
“Go,” I tell her. “Have a good night, Jess. And thanks.” She really doesn’t know how much this job means to me, and I’ll always be grateful to her.
“Anytime. Good night Katy. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She waves goodbye to Saffron and makes for the club’s exit. I start walking towards Damien’s office when I spot Jess talking to Owen. His eyes are narrowed as he’s looking directly at me. He must be mad about me giving him the slip yesterday.
As I walk down the corridor towards Damien’s office, his door opens, and Kieran is coming out. His face lights up when he sees me. “Katy, how are you?”
I return his smile. He seems really nice; he seems really flirty and creepy when he lays it on thick but other than that he’s sweet. “I’m okay, how are you?”
“Better now that I’ve seen you.” He winks at me and I shake my head. There’s that creepiness setting back in. “Damien’s waiting on you, I’ll see you around.”
I say goodbye and knock on the office door. “Enter,” Damien’s deep voice calls out.
Nerves hit me. I have no idea why he wants to see me. I’m shaking like a leaf. Damien doesn’t look up from his desk when I enter. It’s only after I close the door behind me that he looks at me and points towards the chair in front of his desk. Okay, he’s telling me to sit down, which is good because my legs feel like jelly and I’m grateful my heels are off. I can’t stop shaking.
“Katy, can I ask why you defied Owen last night and instead of waiting for a taxi, you walked to the tube station and got the tube home?” His voice full of disappointment; it’s soft yet he’s reprimanding me at the same time.
“Damien, when I took on this job, I didn’t realise that I had to have a lift home. I thought that seeing as I’m an adult I could make my own decisions and that includes taking the tube home.” I close my eyes. That came out so rude and I never meant it to.
He looks shocked, and my eyes fill with tears. He’s going to sack me, I can feel it. I’m so stupid. Mum always said that my mouth’s going to get me into trouble. He sighs. “Katy, you are an adult. The reason why I insist on you being escorted to your cars or to a lift is because I don’t want anything to happen to you. The last time one of the girls was alone, she was attacked in this very club. That will never happen again. Is there a reason why you’re so adamant you won’t take a taxi?”
“I need the money,” I whisper, my tears falling, and I swipe them away angrily. Mad that I’m so vulnerable, that I’m crying in public.
“May I ask why you need the money?” His voice is so soft, so caring. It’s weird to hear, you wouldn’t expect a six foot plus man to talk so softly.
“I need to pay off my family’s debt.” I take a deep breath and blink furiously, willing the tears away. “But I need to pay for my brother’s funeral. That’s the debt that needs to be paid first. I promise once I have that paid off, I’ll take a cab.” I’m pleading him to let me continue getting the tube until Mickey’s funerals paid.
“When did he die?”
I wipe away my tears. “Almost three months ago now.” I feel sick just saying those words.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Katy. How old was he?”
“Sixteen. Is it okay to take the tube?” I’m not going to be a bitch, I understand now why they have that requirement, and now that I know I’ll be more careful.
“I have a better idea, an idea that would be beneficial to both of us.” A sly smile comes on his face, and I’m on edge as I wait for him to tell me what idea he has. “So Saff and I have decided that she won’t be working in the bar once the girls leave. She’s to focus on college, so I’m going to need someone to be trained to work on the bar. You’ll get tips and wages and of course still work the pole. You just work longer hours. You’ll be in for six and you’ll finish at two. You’ll be driven home by one of the bouncers or one of the other girls, so you won’t have to get a taxi.”
&nbs
p; Is he for real? That would be so good if I could do that. I can get extra money and get rid of my job at Delight, since I wouldn’t be able to keep it if I was to work the bar too. Then also, when I do leave here, I’d have bar experience, which could come in handy if I wanted to work in a pub or bar.
“What do you say? It would mean more training, as Saffron would have to teach you how to work the bar.” His teeth show through his wide smile.
“Yes. That would be amazing.” I can’t contain my excitement. It means no more getting up at half past five in the morning.
“Great, will you be here tomorrow at one? That way Saff can show you the ropes for tomorrow evening. This evening, Owen will be giving you a lift home.” I open my mouth to object when he raises his hand to silence me. “No arguments.”
“Fine, thank you.” I’m not happy about it, especially since Bailey told me about how much of a bitch Layla is. I don’t want to deal with a jealous person. I’m not after her man, no matter how sexy he is; he’s taken and that means he’s a no go.
“He’ll be waiting for you,” he says, and it feels as though he’s dismissing me.
I’m so confused. How does Owen know to be waiting for me? We’ve only just come to this agreement. Standing, I narrow my eyes at Damien. Have I just been played? I’m way too tired to try to figure out what just happened. “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.” I’m not working at Delight tomorrow, so I can have a lie-in in the morning. I am going to have to go in sometime tomorrow and hand in my notice. Thankfully, I’ll only have to give them a week.
Owen’s waiting for me at the entrance, his eyes focused on me. He looks pretty pissed, and I don’t know why but for some reason I feel as though I should apologise to him. “Ready?” he asks reaching for my bag.
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