He cut me off. “And you didn’t tell me?”
“No, I didn’t think I needed to tell you my whereabouts at all times. Are we dating and I didn’t get the memo?”
“Dude, shut up. Now what are you going on about?”
“I didn’t even go inside. I wanted to see if I could catch her on break or something and ask if there was something going on. Something she didn’t think she could tell anyone else about that maybe I could help her with, you know?” I looked at him and he leaned his head on the headrest with a groan.
“Man, she’s a stripper. Of course she’s going to have issues. They all do. Why do you think they take their clothes off for money?” he asked. “You aren’t going to save her from herself. Trust me. My cousin has stripped on and off since we were barely out of high school.”
“That’s got to be weird for you,” I said.
“I don’t go in if she’s working,” he shuddered. “I’ll ask the bouncer before I even go in the door and if she is, I head off to another joint.”
“I’m not sure I want to have this conversation with you,” I said with a disgusted look on my face.
“I don’t go in!” he insisted loudly. “Forget it. Anyway, what do you think’s going on with this girl? Did you talk to her?”
“I didn’t get the chance. I was just about to leave the place when she came out through the back door. She was dressed in jeans and a hoodie, and was clearly distressed. I thought that was my chance to see what was going on, but before I could even get out of the car a man followed her outside,” I explained.
“A customer?”
“No, that guy who was at the table the night of the party. Rocco,” I said.
“He’s the owner. Maybe she fucked up or something and he was setting her straight,” Welsh suggested. “Like Cap does to us. We’ve all been through a good reaming.”
“Some of us more than once,” I said as I gave him a look.
“So, this guy comes out of the club and what happens?” Welsh turned the conversation back to my problem.
“He grabbed her by the throat and threw her into the side of the building. He was holding her there, threatening her. Obviously, I had to act,” I said.
“You put him down?”
“Down to the ground and pulled out my badge. Told him if he came after me or her or any of the other women in the club like that again, I was going to arrest him,” I announced.
“How’d that go over?” Welsh asked. “He doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who would take kindly to threats no matter who they’re coming from.”
“How does he strike you?” I changed the subject. It had been something that was on my mind all day, and I couldn’t shake it. I wanted to know more about this guy, but there wasn’t much on him in our data base. He had only a couple of traffic violations when he was younger, and that was it.
There wasn’t a criminal history, at least nothing that we were aware of. There could be more records in New York or Los Angeles or wherever else he had been in his life. I’d only had the means and opportunity to check Chicago’s database.
“I don’t know. Moody. A dick,” Welsh said. “Not the kind of guy I would want to go around pissing off.”
“That’s what makes me wonder. Why doesn’t she just quit if he treats her that way? I would walk out in a heartbeat and not look back if I were her,” I mused.
I was talking more to myself than to him, but Welsh answered anyway.
“You know, there are some girls out there who think that they need that job. Like, it’s the only thing they can do to make ends meet. You know it’s not cheap to live here, so maybe she’s just trying to get by,” he suggested.
“But that’s not the only strip club in the city. And, when I tried to ask her if she was alright, she brushed it off and all but ran from me. I also heard him threaten her,” I sighed. “If I could just talk to her, I could get a lot of these questions answered.”
“So why don’t you?” Welsh said with a shrug. “Go back in there, get a lap dance, and ask her what’s going on while she’s grinding on your dick.”
I thought it over for a second. It wasn’t a bad idea, but after being there in that alley the day before, I didn’t want her to think I was some creepy stalker. But I wasn’t sure how else to get through to her. I knew in my gut something was off and I felt obligated to help. I told myself that the fact that she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen didn’t even factor into it.
“Or you could just give her your number. I’m sure they get that a lot, but if you said something about wanting to help her out, she might be more susceptible that you just showing up in the alley like a weirdo,” Welsh suggested.
I liked that idea a lot better. “That’s not bad. This entire situation is so baffling, I’m not sure what to do about any of it, really. I just want to make sure she’s alright, you know?”
“Then you’re going to have to talk to her. I’ll see if there’s anything else I can dig up about that Rocco guy, and we’ll go from there. Check in with other major databases. There has to be something that he’s done in the past that would give us a clue about him,” Welsh said. “You don’t become a strip club owner with a Harvard education and a Boy Scout badge.”
“Thanks Welsh, I appreciated the assist,” I said. “Now, I’m starving. Let’s get lunch.”
“Same,” Welsh agreed. He let the topic drop and I was happy to let it slide as well. There were a lot of unanswered questions that I was trying to figure out, but there wasn’t anything else we could do about it until we had more info.
If he got on the trail of figuring out who Rocco was, and I somehow found a way to get Sky to talk to me, then we’d be getting somewhere. For now, we could only get lunch and move on with the rest of our shift, driving around and seeing where we were needed.
But no matter how hard I tried to push Sky to the back of my mind, she still took center stage.
6
Sky
I sat straight up in bed, my panties soaked and my heart racing. I didn’t often have wet dreams, but that one was incredible.
The entire bus ride home the day before I had fought daydreaming about the cop. He’d been right there, so hot, so fearless. I couldn’t see his tattoos, but I knew he had them. I’d seen them when I had given him the lap dance.
He looked different in uniform, though I knew it was him. Tall, dark, strong. Muscles all over. It was enough to make any girl swoon. I went back and forth with myself, between telling myself it was alright to fantasize about him and telling myself it was a waste of time.
When I got back to my place, I felt a mix of overwhelmed and turned on. What if he came back to the club? Would I go back? I sure as hell didn’t want to, but then, he had told Rocco to leave me the fuck alone or he was going to be arrested.
If Rocco continued to harass me, I could go to the cops and ask to make a police report with that particular officer. God, I wished I knew his name.
As usual, I’d fallen asleep quickly, but I didn’t expect the dream I had. We weren’t at the club, we were in some sort of apartment. Maybe mine? I didn’t care. All I cared about was taking all the clothes off that sexy stranger and having my true way with him.
So much more than just a lap dance. I wanted all of him.
When I woke, I was on fire with need. I’d never felt that way about anyone who had come into the club before. I’d never let myself. But with the hot cop, I couldn’t help myself. He was too sexy for me not to notice, that was for damn sure. And boy, was I noticing.
I sighed. Laying back in bed and trying to decide what to do. I didn’t want to go back to the club, but I felt somehow safer by Officer Hottie’s threat against Rocco. I thought maybe, just maybe, he’d lay off if he thought the guy might be waiting in the wings, watching. But I also knew that Rocco wasn’t one to be easily intimidated. Maybe I should run after all.
My alarm started blaring.
“Fuck!” I said aloud. I flew out of bed and hurrie
d for the shower.
My thoughts had been interrupted the day before by an old woman on the bus. She looked me over from head to toe, clearly judging me. With the amount of makeup I’d still had on, she probably thought I was a prostitute. I wasn’t sure why it still bothered me what people thought, but it often did.
I guess probably because I hated it. I hated that I had to resort to taking my clothes off for money. That I had to let gross strangers ogle me and grind on their laps while they licked their lips and got hard underneath me. Just the thought of it was enough to make me shudder there in my own home.
The woman must have sensed that somehow. She nodded and smiled and tried to make small talk with me. I was polite but evasive. Just before my stop, she did something that surprised me.
She reached into her purse and pulled out a scrap of paper and a pen. After scribbling something on it, she handed it to me and held my hand for just a second as I took it from her. She gave my hand a light squeeze before smiling kindly. “Call that,” she’d said. “It’s a friend of mine who has been looking desperately to hire someone to help out at his restaurant. He can accommodate any hours basically. He really needs the help.”
I was so shocked at her kindness, I almost dropped the paper when she handed it to me. Another job. A way I could get out of the club. I hardly dared to call but forced myself to as soon as I got home. The man on the other end of the line sounded overwhelmed and stressed.
But then, I probably did, too.
We set up an interview for that morning, and I wanted to make it on time. If I were to get the job and say goodbye to the club, I’d be so much happier than I was now. I’d have a fighting chance. I didn’t care if I had to work twice as many hours to make the same money. To me, it would be worth it. I’d have an honest form of work that would pay the bills. As hard as it would be to make the transition, I was willing to take the chance if it meant I could get away from Rocco and that horrible club full of perverts.
I got out of the shower and quickly dressed, eager to get down to the restaurant.
“We run this place as a tight ship,” he’d told me over the phone. “I need you here on time.”
“I will be,” I promised. I was just about to the restaurant when my phone rang. Startled, I looked down.
Rocco.
There was a moment’s hesitation. I wanted to get in to the restaurant as fast as I could, but for all I knew, he could be watching me. He was like that, and I didn’t dare not answer him for fear he’d come find me in the middle of the interview and blow my chances of a normal job all to hell.
“Hello?” I said, putting my phone up to my ear.
“You’re coming in today,” he said; a statement rather than a question. His tone was flat and cold.
“I can’t,” I said. My mind was spinning. I looked around the street, wondering if he was somewhere out there, watching my every move.
“Why?”
My mind went blank. I hadn’t thought about why, but I knew it wasn’t going to go over well if I reiterated the fact I wanted to quit. It would be even worse if he found out I was trying to get another job.
“Answer me,” again, with the cold, flat tone. There was something about the tone that was sending chills throughout my entire body. I could only imagine him sitting at his desk in the back of the club, his coffee on the table, whiskey flask right next to it.
“I’m sick as a dog. There’s no way I can dance tonight,” I lied.
“Convenient,” he said. “Especially after what you pulled yesterday.”
“You know the flu is going around,” I said. “Do you really want me there getting all the girls and potentially the customers sick?”
I knew he didn’t. If there was an outbreak of any sort of illness at the club we’d have to shut down until it passed. Time was money to Rocco, and he really hated losing any of either. But, the silence on the other end of the line wasn’t very reassuring.
“You sound like you’re outside,” he said at last. “If you’re too sick for work, what are you doing?”
“Getting medicine,” I said in an exasperated tone. I looked down at my phone to check the time. It was eleven on the dot. I had to be inside immediately. “So if you’ll let me go I can work on getting better.”
“I see,” I tried not to read into his tone any further, but I had a feeling he knew I was lying. I wasn’t going to change my story, however. If he wanted to see if I was really sick, he could come to my place and I’d fake the hell out of it. I just had to get through the interview first.
“Sorry,” I said, exasperated. “Not how I would have chosen to spend my day.”
“Take today off. You’re going to be there for your shift tomorrow, and you’re not going to be late, do you understand?” he asked. Relief washed over me, but I said nothing. I had a little bit of time now, and I didn’t know what I was going to do, but at least I could get in for the interview.
“I asked you a question!” he snapped.
“I understand. Thank you,” I said. I hung up the phone and shoved it in my purse, both pissed and relieved at the same time. I had to get inside, I was two minutes past when I should have shown up, and I hoped it wasn’t going to have an effect on the outcome of the interview.
“Hey, I’m here to see Mr. Carducci,” I said to the hostess.
“He can’t talk right now. He was supposed to have an interview this morning, and she’s late. He’s not really in a good mood,” the woman said.
“That was me,” I said. “I got here as fast as I could, but without a vehicle it was hard to guess how long it would take me to walk exactly.”
I finished with a weak smile, but I noticed the way she looked me over from head to toe. Then, she motioned for me to follow her. We walked through a fancy dining area and into a crowded kitchen, took a turn down a narrow hall, and she announced me in Mr. Carducci’s office.
I walked in with a smile and held out my hand. “Mr. Carducci. Thank you so much for this opportunity.”
“You’re late,” he said flatly.
“I’m sorry. I walked here. I thought I would have the time but with the lights and traffic–” I tried, but he cut me off.
“I thought I made it clear to you on the phone you have to be punctual. I run my entire staff on a strict schedule, and there’s not time for you to be late. If I’m hosting a party, then I’m going to need the food out, on the plates, by the hour I say. Two minutes is too late,” he snapped.
My heart sank. “I apologize. I promise you I’m not this way ordinarily. If you can give me a chance, I’ll prove to you that I can keep up with the speed of the kitchen, I can.”
He looked me over from head to toe, and I rose up, holding myself as tall as I could. Then, he nodded to the desk. “Sit and tell me what you do currently.”
I cringed. It was something we hadn’t discussed on the phone, and I really didn’t want to tell him. But, with the way he was staring right into my eyes as though he could see my very soul, I didn’t feel I had much choice. I forced a smile as I sat.
“I’m a dancer,” I said. I left off the word ‘exotic’ intentionally.
“Where?” the question came fast and hard. I hesitated again, and he looked at me with the same penetrating gaze.
“Smitty’s,” I said at last. I quickly tried to explain myself. “I didn’t want to work there, but at the time I was hired it was all I could find. Now, I’m trying to get out of the business.”
“You realize this is one of the highest rated restaurants in this side of town,” Mr. Carducci said. “We require the utmost class and professionalism.”
“I know, and I am classy and professional, I just had to do what I had to do,” I tried.
“Education?” he moved on.
“High school diploma,” I said.
He looked up at me. “How many jobs have you held?”
“Two,” I said. “I worked at a Starbuck’s in high school, then what I do now.”
“I see. Well, than
k you for your interest in the position, I’ll let you know,” he said. He rose but didn’t offer his hand. Defeated, I also rose from my chair. I knew it hadn’t gone well, and my heart was sinking down to the pit of my stomach.
I desperately wanted the job, but it was slipping away. All because of Rocco’s phone call and his hold on my life.
“Thank you for the opportunity. I can assure you, I won’t let you down,” I said with a smile. He nodded toward the door.
“You may head out the way you came in.”
With another forced smile, I obeyed. But there was a lump forming in my throat, and I knew I’d have to fight the tears once I got back on the street. I knew I wasn’t going to hear from him again, and there wasn’t any way I could avoid going back to the club.
Rocco gave me one day off, and for that I was grateful. I was going to go back to my apartment and have a nice, long cry. My world once again came crashing down around me, the glimmer of hope now gone.
Would I be forced to bend to Rocco’s will forever? I hoped to God the answer was no.
But it sure looked like I didn’t have any other choice.
7
Jack
I sat back in my chair, waiting impatiently for Captain Markel to show up. He would often call these meetings with the task force, then be late to them himself. I was on time for this one. Early, in fact. I wanted to know what he had to say.
Welsh had been reaching out to various other PDs across the country, trying to dig up any information he could on Rocco. He texted me when I was out in the field, telling me that he found something, and had taken it straight to the Captain, but that was all he was able to get to me at the time.
I wanted to know everything, right now. I wanted to know what kind of situation we were dealing with, and whether we should go into the club with guns blazing and free all those women who were in there.
The more I thought about it, the more I felt the entire thing was a show. Perhaps none of the girls who were dancing in the club wanted to be there. Maybe he treated all of them the way I’d seen him treat Sky. But, most of all, I was still dreaming about Sky and what she did to me that night.
Men in Charge: A Contemporary Romance Box Set Page 62