The Help (Kings of Linwood Academy 1)

Nope. No fucking way.

I lift my chin higher, fixing him with a hard glare. I’m not doing shit until they tell me what’s going on here. “What happens after I put it on?”

River doesn’t seem inclined to answer, but Chase steps forward, turning his charm up to full blast. “Nothing much. We just need you to impersonate a waitress at a strip club.”

“What?” My eyes bug out of my head.

“Why, you don’t think anyone will buy it?” He smirks. “Believe me, Pool Girl. They will.”

“Why?” I scratch out.

“Because it’s Trent Calloway’s birthday, and that’s where he’ll be tonight. We need you to sneak upstairs and get some video documentation when he gets a private lap dance.”

Every bit of information they add only confuses me more. “Why?” I repeat.

Chase sighs, like he’s having to explain this to someone a little dim. “He’s been getting a bit too big for his britches. We just need a little something to keep him in line if it comes down to that.”

“What, like blackmail?”

“She gets it!” He raises his hands over his head in exaggerated relief. Then he grins at me. “Yeah, like that.”

“So you want me to take a video of him getting a lap dance.”

“Yeah. He’s captain of the football team; it goes against his whole good boy persona. Plus, his parents are super conservative. There’s no way he’ll want that tape to get out.”

“What are you hoping to make him do?” I ask suspiciously. I’m not really into helping these guy’s wreck someone’s life, even if Trent is kind of a dick. So are they.

“Just back off our territory, that’s all. He’s got football. He doesn’t need the whole school.” Chase cocks his head, as if he’s impressed at my moral fortitude for not wanting to do this. “We’ll only release it if we absolutely have to. More than likely, the only person who’ll see it is him. That’ll be enough.”

“No questions asked,” River says in a low voice.

My gaze snaps to him.

Right. Those were the terms of the damn bet.

Well, at least Chase decided to tell me something. This is dumb and immature, but it’s actually not anywhere near as bad as some of the possible scenarios I was envisioning.

“Fine. Give me two minutes.” I snatch up the dress and head for the bathroom.

“Take your time,” Lincoln calls after me, and I can hear the grin in his voice.

Those dicks. I’m sure this really is about setting Trent up, but I’m also sure they’re enjoying the hell out of the fact that they managed to incorporate a little extra humiliation for me.

The dress fits perfectly, and I don’t even let myself think about how they knew what size I wear. It’s slinky and tight, short on the bottom and low-cut on top, leaving a generous portion of cleavage showing. I adjust everything and throw on a little extra makeup, then pull my hair into a high ponytail.

When I step out of the bathroom, my defenses are already up, prepared for whatever laughter or jokes they throw at me.

But none come.

They all drink in the sight of me with serious eyes, their gazes moving up and down my body in a four-part wave. I can feel my face flush from their slow perusal, heat working its way up my chest.

Then Lincoln nods once. “Good. Shoes?”

I shake my head, trying to clear it. “Um, yeah. I have a pair.”

There’s a pair of plain black stilettos in my closet. They’re nothing fancy, but they go well with the dress. I slip them on and grab my jacket, shoving my wallet and phone in the pockets. I’m at least going to stay covered up until we get wherever we’re going. It’s late October, so it’s not exactly warm out.

The club is on the far outskirts of town, and when we pull up, I crane my neck to see around Chase’s beefy shoulder. Somehow, I ended up sitting bitch between the twins. “Here? This is where Trent’s spending his birthday?”