I stare at him.
“Organ donation is a business unto itself, Benny, and there are non-profits that handle this. Also, organ donation is strictly regulated by the government, from what I understand. You could go to jail for sidestepping the regular processes.”
Benny lets out a huff of laughter.
“No, no, not organs. I want you to participate in a virgin auction. You know how the club holds these sometimes, right? But of course, the women aren’t virgins, not at Club Z at least.”
I stare at him. It’s true, I have heard of virgin auctions taking place on premises. All that happens is that wealthy male members bid enormous sums to spend a night with one of the Club Z hostesses. One girl who’s done it a few times confided that it was really fun, actually. Her billionaire bidder was insanely handsome, and they had dinner together before engaging in a long night of debauchery. But I’m a bartender, and not a hostess. In fact, I’ve never considered even working as one of the hostesses here, and this would be a big step.
“Um,” I say. “I don’t know.”
Benny puts his hand up on top of the lockers beside me so that I’m basically trapped between those enormous biceps. He flexes them with a cheesy grin, like he thinks he’s impressing me.
“How can you know if it’s for you without the details?” he asks in a lofty voice. I manage a wan smile.
“Oh okay. Sure. Please tell me.”
Benny steps back and puts his hands in his pockets, sighing a bit.
“Well, this auction is different from any of the other auctions the club because it’s private. It’s not just for anyone. Instead, some friends of mine have asked me to arrange an intimate party for them, and they’ve got the specifics of they’re looking for.”
I stare at him warily.
“What specifics?”
Benny shrugs.
“These men want to inspect the woman they’re paying for up close so they know exactly what they’re getting. You know that usually, the club doesn’t allow inspection. In general, the girls just go up on stage and dance around, but these guys like to be hands on. Hardy har har, get it? They want to see and feel what they’re touching before they shell out their hard-earned cash.”
Eyebrows drawn together, I glare a hole into my manager.
“Um, it’s not going to happen. You know I’m not a hostess here. I’m a bartender, and that means that guys don’t touch me.”
Benny shrugs, turning his head and taking a moment to admire his muscles like my refusal is of no consequence to him.
“Are you sure about that? I thought I saw Mr. Atherton squeeze your ass the other day while you were on shift. And didn’t Miles Spence jiggle your boobies last week?”
I blush fire red because in fact, those things did happen. But Neal Atherton and Miles Spence are regulars who happen to be handsome and very generous with their tips, so I don’t mind fooling around with them a little. But Benny just continues, looking bored as he studies his nails.
“Besides, I thought you wanted to make money, and you know that bartending will never get you anywhere. You’ve got to work as a hostess to make the big bucks.”
Shit, my manager’s touched on my weak spot, and I bite my lip. I know I should say no again and walk away; in fact, I should run away from what he’s offering, but my mind won’t stop reeling because he’s right. My mom needs her medication, and me taking extra shifts isn’t enough. I fix him with a look.
“How much?” are my terse words.
Benny merely continues to study his nails.
“If they buy you, you’ll pocket thirty-k. ‘K’ stands for thousand, in case you don’t know, Sierra,” he smirks. Then, my odious manager holds his hands up palms out while smiling magnanimously. “Plus, I won’t even take a cut since the auction’s for friends and family. You’ll get the full amount. Does that change your mind?”
I can’t help but gasp because thirty thousand dollars is a huge sum. That’s a lot of money for one night of debauchery. My mind starts whirling. How much medication can I buy for my mom with that amount? Heck, maybe I could even pay for Lynette to visit Manhattan because there’s a specialist here that I’ve wanted her to see for the longest time. Supposedly, he’s a genius when it comes to rheumatoid arthritis. But then, I frown again. There has to be a catch because if it sounds too good to be true, then it is too good to be true.
“Yes, but what about the club’s cut?” I begin in a tentative voice. “I know Club Z usually takes twenty percent off the top for these auctions, so I wouldn’t really be able to take home the whole thirty K right?”
Benny shrugs nonchalantly.
“Don’t worry your head about the club, sweetie pie. I’ll make sure it’s all worked out.”
I stare at him, hardly believing my ears because Benny doesn’t have that kind of sway at Club Z. Hell, he’s lower-level management and just one step up from a foot soldier. But my need for cash overtakes my good sense because with thirty grand, I could afford to do so much of what my mom needs and deserves. Besides, it’s only one night right? One night of me going outside my comfort zone could make a huge difference for Lynette, and if anyone’s worth this risk, it’s my mom. She’s already sacrificed so much for me, so it’s time for me to do the same for her. With that, I straighten my shoulders and nod.
“Okay, when were you thinking? Not tonight, I hope.”
Benny rubs his hands together, smiling so hard his beady little eyes look like they’re going to pop out of his big head.
“No, no, of course not! You have your shift tonight. But yes, I’ll get you the deets in the next couple days.” Then, he claps my shoulder and I jump, making him laugh. “This is going to be perfect, sweetheart. And if the clients like you, then there could be a lot more cash coming down the pipeline.”
I swear, there are dollar signs zinging in his eyes like a cartoon character but I manage another wan smile.
“Sure, got it. Just let me know when, okay?”
Benny cackles again while strolling out of the women’s locker room, like he has nary a care in the world.
“Will do, sweet ‘ums. And try to work on loosening it up a bit before the auction, won’t you? No one wants a girl who’s as stiff as a board.”
How insulting! Did this man just insinuate that I’m a cold fish? Maybe I’m standoffish around him, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t turn it on for the right guy. Or the right guys, in this case.
But okay, this has changed things. I’m going to be auctioned in a private set-up, with men who will want to touch me. They’ll want to squeeze my breasts for sure, and to stroke between my legs. Oh shit. I drop my face in my palms and take a few deep breaths, telling myself it’s going to be alright. It’ll be worth it once I have that money. It has to be worth it because now, I’ve gone too far and there’s no turning back.