Willa cringes once more, turning her face up to look at us. Her eyes dart from side-to-side. “Please, you can’t tell anyone I’m working here. Please.” She’s in a serious panic.
Placing an arm on hers in comfort, I utter, “Hey, we’re not going to tell anyone. Right, Flick?”
Felicity smiles softly. “It’s not my business to tell, Willa.”
Willa visibly slumps. “Oh, thank goodness. I don’t want Whit to know. I don’t…” she lowers her voice, “…I don’t want him to see me dressed like this.”
I look down at the sexed-up Alice in Wonderland costume she wears. The skirt is shorter than a mini, with white lace fishnets and garters underneath. Her feet are adorned by ridiculously high white Mary-Jane heels. She wears a white-blonde wig with a light blue bow, and bright red lipstick. And she looks sexy.
I grin up at her. “Willa, have you seen yourself? Did you take a good look in the mirror before you came?”
She looks uncomfortable. “Of course I did. I know what I look like.” I’m confused until she adds, “I look like a tramp. It’s unseemly for a lady to dress like this. But I’m desperate. I need the money.”
Felicity chokes on a laugh before asking, “Do you think Helena looks like a tramp tonight?”
Willa’s face turns pale. “Oh, heavens no!”
Felicity turns on the spot. “What about me?”
She suddenly looks wistful. “No. You look beautiful. Both of you.”
I take a step up the stairs. As I do, I tell her, “You look sexy wearing that, and if James saw you in it, I don’t think he’d be able to keep his hands off you.” I continue up the stairs, but hear Felicity add, “I’ve never seen you look better, honey. Have fun tonight. And don’t worry, we’ll keep it quiet.”
Reaching the top of the stairs, I look down to find Willa biting down a shy smile.
Mission accomplished.
We reach the booth to find poor, pregnant, massive Tina sitting with her shoes already off, resting them on a stool one of the guys must’ve brought over for her. She’s talking to Nat, Isa, and Leti while rubbing her belly. Mimi, Lola, and Maria talk over drinks at the VIP bar. The only guys in sight are Nik and Trick, standing by the booth.
Saturday nights are normally much more relaxed for them. Ash will be busy in the security room, while Max works the floor, making sure the patrons are kept happy.
“Hi, guys,” I greet as Felicity and I sit across from Tina.
She doesn’t look happy. “Hi.”
My brow furrows. Whoever made Tina upset will be getting bitch-slapped. It takes a lot to upset Tina. You just don’t do it. “What’s wrong?”
Nik sighs. “Tina was using the downstairs bathroom and saw women doing drugs in there. She’s upset someone brought that stuff into the club.”
That’s understandable. I look up at Nik. “Can’t you do something about it?”
He shrugs. “I can’t go into the girls bathrooms. I’d need to hire a female staff member to man the area. And I’m not sure if it would pay to do that.”
Felicity bunches her face in thought. “Can’t Max do it? Just stand by the door?”
Nik shakes his head. “He does a lot on the actual floor. We’d miss him there. Besides, what could he do standing by the door? It’d be a waste of his talents.”
Because I’m special, I raise my hand. “I’ll do it.”
Tina blinks. “You’d do that?”
My shoulder jerks up lightly. “Sure.”
Nik eyes me for a moment, looking to be thinking hard. “I don’t know. Sorry, babe. You just don’t look aggressive enough.”
Nat grins. “Oh, she’s aggressive all right.” She clears her throat. “For instance, I could tell you about a little poster she keeps in—”
Before she’s even finishes the sentence, I throw myself across the table, tackling Nat to the ground. I grit my teeth as I wrap her in a headlock. “You say one more word and you’re dead!”