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I roll my eyes. “You can only do one thing at a time, huh?”

“You weren’t complaining before.” He shifts gears and pulls out, making me scramble to keep my spaghetti from falling all over.

We drive for twenty minutes or so. He’s serious most of the way, which gives me regrets about sucking him off. Actually, my real regret is that he took my orgasm virginity. I know it’s a little nuts, but I kind of want to wrap around his arm right now. Never in my life have I been clingy. Never ever.

“A girl could use a little comfort, you know.” I shrug.

He side-eyes me, then looks ahead to the road for a good few seconds.

Boo.

When I least expect it, he puts his massive arm on my lap and tilts his palm upward, offering his hand. My heart melts into a warm gooey blanket that swaddles my belly, and when our skin touches, I’m ready for a post-pasta nap.

“What’s it like at Star Dust?” I dare to ask. “Give me some deets so I don’t go in blind as a bat.”

“No time. We’re here.”

“What?”

I expected the dirty parts of Jersey. Well, the dirtier parts. Deep alleys in Sayrenville, or Newark. But we’re only twenty minutes from Water’s Edge. I’m not even sure where, but it looks pretty middle class for a strip joint.

Oh, I get it. They’re two warehouses in between. Smart.

The lawyer in me wonders whether he has all his legal licenses current, as well as building ordinances to operate late into the night. I could help him avoid some hassles with the locality, but I’ll keep that in my back pocket for now.

As he parks in the lot of a boxy black-brick establishment with a sparkly yellow sign, my legs start fidgeting.

Channel Misty.

Channel Misty.

I do my best to put on that resting bitch face Trino seemed to like so much, and strut on in behind him. The double doors are guarded by two guys that dwarf even Trino. They both nod into a slight bow while opening the doors like he’s their king.

Bassboomsfrom inside, vibrating through my toes even while I’m still on the parking lot tar. A mix of perfume and sweat wafts into my face as Trino grabs my hand to escort me in.

“You alright?” He dips his head so I can hear him, squeezing my hand in comfort. “You’ll be safe here. That’s the whole point, remember?”

I don’t feel safe.

I sigh, allowing myself to believe him. “I’m okay,” I lie, holding high posture and as much swagger as my dorky lawyer self can manage. Remember, it worked on a high-ranking mobster, it’ll work in here too.

A woman with overdone lip injections and really pretty green eyes stands with her arms folded over a counter. “Hi,Daddy,” she says. “Bruno and Chestnut are waiting for you in VIP left.”

“Thanks, Desdemona. This is Misty,” he introduces me.

Every part of me wants to give her a hug and ask if she’s a fellow Shakespeare enthusiast. My guess is, probably not, considering the character gets smothered by Othello, but a woman can hope!

“Hello,” I act slightly standoffish true to my stripper persona.

“Hi! Call me Des, hunnie. What club did you come from?”

“First gig. Daddy here picked me up for tryouts. Even bought me dinner.”

“Lucky gal.” Des winks at me.

“Iknow. Wish me luck up there.”

I’m terrible at this. She’s so nice, it’s hard to be mean.