Page 3 of Fang (Lotus MC: San Antonio #2)

“You thought wrong. Sit.”

She huffs and sits in the chair across from me.

“If you want to put on a show, I’m game, but that will be extra,” she snarks.

“What are you on?”

She blinks slowly, like she can’t keep up with my change in topic.

“What did you take?” I say slowly, making sure I enunciate each word so she can’t misunderstand me.

“N-nothing. We’re not allowed.”

I feel the corner of my eye twitch as soon as the lie leaves her mouth.

“Your pupils are blown, your heart is racing, and you’re sweating like a whore in church. You’re lying.”

She licks her lips and leans forward. She even goes as far as to make sure she presses her breasts together. “Look, it’s not a big deal. I’m sure we can work something out.”

“You’re fired,” I tell her bluntly.

She blinks rapidly and shakes her head. “What? You can’t do that.”

“I just did. Pack your shit and get out.”

“But you need me!”

“Like the rest of the girls here, you are replaceable. You have ten minutes to get your shit and get out. Otherwise it becomes club property.”

I stand and nod toward the door.

On wobbly legs she lurches out of her seat and heads toward the dressing room. I follow behind her to make sure she doesn’t deviate.

“What’s up?” Happy says as the door separating the floor to the club and the hall slams shut.

“Just had to fire Peaches,” I tell him.

“Fuckin’ junkie,” he mutters. “Want me to make sure she clears out?”

“I would appreciate it.”

Happy slaps me on the shoulder. “Go get a drink. You look like you could use one about now.”

A flash of blond catches my attention, and I look over.

“You need something?” I ask a little gruffer than I intend.

“Nope,” Cami says, taking extra care to pop the P.

I swear she does it just to irritate me.

I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from checking her out.

She claims to be over eighteen, but with her blonde hair that’s the shade of honey in pigtails and the white little number she has on, she looks extra innocent.

If it weren’t for Dex tracing her background and confirming that she is of age, she wouldn’t be here.

She doesn’t know that, though. I vet all the girls coming through these doors.

When she steps out of view, I head back to my office and sit down.

I look down at my desk but don’t actually see the shit laid out before me.

I knew running this place was going to be a challenge.

While the club was already established, it was dirty as fuck.

I basically had to start from scratch. All new employees with some renovations to make it a little more appealing.

We’re bringing in money every night, but we aren’t out of the red. Not yet, at least, and it’s fucking killing me. I don’t want to fail. I’d hate to let Savage down like that. He gave me a chance when he didn’t have to. On top of that, it’s a point of pride. I refuse to fail.

My phone rings, and I smirk when I see his name flash across the screen.

“Were your ears burning?” I tease when I answer.

“No, why?” Savage asks.

“I was just thinking about you.”

“Everything okay?”

“Just had to let one of the girls go. Other than that, I’m fine.”

“What happened?”

“Apparently our no substances policy was too hard to follow.” I snort.

I had hoped by treating all the women well that they would follow my simple rules.

No drug use, no being drunk on stage, and no harming patrons without a good reason.

That’s all I ask. In exchange, I let them choose if they want to do extras on the side, I let them keep more of their money than any other club in the area, I offer them a layer of protection from the club without having to be a club girl, and I give them a clean place to work.

Yet, Peaches is the third one this month caught high on something. I don’t know what else I can do to make them obey.

Savage sighs. “I never knew it was this hard to find good dancers who don’t like little white lines.”

“Tell me about it,” I mutter. “What’s up, though? You need something?”

“No, I was just calling to check in.”

“Aww, are you worried about me?” I tease.

“You wish. I’m just waiting for Bailey to get home,” he says, mentioning his old lady.

“She on a job?”

“Yeah, she was helping Tiny with something.”

“For someone who was done doing the PI thing, she sure hasn’t walked away the way I thought she would.”

“Shit’s in her blood. She just wanted the option to pick and choose what she works on personally.

“I get that. I don’t think I can blame her. How late do you think she’s going to be?”

“You going to come meet me for a drink?”

“Or you could come meet me.”

Savage scoffs. “My woman might be forgiving about a lot of shit, but I don’t think she’d like me hanging out at a strip club during business hours.”

I can’t help but laugh. “True enough. The offer stands, though.”

I hear a door open in the background. “Actually, she just got here.”

“Tell her hi for me.”

“Will do,” he says before hanging up.

The music from the floor catches my attention. Instinctively I get up and head toward it. “What’s Your Pleasure” by Jessie Ware starts to play. It’s sensual as fuck and makes the customers act like Pavlov’s dogs. Only one of my girls dances to that song.

Cami.

I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help but watch when she takes the stage. Especially to this song. The way she will crawl around drives our customers mad.

As soon as she comes into view, my breath catches.

Fuck me.