Page 59 of High Rise Secrets
She furrows her brows, and her lips turn down into a frown. “Why would you assume I was?”
“Clive called me the other day, the day you resigned, about how you were one of Vince’s birdies—his “it” girls. I remember when Vince was killed, and it was on the news all about his money laundering, embezzlement, and how he was also charged with sex trafficking. The girls—your friends, were ya’ll being forced into it? Were youforcedto have sex with me?”
When she shakes her head, relief washes through me. “Vince already had Lia, Everleigh, and Eden under his thumb when I joined the club. He was stopping me from being able to find a job anywhere else. The club... it was my only option.” A sad smile spreads across her lips. “Eden kept me safe.”
The cop returns, and she closes her mouth, watching as he pulls out a notepad and settles in to ask us both some questions. Addison recounts the events, including the call she received from Clive, asking for the meeting in the first place, and how he attacked her when she told him no.
One of the other board members called me and asked if I knew anything about Addison Snyder and why Clive would want a meeting with her. As soon as I heard he had requested one, I knew it would end badly. I made sure to call the cops when I got into the office, and honestly, I’m lucky the timing worked out how it did.
The cop finishes with our statements, telling us he will be in touch if more information is needed, and then heads out the door. I make no move to get up, and neither does she.
“Tell me more about your time at the club. Let me hear your side of things.” She shrugs and shakes her head like it’s not important. “Please, Addy, I want to know. You once told me you have a lot of scars. Let me try to help heal some of them.”
She takes a deep breath and lets it out as she tucks hair behind her ear. One of her nervous ticks. She tells me about how she got started at the club, and the private shows Vince used to make the girls do. Everything she tells me leads me to believe he would have been fine with these girls being raped if that’s what the client wanted.
Eden used to slip roofies to the girls to use in case they ever needed them, or if the men were getting too handsy. According to Addy, she had to use them more than once to get some guy to stop trying to have sex with her.
“Your dad used to ask for me, wanting me to give him private shows. He was close with Vince, and I didn’t trust him. One time, after I slept with you, I agreed to give him a lap dance, but that’s it. It never went further than that. Although, not for his lack of trying.
I shake my head at my own stupidity. “He showed me pictures of you in his lap. I thought…”
“If there are pictures, it’s from that one andonlytime. I don’t even know how he could have gotten them. We assumed everything was lost in the fire.”
“I have a list of clients you were involved with. How did that get out?”
She shakes her head, a confused look on her face. “I don’t know.” She shrugs. “When the place burned down, we figured all evidence of the sins there went with it. Eden got a big payout from insurance since she was Vince’s only next of kin.”
My jaw drops. “Wait a minute, Eden is his daughter?”
She shakes her head. “No, his niece. By marriage. When she got the payout, we girls decided we wanted to open a new club, but we made sure we could keep the girls safe. Everyone has their own reason for coming to work atRISE. As long as we can keep them safe and supply them with steady jobs, we’ve done right by them. No one gets forced into anything they don’t want to do, and all the girls take self-defense classes.
“We also vet every one of the members and are highly selective of who we allow through the doors. If someone brings a guest with them, and the guest doesn’t follow the rules, the member loses his privileges.”
To say I’m impressed would be an understatement. I know Addy has her MBA, but the fact these girls could open such a successful business and have it thriving all these years later is very impressive.
She stands, and I’m shaken out of my stupor. I want to reach out and pull her in for a hug, bury my face in her shoulder and inhale her intoxicating scent. I don’t dare touch her, though. I know I no longer have the right to do that.
“I’m so sorry for everything, Addy. I never meant to hurt you the way I did. I don’t expect you to be able to forgive me, but I’m hoping for a chance, even if it’s just to be your friend. I hope that one day you’ll let me into your life again.”
She gives me a sad smile and leans down, placing a gentle kiss on my cheek. “Just give me time, Ethan. I’ll find you when I’m ready.”
She walks out and leaves me alone, sitting in the conference room for the company I used to run. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I feel the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders. I can do whatever I want now. I can run a businessmyway.
Chapter 39
Addison- 2 months later
I’ve been working atRISEevery night for the past two months. I haven’t wanted to stop, because when I do, all I think about is Ethan. The feel of his body pressed against mine, his lips, the scruff on his jaw. All of it sends a jolt of pleasure coursing through me.
I haven’t gotten laid since him. Even my trusty vibrating friends have started to lose hope of getting me off. It’s sad, really, when my battery-operated boyfriend has ceased to please me. No. I need the real thing. The only problem is, I only want it from one man.
Looking out into the crowd, I search for familiar brown eyes, just like I do every night I take the stage. I know he won’t be there; his membership was stripped from him, but it doesn’t stop me from hoping. The pole is cool under my fingertips as the music comes up, and I start my routine. I seek out random faces, offering a sultry smile as I shake my assets.
I’ve done the same five routines for so long now, I zone out, my mind seeking solace with Ethan. He’s done as I’ve asked and hasn’t tried to contact me, giving me the space I need. I’ve debated calling him a few times, but as I hover over his number, I chicken out and close out of the app. I don’t even know what to say to him.
Yes, I do. I forgive you.
News of him leavingEmulationhit the public the next day, and charges against Clive were initiated. Unfortunately, it was a “he said, she said” situation, and he denied he did anything until he was blue in the face. It pays to have good lawyers, but even still, I dragged it out and made him pay a fortune in legal fees before the case was finally dropped.