I thrust the mop into Sharan’s hands. “There you go. Happy mopping.”

Her face immediately changed into a mixture of disgusted scrunch and immature pout. “Excuse me?”

“You're on mop duty,” I said. “Yay.”

“Can’t you do it?” Sharan asked. “I heard you're not even taking clients.”

“Oh, I guess I could, but then I couldn't sit and drink at the bar.” I flashed a kitten smile. “If you need some water, just let me know.” I trotted off before she could get out another comment, but could practically hear the steam coming out of her ears. Coming through the swing doors I slowed down seeing Chasey sitting at the bar holding a large mug.

“Isn’t it a little early to drink yourself to sleep?” I asked, walking up to her.

She looked at me, or tried to anyway. Her eyes were swimming. “You don’t drink, do you? That's why your skin is so nice.”

“Occasionally I enjoy some wine,” I lied just to irk her. “But I’ve heard that’s good for your skin.”

Chasey attempted to roll her eyes, but they stopped mid-roll so she was staring up at the ceiling for a few seconds. Then she looked back at me. “You know everything.”

“I know things,” I said.

“Tell me. Is anyone pregnant?”

“Nope.”

“Is anyone dating a client?”

I pursed my lips and looked around.

“Who?” Chasey pushed.

I looked back at her, her eyes still swimming, struggling to concentrate on me. “Do I get a raise?”

“One extra day vacation,” Chasey replied.

I tapped my finger on the counter considering her offer. “Two?”

“One.”

I rolled my eyes. “It's Heidi.”

Should I have told on Hiedi? Probably not, but on one hand it was for her own good. If she kept up, in a few months I’d be telling Chasey she was pregnant. And no way was Maxius going to stick around for a baby.

“And you?”

My eyebrows rose. “Me?”

“You haven’t had a client in weeks.”

“Oh, you’re so drunk. We already had this conversation, Chasey.” I stood up. “Here, why don’t I go get you a chicken breast from the back-”

“Sit,” she instructed.

Hearing the new assertive tone in her voice, I quickly sat back down.

“I don’t care how much you do for me, or how nice your skin is, you work here just like all the other girls. So you need to earn your stay.”

My lips tightened, waiting for her to continue.

Chasey looked behind her to her right. “See that man over there?”

“Yeah,” I replied without looking.

“You go over there and pleasure him or you're out of here by morning.”

My eyes widened, and if my eyebrows rose anymore, they’d be in my hairline. “You’d fire me?”

“And kick you out on the streets where you belong,” Chasey said. “Let’s see you keep your skin so nice and your hair so full when you’re whoring for some other business.” She stood up, wobbling as she shifted her weight to her legs, and stalked away toward the back.

I sat there stunned. Never in a hundred years had I ever expected she’d threaten to fire me. Sure, I hadn't had a client in weeks, but I undeniably brought in some of the most money in this group of girls. The only two that made more than me were Heidi and Celestine, and both had bigger breasts than I did. I wasn't against doing my job—although I would admit a few weeks without having someone ask me to spank them had been nice. But a threat to be fired if I didn't get this one specific customer? I realized suddenly I had no idea who this guy even was. Luckily, I reverted my eyes just in time to see the man whose direction Chasey had been looking in.

He had dark brown hair that stopped above his ears in the front, but went to his neck in the back. Tanned skin, obviously someone who worked outside. He wore an oversized chestnut colored coat and standing, he looked to be almost six feet tall.

Standing? Why was he standing? My heart sagged watching him take one final swig from his cup, then head toward the side exit.

I groaned and laid my forehead on the table. The only thing keeping my job for me had just walked out the door. Where was I going to go next? Sure, I could probably find another brothel around here. But one that would let me choose my clients? Where for the most part, I was treated like a human being and not just a money maker? Where I could haggle and harass the owners? My mind spun, and a pit opened up in my stomach.

I was just about to order myself a pitcher of Elgin Rum when out of the corner of my eye, I noticed mullet man walk back into the room. The explanation hit me like the rum would have. The bathrooms were located by that exit. He’d went to the bathroom, not left.

Determined to keep my below-satisfactory job, I put a hand on each breast and lifted them up so that they almost spilled over the top of my dress. I sucked in my stomach for good measure, and pranced over to the man with a pitcher of beer from the bar.

“Good evening,” I said, giving my voice that almost baby like sound that Heidi mastered. “Having a nice night?”

The man nodded.

“Can I offer you some beer?” I asked, raising the pitcher a little higher so it sat right next to my right breast.

“That would be great,” the man replied. His voice lacked any interest.

I leaned all the way over to pour the beer—nothing any normal person would ever have to do to pour anything out of a pitcher. I knew the man was staring straight into my basket. Filling the cup, I straightened myself and flashed him a warm smile. “Can I do anything else for you?”

“No, that’s alright. Thanks.” The man began to drink from his cup and looked down to read the piece of paper in front of him.

I stood there a little dumbfounded. Usually all I had to do was walk by a gentleman in here and they asked me for service. With this guy I’d actually put my breasts inches from his face to entice him, and he was more interested in a piece of paper? I wanted to scream at him “do you realize you’re costing me my job?’ but I figured that was less seductive than it seemed. I reined in my irritation and tried again. “A handsome guy like yourself is here by yourself?”

The man barely looked up at me, giving me a look like ‘you’re still here?’ “Yes.”

I lowered myself an unnoticeable amount, but enough for my breasts to be lower to him. “So, you’re spending the night by yourself? That doesn’t seem like a lot of fun.”

“I think it’ll be fine,” the man said. He looked back down at his paper.

My shoulders dropped in bewilderment. Was this man just extremely dense? I swallowed every ounce of pride I had left—which at this point was not much—and bent down so my mouth was seductively next to his ear. “I can tell you’re a little annoyed that I keep trying to talk to you.” I had to disassociate myself from the words that flowed out of my mouth. “But this mouth is good for other things besides just talking.” I held myself back from vomiting in his ear.

The man turned his face so it was inches from mine, and for a second I thought I’d snagged him. His face didn’t change however, and he spoke with so much rebuff in his voice I almost slapped him. “No thank you.”

I stood up straight, pursing my lips with anger in a last resort that pouting turned him on. When his eyes dropped back to the paper in front of him, I stalked back to the counter, a few decibels from slamming the pitcher onto the counter of the bar.

Who the hell did that guy think he was? And what was so damn interesting about that piece of paper?

Shenna wasn’t standing at the bar anymore so I went behind the bar and poured myself two mugs full of Elgin Rum. I took a seat back on the patron side of the counter and gulped down the first mug. The warm liquid calmed by anger, which allowed room for worriment.

Had I lost my touch?

I nervously reached up to fiddle with my necklace, but my fingers grazed my bare neck. A split-second panic, then I remembered I’d put it in my pocket earlier when I was cleaning some of the dishes. I took it out and held it by the crystal pendant, turning it over in my hands.

No matter how inconsistent or how drunk Chasey was, she was true to her word. If I didn’t seduce this guy, I’d be out by morning. And then where would I go? I’d proven myself years ago and been given room and board here. I didn’t have anywhere else to live, nor did I really have any other skills to fall back on. I wasn’t inept, I could find something, but what?

I sighed and clasped the necklace around my neck. Maybe if I made twice the amount of money on some other clients, Chasey would let me stay. But that would mean getting into some pretty risky territory. I’d either have to target really rich men—which usually wanted Denese or Heidi because of their blond hair—or I’d have to pull a Sharan and open myself up to any kind of sexual act. I nearly spit out the rum sitting in my mouth at the thought of some of the things Sharan got herself into.

But what other choice did I have?

As I was nearing the bottom of my second mug, and considering pouring myself a third, I felt the wind of someone walking close behind me.

His lips were at my ear before I could turn my head. “Meet me here tomorrow night after two.”

I knew his voice even in his whisper, and it sent angry shivers through me. “I don’t work that time.”

“That's when I’m free.”

I clenched my fist against the counter. Chasey had specifically told me to get this man’s business. If I didn’t, I was out of here. “Fine.”

The man moved away and I turned my head slightly so I could watch his back as he walked out the brothel.

What the hell had changed in the time I was laying my breasts out for him and me sitting here finishing two mugs full of rum? Maybe he’d just finally finished reading his paper. I didn’t bother to try and sit there and figure it out. I’d gotten my client. I would keep my job.