Elle leaned forward, catching my eyes in the mirror. “You’re staying at the clubhouse?”
“Wasn’t my choice. Sebastian insisted,” I said, slathering my face in foundation.
“Sebastian insisted?” she asked and took the makeup sponge out of my hand, applying it more evenly.
“Why are you repeating everything I’m saying?” I asked, following her practiced movements in the mirror.
“Because I’m trying to understand what’s going on. Are you together?”
“No.”
She groaned, putting the foundation away and starting with the powder. “You keep telling yourself that.”
“It’s the truth. We’re just staying there until he sorts out…”
I trailed off when I realized what I was about to say.
“Until he sorts out what?” Tia asked, appearing at my other side.
“I kind of have a stalker,” I said, tired of keeping things from my friends.
“A stalker?” Elle screeched.
“How long has this been going on?” Tia chimed in.
“Almost a year,” I said, going for full honesty tonight.
Elle stopped fixing my face and stood up, wielding the brush in her hand like a sword. “And you never told us? What the hell is wrong with you?”
“I thought it wouldn’t escalate. It was only little things. Nothing too crazy.”
The girls stared at me like I’d lost my mind. Which I guessed I had. But I was used to taking care of things myself. And it didn’t seem like a big deal at the time. Not until I got the note.
“Who’s stalking you, girl?”
I twisted my hands in my lap. “It’s Clive.”
He wasn’t exactly subtle about it either, so at least I knew who was after me.
“It’s your lucky day, because Clive is gone,” Elle said. “Didn’t anyone tell you about last night?”
I hoped that meant he’d seen the light and moved on from his stalkerish ways. If he really was gone, I couldn’t say I was upset about it.
“What happened? Did he quit?” I asked, turning in my seat.
“He was arrested,” Tia said. “A dozen cops swarmed into Pepper’s and took him out. It was quite the spectacle. I can’t believe you haven’t heard about it yet. Sebastian was here when it happened.”
I stilled. Why wouldn’t he tell me about that?
“What did they arrest him for?” I asked. Does this mean I can go home again?
“Assault,” Tia said, stepping out of her dress and pulling on tiny jean shorts and a red-checkered shirt.
“Of who?” I asked, watching her tie the ends of her shirt together, leaving it unbuttoned.
She walked to her table next to mine and rummaged through her makeup bag. “Police officer, I think.”
Elle finished with my makeup. “This is the best I can do. Did you take an antihistamine so the swelling goes down?”
I shook my head. “I didn’t think to bring any with me when I packed for our sleepover.”
“I think I’ve got some,” Tia said, rummaging through her bag, coming out with a case full of pills.
“That’s a lot of pills,” I said and pulled my clothes into place.
But just like every other time I’d worn them, they didn’t magically lengthen or cover my butt just by tugging on them.
“It’s just painkillers, antihistamines, and Viagra. Don’t worry, I’m well aware of Pepper’s policy on drugs. Besides, I’d never do them. I’ve seen too many of my friends get dragged into the dumpster.”
I wasn’t even going to ask why she had Viagra in there.
“I’ll start with one, and if it doesn’t make me too sleepy, I’ll take another one,” I said.
Tia pulled out a packet and pushed a pill into my outstretched hand. I swallowed it and stood up.
“I better go or Smitty is going to dock my pay.” I waved at the girls. “See you out there.”
The night was slow. I searched the floor for Sebastian but couldn’t see him. He was usually near the stage, but he’d disappeared almost an hour ago, leaving Gears to stand in his spot.
“I’m done for the night. Can you cash me out?” I asked Stephen an hour later. I finished my shift early tonight because it was quiet, something that didn’t happen very often. But since I was tired, I didn’t even care about the hit to my paycheck.
“Of course, doll, just give me a minute.”
I leaned against the counter, easing the pressure on my feet.
“There you go,” Stephen said, handing me my tips.
I went back into the dressing room and slipped my comfortable jeans and sweater back on. There was still no sign of Sebastian when I came out, and I was starting to get worried. Should I call a taxi or wait? It was earlier than I was meant to finish, but he didn’t say he was going to leave the club. Maybe he was in the office.
I went to the long hallway leading to the office, toilet, and staff room. Smitty’s door wasn’t closed all the way, and I could hear voices.
When I recognized Sebastian’s growl, I stopped, curiosity getting the better of me. His back was blocking my view, and the opening was too small to make out who he was talking to.
“It’s your call. If you want to bust them now, we’ll bust them now,” an unfamiliar voice said.
“We have enough on them to put them away for a while,” Sebastian’s familiar timbre rang through the room. “But I want Jim Turner. We’re not making a move unless he’s there.”
“You shouldn’t have put so much pressure on him. He ran like the spineless little weasel he is as soon as he knew we were on to him. He’s only a small cog in a big machine. And we finally have enough on his boss. I’m not going to hold off much longer.”
Feet shuffled on the ground, and then the unfamiliar voice asked, “Did you get anything out of his woman?”
There was a loud growl, then a crash. “She’s not his woman,” Sebastian said, his voice icy. “And she’s not involved.”
“Then why are you still wasting your time
