“Fill what out?”
Just then the woman returns to our booth and sets two forms down. “Here you go.” She also has her cell with her, and she begins to type away on it. “I’m letting him know you’re coming. If I refer you, you have a better chance.”
“Message who?” I ask.
“Okay.” She looks down at her phone, ignoring my question. “He’ll be expecting you Friday morning. Just write my name at the bottom of your application so he knows who you are.”
She turns her phone around and holds it up so we can read it. My heart skips a beat when I see who she messaged.
Her: I’m sending two girls Friday. They have their forms.
Titan: Sounds good.
_______________
We make our way back to her car. I’m practically running behind her to keep up with her pace. I think Jasmine knows I’m pissed. If not, she’s about to find out.
“A prostitute? That’s how you expect me to fix my problem?”
“A queen is not a prostitute,” she argues. I get in the passenger seat and slam her car door shut.
“Let’s recap, shall we? I tell you George is forcing me to sleep with him, and your idea is for me to fuck random strangers?”
“Queens don’t fuck random strangers. You get offered a job, and you decide if you accept or decline.”
I run a hand through my hair. “And why the fuck did she message Titan about this?”
She sighs. “He runs the Queens. The escort service through Kingdom. He hires the girls and gets their jobs. I told you he could help you.”
“Of course, he fucking does.” Unbelievable.
We come to a stop at the stoplight, and she looks at me. “Listen. I’m trying to help you. Queens make bank. Cash. It’s exclusive and on the hush hush. You sign an NDA, and the clients sign an NDA. You make as much as you want, as often as you want. You fill out the form with what you’re willing to do and not do.”
“Jesus …”
“And I’m going to do it with you.”
I look over at her.
“Shana spent last weekend in the Hamptons at a beach house with a man pretending to be his girlfriend at his family reunion. Easy ten grand.”
“This is how women die,” I tell her. You see women on the news all the time who have gone missing. Never to be seen again. “Or they get sold.”
She chuckles. “I don’t remember you being so cautious, E.” The light turns green, and she drives through the intersection.
I look out the passenger window to see the empire known as Kingdom pass by and let out a long sigh. The only money I have access to right now is what I made from being a ring girl. Other than that, I’m fucked. “How long?” I ask.
“I’m not sure. Shana has been doing it for two years now. She only works at Glass one night a week. All her income comes from being a Queen.”
I look over at her. “If I die, I’m coming back to haunt you.”
“Dying is the least of your worries. You have to convince Titan to hire you.”
“Convince him?” I ask.
She nods. “Oh yeah. Not every woman who wants to be a queen actually gets hired. He’s going to tell you no.”
I’m not sure why he would deny me, but somehow, I know she’s right. “That bastard still has my cell phone.”
She chuckles. “You’re going to have to get it back.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Get on my knees for my phone, or fuck George again? That’s an easy decision. I don’t know why I didn’t choose him sooner.
“It will be okay,” she promises.
But I’m not so optimistic.
CHAPTER NINE
TITAN
WE WALK INTO George’s house, and Margarita looks at me with fear as she allows us in. “Mr. Wilton is waiting for you in his office.” She starts to walk us down the hall, but like last time, I grab her collar and yank her back.
“We know the way,” I tell her, and she scurries off.
Bones doesn’t even bother knocking on the door. He shoves it open to find George sitting at the desk. The moment he sees us, he jumps to his feet. Clearing his throat, he straightens his already straight tie. “Kings?” He looks at the door, waiting for the other two to join us. I slam it shut. “Please.” He gestures to the seats behind us. “Take a seat.”
“I don’t do house calls, George,” Bones announces, crossing his arms over his chest. “Where the fuck is our money?” Straight to business.
His face falls, but he recovers it quickly. “Well, uh … I don’t have it …”
Lie. Emilee says he has it but just refuses to pay. And I believe her over this piece of shit.
“But I will. Soon,” he adds.
“You’ve said that before.” Bones nods.
“My business partner has passed. And I’m waiting for the life insurance to pay out.”