“Twenty-thousand dollars? What the hell is this for?” He waves the check in the air but then quickly looks out the office door as if he’s paranoid someone will walk in.
“I need my Gold Membership reinstated at Club Expose,” I say matter-of-factly.
“I can’t help you.” He immediately shakes his head and tries to hand the check back to me, but I refuse.
“I think you’re mistaken,” I say and shove the money on paper back to him. “This is a non-optional negotiation here.”
I picture the hot as fuck stripper Crystal in my mind, and she’s the fuel I need to make sure this guy agrees to my plan. In my mind, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get my suspension from the club lifted and removed from my record.
To my surprise, the inspector starts laughing.
“Is there something fucking funny?” I give him a sour look.
French scratches his head with his long, lanky fucking fingers. “Yeah, actually there is. Your money isn’t necessary, especially not from the douche who came on my shoe.”
I shift my weight and square my jaw. “Do you have a point to your bullshit babbling?” I snarl.
“Beyond that, if you think I’m the one in charge
of suspensions, you’re sorely mistaken.” French shakes his head. “It’s my job to simply inform the board that the club will be failing the inspection, and I have to give them an honest reason why.”
“So you fucking tattled on me like this is fucking fifth grade?” I scoff.
“I’m just doing my job, man.” The guy raises his hands defensively. “Whatever happens after that is beyond my control.”
“Just go back to the board and tell them you changed your mind or something,” I toss out, finding any excuse that comes to mind.
“Sorry, no can do,” the jerk says, and continues to shake his head. “The board already tried to pay me off to pass the inspection. I guess they beat you to the punch,” he adds with a flare of smugness.
“So, are you telling me you’re fucking useless?” I shout.
“I’m saying that it looks like your suspension is your punishment.” He raises his eyebrows at me.
I want to punch him in his fucking face again and even out his black eyes for symmetry, but I hold back because I know it’ll get me fucking nowhere.
This fucking weasel isn’t going to do shit to help me.
French’s expression softens, but only slightly. “If you want to have your suspension reversed, then you’ll have to go back to the club and take it up with them. Only the owners have the power to change that decision.”
“Thanks for nothing,” I murmur, and stalk out of the office.
Great. Just fucking great.
Well, I guess I need to place Plan B into motion—if only I fucking knew what Plan B was.
5
Molly
I always have my alarm set on the opposite side of my room. That way, when I hear it go off in the morning, I have no choice but to jump out of bed and turn it off.
Once I’m already up, there’s no point in getting back under those warm and cozy covers—that’s the mentality I live out each and every day.
I’m Molly Quinn, and if you know anything about me, it’s that I’m a work horse—a competitive woman just trying to carve a path of success for herself. I stop for no one, and I put every ounce of blood, sweat and tears into everything I do.
There’s no point in doing anything halfway, and that’s another one of my mottos.
It’s dark as I hit the button on my cell phone to silence the alarm. I yawn, stretch and turn on the bathroom light as it slowly creates a warm glow in my bedroom. The point is to adjust my eyes to the light before walking out to the kitchen.