After, I’d turn this over to the police.

But for now, as Brett mentioned, there was a drama.

And I needed more caffeine, breakfast, and to get to the club to rehearse the new numbers I was introducing that night.

So it was time to get a move on.

Though, while Brett cooked, I went back out to the deck to grab my phone.

But before I came back in, I sent the first text I’d ever instigated to Axl.

You’re right. You’ve always been

right. We really need to talk.

I hate that went bad this morning.

Let me know when a good time is

for you.

I’m on at the club tonight. But any

other time, I’m yours.

Just let me know.

Then Brett and I had breakfast.

After, Brett got dressed and introduced me to my bodyguard of the day, a man with no neck, a buzz cut that exposed several scars on his scalp (yikes!), with a very full beard, wearing a badly hidden shoulder holster under his well-cut suit jacket.

His name was Sylvester.

With me covered, Brett kissed my cheek, told me unless he heard from me, he’d see me when I was done at Smithie’s that night to pick me up, and he took off.

I took a shower. Got ready to face the day.

And with Sylvester, I headed to Smithie’s.

In all that time, Axl did not reply.

So yeah.

I guessed I was up.

And it was my turn to do the work.

Crap.

Chapter Five

Because We Love You

Hattie

I had to admit, in the beginning, when Smithie and Dorian suggested the change to a Revue, I loved the idea.

But I was worried.

See, at Smithie’s Club, strippers made a lot. And they could do that without doing lap dances.

And although, if there was a fabulous slab of marble I wanted to buy or I felt like a new outfit that was beyond the reach of my normal clothing budget, I was in to do a few lap dances to get them, mostly, I lived well off just salary and tips.

So the Revue worried me, because we still got tips, but we didn’t dance all night. Depending on the schedule Ian set (and he shifted it nightly so patrons wouldn’t become accustomed to what was on offer), it was anywhere from four to six dances a night.

And although Lottie had been making a mint off much this same schedule for years, first, she was famous, and second, she was a downright inspirational stripper.

The woman had serious moves.

But I’d been worried.

Sure, I had moves.

But I was no Lottie Mac, Queen of the Corvette Calendar and the most famous stripper west of the Mississippi, which was also the most famous east of it, seeing as Vegas was west, and Lottie was even more famous than any girl in Vegas.