Chapter 24
Jules
It’s always best to check the numbers after the first half of the collaboration.
I’ve been out here for about two weeks now and while I know the numbers are mostly good, I haven’t done a deep dive into the patterns or graphs.
Clearly, the men of The Velvet Rodeo do things the same way as I do because I find myself sitting around the living room in the big house with them while Cash opens up a computer.
Ivy sits beside me, the first time she’s been present for business in about a week. After we settled into a pattern, she hasn’t needed to escort me to the sessions. She’s just been making sure I have everything I need before I go. I’m not sure what she’s been doing in the meantime.
Cash clicks on a few links, going through the portal to check funds and views. When he whistles, I know it’s going to be good. “We’ve tripled our views these last two weeks. Almost quadrupled.”
“Damn,” Oak says, leaning closer. “That much? Can you see where they’re funneling from?”
“At least half route from Jules’ channel. The other half seem to be organic and word of mouth through social media,” Cash continues. He clicks a few more buttons and his eyes bug out. “Holy shit!”
“What?” I ask, leaning in. “What is it?”
“Yeah, don’t leave us waiting, cowboy,” Ivy goads, leaning in, too.
“Our subscribers have tripled, too!”
His excitement is infectious.
“I checked my sub count this morning. Mine have increased substantially as well,” I add, smiling.
“What about the funds?” Sawyer asks. “The tips, requests, and everything else? How much have we raised since the start of the collaboration?”
Cash clicks again and then seems to lose his breath. When he struggles to get the word out, I lean in and look for the number myself.
“Three hundred thousand,” Cash finally croaks. “And we still have a week to go. We could hit half a mil.”
I swear Oak’s eyes bug out.
“You’re kidding me,” he says, leaning in to see the number for himself. Then his gaze flicks up to me. “Apparently, a collab between The Velvet Rodeo and Vanta Vyxxxen is a hit.”
I shrug. “Cowboys and goth girls go pretty well together.”
Cash shakes his head. “We should go further. Longer.”
His words give me pause. “What do you mean?”
“If it’s this lucrative, we can extend the contract,” Cash says. “Six weeks instead of three.”
“Or forever,” Sawyer mutters, so low I almost miss it.
“I don’t know . . .” I say, knowing that I can’t exactly stay in one place for too long.
And that comment still haunts me. Whether it was truly a threat or someone exploring their daddy/little kink, I have to keep it in mind.
Daddy misses you. It’s proof that I have to be on guard, that I can’t stay longer than my contract, but Sawyer and Cash are looking so eagerly at me and I don’t want to upset them.
It’s good money. I know it is. I could use it, but . . .
“Can I think about it?” I say.
Oak’s brows furrow and he looks between the others and me. “It’s a large amount of money. I’m sure you could use it as much as we could.”
“Of course. Everyone needs money,” I reply, looking away. “I just don’t do longer contracts usually. I’ll think about it.”
Silence hangs between us, silence that breeds suspicion. I can’t have them start asking about my past, digging when they shouldn’t. That’s how I get found out. That’s how things can go south fast.
“Of course,” Cash finally says, glancing at Oak as if to tell him to lay off. “Take all the time you need, Jules.”
I nod and stand. “Congrats on the new subs. I need to go get Genie ready for bed. See you tomorrow.”
And then I leave them and their silence in that overly comfy house, desperate to get away from their prying eyes.