Chapter Three
Lorelei
“W ell, looks like you aren’t the only one he pissed off,” Tris laughs. Beatris Cooper is my best friend and the only one who knows that I work at the club. She was not aware that I was fucking men for money, but she knows now. Luckily, she doesn’t judge.
“Would Omar really do this?” I ask as I read through the article.
“Shit, I don’t know. If he was that protective of you. Maybe?” she says. “But they could have just pissed someone else off.”
“They are just calling it a home invasion, so maybe it was random,” I say.
“Don’t stress. You didn’t kill them,” she says. “Also, why the fuck didn’t you call me, Lori?”
“I just… I don’t know. I just wanted to go to sleep,” I say. “I am still incredibly sore today. I knew I would be. It’s not as bad as yesterday, luckily. I stayed in bed all weekend.”
“How bad is it?” she asks.
“I’m literally swollen down there,” I say quieter when I hear Cameron, my brother, outside the office door.
“Ouch,” she says.
“Hey, Cam,” I say when he walks into my office.
“Hey. Sorry, I know you’re on lunch,” he says. “Can you join us for a meeting at one? Usually, we can take notes pretty well, but…”
“Cam, I already told you and Remy that you need to start having me join all the meetings. You should be focusing on that, and I will handle everything else. Okay? You do best with the nerdy shit, and I do better with the administrative shit.”
“I just make pretty pictures,” Tris grins. She works in marketing and leads all the graphics and marketing teams. Her degree is in graphic design and marketing, so it’s the perfect fit for her.
“I just don’t want you to feel like you have to do everything,” Cam says.
“Cam,” I sigh. “My name is on the fucking building, too. You tell me I have every right to claim this business too, so let me do my job. This is what I went to school to do. The moment you started your company, I wanted to be right here helping you two. So, I am coming to meetings and doing my job.”
“Okay. Okay,” he says. “You okay? You have been holed up in here all day.”
“Yeah.” I smile. “We are done eating, so we can walk back with you to prep for the meeting. I haven’t had a chance to bug Remy today.”
“Yeah. He was worried about you when you didn’t come to family dinner last night,” Cam says. I stand and gather my stuff before we walk out of my office. Theirs is just next door, so we don’t have far to go.
“Yeah, I just wasn’t feeling well,” I say. “We still doing dinner tonight?”
“Yeah. Mom and Dad are making ribs,” Cam says.
“Ah. Perfect,” I say as we walk into his and Remy’s office.
Remington and Cameron own Saltz there’s no way he gets how… intimate that is.
“Mmm. Yeah. Someone should take that girl down a few notches,” I say.
“Someone should take you down a few notches,” he teases.
“Are you volunteering, Remy?” I ask with a sweet smile. His face reddens and I giggle as I pat his cheek.
“You are a silly girl, Lori,” he says, grabbing my hand and kissing my palm.
Remy opens the bag to look inside before handing it to me. “What’s this?” I ask.
“Well, you said cramps were bothering you. I know they can get pretty bad for you, so I just got you a few things to hopefully help,” he says. “Didn’t want to make a big deal of it in there, so I thought out here was better.”
I look in the bag and he has bought everything from Midol, to chocolate, to a heating pad, and even pads. “Remington, you didn’t have to do this,” I say. “Thank you.”
“I know, but I wanted to,” he says as he hugs me. I bury my face in his neck and hold on to him. Tears suddenly surface, and he notices before I can stop it. “Hey. What’s wrong?”
Remy pulls back and holds my face as I choke back tears. “Nothing,” I lie.
“Lori,” he says softly. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re so fucking innocent, Remy. You’ll judge, and I can’t be judged by you. Cam is one thing, but not you,” I sniff as tears roll down my cheeks.
“Come on, Lori,” he encourages. “I won’t judge you.”
“In college… I worked at The Treasure Club for fun. I danced for money. I still work there on Friday and Saturdays… but… I… fuck.”
“Deep breathe and try again,” he says softly.
“I let men fuck me for money,” I say bluntly as I fight back the urge to sob.
“Did something happen?” he asks, and I nod.
“A client that has come in every week since I started brought two friends. He’s never been violent with me, but last night, he was. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t,” I cry. “They hurt me.”
“Oh, honey,” he says as he hugs me against his chest. He lets me cry and doesn’t say anything until I calm down again. “I don’t know why I do this to myself. I hate being there. I hate letting people do that.”
“It’s hypersexuality, Lorelei. It’s a response to trauma,” he says. “Just because you respond that way doesn’t mean you always like it. Doesn’t mean they had the right to hurt you.”
“I’m scared of not being there. I enjoy dancing. It’s an escape,” I say. “But the rest…”
“Well, rent out a space so you can be alone and dance. You make enough to do it, so use that hoard of cash you have,” he says. “Dance however you want to whatever music you like and just escape.”
“Yeah,” I sniff. “I think there is a studio a few blocks from me.”
“Why would I judge you for getting hurt?” he asks, wiping my tears away.
“Because you are so sweet and innocent,” I say. “Men like you…”
“Before you slut-shame yourself, understand my patience only goes so far, Lorelei,” he warns.
“What are you going to do? Frown harder at me?” I ask, and he chuckles.
“Lori, it is not my place to judge you for what you do with your body. I will judge the fact that they hurt you, though.”
“I kinda skipped a part,” I say.
“What?” he asks.
“I saw an article this morning that those three men were found dead after a home invasion. Apparently, they were connected to the mafia or something,” I say. “I feel responsible.”
“Well, did you kill them?” he asks.
“No,” I laugh.
“Then it sounds like karma, Lori. You are not responsible for what others do,” he says. “If they hurt you, who’s to say they haven’t hurt someone else? I’m sure their list of enemies is not isolated to just you.”
“Yeah. That’s what Tris said,” I say.
“So, is it not cramps?” he asks carefully.
“No,” I sigh. “Just a long irritation. They used condoms, thankfully. Fucking dry is not comfortable.”
“What do you need?” he asks.
“Remington, you are not responsible for my wounded genitalia,” I say, and he laughs heartily.
“I know that, but I want to help. I assume Cam doesn’t know?”
“No,” I say. “Just my boss, a friend at the club, and Tris found out today. Well, now you know.”
“I’ll talk to Cam,” he offers.
“He knew I danced, but… The clients that come in there to get laid… They are like… billionaire executives,” I say. “George paid me ten thousand last night.”
“Shit,” he says.
“Is that bad?” I ask. “That’s bad, isn’t it?”
“Uh… I won’t lie, Lori. If anyone connects you… Let me talk to Cam and we can go from there. Once I know he won’t go and burn the building down, we can all sit down and make a plan.”
“I’m going to have to tell Mom and Dad, aren’t I?” I ask.
“Mmmm… Yeah,” he says. “Just in case it gets out, but let’s handle Cam first.”
“Okay,” I sigh. “I didn’t even think it could hurt the company… I’m sorry, Remy.”
“It’s okay,” he smiles. “We will figure it out, no matter what happens.”
“We should get back,” I say. Remy lifts me and sets me on my feet so I can put the bag in my car. When I turn back around, Remy hugs me before kicking his door shut.
“Let’s go see how fucked up Tris is now,” he chuckles.