Covering His Fox: Paranormal Dating Agency (Heads N’ Tails Series Book 4)
Page 2
“The view is just as nice back here.”
She could hear the smile in his voice. Rolling her eyes, she took a deep breath. She looked around the club, trying to locate her next dance. There was still a few more girls to go before she had to be back on stage. Foxy caught sight of Gerri coming through the door. Gerri sat a couple tables away from where she was dancing. She heard of the wonders Gerri could do for her love life but so far Gerri hadn’t come up with one date for her. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. When the song came to an end, Foxy grabbed her money off the table and her outfit from the chair she had been sitting in. She stormed the short distance over to Gerri’s table and plopped down on the chair.
“Alright, what gives?” Foxy asked Gerri and slipped on her skirt. “I’ve watched you. For months you have been setting these guys up with their soul mates. What about me? I want a long term, little something, something.” Gerri laughed in response. Not exactly what Foxy wanted to hear.
“Do you want a little something, something or a big something, something?” Gerri wagged her eyebrows. “These things take time.”
“Time? I’ve seen you hook people up within days. It’s been weeks now and still nothing.”
“Well, they don’t have occupations that have suitors in a jealous rage. It takes the right kind of man to handle you. I won’t set up something that I think will fail.”
“Ugh,” Foxy groaned.
“Cheer up, I think I’ve come across someone who will be perfect for you.” Gerri grinned. A waitress came over, placing Gerri’s usual drink in front of her. Her body shimmered as she turned to leave
“Really? Who?” She put her hands on the edge of the table and leaned closer to Gerri.
“Just keep a lookout for a new co-worker coming through.” Gerri smiled.
“Seriously?” She plopped back in her seat with an exasperated sigh. “I heard Tony hired three guys today. Passion heard from Tobias who heard from Annette, that Tony was going to meet another guy tonight. That’s possibly four new guys. How am I supposed to know which one?”
“Obviously, he’d be the one that sparks your inner desires.” Gerri arched her eyebrow.
“This should be interesting. My desire hasn’t had a spark in a while.” Foxy took a deep breath and looked around.
“He’s not here now,” Gerri told her.
“Call it wishful thinking.” Foxy shrugged.
“Call it, lack of patience,” Gerri suggested with a smile on her lips.
“Well, I’ve waited this long. I guess, I can wait another day or two. How do you know he will be working on this level?”
“Oh, I planted a seedling of an idea with Tony that he would be good on this level,” Gerri answered.
“You’re a sneaky one, aren’t you? Are you sure you’re not a fox?”
“I’m all wolf, that’s for sure. I just enjoy helping others find happiness. Right now, it seems you have a customer waiting for you to make him happy.” Gerri nodded to the left.
Foxy jerked her head around. Antoine was sitting at his table staring over at her. Disappointment hit and her shoulders slouched. Gerri had already said he wasn’t there. Why did she get hopeful her mystery man would be standing behind her?
“Definitely not the happiness I was looking for. But rents due and I’ll be happy to be able to pay it. Might as well go wag my tail.” Foxy shrugged.
“You will have happiness. You just have to have patience.”
“There’s that awful word again.” Foxy laughed. “I’ll see you later.”
“I’m leaving town this weekend, but don’t worry, I’ll be back to check on things soon,” Gerri said.
“Then I’ll see you then. Safe travels.” She waved as she left the table. Time to make some money.
Three
The next day Menot walked into the lobby of Heads N’ Tails with his paperwork in hand. Tyra sat behind the desk just as she did the night before. She smiled up at him as he stepped up to the desk and signed in.
“You ready to start?” Tyra asked, taking the paperwork he held out to her.
“Yes, mam.”
“Please call me Tyra. Mam would be my mother,” she insisted. “Tony will meet you in the office on level 10.” She held out a card like the one Ronan had. “Use this access card to get to any level. It also works on the employee elevator in the parking garage.”
“Thanks.” Menot took the card and headed for the elevator.
Sliding his card through the swipe, he pressed the button for the tenth level. As the elevator started moving, he pushed the access card down into his pocket of his cargo pants. He rolled the sleeves up on his black fitted t-shirt. The elevator came to a stop and the door slid open. Music seeped out from the club into the hallway. Menot checked the time on his cell phone before he left the elevator. He was early, but it was better to be early on the first day rather than late. Besides, he didn’t want to keep a dragon like Tony waiting. Menot heard a loud roar above the music. He rushed in through the double doors in case there was trouble. There wasn’t a fight breaking out. It was just a lion shifter, showing his excitement. A few customers looked his way from his sudden entrance.
“See? That’s the type of employee I need here. Ready for action at any moment,” Tony said walking up to him.
“At least it wasn’t needed.” Menot shrugged and looked out over the crowd.
“Yeah, Tobias can get a little carried away. He’s the chef on level 18. I can assure you, we won’t have any problems from him. He just likes to have a good time.” Tony led him to the bar.
“Tony, she’s doing it again!” A tall blonde busted between him and Tony.
“Who?” Tony asked.
“Foxy! She’s hogging the high roller... again,” The dancer pouted.
Tony looked toward the crowd until his eyes landed on the dancer in question. Menot turned to see if he could spot who they were talking about but there were too many topless dancers around to pinpoint which one.
“Jasmine, in the two years you’ve worked here has he ever asked you for a dance?” Tony asked her.
“No, but that’s only because she won’t give him a chance,” she complained. “It’s not fair.”
“Go sit in the office. I’ll be in there in a minute,” Tony said and she stormed off.
“Sorry, I need to get her straight. You’ll see a lot of that here. A customer likes a certain dancer, and the other dancers get pissed because he ignores them. Some dancers can’t stand not being the center of attention.”
“Seems to me it’s up to the customer who they want to get a dance from,” Menot commented as the DJ called Foxy to the stage for her performance.
“That’s the way it works. You can sit here until I get back or you can have a look around. It’ll only take a minute to hurt Jasmine’s feelings.”
“I’ll be here,” Menot assured Tony as he walked off.
Tony disappeared through the door behind the bar. Menot stood at the end of the bar, facing the main stage. He watched the crowd interact with the dancers. Tobias roared again. It didn’t alarm Menot the way it did before. He looked to the stage to see the excitement. Foxy spun around the pole with incredible arm strength. Her legs swung out as she flipped her legs up the pole. As she slowed her body lowered to the stage. Now, he could see her face beneath the soft curls of her red hair. Beautiful. As her song faded away, Menot realized he was staring for too long, and quickly averted his eyes.
“Don’t get distracted by all the tits and ass around here or you won’t last long,” Tony warned and clapped him on the shoulder.
“Noted.” Menot hadn’t noticed Tony behind him. He was distracted. He glanced up at the stage but Foxy had finished her set already. A small brunette took her place on the stage.
“Follow me, I’ll show you around.” Tony waved at him to follow.
They walked through the club. Tony showed him the couch rooms for private dances. Champagne rooms were lined up to the left near the main b
ar. There were three stages. The main one led off to the dressing room. The two smaller stages were placed strategically in the center and back of the club. No matter where you were in the club, you could enjoy the view of beautiful women. As they made their way back around to the couch rooms, Menot noticed Foxy giving a table dance. It was the same man that had been sitting at the stage when she danced. She looked over at him and they locked gazes. Suddenly, her facial expression changed to one of shock then anger. Menot glanced down to see the man’s hand on her thigh. Instant anger took over him. He took a step forward, but Tony stopped him from interfering.
“Just watch,” Tony said holding up his hand.
Foxy kicked her right foot out connecting with the man’s chest, slamming him back in his chair. The club was too loud for Menot to hear everything she was saying. He focused on her voice in time to hear her threaten to cut the man’s hands off and stab him with her high heel. Damn, she’s hot when she’s pissed.
“Foxy is one that usually handles things herself,” Tony told him as they started walking again.
“I can see that.” Menot looked over at Foxy again.
“It drives the other customers wild. She’ll be busy with dances for the rest of the night.”
“How often do you have to throw people out?”
“Rarely,” Tony answered. “Most times we can suggest a different level before things escalate. If sex is what they desire, send them to level 33. If they want to be dominated, then send them to level 34. Blood thirsty? Send them to level 21. If it’s passed sunrise, we have a black out level for vampires on 26. That should be enough to get you started. The rules are easy on this level. No one touches the dancers. If Landon touches Foxy again, he goes to a different level or he goes home. Plan and simple. This is strictly a tease only zone. When people sign the membership contract, they agree to follow the rules.”
“Got it.” Menot nodded.
“Also, don’t date the dancers. It never ends well. Then, I end up shuffling employees around again.”
“Is that what happened last night?”
“No, though I suspect they’ve had relations in the past. Last night, Damon tried to tell Foxy she couldn’t dance a certain way. You heard how well that worked out.”
“Yeah, I like my balls just the way they are... intact.”
“Good.” Tony nodded. “You can have a few drinks throughout your shift. You’re not allowed to have Moonmist while on duty.”
“Moonmist?” Menot asked.
“It’s not of this world and it will impair you. Feel free to try some when you clock out or on your day off,” Tony told him.
“I don’t drink much anyway,” Menot commented.
“Good, then we shouldn’t have any problems. Tonight, I want you to just work the floor. We’ll put you on couch rooms tomorrow. I’ll be down on level three for a few hours. I’ll be back before your shift ends to see how you’re doing. If you need anything in the meantime, let Ryan know. He’s our head of security at the moment.”
Tony left Menot back where they started at the bar. As soon as Tony was out the door, a man stepped up and introduced himself as Ryan. Menot didn’t doubt it for a moment since he was built like a brick wall. Ryan gave him pointers on the best places to stand to be able to keep an eye on things before returning to his post. Dancers came over and introduced themselves. All except for the one he really wanted to meet. Foxy seemed to be staying far away from him, but he couldn’t help but notice her glances.
Four
Foxy noticed the new hire the moment she saw him walking around with Tony. He distracted her, which is how Landon managed to slip his hand up her thigh. Anger seeped through her from his rudeness. With her right leg, she kicked Landon back in his chair and dug her heel into his chest.
“Do I come into your office, grabbing on you?” Foxy asked Landon.
“No.” He started to lean forward, and she pressed her heel down, keeping him in his chair. He hissed out and tried to push her heel away.
“Custom made.” She angled her foot to admire her high heel. “Wood and silver, enough to take down a vampire or a shifter. Touch me again and I’ll cut your fucking hands off then stab you in the heart with my heels. So, don’t fuck with me.”
Landon nodded and raised in hands in surrender. Slowly, she removed her heel from his chest and started dancing again.
“You’re going to finish the song?”
“It’s what you paid for.” She glared down at him. “Besides, you’re going to leave me a nice tip for your rudeness, and we’ll chalk it up to you having one too many shots of Moonmist.”
Foxy finished her dance with the knowledge of the new hire’s subtle glances. She made subtle glances herself, when he wasn’t looking. His muscles were on display in his tight black shirt. His cargo pants fit the curve of his ass perfectly, leaving her wanting to slide her hands down his cheeks.
Landon tossed a wad of cash down on the table next to the dance fee. With a nod, she grabbed the cash and arranged it in her garter. No longer wishing to sit next to Mr. Touchy Feely, she left the table. She passed by the new hire on her way to sit with Antoine, who was waving her over. As she passed, she noticed his scent. He’s a bear. That’s not right, he should be a fox. Maybe she had the wrong new hire. Maybe this wasn’t the one Gerri wanted to match her with. Joining Antoine, she decided to be patient and see what happens.
“Aren’t you going to have him thrown out on his ass?” Antoine spoke the moment she sat down.
“Why?”
“He shouldn’t be touching you.”
“I took care of it. He won’t be touching anyone else,” Foxy assured him and looked back over at Landon. He was getting a dance from Raven. When he noticed her looking, he raised his hands up for her to see. With a nod, Foxy turned back to Antoine. He was staring daggers at Landon.
“It’s not right for a man to be grabbing all over women like that.” He turned his focus back on her. “Give me a dance. I’ll show you how a real man behaves.”
Antoine placed some money on the table. Foxy has seen it enough to know by looking, it was the right amount. The song playing faded away and she stood up in front of him. As the next song begin, she slowly moved her hips. Her hands danced along her body. Seductively she pulled at the strings of her top, letting it fall. She caught the material with her foot and flipped it up onto the chair she had vacated. Turning, she arched her back and tilted her head back, letting her hair dangle lightly on her skin. Straightening her head, she opened her eyes. Her eyes locked with the new hire’s. She smiled at him, and he quickly looked away. He walked away from his spot. With a slight grunt, she turned back around to face her customer. While the song played, she caught him looking a few times, but he always turned away. Does he not like what he sees?
Antoine tossed more money down on the table for two more dances. He kept his hands to himself like he always had. She put on her sexy sleek smile and danced for Antoine like he was the only man alive. On the inside, she groaned and rolled her eyes. All she wanted was a drink, and to meet the new hire. The other dancers had already begun making their trips over to meet him. Part of her wanted to scream at them to back off and stake her claim. That wouldn’t go over well since they haven’t even met yet. She glanced over to where he was standing. Jasmine was talking to him, her breast pressed against his arm. Instead of paying attention to Jasmine, he was looking right at Foxy. She gave him a slight smile and continued her dance.
“Beautiful.” Antoine lightly clapped his hands together as the third song faded. “See, nothing but respect.”
“I didn’t doubt you for a second.” She put her outfit back on and sat down. “You always enjoy watching.”
“What can I say? I love watching your body move.” Antoine shrugged.
She grabbed the money off the table and slipped it into her garter.
“Here,” Antoine said slipping a few bills on to the table. “For having to deal with assholes.”
“I’m jus
t glad you’re not one.” Foxy slipped the extra money into her garter and looked to see who was on stage. “I’m up next. I’m going to grab a drink before I get on stage.”
“I’ll see you up there,” Antoine assured her as she got up.
Foxy made her way to the main bar. Jasmine caught sight of her coming. She rolled her eyes and walked off, leaving the new hire all alone. He watched as Foxy came up to the bar next to him.
“Nina, can I get a beer?” Foxy asked the bartender.
“Absolutely.” Nina walked away to retrieve the beer. Foxy could feel eyes staring at her.
“Keep watching, and I’ll have to start charging you.” She teased him.
“It would be worth every dollar. I’m Menot.” He held out his hand to her.
“Foxy.” She placed her hand in his. The moment their skin touched, a tingle ran up her arm. She jerked her hand back from sheer surprise.
“Foxy isn’t your real name,” he commented.
“No, but it’s the only one you’re getting.” It came out a little stronger than she wanted. She winked at him as Nina came back with her beer.
“I see you have tudes.” He arched his brow.
“I don’t have an attitude. I haven’t used my real name in many years. Why would I start now?” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and took a swig of her beer. “Everyone calls me Foxy, even when I’m not here. It’s just Foxy O’Malley.”
“But I’m not everyone else.” Menot flashed her a smile any woman would swoon over.
“That remains to be seen.” Foxy heard the DJ call her to the stage. Damn it! “Gotta run.”
Before he could say anything, she took her beer and hurried to the stage. She’d never been late for the stage until today. Menot distracted her. She hadn’t realized the music was fading. She set her beer down at the stage entrance and decided to put a little extra into her performance. Purely for Menot’s benefit. Even though he was a bear, the minute they touched, she knew this was the man Gerri had sent her way. Throughout her stage dance, she watched to see if Menot was looking. She caught his gaze a few times, but he didn’t look lovestruck. Did he not feel it? You don’t get a spark like that from just anybody. Every shifter knows when you find your mate, you feel it. That was the one thing her mother taught her before abandoning her to the foster system. When you find your intended, you’ll feel it to the depths of your soul.