by Katie Ford
Friend Three just tossed a heavy arm around my shoulders this time, practically crushing me. Oh god, this had started off wrong already.
“That’s good,” he breathed, pure alcohol blowing hotly onto my face. “That’s good because like my buddies mentioned, Michael here is getting married next week and needs a reminder of what he’s gonna miss.”
I groaned internally. I hated bachelor parties that were like a scene from Girls Gone Wild. I hated dudes who egg on the poor groom to be, urging him to go nuts, to “sow his wild oats” and “enjoy his freedom” before he was “locked down forever.” It made marriage sound like the worst thing on earth, just one step above drinking poison and being stabbed in the gut.
But I get it. Sometimes the party’s more about the friends than the groom himself. It’s the dudes putting out five thousand big ones, the guys who want to make sure that a weekend in Vegas is like a scene from that movie The Hangover. They wanna make sure things get so crazy that hallucinations start, and if one of the hallucinations is Mike Tyson playing the drums? All the better.
So I took a deep breath and smiled determinedly.
“Let me get you some shots,” I beamed. “Be right back!”
And with that I fled to the bar.
“Morty,” I panted, wobbly in my heels. “I can’t, this group is so drunk already and it’s only nine!”
The big man’s paunch turned to me first, face following afterwards.
“Fine go home then,” he grunted shortly. “You’re off payroll.”
But that made me start. I was fired that quick? Wait, what about worker’s rights? What? This was all happening so fast.
So I backtracked as fast as I could.
“No, what I meant is that I need some help,” I begged. “Can I just wear flat shoes, or maybe take off these fake eyelashes?” I asked, plucking at my right eye. “I can barely see,” I mewled pitifully, the long black extensions like heavy spiders on my eyes. “It’s hard to blink.”
Morty didn’t even turn, didn’t even acknowledge that he’d heard my words.
“Scram Kitty,” he said disinterestedly. “We got a line-up of girls who want this position.”
And with that, I jumped from the frying pan into the fire.
“Okay, okay,” I panted, voice with a pleading edge that sounded so bad. “Okay, I’ll stay, I’ll stay. It’s just that,” I bit my lip, looking at his impassive face. “It’s nothing,” I added hurriedly. “I’ll stay.”
And with that, I picked up my tray again, now heavy with about twenty shots. Stumbling in my heels, I made my way over to Booth Two.
“Bottoms up!” I chirped cheerfully, hoping I could be heard over the din. “Bottoms up!”
But now, the guys were even drunker. What had happened in the five minutes that I was away? These guys had to have flasks in their jacket pockets, they must have snuck in liquor so that they didn’t have to pay a cent extra.
But what could I do? As the shots were passed around, I smiled guilelessly, cooing and flirting, trying not to let on how much I hated being here, how much I hate loud music and flashing strobe lights. In general, I’m not a Vegas person, it’s just that State happens to be close to the strip, and this is where most kids got jobs. A lot of college kids worked as cashiers or Starbucks baristas, but I happened to be one of the lucky ones who landed a job with big tips.
So I smiled fakely again, bopping slightly to the music, pretending to have a good time.
“Have a wonderful wedding!” I shrieked with forced cheer, doing a little shimmy. “You’ll be a great husband!”
But it was the wrong thing to say because neither the groom-to-be nor his friends wanted to hear it.
“You’re the worst club girl ever,” snarled one, eyes bloodshot. “The worst.”
“Yeah,” chimed his friend. “What the fuck is wrong with you? Can’t you shut up about the fucking wedding for a sec? Can’t you see that dude’s trying to forget his future?”
And of course, the mean comments started.
“She’s fat, guys,” one voice said flatly. “We got a fat one, the club gyped us. We paid five thousand, and I heard you gotta fork over ten to get a skinny waitress.”
That made me go stiff immediately, cheeks flushing with shame. Because I’m not fat, not really. Curvy is a better word, but the thing is, the world saw me as fat. The world saw a big girl, and Loretta’s words rang in my ears again. Diet pills, laxatives, I got all the best stuff if you want it!
My heart curdled with shame, cheeks flaming as I pretended not to hear, busy doling out drinks. Oh god, I just wanted to go home. Twenty minutes into my first night on the job, and all I wanted was to curl up and hide in a corner.
But then Grammy’s words sounded in my head.
Keep your chin up, she commanded sternly. Chin up, shoulders straight, chest out.
No matter that back then, Grammy had been talking about my posture. I’d looked like a wilted asparagus some days, and Grammy is a stickler for girls standing up straight.
But all the same, my mom’s mom is a fighter. Grammy grew up poor during the Depression but never took a cent from anyone. She raised my mom and uncle on her own, doing peoples’ laundry during the day and sewing pieces at night. It was a hard living, and her eyesight’s shot now, hands permanently chapped and red from the stinging detergent. But still, Grammy is a proud woman, and her work ethic and determination to survive were instilled in me from a young age.
So taking a deep breath, tears prickling in my eyes, I straightened my spine. Tilting my chin upwards, I set my jaw into a determined jut, and forced another bright smile onto my face.
“More drinks?” I cooed, pretending I hadn’t heard. “More drinks boys?”
“Yeah,” grunted the bachelor himself. “Pour it on me hard.”
“Fuck yeah,” laughed Friend One harshly. “But it doesn’t taste as good coming from a fat girl.”
Again, my soul almost broke. Their words hurt so bad, like stabs to the heart, and it just got worse.
“Girl looks like a cow,” muttered one.
“More like a hippo,” grunted another
And the one that hurt me the most:
“How much does it cost to switch to a skinny one?”
I fled then, tears stinging my eyes. Oh god, oh god. I’ve always been big. Even before I started developing, I was a chubby child who liked cake. The problem was that I never stopped liking cake and when my curves popped out, it just added to the mess. So yeah, my thighs jiggle and my butt wiggles, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
Grabbing my silver tray, I rushed off, brushing away at tears. Stay calm Kitty, my inner voice went. They’re just a bunch of losers, stay calm.
But the thing is I was crying under my breath already, short, mewling gasps escaping my lungs. It sounded terrible and I ran then, but not before bumping into a wall, about as solid and dense as you can get. Drinks went flying, glass broke and immediately I was on my knees, trying to clean it up. Hopefully I wouldn’t slice open a finger picking up glass shards, I had no health insurance, it’d be the emergency room for me.
But it wasn’t a wall I’d bumped into. Because as I crouched hands and knees on the floor, a deep chuckle rang out above me.
“No need,” the voice rumbled. “We’ve got people to do this. No need, pretty girl.”
I sniffled, keeping my head down. This was such a shitty first day and all I wanted to do was to get back in bed and burrow my head under the covers. But only an hour had passed and the night was young. There were still another five hours before my shift ended, and besides, I didn’t want to go back to the table. So I kept trying to pick up the glass shards.
“No it’s fine,” I mumbled, keeping my head down. “I got it, I got it.”
It was so awkward being a big girl on my hands and knees, trying to clean this mess up. But a job is a job, and I needed money. So sniffling, I crawled a little to the right, peering under a table. Got it. A big piece of glass was stuck the
re, and I gingerly picked it up with my hand.
But the voice came again.
“No need, little girl,” it rumbled. “No need to get on your hands and knees, unless that pretty pussy is flashing.”
I stiffened. How could this asshole talk about my private parts? How rude! I was mad, but kept my head down. A job is a job, I reminded myself again. No need to get mad, just keep going.
But this time, a pair of wingtips appeared in my sightline. Even in the darkness of the club, I could tell they were expensive. Soft, Italian leather, shiny without being gaudy, the kind that only rich guys wore.
So I took a deep breath, preparing to be insulted once more. Rich guys really were the worst, they felt like their money let them say whatever they wanted. I gulped, preparing myself for some nasty words, but instead, I was gripped by my waist and lifted into the air.
The air whooshed from my chest. Holy shit, I’m a big girl and not everyone can lift me up. It takes a lot of muscle, but this guy managed it like it was no problem. I was a feather in his arms, as light as a down pillow and an involuntary sigh escaped from my lungs.
“Oh!” came my cry.
The big man merely chuckled, chest rumbling. God, it felt so good to be pressed close to him, to feel that hard muscle against my boobs. And the strange man liked it too.
“I see you got a nice pair,” he rumbled. “Soft and white like cream.”
Oh my god, why were men always talking about my body? This time, I opened my mouth to yell at him, but the words died on my lips because I got my first good look at the alpha, and he was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen. Dark, almost black hair hung over one eye, with a straight nose and chiseled jaw. Those eyes were a piercing blue, making me go weak inside.
“Oh um, hi,” I whispered weakly, heart fluttering like a bird.
The man quirked an eyebrow.
“Hi?” he ground out, amused. “One second you were Cinderella on the floor there, picking up glass with your hands. Now it’s ‘hi’ for your savior? Nothing more?”
I stammered.
“Um- um, thank you?”
The alpha tossed his head back and laughed, showing off perfect white teeth. The column of his throat was bronzed, thick and strong. I fought the urge to kiss him there, to run my tongue up and down that perfect line, tasting him. God, what was wrong with me? I’ve never been with a man before, and now I was thinking about seducing this guy? Down Kitty, down girl, my inner voice went.
But the man didn’t give me time to answer because with long steps, he strode across the club floor like he owned it. I caught a glimpse of Morty as we passed and tried to signal, tried to make like this wasn’t my idea, but it was useless. I was caught in this strange man’s arms, unable to move, pinned to that hard chest. Besides, I’d caught a look at Morty’s face, and my boss’s tongue had been hanging out, as surprised as me. Serves him right. He was so mean to his waitresses that now one was being abducted.
But when we exited the dark floor, I began squirming.
“Hey!” I proclaimed. “I have a job! I can’t just take off, I’m gonna be fired!”
The man didn’t even acknowledge me.
“Shh, pretty girl,” he rumbled. “Shhhh, kitty kitty.”
What was that supposed to mean? We went down a dark hallway, turning a corner, all of it deserted and I began to panic.
“Hey, where are you taking me?” I asked, trying to push away from that hard chest. “What’s going on?”
But the big man still ignored me, gripping my curves tight, striding even faster.
“Stop, stop!” I shrieked. “This is crazy!”
Finally we entered an office. Or office is too normal of a word, because the space was huge, with double height ceilings and windows all around.
“What in the world?” I squealed. “Where are we?”
The man dropped me unceremoniously on my feet, and I stumbled for a moment in the stilettos.
“Where are we? I have to get back!” I yelped again, steadying myself against a plush leather couch.
But the man strode to one window, flicking a switch, and suddenly it was obvious where we were. Because the pane went dark for a moment before going light, and suddenly we were looking over Club Milano, people gyrating on the floor, colored lights flashing crazily.
“Where is this?” I whispered, eyes drawn to the crowd. “Where is this place?”
By now, the big man had dropped to sit on a deep blue sofa, folding those long legs.
“My office,” he rumbled deep in his chest, blue eyes amused. “Where else?”
I swallowed thickly.
“Your office? But why? I have to get back, my boss is gonna be pissed.”
Even as the words came out, I caught a glimpse of Morty through the glass. Yep, it was him in that purple velvet suit, but instead of his usual scowl, he looked sweaty, nervous and jittery. I blinked. Maybe it was my imagination. Had to be. Morty’s always been so mean, there was no way he was nervous.
But the man in the couch chuckled again deeply.
“Mortimer? Naw, loser’s not pissed, trust me.”
I whirled to face him.
“How do you know? I just got this job,” I choked. “I really need it, and I’m gonna be fired now.”
The dark man looked at me wryly.
“I know because Morty works for me,” he tossed out casually. “Grayson Channing at your service.”
And suddenly I realized why those blue eyes looked so familiar, why there was an aura of command around him. Because this was the owner of the Milano, Mr. Channing himself. I’d seen that mug in dozens of magazines, always with a pretty girl hanging off his arm, if not two or three. I was here with the most powerful man on the Strip, and my body went weak, mind hazy.
“Um, Mr. Channing,” I mumbled. “Why am I here? I’m a good employee, I swear,” I began. “I swear, tonight’s my first night but I’m usually much better. I don’t know why I spilled those drinks, I’m sorry I ruined your carpet …” the words came babbling out.
But the big man wasn’t interested.
“Naw, it’s not that,” he rumbled. “You’re here for a reason.”
I gulped.
“Do you need a drink?” I said quickly. “I’m happy to serve you. Here, let me just find the bar,” I spun around, looking for a liquor cabinet.
But the big man rumbled deep in his throat.
“Naw, I brought you here for another reason. The Milano’s filled with pretty girls, but you’re the prettiest,” he tossed off casually. “And I want to see a private show.”
My breath stopped in my chest.
“What do you mean, a private show?”
He shrugged.
“I wanna see you work it a little, you know, dance.”
Okay that was too much. He might be the owner of this casino, he might be an alpha billionaire, but you can’t just force girls to do what you want.
“I’m a waitress,” I stammered, cheeks flushing hotly. “I’m a waitress at your hotel, not a stripper.”
Mr. Channing merely looked at me amused.
“What was your name again?” he drawled.
I swallowed thickly.
“Kitty- Katherine,” I muttered. God, even though I’d just been propositioned rudely, for some reason, instead of being offended, I was titillated. Deep inside somewhere, I wanted to dance for him, I wanted to be someone else for a change, letting my hair down and going wild. I wanted the alpha male to look at me and devour my curves.
And like he could read my mind, the billionaire grinned wolfishly.
“Well, if you want to keep your job, then you’re gonna dance,” he tossed off casually, like it was no big deal. “You can do it.”
I shook my head slowly.
“But I don’t know how,” I whispered, eyes pleading. “Please don’t make me do this.”
The gleam in his eyes deepened.
“You wanna keep your job?” he asked.
I nodded silently. Oh god,
was he going to fire me unless I obeyed? Oh god, oh god.
“You wanna make good money?” he asked again.
I nodded, brown curls bobbling up and down. Yes, I needed the money, I needed this job so that I could stay in school.
“Please Mr. Channing, please,” I whispered. “Don’t fire me.”
The man grinned again, this time his hand reaching down. My eyes were immediately drawn to the bulge in his pants, that big, fat tent. Oh shit, he was huge. Even in the dim light, I could see a ridge, a thick hose that wrapped around his waist, and my mouth went dry.
Seeing my gaze, the big man chuckled deeply, this time a hoarse rasp. And he grinned again, pulling something out from his pocket.
“How much do you need?” he asked casually, opening the money clip.
I gasped. There were so many bills that I could hardly believe my eyes. The roll of cash was as fat as my fist, making my heart race. I could live off that money for six months minimum, if not a year. But there was no sense in giving it all away, so I pretended to be cool.
“I’m sorry?” I murmured. “I’m sorry?”
The alpha shot me another glance.
“Like I said, Katherine, how much do you need?”
My eyes met those blue ones from across the way. Because holy cow, this was beyond my wildest dreams. A rich man was offering to pay me to dance, offering to give me cash if I shimmied in front of him. But the thing was, could I do it? My choices ran before my eyes.
