wants to keep us happy. We’re big clients of theirs.”
Jessica thought about how the BAD Boys often came in to play, but then again, so did a lot of people.
“They own the club,” Lauren said, and Marc spanked her quickly on the ass. “Ouch! Sorry, but I had to tell her. Otherwise she’d be worried about her job the whole time.”
“No one knows the Brooks Wilde Chase Fund owns WhipperSnapper. Even our investors aren’t aware of the exact nature of that holding because it’s under another name,” Marc said. He looked annoyed.
“Sorry, Marc, but she deserved to know,” Lauren said again.
Roman nodded. “Well, do you feel better now, Jessica, now that you know?”
“I do,” she said. “I feel a lot better, actually. Thank you.” She looked down at the check in her hand. “Sir, I think you made a mistake—this is for too much.”
“I don’t make mistakes like that,” Roman said. “The club wasn’t paying you enough if you couldn’t afford to eat the food you sold. I’ve given you a raise.”
“Well, when you put it like that,” Jessica said, “thank you, very much.”
Elisabeth was still standing by the fridge, holding the pitcher of orange juice in one hand. “Jessica, may I speak with you please?”
Jessica looked at her in surprise, having almost forgotten she was there. Was this wrong? Did she fail some sort of test? “Sure,” she said, and set the check on the granite countertop, wondered if she should leave it there, then picked it up again. There was nowhere to put it. “I need to go get my clothes from the cabana anyway.”
“Good, you can join me for some juice.” Elisabeth followed her out of the kitchen.
Jessica held the check in her hand and quickly folded it so the obscenely large number on it was hidden. Did Elisabeth know about tributes? Or did she think that Jessica had just done something bad?
“Honey, please don’t take this the wrong way,” Elisabeth said, and Jessica felt her stomach churn. That was the worst way to start off a conversation.
“Okay.” She headed toward the cabana, feeling the need to clothe herself. She’d had enough of being nearly naked for the day.
“I was like you, broker than you, probably, when I met Trevor,” Elisabeth said, closing the cabana door behind them. Her huge diamond ring flashed on her hand. “I know firsthand how easy it is to get blinded by the billionaire lifestyle. These guys throw around money like it’s nothing. When I complained to Trevor about that, he gave me two million to donate to the charity of my choice.”
Jessica’s jaw dropped. “Two million dollars?” That kind of money was unthinkable to her.
“Yeah. So I think you can understand that however many zeros are on the check Roman just handed you, it’s not a big deal to him.”
“Okay,” Jessica said. “So if it’s no big deal, that’s good, right?”
“No. Because it is a big deal to you. I can see it in your eyes.” Elisabeth handed Jessica her sundress, and she quickly pulled it on over her suit.
“I’m not after anyone’s money, Elisabeth. I mean that. I don’t know how to make you believe that, but it’s true,” Jessica whispered. “I feel weird about this whole thing.”
“You feel weird about it because you just sold yourself for—” Elisabeth grabbed the check from Jessica’s fist. The move surprised her so much that she just let the piece of paper go without a word. “For forty thousand dollars. You’ve sold yourself.”
“It didn’t sound like I was selling myself when we were all in the kitchen,” Jessica said, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. “Lauren gave me a hug and everything.”
“I’m telling you this for your own good. Don’t shoot the messenger,” Elisabeth said, and handed her back the check. “Look, Roman is used to completely dominating women. I’ve been trained by him. I know his methods. Are you willing to be in debt to Roman? Roman, not Lauren. Even if he acts like it’s
Jessica thought about how the BAD Boys often came in to play, but then again, so did a lot of people.
“They own the club,” Lauren said, and Marc spanked her quickly on the ass. “Ouch! Sorry, but I had to tell her. Otherwise she’d be worried about her job the whole time.”
“No one knows the Brooks Wilde Chase Fund owns WhipperSnapper. Even our investors aren’t aware of the exact nature of that holding because it’s under another name,” Marc said. He looked annoyed.
“Sorry, Marc, but she deserved to know,” Lauren said again.
Roman nodded. “Well, do you feel better now, Jessica, now that you know?”
“I do,” she said. “I feel a lot better, actually. Thank you.” She looked down at the check in her hand. “Sir, I think you made a mistake—this is for too much.”
“I don’t make mistakes like that,” Roman said. “The club wasn’t paying you enough if you couldn’t afford to eat the food you sold. I’ve given you a raise.”
“Well, when you put it like that,” Jessica said, “thank you, very much.”
Elisabeth was still standing by the fridge, holding the pitcher of orange juice in one hand. “Jessica, may I speak with you please?”
Jessica looked at her in surprise, having almost forgotten she was there. Was this wrong? Did she fail some sort of test? “Sure,” she said, and set the check on the granite countertop, wondered if she should leave it there, then picked it up again. There was nowhere to put it. “I need to go get my clothes from the cabana anyway.”
“Good, you can join me for some juice.” Elisabeth followed her out of the kitchen.
Jessica held the check in her hand and quickly folded it so the obscenely large number on it was hidden. Did Elisabeth know about tributes? Or did she think that Jessica had just done something bad?
“Honey, please don’t take this the wrong way,” Elisabeth said, and Jessica felt her stomach churn. That was the worst way to start off a conversation.
“Okay.” She headed toward the cabana, feeling the need to clothe herself. She’d had enough of being nearly naked for the day.
“I was like you, broker than you, probably, when I met Trevor,” Elisabeth said, closing the cabana door behind them. Her huge diamond ring flashed on her hand. “I know firsthand how easy it is to get blinded by the billionaire lifestyle. These guys throw around money like it’s nothing. When I complained to Trevor about that, he gave me two million to donate to the charity of my choice.”
Jessica’s jaw dropped. “Two million dollars?” That kind of money was unthinkable to her.
“Yeah. So I think you can understand that however many zeros are on the check Roman just handed you, it’s not a big deal to him.”
“Okay,” Jessica said. “So if it’s no big deal, that’s good, right?”
“No. Because it is a big deal to you. I can see it in your eyes.” Elisabeth handed Jessica her sundress, and she quickly pulled it on over her suit.
“I’m not after anyone’s money, Elisabeth. I mean that. I don’t know how to make you believe that, but it’s true,” Jessica whispered. “I feel weird about this whole thing.”
“You feel weird about it because you just sold yourself for—” Elisabeth grabbed the check from Jessica’s fist. The move surprised her so much that she just let the piece of paper go without a word. “For forty thousand dollars. You’ve sold yourself.”
“It didn’t sound like I was selling myself when we were all in the kitchen,” Jessica said, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. “Lauren gave me a hug and everything.”
“I’m telling you this for your own good. Don’t shoot the messenger,” Elisabeth said, and handed her back the check. “Look, Roman is used to completely dominating women. I’ve been trained by him. I know his methods. Are you willing to be in debt to Roman? Roman, not Lauren. Even if he acts like it’s
Similar Books
