Read Online Iron Rods: 1 (Strip Club) by Brenna Zinn - Free Book Online
Authors: Brenna Zinn
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in my notice at Java Buena this afternoon.”
“Excellent.” Lyle glanced over his shoulder at Bennett.
“Mind that you take care of that property on the East Side. I don’t want that
deal to fall through. Like I said before, I’ve got big plans for it.” He placed
a hand on Tatum’s elbow and ushered her out the door. “I have a feeling this is
going to work out just fine,” he said to her. “Don’t you?”
* * * * *
When Tatum pulled into the club parking lot, the hopes she
had about Iron Rods looking better in the light of day than it did at night
quickly dissolved. Knee-high weeds grew between the edges of the lot and the
surrounding chain-link fence, as well as the numerous cracks in the asphalt.
The building itself seemed even uglier and more foreboding than it had the
night she and Heather ventured in.
Drawing in a deep breath, Tatum solidified her resolve. This
dump was her responsibility now. She may have failed at becoming a professional
dancer, but she would do everything in her power to never fail at anything else
again, including managing this down-and-out strip club back to health.
She unlocked the metal back door and pressed buttons on a
panel just inside the building, disarming the security system. With natural
sunlight streaming in through the open door, she located a switchboard and then
turned on each one of the lights. Suddenly she had a good view of the long room
she stood in. Just as suddenly the enthusiasm she’d experienced since getting
the position crashed onto the club’s filthy concrete floor.
Turning in a complete circle, Tatum took in the contents and
condition of what appeared to be the dressing room for the strippers. Thank
goodness she’d had the sense to change into a T-shirt and shorts before setting
a foot into the grubby hellhole. No way could she get through an inspection
without getting dirty herself.
Aside from the thick dust blanketing almost every surface,
the dressing tables, shelves and floors were littered with empty plastic cups,
bottles and to-go boxes. Cheap costumes and iridescent thongs hung haphazardly
over the sides of chairs and on a tattered workout bench. A few other pieces of
mismatched workout equipment sat in silent testimony to their disuse. In a far
corner a small shower had enough mold covering it to grow mushrooms. A sour
stench, like body odor mixed with stinky gym shoes, topped off the offenses.
The place was a pigsty. Little wonder no decent stripper
bothered working at Iron Rods anymore. Aside from the few customers the
business still managed to draw, the working conditions were nothing less than
horrific.
Tatum let out a small whimper as the enormity of the
situation settled in. The work required to get the club back up to par seemed
overwhelming. How would she ever be able to get everything done? Where would
she even start?
As much as she hated losing the fresh air, she closed the
door to the outside. She pulled a notebook from her purse and started jotting
down notes. For the next hour she could comb through the building and discover
for herself the state of disrepair the place was in before Bennett Truitt
arrived for their meeting. He’d have his own agenda he’d press on her. Lyle had
predicted that, as well as other things.
She thought back to how aggrieved Bennett had appeared when
Lyle put him in charge of her transition to manager. She had seen wild rodeo
bulls looking more serene than Bennett had at that moment. Yet despite the
aggravation reddening his cheeks and burning through his cool blue eyes, he
remained one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen. Just sitting across the
desk from him had turned her inside out.
With the slick, Mad Men -ish good looks of a movie
star, Bennett could have easily graced the covers of magazines. He personified
perfection from his thick, black head of hair down to his polished dress shoes.
The way he walked, talked and even sat in his chair spoke to how well he
understood his place in
“Excellent.” Lyle glanced over his shoulder at Bennett.
“Mind that you take care of that property on the East Side. I don’t want that
deal to fall through. Like I said before, I’ve got big plans for it.” He placed
a hand on Tatum’s elbow and ushered her out the door. “I have a feeling this is
going to work out just fine,” he said to her. “Don’t you?”
* * * * *
When Tatum pulled into the club parking lot, the hopes she
had about Iron Rods looking better in the light of day than it did at night
quickly dissolved. Knee-high weeds grew between the edges of the lot and the
surrounding chain-link fence, as well as the numerous cracks in the asphalt.
The building itself seemed even uglier and more foreboding than it had the
night she and Heather ventured in.
Drawing in a deep breath, Tatum solidified her resolve. This
dump was her responsibility now. She may have failed at becoming a professional
dancer, but she would do everything in her power to never fail at anything else
again, including managing this down-and-out strip club back to health.
She unlocked the metal back door and pressed buttons on a
panel just inside the building, disarming the security system. With natural
sunlight streaming in through the open door, she located a switchboard and then
turned on each one of the lights. Suddenly she had a good view of the long room
she stood in. Just as suddenly the enthusiasm she’d experienced since getting
the position crashed onto the club’s filthy concrete floor.
Turning in a complete circle, Tatum took in the contents and
condition of what appeared to be the dressing room for the strippers. Thank
goodness she’d had the sense to change into a T-shirt and shorts before setting
a foot into the grubby hellhole. No way could she get through an inspection
without getting dirty herself.
Aside from the thick dust blanketing almost every surface,
the dressing tables, shelves and floors were littered with empty plastic cups,
bottles and to-go boxes. Cheap costumes and iridescent thongs hung haphazardly
over the sides of chairs and on a tattered workout bench. A few other pieces of
mismatched workout equipment sat in silent testimony to their disuse. In a far
corner a small shower had enough mold covering it to grow mushrooms. A sour
stench, like body odor mixed with stinky gym shoes, topped off the offenses.
The place was a pigsty. Little wonder no decent stripper
bothered working at Iron Rods anymore. Aside from the few customers the
business still managed to draw, the working conditions were nothing less than
horrific.
Tatum let out a small whimper as the enormity of the
situation settled in. The work required to get the club back up to par seemed
overwhelming. How would she ever be able to get everything done? Where would
she even start?
As much as she hated losing the fresh air, she closed the
door to the outside. She pulled a notebook from her purse and started jotting
down notes. For the next hour she could comb through the building and discover
for herself the state of disrepair the place was in before Bennett Truitt
arrived for their meeting. He’d have his own agenda he’d press on her. Lyle had
predicted that, as well as other things.
She thought back to how aggrieved Bennett had appeared when
Lyle put him in charge of her transition to manager. She had seen wild rodeo
bulls looking more serene than Bennett had at that moment. Yet despite the
aggravation reddening his cheeks and burning through his cool blue eyes, he
remained one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen. Just sitting across the
desk from him had turned her inside out.
With the slick, Mad Men -ish good looks of a movie
star, Bennett could have easily graced the covers of magazines. He personified
perfection from his thick, black head of hair down to his polished dress shoes.
The way he walked, talked and even sat in his chair spoke to how well he
understood his place in
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