“Miles,” Ginny said, standing up. She attempted to put her arms around my neck, but I blocked her, maybe a little harder than I had to, but I was pissed. I had very strict rules.
No sex in the VIP room.
No selling drugs.
Come to work sober.
Don’t steal.
Come to me if there’s a problem.
Ginny rubbed her arms and tried giving me a sultry pout. “It’s only some Zannies and Kickers.”
“Get your shit and get the fuck out.”
“You’re firing me?” Her voice rose in disbelief.
“Leave the pills.”
“You can’t do that,” she said.
“Leave them or I call the cops.”
“You bastard,” she snarled. “You’re going to keep them for yourself.”
I shrugged. “I’ll tell you what. If you tell me who your supplier is, I’ll let you keep the pills.”
“You don’t want to do this.” Ginny tried one last seduction, looking at me under long thick lashes. “I’ll be good. I won’t do it again. I promise.” She slinked closer to me, pouting her crimson lips again. “I’ll do anything for a second chance.” Smiling, she sank down to her knees with a practiced ease.
“Who gave you the drugs to sell out of my club?”
Ginny scowled and rocked back on her heels. “Are you kidding me? Who cares? I’ll cut you in if you want.”
“The name or get the fuck out of my club.”
“Go to hell.” She stood up. Stormed over to the closet and grabbed her trench coat. Wrapping it around herself, Ginny glared. “You just want to corner the market. You think you’rethe only game in town? You’re nothing. This bar is nothing.” She pulled out a drawer full of bells and flimsy things and stuffed the contents into her coat pockets.
“Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out,” I said.
“You’re going to regret this. Biggest mistake of your life.”
“It’s not even in the top ten.” And it wasn’t.
She paused in the doorway. “I really liked you. You were a cool boss, until you weren’t. Just remember, you brought this on yourself.” Tossing her hair, Ginny flounced out with all the drama of a pissed-off stripper. And she hadn’t given up her supplier.
Scooping up the several baggies of pills, I walked through the club to my office in the back. I was going to stow the drugs in my safe until the next time Grier showed up. The undercover cop and I had an agreement. I’d give him all the intel I had on any drugs moving around this side of town and he’d keep the investigation into my uncle’s death two years ago from gathering dust on a desk.
Uncle Johnny had taken me in when my parents spiraled down into gambling and drugs. He let me sleep in the backroom of his burlesque club when they lost the house. He gave me a job cleaning up the club after school, so I had a place to go. Then the bouncers thought they could use a kid of my size and they trained me. The martial arts lessons paid off and I worked my way through high school minding the door and managing drunks. I should have never left for Europe. Uncle Johnny and his club might still be here if I hadn’t been gallivanting all over world, having one big party.
I had just opened the safe when the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Expecting a fight, I whirled on the balls of my feet.
Darcy leaned drunkenly against the door frame. He held out his hands in front of him. “Easy mate. Whatcha got there?”
Pitching the baggies into the safe, I said, “They’re not for sale.” Locking it, I turned back to Darcy, who hadn’t moved.
“Not looking to buy drugs, mate. Looking for more girls.”
I clapped him on the shoulder. “That I can help you with.”
