She takes in a deep breath before she says anything. “I’m curious if you know what Valencia’s plans are.”
“What do you mean by plans?”
“Is she planning on staying at the club for free while working at Mamie’s? Is she going to pick up some barmaid shifts or become a clubwhore?” The mere mention of her becoming a clubwhore pisses me off to no end. I don’t want anyone in the club to touch her, and we’re a club of swingers. I don’t know why, but I find myself becoming increasingly possessive and protective over her.
“Why are you asking me and not Valencia?” It’s not like I have any influence over Valencia. Sure, I’ve been friendly toward her since she first got here, but I’m not anyone too special in her eyes, I don’t think.
“I’m asking you because you seem to be the closest to her. After what she’s been through, I don’t want to cause her too much stress, but half a year has passed by. She needs to decide what she’s doing, and if she plans on working at Mamie’s, then I expect her to pay some sort of rent toward the club or contribute in some way. No one gets a free ride here. We all pitch in one way or another.”
I lick my lips and swallow hard. “Boss, it’s not my place to ask her. If this is something you need her to answer for, then you need to ask her.”
Boss snickers, but it’s not in an amused manner. If anything, she’s getting aggravated with me for speaking my mind. “Reno, don’t you ever tell me what I need to do. You’re the lowest bar on the totem pole, and I damn well know you’re not one to ever tell me you’re not going to do something.”
“I’m sorry, Prez. I’m not trying to come across like an ass. I just don’t see why I’m the one who should be asking her.”
“Is it really going that far over your head? Valencia has a trust in you that she doesn’t have with anyone else. I think if you broach the subject delicately, you might be able to find out the answers I’m looking for. I think it would be better if you ask versus if I pull her in here or my office and ask the questions myself.” Now that she’s putting it this way . . . maybe it would be easier if I ask. I’m a friendly face, and I doubt Valencia would get upset at me for anything. Not that Boss is worried about Valencia getting upset, but I think she is trying to save her some stress.
“I understand.”
“Has she given you any sort of idea of what her plans are?”
I shake my head. “No, not in the slightest.”
“Hmm. Okay. You’ll need to tell her she needs to make a decision if she hasn’t made one yet.”
“What if she isn’t ready?”
“Then she needs to get ready. She’s been here for long enough, and you know our club is here to protect people who feel like they need it. Given what she went through, I understand her reasoning for wanting to be here . . . but she needs to start acting like a team player.”
“It’s not my place to tell her that. I’m—”
“The man that fucked her. It’s exactly your place. We’ve seen you spending a lot of time with her, and it would be best if it came from you. Don’t push my buttons anymore, Reno, or you might be waiting another few years before you get patched into the club. You made Valencia your responsibility when you decided to use her to get your dick wet. Now get out. I have shit I need to handle.” Fuck . . . Boss is playing dirty.
I do as she says and leave the room, running a hand along the back of my head as I walk down the hallway.
Valencia and I just got back, so I’d better just get this fucking over with. I go up one flight of stairs and walk down the hallway, then head up to her door. I rap my knuckles against the door a couple of times until it comes open. She has her hair in a bun on top of her head and has a pair of reading glasses on, with a book in her hands. She’s in a white see-through tank top with a pair of black pajama shorts, and it’s taking every bit of me to not get a boner right here, right now.
“Reno?” Valencia seems confused as to why I’m here, and I don’t blame her.
“Mind if I come in? I need to talk to you about something.”
Valencia takes a step back and nods. “Sure, um, come on in. Don’t mind the mess, though. I’ve been working so much at Mamie’s that I haven’t really cleaned the place up too well.”
She opens the door a bit wider for me, and I walk inside. She shuts the door behind her, and I clear my throat in an effort to kill the tension in the room. “I’m going to shoot it to you straight, all right?”
“Sure. What’s going on? You have me a bit nervous.”
“Boss wants to know what your plans are. She wants to know if you plan on staying here long-term, and if you do that, if you’re going to pick up some shifts as a barmaid, clubwhore, or if you’re going to contribute in some way. Right now, you might work at Mamie’s, but you aren’t paying rent, cooking, nothing like that.”
“Boss wants to know this?” Valencia crosses her arms and cocks a brow.
I nod, “Yeah, and I know it looks like I’m the one who’s asking, but I’m not. She felt it would be better if I asked you, given how ‘close’ we are.”
Valencia blinks a couple of times. “Why does she think we’re close?”
“Probably because I fucked you.” I take a couple of steps closer to Valencia and run a finger along the side of her face. “It’s not like we aren’t close, Valencia, so let’s not play that game. I like how comfortable we are with each other, and I hope what we started at the wedding can continue. You don’t have to give me an answer on it, but I need one for Boss.”
“I understand. Um, I’m not a clubwhore, and I never will be. I’ll start chipping in around the club, though. Whether it’s working the bar a couple nights a week or cooking. I’ll figure something out. Just give me a day or two to think about it.”
