Tough Guy: A Hero Club Novel, Jamie Schmidt [best books to read now txt] 📗

else. I didn’t want to risk looking like a raccoon or sweating my foundation all over my white T-shirt.

“Just another audition,” I told myself in the rearview mirror. “It means nothing. It’s not like you’re going to take the job. You’re here to cross something off your bucket list.” I looked up at the casino. “Even if they don’t call me back, I can still say I danced on stage in Vegas.” Of course, I’d done that last night. But this was a little more official. I wouldn’t have to take my clothes off.

Getting out of the car, I made my way to stage door C and met up with a bored-looking man wearing a headset and carrying a clipboard.

“Name,” he droned.

“Jackie Mitchell from the Zimmerman Agency.” I held my breath as he frowned at his list.

“Got a Lisa Mitchell.”

“Lisa?” I deliberately raised my voice. “Oh no. That’s my sister. They sent the wrong file.” I put an edge of hysteria in my voice.

He held up a hand and winced. “You have your portfolio?”

“I can e-mail it.” I showed him my phone.

“Fine,” he droned again. He crossed off Lisa and put Jackie on his list. “Send it here.” He pointed to the address at the top of the clipboard.

“Sent,” I said breathlessly. I hoped this was going to work.

He opened up his own phone and after a moment nodded. “Down the hall. Third room on the left. Stash your bag and phone in the locker and then head out to the stage. Take a right out of the dressing room and keep going. You’ll find it.”

I was in. My knees wobbled as I went to the locker room. Time for Las Vegas Jackie to shine—or fail.

Chapter Fourteen

Miles Carvello

I was happy for Jackie. It was pure selfishness that I hoped she got the job and stayed awhile in Vegas. The past week had been the best I’d had in a long time. She made things seem fresh and fun again. She reminded me that there was a world outside of Dalton’s. I was looking forward to seeing her reaction to the Moondust Cherry Ranch, but brothels weren’t really my thing. While I could see the appeal of the lack of strings attached when quick sex was a transaction, I imagined it got old really fast. I could save myself a grand by jacking off to online porn and get the same satisfaction.

In my experience with cathouses and the women who worked them, there were three types of hookers. The ones there to make as much money as possible in a short period of time gave good customer service, but nickel-and-dimed everything. The damaged ones looked for love and acceptance and got what they could from pleasing the customer. They did whatever it took to give the client a good time and keep them spending money because it made the house happy and it made her feel valued. And then there were the ones that liked sex and getting paid for it. They got paid for having fun. The last type were few and far between, no matter what hype the madam and her girls told you. And after listening to their mothers, I’d put Dee as a number one and Jackie’s sister as a number two—if she had made the jump to prostitute.

Grier was late and, while I appreciated that his undercover status made his schedule flexible, I wanted our business over and done with by the time Jackie came back from her audition. I knew she would be eager to get on the road to find out about her sister, but I was eager to spend some time making love to her first. And it seemed like she felt the same.

Liu and his cousins were in the kitchen making something delicious and I hoped Jackie wouldn’t think I was a cheapskate if I recommended we eat here before heading out. I wanted more intimate moments with her, like being in my apartment alone instead of surrounded by a hundred other people in a restaurant.

Miranda was lazily swaying around the pole when I went out to check on things. Grier was there at the front table, nursing a beer and a plate of nachos.

“You could have texted me that you were here.”

“I wanted to enjoy the show,” he said, not taking his eyes off Miranda.

Miranda couldn’t dance worth a squat, but her body was banging. The music was low, and the lights were high because it was early in the day.

“You might want to have a talk with her, though. She’s flashed me the goods a few times.”

I glared up at Miranda. She was looking at a two-thousand-dollar fine if she didn’t keep her bits covered. “Dip you tip her?”

“A twenty both times.” He grinned at me. “So you know I won’t bust her because that could be entrapment.”

“Stop leading my dancers into temptation.”

“I think I’m in love. Lighten up.”

“I can’t. Did you hear what happened last night?” I thanked Jilly, his waitress, when she came over with my usual club soda and lime.

“Yeah, from what I gathered some asshole sprayed something that smelled like gas and people panicked and you got shut down.” Grier couldn’t take his eyes off Miranda. I was pretty sure she wasn’t going to flash him again while I was sitting there.

“Let’s go back into my office and I’ll tell you why I think that might be related to a few findings I’ve had this week.”

Grier held up another twenty and Miranda hopped down from the stage. It never failed to amaze me that she did that in five-inch heels.

“Do you want a lap dance?” she purred.

“Later.” He tucked the bill into her G-string and if his fingers lingered a bit, neither one of them minded.

I headed over to my office. Grier knew the way. I had a moment to wish Jackie were here as I sat behind my desk. Grier walked in a few minutes later and closed the door behind him.

“Why am I