Page 77 of Sling’s Awakening

He knows I need this job and don’t have anything lined up.

He knows I’m stuck.

I hate that he has that kind of power over me right now.

I close my eyes as I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down before I say something that will make this situation worse.

“We need to hire more girls,” I tell him, biting my tongue from saying what I really want to say.

Because what I really want to do is tell him to shove all of this up his ass.

“I agree. But no one sticks around, so that doesn’t help us now. I pay you to pick up the slack. Don’t make me regret it.” Russ shrugs, turning his attention back to his desk, but the threat is still there.

I grit my teeth.

No one sticks around because this is how you treat them. I’ve hired at least a dozen girls since I’ve taken this position, and not a single one of them has lasted more than two nights because of Russ.

I’ve tried to talk to him about it every single time, but his response is always the same. He can’t possibly be the problem.

“I didn’t bring anything to work the pole tonight,” I try one last ditch effort.

“Not my problem.”

“How is it not your problem?” I ask, anger lacing my tone. “Virginia doesn’t allow full-nude strip clubs. I just told you I don’t have an outfit.”

Russ sighs, annoyed that I’m still standing in front of him. “Do I need to do your job for you? I know we buy nipple covers. Get creative.”

“Get creative?” I repeat in shock.

He’s lost his damn mind.

“Look, Blake.” Russ sighs again as he opens the top desk drawer and takes out a baggy full of white powder. “Maybe we just need to call it a night and you go home. We’ll figure out a different arrangement at a different time.”

My mouth parts as I watch him pour a small amount onto the desk. He places the baggie back into the drawer and slams it shut before using one of his business cards to get the powder into a thin line.

My shock deepens as Russ leans down and plugs one side of his nose, snorting the white powder up through the open nostril.

He’s seriously doing cocaine out in the open like that.

There’s no way in hell I can leave Hex to fend for herself with him.

I swallow, once again sucking it up. “So Hex and I are just rotating sets all night?”

“I don’t give a fuck what you two do as long as there’s someone on the stage and the customers are entertained.”

I purse my lips together before mumbling, “Okay,” under my breath.

I leave the office without another word because I know if I say something else I probably won’t have a job anymore.

I refuse to let that piece of shit in there be the reason I lose everything I’ve worked so hard for.

Heading into the dressing room, I throw my bag down and collapse on the small couch in there. I rub my temples, already feeling a headache from all of this bullshit coming on.

All I want to do is cry.

I’m overwhelmed.

I don’t have an outfit. I don’t have a routine for the night planned. My mind is going in a million different directions, and I’m not in the mood to entertain today. My mind is only focused on what the hell Sling is doing right now.