it.”
I walked back to Sawyer after I hung up the phone. “Will you please get to the point already? I know school is important. Just tell me what I need to do to help her.”
“She needs extensive tutoring.”
“Why couldn’t you have told me that over the phone or in an email? Why does it take,” I looked down at the time on my cell, “an hour and a half to say, ‘Peyton needs tutoring’?”
He opened his mouth to respond, probably with another insult. Without thinking, I put two fingers on his lips to keep him quiet. “I’ll work with her. Just tell me what she needs help with.” I felt his lips barely press against my fingers before I yanked them away.
“She requires a special kind of tutoring.”
Fuck, one more thing I can’t afford. “Just email the information for the tutor, and I’ll get her signed up. I really need to get going.”
“I’m the only person in this area trained in this tutoring method,” Sawyer said smugly. “I can get her from latchkey around three-thirty and take her back after.”
“So, this whole meeting was a sales pitch?” I rubbed my forehead in frustration.
“Here are my rates.” He slid a half-sheet of paper to me. “She is going to need five sessions every week.”
I held back the tears of frustration that pricked my eyes as I reviewed his fee schedule. Five hours a week cost more than all of my other monthly expenses combined. Hell, one hour per week was a big chunk of what I earned at the club. Ethan would probably help some, but with his student loans and limited hours at the hospital, he couldn’t do much.
“This is extortion. You realize that you are in a small Midwestern town and not California or even Indianapolis, right? I think one-quarter of these rates is reasonable for this area.”
“I’m open to negotiation, or alternate forms of compensation.” Sawyer’s lewd grin made my skin crawl. “You obviously didn’t wear those fuck-me heels to work at the hospital. Did you wear them for me?”
“No,” I said firmly. “I’ll look into a few things, and then email you to let you know.” Even with the reduced rate, I felt completely defeated. I would not be considering his alternate forms of compensation. I stood to leave.
“Where are you going?” He stalked toward me with heat in his eyes.
“Leave me alone. I’m not in the mood for any more of your head games tonight. I have to get to work. You’ve already cost me two hours that I can’t make up.” I stormed out of the room, relieved he didn’t try to stop me.
*
“Hey, Mad. Poppy didn’t show up, and I need another dancer for the feature show.” The manager, Bruce, spent most of his time arranging coverage for the stage. The strippers here didn’t have the best attendance, which surprised me because they didn’t get paid if they didn’t show up.
“Why are you asking me? I’ve never danced in that show before.” Being a featured dancer meant going topless and giving private dances after. The thought of doing either was nauseating.
“You’ve got the best tits,” he said as if it was obvious. He ran a hand over his shiny bald head. “I’m desperate here. I’ll pay you double, and the tips out there are way more than what you’d get in the Leather and Lace room.” At least I got to keep all of my girl parts covered up in the fetish room.
All I could think about was Peyton. I did the math in my head and realized that one night in the main show and a couple of private clients would pay for several weeks of tutoring if she went only twice a week. “Fine, I’ll get changed.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Sawyer
“Didn’t I tell you to keep your interactions with her professional?” My sister’s exasperation was justified; I was exasperated with myself.
“I know. I fucked it up again.” I flopped onto my pillow-top mattress and draped my arm across my eyes. “Why can’t I keep my shit together around her?”
“You need to figure that out, pronto. She’s probably
I walked back to Sawyer after I hung up the phone. “Will you please get to the point already? I know school is important. Just tell me what I need to do to help her.”
“She needs extensive tutoring.”
“Why couldn’t you have told me that over the phone or in an email? Why does it take,” I looked down at the time on my cell, “an hour and a half to say, ‘Peyton needs tutoring’?”
He opened his mouth to respond, probably with another insult. Without thinking, I put two fingers on his lips to keep him quiet. “I’ll work with her. Just tell me what she needs help with.” I felt his lips barely press against my fingers before I yanked them away.
“She requires a special kind of tutoring.”
Fuck, one more thing I can’t afford. “Just email the information for the tutor, and I’ll get her signed up. I really need to get going.”
“I’m the only person in this area trained in this tutoring method,” Sawyer said smugly. “I can get her from latchkey around three-thirty and take her back after.”
“So, this whole meeting was a sales pitch?” I rubbed my forehead in frustration.
“Here are my rates.” He slid a half-sheet of paper to me. “She is going to need five sessions every week.”
I held back the tears of frustration that pricked my eyes as I reviewed his fee schedule. Five hours a week cost more than all of my other monthly expenses combined. Hell, one hour per week was a big chunk of what I earned at the club. Ethan would probably help some, but with his student loans and limited hours at the hospital, he couldn’t do much.
“This is extortion. You realize that you are in a small Midwestern town and not California or even Indianapolis, right? I think one-quarter of these rates is reasonable for this area.”
“I’m open to negotiation, or alternate forms of compensation.” Sawyer’s lewd grin made my skin crawl. “You obviously didn’t wear those fuck-me heels to work at the hospital. Did you wear them for me?”
“No,” I said firmly. “I’ll look into a few things, and then email you to let you know.” Even with the reduced rate, I felt completely defeated. I would not be considering his alternate forms of compensation. I stood to leave.
“Where are you going?” He stalked toward me with heat in his eyes.
“Leave me alone. I’m not in the mood for any more of your head games tonight. I have to get to work. You’ve already cost me two hours that I can’t make up.” I stormed out of the room, relieved he didn’t try to stop me.
*
“Hey, Mad. Poppy didn’t show up, and I need another dancer for the feature show.” The manager, Bruce, spent most of his time arranging coverage for the stage. The strippers here didn’t have the best attendance, which surprised me because they didn’t get paid if they didn’t show up.
“Why are you asking me? I’ve never danced in that show before.” Being a featured dancer meant going topless and giving private dances after. The thought of doing either was nauseating.
“You’ve got the best tits,” he said as if it was obvious. He ran a hand over his shiny bald head. “I’m desperate here. I’ll pay you double, and the tips out there are way more than what you’d get in the Leather and Lace room.” At least I got to keep all of my girl parts covered up in the fetish room.
All I could think about was Peyton. I did the math in my head and realized that one night in the main show and a couple of private clients would pay for several weeks of tutoring if she went only twice a week. “Fine, I’ll get changed.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Sawyer
“Didn’t I tell you to keep your interactions with her professional?” My sister’s exasperation was justified; I was exasperated with myself.
“I know. I fucked it up again.” I flopped onto my pillow-top mattress and draped my arm across my eyes. “Why can’t I keep my shit together around her?”
“You need to figure that out, pronto. She’s probably
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