Leaning forward in my seat, I studied my hand as I considered one of my oldest friends’ offer. “I don’t even know why you brought me here. I hate strip clubs,” I reminded my ountant, Brendan. For the past year, he had been doing his best to take a page out of my book and buy failing businesses.

    This was the second time he’d attempted to bring me in on a deal of his. This time his own business was at risk of going under. Like I said, I didn’t fuck with the strip club scene. Bringing me in on histest venture wasn’t happening tonight or ever. I had enough shit on my te without the person responsible for keeping an eye on my money trying to help me find ways to spend it. His proposal wasn’t the sole reason for my returning to his establishment.

    “It’s not a strip club, bro. It’s a gentlemen’s club,” he exined.

    “Oh, how could I misconstrue the two? Ass and titties is ass and titties.”

    “Yeah, but this is high-end shit. I’m making money hand over fist. It’s just taking some time to get shit going the way I need it to go. I need funds to take this ce to the next level. You gotta see my vision.”

    “Your vision is on my wallet. I don’t like anyone watching my pockets.” I shook my head.

    “But that’s my job.”

    “Your job is to watch them, not figure out how to spend what’s in them. Trust me, I got that covered. You’re supposed to be figuring out where the discrepancies are in our reporting before the board finds out something is off.”

    “I’m on it. I’m telling you, this ce is a goldmine, my guy. I’m trying to tell you this is not something you want to pass up.”

    “I don’t think I’ll shed any tears if it turns out to be as lucrative as you think it will.”

    “I don’t think, Steel. I know,” he countered.

    “How are you gentlemen doing this evening?” one of the servers asked when she made it to the table we were upying.

    “We’re doing great, beautiful. Get me and my associate another round of drinks,” Brendan requested.

    “What are you having, sweetie?” she asked, cing her hand on my shoulder.

    As soon as her handnded on me, my posture stiffened. I didn’t like people touching me. I looked up at her to tell her just that, but my words died on my lips. It was her. The main reason for my second visit to Brendan’s club. She was as gorgeous as I remembered.

    I noticed her hair first, probably because there was so much of it. The biggest curly afro sat on her head like a crown and framed a perfect dark chocte face. She was strikingly beautiful with full bow-shaped lips and huge almond-shaped eyes.

    I had seen a million beautiful women. There wasn’t a woman in the very room I sat in who wasn’t pretty as hell. Still, something about her presencemanded every ounce of my attention. She was tall. Tall enough to make everyone in her vicinity take notice of her. Not just because of her height, but her stature spoke of regality. She was a queen in any room she entered. What the hell was she doing here?

    On my initial visit, I asked her if working here was the end of the line for her and she mentioned being a student. I didn’t want to pry too much. I just wanted to get a good read on her. It had been close to a week, and I still couldn’t get her off my mind. It was typical for guys to fall for the women in a strip club. It was part of the game. I was far from typical. I hated this ce.

    “He’ll have another top shelf bourbon on the rocks,” Brendan answered for me once he realized that I wasn’t going to say anything. “For future reference, don’t touch this one. He’s not the touchy-feely type.”

    Dropping her eyes back down to my waiting re, she swept a cluster of stray hairs back from her face before responding. “I apologize. I’m a toucher. My friend said my lovenguage is physical touch.”

    “I’d like to touch you all right,” Brendan muttered.

    Sheughed at Brendan’s corny attempt to flirt with her, only igniting a fire in my chest.

    “Coming right up,” she told us, turning to leave and finally releasing me from the trance she had me in.

    “I told you, bro. That’s just one of the perks of owning this ce with me. It’s crawling with the baddest bitches in a hundred-mile radius.”

    “You can’t own the ce and test the product,” I cautioned.

    He scoffed. “The hell if I can’t.”

    “B, you already know the motto. Never get high on your own supply,” I reminded him.

    “We ain’t in the dope game no more, man. This shit is a free-for-all.”

    “It’s awsuit waiting to happen.”

    “Two pair,” he said, cing his hand on the table.

    “Nice,” I said, nodding as Iid out the three queens that I had.

    “Fuck,” he grumbled.

    I slid the chips over in front of me as he gathered the cards to deal again.

    “Last hand,” I told him.

    “All right, you two,” the Amazonian beauty announced herself. “We have a bourbon on the rocks, only top shelf for our quiet, hands-off friend. Then I have a whiskey soda for you, boss.”

    Once again, she had my full attention. The low-cut white tank tops the servers wore pushed her titties up in my face like they were on a serving tray. Tearing my eyes off of hers, I let them drift down to her never-ending legs. Every inch of her was absolutely breathtaking. I didn’t think I had spoken a word since she showed up at the table. Thankfully, Brendan was enough of a talker for the both of us.

    “Thank you,” he said.

    “Just holler if you guys need anything else,” she stated.

    “We will,” Brendan said before dismissing her.

    Hearing her refer to Brendan as her boss made my blood boil. She had no business ving and serving people. My princess doesn’t have to do any of this shit. My princess needs to sit on her throne while people serve her. I studied my hand as Brendan picked his cards up.

    “Fire her.”

    “Fire who?” he asked, knitting his brows in confusion.

    “The girl.”

    “What girl, Steel?” he questioned.

    “The one that was just here.”

    “She wasn’t that bad. She’s just a little rough around the edges. Her and her friend only started here about a month ago. The guys seem to like her.”

    “If I’m going to be part owner of this ce, she can’t work here,” I said, shaking my head.

    “Let the girl get a little training before you try to give her the boot. All she did was touch you, man. They train each other to be flirty. She couldn’t have known you were a germaphobe.”

    “I’m not a germaphobe. I want you to fire her because I want her for myself,” I rified.

    “I told you, as part owner, you’re wee to sample each and every vor we got up in this bitch.”

    “I don’t want every vor. I want her.”

    “That girl is in her twenties, bro. All these young-ass girls want with old men like us is our money. You have to beat them at their own game.”

    I didn’t know why Brendan thought I was asking him for advice. That was something I never did. I knew how old I was. He acted like thirty-six was sixty-three. He wasn’t getting what I was saying, so I knew I needed to make myself a little clearer. I cleared my throat because he needed to hear everything I had to say.

    “How about this? If my woman is working here when I make it back from Japan, I’m leveling this whole building, then you can sort that shit out with your insurancepany.”

    “Come on, man. You don’t even know that broad. We been rocking for too long for you to act like this.”

    “You don’t know her either. It should be easy to let her go.”

    I didn’t need Brendan’s rtionship advice. I needed mydy the fuck out of here. There were too many vultures lurking around. Enough of them had been given ess to her already, too many if you asked me. This wasn’t up for debate. I had a red-eye to Japan to close a deal I had been brokering for over a month. I had to be there by nine in the morning. I couldn’t waste any time debating something that wasn’t up for debate.

    “She’s good for business, man. The guys like her. Plus, I’m already short-staffed. She’s barely been here a month.”

    “Do I look like I give a fuck about any of that? It’s not up for debate.”

    “Money might not be a thing to you, bro, but every dor this ce brings in counts,” he exined.

    “You forget I just agreed to buy a quarter of this ce. I’m not an unreasonable man. You have a week.”

    “y me for her,” Brendan suggested.

    “What?” I scowled. I’d already said it wasn’t up for debate. He knew how I rocked, so I wasn’t even sure why we were going through this.

    “y me for her. One hand.”

    I shrugged. “Just because I know you’re a gambling man, I’ll humor you.”

    “Good. I’m taking three cards,” he said, taking three cards from the deck.

    “Give me two.”

    “I’m pretty sure that’s what the folks call a straight,” he said, cing his consecutive hand in front of me.

    I didn’t speak as Iid my cards out for his viewing pleasure. I had done more than enough talking.

    “You have one week,” I said, standing from my seat and making my exit.