Ari had left her. It tumbled across Del's desk.
DelVecchio just stared down at the money, and she was surprised once again. She'd once seen the man knock over a busboy when they'd both reached for the same fallen nickel. He loved money. Yet he wasn't touching the thirteen hundred dollars sitting in front of him.
“You've only been here a little over two hours, kid. That looks like a lot more than three hundred,” he said in a low voice, raising his eyebrows at her. Valentine took a deep breath and nodded.
“I know. It's one-thousand three hundred dollars, to be exact.”
“Hmmm. That's a helluva tip,” he mumbled, reaching out and tapping the pile of money. She cleared her throat.
“Well, trust me, I did a 'helluva' job this time.”
They stared at each other, and she knew that he knew. He might not know the specifics, but he would soon enough. There were cameras everywhere, and especially in the Moon Room. A greatest hits of her fuck fest would be put on display for the entire security team, she was sure. But she held her head high and she met Del's gaze straight on, not wavering once.
“I honestly didn't think you had it in you, kid,” he finally said, and that almost broke her resolve. She trembled once as she resisted the urge to cry, then she squared her shoulders.
“I'm just full of surprises. And since I did such a good job, is it okay if I go home early tonight?”
He heaved a big sigh, then picked up the stack of cash. Weighed it in his hand. Flipped through the bills. Then he tossed it at her, startling her.
“Keep it. You earned it.”
“Is this a joke?” she gaped at him, awkwardly clutching the money to her chest.
“Nope. Tuck it away for a rainy day, kiddo. Now, we got some bigger business to talk about.”
Valentine groaned and let the money fall into her lap.
“Not now, Del, please. This was a one time thing, it was stupid, it was a mistake, I didn't-”
“It was a mistake?” he interrupted. “You didn't what? You didn't want to do it? He forced you? That muthafucker, I'm gonna have Serge spin his fucking head like a top. When we're done, I'll -”
“Whoa!” Valentine held up her hands. What the fuck was going on that night? She felt like she'd gone through the looking glass. “No one forced me to do anything. If anything, I initiated. I'm just an idiot because ... because I shouldn't have. Because I know better. And I'm definitely not doing it again. Ever. So don't ask me to. Not right now. Not later. Not ever.”
“Good. That's real good, Valentine. A good attitude to have,” Del said, calming down quickly. His mood swings were giving her whip lash.
“Is everything okay? Cause you're acting super weird.”
“Everything's peachy, toots. How would you feel about seeing this guy again, Mr. Boom Boom Moon Room?” he asked.
“I don't think we have to worry about that, he didn't even stick around long enough to say goodbye. Apparently I found one part of this job I'm not very good at,” she laughed darkly at her sad little joke.
“Oh, sweetheart,” Del started laughing loudly. “I'm sorry, but you're such a fuckin' moron.”
“Excuse me!?”
“Trust me, Val, that guy liked what you were serving him, one hundred percent.”
“How would you know?” she asked, then she gasped. “Oh god, you watched the footage. Oh god.”
“No, no, and don't worry, no one will ever watch that footage,” Del promised, and he pulled a USB stick out of his pocket and wiggled it. “It's all right here. Take it.”
He tossed it at her and it landed on top of the money in her lap.
“Del ... what's going on?”
“Let's just that your gentleman liked what you were serving so much, he wants more of it.”
Valentine held still.
“He does?”
“He really fucking does,” Del nodded his head. “So much so that he's willing to pay for your exclusivity.”
Valentine's heart began to pound so hard, it made it difficult to hear Del.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means no more bump and grind on the dance floor for the next two weeks,” Del started to talk in a business-like tone she'd never heard before. “We'll find you something else, don't worry. And I'll even pay you a salary – I'm not losing you to some pretty boy douchebag.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Valentine felt light headed. “He said that? To you?”
“He said that if he hears about you so much as holding hands with another