started us down this path, not me. I hate him. I won’t ever fuck him.
Knight walks to the door, lingering in the doorway. “Sleep Mila, or tomorrow you’ll hate me even more.”
9
Mila
Buzz, buzz, buzz—
What the hell?
My eyes shoot open as the most annoying sound in the world hits my head. It feels like someone is repeatedly pounding on my head.
I roll over, find the obnoxious alarm clock and hit it off. Sleep, I need sleep.
I roll over, closing my eyes only for the alarm to sound again.
I slam it off again, and that’s when I notice the note lying on the nightstand.
Be ready to leave at seven. Your day will usually start earlier, but I let you sleep in today because I’m nice. I’ll meet you at the office. My driver will be downstairs waiting.
—Knight
Seven is sleeping in? What kind of crazy man thinks that? I sit up before I realize the room is spinning. And my stomach…
I run to the bathroom as the contents of my stomach come up. I spend the next five minutes heaving over Knight’s toilet.
What would he think if I called in sick on my first day? I don’t even have his number to call in sick though. I’m sure his driver would though.
I wash my face in his sink surrounded by granite counter tops and a mirror five people could easily use to get ready at the same time. And then I walk to the bedroom and find my phone to read the time. Five ’til seven.
Shit.
I race through the room, searching for any clothes I can change into. I find nothing but men’s suits. He kept the pictures of Abri but got rid of her clothes, terrific.
I pull open a drawer and smile when I see women’s jeans, but when I pull them out I know I would never fit into them. They are tiny. And I don’t even know what I’m supposed to wear to this job. All I know is Knight owns a strip club, and I’ll be his assistant. I assume it doesn’t matter what I wear.
But I don’t have time to stop by my car I parked just off campus to change my clothes, and there is nothing here for me to wear other than my clothes from last night. I pull on the jacket and skirt and stare at the wrinkles in the mirror. I look like I was just fucked. And I was, only not in the way I wanted.
I run my fingers through my hair and then tie my hair up in a high ponytail before slipping my heels on and racing downstairs.
I walk out into the crisp morning air. “Hello, Miss Burns.”
I stare up at a man in a suit standing outside of a blacked out Audi sedan.
Knight really meant driver, not Uber.
“I picked up a coffee and a bagel for you. It’s in the back, but if you’d prefer tea or—”
“Coffee is great. Thank you…”
“Gallagher.”
“Thank you, Gallagher.”
I climb into the back seat of the luxurious car and spot the coffee and bagel. I sip the coffee, and although I’m going to have to suffer through my massive headache all day, the coffee helps.
Gallagher begins driving in the front seat, singing along quietly to the music.
“Where are we headed? Are we going to the strip club again?”
Gallagher chuckles, raising an eyebrow.
“Oh sorry, I meant gentleman’s club.”
He shakes his head. “Why would we go there?”
“Because Knight owns it. He said I would be his assistant for the next couple of months. Does he have separate offices away from the club?”
Gallagher smiles gently. “Something like that.”
That’s rather vague.
“Tell me about Knight. Is he a good boss?”
He nods. “He compensates me very well.”
Vague again.
“Did you ever drive him and Abri?”
Gallagher stills, but nods.
Does he still love her? Is that what he’s hiding from me? I don’t ask my questions though. It’s clear Gallagher won’t answer me anyway.
I eat my bagel, trying to anticipate what is going to happen when I arrive, but I have no idea what to expect. If I weren’t desperate for the money, I would have quit after last night. I need to talk to him about a payment schedule or getting an advance so I can find a place to live instead of sleeping in his bedroom or in my car. I need to formulate a plan like I always do for the rest of my life.
Gallagher stops the car in front of a high rise. Before I can open the door, he has