Page 1 of Devious Truth

See Attendant

The words flash at me from the gas pump screen. I drop my chin to my chest and count to ten, biting back a groan.

Forgoing the embarrassment of having my debit card decline inside at the register, I dig through my purse for the ten dollar bill I keep stashed for emergencies. Ten bucks isn’t much, but it will get enough gas into my tank to get me to work.

By the end of my shift, I’ll have enough tips to fill the tank on my way home, and with a little luck, I’ll have enough left over to pay my rent in the morning.

At least traffic is on my side, and I pass the gates of Obsidian with fifteen minutes to spare before my shift starts.

The sun is practically gone from the sky, casting an ominous shadow over the mansion-turned-elite members-only club,Obsidian. The most powerful family in the city owns and runs the underground club. Membership is hard to come by, easy to lose, and risky to hold.

But that’s exactly how the Volkov brothers keep control in this city.

When I showed up for my first shift a year ago, I’d been taken aback by the haunting elegance of the place. The architecture is something right out of an architecture textbook with its tall, pointed gables and long, narrow windows with sharp arches and stained glass.

When I’d stepped up to the massive wooden doors, I wasn’t sure if I should use the heavy iron knockers, twisted into ornate, ominous shapes. Luckily, the doors had opened before I had to decide, and I’d been escorted inside.

The nervousness of that night is long past. If only every unpleasant memory could be stashed so neatly in an emotional drawer, never to open again.

“Vee! Wait up.” Caroline slams her car door and hurries to meet up with me at the set of stairs leading into the employee entrance.

The employees park in a gravel lot in the back of the mansion.

“I hope you have different shoes in your bag.” I point to the stiletto heels squeezing the life out of her petite feet.

“Nope. I’m counting on these babies to bring in record tips tonight.” She winks.

“They do shape your calves nicely.” I let her walk up the stairs ahead of me.

“What about my ass?” She lifts her jacket up over her hips so I can see her perfectly shaped ass through the fitted skirt of our Obsidian-issued uniform.

“It’s perfect.” I sigh. “Just like every night.”

She laughs. “It’s these squats. I’m telling you, Vee, you should come with me to the gym.”

I roll my eyes. “No thanks.”

Not that I wouldn’t love to join her and get her abs and ass, but my budget doesn’t allow for such frivolities like a healthy lifestyle.

“It’s not that you need it; I mean, you’re fucking beautiful. But imagine how much money you’d make if you showed it off a bit more.” She punches in the security code to the entrance and pulls the door open.

It’s a valid point. The sort of men who come to Obsidian aren’t looking for modesty. They want the sort of thing they can’t get at home. Even if there’s a strict look-don’t-touch policy here, they definitely are heavier handed with tips toward the girls that show better.

If I had the ability to dance, I’d really make a killing in one of the cages. But grace just isn’t in my DNA.

“Vee, good you’re here. Lisa called off tonight, so you’ll be taking half her section. Think you can handle it?” Meredith, our floor manager catches us just before we enter the staff locker room.

“Sure, no problem.”

And my luck just got a little better. It’ll be more work, but more tables mean more tips.

My gas tank will thank me later. Along with my landlord and credit card companies. Maybe I’ll have enough left over to be able to splurge on a bottle of wine.

“Great. And Caroline, you’re in the private gaming suites. Take room three and four. I put the player list on your locker for you.”

“Am I serving or do they need a dealer?” she asks.

Meredith checks her iPad. “Just drinks tonight.”

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