Page 25 of The Reluctant Siren
Pretty much everything since her parents didn’t think shamewas a real word. But she wasn’t about to talk about her unusual upbringing. “Iread a lot. Nate is more into it than I am. He wants to give it a try. I likethe way it sounds in the books. It seems like a nice way to live.”
“Oh, this place isn’t like the romance books. I don’t knowwhat other clubs are like because this is the only one I’ve ever worked in, butit’s not like that,” Miranda admitted. “I’ve read those, too. I thought itwould be…more like a family. I guess that’s part of what I was looking for.”
Oh, Harlow would bet that was exactly what the young womanhad been looking for since she knew what happened with Miranda’s mom. Shehadn’t held back when she told the story of their estrangement. Miranda’s momwas pretty filled with guilt. “Yeah, that’s what I like about it, too. I guessI was thinking this place would be like those clubs, but you don’t even have alocker room. Where do you get ready?”
“Oh, we have to come in ready,” Miranda explained. “We havea break room on the floor above where we can store our street clothes, but it’snot easy to get ready there, and there are so many of us we don’t fit.”
“I guess I thought Doms liked to treat subs like they’reprincesses.” She loved when Niall called her princess. But only because shecould hear the warrior part.
Was he playing her for some reason?
“I’m sure some do. It’s like anything, I guess. Everyone’sdifferent, but I think some of the women who come through here end up leavingbecause they don’t like it.”
Was Miranda trying to save her? It definitely felt like shewas trying to steer her away, which was not the job she’d been given. “Whatdoes your Dom think of this place?”
“I don’t have one.”
“You’re a sub without a Dom? Working in the lifestyle? Doyou have any you play with?”
Miranda’s head shook. “No. I was seeing this guy before Igot the job here, but he wasn’t into this kind of thing. Not that I would havedone that stuff with him. I don’t play yet. I know some of the hostesses do andthey get good tips, but I haven’t tried it. I think it’s one of the reasonsPhil gets pissed with me sometimes. It’s one of the reasons they don’t want usto have boyfriends. They might get jealous.”
And it sounded like she didn’t want to. Harlow turned. Shewasn’t going to be able to do this slow. “This doesn’t sound like a normal job.If you’re not comfortable playing, you absolutely shouldn’t play. I know thatmuch.”
Niall would flip his shit when she told him what was goingon here. She’d been lucky he hadn’t freaked out and stopped everything whenthey’d walked past that completely unsafe scene.
Miranda looked over to the door as though trying to makesure no one came through. “You seem nice. Maybe you should get your boyfriendto take you somewhere else. He seems kind, and I worry if he runs with the menwho own this place, he won’t be for long. Nice guys don’t last long aroundhere, if you know what I mean.”
“I don’t.” She needed as much information as she could get.Harlow was starting to get a bad feeling about this place. A familiar feeling.
It reminded her so much of the club in LA. The one where shemet Jensen. Where their two cases brought them together and then tore themapart. Case? His wasn’t a case. His was all about revenge.
But that didn’t matter. What mattered was Decadence was anawful lot like Club Paradise. The waitstaff there were being slowlytransitioned into drug mules and sex workers. Though workers got paid, andCliff Hamilton didn’t pay his girls. He took them for everything they wereworth and tossed them aside when he was through with them.
Could they be connected? When they were working in LA, bothshe and Jensen had theories that there were more clubs. They thought Hamiltonwas trying to take his business to other cities. At the time there had beenrumors Hamilton had some kind of tech work happening. There had been a group ofyoung men who hadn’t fit in with the crowd. Hackers, she’d thought at the time,but what if they had been building the app this group was using to distributetheir drugs?
Miranda shrugged. “I know I’m supposed to convince you tohang out here, but I think it would be better if you don’t. Phil isn’t as niceas he seems, and he’s always looking for more girls. You would fit the bill.You need to be careful because if he gives you a job offer, he doesn’t like itwhen you say no.”
Nope. She wasn’t going to be able to go slow at all.“Miranda, are you okay?”
The younger woman seemed to rally, forcing a smile to herface. “Of course. I’m sorry. I’m in a bad head space. Forget what I said.”
“I don’t think I can. I’m worried about you.”
Miranda waved her off. “Nothing to worry about. The money isgreat. It’s helping me pay off my loans, and I’m getting to move up soon and Iwon’t have to deal with the club again. Everyone who moves up seems happy. Ifyou’re having second thoughts, you might want to trust your instincts.”
“My instincts tell me you’re in trouble,” Harlow saidquietly.
“Well, I’m going to be if I don’t get back out to the floorsoon,” Miranda said with a shaky laugh. “Phil was mad enough that Jack took anunscheduled break.”
“Niall will let him know you’re with me. We’ve got time. Iwould like to talk more.”
“I can show you around the dungeon, I guess,” Mirandaoffered.
She was going to lose her. It was a gamble, but she had totake it. “Miranda, your mother is worried about you. She’s worried this job ismore than a regular job.”
Miranda stopped, her eyes widening and hand going to herchest. “My mom sent you? Who are you?”
At least she wasn’t running for the door. “I’m a privateinvestigator, and she hired me to find you. I tracked you down to here. I knowyou had a fight with her and she told you if you left you shouldn’t come back,but sweetie, she did not mean it. She’s so sorry.”
