~ THE VIP

° Sabrina Hayden °

It's so late when I walked past all the coffee shops and bars that lined the main strip on my way back to the Reef club where I work. I can see through all the multi-colored glass that each is already busy with patrons on this rather chilly evening, the crowds I passed are the usual electric mix of wealthy peoples fresh-faced attempting to be trendy!  I also spot my favorite kind of patrons amongst the throngs of people, the high-up executives wanting to show off their wealth and indulge in their fantasies, and finally the bored wealthy housewife. I’m not jealous of all the people I can hear and see having the time of their lives, no no not at all as I sped up towards my destination.

My destination just off the main strip is a real blink and you miss it kind of establishment almost looks like a high-end diamond seller. Sure the black sign that has a very fine silver outline of a diamond and bold letters etched into it, hanging above sleek black marble pillars that support a rather imposing oxblood red door screams excessive luxury. I know it's more

than just a luxury club! Behind the luxury lies the true excess and what is downright sinful at times. The club is a bit being a sex club!

It's all things decadent and sinful, the heart of the club hides behind a mirrored staircase where a matching oxblood colored door leaves to a cavernous decadent red room, no bright lights that lit here it's all lit by the massive candelabras that hang low from the mirrored ceiling. Black velvet couches huddled around individual hexagonal gold glittered stages. The deep crimson walls give the main club a feel of elegance. A Part of the club just left of the mirrored bar, is hidden behind heavy velvet imperial plum colored curtains. It's the VIP area that is sectioned off into six private rooms and a small copy of the main bar! I have yet to enter the VIP area.

I know it's an area of excess and practically anything goes in the private booths, well that's what I heard, it's also where the drink servers can earn a weeks' worth of tips in one shift which I could really do with right now. Only a few months ago when I started working here as the pole dance, I was naïve enough to think this was just an exclusive bar when in fact the Reef club is so much more!  I can't afford to be picky about my place of work especially when it pays well above the average wage, I was desperate for the cash as three months ago my funding for the month was slashed in half and now only covers half of the fucking month! I  worked my ass off for that funding and it used to pay for the fucking bills and loans but significantly increased when my drunkard father decided to gamble for the sake of his dear alcohol and lost everything and remaining money which I had been saving up until now to pay the bills and the loans.  

I was down to my last few hundred dollars when I just happened to stumble across one of the dancers trying to desperately escape the rough hands of some punk. I had no idea what came over me, but I stepped in and punched that guy away from the deer-like girl, who had then run straight into the arms of a tall handsome man who thanked me for saving his friend! That man was Maximus, who bought me a drink as a thank you. Completed awed by what He saw I had asked if they needed staff when I broke down on Maximus about how I had no idea how I would pay for bills and loans, Maximus has asked one of the bosses to give me a trial behind the bar, one month later here is working four nights a week as a permanent member of staff.

I looked at the message on my phone it had confused me greatly when Maximus had

messaged me and demanded that I get to the Reef club ASAP when I was out earlier this morning as today was the death anniversary of my mother. Not wanting to offend the man who has taken me under his wing at the club, I had instantly dashed across town to get to the club, despite the fact that my shift doesn't start normally until midnight. I smile shyly to the security guard as I head up the stairs, trying not to let the way I take over my small frame get to me, as I dashed past the office of the person who makes My skin crawl the most!

Tommy Dog as all staff call him, I thought that he was the owner when first introduced, it was only after I had freaked out when Tommy slapped my ass in the bar areas during closing did I truly understand the nickname. Tommy makes my skin crawl, with how out of all the servants, Tommy always requests me to bring his drink to his rather smelly office. He always forces me to place his whiskey beside his desk phone that sits beside his chair every time I get a slap across the ass, it's the same thing every day Tommy requests his drink in his office, and that it be the young blond that brings it. One time Tommy had even suggested that I could get a raise if I gave him something extra. I still remember how I trembled to decline such a request, it had not gone down well. I took to heart Tommy's Words about being fired when I flinched away from Tommy’s sweaty hands and now accepts the slaps to ass as I need this job if I could afford bills and eating more than instant noodles.

One night last week Tommy got too handsy by palming my crotch, leaving me mortified, the whole ordeal happened to be witnessed by a blonde girl who was coming there to serve him his drinks, who then went and told Maximus it was a rather pissed Maximus that took me aside to tell me that The Reef Club is a shady place to be for people who look like me, innocent and otherworldly beautiful.

I had been mortified that Maximus was angry with me. I have tearfully pleaded that I wasn't trying to grab attention. It was only after Maximus pulled me in for a hug, did I discover that Tommy isn't the owner, just the middle man who likes to think he is in charge and for all the past years I have been living all scared by him that he is the real owner of this Reef club! Tommy is only supposed to deal with the bar ordering, and the paperwork as the boss is the one in charge! When I asked who my boss is, Maximus just smiles and pet my hair affectionately, before saying I will find out on the first Saturday of the month just who my boss is. Today is that Saturday, it's the first Saturday of the month.

° Alejandro D’amelio °

Taking a sip of my rare imported brandy, I stared at the computer screen in front of me, thanks to the hacker men I now have the financials of my club The Reef club! I had foolishly left the control of my club in the hands of its managers, what I see on their balance sheet does not paint a good picture for the people I had left in charge! It's the story of my life, people trying their luck and being a disappointment! It was what my father had always said before he passed. Backstabbing, and dirty tricks, the price you pay for being the head of a mafia unit! My father had also advised against having any weakness especially love, having a weakness leaves you open to your enemies and can get you killed.

I hated yet understood why my father said that sadly weakness was the latter for my father, he had fallen in love with my mother, to the point my dad would do anything for her. Sadly she had been taken from them far too soon, by a rival gang's home invasion gone horribly wrong! That night was the only time I saw my mother cry, as she held my father's lifeless body to his chest. Since that night over 15 years ago, having no weakness had been drilled into me, he died while saving her, it was that night that was the catalyst that stopped his father from allowing their family to trade guns illegally.

Even now I uphold that decision we don't deal in the heavy stuff like human or weapons trafficking, we leave that for the Russians and the Chinese mafia to fight over! The other trade I deal with is drugs, sadly however drugs do bleed into my operations normally by other syndicates trying to openly frame my hidden empire! As many want what I control, the black market! I can understand why people want to be in charge of the black market as nothing gets past my rather talented team that they don't want in the city, they act as brokers as it were, ensuring the flow of goods is never detected!

We have been condemned by many for not being true mafia, and I love to prove them wrong on the occasions that require it. However, their specialty is switching out original products for counterfeits in everything from paintings to shoes, keeping the originals to sell on to the highest bidder getting an inflated cut of the costs they charge! It's not widely known but I also individually own a couple of restaurants and bars, one, in particular, matches my taste a rather opulent sex club called The Reef Club.

Brother, it's after 11 shall I call for the town car" I turn around in my office chair to face my best friend and also a bodyguard. I have been so immersed in the finances of The Reef Club that I didn't realize the time. "You look stressed boss," "Enzo we have talked about this you do not need to call me boss when we are alone. To answer your question I am a little hacked off more so than stressed." I get off my chair to allow Enzo the space to look at the figures I have been analyzing, somehow someone who works at The Reef club has been cooking the books.

I’m no mathematician but the years of experience of being in this family have taught me how to uncover what's been hidden, in this case, 8% of their profit margin is missing! I watch as my right-hand man scans over the details, a little bit annoyed that it takes Enzo 5 minutes to figure it out when I have been holed up in here for the better part of the day. "With figures like this, it can only mean they are keeping some of your cut Alejandro. How did you cotton on?"

"My last visit in that club had to send out one of the other dancers as they didn't have my usual drink ready. It didn't sit well with me that they didn't have my usual drink considering I only attend once a month."

"Being who you are as well, they normally keep your bottle out of the way, as you hate sharing! It is odd but Alejandro are you sure that brunette isn't just redirecting your anger after what she said to you last time! Not to mention we all spotted her running after that other smaller dancer."

I smile at him. I know what he is trying to say, yes brunette is a favorite of mine...

I fondly remember several of our trysts in the private room of the club that is purely mine. Many happy memories exist in that room. I remember how that brunette would always take care of me. A slight fire ignited within me when I remembered just how good that brunette was with her tongue!

I had been very fortunate that I for one night a month got to experience Amelia in all her glory. I would never admit it to anyone that technically the last time I saw Amelia I got dumped by her. Amelia had kindly made it clear she was not interested in their casual kind of arrangement, said the dancer had made it clear nothing more sexual would happen between them. It was the first time I have ever been told what to do, I didn't like that! No one tells me what to do, yet I had been impressed with the dancers' balls to stand up to me! It's such a shame and I would be lying if I didn't enjoy the blow jobs or how Amelia raised me like a cowgirl because she did! Now that I think about it Amelia calling off our little trysts does tie in with her running off after someone else, it also happened to be the same time I had to wait for my drink! Perhaps the black-haired ice queen is trying to tell me something.

The sudden ping of my iPhone shakes me out of my happy daydream, choosing to ignore Enzo's smug expression. I’m surprised to find just who the message is from! Turning my phone around to show Enzo all I get is a "talk of the devil, perhaps she has changed her mind? No one can resist how much you pamper your flavor of the month Alejandro both Thiago and I know it's only been the ice queen for the last six months!"

I stare down at my oldest friend using my famous resting bitch face, I shouldn't be surprised that Enzo knows that I haven't been bringing anyone back to the manor, I can't help it that no one has been of interest, it's also not been the quietest six months with customs getting wind of our counterfeit goods trade. I have had to get creative with my importing, thankfully customers have no idea where my factory is based. "Just go get the car" I watch as Enzo salutes and turns to leave the room to get Thiago and the car ready to head to The Reef Club.

Finally, alone I can concentrate on the message from Amelia, what the message says intrigues me no end. “I know you're not happy with me because I canceled our agreement, we have a new member of staff, shall I introduce you?” I walk up to the floor-to-ceiling window of my office when a second message comes through “this staff member has garnered the unwanted attention of Tommy, I think you would enjoy her Alejandro. Did I mention she's also very petite, you can practically put her in your pocket?” After reading that second text I can't deny that I'm not intrigued about this member of staff, I certainly don't recall meeting any new faces.

“Alright you have my attention, this person better be ready in my usual room, you have thirty minutes.”