Chapter Three

HAYLEY’s POV

He had to be fucking crazy

Marry him?

What were men on these days to have such fucking blatant audacity?

I climbed the stairs to my home, sighing as I kicked the shoes I had on, away

To think I had thought he had something important to say, like maybe offer me another fucking job.

Marriage was the last thing on my mind and to a stranger?

I stared at the card he had squeezed into my hand; one that held his number and name.

Christian Montgomery.… I read

Why the hell did it sound oddly familiar? Like I had heard it somewhere and it was something I ought to know.

“Whatever” I scoffed, tossing the paper aside and collapsing on the sofa.

I had to call my friends but they worked late at night at some strip club so I did not think they would be with their phones at the moment.

They had gotten me the job so it was only right that I told them I had been fired for something I had no idea about.

Although I was pretty sure I had been fired because I had refused the advances of his son some days earlier. I could still remember how he had threatened to get me fired when I had stopped his creeping hand on my thighs.

There was no proof that he had stolen whatever it was I was being accused for and blamed it on me.

I sighed again, my mind drifting annoyingly to the man who had saved me at the bar… to Christian.

He was stunning and I was sure he could get any woman he wanted at any time he wanted so why was he looking for a wife and why me?

“Stop thinking about it, Hayley. You are not going to marry a man you have only just met. For all you know he could be the fucking axe murderer and wants to kill you and sell your body parts for money” I berated myself.

What I needed to do at the moment was sleep and then think of what else I could do.

My phone trilled loudly, indicating that the repayment of the debt I owed was fast approaching.

Fuck you, Chester and may you rot in the belly of a shark!

The bastard had broken up with me and left me with owing some loan sharks whom I had never heard of except when they had come to harass me for the money.

According to them, he had borrowed five hundred thousand dollars and had put my name and house address up as his beneficiary. They could not find him anywhere so I had to pay his debt and although we had agreed on the time and dates to offer up part payments, there was no way in hell I could pay such amount of money.

I had tried to find Chester but it was like he had disappeared from the surface of the earth and although Kitty had said she was sure he had been planning this for a long time, I did not want to believe her.

I climbed out of the bathtub, wrapping myself in a towel and going straight to sleep.

The next morning I was awoken by a conference call from my friends, Kitty and Darren.

“Hey sleeping beauty” Kitten screamed while I groaned

“Why are you still in bed?” Darren commented

“I was fired” I told them.

They were silent for a second while I fidgeted

“Why? How?” Kitty asked

“I… remember I told you that Santiago tried to harass me the day before and threatened to get me fired?

They nodded in unison

“Well, I arrived the next day for my evening shift and I was accused of stealing”

“That is bull crap, baby doll”Darren raged

“He fired me immediately and I…”

I paused there as I thought of telling them about the man I had met and his offer. I did not think it was right to put it out there like that

“And what?” Kitty prompted

“That’s it. I went to the bar for a drink and came back home” I lied.

“I am so sorry, Hayley but I think you are in actual luck. We have an opening at the strip club”

“I am not stripping” I countered

“You don’t need to. It is for the bar there; they are in need of a bartender and honestly the pay is good and will help with the debt. I think you should come in this morning and interview for it” Darren said.

“Isn’t it glaring that serving people is clearly

not in my future?” I groaned.

“Listen baby doll, you got fired from one job. It doesn’t mean you’ll get fired from any other one you try to apply to.” Darren persuaded.

“Fine, I will apply as long as I don’t discard one piece of my clothing.” I murmured.

We laughed and talked about the guy who had tried to touch Kitty during her strip act. He had apologized and tipped her big and they had exchanged numbers. She was going to see him during the weekend and then they were going on his yacht.

“Don’t you think that is very dangerous?”

“Nope and you only live once, Hayley… you have to start living! Forget that asshole you dated and allow a man fuck you to the seven heavens for once”

I blushed, my head bringing up a mental image of Christian. Now, he looked like a man who would fuck a woman to the seven heavens. Fuck it Hayley, I’m already fantasizing way too far

“I should get ready for the interview” I cleared my throat, shaking my head.

I am still hungover, that is why I am thinking of him, I thought to myself in protest.

I decided on a brown skirt and a black shirt for the interview.

Crossing my fingers in prayers, I entered the club allowing myself be led into the office of the man whom I assumed was the boss.

His eyes surveyed my choice of clothing immediately I entered and it was while before he pointed me into a chair.

“Your name is?”

“Hayley, Sir. Hayley Marshall”

“And have you ever worked the bar before, Hayley Marshall”

“Yes” I lied

“I… to tell you the truth; this is a strip club” He mentioned while I nodded. “You walked in here like you are going for an interview at some bank with those clothes.”

“I can adjust. You do not need to worry about my morals” I said, the smile on my face very shaky.

“Good because I would hate to be the man who ruined a perfectly innocent girl” He commented, flashing pearly white teeth at me.

I was sure one smile from him and every girl within a 10m radius swooned in a faint but I was no such girl.

“I am Khalid, Hayley and you are employed” He muttered, putting a hand out to me.

I shook his hand, clearing my throat and brushing my lashes down so he did not see the tears in my eyes.

He called in Kitty who pretended like she had no idea who I was and asked her to show me to the back for a change of clothes.

I waited until we were far away before I squealed like a banshee and hugged her.

”Where is Darren?” I asked.

“At the back, finishing up. Welcome to the club, girl… literally”

“I cannot believe it and when he made that comment about my clothes, I thought I was done for” I sighed, putting a hand out to my beating heart dramatically.

“You chose really bad clothing, my friend but you have got the job so that is what matters. Change up and get ready for a great day and whatever you do, maintain your smile.”She kissed my cheek

“Smiling attracts the best tippers.” She advised and left.

I clawed the bartender’s dress in the closet, marveling at the short length of it. Was I even sure of what I was doing here?

I never thought I’d see myself working in a strip club, not that it was too bad, after all my two best friends are working here.

But fuck this,

It doesn’t matter, Hayley… you got a freaking job