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(...Continued from the previous reply)
~~~
Still in her bathrobe, her hair tied back into a bun, Gina stepped behind the bar, nodding at Hal, the bartender, and fixed herself a Screwdriver.
At the other end of the bar a lone patron, dressed in an expensive black Armani suit, sat patiently, staring into his half-empty glass of bourbon.
Tony came over. “I’ll be right here, okay?”
“I’ll be right there, okay?” she mocked in a bad imitation of his gruff and tough voice.
Tony shook his head and laughed.
After mixing her drink, Gina filled another glass with bourbon and placed it before the stranger. “That’s on me for tipping the bouncer,” she said. “And just to let you know, in case you get any strange ideas, he’s a good friend of mine and is standing just within range to break your neck if he even thinks your language is offending me. Are we clear?”
The man looked over at Tony who stood at the other end of the bar with his arms crossed like an intimidating stone. Without getting up, the stranger said, “Good evening, Miss Melborn. I am Malcolm Hathaway and it’s an honor to finally meet you.” He was a short man up close, with slick, brown hair tied back into a ponytail. He picked up the glass. “Thank you very much for the drink.”
Gina examined Malcolm’s face. “So why don’t you tell me what you think your money’s going to get out of me and then I’ll give you a choice of colorful expletives to choose from as my answer.”
Malcolm had dark eyes, a hawkish nose, and a clever looking smile. He had the look of a man who was not impressed by much in the world, but amused by everything. He took a long sip from his drink, placed it back down on the bar and stared right back, without a word. After sizing her up, Malcolm smiled and asked, “So… what’s the verdict? Am I an ex-con, fresh out of jail and looking for a good time? Perhaps I’m ranked much lower among the detestable and despicable, desperately seeking to talk you into a plethora of strange sexual positions, based on my excessive amount of liquid courage and cash… hmm?”
Gina shook her head, waving her drink in his face. “Why don’t you tell me? You have until I finish this, and then I’m going home.”
“Straight to the point, I respect that,” he said. “I assure you, what I need is a dancer—no more, no less—and I’m willing to pay a substantial amount for your services.”
“I’m still listening.”
Malcolm laughed. “To seduce a man or a woman with the right words is far more challenging than flesh upon the eyes, wouldn’t you agree?”
Gina shook her head and cracked, “With men it’s simple: present a hole… they’ll come. So what’s your particular fetish? Believe me, I’ve heard them all.”
“I guess my particular fetish this evening are the holes on the side of your lovely head,” Malcolm said.
“Figures,” she said, taking a long gulp of her drink and tiring of the conversation. “Let’s say we cut through all this witty foreplay and get to the fucking—the fucking point, that is.”
“The fucking point, as you say, is that I would like to hire you to dance at a dinner event that I’m hosting.”
“Sorry, I don’t do private parties.” Gina downed the rest of her drink. “That kind of shit reeks of trouble… and this girl’s not interested.”
“Again, the monetary reward I’m offering for your time and trouble is quite substantial. Would you at least lend me your ears a bit longer and entertain my offer?”
Gina didn’t want to hear anything else. She was tired and it was late. “Thanks, but no thanks. Tell you what, ask any of these ho-bag waitresses working tonight, and they’ll do anything you want for a twenty.” She handed her empty glass to Hal and started walking away.
By the time she reached Tony, Malcolm said, “How does ten thousand dollars sound to you?”
She looked at Tony and whispered, “Did he just say, ‘ten thousand dollars’?”
Tony went wide-eyed and nodded.
Malcolm laughed and asked the bartender, “Sir, could I get another one of these, and one of whatever the lady is having.”
Hal looked to Gina and shrugged.
Gina shrugged back. To Tony, she whispered, “If he’s serious, then he wants more than just a dance… or he’s fucking crazy.”
Tony thought about it. “Hear him out. I’ll even go with you if it sounds legit.”
“You’d do that?” She was touched.
“Do you really have to ask me that?” he kidded. “Now go hear what he has to say. That’s a lot of money to ignore.”
Gina walked past Hal, who handed her another Screwdriver, and stood before Malcolm with her arms crossed. “Okay, you bought yourself a little more time. Start making some sense. Why am I worth ten thousand dollars for one night’s work?”
“I assure you, my dear, there’s no catch attached to it. A dancer is what I need… nothing more. Of course, your services are easily worth half that, but I need to conclude our business shortly and I believe ten thousand would be sufficient to ensure your commitment on short notice.”
“What’s the rush?”
“I’m afraid my dinner party is already in progress.” Malcolm looked at his Rolex. It was 1:15 a.m. “By now, my guests are arriving and will be expecting my presence within the hour. I had a last-minute cancellation with another talented woman, which leaves me without a dancer.”
“Wait… so you need a dancer… now? It’s a little late for dinner don’t you think, Hathaway?”
Malcolm smiled. “I would be happy to explain the nature of my dinner party and all details of your involvement on the way… but I need your decision. We would need to leave within the next thirty minutes.”
Gina was exhausted. Just the thought of adding on an additional performance to an already late evening made her want to climb into bed that much faster.
“I would pay you in advance, of course,” Malcolm added, sweetening the deal. “You’d have the money upon arrival at the party.”
She looked across the bar, catching Tony’s concerned gaze.
Gina couldn’t help thinking about what an extra ten thousand dollars would mean. She could bank that free and clear. It would take her weeks to save up that much money—weeks cut off in a single night. It was tempting.
As she continued to watch Tony, Gina wondered if he would come with her when she finally flew the coup. She’d always intended on asking him, if she ever worked up the nerve.
Just you and me, Tony. We’ll be able to walk away from this dive and go wherever we want and start a new life.
Some dreams required the occasional risk.
It’s just one more show… and a free dinner to boot.
“What does one wear to the way-past-midnight ball, anyway?” Gina asked.
Malcolm was ecstatic. “Very good! Don’t worry about your apparel, my dear. I just happen to have a stunning green dress in the car that would accommodate your eyes wonderfully. And I’ll bet you ten thousand dollars that it fits you perfectly.”
Gina laughed. “Are you always so sure of yourself? I’m tempted to say ‘no’ just to wipe that shit-eating grin off your face.”
“I usually get my way, if that’s what you mean,” Malcolm added with a smile. “The dress was just a calculated gamble, with good odds in my favor. Only a fool would turn down easy money.”
I’m sure there’s someone swimming at the bottom of a lake somewhere that thought the same thing once, she thought.
“One more thing,” Gina said. “It’s a two-for-one deal. If I go, so does the big guy over there. If that doesn’t work for you, then the deal’s off.”
Malcolm raised an eyebrow. “If he dances as well as you, I may have to split the fee between the both of you.”
“Very funny.”
Malcolm got up, and with the biggest shit-eating grin he could muster, added, “It just so happens, I have an extra-large suit in the car. It should fit your friend very nicely.”
~~~
(Continued in the next reply...)
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