Seeing Red

Compensation

I got home from the coffee shop, and made myself some hot tea, specifically green tea, with honey. I laid on the couch, with my four year old white cat, Sir Puffkins, with an ice pack on my cheek. I turned on the TV, and tried to get lost in a true crime show, but so far that wasn't working. As far as days off go, this one was a boring one. The ordeal with the club last night kept playing through my head. Who were those men, who was He, what did he want with that weird clock at the auction on the USB. That seemed odd to me. A man like him, being a clock collector? I mean I've seen weirder things, but that one was new.
"Men are strange, Puff." I rambled to my cat as I walked to my bathroom, I stripped down, and slid on my robe. A nice hot bath sounded amazing right now. I ran the bath water, pouring in some herbal scented bath salts, some lavender bubble bath,and lighting a candle. I dipped my foot in to test the temperature, before hanging up my bathrobe, and sliding down into the hot water. I instantly could feel my achy muscles uncoil from the stress. If I didn't need to money, I'd leave that job in a heart beat. Then again, that's how they trick you, right? They find girls that have nothing, or girls that are struggle to get through school, and entice them with the promise of this glamorous, lavish life. I wasn't one to throw money away on frivolous things, so the majority of mine went straight into savings, except just enough for bills, and necessities. Even still though, it wasn't quite enough to start a life with. So I stay. One of these days I'll get out of there though. I'll go back to college maybe. Maybe buy a house, meet someone and settle down. Or maybe I'll just go buy a tiny secluded cottage in the middle of nowhere, and live alone, in peace, with sir puffkin. I started to drift asleep, my eyes falling heavy, as the tendrils of beautifully scented steam danced up from the bubbles in the water.....
Ring! Ring! Ring!
The landline in the kitchen startled me back awake with a jolt.
"Damn it." I huffed and climbed out of the tub, and pulled the drain stopper, before wrapping myself up in my puffy robe once again. I padded through the house with damp feet, an annoyed slapping sound coming with each step as I stomped to answer it.
"This is Eva" I huffed as into the receiver.
"Natalia." Her stern voice informed me from the other side.
"Oh, I'm hi...what's, um, what's up?" I said in a fluster.
"I expect you in my office within the hour" She didn't say goodbye, simply hung up on me.
"So much for a day off." I sighed, my a Shoulders dropping in disappointment as I shuffled to my bedroom to get dressed. I slid on a pair of grey leggings, a white cropped tank top, my sneakers, and left my hair clipped up at the base of my neck. I threw on a white hoodie, and a plan black baseball cap, and then tossed work necessities and my makeup bag in my duffel bag, and then left after giving sir puffkins a smooch on the head.
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I made it there in under a half hour, and shot Natalia a text that I was in the elevator, headed to her. She read it, but never responded. Her usual. I stepped into the elevator and gave a gentle nod to the security man.
"That's a pretty mean shiner you got there"
His voice startled me, and I looked up in shock. I've never heard him speak before, in the whole time I've worked here, it's always been a silent elevator ride.
"Oh...um" my hand instantly went to the bruise on my cheek. "Yeah, I got called in last minute, I didn't have time to cover it up."
"That was my little sister you took that hit for" he informed me, his voice flat, but full of emotion.
"Daisha didn't deserve whatever happened. I only wish I could've got to her sooner, but I got yanked into the private room."
"Well, it's appreciated none the less" he nodded to me as the doors opened.
"She's a great friend, I would do it again" I assured him with a smile. Finding a tiny bit of pride in my step, I walked the halls to Natalias office. That little bubble of confidence burst, and went away, only to be replaced by nothing but wracked nerves, as I stood before her door. My heart raced, but there was no use putting it off any longer. I took a deep shaky breath, to steady myself, and knocked gently. Immediately the door flew open. and so did my mouth. Natalia stood there, her eyes boring threw me, but it wasn't her that startled me. My jaw had dropped at the sight of the man behind her. It was him. Theo.
"Get in here." She grabbed my arm and yanked me inside. Slamming the door, she turned an pointed two one of the two chairs in front of her desk. I looked over and realized the second chair was occupied by none other than my friend Daisha.
"Dai" I rushed over, taking in her face that was much more swollen today "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." She mumbled, giving me a warning glance.
"Sit down" Natalia demanded as she sat behind the desk, and Theo stood off to the right. I was so scared, but the irony of the situation got the best of me, and a panicked giggle left my mouth. I could feel the stares of shock aimed in my direction, but I couldn't help it, I laughed when I was nervous, and honestly I'd never been this nervous in my life.
"That's enough!" Natalia snapped, and instantly the giggles stopped and I sat back. "What is the matter with you?!"
"I'm sorry" I said apologetically, but I smile was toying at my face, threatening to show at any moment....and then I couldn't hold it back anymore "It just hilarious. It's like being called to rhe principles office, except he has guns, and we're practically strippers....."
"Shut it" she demanded, putting an end to my rambling. I shut up instantly, staring at my own hands as they folded in my lap. "Remove your hat, Eva."
"I'd really rather not...."
"Now." She barked. I sighed and pulled off the ball cap, to expose my whole face. My cheek bone black and blue, and swollen, glowing red and tender, around part of it that had a crusty scab, where the skin split on impact from that mans fist. "Despicable"
"I'm so sorry, Natalia, I had to........"
"I wasn't talking to you." She informed, as she turned to glare at Theo. "I'm speaking to you, Mr. Chase."
"It has been handled." He assured her.
"Handled?" She sneered "Handled how?" She demanded, motioning in mine, and Daisha's direction "You and your men bloodied and bruised the faces of two of my best girls. You think they can work looking like that? It'll take weeks for them to heal properly." She snapped "You think this job is easy, Mr. chase? You think they do it for fun? Because it's not. That, I can assure you."
Both me and Daisha shared a look of disbelief.
"These girls work hard, because they need the money for real problems. Problems I'm sure a big bad man like you, doesn't understand. They get paid for their beauty, so what happens when a rich and entitled man beats that beauty to a pulp? Huh?"
"I can assure you that it was only one man, and he has been dealt with to the full extent of my liking" Theo repeated "He won't harm them, or any woman again." He assured us. "And you two..." he looked at us both "You have my deepest, and sincerest apologies. I will gladly pay you double what you would make in the time it takes you to heal, and return to work. The checks will be mailed to you right away." Neither of us spoke, to scared to step between the shark, and the lion in the room. But then it occurred to me. Natalia had just stood up for us. She's been doing that from the second we got here last night.
"What about Natalia?"
"Excuse me?" He demanded, everyone in the rooms eyes were on me. The look from Natalia was particularly upset, and curious.
"You're paying us for the inconvenience of not being at work, but what about Natalia?" I repeated "We're not the only ones inconvenienced by our absence. She'll have to find two more girls, train them, get them bottle service wardrobes to start out until they make a little money to buy their own, she'll have to spend most of her time keeping an eye on them till they're trained, so that means she'll also have to find someone to do the things that that takes her away from." I stood up while I was speaking without realizing it. "I think you need to fairly compensate her as well." I said crossing my arms over my chest. "Ya know, for the inconvenience"
He stood there boiling with anger, it radiates from him, and instantly inside I felt fear bubbling in me like a freshly popped bottle of champagne, but on the outside, I refused to show any weakness. I don't know if the look that past across his face briefly, was amusement, or respects, but soon he answered "You're absolutely right" he smirked "As you wish, Natalia will be compensated as well, and I'll have two trained and professional girls brought over immediately, to make it easier. After all, this is my bad."
"You're damn right it is." Daisha said, standing up next to me. "I think she deserves an apology too."
He huffed, and rolled his eyes, but look over at Natalia none the less "Madam, you have my deepest apologies. I hope we can have future business together still. As always, it has been a pleasure." He nodded at her, and then Daisha, but then gave me a look of disdain before exiting the room.
"Well done, girls." Natalia praised with a grin. I'd never seen her smile before, but that smile give a glimpse of how she got to be the head of the bottle girls. Her teeth were so white, and perfectly aligned. She made be a cold woman, but she was also a beautiful one.
"We're so sorry about last night." Daisha said with a worried expression "we didn't mean to cause any issues for the club, but....."
"None sense." Natalia spoke, holding out two rectangular pieces of paper, one for each of us. "Mr.Chase spoke very highly of both of you, so as promised, triple pay, plus he tipped you both very well." I took the paper, and looked at it. They were checks! The amount of money on this piece of paper almost made me dizzy. "This is a lot." I said in utter disbelief.
"Yes. It is." She nodded, her expression returning to its normal RBF. " but I'd say you two more than earned it. And there's more to come it sounds like." She stood up, straightening her blazer. " Believe it or not, I'm very proud of you both. You protect one another. Now I'd like you both to go see the resident physician, and then take the next two weeks off. I'm sure you won't be too strapped for cash until then."
"Thank you so much." We said together. She made an annoyed face, and shooed us from her office.