Roses & Thorns

Chapter Two: A Gun

Picture above is of Rosemary and Charlotte! Vote/Comment :)

I knew that coming into work the next day was a horrible idea, especially considering that the gruesome sight from last night had scarred me and multiple acts of vomiting had led me to feel queasy.

I shouldn't be here. I should be at the police station telling them everything I saw and heard last night. But I was terrified of the warning I'd been given before the men left. I had to keep my mouth shut.

Plus, I'd come up with a story during my cab ride to work. Since everyone knew Steven Greene was my client and they knew I'd been with him last night I would simply say that we were only together for about ten minutes. He relieved himself, paid me, and then I left so I knew nothing about his murder or who murdered him. Crisis averted!

I tried to reassure myself as I straddled the man in front of me in one of the curtain covered lap dance nooks. But it didn't help and within seconds I found myself sprinting out of the nook and darting toward the bathroom.

I gagged into the toilet but nothing came out. Mr. Roth was going to kill me for running out on one of our best customers but I just couldn't center myself and forget about what had happened last night. The images were so vivid in my mind and no matter how much I tried, I couldn't erase the memory.

Sure Steven was an asshole who had given me a fair share of bruises internally and externally from his borderline masochistic desires, but he didn't deserve to die like a scene from The Godfather. Two men with shot guns barging right into his home. It was barbaric.

"Rosemary." I heard a voice call me from outside the door. 

I lifted my body up, inhaled deeply, then opened the door to see Charlotte leaned on the wall.

She was a member of the Lush class, an unofficial club for all girls who had been at Lush for a year or longer and had no shame in having sex with clients. There was a mild level of superiority in the Lush class since they claimed the most wealthy clients and they managed some of the "behind the scenes" operations. I had no desire to be in the Lush class and to be honest, if I made it to a year here then I would probably assume that a future for myself was hopeless. More hopeless than I felt it was right now.

"Your guy just stormed out without paying." She pushed off of the wall and blew a strand of red hair from her face. "Said you weren't servicing him properly today."

I moved out of the way for another girl to enter the bathroom then sighed and shook my head.

"Yeah, I wasn't." I walked toward the bar and Charlotte chuckled while following me.

"Are you alright?"

"Uh-yeah, I will be." I lied, reaching over the bar counter to grab a bottle of water.

"If you're off today then just tell Roth. Your attitude is bad for business." She said bluntly. She wasn't being rude, she was being honest and I knew that she was only looking out for me as she always had.

Charlotte was not only the reason why I had a job at Lush. She was also the reason why I had a place to stay in her apartment after I'd been wandering the streets in search of both. I hadn't envisioned myself in an apartment with four others and a job tending to needy men but I was grateful for Charlotte's support and friendship regardless.

"I know, but I'll be fine I'm just a bit tired." I started to walk away but she grabbed my arm and pulled me to a corner by the back hallway.

"Don't bullshit me Rose," she said in a low but intimidating tone.