Money Can't Buy Happiness

Chapter 45

Bustling around the house, Katie prepared to have a scary and uncomfortable conversation with Happy. She was straightening the messes that had accumulated during the day, toys and junk mail, a basket of laundry waiting to be folded and the like, while her mind raced.

"It's not sex," she said to herself. "It's not sex, it's not cheating," she repeated. "He's still not gonna go for it though," she said sadly as the sound of his Harley hit her ears.

He walked in, without knocking, and greeted her with a long hug despite how damp with sweat he was. "How you doin'?"

"I'm okay," she kissed his cheek. "You reek, dude. It's nasty."

"I know," he chuckled. "Lemme get a shower."

It wasn't a long shower, it never was, but the minutes ticked by slowly because of her eagerness. When he joined her again, fresh and relaxed, she pushed him down to sit on the couch.

"Hi," she said awkwardly.

"What?" He was already suspicious.

"You know about the gym and Scoops," she said, "But what I didn't discuss with you is my plan to keep both businesses running as well as profitable."

Shuffling a bit on the couch he got comfortable. "Okay, tell me."

She nodded, pacing in front of him, and took a deep breath. "Basically, I want to open a...sex club," she said the last two words with a bit of uncertainty. "I don't know what to call it," she admitted. "I want to convert the basement of the gym into a concierge type of dominatrix and burlesque business."

Pinching the bridge of his nose Happy let out a tiny growl before looking up at her again. "I thought you wanted out of this shit?"

"I wanted out of having sex with men for money," she explained, not surprised by his angry tone.  "For Charlotte...and for you because I want to be with you and I know that isn't something you're comfortable with. I need to make money though, Hap and I have no skills outside of sexwork. None."

He looked at her and tried to chose his words carefully knowing this was an important conversation. He reacting in a more mature manner than either expected but he wasn't expecting this and his emotions were spiraling.

"I thought the point of this business thing was to improve your image? Besides, no one is going to let you open a fucking sex club on Main Street."

"Yeah," she bit the inside of her cheek, "Well it's not like I'd be advertising," Kate said nervously. "It would be more referral based so we can vet cliente."

Pulling a face, Happy swallowed his anger before speaking. "You mean you're gonna lie about it and keep it a big fucking secret?"

"Yeah, basically," she shrugged.

"I don't give a fuck about you lying about it in town or hiding it from Jax cause of Charlotte." Happy admitted, surprising her with the revelation, but it was only one part of his all varied feelings about it.

"Really?" She drew her head back in surprise. "That's kind of against the club's whole thing with keeping Charming, well, charming."

He shrugged. "That wasn't Jax's crusade besides, it ain't drugs and it's good to have the gym and shit back and running."

Katie smiled, wondering if he truly felt that way or was trying to explain away some guilt, and straddled him on the couch. "You're really handling this well," she pressed her forehead against his. "I love you."

"I love you too," he grumbled. "So what else? What are you gonna be doing?"

Leaning back so she could actually look at him but still sitting on his lap, Katie shrugged. "I wanted to do it all, most of it, at least. Mainly because I'm a control freak but also, it's more money for me if I don't have to pay anyone else. There's no sex-"

"You gonna be naked?" He interrupted.

"No," she said firmly. "There's costumes and leather but no full nudity and no sex."

"What is it?" He grabbed her hands and held them tight. "Tell me what you're gonna do."

"Depends on what they ask for," she explained. "A lot of it is men who want to give up control. It's more psychological than sexual a lot of the time. Typical cliche type of stuff is whipping and degrading talk but some guys want candle wax burns or to lick my heels, literally, and even more serious stuff."

"Is it dangerous?"

"Can be but Nero and Alec are gonna vet these guys and I have final say on what I'll do. When they call for an appointment if they want something I feel is too far over my line I'll turn them down."

His expression, one of anger and sadness, told Katie a lot as he began to speak. "I don't like it."

"I understand," she sighed heavily. "And I respect that."

"But it's kind of hot thinking of you smacking some pussy ass dudes around," he added.

Katie laughed and nodded. "I can wear a mask, and wigs, they won't even know what I look like."

"I don't know, Kate. I fucking hate it. You're mine."

"I'll always be yours," she assured him. "Even if I'm in leather, whipping some guy with a riding crop. I'm yours."

"Fine," he said flatly. "Do it."

"Hap," she whined. "Come on."

"What?" He asked her with attitude. "I said it's fine. You want me to be all fucking pumped you ain't gonna get it."

"I just want to be sure you're truly saying okay and not just agreeing to shut me up."

He gripped her upper arms and gave her a hard look. "I hate it. I wanna fucking lock your ass up in my bedroom and never let you out but I can't fucking do that. So make that bank, be my goddamn sugar mama and get your kid back where you want her."

Katie began to cry as she crashed her lips into his. "I love you," she mumbled into his mouth. "If shit changes, if you can't deal, tell me. Okay?"

"Yeah, I will," he said somberly.

"You know, I could have a job for you," she said in a cheerful tone.

"I'm not getting into any leather except my colors," he said proudly pointing to the words Men of Mayhem on his chest. 

"The last thing I want to do is be alone in the basement of the gym with a client," she explained. "It would much safer if I had some private security," she wriggled her eyebrows.

"I promised I'll always protect you," he said to her in an uncharacteristically sweet tone.

"I love you, Hap," she said again. "Thank you."

—

Shortie but I'll be posting another in a day or two!! Thanks for being awesome and reading/voting/commenting guys! Sorry for the delay, layoffs and money stress are taking over my brain! I'm about to start a damn GoFundMe or something!

Y'all rock! Xoxox