Daniella laid on her air mattress, reading the papers Brian gave her. The first two pages were the routine tax forms and authorization to perform a background check. The third was a rundown on the job requirements. What to wear, when to arrive, where to park, etc. She signed the first two papers, setting the third aside for future reference, then made herself comfortable while she began reading the job requirements.

1) All female employees agree to use some form of long term contraception, i.e. IUD, injections, continuous pills, or implants.

2) Female employees will be expected to call off their shift during their menstrual cycle and provide their own coverage.

3) Employees are to limit their body piercings to ears, navel, or nose. No eyebrow, lip, or facial piercings will be allowed. Ears will not be gauged, and no more than two earrings per ear. All other body piercings must be hidden beneath clothing.

4) Tattoos are to be limited to one, non-vulgar, non-threatening design. All others are to be covered from the sight of customers.

5) Employees will not smoke, inhale, or inject any form of tobacco or illegal substances while on the clock, and will not partake of alcoholic beverages.

6) Female employees agree to maintain a hair-free body. Spray tans and routine facials will be provided at the expense of the club management.

7) Any female employee who desires body or facial surgery to enhance their appearance, may do so at the club’s expense. The employee will be required to sign a waiver with the club to work for five years to reimburse the cost of the procedure.

8) Employees will not use their employment as a means of helping their friends and/or family obtain entrance into the club, free of charge.

9) Employees will obtain and keep cellphones on during off-hours, in the event their services are requested.

10) Hair and nails are to be kept clean. Hair will be pulled back from the face, and nails will not be longer than one inch. Nail polish and hair coloring is to be kept in good condition and maintained routinely.

11) All employees agree to spend a minimum of six hours in physical endurance exercising. A gym membership will be provided for employees at club owner’s expense.

12) All personal property, while in the club, will remain locked and out of the reach of fellow employees and customers.

13) All money earned by the employee while on the clock will be locked up during their shift and removed at the end of the night.

14) Employees are not to leave the building alone, or with a customer, and personal phone numbers and/or addresses are not to be exchanged with customers or members.

15) Uniform requirements will vary depending on the requirements of the shift, and/or party reserved, and will be provided at the club’s expense.

16) Club uniforms are not to be worn outside the club and are to remain in the club, at all times. The maintenance and laundering of these items are at the club’s expense.

17) Employees are not to be photographed while in the club or in uniforms unless prior arrangements have been made with the club’s management.

18) All employees are required to provide proof of legal residency and the right to work in the United States.

19) All employees will be subject to routine drug screenings, quarterly physical exams, and/or pregnancy tests as deemed reasonable, at the club’s expense.

20) Employees will limit personal phone calls to one per shift, except for emergencies.

Daniella set the papers aside and shut off the light. Her head was spinning with everything she’d read. It was all very controlling, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. She had never worked for anyone who demanded so much of their employees.

She had never read a job description that was detailed in such a way, that the employee felt like a slave, or felt owned by the employer. She’d always known that some jobs made you feel like they owned you, but these demands all but acknowledged that you were selling yourself to the club. She couldn’t understand half of the requirements Brian demanded, though her experiences were limited. It was enough to make her think twice about taking the job.

Then again, if she didn’t agree to Brian’s demands, he would call her a coward, and say I told you so when she decided not to show up for work. She wasn’t about to let him think he’d won. Besides, she needed the job if she planned to make herself independent of her father’s checkbook.

Slowly, she began to drift off to sleep. Her mind filled with images of strippers, loud music, and warm chocolate brown eyes. The feelings of passion lingered with her throughout the night, offering her dreams of lust and sexual dissatisfaction. Much like real life, her night was a chaotic array of feelings like she’d never had before.

And somewhere in the back of her dreams was the shrill voice of her mother.

“Where did I go wrong? I’m so humiliated. I’ll never be able to show my face in Edgartown again. You’re a disappointment, and I’m ashamed to call you my daughter.”

“Have you read these papers?” Angela asked the next morning as they sat at the small card table. “They are very detailed, and a little crazy. I mean, really. Long term contraception? Are we supposed to serve drinks or booty?”

“I read them last night when I got home,” Daniella answered, fixing two cups of coffee with the Keurig. “I’m not sure how to take some of those things. I can understand not wearing your uniform outside the club, and not using your influence to bring in friends, but routine facials? Seriously?”

“This list of requirements is off the wall. I like the idea that I can have my boobs enlarged at the club’s expense, but what if I don’t like the job? I’m stuck for five years to pay off the doctor bill?”

“I guess he has his reasons, but I will never understand them. Why should he care if we get pregnant or not? It’s not like we’re going to point fingers at customers…are we?”

“You know, if he wasn’t so damned good looking, it would be easy to tell him to jump in the river,” Angela said with a wicked grin.

“Good looking or not, I don’t think it’s legal to ask half the things he has listed.”

Daniella set the cups of coffee on the card table, then reached for the box of pastries Angela brought with her. She sat down on the folding chair across from her friend, picking a chocolate éclair from the assortment of fattening treats.

“When he talked to you about the job…” Daniella paused, taking a bite of her éclair. She wondered if she should mention the way he made her feel, or just let it die. “I mean, did he tell you about giving lap dances?”

“No, but Takeko did. She said it’s harmless enough, and one of the bouncers is in the same room. She said the customer has arm straps they are required to hold onto, and they aren’t allowed to touch you. If they do, the dance ends immediately, and they are charged twice the price of a normal dance.”

“I don’t know if I like the idea of dancing for a man’s pleasure. I wanted the server job, not the stripper.”

“Takeko said there’s never been a server who’s been asked to perform a dance. Maybe he was just trying to see if you were going to scare off.”

“Maybe,” Daniella answered with a frown.

“In a way, I think I can understand where he’s coming from,” Angela said, taking a pink donut with colorful sprinkles from the box. “He doesn’t want the girls to be bleeding through their clothes, and the uniforms don’t exactly allow room for bulky pads. Hell, I doubt there’s room for a thong, much less panties.”

“But six hours of physical activity?” Daniella said around a mouth full of pastry. “I’m a PE teacher, and I can’t remember ever having to do six hours of activity a day.”

“I guess he doesn’t want his employees to have cellulite. Don’t you just love his name? Hancock. It sounds pornographic.”

“Seriously,” Daniella laughed. “Leave it to you to think of something like that.”

“Oh, come on. You mean you never considered Hand-cock?”

“No, I have to say, that didn’t occur to me.”

“Well, it occurred to me,” Angela smiled, wiggling her eyebrows. “I wouldn’t mind showing him how I interpret his name. He’s yummy.”

“Did you read number six?” Daniella asked in hopes of distracting her friend’s train of thought. “A hair free body? Who’s going to be looking that close?”

“I wouldn’t mind a private inspection from the boss,” Angela said with a giggle, assuring Daniella she was a long way from forgetting the images running through her mind.

“Not me,” Daniella said with a disgusted snarl. “I think he’s an arrogant, self-centered bastard. If I didn’t need a job, I wouldn’t go back tonight.”

“Well, keep your fingers crossed that someone dies or gets fired and you get their teaching post.”

“That’s an awful thing to wish,” Daniella said with a feigned frown.

“It’s either that, or you learn to appreciate Brian Hancock’s…special demands.”

The girls arrived at the club five minutes early. They parked in the back of the building as instructed and walked to the front where Katsu Li was standing guard over the entrance. Angela introduced him as Takeko’s husband, then went inside with Daniella.

Music greeted them as they moved down the hallway to the club, but unlike the last two times they were here, it wasn’t nearly as loud. The club was closed to customers, giving the employees a chance to gather their wits before the chaos began.

Wednesday nights were quieter than weekend nights because it was reserved for private parties. It was the perfect night for learning the business.

The girls were greeted by Takeko as soon as they entered the bar. She was about to show them to the dressing room when Brian came out of his office. He walked directly toward them, a mixed expression of surprise and amusement lingered on his handsome face as he smiled.

“Good evening, Ladies,” he said, wrapping his arm around Takeko’s waist. “Are you ready to learn a new trade?”

“Ready, willing, and able,” Angela said in a voice thick with seduction.

“Takeko, will you show our new friends where to stow their belongings, please,” he continued. “Show them where the uniforms are kept and help them get ready. When you’ve finished, come find me. We have some business to take care of before I put you to work.”

Takeko agreed with a nervous giggle, then moved between her two friends. She slipped her arms through theirs and escorted them down a side hall to an Employee’s Only area. She showed them where the lockers were and explained that they could use them while they were in the club.

Each metal compartment had a small key sticking out of the lock, except for one. That one held Takeko’s personal effects. Daniella and Angela secured their purses inside two empty lockers, then turned the small silver key and locked them away from any would-be thieves.

Down the hall was a closed door with a sign that read Girls’ Dressing Room. Takeko pushed the door open and stepped aside so the others could walkthrough. In high school, Daniella was part of the Drama Club, and in her mind, she imagined the small room the students used to change in. This was nothing like what she anticipated.

A long cream-colored Formica countertop ran the length of the room on one wall, approximately twenty feet long. Above it was a mirror running the width of the wall from one end of the room to the other, and approximately three feet high. Above it was ten light bars, each with four round bulbs, that flooded the area with a bright glow.

Below the countertop, spaced approximately five feet apart, were built-in cupboards, each with three different sized drawers. Cut into the mirror were a dozen outlets and hanging on the wall next to the door was a variety of blow dryers, flatirons, and curling irons. Ten round, brown leather-covered stools were pushed into the counter waiting to be used.

On the opposite side of the room, across from the mirror, were two six-foot-long, brown leather sofas and three black wooden end tables. On the walls were poster-sized photos of dancing girls, and against the wall behind the door, was an apartment-sized refrigerator, complete with sodas, juices, and bottled water.

At the far end of the room was a six-foot square shelf with twelve cubical dividers. Below each one was a label with sizes marked on them. The top six cubby-style compartments were tops ranging from string bikinis to tight belly shirts, the bottom six were shorts, thongs, and panty-style bottoms. On the top were eight Styrofoam heads, each with a different style wig.

“You’ll find your uniforms there,” Takeko said, pointing to the shelves. “When your shift is over, you’ll put your clothes in the bin in the bathroom. The basic uniform is the belly shirt and sports bra, and shorts. There are showers if you want to use them, as well as toiletries, and plenty of makeup.”

Takeko walked to a set of drawers beneath the countertop and opened the top one. Inside were stacks of small square containers of eyeshadows, tubes of eyeliner, eyebrow pencils, mascara, and false eyelashes with glue. The second drawer had foundations, both in powder and liquid, a wide variety of blushes and lipsticks, and the bottom was filled with pouches containing makeup brushes, six hairbrushes and at least a dozen combs. There was a tall plastic tube with pony wraps and hair ties, and a second one with bobby pins.

“If you use the makeup, you must use the disposable applicators, and if you have allergies, or an eye infection, you’ll have to bring your own makeup. If we’re running low on anything, you just tell Brian and he’ll have it here by your next shift. If you want to use a brush or wig, you’re welcome to them, but you must make sure you disinfect them after you’re finished. Nobody wants to get lice from the last user.”

“That’s gross,” Angela said with a snarled expression.

“We haven’t had a problem in years, but there was a girl here a while back who had mice in her apartment. It took forever to get rid of the lice she brought in with her. Once Brian learned who it was spreading the little buggers, he closed the club. He had everything fumigated and replaced everything from the floors to the lighting. He even had her apartment sprayed and paid for a professional hairstylist to help her get cleaned up.”

“That seems a bit extreme,” Daniella said with a frown.

“I guess it was, but when he opened again, the whole place was brand new. You should have seen this place before. It was little more than a dive. The stage was so small, the dancers had a hard time moving on it, the bar could barely handle three customers at a time, and the speakers were filled with static. It was awful. Now there’s plenty of room to dance, as well as the dance floor itself. The sound system was updated, the bar was enlarged, and he rebuilt this whole area for us. He even put in the showers, so we wouldn’t have to go home smelling of alcohol and cigarette smoke.”

“He sounds like a nice guy to work for,” Angela said as she pulled out a top from the cubby hole.

“He’s amazing,” Takeko said, praising the man Daniella was trying to convince herself, wasn’t that great. “Brian will help his girls any way he can. He’s like our protector; our brother.”

“Trust me, my brother doesn’t look anything like him,” Angela said with a smile, causing Takeko to giggle.

“Mine either.”

Brian looked up as the door to his office opened and Takeko stepped in, followed by Daniella and Angela. All three had changed into their uniforms and had their hair and makeup ready to go for the night.

Angela was beautiful, there was no denying that, with an hourglass figure. Her breasts and hips were small, but not tiny, and they looked about the same size. Her waist was small, and her long legs were much paler than he had expected, considering her face and arms looked like she’d been laying out all summer. Her long red hair was pulled back in a curly ponytail and her bright green eyes seemed to sparkle. She looked eager to begin, and by the smile she offered him, he knew she’d be an easy pickup. She told him she wanted to be a dancer, but he wondered if she would be willing to move down – all the way to the dungeons.

Daniella drew his attention almost immediately, though he consciously had to force himself not to dwell on the woman’s beauty. Her firm build was a record of her active lifestyle, her breasts larger than any of the girls currently working here, though far from being grossly enlarged. Her slender arms and waist were firm, and her legs were amazingly toned.

Unlike her friend, Daniella had a tan that extended all the way down her legs. He remembered that she told him she was from California, and he was certain she was used to spending a considerable amount of time in the sun. He just wondered if she had tan lines, or if she was a solid color.

Brian couldn’t help but wonder how these two became friends in the first place. They were complete opposites. Where Angela was upfront and very forward, Daniella was reserved and quiet. He could imagine Daniella being the editor of the high school paper, while Angela was most likely on the cheer squad or debate team. Either way, they were both beautiful, and he knew the customers would love them.

“You both look great,” he said with an appreciative smile.

They were dressed in the standard uniform. Their breasts accentuated beneath the snug spandex bras and sleeveless, snow-white belly shirts. Their tiny bottoms barely hidden beneath the matching shorts. He knew from looking at the other girls, once they turned around, the bottom of the butt cheeks would peek out from beneath the hem of the shorts, offering the customer a hint of what was hiding beneath the tight material.

“Did you read the job description and disclosure?”

“Yes,” Daniella answered.

“You really went into detail on what you wanted your employees to do,” Angela chuckled. “I mean, really, a hair-free body? Do you think I would let someone get close enough to notice if I’d shaved my…”

“Angela!” Daniella said quickly, stopping her friend from saying anything more.

Brian chuckled at the soft pink tinting the brunette’s flawless face. As opposite as they were, he had the impression they kept each other in check.

“You want to be a dancer, don’t you?” he asked the redhead with a wide smile.

“Sure. Any time.”

“Then you need to have a smooth body. Men don’t like to look at hair poking through clothing. It distracts from the visual beauty of a woman’s body.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I already shave,” Angela said with a seductive smile.

“Good Lord,” Daniella whispered, rolling her eyes at her friend’s boldness.

“Did you bring your W4 forms?” he asked, watching as Daniella stepped closer to the desk, pulling hers out of the small back pocket in her shorts.

“I forgot mine,” Angela said with a soft shrug. “Sometimes I think I’d forget my head if it wasn’t a permanent fixture on my neck.”

Brian smiled as he took the paper from Daniella’s perfectly manicured hands. It was just another example of how different these two were. Daniella was most likely the student who was always prepared, and Angela was the typical air-head who forgot to do her homework or left it in her locker.

“I have another one,” he told her, opening the top drawer of his desk.

He pulled out the needed form for his new hire, and placed it on his desk, handing a pen to Angela as she approached him. He couldn’t help but notice the chipped nail polish on the girl’s fingers and nearly groaned.

“Please make sure you get a manicure before your next shift,” he told her sternly.

“Sorry,” she said with a smile and a shrug. “I guess I forgot.”

He glanced up and found himself looking down her cleavage as she bent over his desk. He knew she was flirting, and he didn’t mind it. In fact, he rather liked it, but for some odd reason he didn’t like the idea she was doing it in front of her friend.

Angela handed him back the paper and smiled, then stepped back to stand with her friends. They watched in silence as he scanned the papers into his computer, then printed out two forms.

“You’ll need these for your drug screening,” he told them. “Bring them back before your next shift. If you forget them, you won’t be working at Bourne Again. I do not employ addicts or alcoholics. I don’t care what you do on your own time, but if you want to work here, you’ll come to work clean and sober.”

“May I ask you a question, Mr. Hancock?” Daniella began in a quiet voice, and he imagined her raising her hand.

“The name is Brian,” he corrected gently. “Mr. Hancock is my grandfather’s name.”

“Alright, Brian. Why do you require us to work out six hours a week?”

“This is a very physically demanding job,” he said, sitting back in his seat. “You’ll get two half-hour breaks and an hour for lunch. Other than that, you’ll be on your feet the entire time. If you aren’t in excellent shape, you’ll never survive your first week. I provide a gym membership for all my employees, and I have a standing account at Nailed It, Hair, and Nails Salon. You will be expected to visit the salon at least once a week.” He looked directly at Angela as he said this. “And I suggest you get a spray tan. Your legs are very pale, and men like women with a little color. It helps their imaginations.”

“What if we already work out?” Angela asked with the grin he was beginning to understand was her usual, seductive expression.

“You’ll have to provide proof of that, if you want to continue working here.” He turned back to Daniella. “Is there a problem with the job requirements?”

“It’s just that I have my application in with the schools,” she began softly. “If I get called in to teach, I’m not sure when I’ll get the time to work out, however, I am a PE teacher. I jog every morning, and I spend hours teaching sports and swimming.”

“If that happens, we’ll discuss it. I’m not an ogre, Daniella,” he said gently. “I will work with you, and my door is always open if you need help with anything. Most of the employees have been here for years. We’re like a family, and I want you to feel comfortable when you come to work. Takeko and Katsu have been with me since I took over this place from my late father. I’m sure they will attest to the fact we are all here for each other.”

“That’s for sure,” Takeko said with a wide smile. “There’s not another boss anywhere in Massachusetts who treats their employees better than Brian does.”

“Thank you,” the man said with a smile that revealed his perfectly straight, white teeth. “Do you have any other questions?”

“If we do, can we come to talk to you about them in private?” Angela asked, receiving a quick jab in the ribs from Daniella.

“My door is always open,” Brian said with an amused smile as he stood up. “It’s private member’s night, and there’s a party scheduled. Takeko will be your trainer for the night. Give Angela station four, Daniella will take station five. Both only have three tables, so it will be an easy step into the routine.”

Brian walked with the three girls to the door and escorted them out to the main bar. The music was low with only a slight thump to vibrate the floors. As they approached the bar, he introduced Jerry Bowman and Kevin Carson to them as the bartenders for the night.

Daniella nodded to them, remembering Jerry as the bartender who had given her the nachos on Sunday, and the drink yesterday as she nervously waited to see the boss. He smiled to both girls, then turned his attention to Angela who was commenting on the supply of bottles on the shelves beside the mirror that covered the wall behind the bar.

Kevin Carson seemed friendly, though a little distracted. He was tall and thin, and dark-skinned with a shaved bald head. His dark eyes looked shadowed with his thoughts, and for a moment Daniella wondered if something was wrong. She almost asked if he was alright, but quickly remembered her place and closed her mouth. She didn’t know the man and knew he would never willingly open himself up to a stranger.

“Kevin’s wife is pregnant with their first baby,” Brian said as the man walked into a back room. “She’s been having some problems in the last couple of weeks, and his attention is a little distracted.”

“Why is he working?” she asked in a quiet voice, so nobody could hear her. “Shouldn’t he be home with her?”

“I’ve offered him time off, but he feels better working. Her mother is here from South Carolina, so she’s not alone. I think it’s just a matter of time before they either hospitalize her or deliver her early.”

Kevin walked out from the back room, carrying a case of tequila. He set it down on the bar and pulled his cell out of his back pocket. Brian and Daniella stood quietly by the end of the bar, listening to the one-sided conversation. A few seconds later he hung up and returned the phone to his back pocket, sighing deeply.

“Is everything alright?” Brian asked him with a concerned frown.

“Yeah,” he said in a distant voice. “It was my mother-in-law. She just wanted to let me know the baby’s crib arrived.”

“Do you want to go home and set it up?”

“No. I really want to stay here. Besides, I’m off the next two days. I’ll have time to put it together.”

“Okay, but if you change your mind, just let me know,” Brian said, patting the man on the shoulder, then moving off with Daniella.

“What’s the matter with her?”

“She’s diabetic, and her sugars are out of control. She was warned she’d have a difficult pregnancy before she even conceived, but she wanted to be a mother. She’s a great woman, and she’ll make a wonderful mother. Provided she can make it that far.”

“Modern medicine has come a long way over the past few decades,” Daniella said, glancing across her shoulder to the man, watching as he opened the case and began storing the bottles under the bar.

“True, and she has the best doctors in the state on her side.”

“How much longer does she have?”

“He said she’s due on the eighteenth of September, but the doctors are going to induce her early. We’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

“I’ll keep him in my prayers.”

“Are you religious?” Brian asked, glancing around to see Angela talking with Takeko as she pointed to the tables she’d be working.

“Yes, but not as religious as my parents would like. I mean, I believe in God and all that stuff, but I hate going to church.”

“I think that’s how most of our generation feels about it,” he chuckled. “In today’s world of fast food, cellphones, lightening-speed internet connections, and handheld computers, we just don’t have the patience for sitting in one place too long.”

“I never really thought of it like that,” she said with a smile. “I’ll have to remember that the next time my mother lectures me for not going to church.”

The next half hour was spent with Brian explaining the job to Daniella. Twice, he placed his hand on the small of her back, and though it startled her, she didn’t mind. In fact, she rather liked it.

“There’s a three-drink limit,” he explained as he walked her behind the bar, so she could see where things were. “You’ll be able to tell what round they are on, based on the glasses. The clear glasses are the first round, the light red is the second round, and the brown is the third. The customer can have as much soda as they want, those are served in the tall clear glasses, and coffee is free to anyone who has had three drinks. If there is a problem, and the customer demands more after you serve their last round, come find me or one of the bouncers. We’ll take care of it.”

“What do you mean, take care of it?” she asked.

“We’ll try and convince them to have some coffee or soda, but if we can’t, then we have a standing contract with the Red Cab Company. All it takes is one call and they come to take the customer home, at our expense. Occasionally we call the police, but that’s not very often.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever known a bar who pays for the taxi ride home.”

“Except for Sundays, we are a private club. Everyone who comes here must purchase a membership. We do allow up to ten non-member customers each night, except Mondays and Wednesdays, but before they leave, Takeko or Melanie visit with them and tries to sell them a membership. If they don’t sign up, they don’t come back.”

“What keeps them from coming back without a membership?” Daniella asked, realizing she was feeling much more comfortable with the man than she thought she would a little while ago.

“Every person who comes through the door has their photo taken,” he explained as he poured two glasses of Pepsi and led her back around the bar, sitting down at one of the tables she was assigned to.

“We have an off-site security company who monitor our alarms, and backs up all of our cameras,” he told her, watching as she took a drink of her soda. “Every night, I get a text that the system has been backed up, and I can pull the photos whenever I need them. That’s so if we’re ever robbed, the crooks can’t take the tape or delete the program. It also helps me protect the employees.”

“That’s very smart,” she said with a hint of admiration in her voice.

“Thank you,” he said with a smile as he took a drink from his glass. “I became very interested in the security system during my last year of school. I met the owner, who was then just starting up his business. I helped him with the paperwork and offered a few suggestions from the customer’s point of view. In exchange, I get a discount on the service.”

“Bartering is a pretty good system, provided both sides agree amicably.”

“And what would you barter, if you could?” he asked with a steady gaze, watching as her cheeks flushed.

“I don’t have anything worth bartering,” she said.

“I wouldn’t say that. I think you have a lot to offer. Maybe one day we’ll discuss an amicable exchange.”