CHAPTER THREE
“Two or three jobs?” Simone said slowly. “What kind of jobs...?”
“Anything. I will do anything, Simone!”
“Anything?”
“Anything,” Kerry replied firmly.
“Okay.” Simone pressed her fingertips together and blew out a breath. “I, um, I may be able to recommend you a job. I, well, you see...” She hesitated before plowing on, “I have been working at this...club, on and off. It pays really, really well.”
“Club?” Kerry's eyes rounded.
“It's a pretty exclusive club. It caters to shifters, wealthy shifters,” Simone said carefully.
“Right. So...you're a part-time waitress there? And you're saying that the tips are really, really good?” Kerry leaned forward eagerly. “Can I sign up?”
“It's not a waitressing job,” Simone answered.
“I'll do anything. Wash the dishes, clean the toilets...”
“It's an auction,” Simone said in a rush.
Kerry blinked at her. “An auction? What auction? I...don't understand...”
But she did. The picture formed slowly but clearly in her mind as the words sank in.
Club...wealthy shifters...auction…
She wasn't born yesterday. She could join the dots and see the picture.
Most shifters preferred living in small, remote towns surrounded by forests and mountains. They kept away from humans and kept close to nature. There were some shifters living in the big cities but they tended to keep a low profile. Some of the most successful business owners in this city were shifters, but these new billionaires were smart enough to keep out of the limelight. With crime rates rising in the big cities, people were wary and suspicious of shifters and were quick to blame the shifters for any violent, unsolved crimes. As a result, the shifters found it safer to simply avoid the humans as much as they could. Outside of work, most shifters preferred not to socialize with the humans.
Exclusive, private shifter-only establishments began sprouting up to cater to these wealthy shifters. There was good money to be earned, and savvy investors and entrepreneurs were quick to grab the opportunity.
“The Ring is a private club where the clients can bid for the Gem they want,” Simone explained quietly. “The men and women on auction are called Gems.”
“I see.” Kerry licked her lips and tried to swallow but her throat felt too tight and dry.
“The starting bid is a thousand dollars.”
“One thousand bucks...for one night,” Kerry whispered breathlessly.
“You usually earn much more,” Simone said. “If the bidding is very aggressive, you can sometimes get ten thousand bucks.”
“Ten thousand—that can pay for Tia's first injection,” Kerry said fervently. “I have to do this. How? How can I be a Gem? Is there someone I can call?”
Simone shook her head. “You don't call them. They call you.”
“Okay. So...how do I get them to call me?”
“I have a contact, a friend of a friend. If you're really sure you want to do this, I'll give you his number. You send him your picture, and he sends it to Madam Jen. Madam Patricia Jen owns The Ring.”
“Give me the number. I'll send him my picture right now!”
“Kerry, are you sure...”
“I said I'll do anything. And...these rich shifters won't hurt me, right? They won't do anything illegal, like...”
“No. Madam Jen takes care of her clients, but she protects her Gems as well. You won't be harmed.”
“Right. Let me go slick on some lip gloss before I snap my picture,” Kerry said brightly. She took two steps towards the bathroom before turning around to frown at Simone. “Why didn't you tell me about this before? You never told me that you were working at The Ring.”
Simone winced. “I...I didn't want anybody to know...”
“It's a way to earn more money,” Kerry said stoutly. “We're earning it, not stealing it. And if we need the money...” She shrugged and let her voice trail off.
Did Simone need the money? Simone had never mentioned that she was having any money problems.
Kerry stole a glance at Simone as she went to grab the lip gloss from her bag. Simone was only a year older than Kerry but she had gone through a miscarriage and a bitter divorce. Simone didn't like to talk about her past and Kerry didn't want to probe. And she was so busy taking care of Tia that she didn't really have the time or energy to stick her nose into anybody else's business.
Kerry abruptly spun on her heel and went back to Simone. “Simone,” Kerry said, taking her friend's hand. “I...I've been pouring my troubles out to you, but I haven't taken the time to really listen to you. You...”
Simone shook her head. “What are you talking about? Your sister is sick. You should focus on her. You're a great big sister...”
“...but a lousy friend,” Kerry finished.
“You're a good friend,” Simone insisted. “And we do talk.”
“Not about you.”
“What about me? I don't have any troubles...” She feigned a laugh.
“Simone...”
Simone waved a hand. “Go. Pretty yourself up. I have to warn you though. You can send your photo but you may not get a callback. So...good luck.” She flashed Kerry a lopsided smile and a thumbs up.
Kerry nodded and turned away. Simone always seemed so confident and cheerful, but Kerry was beginning to see the cracks in that bright, shiny veneer. Everyone had their own burdens to bear and secrets to keep, but she wished that Simone would confide in her. She knew that Simone had scars from her past, but they were friends, weren't they? Friends didn't judge each other.
She needed to be a better friend to Simone. But right now, she just had to concentrate of doing one thing. The sooner she could get her hands on that money, the sooner Tia could start with that new treatment.
Kerry pushed into the bathroom, clutching her tube of lip gloss in one fist and her phone in the other. She just hoped that her eye bags and dark circles wouldn't be too obvious in the picture.