“I’m sure that had my father been here at this point, he would've been the first to join me in congratulating the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on their opening of their new Impressionist Wing,” I say to the polite applause and some knowing laughter. “I’m sure he would've been particularly taken with the nudes.”

The laughter is a bit lighter now, people more at ease.

“On behalf of the Met, I am honored that his last act was to grant this gift,” I finish and this time the applause is spontaneous.

Of course it fucking is. People will take money from anyone, no matter how fucking wealthy they already are. Never mind that half the people in this room would've never fucking allowed my dad to come near their daughters when he was alive. And could you fucking blame them? I couldn’t. The guy literally made billions of dollars selling smut. I must've had at least six stepmothers in my life. I lost track after a while. Each one came all giggly, then watched as they fell into neglect as their bodies aged, until they left with their suitcases that they came with, and a fat settlement check.

Now they’re dedicating a wing of the fucking Met to him. Don’t get me wrong. It cost money. But it’s the least I could do, allocating a portion of the money from the sale of the live sex webcams that he controlled and writing a check to the fucking Met.

That’s right. It’s only been ten fucking days and I’ve already started selling pieces of my dad’s smut empire.

Don’t get me fucking wrong. I love to fuck. I mean, the first time you saw me, I was fucking two strippers, remember?

“You’re father would have been very proud of you,” some random old guy says as I descend the podium. I have no idea who the fuck he is, but he takes the stage after me. I navigate around all the fucking leeches that surround this place. As long as I’m making a name for myself by distancing myself from my dad’s smut kingdom, and giving away some money to them, they’re content to come let me inside. But the moment I start going against their rules, they’ll pull back the red carpet and leave me out in the cold.

I find Gerard waiting for me outside the Met on the steps. He’s looking through his phone, checking emails. Always a good lawyer. Always on top of things. Hell, he basically raised me after my Mom died and Dad started marrying women left and right. When I moved out of the house before college because I just couldn’t get into Dad living with three other women, it was Gerard who fucking made sure I didn’t go off the deep end. Sure, I like to party. I like to get wild. But trust me when I tell you that I’d be having a lot more than tattoos on my body if Gerard weren’t there to bring me back when I started to stray.

“Luca Gianoni’s left two emails and a voicemail while you were inside,” Gerard says. “He’s still talking about the rest of the strip clubs as being on the table.”

Great. Does no one in this fucking city buy into the sex business except the fucking mob? I’d rather not sell to them if I can help it, but if no one else is at the fucking table, I can’t really help it.

“We have no more other offers?” I ask, incredulous. “The strip clubs bring in close to five hundred grand a night when you combine them.”

Gerard shrugs. “They also cost roughly three hundred grand a night combined when you add it all up,” he says.

He’s got a point of course. Strippers aren’t cheap. In fact, they’re fucking expensive. But oh my fucking God, what a great fucking expense to throw money at.

I’ve always been a fan of strippers. But I swear it’s like ever since that night a week and a half ago, I can’t get strippers out of my fucking head.

I sigh as I get into the car and Gerard gets in next to me.

“You thinking of heading to Scorcher's again, Arsen?” he asks. He’s got a touch of fucking pity in his eyes. I can’t blame the guy as I nod.

“I got to find this girl,” I tell him. I’ve been searching high and fucking low for the stripper who was on the pole. I don’t know her name. I don’t know when she works. No one else at the club seems to either.

You want to know the bitch about the whole thing, though? It’s that same night I shared a fucking cab with her. I could've asked her for her name at least that night.

Don’t you knock me for being quiet that night. I’m sorry, it was just that my Dad had just died, okay? Sex wasn’t really going through my head at that point. This isn’t like some fucking plot hole or something you can mention in the review. You try getting news that your estranged family member has just hit the fucking bucket and you have to manage a sprawling multi-billion dollar sex empire and see if you remember the small details.

The car pulls up outside the strip club where I had first seen this gorgeous, blonde haired, perfectly curved woman ten fucking days ago. With a name like Scorcher's, I’m not sure what I'm going to find instead. But fuck it. If I come up empty, maybe I can fuck another stripper.

Way to look at the fucking bright side, eh?

I walk in, and instantly I’m greeted by the House Mom, Yasmine.

Yasmine’s been eyeing my fucking cock for years. She’s got to be the oldest one in this joint. And a fucking vet too, seeing girls come and go.

“You’re here for another one of my girls tonight, Arsen?” she asks me with an arched eyebrow.

“I’m looking for someone,” I tell her. Sure she’s been eyeing me, but I’ve never really given it up to her. Never really know why. Just the circumstances weren’t right probably.

“Let’s go upstairs,” Yasmine says as she turns around. I look at her ass flex and instantly I’m reminded of the blonde. Yasmine turns her head back to look at me. “To your office.”

I follow dutifully. Fuck it, if I don’t try to get my dick hard thinking about boning Yasmine. But it’s like every time I think about ass, or tits, or pussy, there’s just one image that keeps coming into my head.

Yeah, you fucking guessed it. The blonde goddess that I saw last week.

We get upstairs and the music is a bit more subdued.

Yasmine slides over to me, rapidly erasing any personal space that I may have had. But I don’t mind. I wrap my arms around her back and squeeze her ass.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time, Arsen,” she coos. “I knew you were coming tonight. You’ve been here every night. But ever since you had Sophie and Heather, you haven’t taken any other girl. I think I know why.”

Maybe this is going to be my lucky night. Does Yasmine know?

That explains it! She didn’t want to fuck me, but that’s what she had to make it look like to the other girls.

Jesus, I’ll never figure women out, you know?

“You’re done with those girls, aren’t you, baby?” Yasmine asks. I don’t know why, but I nod.

“You need someone who’s finally caught your eye, don’t you?” she asks. Fuck, she’s on the money.

“You need someone who will treat you just right,” Yasmine says.

She couldn’t be more clued in if she tried.

“You know where I can find her?” I ask and Yasmine smiles. Her hand comes to rest on my crotch.

Wait a fucking second!

“What do you mean, babe?” Yasmine asks, a glint in her eyes. But I’m too caught up and I don’t pay attention.

“I think she was what? 5’ 7”. Blonde hair. Body like a goddess. Last time I saw her was ten days ago, the night I had Sophie and Heather up here,” I tell Yasmine.

Stifling a look of disappointment, Yasmine backs off.

“That’s where I saw her for the first time, and then I actually shared a cab with her, but I didn’t get a chance to talk to her much,” I say.

Yeah, I’m a fucking asshole because Yasmine looks completely fucking disappointed. I guess she really did want to fuck me tonight, huh?

But you know what? I’m going to be the first one to admit that in reality I am a fucking asshole. I got nothing to fucking hide. So there. I’ll be completely honest about it with you as to who I am.

I mean, I’m sorry if it hurts your feelings, but would you rather I lie?

“You’re talking about Ashley,” Yasmine says quietly.

So this Stripper Goddess has a name! Finally.

“Is she working tonight?” I ask her.

“She doesn’t work here anymore,” Yasmine says and I think I see a glint of pleasure at the total look of devastation that wracks my face. "Her stage name is Misty, but her real name is Ashley Lane. Don't tell anyone that I told you."

Just my fucking luck. The one woman I obsess about ends up being the one who doesn’t work here anymore.

But Yasmine has a heart of gold, because her next words are, “She started working at Simulated Pleasures last week.”

Fucking bingo!

Good thing I didn’t sell that place yet.

First thing tomorrow, I’m stopping by there and finding out how to get ahold of this girl.

I rush over and kiss Yasmine on the lips.

Hell, I break it off before she wants more. I know what I do to women. And I don’t want to go down that road now with anyone but Stripper Goddess. Wait. I mean Ashley.

“Thank you so fucking much, Yasmine,” I say and she just looks at me in a daze as I rush down the stairs.

I got to get ready for tomorrow.

It’s going to be a great fucking day. I can feel it.