Streetlife

38 - The Money Collector

LENA POV

"This is very light, Olive.  You need to do better." I say to the girl as she rolls her eyes at me. This one had an attitude and if it was up to me I'd cut her loose. I knew she couldn't stand me, and I couldn't stand her especially after had she had beat up and attacked Callie. "Start earlier tonight." I say sitting in Warbucks chair, the chair he usually sat in to collect his girls money. Usually I'm in the other room laying in his bed and waiting for him to come back and fuck me, but it sits empty as I know he is out doing whatever with whats her face.

Actually he's at the hospital pretending to care because when I called Franks room to check on him an hour ago Frank could barely talk because Stef was there along with Warbucks. I could hear the panic in his voice, and I knew he was scared. He was scared to death and honestly I wanted him out of this life. He needed help, just like Tess and I was starting to wonder if I needed to get the hell out of this life too. But who was I kidding I was fucking in love with this man and I hated myself for it.

"I got plans. I ain't got no time to be starting early. It's not my fault that you keep hiring more hookers who are taking my clients!" She says with so much attitude, I'm ready to smack the living hell out of her.

"I don't remember asking you that or your opinion, babygirl. You come up light every time you work. So, you start three hours ahead of time tonight, and you come up light tomorrow then it's a full day. Got me, suga?" I hide my rage which is boiling inside of me at her damn mouth. "And if you don't like it tough shit. Go work at McDonald's."

"Whatever." She says as I hand her back a tiny bit of her money and she looks dead at me. "How am I suppose to live off that?"

"I don't know. Maybe you should have thought of that when you weren't doing what you were supposed to be doing? When you were rehearsing all of your lazy excuses? Not my issue," I say firmly as she sighs rather loudly.

"What, Warbucks put you in charge for anyhow? You ain't nobody." She smarts off as I get up from my seat and stand less then an inch from her getting in her face.

"Come up short again, you will find out who I am honey. DO NOT try me."

She sucks her teeth and heads out of the room as I shake my head at her. Some of these girls were something else as it seemed many of them thought I was some kind of joke, which they were finding out I wasn't. Hell, I could be nice but at the same time I could be a bitch if I needed to be. Maybe I was irritated because I knew Warbucks was spending his time with Stef.

I knew that he had probably fucked her last night and would keep at it, and it was driving me insane. I've never had an issue with him fucking whoever the hell he wanted, but she was different somehow. She got under my skin, and it seemed she was hell bend on challenging me. Sooner or later I knew she was going ot find out what we all did and who we all were if she didn't know already. And I knew once she found that out, she was going to be even more of a pain my ass. She was soo damm rude a heifer and trailer trash in my opinion, and I wouldn't feel any differently any time soon. Plus, I knew she liked Warbucks and I felt she was just the kind of woman that would knock me off the top.

I'm brought out of my thoughts as Julius and Callie walk in together with their money, and I make sure no one else is around as I get up and lock the door behind them.

"Did you find her?" I ask softly as Callie shakes her head sadly and lays down her cash. I begin to count it as Julius sits on the edge of the bed.

"We haven't had time to look honey, but we will look before work tonight."

"Did you add in more of your money again, Cals?" I ask in a hoarse whisper as she shakes her head sadly and wipes her eyes, her mascara starting to run. "Because I don't want you to use your money. I have and will give you back the one from yesterday. Ok sweetheart?"

"No, I made all of this fair and square this time. I actually went to see Harry," She admits as both me and Julius whip our heads so fast and scoot closer to her.

"Are you out of your damn mind?" Julius screeches as I place my hand on his knee to calm him. The last thing I want is for Bruce to wake up and start asking questions or become suspicious. Mike had left him here incase some of the hookers started to act crazy or worst of all try to rob me. But I could handle my self and his gun was close by.

"Callie, that was very dangerous," I say hoarsely as she keeps wiping her eyes

"He's worried. He's damn worried; so, he gave me extra money to help us find her. That's why I have an extra $400 there," she sniffles as I wrap my arm around her. "He left a message on her phone and I just happened to see the light flashing this morning on the machine. I was actually looking for her client book and diary hoping to find something. But Lena, he hasn't seen her since Sunday morning. He said she went out to get a pack of smokes and never came back."

"Jesus." I rub my forehead and feel my heart break now realizing Tess has been missing for three days.

"Are you sure it's not guilt money?" Julius questions further, his leg bouncing up and down, and I glare at him. "What? Johns disappear their hookers every damn day!"

"Would you keep it down. Bruce is in the other room." I scold as he rolls his eyes.

"Oh please honey. He doesn't care as long as he's getting paid. AND let me tell you he swings the other way. I would know." Julius grins as I shake my head at him. "BUTTTT Harry I'm telling you. He knows something."

"Oh my god, Julius," I get up and walk over to pour myself a glass of water. "Your theories give me a headache."

"Lena! Don't you watch the news????? This is a very dangerous profession! Why do you think Warbucks has bodyguards and stuff? It's not for his beauty rest!"

"Harry would never hurt her. I'm sure of it now more than ever," Callie swallows hard as she tries to convince our irrational friend.

"I'm sorry, honey bunny, but you're not the most reliable source when we are talking about someone's character. You fucked Stef for Christ's sake!" He takes out his smokes and lights one as I lean on the edge of the small nightstand and shake my head.

"Julius!" Callie sighs as she gets up and we hear a knock on the door, and I know that these two need to go and soon.

"I'll see you all later, okay? I'll be here another hour then I'll be home.

We'll come up with some kind of plan to look for her. I need to collect the rest of this money." I continue to whisper as both Julius and Callie nod and quickly leave as I see Maria and Greta are together and I motion them to come in and I was sick to my stomach. Very sick for where was our friend. I also knew I needed to go see Frank, but when?