Page 26 of Rigid

Nikki was one to talk, she gave her regulars blowjobs when she could get away with it. I looked at her and then at Diamond’s reflection in the mirror. “Are you going to go out with him?”

“Yeah.” She gave Nikki another glare, and then looked at me. “Do you know what he drives?”

I had no idea, and I really didn’t care. I did my best to feign interest and shrugged. “Uhhm. No. What?”

“Mercedes.”

“A twenty-year-old Mercedes,” Nikki chimed.

“She’s jealous,” Diamond said. “Can you tell?”

Nikki spun around. “I doubt he tipped you more than $10. Form what I hear, your hand jobs suck. And, jealous of what?”

“Jealous of the $500 tip, and because he asked me out. What do you get? $20 for a blowy, right?”

Nikki turned around. A strip of eyelashes dangled from the tip of her finger. “No, I get a grand, a ride in a new Mercedes, and a lobster dinner.”

Diamond picked up her sweats, waved her free hand toward Nikki, and rolled her eyes. “Jealous bitch.”

“A fifty-year-old surfer let you give him a handy, and then asked you out while you were wiping the cum off his disgusting gut. What is there to be jealous of?”

“He’s not fifty. And he owns a construction company.”

Nikki leaned forward, pressed the eyelashes in place, and then fanned her face with her hands. “He’s probably a janitor, and he looks fifty.”

Diamond cocked her hip. “He’s not fifty. He’s got a teenage dick, and a Mercedes.”

“Give it a rest, Theresa.”

“Don’t call me that,” Diamond hissed.

Nikki picked up another strip of eyelashes and then glanced over her shoulder. “It’s your name.”

“We’re not supposed to use our names, and you know it. Mark will have your ass, you spiteful bitch.”

My stomach knotted, and I bent over in response.

“Are you okay, Tex?” Nikki asked.

After a few seconds, the pain went away. I looked at her and shook my head. “Bad Thai food.”

“Nothing’s worse,” she said. “Where?”

“Thai-cos.”

“Oh my God. Why?”

“All you can eat. I was in a mood.”

“A mood for food poisoning.” She nodded her head toward my waist. “You’ll pay for it.”

Diamond pulled on her sweats, slipped her arms through her hoodie, and then zipped it up. “I guess I’m out of here.”

“Only reason you stuck around was to brag to Texxxas,” Nikki said. “Go.”

She grabbed her purse, shot Nikki a look, and then turned toward the door. “Bye Texxxas.”

I waved. “See ya, Diamond.”