Erik's Inheritance Ch. 03

"Wow," Erik felt naive, "like for real?"

"There's too much money in it. For an hour's work I can make hundreds of dollars. Let a couple of guys like you have a ride and I've made more money in a month that some guy busting his ass forty hours a week. In a week I can pay all of my bills for six months. If the week is good."

Erik had never paid for sex. Had never even looked into it or what that was like, but obviously there was a market for it. Too bad it was illegal.

He walked into a room, over to the couch inside, and sat down. Running a hand over the leather, he wondered when the last time it was cleaned.

"What are the sanitary conditions like?" He asked.

"BYOW, bring your own wipes, " she answered from the door. She was quite sexy leaning against it, her legs long and bare. Asking for a blow job now though would definitely be inappropriate.

Thinking about the implications of what she said made Erik jump up. He had no idea when it had been cleaned or who had been in it. The fat guy from downstairs had likely taken up a place right there at one time and that made Erik cringe inwardly.

Knowing that he ran a front business for prostitution made him want to shudder as well. But what she said about all strippers doing it made him realize that all clubs were likely all that way.

What the fuck was he going to do? He needed that accountant and definitely to talk to a lawyer. It would probably be best to shut the place down so he can get away from it cleanly. Could he start it over elsewhere?

Erik walked out of the tiny room, chewing his lower lip and thinking. He turned to see Trixie watching him and he stopped. She looked about to say something. She didn't though and he wondered what she thought. He continued going into the lap dance room then down the stairs. He didn't know if Trixie followed.

He took a seat in front of the stage. Music now pulsed through the club, a heavy bass beat background for a rapper that mumbled his way through the song. Erik was familiar with the song, but didn't like it so he went back to ignoring it. Another dancer was in the room and one other customer sat next to her at the bar. The big guy that came in before had a pizza in front of him and he sat to one side. He dismissed them all and went back to his thoughts.

If there was prostitution, there likely was some form of trafficking. Drugs, guns, girls, it could all possibly come through these doors. But how; more importantly, who did it? Who brought them in? He hadn't known David but something told Erik that a dude stuck in a wheelchair didn't create indentured servants out of desperate girls.

Trixie took a seat across from him. She looked worried and a little afraid. She had changed and now wore cut off jeans and a plaid shirt of red white and blue colors. She didn't say anything, but did look at him.

Erik leaned forward and kept his voice low, "How are girls recruited?"

"They normally just come in off of the street. We don't get new girls very often, David never turned a girl away either. Most don't last long, some that have real potential move on to bigger clubs to make more money but dangerous people are in those places." she said. She crossed her legs in front of him.

"So no one brings girls in and forces them to dance or something?" Erik asked her. He hoped desperately that no one did.

Trixie shook her head. "I know what you're getting at. No, that doesn't happen here. There are places in town where it does, but David was a good guy who didn't let that happen." She cocked her head to one side and looked to the corner of her eye, thinking hard about something.

Erik was intrigued and curious, "What?"

"A couple of weeks ago a black, thuggish looking guy came in with a small, Asian looking girl and tried to get David to put her on the floor. They got into a yelling match, but he left with his girl."

"That's weird. I wonder why." Erik said out loud, trying to think of why that would happen.

"So, at other places some guys will manipulate women into this kind of lifestyle and then take all of their money at the end of the night." Trixie said, trying to find answers with him.

"Ah, like a pimp." Erik said, the epiphany apparent on his mind.

"Exactly," Trixie said, pointing a finger at him then dropping it.

A hand ran along Erik's shoulders and another dancer in a black bikini came around from behind Erik. "What are you two kids talking about over here?" Her voice was lower and silky. She was tall, taller than Erik by several inches, and lean. Muscles hid beneath taught skin as she stood near Erik's right shoulder. Her hips were at eye level and he looked her up and down.

Trixie jumped in, "Oh typical guy stuff, how he liked our dance together and how cute he is." Trixie winked at him.

"Well I'm Pearl and I hope you'll have a dance with me then," she said. She seemed to be wafting her pussy at him by swinging her hips back and forth.

He cranked his neck to see her face and saw age there. She was mid to upper thirties with dark, tanned skin and wrinkles gaining a foothold around her eyes and mouth. She must be a smoker he thought.

The idea of her smoke scented body rolling on him repulsed Erik. He didn't care that people smoked but he hated the idea of smelling like it.

"We'll see," Erik said, "Trixie is taking good care of me so far."

"Aww that's pretty cute of her." She leaned down low to his ear, bending herself in half almost, and whispered in his ear, "I'll take you for a spin you'll never forget."

Pulling back she looked into his eyes with a predator's gaze and the urge to run came over him. "I'm okay for now, but thanks Pearl."

She straightened, "If you change your mind you'll find me," and walked away.

Erik found Trixie giving her a dirty look. "What's wrong?"

"She's a snake." A small smile appeared on her lips suddenly, "but I hope she has fun with Charlie."

"Charlie?"

"The huge big spending regular. She has to talk to him now and she'll likely have to take care of him all night."

Erik looked over his shoulder at Pearl and watched as she struck up a conversation with the man while he held another slice of pizza. Erik shook his head, making a disgusted sound. He almost felt bad for her, but this was the business she was in. He wondered if there was a different way to do do things.

"Tell me about Bob." Erik said to change the subject.

"He's a good guy. Weird looking but pretty normal. Gay too, which is kind of funny."

"Huh, that is odd," Erik mused.

"Yeah we've all offered him lap dances, but now it's just a running joke. When Bob gets a dance we're all doomed and stuff like that."

"Is Bob the only bartender?" Erik looked over his other shoulder at the man as he served a customer, that Eric hadn't noticed before, a drink.

"Yeah and he's good too but he needs a helper. Someone that can get beers and fill ice and stuff."

Erik nodded, thinking to himself. This place needs a plan and help. Changing it too much too fast could be a bad thing... but then again, a grand reopening after a thorough overhaul could be a good thing as well.

He glanced up and found Trixie staring at him. Intensity and concern burned in her eyes. He figured she was probably worried about what was going to happen and saw the burden of it all on his mind. He hoped that's why she was staring at least.

Erik pulled out his phone to check the time and saw it was 6:23 pm. It was going to be a long night of observations.