Flaw Less by Shana Burton Page A

but didn’t know how she could avoid doing so now. She turned to Ray. “Hey, can I talk to you for a second?”
    Ray exhaled sharply and moved off a little distance with her. “What’s up?”
    â€œRay, this feels like a setup,” she whispered. “I don’t want to go in there with him.”
    Ray shrugged. “Okay, cool.” She heaved a sigh of relief. “Consider this your last day. I’m terminating our agreement. You’re fired.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œReggie, I don’t have time to play these games with you. I did my part. I got you the audition; I arranged for Tron to come here to see you, and what do you do? You refuse to even go in there and sing for the man.”
    â€œRay, my voice is the last thing on his mind, and you know it!” refuted Reginell.
    â€œWe’ve already had this discussion, Reggie. It’s no big deal. It’s just sex.”
    â€œSex is a big deal! I don’t even know those guys. You know, just because I work here doesn’t automatically make me a ho.”
    Ray eyed her as if to say it did. “I thought most chicks would kill to kick it with a celebrity.”
    â€œThis is a little more than just ‘kickin’ it.’”
    â€œI told you when we first met that my reputation is on the line. When you flake out like this, it makes me look bad. Why would I put up with that when it’s easier just to replace you with some other girl?”
    â€œRay, I’m not trying to make you look bad—”
    â€œThen don’t!” he barked. “Just go back there and walk out with your record deal.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œLook, Reggie, either you’re in or out.” He pointed at Tron, who was flirting with another dancer. “You see that? He’s already moving on. That’s how it works in this business. If you don’t take advantage of your opportunities, somebody else will.”
    Reginell knew that she was losing time and possibly Tron’s interest. Her soul couldn’t afford to go along with the plan, but her career couldn’t afford to let this chance slip away. “All right, I’ll do it this once,” she stipulated. “I need a drink first.”
    Ray smiled. “That’s my girl. Don’t worry, this will just be a footnote on your way to the top. Tron knows a lot of big names. Signing with him can take you places.”
    Reginell wondered if hell was one of those places.
    Tron walked over to Reginell and Ray. “What’s up? Are we gonna do this or what?”
    â€œYeah, you know how it is,” said Ray, summoning a bartender. “She just wanted to make sure it was all right with Daddy.” Ray pulled out a set of keys and handed them to Tron. “You can go on back to the office while I get her situated.”
    Tron smacked Reginell on the rear. “Don’t keep me waiting.”
    The bartender brought a whiskey sour to Ray, who handed it to Reginell. “Just show the man a good time,” he urged as Reginell woofed it down. “Everybody can walk away from this thing getting exactly what they want.”
    Reginell thought of what was waiting for her inside of Ray’s office. She knew how used and empty she would feel coming out of that room. “Can I have another drink? And some kush too, just to take the edge off.”
    That night wasn’t the first that Reginell depended on the mind-numbing effects of drugs and alcohol to get through her shift at work. Together, they had the phenomenal ability to make her forget that she was in the moment; they made her feel nothing. Feeling nothing was a whole lot better than feeling dirty and used like a whore. Feeling nothing enabled her to withstand Tron, and later his bandmates, desecrating her body with their sweat, their hands, and their bodily fluids, soiling her temple and her spirit. She felt nothing and, to them, she was nothing.
    When Reginell