He didn't come over Friday night or Saturday morning. I had to work that night. I had a deep fear that I wouldn't see him again to sort out our argument. I reminded myself that his last words had been that he loved me.

Cherie was at work when I got there. She had been dancing the intro for the week since I was back on days. Saturday night was the first time everything went back to normal since she had twisted her ankle. She was ready to be part of the trio. I took her place in the introduction.

At the end of the night, the girls who worked the after-hours trade cleared the last of their tables and took part payments from their clients. The rest of us washed dishes and prepared to get changed.

Police cars screamed to a halt. The place lit up. We found ourselves in the middle of a raid. People ran everywhere. I got knocked down and hit my face on the edge of one of the tables. I scrambled to my feet and clutched my chin. A police officer forced me to stand on the footpath with the rest of the girls.

We didn't know what the raid was about. One of the girls yelled, "You can't do this! We're just doing our job!"

No one answered her. We were told to get into the back of numerous paddy wagons. No explanation was given. As the doors closed, an officer said, "Is prostitution a job?"

One of the girls bawled and went into hysterics. "What will my mother say? Oh my God! When she finds out, she's gonna disown me."

Tessa, one of the others screamed at her, "Shut up you stupid bitch. They've got to prove it."

"But I took money from a client. What if he was a cop?"

"Then you're in the shit," Tessa sneered and then she added, "But, maybe he wasn't, so stop freaking out. You're making it worse for everyone."

They made us line up and walk single file into the police station dressed in our costumes and directed us to go upstairs to wait for questioning. The area was large, with desks everywhere and numerous police officers ready to take our details. I was anxious, not knowing if they would believe I wasn't a prostitute.

A loud commotion came to us from out in the hall. Adam was dragged through the door with his wrists handcuffed behind his back. The man I had flirted with the week I stripped was also being hauled into the room.

I jerked to my feet and gasped, "Adam!"

His facial muscles strained in a grimace when he saw me standing, staring at him.

I took a small step forward, but his expression told me not to move.

The other man glared at me and roared, "Who the fuck is that?"

Adam growled back at him, "I don't remember her name. Just some bitch I screwed."

I sat and hung my head. I bit my lip to stop crying, and then Annette said for all to hear, "Jasmine, isn't that your boyfriend?"

I shook my head and said loud enough for Adam to hear, "No. He's just some prick I picked up with once!"

All my suspicions flooded my brain. He was a drug dealer. A criminal. What Daniel and Robert had said about his star tattoo must have been true. He gave me a sorrowful look as he was forced to sit at one of the detective's desks.

The other man was made to sit at a different desk and yelled across the room, "You've been keeping secrets from me, Croe?"

Adam laughed. "What? Fucking some chick is me keeping secrets? Isn't there more to worry about than that at the moment?"

The officer told him to sit. Adam ignored him. The detective grabbed his arm. Adam spun around and yelled, "I've had enough of this shit! You've got nothing! Fuck you! Nothing!" He went ballistic and kicked the chair he had been sitting on across the room. It landed on one of the other desks and tumbled everything to the floor.

Adam's mate yelled at him to settle down. "What the fuck are you doing? Sit down dickhead!"

Adam continued to carry on until they hauled him away with a police officer on each arm.

I was in complete shock. Though I had suspected the worst, I didn't want it to be true. Even after the pain he had put me through.

Not long after, a detective called my name, "Jasmine Baker!"

I stood. He jerked his head. "Over here."

The man Adam had been brought in with stared at me.

"I'm not a prostitute," I pleaded. "I just serve drinks and clear tables."

The detective laughed. "Yeah, that's what they all say." He picked up his pen. "So, your full name is Jasmine Baker?" I nodded. He wrote it down and then asked me for my address and phone number.

I was sure the other man was listening. I whispered, "Can I write it? I don't want to say it out loud?"

He gave this some consideration and then spun the book to face me. "How long have you worked at Kæ'feı 'Rɒbərt?"

I told him how I worked during the day and was filling in. He wrote everything I said and then sent me back to my seat against the wall. I heard him say to another officer. "It's a shame. Why do good-looking girls do this shit?"

The second officer laughed. "Because they're good-looking. Are you going to pay some ugly bitch to fuck her?"

A tear trickled down my face. He hadn't believed that I wasn't a prostitute.

The man Adam had been with was getting agitated. "When are you going to release me? You can't hold me! You've got nothing!" he yelled.

"Shut up, Brock! Your turn will come when they finish with your mate."

There was another commotion in the hall. An officer dragged Adam back into the room. He forced him into a chair and laughed.

I gasped. Everyone followed my gaze. Adam's eye was swollen. He had blood running from his nose and lip. He shook his head just enough for me to pick up that I needed to remain quiet.

Brock hollered! "What the fuck have you pricks done to him? That's assault! We're gonna have you bastards! Let me make my phone call!"

The detective pointed at him. "Don't worry, Brock. Your turn's coming, so I wouldn't be in a rush if I were you."

My head pounded. I tried not to look at Adam. Every time I did, he was focused on the floor. His friend kept staring at me. When they took his friend away, Adam stared at me. He sighed and then whispered something to the detective sitting across the table from him.

The officer nodded and came to me. "Miss Baker."

I raised my head. He took me by the arm, led me towards Adam and sat me down.

"I told you not to work at night, Jasmine," he said. "What are you doing?"

I couldn't believe he was going to lecture me when he was sitting in handcuffs. "Don't you dare tell me what to do?" I hissed.

He laughed and shook his head. "No, I wouldn't dare. I told them you're my girlfriend and I could guarantee that you're not a prostitute."

I turned up my nose and spat, "Like they'd believe you."

Adam laughed again. "Yeah, I suppose they wouldn't, but they have let me talk to you." He jerked his head at the officer. "That's it. Take her back."

As the officer went to take hold of my arm, I yanked it away. "What do you mean that's it? Don't I deserve an explanation?"

Adam grinned and shook his head. "You're a smart girl, Jasmine. This has to tell you something."

The officer took me by the arm. Adam said, "Can you take her downstairs? I don't want Brock near her."

And that was it. I was released with some of the other girls who had been questioned.

They let me go around four o'clock without being charged. I was so exhausted and fell straight to sleep.  

Oh, no, this isn't good.  Poor Jasmine.  All her fears have come true :(

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