Those who dared venture in here were usually looking for cheap thrills: easy ways of earning a living, some poor sucker to hook up with, or were simply trying to drown out whatever problems hounded them. This shithole was frequented by the desperate and the degenerate.

Just because it was located inside the same space station Ulric owned, didn’t make it more respectable. This level was a long way from his private, lavish hideaway. There were more than enough pristine and fashionable establishments in the higher levels for the majority of the population.

The lower regions of the Anteris Space Station, just above the garbage dump, were home to those without an ounce of class. The refined population hardly cared about these regions, unless they wanted to slum it for the buzz or were curious about how the other half lived. She’d served as a tour guide for such a group once, as a favor to Ulric.

When he first spotted her on one of her many stops here, he offered her a large amount of credits to escort a group of rich folk to this very bar. At the time, she hadn’t realized Ulric had other intentions for her, but Alex hadn’t shied away from a paying job. The perks of eventually becoming his lover had extended to a free stay in his private quarters starting the day she accepted his persistent advances, but he never hired her, again.

Still, the few hours she’d spent chaperoning a group of wide-eyed, wealthy people-as they experienced an atmosphere very different from their own-had probably been the easiest job she’d ever taken. Of course, it had come with a few problems. Like the stupid man who’d brought his impressionable teenage daughter with him. She’d behaved during the tour, but Alex hadn’t missed the way Michaela’s eyes lit up when some of the sleazy patrons checked her out.