Page 141 of Nyx

I help pull the pamphlets out and begin loading them into a rack on the table.

"People chatter, and of course, the criminals in town talk trash. That sort of thing. You'll never meet better people than the ones connected to the club," she assures me.

"All the ones I've met are really nice."

"Kincaid wouldn't have it any other way. He holds them to a very high standard."

"Yet you wouldn't date one of them?"

She shakes her head, a light laugh escaping. "I like my freedom too much. The women never go anywhere without an armed escort. Don't get me wrong, they're treated like Goddesses. They don't want for a single thing, ever."

"Sounds horrible," I say with a grin.

She laughs again. "As I said, it's an acquired lifestyle."

We continue to work on the booth, getting our table and signage set up, along with the small face-painting area meant to draw in kids so they have something to do while a parent may need to speak to us about resources.

People start filtering into the park early, before the event is even scheduled to start, but I love the activity surrounding me.

Kids laugh, parents chat, and everyone seems to be having a great time.

Nyx is looking in my direction every time I glance over at him, and it gives me the confidence to relax a little, knowing he's right there if I need anything.

So many people come up to us, and everyone who is connected to the club, Victoria introduces to me as if there's a reason I should know all of them by name and face.

We haven't had anyone come up and ask for help directly, but we have had a few ask for pamphlets and contact information.

As the day progresses, the park continues to fill with more and more people. There are times I can't even see through the crowd because there are so many people around.

The rain never shows, but the clouds provide relief from the sun, making it a great day for this event.

I'm so glad I decided to come, even though I feel horrible when it's my turn to paint faces. No one complains, but my butterfly definitely needs some work.

I look back at Nyx, smiling at him and feeling like a lottery winner when he dips his head in my direction and gives me a little grin in return.

Chapter 35

Nyx

I know better than to relax, but watching her smile and laugh as she works the booth eases something inside of me.

I imagine it's been a very long time since she's felt happy.

When she gets a little worried, as if her brain is reminding her that there may be danger, she looks in my direction, smiling every time our eyes meet. I see her faith in my ability to keep her safe drain the tension that was growing in her body.

She trusts me and is sure of my ability. Knowing that makes me stand a little straighter and feel a little prouder of the decision to come to New Mexico rather than trying to face the world on my own.

I've noticed so many things about her as I watch.

She's so respectful of everyone's personal space. She doesn't reach out to touch the kids who come up the way some people do. She's interactive with people without seeming pushy or abrasive. She respects boundaries.

When one woman didn't want a brochure, she dropped it back into the rack and continued talking to her without missing a beat.

Juliet has spent twelve years doing her best not to be seen, to be unmemorable to everyone in her life, but I can tell, watching her today, that she was meant to shine.

She's meant for the light, meant to have a smile on her face, meant to be happy.

Knowing those things makes it even more important that I keep my distance.