Page 20

And of course not. But come back. I miss you.

Miss you too.

Tell me something happy.

I watch the ellipsis on the phone disappear and reappear, meaning Melly plans to take longer than normal to get back to me.

I switch over to last night’s text with Belle, rereading through the thread.

Where are you, Lady?

I’m in Montana.

But where in Montana?

I stare at her text, still waiting on my reply, worrying my lower lip between my teeth. I ache to tell her, but I don’t want her to get in trouble. Not when she’s done so much for me. Gave me a job. Packed up my things after I left Travis and sicced T-Bone on him when he came to the club pleading with me to come home.

No, the less she knows the better.

Belle will help me. I’m sure of it. She always has. Meanwhile, all I can do is wait and hope all of this will blow over.

Lifting my head, I scan the room. I need things. Coffee. Food. Clothes. Basic necessities. I need a plan. A new purpose in life for the next however many weeks. Something tells me that the cows in Montana outnumber the strip clubs. My eyes land on my sparkly fringed boots, neatly placed in a corner of the room. Panic claws at my throat. I need to get rid of that damn USB.

That feeling of the walls closing in immediately takes me back to living with my mother and Tom. Not knowing what tomorrow would bring. Not knowing how to get out, how to survive.

What if this doesn’t blow over? What if I can’t go back to Vegas? That little life I built gone up in smoke. No more greasy tacos with Melly. No more dancing at the Velvet Belles.

“Shit,” I whisper as tears cloud my vision. I clutch at my lucky locket, rub a thumb over the smooth gold.

What the hell is wrong with me? Sleep. I need to go back to sleep.

After working long nights at the club, mornings are my nemesis. Give me the bright lights of Vegas and starshine any day. Belle said lie low, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Sleep. Then get up, take a hot bath, have a cold beer, figure out a plan, and try not to lose my mind. Easy, right?

Then how come I feel like crying?

I inhale a steeling breath and wipe my eyes. There’s no one here to save me. I have to save myself.

I put my phone away and burrow into bed. I hug my pillow and toss one leg over the cool sheet, letting the warm sunlight stream in from the window to kiss my skin.

Smiling, I sigh and snuggle deeper. I close my eyes. A dream comes to me, and I float, Lucy and I reading our thrift store encyclopedias as we drive in a limousine with cherry lollipops in our mouths…

Thud.

Sleep and my impending dream melt away.

Thud.

My blood chills.

Thud.

My eyes flash open at the sound of boots inside, scuffing over hardwood floors. A rasp of a smoky voice. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding.”

Oh god. They found me.

Whoever they are.

Heart hammering, I burrow deeper under the sheet like it’s an escape portal. Panic sets in, and I imagine a man with a gun aimed straight at me.