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“Your injuries were so fucking bad.”
I hugged my arms around myself, suddenly feeling like I was backed into a corner. “Yes, I know, Shawnee. Thank you for reminding me.” I was acting like a bitch but this anxiety resting on my shoulders scratched at my skin, and I didn’t like it. “I need Sammy.”
“You also need to go home, finish packing, and drive up to see your mom. And you need to stop by the clubhouse and talk to Tiny.”
“What’s he going to do?” I sounded like a whiny brat, but I just wanted people to leave me alone.
“He can protect you from Will.” Shawnee took a step toward me. “I’m not trying to be mean, but I just want you safe.”
I slumped onto a pile of crates, dropping my head in my hands. “I moved to get away from him. And now he’s here.” I lifted my head. “Do you know what he wants?”
“No, but I’ve been asking around.”
I placed my hands in my lap and started picking at a loose string of a hole in the knee of my jeans. “You haven’t heard anything?”
“No.” She sighed. “I haven’t. The guy who came here a few weeks ago…”
I looked up then, meeting my best friend’s stare.
“He knows people. Although, he doesn’t usually help adults but I’ll see what I can find out. If I can find out anything at all.” She huffed, blowing a loose strand of hair out of her eyes.
“I just want to be left alone.”
“Hey.” Shawnee crouched at my feet, covering my hands with hers. “I love you.”
“I love you too and I’m sorry for being a bitch.”
“I’m used to it.” She winked.
I laughed, gently pushing her back onto her ass.
She laughed along with me. “Seriously though, you need to do what I said.”
“I know. Sammy is dealing with some family stuff anyway.” I huffed. “I just want to live a normal life for once.”
She snorted. “Even if you never would have married Aaron, your life was anything but normal.”
“What does that mean?” I frowned.
“You’re so naïve sometimes.” She pulled me to my feet, hooked an arm around my shoulders, and led me from the storage room. “You’re beautiful. I don’t think you know just how beautiful you are. Even before you hit puberty. I was always jealous of you. But not in a mean vindictive way of course.”
As we walked down the hall to the back entrance of the club, I listened to her words, unable to believe what she was telling me. She was jealous of me?Shewas beautiful. I always wanted blond hair growing up. I even tried bleaching my hair once and my hair turned out orange instead. So, I gave up quickly and my mom was none the wiser.
“Why do you think you didn’t have to audition for Candace when we applied here? I had to. So did the other girls. But one look at you and Candace knew that the guys would be eating out of the palm of your hand. It’s also why she charged extra if they wanted you to get naked.”
“I don’t do that anymore.” My stomach clenched at the memories of me dancing completely nude for guys who threw money at me.
“I know you don’t but what I’m saying is that with your looks, both Candace and Ronny knew that you could make them money.”
“I guess.” I liked the owners. Ronny was a good guy and Candace always treated us well. They had an odd marriage that I could never understand, and they cheated on each other countless times, but I couldn’t say much when I, for one, was nowhere near being perfect. But if I were married again, with the right man, I wouldn’t be sleeping with anyone else that’s for sure. That was all Aaron. And I bent over and took it because I wasn’t strong enough then to do anything about it.
“Just please be careful. That’s all I’m saying.” Shawnee went into the section that held the costumes, change rooms, and everything else we needed to just get away.
“I will.” I went to the lockers and grabbed my purse and sweater. “I’ll tell my mom you said hi. You know you can come with me, right?”
“I know, and as much as I want to, I need to make some extra money, and I have some things going on.” She gave me a small smile.
“Everything okay?” It wasn’t like her to keep secrets from me, but I also knew that she would tell me whenever she was ready.
