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“More like a place to shower.”
“Down the hall to the left. They’re communal, so you’ve been warned.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “The nymphs have private showers if that’s more your style.” He held out his hand. “I’m Brewer by the way.”
“A shower is a shower, don’t care where.” She shook his hand. “Nikita.”
The name seemed to ring a bell. “Kevlar’s Nikita?”
“Not sure I’d say that, but….” She shrugged. Once upon a time, she was Kevlar’s. “Towels?”
“Closet by the showers.” Brewer leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. “Does he know you’re sneaking out?”
She gave him an annoyed glance. “I’m not sneaking anywhere.”
“Sure.”
Stomping down the hall, she smirked at Brewer’s sharp inhale at seeing her state of undress. She had nothing but a thong on and sure as hell wasn’t going to put on the blue dress to walk to the showers.
Thirty minutes later, she didn’t want to step away from the scalding water. It did nothing to remove the memories of the Cutthroat’s lips and hands on her flesh. Tears mingled with water, scrubbing harder with the bar soap she’d found in the closet. Tidbits of the night before crashed her mind, overwhelming her with regret, frustration, and anger. She could’ve done something different. Could’ve worn a less slutty dress. Could’ve kicked the bastard in the balls. It all hit her at once. A variable ending to a reckless operation. She was too consumed with revenge to keep up her guard.
“Kita, oh, baby.”
She lifted her eyes, and fresh tears gushed at the sight of Kevlar’s concerned face. He stood outside the stall, too damned perfect with his kind, brown eyes. The memories from the night before washed over her. Suddenly, she wasn’t the badass FBI agent who didn’t give a shit if someone saw her naked. She was merely a woman who’d been battered and almost raped. She was always strong, but the Cutthroat stole that from her. He took her confidence and choked her with it. Hot tears dripped down her chin. She’d been stripped of her control and couldn’t protect herself.
“Don’t look at me.” She tried to cover herself, the ugly bruises from the handsy biker taking their toll in her mind.
Turning off the water, Kevlar crouched beside her. He pushed the hair plastered to her face behind her shoulders. It was then she realized exactly how she looked. She sat on the floor, hugging her knees, not giving a damn about the water burning her skin.
“Don’t let that bastard win. You didn’t do anything wrong, Kita,” he said as if jumping into her thoughts. Pulling her up, he wrapped a towel around her shoulders. “You’re safe.”
Keeping her eyes fixed on her toes, she shook her head. She wasn’t safe. Her role wasn’t over. She had to return to the dollhouse and to the inevitable backlash from the night’s events.
She didn’t remember walking back to his room. Didn’t remember falling into his bed or drifting off to sleep in his arms. All she could remember was what her father once said.“If you leave Diablos, they’ll come for you, mija.”She didn’t want to believe it, but suddenly she did.
***
“Oh my God, Nikita, you’re back!” Mandi pulled her in for a bear hug, a catchy Rihanna song blaring in the earbud hanging around her neck.
Nikita winced at the gruff embrace but patted her friend’s back, nonetheless. “Of course. Where else would I go?”
Mandi held her at arm’s length. “What happened? One minute you were here and the next, I couldn’t find you.” Mandi pointed to her face. “What happened there?”
She gently grazed the bruise she’d attempted to hide with makeup. “One of the guys got a little too friendly.”
“But you’re okay? Otherwise, I will open a can of whoop-ass—”
“I’m fine, Chuck Norris, jeez.” She smirked. “Just need to put extra makeup on it.”
She sat cross-legged on the bed. “What happened with you? Get anything good?”
The other woman started in on her escapades and what information she’d found out from the bikers. Nikita shivered, burrowing deeper in the sweatshirt. It smelled like Kevlar. The man invaded her mind at every inhale. No doubt, he’d be pissed when he discovered she snuck out of Macha’s clubhouse, but she had to leave before she let herself get tangled in him once more.
Kevlar had quietly left while she napped. When she’d woken, his voice had drawn her into a large room where he and three other men played pool. For one hot second, she almost stayed. Then reality had crept back in, and she’d tiptoed out and into the darkness. She’d caught a ride from a Cutthroat returning after a night with his girl in Snowshoe.
“So, then I told the fucker to get the hell out. You should’ve seen his face. Priceless.”
Nikita switched gears. “Then did you get any details about the trafficking?”
Mandi scrunched her brows together. “Weren’t you listening?”
