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“Right.” Cyprus nods, his lip twitching at the corner. “I’m gonna be busy for a while. If I’m not back in time for pizza and movie night, I’ll be back the first chance I get.”
I take in his expression and nod. “Okay. Just be careful.”
“Always, baby.” He leans in and presses his lips to mine. “You take it easy.”
“I’ll try.” I can’t guarantee that I’ll take it easy or that I won’t worry. This bit of drama might not have anything to do with me, but there’s still the threat of Hector out there and he’d love nothing more than to hurt those around me to get me back. Now that I know what he’s really after, it all makes sense. Every bit of it.
“Right.” Cyprus’s lip twitches and he presses another kiss to my lips. “After I finish with this shit, you and me are gonna have a talk.”
“About what?” The question slips past my lips before I can stop it.
“One, you and what you said while Daisy was holding you by your hair. Don’t think I’ll forget that shit. Second being about where we’re going. You and me.” Cyprus lays one more kiss on my lips, this one long and lingering. Pulling away, he gives me a wink and heads off to do whatever it is he’s got to do.
“You know, I never understood why these guys never wanted to stick with easy lays,” Lips, the clubgirl I was helping, says, getting my attention.
“Why do you say that?” I cock my head slightly, taking her in. She’s a beautiful woman and holds herself with confidence. “Why do you want them to stick to easy lays?” The woman could easily be more than just someone who sticks around the club and has sex with every man she can.
“It’s easier that way, I guess.” She shrugs and meets my gaze. “You know, if it’s an easy lay, you don’t have to worry about hearts getting involved. It can be about the feel of sex and let it stay at that,” she says, glancing down to Bride and then back to me. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I wrap my arm around Bride and give her a squeeze. “Why don’t you go get us a couple of those cookies you made earlier,” I suggest.
“Okay,” Bride murmurs softly and goes to do what I tasked her with.
I return my attention back to Lips. “You know, not everything should be about sex.”
“True, but it makes things easier.” Lips grins weakly.
“Maybe so, but if you could do anything else, away from the club, what would you want?” I ask. It’s also something I ask myself, because now that I’m not stuck, I need to figure out what I want to do with my life.
Lips stares at me for the longest time before giving me a genuine smile. “For a while, I wanted to go to school and become a paramedic.”
“So, why didn’t you?” I ask, ignoring the fact a couple of the ol’ ladies have joined us.
“I don’t know.” Lips leans back in the chair she’s sitting in and stares at the glass between her hands. “I guess I wasn’t ready. Life isn’t the easiest thing to deal with when the world’s against you.”
“I get what you mean.” I nod, truly understanding about the world being against you.
“Lips,” Raven says, sitting down next to the other woman. “You don’t have to be a clubwhore.” Lips actually flinches at the blunt tone of Raven’s voice. Ignoring this, Raven takes Lips’s hand in hers and smiles. “If you want to do something, you know the club will help. You still want to be a paramedic?”
“Yeah.” Nodding, Lips drops her gaze. “I guess I do.”
“Then we’ll talk to the guys and see what we can do.”
Raven amazes me with how she carries herself. I know none of the ol’ ladies care for the clubgirls, but hearing that Lips wanted to do something with herself, Raven’s encouraging her to follow through with what she wants. I don’t know what’s happened in the past between all the women, however, compassion is shown to those even when they don’t deserve it.
Ironic as it is to witness, I know they’ve done the same for me. They’ve shown me I can be more. Even when I want nothing more than to deny the truth. I’ve lived so long in the life that I was dealt with, it’s not easy to become accustomed to a new one. But I’m sure with Cyprus’s determination, I will.
* * *
The hours ticked by slowly, and the ol’ ladies decided that since all the men were handling club business that they’d join Bride and me for a movie and pizza. Rachel had one of the prospects go and get ten different large pizzas from Bride’s favorite place in town. The older kids joined us while the little ones went down for the night.
Victoria’s son, Jamie, has been all but glued to her, and I don’t blame the poor kid. What he went through today was horrifying. I don’t know how Victoria is coping with it all, but she’s put Jamie first. Her other son is in the bassinet next to her, and I completely think she’s got to be the best mom in the world.
Earlier, she’d told us all about what happened with Valentine and Lorena. Victoria explained that Valentine’s real name was Lily and that she’d been sold into slavery when she was only five. Raised and tormented by Perrin Tremblay. This was the first time she’d been sent to do something outside his reach. When it was deemed she was taking too long, Lorena was sent in to bring them both to him.
What Victoria describes to us scares the daylights out of me. I thought I had it bad, living the way I have. Lily has had an entire lifetime of that torture.
The ending credits start and I look down in my lap to find Bride fast asleep. She’s another person who needs a break. Gently I wake her. “Come on, Bride, let’s get you to bed.”
