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I flinched when she mentioned the only strip club in town, Diamond Jewels. My hunched shoulders and fisted hands did nothing to help my case since Mom was a bloodhound on steroids. As soon as she sensed weakness, she’d take me apart bit by bit.
Working hard not to let my fear show, I pushed my shoulders back and lifted my chin in defiance. “It’s just not for me.”
I was also only seventeen. Not that the owner would care how old I was.
She pulled herself up to her full height. She was an inch taller than me and loved looking down at me. I’d always been small. And malnutrition had made sure I stayed that way. “I have bills to pay, and Marty is ready to give you the prime spot. He’s wanted you to dance for him since he saw the show you put on at your sixteenth.”
That was a memory I liked to keep buried in the darkest recesses of my mind. I’d had too much to drink and somehow ended up at the strip club, dancing on the stage. Turned out I was good at it.
“I’ll repeat what I’ve said to both of you many times. I’m not interested.” I turned to walk back inside, hoping against hope that she’d drop it.
A hand clamped onto my arm, and I winced at the pain. Her grip would leave another bruise to add to my tally.
“We’re not done.”
She’d be relentless until I gave in. But I hoped that before that happened, I’d have left town. And I’d better sort something out soon because she wouldn’t let this go. Especially not since I’d found out that she owed Marty a lot of money—and intended for me to work it off.
“Everything okay out here?” Ella appeared next to us, and I fought hard against the urge to sigh in relief. She’d dealt with Mom many times in the past.
“We’re talking. You’ll have to fucking wait,” my mother, the charmer, barked at her.
Ella wasn’t dissuaded by her. Instead, she crossed her arms, looking like she was having a casual chat. “If you don’t take your hands off her right now, I’m going to call Sheriff Cooper.”
The threat of the sheriff appearing was enough and she released me. I didn’t rub my arm like I wanted to, since it would only draw more attention. Any other cop, she wouldn’t have cared since they liked to visit her regularly. But the sheriff was happily married and not interested in anything she had to offer.
Shooting me another narrow-eyed glare, she finally backed away. “I’ll be waiting for you at home.”
Nothing good ever followed that statement. It might be best if I stayed away for a few days.
Mom stalked back to her beaten-up old Ford, ripping her door open and finally driving off. I watched her car turn the corner, leaving a cloud of exhaust fumes behind.
Ella put her arm around my shoulders, steering me back to the house. “Come on, honey. Let’s go back inside.”
I looked up and noticed Everleigh and Archer standing in front of the house. They must have witnessed the whole sordid scene. Even though they’d seen many of my mom’s outbursts, I still tried to shield them as much as possible.
They were the only ones who stuck around, unconcerned about who my mom was and more interested in what I meant to them. I could never pay them back for all they’d already done for me.
Ever met us halfway across the lawn, taking my hand. Ella released me after giving me a reassuring squeeze. She went back inside through the front door, and we turned to go back to the basement entrance.
Archer took my other hand, and the three of us walked next to each other in silence. When we reached the back door, they released me, making sure I went downstairs first.
My hands shook, and I had to take deep breaths to stop myself from breaking down. I needed a minute. “I’ll be right back. You can keep playing the movie. I’ll catch up.”
I rushed to the bathroom before anyone could stop me and closed the door behind me. After splashing water on my face, I sank down on the floor, leaning against the cold tiles next to the sink.
I didn’t know how long I’d been in there, but a knock on the door startled me back to the present and away from my dark thoughts.
Everleigh came in and sat down, taking my hand in hers. I leaned my head on her shoulder.
She sighed and rested her cheek on my head. “You have to get away from her.”
“I know.”
“We’ll find a way.”
Little did we both know that it would take another seven years before I would finally find freedom. And that the freedom would come with a steep price tag attached.
CHARGE CHAPTER 1
