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She had to find a way to connect everything. Bobby obviously had his hands all over what was happening, and she needed his connection to the Santa Monica house. She knew in her gut he was helping to provide women for the parties the same way he and Clint had collected women and children for men in California and who knew where else.
For now, though, she had to concentrate on keeping her business afloat, so she got ready for work. As she drove Lily to school, her daughter was unusually quiet.
“You okay, honey?” Rae said, glancing at her.
“Mom, I heard about what happened with your client. The one who was missing. And someone made this horrible TikTok about you.” Lily paused. “They made it sound like you killed him.”
“Oh, baby, I’m so sorry this is affecting you.” She reached over the car’s console to squeeze Lily’s hand. “But Angel and I aren’t suspects, and detectives are investigating it.”
“Like that Dayton guy?”
Rae peeked at her, and Lily’s face appeared confused.
“Are you, like, dating him now?”
“No. We’re just . . .”
“Having sex?” Lily said.
Rae clutched the steering wheel so hard her knuckles turned white. She hadn’t had a chance to explain what had happened over the weekend to Lily. “Yes, we had sex. But it wasn’t something we planned. It just happened, and we haven’t really discussed what that means yet.”
“Did you use protection?”
Rae had drilled into Lily’s head since she was twelve about consent and safe sex practices, and she wasn’t about to tell her they didn’t useprotection the first time. They had the second, so she said, “Yes, of course.”
“He seems nice. And he doesn’t seem like a crazy person. So, I guess it’s okay if you go out with him as long as he’s good to you.”
“Thank you for the permission, Your Highness.” Rae looked at Lily, but she was now scrolling through her phone.
After she dropped off Lily, Rae stopped by for coffee and walked into work feeling apprehension she couldn’t shake. She had a busy day ahead of her, thank goodness, and she had to stay focused.
“Morning,” Angel said when Rae handed her one of the to-go coffees she’d picked up for them. “Thanks, Rae-Rae.” She had concern in her eyes, making Rae wary. “Um, so you’re trending on TikTok.”
“Oh, fuck this day.”
“Guess who created the post?”
“TheCrimson Chronicle?” Rae guessed.
“Nope. Begins with Gabby, ends with little bitch.”
She should’ve known Lily’s friend would try to milk attention from the situation. Since Lily had failed to mention that tiny detail, she guessed the girls were no longer speaking. One piece of positive news.
“Have you seen it?” Angel said.
“No, and I have no interest in anything that privileged twat has to say.”
Angel took a sip of her coffee. “It may sound crazy, but I think the news on Thomas’s overdose actually helped us. You have two new inquiries for services. Guess now that people know you’re not a murderer, they’re cool with you beating them.”
Rae had no doubt some people still thought she could’ve been responsible for Thomas’s death, regardless of what the media now reported.
“I just hope you survive while I’m gone. One more week, baby, and my ass is lounging on a white sand beach surrounded by a sea of thong bikinis.”
Rae didn’t know what she’d do without Angel the following week, but her friend deserved a vacation more than anyone she knew. It would be tricky, but she could handle scheduling sessions and sanitizing the dungeon room on her own while checking clients in and out.
After she got through the four clients she had, she was ready for a hot shower and a meal she didn’t have to make. She was towel-drying her hair after her shower when her cell phone rang. It was Dayton, and the apprehension Rae had felt earlier in the day was back.
“I found him,” he said. “I found the white-haired bastard.”
