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I’m not the woman who I stare at in the mirror, even on my worst of days I never look this dreadful. That’s it. I am getting out of this damn apartment, letting the hot Vegas sun onto my skin, and will go do something for myself. All the while trying to avoid Drake like he’s the devil himself – because, in my eyes, he is. He may even be worse.
“I’m going out. Wanna come?” I ask Carly, who’s shoving a ding-dong in her mouth while sitting at the kitchen island. She’s really started to make herself home, hasn’t actually left in the last few days and I won’t be asking her to. For the longest time, I didn’t give a rat’s ass where she was staying, or what it was that she was doing… but now she’s the only thing I have left in this world and I can’t lose her too. She’s too important to me.
“Where ya goin’, sis?” she asks, a devilish smirk dragging across her face.
“For a little retail therapy, and if you come with me, I might buy you some new pretties,” I comment, smirking the second I see her ass off the chair. Today is going to be a great day, and if I had to bribe her a little bit to come with then so what.
Carly and I walk around Vegas for what seems to be hours, hitting up every shop that has anything we may like. I haven’t spent a good chunk of change on myself in a long time and it feels kind of rewarding to be doing that right now. I won’t admit this to her, but it’s nice to buy something for Carly too. She isn’t a perfect person in any sense, but she is a sweetheart. She just battles her own demons like all of us do.
“Candace, is that you?” I hear from behind me, a voice that is all too familiar. I whip around and plaster on a smile, facing Drake’s brother, Sam.
“Hey Sam, long time no see,” I say to him, seeing him clad in his usual outfit. He’s a minister for a local church, his life being served to God and making a better place for the needy and homeless. The man has invested all of his own money into making the lives of the people around him better. He is an actual real-life angel.
“I could say the same for you. How have you been?” He genuinely asks me. Sam always shows everyone how much he cares through his actions. Whenever he speaks you can tell that he means whatever it is that he’s saying and has his full attention on you. “Wait, I swore Drake told me you two were dating. I’m so happy for the both of you, truly.”
The smile drops from my face and my heart falls into the pit of my stomach. “We aren’t. Dating I mean. We were, but not anymore.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I had no idea. He’d just told me a little over a week ago…”
“It didn’t work out.”
“Well, I’m sorry to hear that,” Sam says. I watch as he turns his eyes to my sister, “Oh, how rude of me. I’m Sam, and you are?”
“Carly…,” she replies, looking at me like he’s the creepiest thing on the planet. She wouldn’t know a good man if one hit her in the face, and she really doesn’t see that Sam is only being nice to her. He doesn’t want her for sex, but of course, that’s what she’s used to.
Sam beams, “It’s lovely to meet you, Carly. You look as wonderful as your sister does. I’m sure that you both get your good looks from your Mother.”
“Our Dad was the pretty one. Mom looked like she’d gone through a snow blower.” Sam’s eyes expand at that one, and he chuckles to himself, muttering something under his breath. If it was a short prayer, I wouldn’t waste my breath. Sam’s cell begins to ring, and he excuses himself to answer it, walking a few feet away. A moment later he’s back in front of us, “I’m sorry ladies but I must run off. I do hope you both have a pleasant day, and it was lovely meeting you… Carly.” The entire time Sam is speaking he doesn’t even look at me. His eyes are glued onto my mess of a sister. I can see why he’d be intrigued by her. Sam is a fixer, but the Lord knows that there is no fixing my sister. We’ve already tried.
Carly and I make our way down the strip and I make the sudden choice to do something spontaneous. “Sit down and wait for me, will you?” I say to my sister and she nods, taking a seat in the plush leather chair. As I walk towards the front desk, I see a woman approaching her with a glass of champagne.
“How can I help you today, miss?”
“I’d love a good change. Something dramatic.” I see the young girl’s eyes light up right before my very own.
“Dramatic I can do, doll. Let me fit you in with Gloria. She’s a hell of a woman.”
Chapter 21
Drake
NothearingfromCandacehas been the longest nerve-wracking week ever. I lived like a vagabond, along the Vegas Strip, wandering and roaming from casinos to nightclubs and drinking whatever my taste buds were in the mood for at that particular moment.
She still owes me an answer regardless of what’s happened in the last week. I’ve given her enough space to allow her to cool down and think about what she truly wants, even if it killed me not to be there for her father’s funeral. I know Candace, and I know that she needed time. But still, does she want to wear my collar as my submissive or not? I’m not wasting another fucking day waiting for the answer.
I haul ass in the Porsche and gun over to her apartment. As I get off her elevator I head straight towards her door and rap lightly. I’d thought about being more aggressive, but I know it would do more harm than good. “Candace, I know you’re in there. Open the damn door.”
The door bursts open with a sudden pull, but it’s not Candace behind it. Instead it’s a younger woman who has light brunette hair, almost blonde. This must be the infamous Carly.
She leans her hip against the door, crossing her arms, and leans her head back since I’m over a foot taller than she is, “You must be Drake, Sam’s brother,” she huffs, “You two don’t look at all related!”
I roll my eyes and walk right in. Candace wasn’t exaggerating when she told me how rude her sister can be. I simply welcome myself inside, walking past Carly to see Candace sitting at her table eating dinner. In just a week’s time so much has changed. She doesn’t even look the same. Not at all. Her hair has been cut short, barely touching her shoulders and no longer is her hair riddled with a dark raven color – she’s at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, going bleach blonde.
She’s off the chair, her eyes wide as I move in her direction. She takes two steps back, “Go away! I don’t want to talk to you.” Her voice is lethal, warning me to stay away, but I won’t. I’ve stayed away for far too long and I refuse to do it any longer. She doesn’t realize that the last week has physically killed me. Every waking second of the day I have only done one thing – think about her, about the way she smells, that fragrant perfume of hers that always seems to be floating around, and about her smile. Damn, that smile.
I get to her quick enough, grabbing ahold of her arms and pull her gently back to the chair and make her sit. “Sit your ass down, Candace. We need to have a chat and I can promise you that it will be happening one way or another.”
She looks up at me, her pretty lips set in a straight line. I shake my head, glaring down at her.
