Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Charleigh

Back in my room after what seems like a marathon midday shift of shuttling back and forth between the bartender and club patrons, ensuring their glasses are always full of whatever beverage they require, I’m so tired I want to cry. I pull off the crazy stripper shoes I’ve been wobbling around in and rub my ankles, when the idea of a hot bath crosses my mind.

I sit on the edge of my huge tub, waiting for it to fill, and pull the sash on my plushy robe tighter. What a head-snapping contradiction the last couple days of my life have been.

I was basically felt up by someone who probably wasn’t even a doctor, my asscheeks have been pinched, caressed, and smacked more times than I can count, and yet here I am living in this gorgeous suite, for lack of a better term, with the sort of bathroom that is only found in high-end décor magazines.

Then there are the guys. Aside from their initial threats when they took me from Pops’s shop, they’ve treated me… like a princess. Well, a princess who works as a cocktail waitress. The hot lunchtime working-over Vadik gave me, which I have been thinking about every night before I go to bed, still blows my mind. It’s like one of those ear-worm songs that you can’t get out of your head.

Speaking of Pops’s shop, Vadik returned my phone to me earlier in the day, and while I have missed a few calls, there is not a single one from my father.

Not a one.

Can’t say I’m surprised.

There is a message from Evie, though, but I’ll deal with that later. I need some time to think. Unless my father already filled her in, which I doubt, I have to be careful with what I tell her. He’s probably too much of a chicken-shit to say anything, though. He knows how hard she’ll come down on him. She might be young, but she’s perceptive. When she doesn’t see me around, she’ll start asking questions.

There are five texts from my bookkeeping study-buddy, Luci. Ugh. I know exactly what she wants, and I have exactly no answers to give her. But I call her anyway.

“What the hell, dude?” she asks without saying hello.

I sigh. “I know. I’m sorry I’ve been so incommunicado.”

“The exam is tomorrow!”

Like I could forget that. Like I haven’t thought of my bookkeeping course every five minutes since I was spirited away from Dad’s clusterfuck of a mess. Like I haven’t wondered if all my hard work was for nothing, and whether the life I dreamt of for so long is now, forever, out of reach, all because of my father.

My voice cracks. “Luci, you go take it. Take the test. You get an A for us both. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

If ever.

I want to double over, the pain of giving up is so shattering. I was going to accomplish so much. I tried so hard.

“That’s bullshit, Charleigh. Tell me where you are. I’ll come get you right now.”

And end up dead.

Not an option.

“Look, Lu, I love that you are on my side. I love that we’re twins in this journey to better ourselves. But I… am taking a break for now.”

“Please, Charleigh, please tell me what’s going on.”

I am tempted to. I really am. But I know that will only put her in danger. So, for now, I am keeping my mouth shut.

“I can’t say anything, Lu. Except I love you. And that I’ll be in touch. Goodbye.”

“Wait, Char—” she screams.

But I’ve hung up the call before I hear any more. I can’t take the idea I’m letting her down, leaving her to finish on her own. We’ve held each other up, cheered each other on, and now I’m throwing her out there to do it on her own.

It’s not like I have any choice, though.

I step into the steaming tub, which immediately works my sore legs. I swish the water around, having used shampoo as bubble bath, and pretend for a moment I’m a lady of leisure, entitled to such luxury on demand.

I try to force my thoughts back to my brief time with Vadik, his comforting, sensual touch, and block out the disgusting touch of that perv doctor, who probably jerked himself to relief the minute he got into his car. And just when I’ve closed my eyes to focus on the sweet-smelling water I’m soaking in, my phone vibrates on the edge of the tub.

I grab it before it tumbles into the water, having forgotten I’d left it there. I’m about to place it on the bathmat, turned over so I don’t have to see Luci calling me again, when I find it’s Evie’s school.

Yes, the number for Evie’s school is in my phone contacts, that’s how often I talk to them.

I swipe the call open. “Hello? Hello?”

I hold my breath while I’m hanging out of the tub, dripping onto the floor. If Evie’s gotten herself into some sort of mess, there’s not a lot I can do in my current situation.

Shit, shit, shit.

“Miss Gates? This is Evie’s principal.”

I gulp. “Yes, I know. Is everything… all right?”

“Evie’s gotten into another fight.”

* * *

Charleigh

I pull on the jeans and sneakers I arrived in, and sit on the edge of my bed, trying to think of what to do next.

I have to get to Evie’s school. They won’t let her go without either Pops or me picking her up, and they know better than to expect my father to do it.

I haven’t seen the brothers all day, except for when Niko poked his head into the lounge and spotted me from across the room. He smiled, a fact not lost on the bartender and some of the guests, and after he left, I could swear I was treated with a little more respect. Or at least there was less ass-grabbing.

Aside from that, I know the brothers come and go, working their various businesses. They can’t stay here in the club all day and night, even if it is their top priority of the moment. But I do hope to get some casual time with them later to learn more about what the hell I’m doing here.

I want to see them for other reasons, too. The sort of reasons that have been keeping me up at night, thinking naughty thoughts.

But my sister is my top priority. Everyone and everything else can go right to hell. Looking straight ahead, I walk out of my room to the elevator and head down to the ground floor, which I’ve not been on since the first day I arrived. I weave through some mingling guests until I push open the heavy door leading outside.

It slams behind me in a violent whoosh, and it occurs to me I have no way to get back in other than knocking. Or pounding.

How was that so easy? Can I just walk out anytime I want?

I know the answer to that. Yes, I can. But there are consequences. Ugly ones.

The brilliant daylight stuns me for a moment, and I realize I’ve only been exposed to artificial light for the last several days. I shield my eyes, squinting as I try to figure out which direction to head toward to get out of this forgotten industrial part of town and to my sister’s school. I start walking as quickly but inconspicuously as possible while looking down at my phone to call an Uber.

That’s when a large hand lands on my upper arm.

I turn to see Kir and my heart jumps into my throat. Dammit. What am I going to do now?

“Charleigh,” he says, drawing out my name like I’m a bad little girl.

While he has me in his grip, his face is calm. Friendly, even. He’s smiling the way you would if you’ve just run into a neighbor. His head is tilted, his longish hair pulled back tightly, and he’s wearing some version of updated Ray-Bans.

If I passed him on the street, it would be all I could do not to stare. He looks like a genuinely nice, normal, although exceedingly handsome, guy. The kind most girls would be happy to date. Even bring home to Mom and Dad.

“Kir,” I say, thinking fast. “Can you help me with something? I have a… family emergency.”

Amusement crosses his face. “Um, sure, Charleigh. I’m happy to help,” he says, not loosening his grip.

I look from where he’s holding me to his face. “Kir. This is a real emergency. My sister is in trouble at school. I have no choice but to go to her.”

He nods slowly, not buying a bit of it.

“Look, I need to get there ASAP and figure out what’s up. She’s a… troubled kid. Things haven’t been good for her since our mom died.”

He should be able to relate to this, right?

And I guess he does, because his grip moves from my upper arm to my hand, which he takes, his fingers intertwining with mine. “All right. I’ll take you.”

Relief washes over me like a tidal wave and I can’t believe my luck. I might get in trouble later, but I couldn’t care less. There’s no way that Kir—or anybody, really—can understand the depth of responsibility I feel toward Evie.

When our older sister left for New York, she made me swear I’d look out for the kid. I wasn’t crazy about the idea because Evie’s never been much more than a troublemaking brat, hanging with the wrong crowd, failing classes, and getting caught for boneheaded things like shoplifting candy. She needed some sort of guidance, though, and it wasn’t going to come from our father. So, it fell to me.

As if she knows at this very moment I’m thinking of her, my phone vibrates with another call from her. I don’t answer because she’ll have too many questions I can’t answer, and if she learns too much, she’ll be here the next day, snooping around, getting involved, and generally making things worse for us both. So, I text her I’m on my way.

I turn to Kir after I’ve pulled my seatbelt on. “Are you taking me because you believe me? Or because you don’t believe me?”

He thinks for a moment, before he puts the car into gear. “Maybe a little of both.”

That’s better than I expected.

He starts to drive, with me navigating, and it all just feels so normal. The sunroof of his Audi is open, the wind is blowing our hair, and he has the radio cranked up high. As the bass gets louder, he bops his head and slaps his thigh, and I think my life has never been this normal, even when it was normal.