Chapter 43
brOOKLYN
“So…”
Maya grins at me in the mirror while she adjusts her black PVC thigh highs and bikini bottom.
“I hear there’s something a little… scandalous in your life?”
I smirk, arching my brows from where I’m sitting in her dressing room chair.
“That feels a bit judgy coming from the sexy nun with her boobs out.”
Maya, who is indeed in the middle of trying on her new fetish-heavy sexy nun outfit for later tonight, laughs and grabs her tits. “Don’t be jealous, Ms. B-cups.”
Kir would lose his shit if he knew I was back here at The Mirage. I’m actually surprised myself, given all the horrible things that happened here.
But, Maya—a friend I wasn’t looking for but desperately needed— also happened here. So when she texted me asking if I wanted to catch up tonight before her shift…and mentioned that Lou wasn’t going to be in…I said screw it.
I’m glad I did.
Yes, the horrifying memories might come clawing for me, being here again. But I feel better equipped now to fight them off.
I’m stronger.
I’m not afraid of the ghosts anymore. I can look back on the girl who walked in here in utter desperation, and while she breaks my heart, I’m so proud of how far she’s come.
…I mean, she’s had some help, from an incredible man. But still.
I’m fucking proud of her.
I snort as Maya cups her boobs and gives them a jiggle in the mirror.
“I mean, I am jealous. They’re fantastic tits.
” I shrug. “But if I had those, there’s no way I could do ballet.
Did I ever tell you about the girl I danced with who had a boob reduction because they kept throwing off her pirouettes? ”
She clicks her teeth. “See? The tits are always greener on the other side.”
I grin. Maya finishes adjusting the buckles on her PVC bra. Then she shoots me a look. “By the way, nice dodge of my ultra-probing question just now.”
I feel my face heat. “What?”
She sighs. “I heard a rumor about a new man in your life.”
I grin, blushing deeper. “Oh?”
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t fucking oh me, bitch. I stalk your friends on Insta and caught a pic from a birthday party the other day for some guy named…Lazarus?”
I laugh. “Just Laz.”
“Yeah, well, surprise surprise, who do I see in the background of said post? You—lookin smoking , by the way?—”
“Thanks.”
“Sitting in the lap of a super-hot guy who looked…what…fifteen years older than you?”
I grin. “Twenty-one, actually.”
“ Girl, ” she laughs. “Fuck the haters. Go get it . That dude is fine .” Her brow cocks. “And…if I’m not mistaken, he’s also the guy who marched in here that last night of yours and beat the living fuck out of Lou?”
I chew on my lip. “That would be him.”
“And the same smoke-show who came looking for you at my apartment?”
I grin and nod.
Maya throws her head back and cackles. “Does he have a brother?”
I snicker. “No, sorry. I’ll keep an ear out for any cousins, though.”
“Please do.” She turns, her eyes sweeping over me as she smiles.
“What?”
“Happiness looks good on you, that's all.”
I roll my eyes. “Please. That outfit looks good on you.”
“Well, duh,” she smirks. “And stop deflecting with humor.” She arches a brow. “You do that a lot, you know. But yeah… Happiness suits you.” She smiles. “You are happy, right?”
A huge grin spreads across my face. “ Really fucking happy.”
Maya grins back. “You’ve grown a lot since you got out of this place.”
I smile wryly. “Ever think about leaving yourself?”
She gestures around the dressing room. “And leave all this? Look, Lou's a fucking predator, but he’s also scared of me. The clients are gross sometimes, but…” She shrugs.
“I dunno. I fuckin’ love this place. I love being on that stage, I love looking out for the other girls…
I just feel at home here, even if I want to give it a deep clean and take out some of the trash sometimes. ”
She glances at the clock, sighing. “Showtime. Look, Lou really is gone for a few days. You wanna hang out after I’m done? Head somewhere fun, get some stupid pink girly drinks?”
I grin. “I’d love to.”
After she sashays out of the dressing room, guilt hits me. Kir doesn’t know I’m here, and it’s weighing on me.
Just then, two dancers I don’t think I ever worked with come bustling into the dressing room, giving me odd looks. I excuse myself and head out to the back parking lot to call Kir, tell him where I am and that I’m fine about it, and that I’ll be going out with Maya for a couple drinks after.
The muggy summer air hits me as I open the back door and step out, reaching into my pocket for my phone.
Then pain explodes through my stomach and I see black spots as I keel over, crying out in agony when the fist slams into my gut again.
A rough hand grabs the back of my hair, shoving me down to my hands and knees on the blacktop, a cold, furious, all-too-familiar voice snarling in my ear.
“Miss me, bitch ?”
I scream as James yanks me up by the hair and shoves me toward the open trunk of a car.
“I think we’ve got a lot of catching up to do, don’t you?”
I scream again as he shoves me into the trunk and slams it shut, drowning me in darkness as terror rips me apart.