Chapter 19
Dixie
From the staff exit of Heaven, I had Karla peek out into the street. “Sure he’s gone, hun?”
My almost-co-worker scanned the area then twisted back to face me. “Long gone. You’re safe.”
Cautiously, I stepped out of the door and peeked into the cold night. “It was just one guy, you said?”
“One big man, from Deadwater, and snapping out your name. I didn’t like the look of him. Was he a client gone wrong?” There was an odd intensity in her eyes.
Judgy-judgement, probably. Karla worked the tables and hadn’t made it as a dancer.
She’d looked down on me when I’d shown up with experience and was immediately given a slot, even if I’d never made it to the stage.
Tonight should’ve been my first walk, and I’d been a wobbly little jellyfish all day.
Not that Karla’s bitchy attitude mattered. I’d been found. The panic I’d fled Deadwater in still tingled in my limbs and broke as cold chills through me. I slept for shit, and only makeup had this girl appearing human.
I couldn’t stay here, in the random town I’d picked as I’d had nowhere else to go. I’d missed the girls, the lights, all my cute outfits. But I couldn’t let a man touch me.
I had to move on again.
No biggie. If I’d have hit the stage, I’d probably have bailed anyway.
I forced a smile for Karla. “Do me a favour? Tell Bette I’m gone, and that I’m sorry.”
“You’ve got it. What do I tell the guy if he comes back?”
That was my fear. I hid my trembling hands at the small of my back. “Lie good, bestie.”
“You don’t want him to find you?”
“Never.” Attacker, rapist, Marchant, whoever he was, I couldn’t let him track me down.
Karla winked elaborately.
I shouldered my bag and took one final glance at the club I’d known would only ever be a bright and glittery detour, then left it behind in a flurry of heel clicks on pavement I’d never walk again.