Sierra
Chapter twenty-four
Earlier, once homework was done, I turned the phone back on, and Zander and Braxton texted non-stop.
When I saw it was six, I told them they had to stop because I was going to be heading to work soon and wanted to spend some time with Sam.
Mistake number one. The questions started pouring in after that. Ones I didn’t have the answers for.
Why are you going to work so late?
Isn’t there a law about how late you can work as a student?
Where do you work?
What time do you get off?
I never thought anyone would question me, and I don’t have an answer. So I did the only thing I could do; turn off the phone and ignore them.
Fuck me! Now that I think about it, it won’t be as easy to avoid their questions when they’re right in front of me tomorrow. But that’s going to have to be a problem for later because it’s time to go to work. I’m about to walk out the door to catch a bus when there’s a rapping at the door.
No one ever knocks on our door unless it's the landlord. Could it be child services? Has someone found out my secret?
Whoever it is knocks again, only louder this time. Tip-toeing over, I try not to make a sound, hoping they’ll go away. Did I remember to lock the door?
‘KNOCK, KNOCK’ The sound makes me jump, except this time they call out my name after. “Sierra, are you home?”
I know that voice; Cyrus.
Panic hits me for a minute. What is he doing here? He can’t find out my secret.
I stand there frozen, debating what to do, before finally opening the door as he’s walking away toward the stairs.
The sound of the door opening makes him stop and turn back around.
“Hey, I thought I missed you for a minute. I wasn’t sure what time you left for work, but I wanted to catch you before you did so I could give you a ride. ” He walks back, smiling.
“Oh, I was finishing getting dressed when you knocked. So it took me a minute to answer.”
“Oh, sorry. I was leaning on my car downstairs, waiting for you to come down, and this elderly gentleman came out of the building with his cane and a phone in his hand. He started waving his cane at me like he was going to beat the shit out of me, wanting to know why I was casing the joint and he was calling the police. I had to explain to him that I worked with you and was here to give you a ride and was just waiting for you. When he wouldn’t stop ranting about calling the cops, I decided to just come on up. ”
“An old man with a cane, you said? Mr. Crane, the old coot. Yep, I’ll be talking to him,” I say, and believe me, I will. Definitely don’t need him calling the cops to knock on my door to check a story.
“Are you ready? Do you need more time? Have you eaten?” he rambles nervously.
Looking between him and back into my apartment, I finally open the door wide. “Umm, come in. I’m done, and I already ate. So we have a few minutes before we need to go. Unless you need to be there now?”
He walks inside, heads over to the couch, and sits down. “Nah, when I told Rico I’d been giving you a ride home on the nights you work, and sometimes to work if I could catch you, he told me to come in at the same time as you. I don’t know what you did, but he really likes you.”
What the fuck? Does he think I slept with him or something to get special privileges? “Are you insinuating something? Maybe you should just fucking go. I’ve not had any problems riding the bus, and that doesn’t need to change now.”
He looks confused for a moment until realization crosses his face. “Oh shit, no, Sierra. I get that came out really fucking wrong now. No, I would never think that. What I meant is you’d think you were family or something.”
“Oh, okay. No, we’re not family. Honestly, I don’t know why he’s so nice to me.
But I’m grateful,” I hesitate, a little nervous about being alone in my apartment with Cyrus and him asking me about Rico.
Not that I’m afraid of Cyrus, just of him finding out my secret.
“Umm, want something to drink?” I look at him, waiting for his answer.
“Water would be good,” he says, and I head to the kitchen to get him a bottle, thankful that I have some and don’t have to give it to him from the faucet. Walking back into the living room, I hand it to him and head towards my room to grab my bag.
As I step back into the living room, he’s standing close to the wall with the pictures, with his hands behind his back, staring at one. Clearing my throat, he turns around. “Is this your mom?” Jerking his thumb to the photo he’s talking about.
Tears fill my eyes. “Yeah.” Looking at the woman in the photograph, I smile sadly.
“She’s beautiful. I see where you get your looks from. You’re the spitting image of her.” His voice soft and sweet as he looks at me.
“Thank you. Umm… are you ready?” I ask, wanting to change the subject so I don’t break down in front of him.
But he turns back around and continues to look.
“Who is this? I didn’t know you had a brother.
” Stepping closer, I see who he’s talking about.
As much as I hate Wesley, I couldn’t pull the picture from the wall, since my mother was in it.
It was from one of the many nights he spent here at my house.
We had baked brownies and binge-watched old eighties horror movies that time.
“I don’t. He used to be my best friend.” The words come out clipped in a flat tone.
“Oh,” he says, sensing I don’t want to talk about him anymore and he falls quiet for a minute.
“Well, I’m ready.” I finally break the silence and turn to head toward the door, but he stops me.
“Let me carry that for you.” He reaches out and takes the bag from my hand, as he places his hand on the small of my back, guiding me toward the front door.
“Thank you,” I mumble, accepting his help.
Cyrus has always been nice to me, but it seems like lately there's more. Every time he looks at me, there’s something that looks a lot like desire.
What in the world has happened that I’ve gone from everyone hating me to three men showering me with attention?
Opening the door, Cyrus steps past me into the hall, and I lock up. Turning, we walk down the hallway to the elevator side by side as he asks me about my day.
This fucking man is amazing. Too bad he’s totally out of my league.
The night goes okay. Tips are good and the handsy men are to a minimum. As I’m heading off the stage after my last number, Rico waves me over and hands me a cover-up. “What’s up, Rico?” Taking it from him, I pull it on and sit on one of the barstools. Nervous about what he has to say.
“I want to ask you first, but I think I already know what the answer will be. We’ve been getting a call, wanting a dancer for a private party, and the caller requested you.
” My eyes widen in fear as my heart rate accelerates.
“They are offering a substantial amount of money, and of course, if you were to accept, we would send Cyrus with you.”
Taking a deep breath, I try to get control of my nerves so I can think about this rationally. The money I definitely need. Even though I don’t know the amount, anything would help. It could possibly replace the money my aunt stole, but is it worth it?
“Can I think about it, or do you need an answer tonight?” I don’t want to make a rash decision.
“I told them I couldn’t let them know until Monday. So take the weekend and think about it. Make sure you’re making the right decision. Now go on to the back, get dressed, and head on out of here. Cyrus is taking you home tonight and should be done about the same time you are.”
“Thank you.” I smile, fighting the urge to wrap my arms around his neck and hug him. Standing from the stool, I head to the dressing room, exhausted from the night and ready to crash into my bed.
Heading to the back, I pass by Cyrus, who’s stepping up to two drunk patrons who are getting into a heated debate. He grimaces as he nods. He’d already let me know on the way in to work that he’d be giving me a ride home, so I head on to the back to change and wait for him.
Once I’m dressed, I decide to leave my bag in my locker, since I packed clothes for the rest of the weekend, and pull out my purse. Digging through it, I take out my phone and power it on. It immediately comes to life with a succession of vibrations.
All the messages are from Zander and Braxton, about how excited they are for tomorrow, and reminding me what time they’ll be at the apartment in the morning. I reply, letting them know we’ll be waiting out front for them. No way in hell will I let them come up to the apartment.
Locking the phone and slipping it back into my purse, I pull out a wet wipe and start taking off my makeup, getting lost in my thoughts. The vibration of the phone startles me, causing me to yelp. My whole body comes up off my seat.
Laughing off my ridiculous reaction, I pull it back out, and the biggest smile splits my face.
Braxton: What are you doing up so late?
Shit, shit, shit. How do I answer that? I don’t want him to think I’m working this late. What kind of job would he think I have? I know there are restaurants open late, so it could be that.
Me: Winding down from work and couldn’t sleep.
Braxton: I get that.
Me: So I could ask you the same thing. Why are you up so late?
Braxton: Oh, just excited about hanging out with 2 beautiful girls tomorrow ??
Me: Oh tomorrow is off then, I can sleep in later lol
Braxton: You got jokes, I see. No, it is definitely on. No way in hell are you getting out of it. It's all I've thought about.
I don’t know what to say. Do I tell him I’ve thought about it too? Because I have. Mostly because I’m afraid they’ll find out my secret, that it may in fact be some elaborate game to embarrass me. But honestly, it’s because I’m attracted to both of them.
“Hey, Lilac, you ready?” Cyrus calls from the door, and I yelp again, spinning around with my hand on my chest.
“Uh, yeah,” I tell him as I send a message off to Braxton
Me: Guess I should get to bed, so I’m bright-eyed and bushy-tailed tomorrow. Sleep well.
Powering off the phone, I drop it back in my purse, pull the strap over my arm, and head to the other man who has my stomach twisted in knots. Could I really find something in real life like in the books I’ve been reading?
Once I reach him, he opens the door and ushers me out in front of him. Man, he’s a gentleman. Placing his hand on the small of my back, he guides me through the club, and I throw my hand up at Rico on the way out. His eyes dart down to where Cyrus’s hand is and his jaw clenches. What is that about?
Shaking it off, I continue out the doors of the club, allowing Cyrus to guide me to his car.
He opens the door and helps me in, before making his way to his side.
It’s a cool summer night, the sky is clear and the moon shining brightly.
If we weren’t in the city, I bet you could make out every star in the sky.
“Man, it was crowded tonight,” he says as he starts up the car.
“It was, but that’s good for me, though. I made a lot of cash in tips tonight.” I glance his way, trying not to stare.
He’s so handsome. With his dark hair, chiseled jaw, piercing eyes, and distinguished nose. He looks so much younger up close than I thought he was.
“How old are you?” Shit, did I just blurt that out loud?
He chuckles, turning his head to look at me. “That was kind of random. I’m twenty, I’ll be twenty-one this December. I’m also a senior at Cassian University and I major in business.”
Shit, he’s smart too.
“Does your girlfriend go there too?” I ask, fishing for answers, but already knowing he’s not going to want something to do with me, some high school girl. Well, that’s if he knew I was in high school.
“No girlfriend. I am interested in this amazing woman, but she’s a tough cookie to crack, but I’m working hard on doing it, though.” He gives me a mischievous grin as he glances over at me with a little wink.
Wait.
A wink!
Is he implying it’s me? The rest of the ride is quiet.
When we pull up in front of the apartment, he shifts the car into park and turns in his seat to face me.
“Lilac, do you want me to walk you upstairs?”
“No, I’m good,” I tell him as I open the door and go to step out.
“Wait. Lilac, I just want you to know that girl I’m trying to crack is you. I really like you, and I just wanted you to know I’m not going to stop until you’re mine. See you tomorrow,” he tells me, and I’m in shock.
“Okay!” I manage before getting out and heading inside the building. I only stop once I’m inside to look out the glass door and see him driving away.