Chapter 37
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Vesper
The morning had been silent. Bellamy hadn’t really slept in, which was a little surprising.
They’d slept in the bed together, and it was weird.
Vesper wasn’t used to it. When she woke up, she jolted away on instinct and rushed out of bed to the bathroom.
It took her a few minutes to remember that she might not hate Bellamy anymore, that she could let that easy intimacy return between them.
All the lies came back to her, warring in her brain with the truths she now knew. She still wasn’t sure how much of Bellamy’s story had been true, but she figured that at least two things were for certain: Cedar wanted Bellamy dead—by any means—and Bellamy had been taking orders from her.
They needed to talk, she knew that, but it didn’t feel like the right time.
They were officially on the run from their employers, who certainly would be putting out a hit on them at some point in the near future.
Vesper hoped they would have time to collect some things from her apartment before that. They wouldn’t have long.
She couldn’t afford to be distracted now, and neither could Bellamy. Which meant they had to talk, to some extent, about… well, about everything Vesper was having trouble processing at the moment.
Vesper sat beside Bellamy on the bench. She couldn’t look at her, instead opting to twiddle her thumbs in front of her.
“I just don’t know how I can trust you,” Vesper admitted in a whisper after too long. She knew Bellamy wasn’t going to start the conversation. She was still too down, swirling in her guilt. Vesper would have to do it.
“I know,” Bellamy whispered back, her voice small.
She’d sunken in on herself even though Vesper wasn’t angry—not really.
She’d go through waves where the anger would hit her, sure, but then it would dull to grief, to loss.
She didn’t know what she’d expected Bel to say, but she couldn’t hold it in.
“I can prove it. When we get back, I mean,” Bellamy continued after a long pause.
“How?”
“I kept everything. The instructions, the bracelets.” She shrugged, “I don’t know why. They’re at my place.”
Vesper shook her head. “Bel… If anyone found those—”
“I know.” Bellamy sniffled. “But they didn’t.” Vesper nodded. Obviously not or she’d be long dead.
“That was reckless.”
“I promise I’m not lying to you. Never again,” Bellamy said weakly. Vesper knew she meant it. “Do you hate me?”
Vesper sighed, she wrapped her arm around Bellamy. “No, Bel, I don’t hate you.”
“What’re you thinking?”
“I just—” Vesper shook her head. “I just wish you’d told me all of this from the start.”
“We’ll be okay?” Bellamy asked in such a painfully small voice. Vesper hated how insecure she’d sounded this whole time, but she didn’t know what to do about it.
“Yeah, we’ll be okay.” Vesper kissed the top of her head, wishing she could do something to put Bel at ease, but anything she tried to do right now would be a lie. And Vesper was so sick of the lies.
They ate lunch in silence and then got down to the matter at hand.
Some sense of normalcy returned as they discussed their plan.
Bellamy deflated a bit when Vesper said they wouldn’t have time to go ransack her place for the notes.
It just wasn’t a priority right now. She knew Bel had been counting on those to prove everything to Vesper, but they’d just have to survive long enough first, or else none of it would matter.
By the time their trolley finally pulled up to the station just outside Vesper’s building, they were ready.
A sense of calm had settled over both of them.
They weren’t fighting, they weren’t normal, but they were ready.
Ready to face whatever the fuck shit show they were about to walk into together, and that was all they needed right now.
Vesper moved around her apartment with efficiency, having already mentally catalogued all the items they’d need.
She’d tasked Bel with shoving as many clothes into her bag as possible, while Vesper focused on filling her bag with toiletries, the med kit, and whatever food she could fit.
The fewer stops they’d have to make, the better.
They’d need to remain unseen for as long as possible, find somewhere to lie low, and hopefully work out a plan to get off-planet and away from the Embunuh—their reach was too far to be safe on this world.
Ideally, they’d get the target off their backs, but Vesper had no idea how to get that done.
She just needed to figure out a way to get a step ahead of them. To figure out their next move.
“All packed up?” Vesper asked when she strode back to the bedroom after emptying her stash of protein bars and jerky. She checked on how Bellamy had fared with stuffing her own bag when she saw her strap, sitting on top of the clothes. Bellamy was picking her fingers and refusing to look up.
Vesper sighed. “Essentials only, Bel. We talked about this.”
“It is an essential,” Bellamy insisted.
Vesper rolled her eyes. “This isn’t a vacation,” she chastised, reaching for Bellamy’s bag. Bellamy slapped her hand away, a pout already on her face. Vesper tried not to groan. “Fine. But it stays in your bag.”
Bellamy grinned victoriously. Shaking her head, Vesper walked over to the bookshelf and grabbed the hollowed-out book where she stored all her money. Yes, she knew it was an obvious trick, but it worked. She didn’t have a safe, and her room was warded to shit. Nobody could break-in.
She opened it and took out the meager 53,000 yin she’d saved up. It would last them at least a week. Maybe two, if they were careful. Nowhere near enough to get off-planet.
“Let’s go Downstairs,” Vesper sighed, wrapping a string around the notes and shoving them into her pocket. She picked up their bags and headed to the door, Bellamy hot on her heels.
“Are you serious?” Bellamy hissed, grabbing Vesper’s arm. “There are other places to switch them out.” They’d discussed switching out the notes so the Embunuh couldn’t track their spending, but Vesper hadn’t exactly told her where she planned to do that.
“Yeah, but this way, they don’t leave the building with us. Check the box while I’m in there, see if they paid us for the job, just in case. You can keep a look out while I talk to her if they didn’t.”
Bellamy squeezed Vesper’s arm, making her wince. “If you’re in there for more than ten minutes, I’m killing her.”
“Come on, Bel,” Vesper pleaded. She’d known Bellamy would put up a fight but hoped it wouldn’t be bad since Bel still felt guilty for everything. “You know I won’t do anything. Besides, we don’t exactly have time for that… killing or fucking. Let me go.”
Bellamy released Vesper with a huff and shoved past her, storming down the hallway to the staircase. Vesper hurried after her, barely catching the door as Bel tried to slam it in her face. The move only made Vesper chuckle. At least her Bellamy was still in there somewhere.
“Be. Good.” Bellamy ordered when they reached the Downstairs. She jabbed a finger into Vesper’s chest with each word. Vesper gave Bellamy a terse nod and turned away from her, shaking her head. A small smile came unbidden to her lips as Bellamy stomped away.
The large golden doors opened to a plush lobby, decorated in varying shades of red and black.
Several of the girls were milling about in all states of undress.
Some lounged on the deep-red velvety couches, chatting amongst themselves, while others flirted with potential clients, leaning against walls or doors.
Vesper scanned each face, searching for Mazz. She deposited her bags in the cubby by the front, unwilling to break the very strict “no bags” rule when she was about to ask for this favor. She knew they’d be safe there anyway.
“Hey, V. Lookin’ for some fun?” One of the girls on the couch spotted her and pulled away, sauntering toward her. She eyed the tiny set of dark-green, strappy lingerie with a sheer matching robe draped loosely over the girl's pale shoulders.
“Sash,” Vesper greeted. “Mazz around?”
Sash pulled her thin lips into a pretty pout and placed a manicured hand on Vesper’s chest. “I am.”
“I want Mazz.”
“Fine,” Sash sighed, stepping away. “She’s in the back. Got a new girl with her.” Sash smirked a little, looking Vesper up and down. “Said you’d like the new one.”
Vesper snorted. “Did she, now?”
“Mmhmm. Said she’s just your type.”
“Thanks, Sash.” Vesper chuckled, walking away from the girls up front. “And I don’t have a type,” she called back over her shoulder, which was answered only by Sash’s light laughter.
Vesper wasn’t here to help train a new girl, anyway, fun as that would be. Bellamy would properly murder her. Both of them… all of them. And it would be such a shame to lose her life so soon after they’d reconciled.
Vesper strode through the hallways quickly, not looking in any of the open doors, and not talking to any of the girls she passed. She was here for a reason, and she only needed Mazz. Anyone else was a waste of time.
She stopped in front of an ornate oak door near the back of the building and knocked politely, waiting for them to open.
“The fuck…” she half whispered to herself when a shockingly-familiar stranger opened the door.
Vesper found herself face to face with who she assumed to be the new girl.
Tight, dark-blue curls were pulled into a styled ponytail with a few loose strands framing her face.
Bright, grey eyes pierced right through Vesper.
It was like Bellamy was glaring right at her.
But this girl definitely wasn’t Bellamy.
She was a bit taller, not angry, and her olive skin was much too smooth—free of scars, save for the few pockmarks on her cheeks.
No tattoos, either, and way bigger tits.
Vesper shook her head, tearing her gaze away from the woman. Fucking Mazz. Her type.
“Yes?” The light, flirty voice was also a far cry from the anger she’d come to expect from Bel.
Vesper cleared her throat, the back of her neck burning as she’d realized how long the woman let Vesper check her out before saying anything. “I’m here for Mazz.”
“What a pleasure,” Mazz purred. The girl stepped away to reveal Mazz sitting at her desk. Mazz gestured for Vesper to come in and close the door. “This is Wisp, our new girl.”
“Sash told me you had a new girl back here,” Vesper muttered.
Mazz smiled. “Told me you said she was my type.” Vesper eyed Wisp, watching for a reaction.
The surprise the girl had been wearing at Vesper’s entrance and informality was quickly overtaken by a coquettish grin as she sauntered closer, looking to Mazz and awaiting instructions.
Mazz laughed, light and fluttery. “Got your girl with you, or do you wanna try mine?”
“Unfortunately, I didn’t come from that. I need a favor, Mazz. A big one.”
Mazz raised an eyebrow and motioned to the plush, leather chair in front of her desk. Vesper brushed past Wisp, careful not to touch her, and took the seat.
“Everything okay?” Mazz asked, a touch of concern clouding her flawless features.
Vesper ran a hand through her hair, blowing out a laugh. “Not really, no.”
Wisp stood awkwardly at the door, eyes darting between the two of them, clearly unsure what to do. Mazz looked at Wisp then tipped her head toward Vesper, a silent demand that Wisp followed without argument. She slowly approached the chair before neatly perching on the armrest.
“I can give you a discount on Wisp. She’s still learning, but I’m sure you won’t mind teaching.” Mazz looked between them and smiled. Addressing Wisp and winking, she said, “V’s one of our favorites. But if she’s with her girl, don’t approach. If her girl comes up, leave.”
Vesper chuckled. “Still upset with her, then?” She rubbed her thumb over her palm and lingered on the raised ridge of the scar she had from the time Bellamy decided to interrupt them by attempting to kill Mazz.
Vesper’s reflexes were faster, and she took the magic to the hand instead of Mazz taking it to the throat.
That had been years ago, but evidently, Mazz could hold a grudge. Vesper couldn’t blame her.
Mazz glared at her in response. “She tried to kill me. I should have had her banned.”
Vesper shrugged. “She was just a bit jealous, and she didn’t even touch you.”
Mazz huffed, unimpressed. She no doubt wanted to know why Vesper was suddenly defending Bellamy, but Vesper wasn’t here to waste time chatting. She waved away further argument.
“I’m not here for that anyway. I don’t have time. I need a really big favor.”
“Bigger than your last one?” Mazz asked, watching while Vesper dug the notes out of her pocket and tossed them onto the desk. Mazz’s eyes widened as she looked between Vesper and the stack.
“I need an exchange. Was hoping you could give me an even rate, and maybe not let these leave the building for a few days?”
“Shit. This goodbye then?”
“Can you do it for me?” Vesper pressed instead of answering. She knew there was an undercurrent of urgency in her tone, but she didn’t want to force anything. Slowly, Mazz nodded. Opening a drawer and pulling out her glasses, she started counting.
Vesper sighed in relief and leaned back in her chair. The weight of another body on the arm reminded her that Wisp was still perched next to her, unsure what to do. She looked up to see the woman watching her, but Vesper couldn’t read her expression.
“Sorry,” she murmured softly, trailing her gaze down Wisp’s body. “Nothing personal. I’m sure I’d have loved you."
Wisp giggled indulgently and leaned further into Vesper’s shoulder, putting an arm around her and giving a perfect view of her incredibly pushed-up tits. Vesper looked resolutely forward, keeping her hands in her lap while the new girl clearly tried to prove to Mazz that she could snag fares.
“No touching,” Mazz snapped without looking up from the money.
“I know the rules, Mazz,” Vesper answered, holding out her hands in a useless show of innocence. Mazz peeked up, an eyebrow raised when she saw Wisp draped over Vesper. She chuckled to herself.
“She’s not here as a client today, Wisp. You don’t have to try so hard.” Then, laughing a bit more to herself, she said, “Actually, even if she was, you still wouldn’t have to try.” Vesper rolled her eyes. She couldn’t argue; Mazz wasn’t wrong.
The door to the back room flew open while Mazz was digging through her safe to get new notes to exchange. They all froze when Bellamy stormed inside.