by Sasha Gold
“Oh shit, girl. You can’t stay at your house this weekend. It’s Valentine’s weekend. Your crazy roommates will be partying non-stop.”
It was true. Ashley and Olivia had big plans for the weekend. They’d teased her about spending Valentine’s weekend with a bunch of girls. ‘Boring, nursing students,’ Ashley taunted. ‘Little goody-two-shoes,’ Olivia chimed in.
“It’ll be fine, Emma,” Sage said. “I put a dead bolt on the door. Nobody could get past that thing.”
Emma gave a wail of distress. Clearly, she wasn’t on her first margarita.
“Want me to drive back in the morning? Tomorrow is Valentine’s. You don’t want to spend it alone. I’ll totally come get you.”
There were cheers in the back ground and other offers from some of the other girls. Sage smiled. “No, it’s okay. I could use the extra study time. I pulled four extra shifts at the club this week. Ya’ll be good. Don’t let Becca drag the Karaoke machine out unless someone is taping her, especially if she sings any Shania.”
The phone beeped as it ran out of battery and powered off. She sighed and imagined the scene at the lake house where her friends were partying. The reason for the party – Emma’s boyfriend had just deployed and the party was a way for Emma’s friends to give her spirits a boost. They’d secretly agreed to bring Emma romance novels, or Chippendale calendars, or sex toys. Anything to distract her.
They had drawn cards to see what each would buy, and to her embarrassment, Sage had drawn the card to buy a sex toy. It came wrapped in plain brown paper, and it sat in the backseat of her broken-down car. Her face heated with embarrassment and she hoped he hadn’t noticed it. Which was ridiculous. Not like he could have guessed what was inside.
She set the phone on the dashboard. The silence seemed heavy and she itched to turn on the radio. Anything. She tried to think of some sort of conversation, but couldn’t imagine what to talk about.
“Would you like some coffee?” he asked. He tugged a thermos from his console.
Coffee sounded like the best thing ever and she was touched by the offer. First his warm coat and now coffee.
“This is some full-service wrecker company you run here.” She laughed at her own joke, took the thermos, and twisted the top off. The top served as a cup and she poured coffee, inhaling the aroma that filled the cab. The brew, slightly sweetened and creamed, left a path of heat down her throat as she sipped it.
“Your engine overheated,” he said.
She turned to look at him. “How do you know that?”
“I can tell.”
She groaned. “Is that expensive to repair?”
“Yes. Very. I’ll lend you a car.”
Guilt tugged at her. She was drinking his coffee, sitting in his truck and wrapped in his jacket while she had no way of paying him, for towing, much less a car rental.
“I don’t know if I can afford to lease a car or have mine fixed right now. I’m in a little bit of a bind.”
“We can negotiate something.” His tone was neutral, but the words held an edge of threat.
She waited for him to say more. Negotiate? They drove in silence, the quiet broken by a crash of thunder that rolled across the hills and faded.
“What do you mean by negotiate?” she asked, trying to keep her voice even.
“You know what the patrons of the Cabaret say about you, Sage?”
The hair on the back of her neck prickled. His words felt like a punch to the gut. She said nothing, but watched the rain drops hit the windshield. She’d hoped for conversation, but this seemed like it was veering into territory she didn’t want to think about.
“Trey says you think you’re above everyone else… you’re too good to give a guy a lap dance.”
They came to a crossroad. He slowed the truck to take a turn down a road she didn’t recognize. Cold dread washed through her.
“He told me you owe him five thousand dollars. He says you’re desperate and desperate girls make the best dancers. I’m tired of hearing his bullshit.”
Her heart thudded against her chest. “I would never strip for him.”
“I’m glad to hear that. That’s why I’m giving you a chance to make five grand.”
Lightning flashed, illuminating rolling hills below them.
“Where are you taking me?” she whispered.
“To my home.”
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