by M. S. Parker
“Watch me!” She took a step toward me, backing me against a wall. “What are you going to do about it? Go file a report? No one will believe it. I wrote all about your attitude issues on the paperwork. The way you dress. How you act like you’re better than the rest of us.”
I couldn’t even argue anymore. I needed that money to pay Fernando, but I couldn’t tell Rhoda that. She’d want to know who he was, why I owed him money, and all of that would only confirm what she thought of me. But if I didn’t get the money, I couldn’t pay him, and I didn’t know what I was going to do…
She grabbed my chin, fingers digging in as she jerked my head up.
“No one will believe a word you say.” Her voice was low and calm now, somehow making it worse. “Because you’re nobody. If you disappeared, no one would even care. Now get out of my store, and if I ever see you in here again, I’ll call the cops.”
I stumbled as I tried to hurry out of the store. I hadn’t done what Rhoda accused me of, but it didn’t matter. She was right. I could file a formal complaint, but who was going to believe me? I was a waitress at a sleazy strip club, with absolutely nothing to back up my side of things. The hair and piercings that I wore as armor to keep people at arm’s length were working against me, but I knew that it didn’t matter because something else she said had been right too.
I wasn’t anyone. If it wasn’t for Austin, no one would even notice if I vanished off the face of the planet.
My eyes burned with tears I refused to shed, blurring my vision as I stepped outside. I’d barely gone a few feet before I saw a figure coming toward me. Before I could blink away the tears, so I could see, he spoke, and I knew who it was.
“What’s wrong?”
I swiped the backs of my hands across my eyes and glared up at Slade. “None of your business.”
“Cheyenne...”
“I mean it,” I snapped. “I’m not in the mood to deal with you.”
His expression softened, but his eyes blazed even brighter. “Tell me what happened.”
“It’s nothing,” I lied. “Just how life goes.”
“How can I help you if you won’t tell me what’s going on?”
His question startled me enough that I forgot I’d told him to stay away from me. He wanted to help me? Then I remembered that men always wanted something in return for their ‘help.’
“Cheyenne!”
A familiar voice called my name, and I turned toward it automatically, a smile breaking across my face.
Resa Deseree looked nearly a decade older than she was, but she dressed like she thought she was still in her twenties. Bottle-blonde curls impossibly teased and fried. Tanned, leathered skin that her smoking habit didn’t help.
I’d said something to her once about quitting, but she’d informed me matter-of-factly that of all the things she did, smoking was probably the last that would kill her.
I believed her. She and my mom had looked out for each other the first few years Mom had worked the streets here, and they’d stayed friends even after Mom had gone to work for Fernando. Resa was a cross between a big sister and an irresponsible aunt.
“Resa.” I let her hug me. She was one of the few who could. “How are you?”
“I’m good, kiddo.” She turned those strange green-gray eyes of hers to Slade, giving him a look-over, I recognized. She was sizing him up as a possible client, and my stomach twisted at the thought, and the realization hit me hard. I was jealous.
No. I wasn’t jealous. I couldn’t be. Slade didn’t mean anything to me. I didn’t even know him.
“Hello there, sugar.” She thickened her drawl and held out her hand. “The name’s Resa, but you can call me whatever you want.”
“Slade.” He shook her hand, his expression guarded.
“Where did Cheyenne find you?”
“Resa.” I tried to get her attention away from Slade and back on me. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”
“You know how it is,” she said without taking her eyes off Slade. “I’ve been around. But clearly not to the right places. If I would’ve known you could find a man like that, I would’ve had you setting up all my dates.”
I bit back a groan. “It’s not like that.”
“Of course,” she said with a smile. “Does that mean you’re free game, Slade? Because I’m definitely game…not free, of course, but game.”
What the hell was she doing?
And why did I care?
Eleven
Slade
The more time I spent with Cheyenne, the less I felt like I had her figured out. Seeing her here had been pure chance, like some greater force had put us together…if I believed in stuff like that. But when I’d seen how upset she’d been, I hadn’t cared about whether it was a coincidence that had brought me here. I’d just wanted to know who’d made her cry and what I could do about it.
Now, with this brassy blonde blatantly flirting with me, I wondered if there was a whole other side to Cheyenne Lamont. Resa didn’t even try to hide the fact that she was a prostitute. If anything, she looked proud of it. Between that and the strip club, I couldn’t help thinking that maybe I’d misread Cheyenne to begin with.
“Resa!” Cheyenne hissed. “Knock it off.”
“Now, darlin’ you know how this works. If you’re not gonna close the deal, you’re leaving it wide open for anyone else to slip on in there.” Resa’s accent thickened into something sweet and sticky like honey.
“No deal closing,” I said, finally finding my voice. “It’s not like that.” I was echoing Cheyenne’s words but couldn’t think of a better way to say it without getting one – or both – of the women mad at me.
“What brings you this way?” Resa asked, sidling closer. “If you aren’t looking for some morning delight.”
I gestured down the street. “The hardware store. I need some things for my apartment.”
Her eyes fell to my lips. “What sorts of things?”
I didn’t want to have this conversation. Not when Cheyenne was standing there looking miserable. She was trying to hide it, but I could see it in her eyes. I wanted to tell Resa to leave us alone, then put my arm around Cheyenne and take her somewhere we could talk.
I didn’t think Resa was having it though. I sighed, making no attempt to hide my annoyance as I rattled off my list, “Nails, screws, spackle, wrench.”
“Do you hear that, Chey? He wants a screw.” Resa winked at me. “Want to help him out there?
“Fuck you,” Cheyenne muttered, her cheeks red. “Why are you even here, Resa?”
The older woman gave Cheyenne a hurt look that could’ve been genuine. “I was just coming by and saw you over here. It’s been too long since I’ve seen you.”
“You should come by the apartment,” Cheyenne said with a sigh. “Austin would love to see you.”
Who was Austin?
Resa smiled, and there was no doubt in my mind that she was sincere now. “I’d like to see him too. I’ll bet he’s getting big.”
Cheyenne nodded, and there was a sense of pride she couldn’t hide from her face. “He’s going to pass me up before he’s ten.”
Okay, he was a kid.
Resa leaned toward Cheyenne and wiped her thumbs under the younger woman’s eyes. “What’s got you crying?”
Cheyenne shook her head, and she glanced my way before admitting. “Rhoda fired me.”
“That bitch!” Fury contorted the older woman’s face. “She’s had it in for you since you started there. I’m going–”
Cheyenne put her hand on Resa’s arm. “It’s not even worth it.”
“I’m sorry, hon,” Resa said as she gave Cheyenne a hug. “You deserve better than that.” She glanced at me, and then continued, “You know, you should take advantage of the time off. Spend it with your little man and don’t give Rhoda a second thought.”
Austin was Cheyenne’s kid.
Maybe I should’ve figured it out before then, but Cheyenne did somethi
ng to my thought processes.
“You’re right,” Cheyenne said. “I’m going to do that. Come by some time, Resa. I know he’ll love to see you.” She half-turned toward me but didn’t meet my eyes. “Have a good day, Slade.”
Have a good day? Have a good day? Was she fucking kidding me? She was upset not more than ten minutes ago, almost in tears, and now she thought she could just have a good day me and walk away?
I took a step forward, ready to go after her, but Resa stepped in front of me, putting a hand on my chest. All her previous flirtation was gone as she glared up at me.
“I don’t know what you’re thinkin’ or plannin’ but it stops here and now, you got that? Cheyenne don’t need you fuckin’ around with her life.”
I glared back. “You don’t know me or what I’m thinking.”
She barked a bitter laugh that turned into a cough. “I might not know you personally, boy, but I know your type. You come in all hot and bothered, with your good looks and your charm, and you promise a girl a better life, but all you want is a free fuck.”
I didn’t have to ask Resa what sort of men she’d met to make her that jaded. Too many men were exactly like that.
“I’m not sleeping with Cheyenne,” I said. “I met her last night and helped her out with some assholes harassing her. Seeing her today was a coincidence. She was upset, and I wanted to help her.”
Why was I explaining myself to Resa? What was going on between Cheyenne and me wasn’t any of this woman’s business. Not that there was anything going on.
“You need to stay away from her,” Resa said. She poked my chest with one gaudy fake nail. “She ain’t like me, not carin’ one way or another about anything. She pretends she don’t care, but she does. I’ve known that girl since she was knee high and she don’t deserve the shit life she’s got.”
I didn’t need to know Cheyenne to realize that she deserved better than what she had. From the moment I’d seen her at DDD, I’d known she didn’t belong there. Her having a kid gave me a pretty good idea of why she was there though.
“Where’s the kid’s dad?” I couldn’t stop the question from coming out as a demand.
Resa gave me an odd look before answering, “She doesn’t know who he is.”
I didn’t know what to do with that. Had she had sex with so many men that she couldn’t figure it out? Had it been for fun or work? Or worse, had she been raped?
My blood ran cold at the thought of someone hurting her like that. My hands clenched into fists. If I found out someone had forced her, I’d kill them. I didn’t think I’d even hesitate, and damn the consequences to hell and back.
“Look,” Resa said, her expression softening just a bit, “Chey’s a good girl, and you might mean well and all, but someone like you’s just going to get her in trouble. Maybe even dead. And that’s gonna do nobody any good.”
“Someone like me?”
She gave me a knowing smile. “Cop. Or Fed. Something like that. I can always spot ‘em. I’ve been on the streets for more than twenty years, and no undercover rat has ever gotten the best of me.”
I shoved a hand through my hair. “I only want to help her.”
“Maybe. But the best way you can help her is to leave her be.”
With that, Resa walked away, leaving me wondering if I’d be able to do what she said. It didn’t seem possible. The thought of never seeing Cheyenne again caused actual, physical pain.
I wasn’t strong enough to stay away.
Twelve
Cheyenne
Resa had been right. Spending the day with Austin was exactly what I needed. He’d been so excited when I’d come home early, that he’d been talking a mile a minute, telling me all about the things that he and Estrada usually did during the day when I was at work. After assuring me that Austin was still feeling fine and that she’d be back in time for my shift at DDD, Estrada returned to her apartment across the hall.
Then it had been tuna fish sandwiches and Legos and jumping across the furniture to avoid lava. I hadn’t had that much fun since…actually I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had much fun at all. Seeing Austin so happy almost made it worth the loss of my job. If I hadn’t been counting on my paycheck to give Fernando what I owed him, it would have been completely worth it.
I’d even been able to steal some time for myself while Austin took a short nap. I hadn’t been able to draw much since Mom had died, and I’d almost forgotten how much it helped me clear my mind. Of course, as soon as Austin woke up, it’d been back to let’s pretend games, but I’d been happy to do it.
Thanks to those few precious hours, I was smiling as I dropped off my bag in the back, and that wasn’t something I’d ever done at DDD. I caught a few of my co-workers shooting me confused looks, but I ignored them. It was surprisingly easy to ignore assholes when I had the memory of Austin singing along to Bon Jovi while I tried not to fall off the chair and onto the lava-floor. Even Ruby’s snarky comments rolled right off my back.
Maybe this was what I needed to do more often. Instead of picking up as many hours as possible, I could take a few hours off, maybe even a full day, and spend it with Austin. It made things that had been barely bearable before easy to endure.
Unfortunately, like pretty much everything else positive in my life, it didn’t last. After just a couple hours, the realization that I had only until the end of the night to figure out how I was going to get the money I needed to pay Fernando was forefront in my mind again. I’d brought what I had, which was more than I could spare, but it wouldn’t be enough.
Two days after my mother overdosed, Fernando had shown up at my door with a number, and I’d said it was too much, that I barely made enough at my job to cover the things that Austin and I would need. So, he’d offered me a job. Three jobs, technically, though I’d only needed to choose one. Waitress. Stripper. Prostitute.
I’d started work the next day, and even though it’d made things tight, I’d made every payment since. I knew none of that would matter to Fernando though. It was the power he was after, more than the money. If he’d set the weekly amount as five hundred dollars, and I’d given him four hundred, ninety-nine, I’d have been in just as much shit as I was right now. One dollar or three hundred dollars. It didn’t matter. He wanted to have me under his thumb, so he could do whatever he wanted to me.
“What’s wrong?” Ruby asked as she bumped her shoulder into mine, hard enough to make me stumble sideways. “Did your pretty boy not live up to all of the promises he made? You should know, men who come in here are just looking for cunt. Doesn’t matter if it’s yours or someone else’s, and they’ll say whatever you want to hear.”
I didn’t bother to correct any of her assumptions. All it would do is make her more certain of what she was thinking. I had enough to worry about without adding her gossip to the pile.
“Or,” she said as she looked past me, “I spoke too soon.”
I turned to see Slade walking toward a seat at the bar. His eyes locked with mine, and one side of his mouth tipped up.
Shit.
“Of course, he could be here for the show. Or looking for some new company.”
I glanced at her, and she was watching me rather than him. She didn’t give a damn about him. She was trying to get under my skin. She didn’t know that I didn’t care about Slade or who he fucked. His life wasn’t any of my business. Just because he’d helped me out last night didn’t mean anything. Just like his kiss hadn’t.
“Maybe I’ll let him know he’s got options.”
I shrugged and turned away. “Knock yourself out.”
I forced myself to pay attention to each customer, then kept my eyes facing forward as I went back to the bar. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. I managed to keep from even looking at him for hours, but I could feel his gaze on me the whole time. Other men were looking at me on and off, but there was still something different about him. I couldn’t explain it, and it bugged the shit out of me.
When I final
ly looked his way, he smiled at me, sending a rush of warmth through every cell of my body. I didn’t smile back, and I told myself that I didn’t want to. I just wanted him to leave me alone. And he did. Even though he watched me, he didn’t come over, and he didn’t flirt with Ruby when she went to him. He just sat in his corner and nursed a couple beers.
There were only two hours left in my shift when I went to the back to check my phone. Austin had seemed fine all day, but I still asked Estrada to send me updates every so often. I suppose I’d always worry about him, even when he was an adult and out on his own.
I had three messages waiting, all of which were some form of “he’s fine; relax.” Some of the tension in me eased, but even with one less thing to worry about, I still had more than enough on my plate.
“You’ve been hustling out there tonight.”
I refused to let my body lock down the way it wanted to. Flight or fight was supposed to be humankind’s instinctual response to threats, but there was a third option. Freeze. I didn’t know what it was about Fernando that made my usual fight turn into me not being able to move, but inevitably, when he found me, it took everything I had not to cower.
I didn’t fucking cower for anyone.
“Heading back out now,” I said as I put my phone back into my pocket. “I have a couple customers who should be ready for refills.”
He waited until I took a few steps toward the door to step into my path. “It’s pay day, and we both know your check doesn’t cover all of it.”
“I know,” I said. “I need to get the last of my tips tonight.”
He shook his head slowly. “I heard a rumor that your financial situation has changed, and you won’t be able to make your full payment this week.”
What the hell? How did he know I’d been fired?
“I’ll have your money,” I promised him. I was lying though, and we both knew it. The most I’d ever made in tips in one night still wouldn’t make up for that fact.
“That’s not what I heard,” he said, taking another step. He liked to crowd me, get into my personal space. “And you know what happens if you can’t give me what you promised.”