"Are you okay? Where'd you go?"
He was too close, his gaze too earnest, and as my breath hitched, I found myself backing away.
"What's wrong?" he asked, taking a step forward, and again I moved back. He'd see right through me if he stayed, and that man had enough of my secrets to last a lifetime.
"Go," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Please … Please just leave me alone."
Something in my tone or in my expression must've told him I meant what I said, because after giving me a once-over like he was checking that I wasn't physically injured, he nodded. I watched as he closed the door behind him, and then, unlike the me from my memory, I let myself fall apart on the bed.
CHAPTER TEN
Never Make a Deal with the Devil
"WE'RE GOING OUT."
Quinn's statement brooked no argument, but I wasn't going to argue. After a long week, I needed a stress reliever, and a night out on the town with my girls sounded like the perfect solution.
"You read my mind. Where are we thinking?"
"Jumbo's," she said, and I raised my eyebrows.
"Ohh, it's gonna be that kind of night." I shuffled the phone between my neck and shoulder and headed into my closet to rifle through my naughtiest options. Quinn would be in one of her signature leather ensembles, no doubt something as short as she was. Hmm, what did I have with spikes or studs on it …
"I figured you needed a break from domesticated bliss."
"You figured right. Although … " I stopped, because how to say that I hadn't actually seen Dawson in the last couple of days? Or, rather, since the day I told him to leave me alone. I hadn't meant for good, I'd just meant for the night, and-
Wait, why was I even stressing about this? It wasn't like I cared whether he came or went. I knew he hadn't moved out because his suitcase was still in the room next to mine, and I'd noticed some of his clothes were hung up in the closet. Maybe he'd simply been obeying my wishes of leaving me alone, because he wasn't a horrible human being and he got the point that I wasn't in the mood to deal with him? Nahhh. He was still pretty horrible, even if I couldn't stop replaying the diary memory that reminded me of a time when he'd been sweet.
Maybe his absence could be explained by having to work late, or having dinner with his parents, or going out on hot dates-
Okay, I didn't really want to dwell on that last option because … Well, I just didn't.
"Hello? Did our connection drop or something?" Quinn said, and then she must've tapped the phone on a hard surface, because I heard three loud bangs.
I held the phone away from my ear before saying, "No, I'm here. Let me slut myself up and I'll meet you guys at-"
"We'll come to you," she said. "See you at ten."
* * *
WITH A NAME like Jumbo's Clown Room, I'm sure you're expecting some kind of carnival atmosphere, maybe some kiddie rides and animal balloons, a funnel cake, and, of course, clowns.
Jumbo's has none of those things, bar a few clown faces, hence why I was wearing a pair of black shorts that were practically indecent, a backless red top that dipped low in the front, and a pair of black pumps with spikes on the back, should anyone get too close. As our Uber pulled up to the entrance-none of us wanted to be the designated driver this evening-the line outside the building was already long. At first glance, you might think Jumbo's was a strip club, but that wouldn't do justice to what was happening inside.
Bypassing the line after handing the valet we passed twenty bucks each, we entered the loud, already-packed small room, the sounds of Guns N' Roses blaring as a burlesque dancer swung from the top of the pole on stage all the way down before sliding into a split. She had a killer GNR rose-and-studs bra on, and a pair of leather bikini bottoms that I knew Quinn was drooling over. When I bumped her shoulder, she looked over at me and grinned.
"Bitch deserves at least a ten for those," she said, pulling a bill out of the roll she kept in the garter under her mini, and then she walked up to the stage and waited until the dancer walked over to grab it-between her breasts.
"Hot damn, I wish I could do that," Ryleigh said from beside me, shaking her head.
I know you may be wondering why the hell we'd chosen to watch female pole dancers during our night out instead of going out dancing. The answer was simple-the women who rocked the stage at Jumbo's were badass, doing tricks on the stage and pole that were damn impressive, so call it a night of female empowerment. Jumbo's was a unique Hollywood landmark, somewhere you had to go and experience to really get the full effect. The dancers always kept their clothes on, never stripping it all off, because while I was an equal opportunist when it came to experimenting, the other girls would've preferred lap dances of the cock variety.
"Shots first?" Quinn asked, and before we could say anything, she was making her way to the bar, Shayne following her.
"So," Ryleigh said, nudging me. "Think we'll see the girl who pours that neon hot wax all over herself?"
"One can only hope."
"Agreed."
I could tell there was more she wanted to say, but she turned her attention to the dancer walking on stage covered in tattoos and a Harley Quinn getup. There were dollar bills being thrown on stage before the music even started.
"Go ahead and ask," I said.
Ryleigh laughed. "I'm that transparent, huh?"
"You don't have a great poker face, no."
"Well, Shayne mentioned Dawson had moved in-"
"Against my will."
"And I was curious how things have … progressed?"
"Regressed, you mean." I pulled out a few dollar bills from the pocket of my shorts and tossed them on stage, and the dancer gave me a wink.
"There's no way things are worse than before. You guys fought all the time. What's going on now?"
"I don't know," I said.
"You don't know?"
"We haven't exactly talked the last couple of days."
"What? Paige, what did you do?"
I put my hands on my hips as I faced her. "Why the hell does it always have to be something I did?"
"Because you're not called Pita for nothing, babes."
Sighing, I turned my attention back to the dancer. "He hasn't been around. I didn't do anything. He's a free man."
"Not really."
"Yes, really. A piece of paper doesn't change that."
Ryleigh looked over her shoulder and around us. "Jesus, Paige, don't say that too loud or you'll get another lovely front-page feature."
"I doubt it'd do any more damage than it already has."
She frowned, her eyes full of compassion. "Still losing clients left and right?"
"I'm down to two weddings this month, and I think that's only because it was too late for them to find someone else."
"Oh, Paige-"
"Red-headed sluts in honor of Shaaaaayne," Quinn yelled as she and the redhead in question handed out plastic shot glasses full of ruby liquid.
"Yes, that kinky bitch," I agreed, grateful for the subject change. I knew Ry meant well, but I couldn't take the sympathetic words. It'd been a long couple of days of trying to convince brides I didn't think their marriages would end up as a big, fat D, but apparently my poker face must not be great either, because they seemed to see right through those words. And, okay, so I was a bit jaded, but what do you expect when you choose "At Last" for your first dance song, because it's only been done by literally everyone and their mama and their grandmama before.
Like I said. Jaded.
"To sexy bitches who know how to pop it," Quinn said, holding up her shot as we followed her movement. "And by that, I mean us."
As the sweet alcohol hit my taste buds, I happened to glance at the door, where a foursome of guys were making their way inside. The three dark-headed ones in the front were friends of Dawson's, and the one in the back was-a tall guy moved out of the way-and it revealed …
Dawson.
Here.
In the small confines of Jumbo's.
What were the damn odds?
The surprise must've shown on my face as I watched him glance around and then head with the other guys in the direction of the bar, because the girls all whipped their heads in his direction too.
"Oh shit," Quinn said.
Ryleigh nodded. "This should be fun."
"Fun?" Shayne finished off her shot and then shook her head. "You didn't see them practically murder each other with their eyes the other night."
"Like I said. Should be fun," Ryleigh said with a grin.
I ducked down in front of Shayne, since she was the tallest. "Maybe he won't know I'm here."
"This place only fits, like, maaaybe fifty people, honey. Prepare yourself now." Quinn took away my empty shot. "Oh, and you're cut off."
"The fuck? I only make bad decisions like marrying people when you're not around. You guys are here, so you can protect me-"
"From the big, bad Dick?" Shayne snorted. "Nice try. I've never known you to need protection from one of those. Well … I mean, besides the obvious form, of course."