“People weave the truth into lies all the time, Avery. It’s the best way to bring someone down, and that’s what Black’s trying to do to you.” Mel glances up at Gabe. Her eyes shift away from him, like maybe she shouldn’t be saying these things in front of him.
“Gabe won’t repeat anything. Say whatever you’re thinking.” I slouch back in the seat, trying to keep my butt from peeking out from under my way-too-short dress.
Gabe glances back at us and nods once. “I don’t hear nothin’.” He stares ahead at the traffic.
“First of all, I feel guilty. I had no idea things were going to turn out like this. I’m sorry, Avery. I really am. And no matter what she says, no matter what she tells you, don’t wade deeper into this shit than you already are. You’ll never get out, and that’s what she wants. I have no idea why, but Black wants you. It’s personal. If you give in and stay, you’ll never get out.”
I’m staring at the floor while she speaks. Mel has a good point, and I want to tell her she’s right so that she’ll stop worrying about me. “Mel, I’m not going back after tonight. This is the last time.”
“Avery,” there’s a warning tone in her voice, “You can’t blow off Black like that.”
Glancing at her out of the corner of my eye, I ask, “Then how do I quit, Mel?”
“I don’t know. Right now you have too many clients asking for you. She knows how much you’re worth and what it means to lose you. You’re irreplaceable in her head. She said as much tonight.” I give her a weird look because I didn’t think she heard that part of our conversation. Mel wasn’t there for most of it. She rolls her eyes and huffs. “I was listening outside the door, okay? I told you that I was at Black’s and I was. I just wasn’t in her office yet.”
“What were you doing?” By the sound of it, Mel was doing something she shouldn’t have been.
She shakes her head. “Nothing that you need to know about. You’re in enough trouble, but let’s just say I overheard some of the things she said to you in private, all right, and I don’t like this Avery.” Mel shivers and rubs her hands over her arms. “Something’s not right, not anymore. I mean, getting that many requests is strange. Your price goes sky high and they back off or leave because they can’t afford you. Where the hell are these guys getting their money? You should be unattainable by now.”
“Maybe Black made the whole thing up and the only guy asking for me over and over again is Sean.”
She nods and touches her finger to her lips, unblinking. “Black’s never said that to me, but then again, I haven’t tried to leave.”
For a second, I’m afraid that she still feels guilty. I can’t read her when she’s so still and quiet. “There’s no way you could have known.”
She nods again, slowly bobbing her head up and down, still dazed. Gabe drops us off at the front of the hotel and drives away. Mel and I walk across the lobby without a word. There are so many eyes on me, sizing me up, and wondering what kind of slut I am to be wearing this dress. It makes my pulse race faster, but I manage to hold onto my confident stance and keep my head held high. This is a game, this façade isn’t who I am, it’s an illusion.
Mel and I ride the elevator to Sean’s floor before we step off and head down the hall. That’s when a gush of words erupts from Mel’s mouth. “I was wrong, so goddamn wrong to pull you into this. I said she wasn’t a pimp, that she didn’t do shit like this, and here she is doing it. Avery, I swear to God—”
Mel’s voice is strained and her eyes have that vacant stare that so often accompanies guilt. This isn’t her fault, no matter what happens, I’ll never blame her. I stop abruptly, grab Mel’s shoulders and look her in the eye. “There is no way you knew that Black was like this. I believe you. You’re not responsible for whatever happens next. I’m the one who agreed to come, I’m the one who signed up to be this, and I’m the one who will have to deal with the consequences. It’s not your fault Mel.”
Her gaze falls to the side, like she can’t look me in the eye, which is weird for Mel. “I took you there and said it was safe. I screwed up, Avery.” She’s mad at herself and upset for me. There’s no telling what will happen or how hard it will be to defy Black, but no matter what happens, it’s not her fault. This was my doing, not hers.
“Mel, that night you asked me to go and meet your boss, I could have said no, and I didn’t. After I found out what the job was, I could have said no. I had the opportunity to say no and walk away so many times. The fact is, I took the job and nothing you said made me do it. Everything will be fine. Don’t worry about it.” That’s a big fat lie. I have no idea how everything will work out. It feels like I have a pack of pissed off people snarling and circling. Black can lunge at me with her fangs bared at any time. With my luck, it’ll be tomorrow.