As we round the corner, I see Elliot getting into Bianca’s mother’s car. I give him a wave, and he waves Chewbarka’s little paw back.
Bianca and Prince were called away for a friend’s birth, which means I won’t have to deal with their awkwardness for a few days, but I’m prepared to do the work to make things better between us, and I hope she is too.
“Hey,” Vanessa whispers. “The Hunks go on in a bit and Natasha and I are de-stressing. Would you like to join us?”
“Won’t Natasha be…uncomfortable?”
“No,” Natasha says from behind. “You see, I’ve learned you must keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
“We’d offer you a drink to pre-game, but given your condition,” Vanessa’s eyes travel to my belly, “I don’t think that’s wise.”
I rub my stomach. “Yeah, I’ll pass.”
“I’m sorry for getting so pissed at you for not cleaning,” Natasha says.
“You had every right to be frustrated, and admittedly, I could have told you what I was doing. I was just being cunty.”
“And no one does cunty better than you.” Natasha smirks.
“Thankfully, Toxic is taming the worst parts of me.”
“Time will be the judge of that,” Natasha says.
Looking over at Vanessa, I ask, “So….what about you? Have you ever dated a Hunk? Do you want to date a Hunk?”
Vanessa and Natasha exchange knowing glances, but instead of elaborating, Vanessa shakes her head from side to side. “They’re like brothers to me.”
Bullshit. I know she likes Carl, and I know for a fact that he feels the same way about her. But he’s too decent a man to entertain anything more than an employer-employee relationship. Which is probably for the best.
We talk a little about the newer venues, and how exciting it is to expand, getting lost in conversation.
I can’t help but wonder if this is what friendship feels like. If so, I want more of it.
“Oh, shit!” Vanessa gets up and gestures for Natasha to follow. “We have work to do, but it was good talking with you.”
“Yeah, it was nice.”
While the Hunks perform, I send over a thank you to Cassie, who was excited to be a part of the Priest take-down, and when the guys are done with the VIPs, we gorge on barbecue.
To think, all this time I went without family and friends, thinking I was stronger for it.
How wrong I was.
Being with Toxic and the Hunks fills my heart with warmth and joy, and while I might not be the hostile force I once was, if anyone fucks with any of us ever again, I’ll give them a reason to pray.
EPILOGUE
Toxic
Months Later…
“Jesus Christ! Turn it off! Turn it off!” Carl screams as he claws at his back.
Natasha looks on gleefully for another moment before finally pushing the STOP button. Carl relaxes.
“And they say I’m Satan,” Samantha snickers.
Vanessa, Natasha, and Bianca decided to throw Samantha and me a surprise baby shower, complete with torture.
