What can I say?
Thanks for attempting to stop my loser ex from trying to find me. Thanks for letting me crash here, even though I unknowingly brought danger right to your door.
If I make it out of here in one piece, I’ll thank them. But right now, I don’t feel very grateful. I feel trapped.
Clive is hunting me, and while I appreciate what Shadow is trying to do, I feel like a prisoner here. I can’t find it in my heart to be angry, though. All these people are willing to put themselves on the line for my safety.
As much as I hate this situation, as much as I feel stuck and scared, I have to admit, at the same time, I’ve never felt safer.
When I get back to the main room, I’m shocked at how quiet and empty it is.
The televisions are off. No one is playing video games. No one’s making out on the couches. I’m immediately rushed by Cammy and Stella, the latter of whom throws her arms around me in a hug.
“You look like you need that drink,” she says.
I shake my head. “Maybe some water. I don’t think I can handle much else.” My stomach flips over, and I take a seat at the bar.
“I’m craving fucking nachos.” Cammy claps her hands together and heads off toward the kitchen, leaving Stella and me alone.
She grabs a cold bottle of water from the fridge behind the bar and slides it across the top to me. Cammy comes back a second later with a bag of tortilla chips in one hand and a bunch of jars and cans in the other.
“Nacho party.” Jackie appears from God only knows where and gestures with grabby hands toward a can of cheese. “Ew, gross. Cammy, fuck. Did you even heat this up?” She takes the can and disappears back into the kitchen, while Cammy winks at me.
“Reverse psychology. Is that what that was?” she asks.
Stella shakes her head. “If you ever want Jackie to do anything useful, you’ve gotta find a way to make it seem like it’s her idea.”
Cammy tears open the bag of chips and pops one into her mouth. “Mmm.” She makes a yummy sound then crunches the crispy chip. “No shit. The last time I asked Jackie to cook or clean something, I almost got knifed.”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m almost not even kidding. Better to just act stupid and let Jackie feel smart.”
Stella pops the top off a jar of hot salsa. “Eh, she’s not all bad. She’s just independent.”
Cammy and Stella trade looks and laugh, then Stella hands me a plate.
“All done.” Jackie sings as she comes back with a bowl of bubbling nacho cheese. “See, you heathens? Was that so hard?”
She sets the bowl of cheese on the table, and Stella puts out some serving spoons. We each grab a paper plate and put chips, sliced jalapeños, salsa, bean dip, and cheese on our plates.
“Goddamn, that’s good.” Jackie slaps the bar and talks around a mouth full of nacho. Then she turns to me. “So, what the fuck did you do to land Shadow? Spill it, nerd girl.”
I have a crisp nacho in my mouth, loaded high with spicy peppers and hot salsa. My mouth waters at the flavors. It’s so good, and I realize how little I’ve eaten the last few days I’ve been here. I’ve probably burned thousands of calories with Shadow, so it’s not the healthiest snack, but I’m grateful to fill my belly with women I trust.
I shake my head. “Land him? Oh no, it’s not like that.”
Cammy directs a nacho dripping with hot cheese at me like a pointer. “I call bullshit. Who seconds me?”
Stella raises a hand, giving me a wink. “Come on, babe. He’s gone. G-O-fucking-N-E.” She spells out the word, then scoops up a load of salsa on a chip. “He’s never like this. We would know.”
Jackie bursts out a laugh. “You mean you would like to know. You’ve been trying to get up close to that piercing from the jump.”
I look at Stella, worried that she has feelings for Shadow. Feelings that maybe I’ve stomped all over.
Stella waves off my worries, giving me a sincere smile. “Don’t listen to Jackie. Every one of us has been sweet on these guys. That’s why we stick around. Fucking around with any one of them is a guaranteed good time. But getting any of them to make an old lady out of us?” She shrugs. “I haven’t seen it happen yet.”
Jackie helps herself to a beer from the fridge behind the bar and swats Stella’s butt. “Speak for yourself, bitch. It’s only a matter of time before one of those assholes wises up and makes an honest woman out of me.”
Cammy lifts a brow. “Jackie, you’re about as honest as a fox in a henhouse.”
