I sit down and look over at her. Her eyes are on mine and a single tear runs down her cheek. I open my mouth to speak, but she gets up and walks out, slamming the door behind her.
LAIKYN
I went backto the apartment and took a nap before I started getting ready for work. I thought the nap would help my mood; it didn’t. Once again, I’m pissed that he didn’t allow me to hear what Collin had to say. And now I never will. The guys are probably burying his body somewhere in the middle of the woods, where it’ll never be found.
Making my way downstairs, I enter the locker room and open mine. I never use it because I live upstairs. So I didn’t need to leave anything here. I bend down and pick up the cell my father gave me and see it’s dead. Fuck! Of course, it is. It’s been weeks since he gave it to me.
I haven’t checked it once for my initiations. God, I’ve been so stupid. I don’t have a charger for it. What if they already sent them to me, and I’ve failed.
Looking around the room, I see Starla’s makeup and phone on the counter in front of the mirror. I open her bag and find an iPhone charger. Plugging it in, I thank God that it fits. I set it down and watch the battery light up.
My eyes constantly going over to the door. The club has already opened. My shift doesn’t start until eleven tonight. When it’s during the week, the club opens with four waitresses and then brings in more later during peak hours, breaking it up into more sections.
My knees bounce and I reach out and hold down the button, praying it’s at least enough to just power on.
I clap my hands when the screen lights up, but my eyes slam to the door as my heart races. If anyone catches me, I’m going to be fucked. That thought makes my thighs tighten. I enjoyed the last punishment fuck I got.
Picking up the phone, it starts to vibrate in my hand with incoming messages. “Shit.” I’m going to be so screwed.
I open one from anunknownnumber and my breath catches as fear settles over me. It’s a picture of me. I’m getting into the Uber here outside of the club the day I left to go meet up with Blakely.
I back out to go to the next text. It’s also unknown and another picture. It’s of me at the dealership. This time it has Blakely in it.
My hands shake as I go to another incoming text. My heart is racing, and my stomach drops when there’s another of me at lunch.
The phone continues to vibrate in my hands as more and more messages come through. None of which are of any initiations. Nothing but pictures of me. There is even some with me and Tyson the night of the house of Lords party. Walking out of our house, getting out of the limo at the party, and inside.
I push the button, turning it off. Unplugging it, I throw it into my locker and slam it shut. My heart is hammering in my chest and tears sting my eyes.
“Lake?”
I jump hearing the sound of my name. “Yeah?” I push my hair off my face, taking in a deep breath when I see Bethany now standing in the locker room. “What?” I breathe looking around, trying to calm my racing heart.
She frowns when she sees my shaking hands. “I have a large table that wants bottle service. Everyone else is busy. I know you’ve got five more minutes until your shift starts, but can you help me?”
“I, uh,” I pause, trying to decide what to do. I need to show these to Tyson, right? Tell him someone took pictures of me, but he’ll ask where I got the phone. And I don’t know how to explain that right now.
“Laikyn—”
“Sure,” I interrupt her, needing some time to think about how to tell him.
“Beau is getting everything ready for us,” she says, and then shuts the door.
I take one last breath and smooth my hands down my shorts, exiting the room. I meet her at the wait station, grabbing what we need and walking over to the table, setting the bottle of champagne in the center while Bethany sets down the glasses.
“Fuck you, man.” One of the guys shouts over the music and jumps to his feet.
Bethany reaches out, placing her arm across my chest, and pulls me backward with her as the second guy jumps up across from him. “Guys, calm down. You don’t want to get kicked out,” she tells them.
The guy to my right picks up his glass of mixed drink and tosses it into the other guy’s face. It gets on the other guy who sits next to him, and he stands too.
“Come on, babe, we’re leaving.” The one who tossed his drink grabs the girl’s hand who was sitting next to him and turns to walk away with her.
The lights are flashing, and the music is so loud that I don’t realize the guy now covered in alcohol has jumped over the table until I watch him take the other man down. They both go to the floor, and I jump back as I watch Bethany turn around. She’s yelling at Beau, but he won’t be able to hear her over the music. We’re too far from the bar.
I go to step back out of the way but am pushed forward at the same time from a guy who enters the fight. Before I know it, I’m smashed between multiple men. My tray has fallen from my hands, and I slip on the liquid that’s been spilled on the floor.
I scream as someone steps on my hand. I roll into a ball, trying to shield my body but my arm is grabbed, and I’m yanked to my feet. “Get her out of here!” I recognize Colton shoving me toward Alex who wraps his arms around me, picking my feet up off the floor. He cradles me like a baby in his arms and I turn into his chest, holding my throbbing hand in the other.
