Olivia gasps, “What about Mister Motorcycle Man from the other night?”
“Dante.” I correct, “ Icouldask Dante, but you don’t think he would be put off by me meeting up with another man to make videos on the internet?”
“Well, there’s one way to find out. By the way,Jordyn texted me asking us to meet her before the coven gathering tomorrow so that we can go over all the details of the ball.”
“Thanks for reminding me, I forgot about the gathering. Yeah, whenever Jordyn wants to meet. I don’t have any other plans tomorrow.”
“Awesome. I’ll put us in a group chat, and Jordyn can tell us what time it is. I’ve gotta get back to work, now, though. See you tomorrow, Loo.”
“Bye, Liv. See you tomorrow.” I hit end, making my way to my bedroom, and toss my phone onto my bed. I walk to the bottom of the bed and lean forward, flopping down onto the mattress.
I roll over, staring up at my ceiling, and I can’t stop smiling. I should feel scared because my apartment was broken into a few days ago—but I don’t. It’s not that I feel at peace about it; nothing about it is peaceful, but I still want to live my life. I don’t want to keep letting the bad things that happen to me control me. After my parents died, I was being pushed around from foster home to foster home, and every foster home was the same and never allowed me to do anything for myself—until I was at Dollies. I had some freedom at the beginning, but I quickly learned that freedom comes at a cost. It costs you your time, your body, and your dignity. I was made to do things no one should ever be forced to do, but I survived.
I fell for someone who I thought was different. Greg promised me everything, and I believed him. I should have seen the red flags, but I was so desperate to be loved that I was blinded—but I still survived it.
And now, I’m a best-selling author who turned her pain into her career, and I’ll be damned if I let this break-in break me.
I miss being social. I miss interacting with people, now that I’ve had a taste of it again. Tomorrow will be the start of my reentry into a normal life. I will continue to make friends and take risks because I deserve to be happy.
I finish lacing my Vans and check my phone for the time. Jordyn textedOlivia and me this morning, telling us to meet her at Pyre at 1:30. I slip on my cropped faux-leather jacket over my black, fitted crop top and tuck my phone into the pocket of my jeans.
I grab my keys and purse and head down to the parking garage with fifteen minutes to spare before I need to be at Pyre. The chill from outside hits me as I open the garage door, and I shiver, pulling my jacket closed. I hurry to my car, but before I can open my door, my eye catches the wheel well.
Just take a look, you still have time.
I grab my phone out of my pocket and flip the flashlight on. I bent down, looking where Dante found the tracker the other day, but to my surprise, nothing was there. I look at my other wheel wells, and they are clear, too.
Today is a new start. This is good news.
I sigh heavily, a weight being lifted as I get in my car.
The drive to Pyre is quiet, and I park down by the service entrance as instructed. Jordyn stands in the doorway, smiling and waving with Olivia. I get out of my car, and Olivia walks up, hugging me first. “Hey, Liv.”
“Hello, to you too. Ready to talk all things bookish ball?” Olivia beams.
“Oh, I’m very ready. I’m actually excited about it now. I think it will be fun.”
“Of course it will be!” Jordyn says as we walk up to her. “I only ever do fun, and I love to take risks.” Jordyn hugs me, and we follow her as she guides us through the service entrance, coming out through the kitchens on the first floor.
Pyre being well-lit during the day is just as beautiful as when it’s bathed in red lights and crowded with sweaty dancing bodies at night. I can now appreciate the dark wooden floor that complements the wrought-iron banisters. My eyes drift from floor to floor, and on the second floor, the windows lining the outer wall feature a stained-glass design that runs the full length of each window. “Wow, Jordyn, this place is amazing,” I say, as my mouth hangs open, as I keep turning around and around, looking at everything. There are even giantcandelabras that line the pillars near the stairs that I missed last time!
“Thank you. Pyre is my pride and joy. I bought this place when I had nothing left to my name. I left the city I grew up in to escape my abusive marriage, and I moved here. I had to start over, bat my long lashes, and give the Loan Officer a sob story at the bank to get this place, but it was the first piece of something that was mine —and here we are, almost ten years later. Pyre takes care of me, and I take care of her,” Jordyn says, giving one of the pillars a pat as we head up the stairs.
I’m left speechless. Jordyn came here for the same reason as I did. Ten years ago. I look to Olivia, and she gives me a knowing smile. Maybe that’s why she wanted me to meet her, because she’s like me. Independent, driven, and will do whatever she can to survive.
We head up to her office, and Jordyn lets us in first, closing the heavy door behind her. “Sorry, the door is soundproof, so it’s like a thousand pounds.” She walks over, sitting on the couch, three folders sitting in front of her, “Okay, so I have pretty much everything planned out on my side for the food, beverage, and staff. I have several local food vendors I use regularly for events, and they are eager to collaborate. My bar is already well-stocked; alcoholic drinks will incur an additional cost, but soft drinks and water will be included in the ticket price, along with the hors d'oeuvres that the staff I have on hand for the night will circulate in the room. Now, I figured the dance floor on the main floor is an obvious choice, but I don’t think using all three floors is wise; it’s too much open space for people to get into trouble in if you catch my drift. I would be willing to open the main floor and the first floor, but not the second or third.”
“That’s perfect, actually,” Olivia interjects. “I was going to suggest that.” Olivia pulls her tablet out of her bag and opens a layout of the club's main level and first floor. “I wanted to have the authors and bookish vendors be separated from the dance floor and have their own area away from the chaos. The space would be perfect for the number of authors and vendors I have signed up for it.”
“Well, it seems you guys know what you’re doing,” I say, suddenly feeling like a third wheel.
Jordyn laughs. “Perfect people for the job then, right? I have security covered as well. A designated person will patrol all areas on each floor. I take my security seriously, and so does my team, so if anyone is being disruptive, or you have a stalker fan, my team will remove them no questions asked.”
I nod, hoping that I won’t have to use them. The thought of the man who broke into my apartment showing up in front of everyone scares me, but hearing Jordyn take her security seriously makes me breathe a sigh of relief.
“I haven’t picked a theme yet, and I thought I would leave it up to you, Luna. Once we have a theme, I’ll start buying decorations, and I’ll store them at the bookstore until we’re ready to set up,” Olivia says.
It only takes me a second to think of a theme, and it’s too good not to share. “Well, since it’s on Halloween, we have to have costumes, but it’s a bookish ball, so why don’t we have a MASKquerade Ball, get it? Masks? Masquerade?”
