“Mum’s doing good, healing well.”
“That’s good to hear. I caught up with Christian the other day, and we ran up Runyan Canyon like we used to. That man is so unfit.” I chuckle, remembering how I almost killed him.
“Oh, that’s nice.”
Nice? “He mentioned that you two had a conversation about the flowers.”
Ness lets out a sigh. “Yeah. I called him and thanked him for the flowers, it was the right thing to do.”
“And?” I prompt, waiting for the gossip.
“And nothing. He’s still an ass,” she says.
“Well, that ass seems to have seen the error of his ways when we had a chat and wants to make amends,” I warn her.
“So?”
Yeah, I knew this was going to be hard. Christian has his work cut out for him. “Just listen to him. You don’t have to accept any of his apologies.”
“Listen to him like he ever listened to me,” she asks, raising her voice. She has a point there. “Now that he’s ready, you think I should be too?”
“No. You have every right to feel the way you feel, Ness. But it would be nice to have less tension in group situations.”
“And that’s my fault, how?” she argues.
“It’s not your fault. It’s all his. I’m not on his side, please don’t think that. I’m just saying, listen to what he has to say, it might help you move on either way.”
“I don’t think I’m ready,” she whispers.
“He hurt you. I told him he needs to be on his knees and grovel his butt off for all the shit he has done to you. I told him that he treated you poorly, and honestly, most of what he’s done is unforgivable. He knows this, Ness. He’s also miserable.”
“You don’t think I miss my best friend?”
“I know you do. We’ve cried on my sofa many nights about him. Please, don’t let your stubborn pride stop you from the love of your life.”
Ness gasps. “You think Christian is the love of my life?” I let the silence fall between us because yeah, I do. “Derrick?”
“I want the two of you to be together because before this hiccup, I was waiting for the day both of you woke up and realized the person you’ve both been searching for has always been right in front of you, and that is the reason why no one else compares,” I say, dropping a truth bomb on her.
“Derrick …”
“I’m not arguing with you about this, I’m just giving you my opinion, do with it what you want.”
She lets out another heavy sigh. “I’ll take on board your thoughts on the matter.”
“Good. Now, I’m going to love you and leave you. I have a dick appointment with my man.”
Things went well at Ryder’s christening. Vanessa and Christian talked, she said that she felt it would be better if she stayed living with me, which if I’m honest, has been fun, but the ice has thawed between the two of them much to the relief of everyone else around them.
But who cares about that because I just got handed something so amazing. I know it must have been Christian who put in a good word for me, trying to buy my love with sex club membership, but I don’t care, I’m a floozy for gifts. I can’t believe this, I’ve just been accepted into The Paradise Club, this ultra elite sex club, that is run by a good friend of Dirty Texas, Nate Lewis.
Vanessa walks through the front door and has no idea what is about to hit her. She’s just come home from work, and I’m waving my sex club membership card in her face as she swats my hands away. “Oh my god, you need to come with me. I’ve been accepted as the newest member of The Paradise Club. I can’t go alone.”
Vanessa stiffens as she computes what I’m saying. “No way. No way in hell am I going there, D,” she says, pushing past me.
Oh, shit. In my excitement, I forgot all about her abusive ex who used to frequent the club when he cheated on her. Now I feel bad for being excited. “Ness, I know the history it has with you regarding Kane. But maybe it might give you some sort of closure going there.” Vanessa glares at me. Okay, I played that argument wrong. “Look, Stacey and Isla are coming as well. You won’t be alone. Girls’ night!” I quickly texted them when I couldn’t get through to Ness earlier. I couldn’t talk to Sienna about it because she is in her mummy era and wouldn’t beexcited about a sex club. I know I’m not supposed to talk about it with people, you know, the first rule of sex club life, but … I’m just so damn excited because Christian told me about the club and thought that it might be a place Chance and I could go to hang out together because no one bats an eye at what happens there. But I give her my best puppy dog eyes because I honestly think she needs to get laid.
“Stop it, stop being so fucking cute,” she says angrily at me.
