I nod. “Yep. Get Mumma Bear to watch the kids. Tell them we’re having a movie night in here.”
Bella eyes me suspiciously. “But we aren’t?”
Red and I lock eyes and begin to laugh. She’s such a newbie.
“Nope, we’re gonna get fucking trolleyed,” Red tells her.
“But what about taking one of the men?” Bella asks innocently.
“Fuck them,” I snap. “I think we’re capable of looking after ourselves for one damn night. Besides, they’ll never know. I’ll tell Drifter we’re not to be disturbed. He knows I need it.”
Red bounces up and down on the bed in excitement, but Bella seems apprehensive.
“You’re in good hands, Bella. Have we ever let you down?” I ask, gently rubbing her arm.
She shakes her head then says, “Okay.”
I told Drifter I needed some girl time, and he agreed in a heartbeat. He even brought us a couple bottles of wine and suggested a Netflix night. And when I told him we didn’t want to be disturbed, he didn’t argue.
We listen to music and drink wine as we get ready, and I realise this is exactly what I need to relax and take my mind off everything.
I check my outfit one last time, glancing at the clock to see it’s eight p.m. The low bass from downstairs flows through the floorboards, telling us the men are relaxing for the night.
“This is it, ladies,” I say, picking my heels up from the floor.
Red does the same, but Bella eyes us with confusion.
“Do we now not wear our shoes when we go out?” she asks.
Red and I exchange a look then burst into a fit of giggles. I link arms with Bella and pull her towards the door. “You have so much to learn.”
I push the door open as quietly as I can, peeking out to check the coast is clear. When it is, I motion to the ladies to follow, and we tiptoe towards the window on the far side of the corridor.
Bella’s eyes widen as I open it. “You want me to jump out that fucking window?” she whisper-hisses.
Red chuckles. “Yes.”
“It’s cool. I used to sneak out this window often as a kid so my dad wouldn’t catch me. There’s a ledge, just lower yourself onto it,” I explain.
Bella scoffs, then her mouth drops open. “You’re serious?”
“Deadly. Come on, you’ve got this,” I say, checking below in the courtyard to make sure nobody is out there. “Coast clear.”
I pull myself up through the window and lower myself down onto the ledge. Red passes down my heels, sniggering like a drunken teenager. I place all the heels on the small roof before lowering myself down into the courtyard. Bella goes next, following Red’s directions whilst I keep lookout.
Once we are all down, we climb the back gate then slide into our heels before flagging down a passing cab.
It’s a short half-hour drive before we pull up outside a nightclub, and all three of us file out the back. The second we step inside, I’m smiling. The low lighting and thumping music washes over me, reminding me how much I’ve been craving this, yearning to be normal for a few hours, to let loose. No talk of babies, no grumpy bikers whispering about club trouble, and best of all, no fucking Siren.
Red waves her arms in the air, her slender figure swaying between people as she glides towards the bar.
“Drinks?” she shouts over her shoulder.
I grab her hand, nodding. Bella follows closely behind, looking around like a frightened rabbit.
“Stop worrying, we’re fine,” I shout over the music.
“What if they find us?” she yells back.
