It had to be a funny sight— me running through the hallways in lingerie and knee-high boots, clutching a massive black dildo while Ivy hurdled behind. Both of us were buzzed by this point, and snickering due to the alcohol.
We’d almost made it to my room before the shine of a flashlight burst into our faces, and figures blocked our path. My stomach twisted as I saw two guards, carrying noxite guns and looking foul.
“We still got time,” Ivy objected. “It’s only five minutes to ten!”
"Drop your weapon!" the guard shouted. He didn’t hesitate to point his gun straight at us.
Ivy threw an arm up and sank down, sinking his booty to the floor. I nearly died laughing.
"Not you," the guard snarled. "The girl! That item is contraband!"
"What, this?" I waved the dildo in the air. "I'm sorry, did you want to borrow it?"
The guard's face flushed, and Ivy howled. The guard clutched tighter to his gun. “You two are looking for a reason to piss me off.”
“Hey, we had a deal. Twenty percent of the profits for you to look the other way, and to not tell the Warden,” Ivy said. “You just earned yourself a nice, hefty payday. That is, if you can keep your mouth shut.”
The guard scowled, and his friend shifted uncomfortably. “Fine. But our profit better be delivered by tomorrow.”
“It’ll be at the drop-off point before breakfast, promise,” Ivy purred. “Can I count on myspecial deliveryto be there like I asked?”
He had to be talking about the club’s alcohol.
“Don’t worry about it,” the guard growled. “We’ll hand it over next weekend— that is, if you keep your end of the bargain.”
“I always do, sweet cheeks,” Ivy hissed. “Now run along.”
The guards sneered at us, but they left us alone. Ivy slung an arm around my shoulder, and we sang our song lowly on our way to my cellblock.
“You’re amazing, Ivy. You controlled those guards no problem,” I told him.
“I fuck everyone sooner or later,” Ivy said with a careless laugh. “Whether that be actually screwing them, or screwing them over.”
I snickered. This had been one of the best nights of my life. For the first time in months, I finally felt like myself again.
The old Ava wasn’t coming back. But I could be someone different, someonebetter.
I couldn’t wait to find myself again. And this time, I wasn’t losing her.
Not for anyone.
CHAPTERELEVEN
CHARLIE
It was fucked up. All of it. The Institute. The strip show. Marcus and the gang. It wasallfucked up. And there was nothing I could do to stop the madness.
I tossed and turned all night. Ava’s lyrics echoed in my mind, and I couldn’t get the scent of her silky robe out of my head. The world spun around me just thinking about her standing on that stage, dancing and singing like that.
It wasn’t that I had anything against dancers. But I sure as hell had something to say about that performance.
That dance hadn’t been about Ava letting loose and having fun, and it certainly hadn’t been about the money. She’d stood on that stage for one reason only— to piss me the fuck off.
“Spoiled little rich girl who needs Daddy’s credit card. We might be behind bars, but trust me, I can get you hard.”
I screwed up. I hadn’t meant to say that stuff to Ava. Hell, I didn’t even knowwhyI’d called her a spoiled little rich girl. I didn’t think it was true. Sure, her family grew up with money, but that wasn’t her fault. She was here at the Institute, same as me. It was a far cry fromspoiled. I’d called her difficult. Selfish. I’d even said she didn’tmatter.
That was the biggest lie I’d ever told in my life. Ava mattered. She always had, especially to me.
