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My eyes widened slightly as I finished the last of my make up. Sitting back with a slight pout, I nodded. “Yeah, actually. Just like hide-and-seek.”

“Don’t fuck with me.” She rolled her eyes, but I squeezed her thigh before reaching for my hairbrush.

“I’m being serious, Lola. It’s grown-up hide-and-seek.”

Her eyes widened at that. “No shit.” Then, worry tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Is that safe? Like, are you allowed to say no?”

Slicking my hair back into a high pony, I spared her a quick glance. “I mean… do you want the real answer?”

Lola nodded, clearly steeling herself for the worst. But as the last of the hair slipped from my fingers, I fixed her with a cheeky grin. “Technically, I don’t get a say if they win. But I’m not doing anything I’m not agreeing to.”

Despite my own levity, Lola took this in with a solemn nod. “I guess that makes sense.”

Standing to pull off the sweats that covered my dance outfit, I smiled up at Lola on the counter. “Oh come on, don’t be like that. I’m perfectly safe.”

“I’ll try to trust that.” She nodded. “You’re a big girl. Even if your choices stress the shit out of me.”

I grinned, hearing the calm returning to her voice. “Are you stressed? Or a little jealous?”

“I’m shocked,” she laughed. “All three of them?”

I nodded. “Crazy, right?”

“Didn’t realize I was friends with such a hot commodity. You think they have any friends who are looking for a little plaything?”

“Lola!” I squealed, smacking her hip.

“I’m being serious! For that much money, I’d happily let a few lesbians take me back to their penthouse and freak it.”

“You’re sick,” I laughed. “I’ll let you know if I hear about any openings.”

“Thank you! Is that so much to ask?”

“You’re right, I’ve been selfish.” I shook my head.

But there was some truth beneath the joke. Both of us could hear it.

As the laughter faded, Lola offered me a tired smile. “Listen. I’m sorry if I was a bitch when you got here. I just worry about you. It helps when you tell me what’s going on. Maybe we can do more of that in the future? I’m not interested in judging, I just don’t want to sprout any more grays from worrying about where you’re at.”

“Fair enough,” I smiled back. “Sorry for stressing you out. Friends?”

Lola spread her arms wide, pulling me into a big bear hug just as Nico peeked her head into the dressing room. “Five minutes, Lola!”

As Lola prepared to leave, I knew that honesty was the very least of what I owed Lola. Even if the prospect of letting her in terrified me.

20

NASH

Sweat was forming on my brow as I sat in the boiling car. I’d pointed all of the Cadillac’s warm vents at the bags of takeout in the backseat.

I wasn’t about to let my Sweet Lamb eat a cold burrito after a long shift.

Wiping my forehead, I watched the stage door.

I hate that I can’t go in there.

More than a couple guys had been thrown out tonight — the bouncers working overtime to keep the rowdier clientele at bay. It’d taken every ounce of my control to stay in the car, to not go teach those dirtbags a lesson.