Текст книги "Gutter Princess"

Автор книги: Kimmie Easley

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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 12 страниц)

“I guess I was kinda scared too. I didn’t know what was happening. I was losing the only thing I thought meant anything in my life. My fiancé and my baby. My entire life was walking out the fucking door and I needed answers.”

He inhaled and let it out in one long breath. “Like I said, I grabbed her by the arm to stop her from leaving. When I did, Carrie doubled over and cried out in pain. Her purse fell to the floor. I tried to help her, but she wouldn’t let me touch her. I bent down to pick up her stuff. I felt like a complete asshole. I started shoving everything back into her bag. There was the usual chick stuff like lipstick, tissues, her wallet, and other girly shit. There was also a set of papers, stapled together with a logo of a female figure with some squiggly blue lines. It said Women’s Health Care Center on the front page and had her signature scrawled across the bottom with a ton of initial marks. I don’t know why, but I wanted to know what the hell it was. I flipped through the stack of papers and found this.”

Leaning forward, Lucky pulled his leather wallet from the back pocket of his jeans, the other end still attached to the chain hooked to his belt loop. He popped the two snaps and dug inside. He unfolded a small slip of paper and handed it to her.

Baby Jade’s heart plummeted. She knew immediately what the paper was. She held it between her fingers, but couldn’t bring herself to take a closer look. She didn’t have any words of comfort to offer.

“The ultrasound says she was eight weeks along. I know the image looks like a blur. But that blur was my baby. My son or daughter. That baby was both of ours. She had no right to take that from me!” Lucky jumped to his feet. His wallet still dangling from his hip. He paced the floor. Baby suddenly felt like she was intruding on his personal grief. “She took something from me I may never have again. She never told me or consulted me. She was going to tuck tail and run. Who the hell does that?” He looked to Baby with his hands in the air.

She fumbled for words. She was scared to say the wrong thing and set him off further. “Lucky, I’m really sorry. You’re right. She handled it badly.”

“Badly?” He gaffed. “All you can say is she handled it badly?” His stance was wide, and he balled his fist.

Baby stood, setting the ultrasound picture on the table. She met his gaze and pulled back her shoulders. “Hey, I’m not the one who screwed you over. I understand you’re in pain, and I don’t blame you for being pissed. But you need to remember where you are and who you’re talking to. I’m not Carrie!”

Lucky’s face fell, and he sank to his knees. “Damn, Baby. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s not something I talk about often. I keep it locked away and this is exactly why. If I let myself think about it, it’s like I’m grieving it all over again. I want to hold my baby.” He buried his face in the palms of his hands.

Baby Jade lowered herself to the floor. Her brain told her she wasn’t the one who should be comforting him, but her heart told her different. She took Lucky’s hands in hers, lowering her face to meet his. His deep chocolate brown eyes were now dull and wet from the tears he was trying to hold back.

“I refuse to cry for her,” he mumbled.

“We both know the tears have nothing to do with Carrie. It’s ok to grieve for the part of you that died that day.”

The muffled sound that came from his throat was too much to take. Lucky was still on his knees, and Baby Jade moved closer, positioning herself between his legs. He followed her gaze and placed one arm around the small of her back, making it easier for him to lean in. Using the back side of his other hand, he grazed her cheek, taking his time making his way to her chin where he tilted her face up to meet his. Like magnets, his warm mouth found hers. The kiss was soft at first as his lips gently caressed her own. Her arms entangled around his neck, pulling him closer, and her hands found his thick hair. Growing hungry, she allowed her lips to part, welcoming him to explore. He tasted like Shiner, and she was taken aback by the craving consuming her body. She wanted to drink every part of him.

By the time Ma’Linn came rushing in, Baby Jade was on Lucky’s lap straddling his waist. His hands pinned Baby’s behind her back while his tongue devoured her neck.

Looking back on the scene now, she could see how Ma’Linn might have taken it the wrong way, especially since Baby never had company over since trying to walk the straight and narrow. Ma’Linn had hiked up her dress and stepped over the splintered remains of the front door. Within seconds, she was beating Lucky across the back with her extremely heavy, carry-all tote bag.

She’d started chanting some old school Vodun curse or some shit like that. After twenty minutes, Baby Jade got her to calm down and Lucky went back to work on the door. Baby walked Ma’Linn home and explained the bizarre events of the day.

“Oh, child, dat boy look like he can handle you good! Like you be needin’.” Ma’Linn tossed her head back and gave a hearty cackle.

“Am I that bad?”

“Sometime, yes. Ever’body be needin’ some good handlin’ from time ta’ time.”

Baby didn’t bother asking Ma’Linn if she’d been getting handled lately. Although it had crossed her mind the way her friend had been disappearing a lot during the day.

***

Now, eight hours later, Baby considered Ma’Linn’s words. Maybe she was right. Ever since she and Lucky spent their afternoon getting better acquainted, Baby felt more alive. Jewella still had yet to get under her skin tonight.

“You’re not wearing that on stage, are you?” Jewella asked, wagging two long bony fingers gripping a cigarette in her direction.

“What’s wrong with it?” Baby looked at herself in the makeup mirror and was impressed with the reflection, loving the way the green and black set off her dark hair and smooth skin.

“You know Mickey doesn’t like the leather. It looks cheap.”

“Mickey can kiss my ass. You know what? You can tell him I said exactly that,” Baby Jade shot back.

“Oh, don’t worry. I will,” Jewella said before she hurried up the dressing room steps.

Dammit! This was going to be a long night. She waited for a few minutes, ready to take her tongue-lashing from Mickey, but he never showed. She ventured upstairs and was happy to see the room was almost wall to wall with happy go lucky men waiting for a show. The music was upbeat, blasting some old school Def Leppard. Baby was put at ease when she spotted Jewella pouting in the corner and Mickey hobnobbing with a couple of thugs in suits. He obviously didn’t have time for his girlfriend’s childish antics tonight.

She made her usual rounds, making small talk with the regulars and making sure to pay special attention to the newbies and good tippers. She was stalling, uncertain how things would play out when she came face to face with Lucky.

Hearing the roar of the Harley as it parked outside the club made Baby’s heart thud loudly in her chest. She touched her fingertips to her lips, remembering the kiss.

It took him less than ten seconds to lock eyes with Baby across the packed room, making the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. His gaze smoldered, blazing with intensity. His lips curved into a slight smile. More like a panty-dropping smirk.

Lucky didn’t step any further into the club. He sported his best bouncer face and settled up against the wall by the entrance, never taking his gaze off her. He left the stool open, and Baby assumed it was for her. She decided to ask Mickey if she was supposed to babysit the new guy again, praying he said yes.

“Hey, got a minute?” she asked Mickey as he scrolled through the playlist.

“Make it quick,” he snapped.

“Trying to figure out my role for the night. Working the floor or babysitting in between sets?” Baby tried to be nonchalant, and not give away how anxious she was to be near Lucky, to smell him and touch him. Thinking about him made her light-headed. The man was intoxicating.

“Yeah, I guess you need to hang with the new guy. Jewella’s in rare form tonight.” Mickey’s head shot up from the binder, glaring at Baby. “And not a word from you.”

“Hey, I wasn’t going to say anything. I don’t need any drama tonight,” Baby protested.

“Me either. Squash whatever shit you have with her. At least for tonight. I don’t need the fucking headache.”

“Fine with me.” She turned to walk away.

“Baby?” Mickey called, stopping her in her tracks. She knew it was too damn easy.

“Yeah?”

“The way that leather grips your ass makes me think maybe I should rethink the dress code around here.” Mickey snickered and went back to his binder.

Baby Jade shuddered in disgust.

Putting on a show, she sashayed her way through the crowd on her way to meet Lucky. She felt his gaze following her every move. She toyed with him, taking her time, swinging her hair to one side. Still feeling the heat of his lips all the way between her legs, Baby knew what the sight of her neck did to him. She giggled as she moved closer and Lucky stood upright, attempting to adjust the front of his jeans without drawing attention to himself, but she knew better.

“Problems?” she asked.

Lucky stepped forward, closing the already small gap between them. “Not a one.”

Damn, he looked good. The spicy smell of musk filled her nose, and she noticed his damp hair. Her first thought was what it would be like to shower with Lucky, taking turns washing each other’s backs. At that moment, all she wanted to do was rip off his black Mom’s Biker Bar t-shirt and soap him up. If she were a dude, she would have to be adjusting her own jeans at this point.

Baby decided this wasn’t the time for their banter. They’d both be insane after the foreplay.

“Thanks for getting the door fixed. Mickey’s in a decent mood tonight.” Baby tilted her chin toward the DJ booth.

“Yeah, I didn’t want to deal with his bullshit either. Besides, I enjoyed lunch.”

Baby tried not to blush, but his undertones made the blood soar, turning her caramel-colored cheeks pink. “Ma’Linn thought you looked like you were enjoying it too.”

Lucky gave his lopsided grin, the one that made her body stand at attention, and did his best to play innocent. “Hell, I probably traumatized the poor woman!”

“Oh please, Ma’Linn hasn’t been traumatized a day in her life. Nothing surprises her. Besides, she thinks I was enjoying it too.”

Lucky turned to place his body in front of hers. “Was she right?”

“I think you know the answer to that,” Baby whispered, pinned to the wall. “She thinks I need to, um … well, enjoy myself more often.”

“Damn, I think Ma’Linn might have become my new best friend!”

“Yeah, the stubborn old woman is a wealth of wisdom.” Baby rolled her eyes and smirked.

She heard the end of Coral’s music and got up to get ready for her set. “I have to go. Try to keep yourself out of trouble.” She shot a glance toward the bar where Jewella and Barbie sat, conniving no doubt. She had no idea what they were talking about, but the two were always up to something. “They’re up to no good. Watch yourself.”

“Don’t you worry about me. I know what I’m gonna be watching.” Lucky wagged his eyebrows and let his gaze roam from one end of the leather to the other. It was different when he did it compared to when other men sneered at her. She wanted to vomit when Mickey ogled her. But when Lucky did it, it made her feel like she was in one of those static machines, with every part of her standing at attention, alive.

Baby stood behind the drapes as Coral made her exit. Her intro music started and Mickey made his usual introduction. She heard cheers coming from the crowd, followed by snide remarks and snickering from Jewella and Barbie.

She closed her eyes and tuned out everything but the music, including Lucky, although he proved to be much more of a challenge. Marilyn Manson’s version of “Sweet Dreams” filled the room and her heart thumped to the beat. The only way she would make it through the next six minutes was to surrender every part of herself to the dance. Baby stepped onto the stage, one hand on her hip, and the other swinging at her side as she sauntered toward the pole. She set her sights on the customers who looked like they had money to burn and worked her magic. The big spenders were easy to spot. They had money to blow and wanted everyone to know it.

Her performance was flawless, as usual. The leather was a big hit by looking at all the tips scattered across the stage. Men were still tossing bills in her direction as she collected the tiny pieces of fabric. She threw a few kisses toward the crowd that had gathered, and headed backstage.

She ran downstairs to slip back into her costume. After making sure everything was in its proper place, Baby touched up her lipstick and grabbed a water from her dressing table. The askew bottom drawer caught her attention. She opened the drawer and found her canvas tote bag in disarray. Her throat tightened at the thought of someone digging through her belongings.

She fumbled through the bag and was surprised to find her wallet still inside. Her money and cards were still where they were supposed to be. Nothing had been taken. That only meant one thing. Baby dumped the contents onto the top of the table until she found what she was looking for.

A small manila envelope with her name penciled across the front sat on top of the pile. A note on the back read, for old time’s sake. Her gut told her not to open it, but Baby couldn’t resist. Unclasping the brad, she popped open the envelope to find a small baggie inside. The blood pounded in her head as she held the familiar bag of cocaine.

She glanced over her shoulder to make sure the room was empty. Her trembling hands were sweating. After months of being clean, it was becoming harder rather than easier to fight the urge, and Slade knew it. She used to find his little presents around the club. He’d go so far as to leave stuff in her apartment. He knew firsthand how Baby Jade operated, like clockwork. It was only a matter of time before she caved.

But not today. Baby Jade headed to flush the tiny baggie down the toilet. As she stepped closer, a voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Oh, yeah. Like that. Don’t stop.”

The deep groans coming from behind the closed bathroom door belonged to Slade. She shuddered at the sound, one she knew all too well. She couldn’t make out the woman by the throaty moans, but she definitely knew what they were doing.

“Shit! Oh, shit!”

The raspy moaning became rhythmic, leading to the gasping sounds of an orgasm.

Baby froze in place, still holding the coke in her hand, listening to the commotion coming from the bathroom. As soon as she heard the female voice cry out in a combination of pain and elation, she knew instantly it belonged to Lolli. The sound was familiar. Slade had a consuming case of little man syndrome and attempted to compensate by using force. He was full of aggression and loved to unleash it in the bedroom or bathroom. Actually, anywhere he felt the urge—public or not.

“Oh, shit—Fuck me” Slam “Harder” Slam “Harder” Slam

By the sounds of it, Lolli had figured out how to appease Slade. The only thing he loved more than flexing his muscle was for one of his concubines to beg. She envisioned how he had Lolli bent over the same nasty sink she had once sprawled herself across. A fistful of her hair entwined around his left hand, yanking and pulling while he used his right to squeeze her breasts or slap her ass.

Her stomach churned. She swallowed back the vomit in her throat, and tucked the baggie of coke back in the envelope and tossed it into her bag. She tried to compose herself enough to head back up to the club, not wanting Lucky to ask questions.

Jewella and Barbie were still sitting up at the bar, only now they had a small gathering of hungry tourists. Good. Maybe that’ll keep them out of my hair. Lucky leaned against the wall with arms folded across his chest and legs crossed at the ankles.

He nodded to a couple of men as they walked in. They nodded in return. Having him on as a bouncer seemed to be working out well for the club. He had a presence about him, and he was a master when it came to reading people. He had somehow managed to strip away her every inhibition. Baby Jade still didn’t know how she felt about that special character trait of his.

Once he spotted her, Lucky stood upright. A smile crept across his face as she drew closer. His perfect lips upturned, revealing his deep dimples. Baby could nibble that plump bottom lip for hours. She loved the way he ran his hands over his beard when he didn’t know what to do with himself. She liked that she had that effect on him.

“What’d you think of the set?” Baby Jade asked, her chin quivering as she still tried to control her emotions.

He ran his fingers through his beard, rubbing his chin. “I haven’t been able to focus on anything since. You’re too good to be in this shithole.”

“Yeah, well, obviously fate doesn’t agree.” Baby edged her way closer to Lucky. The magnetism between them drove her insane, rushing blood through her veins. She couldn’t be close enough. Her body longed to find out how close they would have to be to satisfy the ache.

Lucky reached out one hand and ran his index finger from the hem of leather rimming her firm breasts down her smooth stomach before settling at the knotted straps holding on her boy shorts. Goose bumps covered her flesh causing Lucky to smirk; his eyes were hungry for her. She knew it.

Chapter Ten

Lucky

It was obvious she was hiding something. Before Baby said a single word, he knew she was hard as stone. However, right now, she looked like she was falling apart at the seams. Something must have happened to rattle her. He could see the cracks forming in her rock hard shell, and all he wanted to do was be there to piece her back together.

Damn. This girl is seriously fucking with my head.

Baby Jade completely consumed him. From the moment he laid eyes on her, Lucky hadn’t been able to think of anyone or anything else. No one had ever gotten under his skin the way she did. Every time she walked into a room, he felt like he’d been sucker punched in the gut, and left gasping for air.

His body reacted to her in ways he wasn’t used to, involuntarily responding to her movement, her voice, her smell, and the most agonizing, her touch.

The way the two of them talked and opened up to one another about their painful pasts had blindsided Lucky. He told Baby Jade things he never told anyone before. He’d never opened up about the abortion to anyone. Carrie had wounded him. He swore he would never open his heart up to another woman, but damn if she hadn’t coaxed her way in, and now it was as if she was holding him hostage.

This day was one for the record books. He had been up all night worried about Baby after the run in with the jackass from the club, Slade. He woke up early with plans of heading over to make sure she was safe when his mother called. She had called a few times since he’d been back in town. He didn’t answer, letting it go to voicemail. He had no doubts it would sound exactly like the others, “James, this is your mother. Call me. We can discuss the upcoming meeting.” The board meeting that he was in town for was still a few days away. The thought of crossing the river made him want to punch something. He had nothing to say to any of the Gauthiers. He was going to cast his vote and walk away like he always did.

He tracked down Baby Jade’s address from a guy at Rodney’s who said he had delivered her pizza on his old route. When he found the place, he was shocked to see how run down it was. He would never tell her that though. She reminded him of himself, pity would only piss her off. She wasn’t looking for a handout or charity.

He beat on the door for what felt like an eternity before he heard her scream. His instincts kicked in and he knocked down the door to find that Baby had stubbed her toe on the bookshelf. He saved her from a fucking bookshelf.

Lucky stood in the middle of her living room red-faced and embarrassed while Baby ripped him a new one. Of course, it turned out to be one of the best mistakes he had ever made. He could still taste the sweet wine she had drank right before he licked her lips and explored her mouth with his tongue. When he touched her smooth skin, it left him feeling as if his fingertips were on fire.

The feelings were all coming to a head, leaving Lucky ready to combust. The heat and sexual tension. The confusion from the unexpected feelings. The anger and dread of having to see his parents again. The apprehension of the strip club scene.

As Baby stood in front of him looking good enough to eat, Lucky knew he was in trouble. He was spinning out of control. She had knocked him on his ass and he wouldn’t have it any other way.