Scars of Yesterday (Sons of Templar MC #8) - Anne Malcom Page 0,63
usually qualities a woman acquired after people—usually men—took things from her.
“Nothing crazy happened... beyond what I’ve already told you,” she continued, her voice still carrying the same light, easy tone. “I got used to the occasional beating. To strangers treating my body like it was something that existed only for what they wanted. Then, one day... I just didn’t. I saw it for what it was. Saw that my life had turned into something much darker than my momma’s, and I realized that it would only get worse if I didn’t do anything about it.
“I’d saved what money I could,” she said with a sad smile. “My boyfriend took almost all of it. What he thought was all of it, at least. Even in my lowest of moments, I was always thinking of a way out, because on some level, I knew I’d die if I didn’t escape. So I pocketed small amounts at first after figuring out how much I could take without him noticing. I managed to keep more as he got further into drugs. Soon I had enough to leave. Not a fortune, but enough to get out, The price of my freedom was priceless. I left in the night, with nothing but the clothes on my back and a purse containing one tube of lipstick.”
She glanced to the windows, to the ocean, then back to me.
“Went as far away as I could. Lost myself in L.A. Things didn’t immediately get better, of course. I was a young, damaged girl, easy prey for that city. But luckily, I was smart. Knew that I still had the body, the looks. Knew I wouldn’t be able to get any nine to five job. So I made friends with girls like me. I’ve always been good at that, making friends. I found out about the best place to dance in the city, place called Fantasia. Apparently, they paid their dancers well, didn’t put up with any kind of pimping and even had health insurance. It was like the gold standard of strip clubs. Girls had been trying to get in there for years. But you remember, I’m smart, friendly. Found myself a way in. And as they say, the rest is history.”
She smiled, looking down at her nails. “Well, kind of. A lot happened between then and now. Enough for an entire book. A movie. But I made good money. Saved every cent I could. Always had a dream to go somewhere quiet, somewhere safe. To create something beautiful of my own.” She looked around the bar. “Think I’ve done that.”
“You’ve definitely done that,” I whispered, a tear trailing down my cheek.
“Oh, sugar, don’t cry for me,” she murmured, leaning forward and brushing the tear from my cheek. “I’ve survived, which is more than a lot of girls in my situation can say. Beyond that, I’ve thrived. Sure, I’ve got some scars, but we’ve all got those. I’ve got girlfriends, my bar, a life. I’m happy, darlin’.”
She was. She really meant that. There was always going to be a darkness to her, but that only made her light shine that much brighter.
“Have you ever found love? Since then?” I asked, marveling even more at this remarkable woman. I yearned for her to find someone who marveled at her too. Who worshipped her. I knew that Laura Maye definitely didn’t need a man, she’d proven that. But she deserved one. A good one.
“I have found love,” Laura Maye replied, her eyes twinkling. “I’ve got it all around me here.”
“You know what I mean.”
She nodded. “I do know what you mean, honey. And I’ve been close to finding it, a couple of times. Might’ve even turned into something, if I’d let it. But I haven’t got there yet. When it comes to scars on the heart, they take longest to heal. Maybe I’ll find love again. Maybe I’ll even go looking for it. But I’m okay even if I don’t.”
“I hope you find it,” I offered. “Any man who wins your heart will be the luckiest man in the world.”
“You’re not wrong on that one, honey, I’m a gosh darn catch.”
I laughed, something I hadn’t thought would be possible in such close proximity to that story. But that was Laura Maye. She was a little bit magic.
“Thank you, for telling me that,” I said.
“Thank you for giving me the opportunity,” she replied. “I don’t like traveling back into the past much, but it’s much easier when I have good company. Glad it