cheek. “Hi,” he whispered.
“Hi.” I stepped into his side, a sense of relief washing over me just from his mere touch.
Shawnee pulled a lipstick tube from her back pocket. It was a deep blood red. The only makeup she ever wore outside of when she performed. With her face bare, her dark freckles showed. The men loved them, so she always used it to her advantage. When she finished applying her lipstick, she stuck out her hand. “Shawnee but the boys call me Amethyst.”
“And I’m Emma.” Emma gave me a wink. “Men don’t call me, but the ladies do, and they call me over and over and over and over—”
Shawnee gently shoved her.
“And over,” Emma added.
“We get it.” I laughed.
“Nice to meet you.” Vince chuckled, returning Shawnee’s handshake. “And I’m Vince.”
“Oh, we know.” Shawnee grinned. “Your girl has told us all about you.”
“She has, has she?” He looked down at me, smirking.
I rolled my eyes. “She’s lying. She’s bored, so she likes to make up stuff.”
Shawnee pouted. “I do not. Maybe I can go play with that slut of a friend you’ve told me about.”
Vince frowned. “Ashton?”
I coughed. “Uh…I never called him a slut but yeah, that’s who she’s talking about.”
Vince chuckled. “He gets around. Hasn’t found his person I guess.”
I snorted. “I don’t think he’ll ever find his person.”
“Fine with me.” Shawnee pulled the elastic from her long blonde hair and shook out the tresses until they fell in waves around her shoulders. “I don’t want a relationship anyway. Which one is he again?”
“He’s probably standing with another guy who looks like him,” I told her as she walked away. “They’re twins.”
Shawnee grinned, giving us a wink. “Even better.”
Emma shook her head. “I’m going to go call Amber and Penelope. See if they want to get together for drinks. Apparently Amber is having some problems with some biker. Who knows? You guys want to join us?”
I looked up at Vince.
“I’ll do whatever.” He leaned down to my ear. “But I’d rather do you, Queenie.”
I shivered, my cheeks heating. “I think we’ll pass,” I told her.
She laughed. “Sure. Choose cock over your friends. I get it.” She closed the distance between us and pulled me into her arms. “He breaks your heart; I’ll chop off his dick and feed it to my cat. You hear me?”
“I hear you.” I returned the embrace. “Thank you.”
“Any time.” She released me, gave Vince a look, and headed down the hall toward the bar.
“You have some interesting friends,” he said with a grin.
“You mean besides your sister, my sister, and Piper?” I laughed.
“Yeah.” He kissed my temple. “They good to you?”
“They are. I’m actually teaching them a routine.” I was proud of that little fact.
“Really? And how are you doing that?” Vince asked, his voice coming out rougher than I had ever heard before. Especially with me.
I crossed my arms under my chest, staring up at him. “Problem?”
“I…” He pulled me closer. “No. No problem. As long as you keep your clothes on.”
“Don’t worry, baby.” I stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “You are the only one I take my clothes off for.”
***
(Vince)
I didn’t see Gigi for the rest of the night. I did catch her cleaning every so often or picking up after people. She would sometimes throw her head back and laugh at whatever was said to her when she stopped to speak with someone. But other than that, she kept her distance. I was sure it was so I could mingle, hang with my friends and so on, but as much as I loved them, I needed Gigi more.
She would look my way every now and again. I would stand up taller and she would wave. Every time a guy stopped to talk to her, it took everything I was made of not to storm over and punch the shit out of him.
“Vin, you look sad.” Tenise came up to me and sat on the barstool beside me. She turned toward me, her knee brushing against mine.
I adjusted myself on the stool, trying to move away as best I could without having to sit on another stool but that only seemed to make her inch closer. “I’m fine,” I told her.
“Are you enjoying yourself?”
“I am.” I finished off my beer and signaled the waiter. “Can I just get a water please?”
He nodded and came back with a bottle of water.
“Thank you.” I twisted off the cap and finished off half the bottle before placing it on the bar top.
“Water?” Tenise