“What the fuck is going on?” Crystal storms through the small crowd.
“Crystal, this does not involve you,” Eve says abruptly.
“Oh, really?” She looks at me. Her large breasts are somewhat pointy. She wears next to nothing held together by some small red strings.
“Eve, please. Candy is one of us. So, this does involve me.” She lets that drift around. Her smug face bears a nasty smile. “Yeah, I know you can’t believe that your little princess wants to strip to make a livin’. But it’s the truth, so instead of all you guys acting so high and mighty, remember that Axel’s old lady is gonna be rubbing her cunt all over anyone who can pay—”
“You’re a vile person,” I scream, ignoring Eve who’s trying to hold me back.
“Oh, please.” She turns to face me, hands on her skinny hips. “I’m you darlin’. Don’t you get it? Give yourself ten more years and you’ll be lucky if you look as good as me after getting passed around. Axel will fuck you, share you, then toss you to his club.”
She sneers and something happens. I snap. My head hurts as my heart pounds so hard that everything is gone and replaced by white noise.
And I do it.
“Never!” I scream, lunging at her. Though I’ve caught her by surprise, she has enough time to latch her nails into my arm. Somewhere in the background, I hear Eve screaming for Blade.
In seconds, the water of the pool smacks me in the face as we go straight down. Crystal’s legs wrap around me. She pulls us down into the deep end. Her hands reach for my hair as I try to turn. But her legs hold me tight.
For the first time in my life, I finally fight back. I’ve had nineteen years of it bottled up and I guess I’ve finally lost it.
I’m sick of everyone thinking I’m weak.
Fuck that.
I reach back and grab the first thing I can and jerk. There’s a snap and my hands toss her top away as her legs loosen up enough for me to turn. My foot goes straight to her face as I kick using her cheek to push away.
I barely get my head above water when I’m being lifted by strong arms. Sapphire eyes take my breath away as he tugs me out of the water. He holds my face as I try to take small gulps.
“Just breathe, baby. I’m right here.” His gravelly voice is soothing and my heart, which was beating out of my chest, starts to steady.
Screaming and crying fill my ears along with Eminem singing about losing yourself.
“She needs to go,” I think I hear Cindy say. Who knows? They could be talking about me. My nails latch onto his arms. I need him.
“I can’t believe I just got into a fight,” I mumble into his chest. The black T-shirt smells like him and I close my eyes as reality hits me.
A fight.
If I wasn’t so horrified, I might be proud that I stood up for myself.
“I guess I can scratch stripping off my resume.” There’s a rumble in his chest and I gaze up into his face. His eyes scan everyone and people seem to know to stay away—other than a screaming Crystal and a somewhat dazed-looking Frenchie.
“Jesus, Antoinette. I leave you barely two hours. What the fuck happened?” Axel’s voice snaps my head back.
Crystal is screaming, almost hissing horrible things at me, looking like a skinny lizard as she yells and points at me.
“Ryder, I swear to God, get ahold of her,” Axel yells.
Ryder wraps one enormous arm around her waist as she kicks like she’s possessed or something. Her fake tits barely move.
I stare at her. “She’s insane.”
“Enough,” Blade bellows. “Conference room now.” He takes Eve’s hand and together they walk toward the house.
The party continues as if this kind of thing is no big deal. Ox is busy at the large grill, laughing at a bunch of bearded bikers. Out of nowhere, there’s hollering and everyone starts whistling and catcalling.
Fosters walks out wearing a black Speedo, his body covered in black tattoos. He holds up his arms as if he’s a god marching straight toward the pool area.
“Jesus Christ.” Axel shakes his head as Fosters winks at us, then flexes and dives into the pool.
He comes up screaming like a crazy man. “Who wants to sit on daddy’s face tonight?”
Women toss off their tops and jump in. What the hell is this place?
“It’s not fair.” Crystal struggles to get away from Ryder who does not look happy. He glares at me and my heart sinks as I hold on to Axel’s shirt.
Ryder hates me.
Crystal looks like the Joker. She hates me too. Don’t get me started on Frenchie.
“Let me go, asshole,” she says like a crazed beast, but Ryder ignores her and pulls Frenchie and her toward the house.