“Shhh…shhh….shhh….it’s okay,” he whispered as I was cradled in his arms. “That’s it…take deep breaths…in and out…yes. Just like that. Breathe in and breathe out. Shhh…you’re okay. I’m here…everything is going to be okay, Kid.”
I moved away from him, taking the sheet with me to cover myself. “Oh my God, what the fuck did I just do?”
“It’s okay.”
“It is NOT okay, Devon; it is so far from okay it’s like on the other side of the planet,” I irrationally laughed.
“Kid, I think you’re having a panic attack or maybe a nervous breakdown. You just need to relax,” he coaxed.
“So I decide fucking you was the answer. Jesus Christ…I’m such a whore.”
“Stop. Stop talking about yourself like that. I read it wrong, I thought…I don’t know what I thought,” he explained, shaking his head. “But it’s my fault, too. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you. It takes two to tango.”
“It doesn’t matter! We just had sex. I’m so fucked. Sebastian is never going to forgive me.”
“Kid, you and him aren’t together. You didn’t cheat on him,” he reasoned.
“It doesn’t fucking matter. It’s you. And me. Why would I do this? Why would I fuck up the only good thing in my life? I’m not a good person. I don’t know who I am, Devon.”
“You need to calm down, you’re talking in circles. I can’t understand you.”
“I need to go.”
I jumped off the bed to find my clothes and swiftly put everything on, running for the door. Devon flew out in front of me, blocking my exit with his jeans barely on.
“You’re not going anywhere, you can barely talk, let alone drive,” he rationalized.
“Stop trying to save me!”
“Ysabelle, this isn’t about saving you. I’m not prince charming; I just fucked my best friend and didn’t even realize that she wasn’t in the mental capacity to do so. Do you have any idea how awful I feel? I’m sorry.”
“This isn’t your fault. It’s mine. I came on to you.”
“And I accepted it.” He paused. “Just relax, we both fucked up. Equally. It’s not a big deal. Now calm down and take a seat and tell me what the hell is going on. Please,” he added.
I nodded.
He pointed toward his living room and I went and sat on the couch, he came in a few minutes later with tea and water.
“It’s chamomile,” he said.
I drank the whole thing in one gulp like it was a shot of whiskey.
“What happened?”
I sighed. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“The beginning usually works well.”
“I was filing clients at The Cathouse and getting everything in order, making sure it was all up to date. I came across Mika’s file—”
“Mika from the hospital?” he interrupted.
I looked at him. “How do you know that?”
“We will talk about that later. Just finish.”
“Yeah…that guy,” I stated confused. “Anyway, he showed up and at first, I thought he was trying to fuck with me, and then I actually thought he was trying to fuck me. Make a really long story short, Madam is my grandmother.”
His eyes widened. “No…”
“Yeah.”
“No way…”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“Exactly!” I shouted.
“Jesus…this is like out of a book.”
I nodded, half-laughing. “She showed up and it got nasty quick. She’s behind everything, Devon, the rape, me coming to Miami, the night I met her at the bar. She knew who I was because she put me here; she just had to wait until I was an adult before she could make her move.”
He lowered his eyebrows. “I don’t understand. Your mom is her daughter? Then why were you raised like that? Why wasn’t your mom a VIP?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. My mom never talked about any family. I have not a clue. I know I need answers, and the only way I’m going to get them is through her. Just the thought of having to face her again makes me ill.”
“So, Mika told you?”
“Every last detail.”
“Who is he?”
I shook my head. “I have no idea. I’m assuming from the way he spoke about her, some sort of lover.”
“Why did he tell you?”
I stood up, frustrated. “Devon, you’re asking all these questions and I don’t know the answers. I’m so lost. I have no idea who I am. I never did. I was a puppet and she pulled the strings. She has controlled my entire life and made me think that she was a mother to me. She still thinks she is. You should have seen her! I’ve never seen the woman shed a goddamn tear, let alone frown, and she was on her hands and knees, bawling for me to forgive her.”
“Wow.”
“Queen of Miami, leader of VIP, the most exclusive and elite whorehouse in all the world, is my grandmother. That’s why she wants to give me VIP. Brooke once told me that it’s been in her family for generations; she was born into this life. I’m the key to keeping it going. Hence, why I’m back here. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if she faked getting beaten.”
“She was on her deathbed. There’s no way.”
“She’s fucking insane.”
I sat down next to him, both of us in shock from everything I disclosed.
“What are you going to do now?” he sincerely questioned.
“Obviously, I fuck my best friend. I mean why not…let’s just add icing on the cake.” I placed my head in my lap. “I’m so fucked up.”
He rubbed my back. “Kid…”
“Hmmm…”
“I love you.”
I smiled. “I love you too, Devon.”
“No…I love you.”
My eyes immediately opened. “Please tell me you’re joking,” I replied, not moving.
“Hear me out. I’ve known you for over ten years now. When you first walked into my bar, I thought you were the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. That night when you came home with me, I had this instinctual desire to want to protect you. I still do. When I found your license and realized that you were sixteen, I knew you were running from something. It had to be bad; you were taking a risk and I decided in that second to take one with you. When you left the bar, I felt it. You wanted more out of life and I let you go.”
I sat up and turned to look at him.
“Over the years, our friendship got stronger and the feelings of love grew. I thought I was in love with you. That’s why Christine hated you so much; she knew it. You never looked at me the way you look at Sebastian, not one time. When you walked through my door just now…I thought…I thought you wanted me. And I jumped at the chance to be with you. I’m an asshole.”
“Dev—”
“No…I am. In a weird, fucked up sort of way. I’m glad it happened. I love you, Kid. I always will. I think somewhere along the way, I confused that love into something that it’s not. It got twisted.”
I frowned.
“I slept with Brooke. Let me rephrase that…I’ve been sleeping with Brooke since that night at the club.”
My mouth dropped open. “Oh my God! She hasn’t said a word.” I was stunned.
“Well…at least that answers that.”
“Brooke is—”
“I know what Brooke is. I think I’m falling in love with her, though, and sleeping with you just made me realize that.”
I was at a loss for words. This night was a shit show.
“I’ve never met anyone like her. There’s something beautifully broken about her. I can’t stay away.”
“I don’t know what to tell you. How often do you see her?”
“Often enough.”
“Are you going to tell her?”
“I don’t know. Are you?”
“Devon, please…I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I can take care of myself, Kid.”
I nodded.
“Think of it this way, I got to fuck two VIPs and I didn’t have to pay,” he chuckled.
My head jerked back, wide-eyed. “Oh my God! You’re not paying for Brooke?”
“That’s your response?” He grinned. “Of course not.”
“Ever?”
“No, not once.”
“And she knows that?”
“Yeah. She wanted it that way.”
“Brooke? She wanted you to not pay?”
He nodded and I laughed. He had no idea the hell of a ride that he was in for and for some reason, I knew that Brooke didn’t know, either.
“What time is it?” I asked, changing the subject.
He looked at his phone. “It’s almost midnight.”
“I left Chance at Brooke’s house; I need to go let him out. She’s probably wondering where the hell I am.”
I walked toward the door and he followed.
“It’s not going to be weird now, right? You know…now that we’ve…you know…” I mumbled, facing him.
“Seen each other naked?” he casually replied.
“That and...”
“Fucked?”
“Yeah,” I answered, looking away.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you shy and nervous? Is it because my cock is so huge?”
I smiled. “No, that was a nice surprise.”
“You did come…twice.” He stretched his arms. “Just saying.”
I slapped him in the chest and he fell forward with an oomph.
“Let’s pretend like it didn’t happen. Think we could do that?”
He bit his bottom lip. “Damn…I don’t know, Kid, that booty and that pussy…”
I gasped; I had never heard him talk like that. Something told me that I didn’t experience the same treatment that Brooke was receiving. I started to think that maybe she knew a whole different side to him.
“I’m kidding. To be honest, it was like having sex with my sister.”
“Eww…now you’re being disgusting.”
He rolled his eyes. “Come here.” He pulled me into a tight embrace. “I love you. Nothing and no one is going to change that. You and me, we’re together till the end. Got it?” he whispered into the side of my neck.
I took a deep breath, knowing he meant every word.