“LISTEN, LET’S JUST GO CUT THE BALLS off this motherfucker and then we’ll go dress shopping, okay?” Jess says, squeezing my hand once before climbing out of the cab in front of Xavier’s club. I follow, but stay frozen in place as the yellow car pulls away, letting the gray, rainy day surround me.
“I can’t believe you did this for me,” I whisper. I’ve been trying to talk her out of her plan the entire ride over, but unsuccessfully. I know my freedom is just minutes away, but I can’t shake the overwhelming feeling of guilt for letting Jess help me reach it.
“Lei,” she says my name with a smile, not an ounce of nervousness apparent as she frames my shoulders with her hands. Her blonde hair is pulled into a tight, high ponytail, accenting her cheekbones. “Dude. I’m your sister. I’m your fucking best friend. You shouldn’t be struggling to believe I’d do this for you. If anything, I can’t believe you waited this long to ask me to help. You put yourself through hell trying to handle this on your own when I was literally right down the hall.”
“It’s dangerous, Jess. I didn’t want to get anyone else involved. And I was ashamed,” I respond softly. “I still am.”
“You wanted to do it alone. I get it,” she says. “But that’s the best thing about being in a sorority. It’s like having an entire army of lipstick-wearing badasses behind you.” I laugh a little, though my eyes blur with tears. “You’re a Kappa Kappa Beta, Ashlei. You never have to face anything alone again.”
She pulls me in for a hug and I squeeze her so tight she coughs, tapping my shoulder like a wrestler tapping out of a match.
“Come on, the mall closes in four hours. Let’s get this over with.”
Jess checks her lipstick on her phone camera as we cross the parking lot to the same bouncer who’s always guarding the backdoor. He doesn’t even ask who I am this time, just shakes his head as if he knows I won’t be coming out alive. Xavier has been looking for me—he knows that just as well as I do.
Jess takes in our surroundings as I lead her back to Xavier’s office, my hands still trembling even with her by my side.
“You danced here?” she asks softly, her eyes wide as she meets mine. I just nod in response. Jess reaches out for my hand and squeezes it tight as we reach Xavier’s office door. He’s bent over his computer, a cigar in his mouth as he hammers away at the keys.
“What?” He hollers out, eyes glancing up at us quickly before going back to the screen. Once realization hits, he pauses, a slow smirk growing above the stubble on his chin. He sits back, lacing his fingers together and propping his elbows on the armrests of his chair as his pulls his eyes to us again. “Well, well. Look who finally decided to show up.”
Jess rolls her eyes, clearly not affected by a man who has killed before. Who could easily kill again. “Here’s your money, asshole. All of it.” She slaps the thick envelope down on his desk, unimpressed. “Now call your watch dogs off Ashlei and take a good look at her tight ass because the last time you’ll see it is when we turn around and walk out of this shithole of a club.”
Xavier’s brows shoot up to his forehead and he barks out a laugh. “I see you brought your bull dog.”
“I’m more of a pit bull, actually.” She smiles with her eyes, hooking me by the elbow and steering me toward the exit. “Do you want to count that before we go or no?”
“I don’t have to count it to know it’s not enough. It’s a late payment, which means I need interest.”
“All the money she owed you before you made your disgusting little deal is in there, plus an additional ten-thousand.” Jess spouts off the numbers like they don’t affect her, like she didn’t sell her prized possession to get that money. Her BMW now belongs to some Botoxed-out bimbo in South Beach, but Jess didn’t even flinch when she handed over the keys.
I’ve never felt so loved in my life.
“And what makes you think that’s enough, princess?”
Jess grits her teeth together, dropping my arm and crossing the room to plant her hands on his desk. She leans over and Xavier sneaks a look at her cleavage before his eyes lift up to hers, a sneer still firmly in place.
“It’s plenty. And in case you don’t know who I am, my name is Jess Vonnegut. That last name ring a bell?” She waits as Xavier files through the names in his head. “My family has won in court before and we can do it again. You forced a young college girl to dance in your club and pay you every penny she earned for drugs she wasn’t even responsible for losing. Your death threats might have scared her for this long, but let me assure you—I don’t feel one ounce of fear when I look into your beady little eyes.” Standing, she presses her finger into the envelope. “The money is here, and unless you want to find out what a crazy son of a bitch my father can be when his little princess is fucked with, I suggest you take it and let us go.”
Xavier sniffs, clearly more familiar with Jess’ family lawsuit than I am. In fact, I don’t think anyone really knows how Jess came into money. Whatever it was, Xavier doesn’t taunt her further.
“Get the fuck out of my club.”
“Gladly,” she sings sweetly. “Come on, Lei.”
She holds my hand the entire way out, and once we make it to the parking lot, the heavy metal door slamming shut behind us, I take a breath. It fills my lungs to capacity, overwhelming me with oxygen I feel like I’ve been deprived of for months. Sensing my emotions, Jess calls a cab quickly before pulling me into her.
“Shhh,” she whispers into my hair. “It’s okay. It’s over. It’s all over now.”
I feel like I should cry, but instead, I laugh. Hard. Uncontrollably. Jess laughs with me, and before I know it, tears do leave my eyes—but not from sadness. I’m elated.
I’m free.
“I don’t even know what to do right now,” I squeak out between giggles. “This feels so unreal.”
“It’s real, babe. And now, we hit the mall and buy some sexy dresses and killer heels to match.” She smiles, but it’s tight. Now that my situation is resolved, I think she’s finally letting herself think about her own. She hasn’t spoken to Jarrett in almost a week.
“Jess,” I start, but she shakes her head.
“Not today. Let’s just shop, okay?”
Sighing, I nod. “Okay. Deal.”
The same yellow taxi cab pulls in and we climb inside, the leather seats sticking to the back of my thighs just a bit. Folding my hands in my lap, I shake my head, still unable to stop smiling. The last eight months of my life have been ruled by monsters, and now, finally, I’m free of their claws. Finally, I can be me again—Ashlei Daniels—sister, friend, girlfriend.
My smile falters at that last thought. Hopefully girlfriend. Now that Xavier is behind me, I can focus on Bo and what comes next for us. As much as I’ve been through this semester, I’ve dragged Bo through the gutter with me. I convinced her to have that threesome when it was clear she was only doing it for me, and now, the consequences of my selfishness have stolen her smile that I loved so much.
Jess helped me rid myself of one demon, but now it’s up to me to chase away the other one still lurking around. I’m going to make it right. I have to.
“Ready?” Jess asks me when the cab comes to a stop in front of the food court. She reaches a few twenties over the seat into the cabbie’s hand before turning to me with a reassuring smile.
Taking a deep breath, I nod. “Ready.”