I hit send and set my phone down on the table .

Men. They were everywhere. And as I sat there tucked away in the corner of Mojito, I wondered where all the women were tonight. I didn’t need any more testosterone swirling around me. I had enough of it when I was with Kelly. And, besides, men were the reason I was here, needing to rekindle my relationship with my best girl .

Hunched over with my elbows spread on the table, I picked up my phone and checked the time again. One minute had passed since the last time I’d looked and I couldn’t wait to have my chance to speak with Alex .

My knee bounced restlessly .

Kelly hadn’t let me down, ever, and I could only hope that I wouldn’t regret his plan tonight. The questions he needed answers to were now the very same questions burning a hole inside my own head. I needed to make sure that Alex was safe—that she wasn’t unknowingly walking into her own grave .

Fiddling with my sleeve cuffs, I lifted my shirt and moved the silver bangles to the side to inspect the marks given to me by Kelly. A feeling of possessiveness washed over me as the corners of my lips curled into a smile .

Squeezing my thighs tighter together, my eyes fluttered shut as I felt the heat begin to spread .

“You have to tell me what’s on your mind .”

I opened my eyes to find a friendly face smiling down on me. His head was shaved and he smelled of expensive cologne. “Nothing that I want to share .”

He silently asked with a wave of his hand if he could take a seat on the bench opposite me. I nodded and said, “Slim pickings tonight, huh ?”

He held his gaze on mine, a glimmer of hope lighting up his eyes. “A fisherman only needs to catch one to make it a good day .”

“And what makes you think that I want to be caught ?”

Leaning forward, he folded his arms on top of the table and smiled. “That smirk threatening to burst into laughter .”

I shook my head and let my bangs swish over my forehead. “You think I’m here to play ?”

“I think you’re here because you want to play .”

He was confident and cocky and dressed extremely well. If I wasn’t already drunk on Kelly, then perhaps in another life I would have been more interested .

Smoothing my hand over the table, I said, “Don’t you want to offer me a drink ?”

He bit his bottom lip and snickered .

“I tend to open up when I’m tipsy .”

His dark eyes held my gaze for a minute before he scooted out from the booth. “What will it be then ?”

My eyes fell to his crotch. “Something hard .”

He flicked his brows and tipped back his bottle of craft brew before pivoting on a heel and disappearing to the bar on the other side of the room .

Laughing, I picked up my phone remembering the night I was here with Alex—the night I dragged her out of the house to celebrate her new internship in Hollywood, the one hosted by Nash Brooks .

Hearing two men on the opposite side of the room argue over sports, I thought how these men were too easily manipulated when it came to booze and women. I had no intention of taking it any further with Baldy, but getting a free drink out of him wasn’t a sin. So, why the hell not ?

Rolling my eyes back to my cell, it chirped with a message from one of my social media accounts. I quickly checked it before letting my thoughts drift back to Kelly .

I hoped his meeting with Nash was going better than my night. I hadn’t heard from Alex since she said she would meet me. And now that I was left waiting, I wondered if she had changed her mind, deciding I wasn’t worth her effort .

Turning my head, I watched the boys battle it out .

I couldn’t help but think that maybe tonight’s plan was Kelly’s way to avoid sleep. After the way he woke up this morning, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid of witnessing another night terror myself. It was awful—scared the shit out of me—and he still hadn’t given me any answers to what really happened between him and Nora .

As soon as I lifted my gaze from my phone, I caught sight of Alex standing at the bottom of the stairs .

Smiling, I hated that I’d ever doubted her. Alex was true to her word. Always had been. And that was a huge part of the reason I loved her so much .

Standing, I waved my arms through the air, getting her attention. Her eyes brightened when she saw me and I watched her weave through the maze of tables and chairs with hands buried inside her jean pockets .

She looked gorgeous with her hair down, her shoulders covered with a hooded cardigan over a cotton tee. Alex always was best at looking casual yet sophisticated .

Once she was within reach, I spread my arms wide and embraced her in a warm hug. “Hey .”

Pulling back, my eyes racked her over, looking for visual signs that Nash might have her at the club. She was covered well, leaving little skin for me to see .

“Hey.” Her voice was soft, apologetic .

“Thanks for seeing me.” I ironed my hands down her arms. Not once did she flinch, making me believe there weren’t any hidden bruises beneath .

“I’m glad you called.” A corner of her mouth grinned. “I thought maybe after this morning you’d find a way to replace me .”

“Never.” I wrapped her up in another hug before we fell into our seats .

Alex set her clutch and phone off to the side as I watched silently, thinking how great it was to see her. Though there was still a sense of insecurity buzzing between us, neither one of us knowing what to say, I still loved her more than anything else .

Before the stillness made it any more awkward, I said, “How’s Nash ?”

“Things are getting better.” She sighed .

“That’s good .”

“But there is still an edge to him .”

My gaze hardened with concern .

“I’m helping him through it .”

I speculated to what she meant, not pressing the issue. Letting her decide where she wanted to take it, I was here to listen with an open mind. It wasn’t like us to hide things, to not be direct in our thoughts, knowing that the words would eventually come. And as I sat there staring into the face of my friend, I wondered what had happened to us .

But before Alex could say anything else, Baldy was back with a shot of something clear. “Something hard for the lady .”

Alex’s eyes flickered at the innuendo and resisted the urge to burst out laughing .

“What is it?” I asked .

“Tequila.” He winked .

Pinching the shot glass between my fingers I lifted it to my mouth and shot it back, feeling the hot burn warm my insides as my face puckered .

“I think I’m in love,” he said. “Though I didn’t realize you had company.” His eyes shifted to Alex .

“I have company,” I said .

Alex covered her mouth and snickered .

Baldy glanced to the bar where his friend was sitting alone, watching. Peeking around his shoulder, I watched his friend stand and, realizing what was happening, I quickly said, “Thank you for the drink. But you better leave before my boyfriend sees you harassing us .”

His lips parted as he stammered with confusion .

Alex nodded. “He’ll kick your ass if he sees you here. Believe me .”

Baldy held up his hands and retreated too easily. We both burst out laughing .

“Did you see his face? Oh, dear God, he clearly has never met a woman like you.” Alex rolled through a fit of laughter .

Leaning forward, I said, “Hey, you remember the night we ran into Wes and Nash over there.” I jutted my chin across the room .

Alex glanced toward the booth they were sitting at that night. “No. But I do remember how you went home with that long-haired greaser .”

Sinking back into my seat, my brows pinched. “To be fair, he played a wicked good guitar .”

“That’s all he was good at,” she reminded me .

Alex’s face was bright and I knew she was back—we were back. It was fun to be reminded of just how far we had both come since that night. Everything had changed once I stepped into Kelly’s world and I knew the same could be said about her and Nash .

“You know,” Alex’s voice sang, “that was also the night Nash first laid his hands on me .”

My stomach did somersaults with the way she phrased her words. It was like she knew what I was after, tossing me the hook, requesting I bait myself so she wouldn’t have to do the dirty work of pulling me to shore. But I would have known if she’d been into this submissive sex thing—wouldn’t I ?

Reaching across the table, I offered her my hands. “It’s really great to see you .”

“You too.” She smiled, settling her hands into mine, looking around as more men poured into the area. “Why are you hiding in the corner? Too good, now that you’re famous ?”

“Famous? Hardly.” I snickered. “Paparazzi. They’re sneaky, hiding in the shadows waiting to take my picture. But I don’t need to tell you how it is with the media; that’s how they are with Nash I’m sure .”

Alex frowned and I wondered what I’d said to make her suddenly feel uncomfortable .

“What is it?” I asked, stroking the inside of her wrist with my thumb .

Her eyes were round and wide and glued to my wrist. My breath caught in my throat when I realized what had stolen her focus .

It wasn’t something I’d said. It was what I’d shown her .

She saw my marks throbbing in unison with my pulse, and it didn’t take me long to notice that she was following the lines—the same lines Kelly traced with his finger only an hour ago—with her eyes .

Releasing her hands, I pulled down my sleeves, feeling ashamed at what I’d allowed Kelly to do to me. Hugging myself, I turned my head to the side, hating the way Alex looked at me like I was the victim when she couldn’t have been further from the truth .

“Kendra?” Alex’s forehead wrinkled. “What is that about ?”

My lips parted but I couldn’t find the words. I wanted to know if this was happening to her, too. If Nash was setting her up like he did Maria. But now it just felt wrong to be accusing her of doing something that I’d asked for—something I was secretly learning to enjoy myself. The last thing I wanted was to be perceived as a hypocrite .

“Is your uncle back ?”

Tucking my hair behind my ear, I ducked my head and murmured, “He never left .”

“Shit, girl. I’m worried about you.” She stole my hand and pulled my sleeve up to my elbow. My cheeks burned as water filled my eyes. “You need to get help .”

Blinking, I realized I had it wrong. Alex wasn’t worried about my sex life, she was concerned that I had inflicted the wounds myself. “I’m fine .”

“You keep saying that, but are you really ?”

“I’m fine.” Reeling in my hand, I wrapped my fingers around the empty shot glass and slurped up what drops remained .

“Then why did you invite me here ?”

“To see how you were doing.” I pushed the glass to the wall. “To see how things were with you and Nash .”

“He’s fine. We’re fine.” She folded her arms over her chest and turned her head. “I guess .”

“And your sex life?” The pitch in my voice shot up an octave .

Alex whipped her head around, crunching her brows into her nose. Her cheeks flamed red. And though she couldn’t find the words to express what it was she was thinking, I could feel her anger directed toward me .

“You remember I told you I was visiting Madam ?”

Alex nodded. “I remember .”

“As I sat in her office, I found myself thinking about the first time you took me there .”

“Okay.” Alex dragged out the word .

“Do you remember what happened that day ?”

“Jerome asked you to undress — ”

My brows raised as I nodded .

“Then he spanked you.” Alex giggled .

“That he did.” I paused, turned my head, and said, “Alex, baby. They were setting us up .”

She reached up to touch her neck, taking a moment to process what it was I was saying. Then she gave me an arched look .

Wishing time would speed up, I whispered, “Madam asked you something that day, something I can’t get out of my head .”

Leaning forward, Alex rested her elbows on top of the table with an inquisitive brow. I could feel her knee bouncing under the table as she perked her ear, ready to hang onto my next word .

“She asked if he has you down at the club.” My insides fluttered, fearful of how she would react .

She grimaced and stopped breathing. Her eyes were dull as she escaped inside her head as if reliving the memory of that day .

“Alex?”

Her eyelids fluttered as I watched her pupils refocus on me .

“Has Nash brought you to Mint ?”

Pulling at her collar, Alex’s eyes darkened. “That’s why you asked me out? So you could accuse Nash of being the monster your boyfriend wants you to believe he is ?”

“It’s not like that .”

“Oh, no? Then what’s it like?” she spat. “I knew I shouldn’t have come. You know, I thought you were different.” She shook her head. “But now I know what Nash was saying about you.” Her tongue clucked. “And to think I told him he was wrong .”

My brows pinched. “What did Nash say about me ?”

Alex gathered her things and scooted herself from out behind the table .

“Alex.” I grabbed her arm. “What did Nash say about me ?”

She leaned close to my face, baring her teeth. “He blames you for being the reason he can’t trust me .”

The air was sucked out of my lungs and I started to hyperventilate. “Alex, you can’t leave. Where are you going?” My eyes swelled, not sure how I’d let things go so wrong. Kelly was going to be pissed. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go .

“He’ll be wondering where I am.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “That is, if he doesn’t already know .”