“Yeah, I guess it is.” Her face warped.
The pain in her eyes was like a knife right in the fucking chest. The man stopped just inches away from Baby, twisting the knife deeper. Lucky didn’t like the look on his face, clearly trying to size him up and mark his territory at the same time. He wasn’t in the mood for a pissing contest.
She peered up at him through her long, thick lashes. Her eyes were hard and distant. In only a matter of months, it felt as if he didn’t know her at all.
“What are you doing at the hospital? Everything ok?” She asked. The man shoved his hands into his pockets and widened his stance.
Lucky fought the urge to punch him in his smug face. “Yeah, my mom’s here. Speaking of which, I’d better go check on her.”
“Oh, ok. Hope everything works out.” She backed up, right into the man’s chest. He placed his hands on her shoulders, making Lucky ball his fists.
“Yeah, me too.” He ground his teeth. “Looks like everything’s working out for you. That was quick.”
He took a step, but Baby swiftly planted herself in his path. “Are you fucking kidding me? You take off in the middle of the night, show up out of nowhere, and then decide to act like a Neanderthal pounding on his chest?”
The man moved to Baby’s side.
“What the fuck? Since when do you need a damn bodyguard?” Lucky’s muscles flexed as he pumped his fists open and closed.
The man took another step, his nostrils flaring, but Baby placed her palm on his chest.
He looked down at Baby Jade and yielded. “I’m not gonna do this, not here, for her,” the man said.
“Let’s go.” She looped her arm through his and looked back at Lucky. “Hope your mother is ok.”
Like a crippling punch to the gut, he expelled a large breath as he watched her walk away.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Baby Jade
Baby rushed out of the hospital with Drew closely behind, attempting to keep up. Her head was spinning, and she thought her wobbly legs would give out before she made it out of the front entrance. Grasping the large concrete column, Baby pressed her eyes closed. The stench of cigarettes and fast food from the street made her stomach pitch.
Drew’s hand on her shoulder, made her jump as she tried to steady her breathing.
“Look, I know you said you needed your space, and I’m gonna respect that. But shit, I don’t think I should leave you alone, not like this. Let me give you a ride.”
What a fucked up day. She should never have gotten out of bed. Baby recounted the morning and the way everything had spiraled out of control.
***
Baby Jade had spent the day attempting to dodge Drew. Once she made it to the hospital, alone, she spent some time with Lolli, who was now coherent but still reluctant to talk. That was understandable since Baby Jade had once been considered the point person for Team Slade.
“Lolli, do you have anywhere to go when you get discharged?”
The broken girl shook her head, cringing from the pain. Her tears were constant. Baby had yet to ask what happened, knowing it would be too painful to relive. She had clearly been beaten and tortured, but knowing Slade, it was much worse. He was a sadistic son of a bitch.
“Without any family in the area, it doesn’t leave you much of a choice. I was thinking you could come stay with me for a bit.”
Lolli’s eyes widened, and her gaze darted towards her, dark pools of fear.
Baby bent down beside the hospital bed. “Honey, you don’t have to be scared of me. I’m not working for that bastard. I can’t let you end up on the streets. Let me try to help. I can’t promise you anything, other than I’ll try my best to keep you safe.”
“I can’t go to the cops. He’ll kill me.” Lolli whimpered as she spoke softly through her swollen, trembling lips.
“I know. Honey, I know better than anyone else does because I’ve been there. But right now, we have to make sure you have a place to stay, and that’s going to be with me. I’m not taking no for an answer. Got it?”
Lolli nodded and attempted to offer a weak smile. The small movement causing her to wince in pain.
“You get some sleep. I’ve got a shift tonight, but as soon as you’re released, we’ll grab a cab to my apartment. Do you need anything? Something I can pick up for you?”
“I don’t have anything,” she sobbed. “I don’t even have clothes to wear outta here.”
Remembering Lolli’s battered and naked body wrapped in the filthy blanket made Baby Jade shudder. “I’ll bring you some clothes. Don’t worry. It’s going to be ok. Get some sleep, hon.”
She turned out the light and waited for Lolli to drift off to sleep before sneaking out. As soon as she stepped into the hallway, she came face to face with Drew. Baby decided to bite the bullet, and tell him she wasn’t ready for a relationship, or a hook-up, or whatever he was looking for. She couldn’t even imagine going down that road again right now.
***
Now, as she started to drop the hammer on Drew and give him the old ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ speech, Baby found herself breathless. Sucker punched in the gut.
Lucky.
Poor Drew. He had found a way to whittle a spot into her screwed up life, but honestly, he never had a shot in hell.
“Come on, honey. Let me get you out of here.” Drew slipped his arm around her shoulders and cradled her to his chest.
She followed blindly as he guided her to his car. Pulling away from the hospital parking lot, Drew asked, “Where to?”
Baby Jade struggled to gather her thoughts. She couldn’t go home. It was still too early to go to work, but it was better than running into Ma’Linn, who could read her emotions like a book. “Um, I have a shift. Can you just drop me off at the club?” She used the ball of her palms to knead her eyes, praying the tears would hold off until she was alone.
Lucky. Her heart literally ached in her heavy chest.
“Not a problem, but are you sure you’re up to it?”
She chuckled through a stifled sob. “I don’t really have a choice.”
They rode in silence the rest of the way other than the mumbled thank you she offered before she closed the car door.
The club was already busy, not that it would help keep her mind off him.
Deep, tormented eyes. Full, moist lips bordered by a thick, dark beard with tattoos peeking out from underneath, painting his tough skin. Lucky. He was back in town. Baby felt as if she was losing her mind.
It was going to be an excruciating night.
It wouldn’t take Mickey long to corner her about where she had been for the last couple of days. However, she still didn’t expect it when he came barreling out from behind the DJ booth, clutched her by the arm, dragging her to the side and flinging her into the corner.
Baby winced as the back of her head hit the hard wall. Her body trembled and buckled under the pain. The stoutly man pinned her arms in place before she had a chance to fall to the floor.
“The next time you decide you’re too good to show your face ‘round here for your shift, you might wanna remember you’re not the fucking boss. Everyone’s replaceable. I’ve got a shitload of girls just dying to take your spot!” The words seethed through his clenched teeth.
The abrupt manhandling left Baby gasping. “My shift isn’t going to matter if you mark me up. I can’t get on stage if you beat the shit out of me.” Pain shot through her body, but she managed to lock eyes with the man.
The stench of liquor rolled off his hot breath. His yellow, blood shot eyes narrowed, staring back at her. Finally, he loosened his grip, allowing her to drop her arms.
She exhaled as the blood flowed through her hands and back down to her fingertips. “I called and left a message. I had something personal to take care of and couldn’t get out of it. It’s not a big deal.”
Mickey clenched his jaw, tightening all of the muscles in his grubby neck. “You think you’re so fucking smart.” The sound of him sucking
his teeth made her skin crawl.
“Are you done now?” She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. She couldn’t let him get the upper hand.
He took one step backward. “Fine. Get your ass downstairs. And cover those fucking bags under your eyes. You look like shit.”
She slithered out from under his hefty frame. Even with him stepping away, it made it difficult to get around his massive belly.
Baby tossed her bag onto her dressing table and buried her face in her hands. Her back ached, and her head throbbed from being thrown into the wall, but nothing hurt as bad as the look on Lucky’s face when she had rushed out of the hospital.
“Hola chica, didn’t know if we’d see you back after the shit fit Mickey threw when you didn’t show up for work.” Velvet strolled down the stairs and plopped down at her own dressing table. Her long, chestnut hair fanned out near her full bottom. She had a big bust with flawless cocoa colored skin. Her naturally brown eyes were masked with purple contacts. She swabbed on another layer of mascara before popping a stick of gum into her mouth.
Baby picked her head up and strained to pull herself together. “Yeah, he’s still on the rampage. He’ll get over it, though.”
Velvet peered into the mirror, catching Baby Jade in the reflection. “From what I can tell, if he ain’t upset ‘bout that, it would be a million other things.”
Her lips curved into a grin. “You got that right.”
As the two girls enjoyed a short laugh, the bathroom door flung open, and Jewella fell out. She spotted Velvet first. As soon as her gaze landed on Baby, her demeanor changed. She warped her face into a snarl and snorted.
“Damn, I thought we got rid of you, but here you are, like old trash. Can’t get rid of the smell.”
Baby dropped the eyeliner she had been using to touch up her makeup and turned to face the woman’s skeletal frame. She tried not to let Jewella get the best of her, but she was already in a pissy mood.
She stood and marched across the room, planting herself in front of her nemesis, whose haggard eyelids fought to stay open. The thick lip liner had settled into the tiny crevices of her puckered skin around her ashen lips.
“Don’t you have a dick to suck for a crack rock?” Baby spat the words, immediately irritated with herself for stooping to Jewella’s level.
The woman pointed her long finger at Baby. She didn’t speak, just giggled incoherently. She finally rolled her eyes and looked back towards Velvet.
“You might wanna make sure you find some new company to keep. Word is on the street that the trash’ll be taken out soon enough,” Jewella said as she slithered past Velvet and up the stairs, giggling in her signature tone, making Baby Jade want to peel the skin from her face using nubby fingernails.
“Damn chica, she’s got a serious hard on for you.” Velvet looked at Baby with round, wide eyes.
The Hispanic beauty had always been kind to Baby, and she appeared to keep her nose clean. It didn’t matter. Baby didn’t trust anyone. And if Velvet wasn’t tainted yet, a few months in this place was enough to break through any good intentions.
Baby shrugged her shoulders. “It’s not a big deal.” She tried to play it off even though her insides were still shaking. The old hag could really push her buttons. “She’s all bark and no bite.”
“If you say so.” Velvet went back to prepping for her next set while mumbling something in Spanish.
Baby applied her lipstick, and a fluffed her hair with her fingers, adding some volume, just as she heard a heavy step with clanking high heels making their way down the cement steps.
“Fuck. I always get the losers. Non-tipping mother fuckers.” Barbie stomped across the room and tossed a few dollars onto her dressing table. She was still platinum blond, but thin and a hundred times raunchier than she used to be.
“Well, that’s my cue.” Baby slipped on her leather boots. She watched Velvet try to busy herself.
“Oh sure, you think you can do better? You’re such a high and mighty bitch.” She scowled. “Yeah, apparently your pussy isn’t dipped in gold since you couldn’t keep that hot piece of ass, Lucky, huh?”
Baby Jade stopped. She gripped the cement doorframe. Blood surged to her head, flooding her scalp. Closing her eyes, she counted to ten. The last thing she heard was a big huff from Barbie as she succeeded in ignoring the nasty comment and finished making her way up the stairs.
The whole day had been one for the record books, and the night had already gone to shit. Between running into both Drew and Lucky, Mickey’s dickhead move, and the crackhead twins’ bitchfest, she’d had enough. She wanted to get her shift over with and head home, barricade the door and guzzle a bottle of wine.
With her body on automatic pilot, she plastered on a smile and worked the room. Once she heard the first few beats of Type O’s Negative, “Cinnamon Girl”, Baby made her way behind the drapes and tuned out the crowd.
Her chest pounded. Within seconds, she would be butt naked, on all fours grinding the stage for a few bucks.
This was her existence. The bane of her happiness. If this was all life had to offer her, it could kiss her naked ass.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Lucky
Witnessing his mother’s frail body lying in the plain hospital bed was entirely too surreal for Lucky. Tilly’s dynamic personality had been abruptly halted by machines and tubes. He paced the floor while Joyce sat in a chair at her friend’s side, reading her articles from a gardening magazine. Joyce could probably do more for his mother than he ever could.
He fought to push the thought of Baby Jade and the Sasquatch she left with out of his head. His emotions were all over the place, pissed and hurt. But he couldn’t stop thinking about holding her in his arms, feeling the warmth of her body next to his.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Joyce, do you know what Mother was looking for in dad’s office?” He asked the fatigued woman.
She shook her head and grumbled. “I have no idea, but it must’ve been important. It had her all worked up. It had to be something of Mr. Gauthier’s. She hasn’t been able to go in there since he passed.”
He thought about the way his mother had been throwing papers around and mumbling about finding ‘it’. “I spoke with the doctors. They don’t know if she’ll wake up tonight, but she’s stable for now. I’m gonna run home and see if I can find what she was looking for. You good? Do you need anything?”
She went back to thumbing through the magazine. “No, you go on ahead. If something happens, I’ll call.”
He nodded and kissed her on the top of the head. Walking by his mother, he stepped in and gripped her hand for a brief moment before leaving the room.
The rumble of the Harley usually put Lucky at ease. He had always used it to melt away the tension. Unfortunately, the magic of the ride wasn’t working this time. He was worried about his mother, grieving his father or lack of a father, and Baby had managed to get under his skin.
There wasn’t enough highway for this pile of bullshit.
Lucky gathered up the scattered papers from the floor. He was uneasy being in the same room that his father had forbidden him from entering, now only to have free reign. He felt as if he was fourteen again, looking over his shoulder while he snuck cigars and scotch from his father’s desk.
Not certain what he was searching for, he skimmed through the stacks of papers. He figured if it was something that had his mother so worked up; it would probably jump out at him. He had made his way through the majority of the pile when he heard the front door slam.
“Joyce? Tilly?”
Lucky cringed at the sound of Carrie’s shrill voice. He didn’t want her in the office, so he vaulted to meet her in the hall, but he wasn’t quick enough.
She stood in the doorway. Her cold eyes scanned the room. “Someone called the office. Is it true?”
“Is what true?”
“Don’t play coy, James. It’s not becoming of you. Did Tilly have a heart attac
k?” She marched across the room, eyeing the strewn about files. He didn’t like the way she acted as if she had some sort of authority in his father’s office, or his house for that matter.
“She’s in the hospital. They’re not sure what it is yet. Who called the office?”
Carrie waved her hand in the air as if to brush him off. “Oh, I don’t remember, but I rushed right over. What happened? Is she ok?”
She casually flipped open a manila folder before Lucky’s hand came crashing down, snapping it shut.
“Like I said, no information yet. Do you usually bust up into other people’s houses without knocking?”
Carrie locked her eyes onto his, her brow twisted. “Your parents and I became close after I came to Gauthier. Well, to be honest, before I came to Gauthier. It’s just the kind of relationship we have, or I guess I should say had. Not that you would know anything about that since you were nowhere around.”
Lucky’s breaths became quick and heavy. His neck muscles tightened as he tried not to let her get the best of him. Truth was she was right. He didn’t know anything about his parents, or her. However, something had his mother upset, and he suspected Carrie would be smack dab in the center of the cluster fuck when he figured it out. Either way, he didn’t like being this close to her. The stench of her stout perfume filled his nose, making him want to vomit. Shit, being in the same state was too fucking close for his taste.
She pointed a lone finger at the desk. “What happened here? You looking for something?”
He widened his stance, fighting the urge to punch a woman. “What fucking business is it of yours?”
She snapped her head back and Lucky smirked, pleased to see her surprised reaction.
You really aren’t the same man I knew in college, are you?” She stared at him, but he refused to acknowledge their past. He wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. “I was simply trying to help. Your father and I worked together on many projects. I thought I might know where something is, if you would just tell me what you’re looking for, I’m sure I could find it for you.”
Bourbon Street Royalty: Jaded Series, Book Two Page 6
