by K B Cinder
“I’m always safe!” Sage protested. “I’m not that stupid.”
“I don’t know about that…” Juni trailed, snatching another piece of Dash’s pastry. “You’re pretty damn stupid sometimes.”
“Because I have fun?” Sage asked as he set his mug down with a thump. “I tried taking your nifty little slow lane approach, and I got shot down. Seems like your route might be the stupid one.”
“Did she have a good reason?” Dash questioned, eyeing his ever-shrinking plate of sugary treats before looking to me.
“Yes and no,” Sage said with a shrug. “She’s too concerned about what other people will think of her.”
Juni snorted. “Well, you are the town manwhore. I couldn’t even give you to Rini yesterday when I tried.”
Nope, this isn’t happening. No way. I stopped mid-chew of my pastry, the sweet cream turning putrid in my mouth. Was girl talk not a thing anymore? Was nothing sacred?
“You tried to give me away?” Sage’s voice might’ve remained playful, but his face went hard.
Juni licked a patch of raspberry jam off her finger. “Well, yeah. You were drooling over her at the airfield, and I figured she’s the best girl out there. But you’re such an ass, she didn’t want you.”
Sage smirked, turning to face me across the table from him. “Why’s that?”
I tossed my napkin down, thoroughly done with the conversation. He knew what he was doing, and I wanted no parts of it. “What does any of this have to do with me?”
Sage leaned back in his chair. “Answer the question, Karine.”
He might not have been able to see my eyes behind my sunglasses, but I still met his gaze. “Because you’re Sage Mullen: the king of heartbreaks and headaches.”
He rubbed a hand along his jaw. “Interesting.”
“It’s not really,” I sighed, reaching my glass to down a gulp of the potent booze mix. “The world will still turn.” I would, too, in my bed, for god knows how long, but I’d heal. I did the last time. Maybe I’d name a new giant dildo after him to speed up the process.
Sage dipped his head and ran a hand through his hair, his eyes staring right through me. “Are we going there?”
“Going where?” Juni asked, cutting in.
“To Crazytown, apparently,” I explained, throwing back another mouthful of hard liquor before pushing out my chair. “But for now, I’m headed to the lounge to work. I’ll catch you guys when we board.”
Our flight was delayed by an hour, but that meant more time away from Sage, so I couldn’t complain.
I knocked out a ton of emails during the wait, finding even more business offers along with media interview requests. It was hard to wrap my head around it all, every email bringing a new surprise.
The plane home gifted me with the window seat, which I happily took along with a blanket before Sage boarded. For once, I didn’t care how many people had used the small square of cotton as I rolled over and faced the window shade.
I heard Sage arrive, but I didn’t greet him. I was done with the push and pull. What happened in Vegas would, as the mistake-approving idiom promised, stay in Vegas.
It held true, too, as the way home was silent. As in, the six-hour flight, the airport shuttle, and the drive to Honey Hills were all muted. He didn’t turn to say goodbye as Juni dropped him off at his house, either, and I didn’t care. As soon as he left the car, I could focus again.
And focus I did.
When we got back to our bungalow, I headed straight to my room and spent the rest of the day sorting out Kinx. Backorders. Transaction logs. Expense reporting.
Another day of six-figure sales was begging for attention, but I didn’t get too giddy over it. Just as quickly as the rush came, it could be gone, so I went with the flow in scheduling with the factory and ordering more supplies. Once I had a chance to talk with a lawyer and Papa, I’d allow myself to get excited. In the meantime, it was just another day.
That is until I started looking at real estate. Then shit got real. Too real.
Juni would never ask, but the time had come to move out. I’d come to the decision right after Dash let me know about his proposal plans. They had a life to start, and three was definitely a crowd.
I’d rented from her since she bought the place, and before that, we had a crappy apartment together downtown. I didn’t know how to function in a home without her.
I’d already gotten a mortgage pre-approval letter from the bank, but somehow the whole moving out aspect didn’t click until I actually started clicking through photos of homes that could be mine. Not Juni’s. Not ours. Just mine.
It terrified me as much as it excited me.
Especially when I booked my first walkthrough.
Whether the world was ready or not, I was coming.
22
Bad pasta should’ve been a deadly sin.
Against my better judgment, I agreed to meet Papa at his favorite chain restaurant for dinner on Monday — a plastic Italian joint as inauthentic as its heaping dishes of overcooked noodles and sadness.
Papa was happy, though, so in turn, I was. After my hellish weekend, his hug made it all go away for a second, letting me take in a breath of air that didn’t feel like a struggle for once.
Other than tearing up at the stitches, he was fine. Of course, I had half a pound of makeup over my eye, but it was still a win. All that mattered was that he didn’t whack me for being prominently featured on the front page of our hometown paper with a fake dick in my hand.
He sat reviewing the PleaseMe offer across from me, a jumble of promising terms like joint contract and franchising floating between the walls of business-speak. I had dozens of other similar propositions in my inbox, but PleaseMe was first and foremost with their brand power. If I was going to agree to anything, it’d be with them.
“Karine Ysabel, did you read this?” Papa asked, gazing at me over his thick glasses after he studied the printout for what felt like the hundredth time. His brain was probably trying to override the fact that it was a deal about vibrators.
I stabbed at a noodle, the bowtie not cooperating with my fork or the watery sauce that splattered on my top. “I didn’t read into the particulars. I didn’t want to freak myself out.”
Business contracts were a necessary evil, but after running Kinx alone for so long, the thought of working with someone else was like another language. Not to mention, big names tended to swallow up little guppies like me all the time.
“They’re proposing a joint adventure between Kinx and PleaseMe. You lend the Kinx name and give design input, and they handle all manufacturing. They’re also going to pay $50,000 flat as a sign-on bonus, 35% of profits, and a step program for performance bonuses. It’s in increments of $10,000, honey. This is huge.”
Holy fuck.
I dropped my fork into the pool of glorified butter water on my plate. “I have a whole inbox full of offers, plus voicemails.” They weren’t all worth the time of day, but I recognized a few big names in the mix.
Papa cleared his throat and straightened. “You need to print them out and meet with a lawyer. I’ll go with you if you need me.”
My hands trembled as I lifted my water glass to my lips, my mouth suddenly as dry as the Sahara. Figures flashed before my eyes. Daily sales. Offers. Expansions.
Papa set down the papers and stared at me wide-eyed. “This is incredible, Karine. Congratulations!”
I nodded, unable to form words as my mind swam through it all. Everything had happened so fast, and my world was still spinning at a record pace. There were more blips about the Trey incident online. More reports of women coming forward with stories about him like mine.
“I hear you’re looking at a house with Talita tonight?” he asked, grabbing a cheesy breadstick from the basket at the center of our table.
“A condo,” I explained, fussing with the napkin on my lap. “In Center City.”
He froze before the breadstick reached his lips. “Philadelphia
?”
I might as well have told him I was moving to Antarctica. I’d never lived more than a fifteen-minute drive from my family. Paired with being in the city, the option was likely as appealing as vomit to him.
“Yeah, I figure it’s close to the airport for trade shows and whatnot…” I began, struggling to tread water with everything floating around my head. “I’d be renting, not buying. I don’t want to commit to anything long-term.”
Long-term. Fuck. If Sage could get out of my head for more than five seconds, it’d be great. He’d been lurking there since our blow up, and I wasn’t proud to admit that I spent a good deal of the night crying over him.
“Good idea,” Papa mumbled before taking a bite of bread.
That’s it? No epic guilt trip? No pulling up crime statistics on his phone to wave in my face? What the hell?
He chewed his bread in silence for a moment as if I’d told him I was fetching milk from the corner store, not moving into the heart of a city almost an hour away. “Mabel said they’re having an engagement dinner for Juni and Dash this Friday?”
“Yeah,” I replied, my guts churning at more than just the crappy food. “The whole gang will be there.”
Juni had gushed about it over breakfast before scurrying off to work, and guilt ate at me the whole time because I dreaded it. What kind of shitty friend didn’t want to go to their best friend’s engagement party? Oh, yeah, the kind that doesn’t want to see her best friend’s brother because she’s been bumping uglies with him and lying about it.
Papa chuckled as he eyed up another breadstick. “That wedding is going to be a hoot with you being the maid of honor and Sage the best man.” He grinned widely. “We’re already taking bets who’s going to kill who.”
“Association fees are included in the rent and include access to our state-of-the-art gym, dog park, and rooftop terrace with year-round climate control.” The listing agent, Priscilla, smiled tightly as she waved her arm like Vanna White around the room.
“It’s beautiful,” I muttered, meaning it.
I didn’t think I’d be able to afford anything at my price point in the city, let alone a unit as nice as the one on Walnut Street. Light ash floors and pristine white walls greeted me upon entry, and it was love from then on with its new kitchen, in-unit laundry, and sweeping views.
Talita was in just as much awe, her neck craned as she took in the tall ceilings and ornate crown molding. She was still in her uniform, the oversized white chef outfit swallowing my slim sister whole. It was a wonder that someone as tiny as she worked in the food business and didn’t seem to gain an ounce.
“I do have one more surprise for you two,” Priscilla revealed, crossing to the door hiding what I knew had to be the master bedroom. She beckoned us forward with an outstretched arm, looking every bit the serious saleswoman I aspired to be with her pressed pantsuit and Louboutins.
Okay, maybe not a pantsuit. I was more of a flirty dress kind of girl, but that worked out fine in my world.
My heels echoed in the empty space as I followed, Talita finally pulling her attention from the ceiling to join us.
Sure enough, behind the door was the master, and the surprise was worth the wait. A wall of windows held French doors at its center, opening to a balcony.
Priscilla planted her hips, confident she’d won me over. “You two can enjoy a romantic nightcap on your private terrace overlooking the city.”
Wait, what?
“Me and who?” I asked, pausing and turning to her before I opened a French door.
Priscilla waved between Talita and me, a handful of diamond rings shining like high-class brass knuckles as she did. “You two make such a beautiful couple.”
I blinked rapidly at her, trying to hold in a laugh. “She’s my younger sister.” And other than the little shit having a few inches on me, we looked damn near the same.
Talita, on the other hand, let the laughs fly, doubling over with them in the center of the room.
Priscilla paled, and for the first time since we’d met her in the lobby, she actually seemed human. She wasn’t some supernatural sales phenom. “Oh, my goodness! I’m so sorry!”
I smiled. “Yeah, it would only be me staying here. I need a second bedroom for my office — not another person.” Oh, joy, just another reminder to throw on the pile.
Priscilla relaxed, her shoulders slumping a bit from the stiff peaks they’d been in all night. “Oh, you work from home?”
I opened the door, letting a rush of cold air in along with the sounds of the night. “For the most part.” I only ever left for trade shows or factory visits.
“Really? What industry?” Priscilla asked.
Fuck. Believe it or not, I didn’t go around shouting what I did from the rooftops to everyone I met. The reactions were too mixed for my liking, so it was easier to keep it under wraps. “Sales.”
She smiled, flashing veneers that made me flinch involuntarily, still picturing Trey’s broken ones floating in my drink. “Medical sales? I see a lot of that nowadays.”
I stepped out onto the concrete, reveling in the views I had of Walnut Street’s buildings, each more steeped in history than the last. “No.”
God, take the hint.
“Well, kinda,” Talita muttered as she joined me outside, wrapping her arms around herself to fend off the cold night air.
I shot her a look, and all she did was shrug.
“What do you sell?” Priscilla pushed, settling into the doorway behind us and, therefore, blocking my exit.
“Electronics,” I replied.
Priscilla offered another impressive smile, curiosity clearly overruling manners as she stayed put. “Phones? Televisions?”
Dammit. I really wanted the apartment. Generally speaking, whenever someone found out that I had anything to do with the sex business, it was over. It was a huge pitfall of the industry, and even as attitudes slowly evolved, there was still a stigma.
“I own a sexual wellness company,” I breathed. I couldn’t lie. I’d done enough of it for a lifetime in Vegas.
“Oh…” Priscilla trailed, her blue eyes widening as if she was seeing me in a whole new way. Great. “Like… a supplement company?”
“No, adult toys.” I hurled the truth at her like napalm, leaving nothing a mystery.
She swallowed hard, her throat bobbling wildly. “That’s modern!” she cooed, saving herself despite the obvious cracks in her poise.
She stepped back, allowing the two of us back inside out of the cold.
That was it. I’d blown my chance of the apartment, but I held my head high, proud of Kinx and my honesty.
She stood tightlipped in the center of the bedroom with her hands clasped in front of herself. “So, if you’re interested, you would move in the second Tuesday of the month.”
“Wait, you’re offering it to me?” I asked, pressing my hand to my chest.
Talita smiled beside me, but I knew the little wench didn’t want to see me go. She’d more or less said it in the car ride over.
Priscilla smiled. “Of course. Are you interested? We can sign papers at the leasing office tomorrow if you’d like.”
“Yes,” I said, blinking back tears of excitement. Holy crap, it was happening. I would have my home in the city, one step closer to living in one of the skyscrapers I’d eyed for years.
Everything was falling into place.
Kinx was headed to the top.
But why did I still feel so empty?
23
Now or never.
I dabbed at a stray spot of eyeshadow beneath my eye before closing the visor mirror and scanning the cramped cul-de-sac of my youth, Holly Hearth. The gang’s all here. Dash’s big black truck. Juni’s Civic. Sage’s jeep.
The last one stung as I climbed out of my Audi. I’d dreaded seeing it all day, and hours of preparation hadn’t curbed the anxiety.
I hurt Sage, and seeing him again would physically ache to know that there was nothing I could do. I m
ade him feel like the very fuckup that I denied he was.
I wandered up the shoveled walkway to the familiar split-level house I’d practically grown up in, the home adorned with wedding bell decor despite the falling snow. My heels ground against rock salt with each step, the crunch picking up the closer I got to the porch steps before ceasing on the way up.
With a deep breath, I pushed the front door open, the sounds of love and home deafening as I did. That’s what Holly Hearth was to me: home.
“Karine!” Juni squealed, rushing over in the dress I talked her into wearing the night before as she stood sobbing in her bedroom. She thought it was too sophisticated for a kindergarten teacher, whatever the hell that meant. The lacy cut was phenomenal on her shape, and it gave us a hell of a starting point for her wedding dress consultation in a week.
I hugged her close as her perfume tickled my nose. “Congratulations, beautiful.”
“Me? Look at you, foxy mama!” she laughed, pulling back and waving at my outfit, a green peacoat hiding a little black dress.
I felt overdressed, but at least she didn’t seem to care. I’d come straight from my lawyer’s office, my signature gracing the second contract for the week, this time expanding my manufacturing deal to keep up with the surge in demand for Kinx. A week straight of ever-growing six-figure sale days told me it was time.
Her hug was immediately replaced with Dash’s, the groom-to-be dapper in a dress shirt and pressed slacks, his usual fire department tee and jeans gone. “Thanks for coming, Rini.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I wouldn’t. Even with Sage lurking somewhere.
“Talk to him,” Dash whispered, the message dancing in my ear as he stepped back.
I swallowed the sudden knot in my throat. “I’m going to grab a glass of wine,” I excused, slipping out of my coat to hang it on the hook behind us with my purse before leaving the duo. If I stuck around, the tears would come, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop them.
