Page 56 of Beautiful Killer

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Sunny

The shop door opened at five thirty and I glanced up as Lulu and Ruby walked in.

“We’re here to take you out,” Lulu said.

Ruby smiled. “We’re in the mood to dance and we’re taking you with us.”

“Me?” I blurted, then bit my lip, hating how much that revealed.

Lulu frowned. “Yes, you.” She planted a hand on her hip. “We’ll wait while you close up.”

The looks on their faces told me they were not going to take no for an answer, and surprisingly, I didn’t want to say no. I wanted to go, have some fun. Everything had been so crazy lately. Good and bad, and a night out to blow off steam sounded kind of amazing. Julia had stayed with me for only two nights then Zeke had found her a place to stay like he said he would. An apartment with excellent security. I’d helped set her up and tonight was her first night there. I’d offered to hang out with her, but she wanted to be alone. I got that. And as much as I wanted to go there anyway, I had to respect her need for space. I had no idea what she was going through and I’d do whatever I could to help.

People doing what they said they would was kind of new to me. But once again Zeke had done just that. I was working out that was the kind of man he was. Which was great—it was. He meant what he said and he said what he meant.

“A wife, kids, it’s not for me, not anymore.”

His words rang through my head and I shoved them back out. They shouldn’t hurt, not when this was something I already knew.

I smiled, as bright as I could, not going there, not tonight. “I’m in.”

“Awesome,” Ruby said. “Now let’s close up so we can go to your place and doll you up.”

The club was packed when we walked in several hours later. We’d had a few wines at my place and something to eat before we came out. Well, I’d had one drink, barely. I usually enjoyed a few glasses of wine, but I just didn’t feel like drinking. Whatever, I didn’t need alcohol to have a good time. I was in a fantastic mood. It was hard not to be around these two. They were superwomen in my eyes. They’d shared a little of their stories with me tonight, the hell they’d been through. I admired them so much for their strength.

I’d never really had friends, or been included in much of anything. To be out with these women. To have . . . friends. It felt kind of incredible. Like the band geek being invited to the head cheerleader’s party. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been out dancing. The last time I’d had anyone to go out dancing with. So yeah, I was flying on a natural high right now, and I wasn’t in a hurry to come down.

“Goddamn,” Ruby said against my ear, so I’d hear her over the music. “You look hot, girl. Every male pair of eyes in the club is on you right now.”

I shook my head and laughed. They’d been teasing me since we left my house. It’d taken some talking to get me into this outfit. It was bright blue and clingy, the back dipping dangerously low. I’d had it in the back of my closet for a couple of years and never worn it. The silver stilettos I had on were gorgeous. I loved them as soon as I’d seen them, but I’d only worn them twice, since I hadn’t had many reasons to take them out of the box.

And despite what Ruby said, the eyes were on them, not me. Lulu and Ruby looked stunning. Lulu’s long red hair was down. She had on a green dress, also clingy, highlighting her killer curves, but hers was low cut in the front, and she had on black heels. Ruby had her own style, sexy and edgy. Her pleated leather skirt just covered her butt, and paired with black, spike-heeled boots and a pink tank with strategically placed slashes, showing glimpses of skin, and a pink streak in her hair to match, she was a knockout.

Lulu appeared back at our sides after going to get drinks and handed one to Ruby, since I wasn’t drinking. They downed their shots in one, then Lulu grabbed my hand and we headed for the dance floor. The music was awesome and we stayed out there, dancing and laughing, for what must have been hours. I’d never had so much fun in my life. Lulu nudged me when a good song started and threw her arms in the air. I did the same and, embarrassingly, a wave of emotion hit me out of nowhere. My nose started to prickle and I had to breathe evenly when tears threatened to spill over. How sad was that? Not to mention humiliating. God, I wasn’t even drinking and I was getting weepy.

Ruby grabbed my arm. “You okay?”

I nodded, offering a watery smile.

Lulu noticed as well and a second later they were pulling me aside.

“Something’s wrong,” Lulu said. “Did we do something to upset you? Were we too pushy?” She bit her lip. “We can be kind of pushy.”

My face heated, humiliation crawling up my neck. I had to be honest, or they’d worry. I refused to let them blame themselves, even to save face. “Honestly, there’s nothing wrong,” I yelled over the music. They’d closed in so they could hear me. “I’m just so . . . happy,” I said. “I’ve never . . . done this, had this, and . . .”

Whatever I was going to say was cut off when they pulled me in and hugged me between them.

“Group hug!” they both yelled.

Then we were laughing and dancing again.

A little while later, some guys approached us, and like the others that had come our way at different times during the night, they vanished just as quick without even a word from any of us. Thank God. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with drunk guys trying to cop a feel.

“If I didn’t appreciate being able to dance grope free so much, I’d be pissed at their macho antics,” Lulu yelled over the music.

Ruby turned her head, looking at something over her shoulder, then back to Lulu and threw her head back, laughing her ass off. “Look at Neco’s face. The dude looks like a psycho killer.”