Page 45 of Deadly Sights

If she only knew.

“What’s with the interrogation this early in the morning?”

“Are you serious right now?”

I give her a blank look.

She retrieves her phone and shoves it in my face. On the screen is an article about a missing couple.

“What does this have to do with me?”

“Nadira, these are the people Tamara said assaulted her.”

“They are?” I feign surprise and take her phone to peruse the article with more interest. I hand Chelsea the phone and shrug. “I don’t see what that has to do with me.”

“You don’t feel sorry for them?”

“Assuming they didn’t just leave town on a trip, why should I? You saw what they did to Tamara. Anyone who throws hands at my friends deserves the fate they get.”

For a moment, Chelsea’s stare feels more like she’s probing me for something, and if she seeks long enough, she’ll find what she’s searching for.

“Why’re you looking at me like that?” I back away.

Her expression clears. “I guess there’s something different about you, but I can’t figure out what it is.”

Since it’s a toss-up between phenomenal dick and a dream memory, neither of which I intend to tell anyone before I’m ready, I shrug. “Can’t help you there. So if there’s nothing else?—”

“Who said there was nothing else? I’m still waiting to know where you’ve been tonight.”

I turn around to leave. “That pesky curiosity. Shoot that bitch and get some sleep, because she’ll die unsatisfied before I tell you where I’ve been.”

“Damn, Nadira, that’s cold.”

I send her a smile to take the bite out of my comment. “And you should warm up in bed, if only for five minutes before everyone wakes up.”

When I leave Chelsea’s bedroom, I come to a full stop. Moni, Tamara, and Danae are awake and have replicated Chelsea’s pose from when she caught me sneaking in.

“We awake,” Moni says in her bonnet and fluffy slippers she bought while we shopped yesterday. “And we want to know why you’re carrying—” She snatches the bundled garments from my hands before I can stop her. “Lace stockings, a bustier, garter straps, high heels…and crotchless panties? Girl, you got some splaining to do.”

“Did Moni say crotchless panties?” Danae asks.

Tamara gasps. “That’s what I heard. You heard that, too right Chelsea?”

I swing around to see Chelsea standing at her opened door with a stunned expression.

“The man from your office?” Dawning horror takes over her face before she replaces the emotion with amazement.

But I’m stuck on Chelsea’s initial reaction.

“I want some details! Tea and errthing to go along with it; sandwiches, cookies, scones, muffins. I want it all.” Moniretrieves the basket of baked goods the hotel replaces daily and pinches a corner off a Snickerdoodle cookie.

“Wait, when did you have time to buy crotchless panties? And why is no one else shocked that our Nadira is a closet freak?” Danae glances at everyone with her eyebrows raised in what-the-fuck-is going-on-here-ish.

When the other ladies turn equally incredulous glares at me, I cover my mouth and pretend to yawn. “I better get some shuteye.” I spin toward my bedroom, but Chelsea beats me.

“You’ve been outvoted, and we’re not letting you get away without giving us something.” Chelsea nods toward the other women.

“Damn right.” Moni pops the rest of her cookie into her mouth and folds her arms like a prison guard daring the inmates to riot.

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