Page 32 of Reclaimed

“Did I wake you?”

“Nope. I’ve been up for a while.” Wide awake now after that little peep show. I mentally replay the incident and let a smile tilt my lips.

Chevy butts up against my legs again. I reach down to pet the affectionate cat. Snagging my cup of coffee, I sit down at the kitchen table.

“Did you see the news?” The tone of her voice shifts to a serious one.

In all the years I’ve known Juniper, I don’t think I’ve ever heard her voice take on that tone. Not even when she was telling me the abuse she suffered in secret at her father’s hand.

I don’t need a map key to spell out exactly where this conversation is going. A lump forms in my throat, uncomfortably tightening the muscles.

I work on a swallow, once, twice, before I finally find my voice. “I haven’t watched anything, but we had a meeting at work on Friday about it.”

“You knew on Friday and you didn’t tell me?” Her accusation is all the confirmation I need that I’m on the right path. The county sheriff told Manny the story was about to hit the news this weekend.

“I didn’t want to worry you. It’s probably nothing.”

She makes a strangled sound. “I don’t care if it’s nothing. I’m your best friend. You’re obligated to tell me everything that’sgoing on in your life down to the nail polish you choose at the salon.”

Guilt slithers its way into my veins. “I know. I’m sorry, okay? My life has been a little crazy lately and I’m having a hard time getting it all sorted.”

Her sigh is filled with compassion rather than irritation. “I know. I’m sorry too. I’m just worried. Lee made me take a bath before I could call you because I was so upset.”

“Lee’s a smart man. I’m not sure how I’d feel about you blowing up my phone at six in the morning.”

“Who said anything about calling? I was sitting in the driver’s seat cursing about to come bang your door down when he stopped me.” I can hear the grin in her voice.

“I’m glad you’re keeping him on his toes.”

“It’s one of my favorite hobbies.” Juniper laughs. “What are you going to do?” She asks in a sobering tone.

I run my fingertip over a deep groove in the kitchen table. The light-colored wood appears weathered from decades of use.

I search for something to come clean about, not wanting to add more secrets to our friendship. “I dyed my hair. Apparently this psycho is attracted to blondes, so I ditched the light hair.”

“That’s smart. I know the likelihood of anything happening to you is slim, but keeping you and that baby safe is priority number one.”

I swallow around the tightness. “I think so too.”

“Will you quit dancing?”

“No. Not yet anyway. I need to save up a bit more.” I glance over my shoulder to make sure I’m still alone, and lower my voice. “I’ll have to tell Manny once I start showing so depending on what he says…”

The thought of getting fired a second time for this pregnancy is nauseating. Yes, it’s illegal. But clubs like Eve’s and XO’s don’t exactly have HR departments to submit complaints to. They runon an internal set of rules. I also don’t have the thousands of dollars it’ll take to hire an attorney for a wrongful termination lawsuit. There’s also the fact that a lawsuit means a discovery period, and letting them drag my personal history in open court isn’t something I’m eager to do.

Not that I have anything to hide, but my past is just that—mine.

“The second you’re over it, you let me know. I’m sure we’ll have no problem finding you something else, even if you have to come work with me at the Sanctuary for a while.”

“Thank you. I promise I’ll keep you in the loop.”

The sound of footsteps coming down the hall speed up my heart. “Anyway, I should get going. I have to get to the grocery store.”

“Hey, Isla?” Aiden’s deep voice rumbles from behind me.

“Did I just hear a man?” Juniper asks in my ear.

Fuck.

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