Page 69 of Easy Steal

“So your little evil plan worked then?” Rome smiled slightly.

“Sure did,” I pushed my shoulders back.

“So you’re okay with him being with her?”

“Yep.”

“Well that sounds like a fucking lie,” she scoffed.

“Rome,” Bea scolded her.

“What?” Rome said, throwing her hands into the air. “Since when did we lie to each other?”

“It’s fine, guys, really. So can I work tonight or what?”

Rome sighed and shook her head, “of course.”

“Thanks,” I said, turning on my heel and picking up my dance bag.

I went and got changed in the dressing room.

Staring at myself blankly in the mirror as I slipped on my dark purple lingerie. It had only been a little over a week since I had danced, but I still looked foreign to myself when I saw my reflection. I went through the motions, leaning in close to the mirror as I painted my eyelids with glitter and curled my hair.

The dressing room filled as opening time got closer, and the buzz and chatter of our little community filled what was silence only a few moments ago.

I welcomed the distractions which pulled me out of my head and back into reality.

It’s not that I was thinking, or ruminating - my mind was basically empty and all I could do was stare straight ahead and nod and smile at those who approached me. I could feel the eyes of Mina and Bea on me every time they were in the room.

Like they were watching me carefully, waiting.

Waiting for me to break.

But I wasn’t going to.

Couldn’t they see that I was fine?

The music in the main part of the club started, and I could hear the echoing chatter of people filing into the club. I wrapped myself in my dressing gown, heading to Rome’s office while I waited to go on stage.

She wasn’t in there, and was probably tending to the front of house.

Still, I sat behind her computer and logged on.

I scrolled through her agenda for the past week and shook my head as I read all of the things I had missed out on.

This is where I should have been.

Helping her withourbusiness, and ourowngoals.

Instead I had been wasting time in a workshop, trying to take down a motorcycle gang that had nothing to do with me, for a guy who I barely knew.

The office door opened, and Rome stepped inside.

She leaned against the door and crossed her arms, smirking at me.

“You’ve been busy,” I said, not looking away from the screen.

She shrugged.

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