Page 79 of Lady Sings the Blues

We only sit silent for about five minutes when Livvy walks in. Same gorgeous strawberry blonde locks as before, but today, as compared to how she’d dressed the first time we met, she’s dressed down. In a pair of dark jeans, which make her butt look fabulous.

And I know I’m not the only one who thinks it, as every pair of eyes left in the bar follows that butt as it makes the walk toward me. The woman paired those jeans with a black leather halter top not even long enough to cover her abs, and black biker boots. She just rewrote the definition of hot while here I am, standing at the bar wearing an oversized tee and yoga pants.

“Girl, we have a lot of catch up coming.” This is how she greets me. It’s nice to see her again, though I wish our reunion could be under better circumstances. Thin, toned arms wrap around me once she reaches me.

“Yes, I guess we do.”

“So I guess this means Beau doesn’t have to die?”

That garners a laugh, an actual happy memory of me and Liv singing karaoke. I know she’s remembering too, as the smile spreads wide across her face and the high-pitched chipmunk laugh follows.

“No,” I tell her. “No, I really don’t want Beau dead. I shouldn’t have fought it, but I was scared. In my experience, it was easier to try to dislike him, than to admit I had feelings for him, which five years ago, ended in hurt. A whole lot of hurt.”

“But you’ve stopped fighting it?” The tone of our conversation turns.

“Yeah. He had to remind me that he’s worth taking a chance on again.”

“Take it he is.”

“Liv, he’s so worth it, I feel stupid for having fought it for as long as I did.”

She opens her mouth to respond but the men take that opportunity to file out of the back room, Beau in the lead, beelining straight for me. Only once he takes me fully into his arms does he acknowledge Livvy with a chin lift. “Liv.”

“Hey Bossman. Good to see you again.”

“Wish it was for shits and giggles. Thanks for takin’ my girl in.”

“Always…always.”

“Boss.” The president of the Illinois chapter approaches us. The patch on his cut saysTag, which I heard the men back home talking one day about his accomplishments. Apparently Tag is short for Toe Tag, making said accomplishments quite clear. Glad he’s on our side. “Boys don’t have all day. You got the escort now. The women need to leave the condo, they take a man with them. Crass here just volunteered. He’s a good man. Knows his shit. He’ll stay with them at all times. He’ll call backup for any outdoor excursions.”

“Crass, good to see you again.” Beau pats his arm. “I don’t have to remind you the precious cargo you’re protectin’.”

The man eyes both me and Livvy then nods his understanding. “Fully aware.”

***

We’re definitely a sight to behold. A Harley riding, black leather motorcade rumbling down Lake Shore Blvd. Though only Beau, Liv and I in Tommy’s Explorer, and Crass on his bike, pull into the parking garage. As we exit the vehicles, the men take up positions, Beau to the front of us, and Crass bringing up the rear. Seems a lot of extra trouble when Houdini shouldn’t even know where I am. But it makes my man feel better, so he’ll get no complaints out of me. He already shoulders more stress than one man should have to, no one can accuse me of adding to it. Not anymore. Nashville stressed him because of me. There will never be a repeat of Nashville. Not if I can help it.

Liv swipes a key card to gain us entry into the building. Her high rise has so many condos, the building so large, there are two elevators per wing, four wings total—north, south, east and west. Livvy lives in the north wing. As soon as we enter, Beau pushes the button for the fifteenth floor, meaning he’s been here before. As the doors shut, Liv digs her keys out of her purse.

“You remembered,” Beau says to her. She nods but gives no further insight on what he’s referring to. Though I can’t deny the bite of jealousy from my man and my friend having some sort of shared history.

“Get that look off your face,” he says. I look to Liv to determine what look she’s wearing. “Not her. You.”

Oh. Me? “Wha-what look am I supposed to get off?”

“The one that says you think I had sex with your friend. Woman, do you honestly think I’d have you, my old lady, myfiancé, holed up with some piece of ass I’d bedded in the past?”

“No. That’s not it. It’s just… I spent so much time fighting you. You had moments with Liv that I wasn’t a part of because I was too scared to trust you.” The tears start stinging my eyes. “And now you have to leave me. What if something happens, Beau?” God, I feel weak breaking down in front of Crass.

Beau has me in his arms though, holding me tight against his chest. “Shh… nothin’ gonna happen, darlin’. I’ll come get you in a couple a days.”

“He killed Shayla,” I whisper. “Something happens to you, I’ll have to live knowing I wasted those precious days. Or what if something happens to me? I was selfish and kept those memories from you.”

“You still trust me?”

“Yes.”

---