Page 56 of Blood Revealed

“This is Sexy Sable,” Elise says next.

She struts onto the stage like she already owns the place. She might have the body of a goddess and her dancing might even rival mine, but the look she shoots me and then Elise is more than I’m willing to deal with. It’s fine to think yourself hot shit; it’s not okay to try and rub that in the faces of the women who’ll be employing you.

When she’s finished, Elise looks at me and at the same time we blurt out, “No way in hell.”

We go through four more dancers and decide on two. But Sexy Sable isn’t on that list. I plan to make Nelly Grace my project.

“Are you sure you want me?” she asks. “I saw Sable dance.”

“Yeah,” Elise says. “We also saw her attitude. This club is a family. We don’t have time for anyone who thinks her shit don’t stink. You’ll be working directly with Hannah here.”

Nelly Grace’s eyes get huge. “But you’re—you’re Crystalline. You’re a legend in the business.”

I sip from my soda, smiling at that. “I’m also a married woman now with a husband who isn’t real big on my shaking the goods for other men. But if you’re willing to learn, I think you’ve got raw talent. We can have you bathing in bills every night.”

“I’m willing,” she says right away. Eager little thing. Pretty. We’ll need to work on the sultry. “I have a little girl; she’s only a year old. If I could get us a better life, I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

Oh yeah, she’ll fit right in. Elise gives her a checklist of things she’ll need. Thongs, bras, pasties. The club will cover her “starter pack.” All she has to do is submit the receipts to get reimbursed right away. Her hair will need highlights and she’ll need a makeup tutorial. But we’ll have her covered on those, too.

“Right. We’ll have you fill out the paperwork today and tomorrow when you come in, Hannah’ll get you going with dance training,” Elise says, picking up her papers. “Now I’m gonna catch Misty and let her know she’s in.” Then a big smile breaks over Elise’s face. “And I get to tell Sable we’ve decided to pass. We getting dinner, Han?”

“You need to get Gun first?”

“Nope. Frankie’s taking him home. She likes how he is with the girls.”

“Oh lordy, he’s going to be smooth with the ladies, just like his daddy,” I tease.

She sighs out a long, suffering breath. “Don’t I know it. We’re meeting Maryanne at Lady’s. She’s feeling fat and needs her girls to reassure her that she’s still hot.”

“Tommy doesn’t?” I ask.

“Oh no, he does. He thinks she’s the most beautiful woman in the freaking world, but she’s hormonal with a huge baby belly, so she doesn’t believe him.”

“Right. Then I’ll meet you there.”

I finish up my business at the club before I head over to Lady Sings the Blues, the bar that Boss owns. It has the best fried catfish in Kentucky. I don’t often eat fried foods, but when I do, it’s at Lady’s. This little bit of normal is something we all can use. I know Elise doesn’t blame me for getting her kidnapped, but it’s a sticking point for me that I can’t seem to let go. So, going out. Eating dinner. No Escalante man in sight is exactly the thing to help me try.

We have a great night of laughter and getting Maryanne to feel better. The look on her husband’s face when he shows to pick her up… How could she feel any less than the most beautiful woman in the world? That’s a man in love without a doubt.

The next day, after my training with Nelly Grace, Brinley decides to give us sister time. She wants us to shop for the household items Raif and I will need when we move into our new place. But I offer a different suggestion first.

“Brin, you’re going to think I’m crazy but I’m worried about Vlad. I have no idea what happened to him after Escalante nabbed me. He’s Horde. I doubt the brothers have been sending anyone to check on him, and I doubt his Horde brothers give a shit. Do you mind terribly ifwego check on him? I want to see if he needs anything.”

“Levi will shit a brick,” she says as I prepare to convince her, but she surprises me. “What Levi doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

“Right, baby sister. I know Raif will hate it, but I feel responsible for him. Those Horde are nasty. He needs someone to take care of him.”

“He needs a woman,” she says as she reaches over to mess with the radio dial.

“The Horde don’t have old ladies, do they?” I ask.

“Probably not,” she says.

“Oh, call Frankie. See if we can catch her before Caitlin comes to pick up Diesel.” The rest of the men are on their way home from their ride. Usually, Duke picks the kids up from school and daycare, but seeing as he’s been gone, Caitlin has had to do shorter hours in order to get the kids. “I think Frankie will want to come with.”

She’s been friends, I guess, with Vlad since he tried to help her during her kidnapping. I really don’t know how a man like that ended up in the Horde. He should’ve prospected with the Lords.

It takes a bit of phone tag, but we manage to get Caitlin to take Frankie’s girls home. Frankie meets us at the Walmart on top of the hill, where the three of us buy all kinds of food and dressing changes for Vlad. We even buy cleaning products.

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