Page 59 of Bad Boy Next Door
Eighteen
Jade
“You sure you don’t want a lift home?” Melodie stood by the dressing room entrance, jingling car keys that hung from a toy troll that sported a shock of neon-blue hair.
“No, I’m good.” I smiled at the woman who’d quickly become a friend. “I’m going to try on a few outfits. Make sure I have everything set for my big debut Sunday night.” Stan had finally given me my first set on stage.
“We can do that tomorrow, after we run through your routines one last time.” Melodie yawned, covering her mouth with her delicately long fingers. “I am so beat.”
I picked up a red sequined G-string, one of several things Melodie and I had scrounged from items left by previous dancers. “I want to take some options home to wash.”
“Promise you aren’t taking the bus.”
I stared at the G-string like I wasn’t sure how it worked. “Nick said I could grab a ride with him.”
Melodie leaned into the room, her eyes wide. “I thought you two weren’t talking.”
“He apologized.”
“Again?” Melodie grinned. “Even after what you did to his chocolates?”
“I feel kind of bad about that.” I set the G-string on the back of a cheap folding chair. “But don’t tell Nick.”
“Your secret’s safe, sister.” Melodie winked. “But damn. What a waste of a good box of See’s.”
“Tell me about it.” I had actually eaten a few before destroying the rest. I mean, a girl needed chocolate. See’s headquarters was in South San Francisco, and on good days you could smell chocolate in the air in the Shady Oaks courtyard.
Holding onto the doorframe with both hands, Melodie stretched her shoulders and chest. “You still not going to tell me what he did to get you so mad?”
I shook my head. As much as I hated a liar, the more I thought about Nick’s deception, the more petty I felt, and the more my anger seemed overblown. Tired and suspicious, I’d been rude the day we’d met, and he was right—hehadmade a few attempts to set me straight that I’d brushed off.
I’d been so sure he was screwing with me, and while I was right, I was wrong about how.
“Okay.” Melodie came out of her stretch. “Guess I’m off then. See you tomorrow.”
“Yup. Thanks again for all your help.”
“No sweat!” She waved and her keys jingled, like the sound was making her troll dance.
“Night, Nick,” Melodie said from the hall.
He walked past the dressing room door and followed her to the alley exit. Nick would make sure Melodie got safely to her car, which might just give me enough time to surprise him.
I kicked the door closed, then smiled as I quickly dressed in the outfit I’d chosen.
The black vinyl shorts were super low-cut and struck a hard line across my hips and belly. Under my baggy sweatshirt, I was already wearing a matching faux-leather bra, its cups covered in spiky studs.
I tossed off the sweatshirt and plopped down onto the folding chair, wincing as the cold metal hit my nearly bare ass. Then I tugged on a pair of thigh-high black boots with platforms and stiletto heels.
“Drive safe!” Nick yelled to Melodie from the back door.
I reached into my bag, grabbed the riding crop and handcuffs I’d found buried in a box stashed above the metal lockers, then opened the door and stepped into the hall.
Nick was still watching Melodie’s car leave the alley. Perfect timing.
I struck a pose, legs wide, chest out, as Nick double-checked the back door’s lock.
He turned.
