Hidden Sins (13 page)

“There will be. Don’t give up.”

I nodded, unsure if I actually believed her words of encouragement. Rikki pulled to a well-lit area in front of a strip mall.

“I’m going to wait until I see you get on that bus,” she said. “If anything feels off. Call me.”

I nodded. “Thanks for everything. I promise I’ll get you…”

“Enough. It’s what we do. We keep an eye out for each other while we can. There’ll be a day when this will all seem like one big nightmare, not our reality.”

I glanced at the clock on the radio. The bus would be coming in the next five minutes, give or take a few.

I gave Rikki a hug and got out of the car, scanning the parking lot quickly before walking over to stand at the bus stop. I watched as a car drove by and glanced over my shoulder every now and then, giving Rikki a wave. I heard the loud engine of the bus and watched it turn onto the street where I was waiting. I took a step forward as it came to a stop and the doors slammed open. I climbed up the steps and deposited the money into the machine. The driver didn’t even wait until I was seated to begin driving away. I glanced at the people on the bus. A couple guys were talking to one another, sitting in the back. Another guy looked like he’d had too many and was using the window as a support system. A woman was sitting in the seat behind the one I sank into, and she looked about as disinterested as everyone else, but what did I expect at ten o’clock at night?

The air was warm from hot breaths and too many closed windows, which made it unbearable. The bus lurched at each stoplight until we finally made it onto the highway, and the sound of the engine steadied at a higher speed, bringing much needed calmness. With every bus stop we passed, the better my chances became that we wouldn’t pick up anyone who might cause me trouble.

I hugged my knees and watched the neon scenery go by as our bus sped along, my mind wandering to my new home and my new job. Everything was falling into place, but I had to remind myself that it was only temporary. I couldn’t let myself imagine a real life, living on the beach. It was hard enough to talk myself into the new job, but that was definitely one factor in my life that I’d like to think was temporary. Being assured by every person I spoke to that there was nothing illegal about what I was doing, didn’t make me feel any better about having to show up in lingerie or pajamas. I knew there had to be more than met the eye on that one. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the luxury of being picky. I was lucky that I was able to find a job and a home in a different city from the so-called safe house. A slight headache began forming at the base of my neck, and I knew it would only be a matter of time before it turned into a full-fledged migraine. I never had migraines growing up. It was only once my sister vanished that they started and never let up.

I closed my eyes and thought about my new roommate, Mia Dufort. She seemed like a genuinely sweet person, which made me even more conflicted about putting her in danger. The quicker I could leave town, the better for both of us. But in order to make things right in the world I left behind, I had to put myself first. It was self-preservation mode until everything was made right. The bus turned onto the exit and I rubbed my neck, hoping to loosen up the muscles.

When I saw the block that I needed to be let out on, I pulled the chain above my head to notify the driver. I glanced around the bus, hoping I’d be getting off by myself, and it looked like that was the case. Most people had already fallen asleep or were immersed in a book. As the bus slowed and stopped, I stood up and walked down the aisle, hopping down the stairs and feeling somewhat foolish about the amount of excitement that began pulsing through me. Even though it was late at night, being so close to the beach provided an active nightlife. There was a café on the corner with outdoor seating that was completely packed, and across the street, there was a bar that was standing room only. I waited for the crosswalk to turn green and quickly walked to the other side of the street. I was only a couple blocks away from the house and this walk was worth every step. I actually began to feel human again, like a normal person. What worried me was that if I stayed around too long, I might actually begin to forget that I wasn’t normal, and I couldn’t let that happen, not until I could find answers and expose everything. My jaw tensed as I walked along the waterfront, thinking about my best friend and my sister and who knows how many others who were disposed of… But for what? Money and power?

Mia’s home came into view and my steps quickened. I would play things safe. I wouldn’t call attention to my existence. I would slip in and out of Mia’s life before anyone noticed. I wouldn’t let her become part of the web.

Climbing the steps quickly, I slipped my key into the door and pushed it open. The wonderful smells of garlic and ginger surrounded me as I closed the door and skipped up the steps to the kitchen where Mia was cooking.

“Hope you’re starving, new roomie,” Mia said, grinning as she stirred some concoction on the stove. “I know I am. You’ll find that out about me. I tend to get so wrapped up in my work that I forget to eat until midnight. But who’s keeping tally, right?”

I laughed and took a seat at the breakfast bar. “It smells delicious. Is there anything I can help with?”

“Nope. Just waiting for the rice to cook.” Mia turned the burner down and walked toward me. “So tomorrow’s your big day. Are you nervous?” Her eyes sparkled with an intensity that was instantly warming.

“Terrified.”

“I would be too.” She started laughing when she realized what she’d just said. “I mean... I’m sure it’ll be fine. No big deal.”

The rice cooker chimed and she grabbed two plates, avoiding my gaze.

“The money just seems too good to be true,” I muttered, watching her dish the rice on my plate. “But what scares me more is the lack of clothing.”

“Well, if you’re worried about everything being on the up and up, I can assure you that it is. My brother wouldn’t be part of something shady.”

My stomach unclenched slightly. “That’s comforting.”

“Ginger beef,” Mia said, placing the plate in front of me.

“Looks and smells delicious.”

Mia dished herself up and took the seat next to me. She glanced at me and smiled. “Well, I should probably fill you in on some of the important stuff about living here.”

My brow arched as I watched her take her first bite.

“Like what?” I asked, praying that my showers wouldn’t be regulated.

“My brother’s a little paranoid about security and safety and all that so the place is alarmed up the wazoo,” she said, watching my reaction, which was nothing more than complete relief. “It’s like living at Fort Knox.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Yeah. Every door and window has a sensor and every room has a motion detector and camera, except the bedrooms and bathrooms. I put my foot down on those. It just seemed too creepy to have cameras in there. Not that anyone is watching the footage from the cameras we have now. I’m the only one who has access, and they’re only meant to be viewed if something goes wrong. I’ve never even looked at them, actually.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. Not only was I going to be living on the beach in a new city, the home was secured.

“I love my brother dearly, but if it were up to me, I wouldn’t have a system. Well, maybe some sensors on the front door or windows or something but not like this. I’ll show you where the control panels are, and I’ll give you the codes.”

“Thanks.” I nodded, not wanting to show how genuinely thrilled I was to hear about the alarm system. “The ginger beef is amazing.”

“I love to cook,” she continued. “And I always make enough for leftovers so if you ever come home hungry, feel free to grab what’s in the fridge.” Mia smiled and stretched, sliding off the seat to grab some water. “My brother’s coming over on Sunday for dinner. I’d love for you to meet him. That being said, he’s not really a people person.”

“Oh, umm. I’m not sure what my schedule is, but—”

“No pressure. If you’re free, just let me know.” She smiled and took a sip of water, her eyes analyzing me. “Don’t take this the wrong way…”

I started laughing. “I’ll try not to.”

“But I don’t see you working at Buttons either.”

My heart started pounding. I needed that job, but if she was able to sniff out my fear and apprehension this easily, how was I going to fake my way through it with the members or whatever they were called?

I shrugged and grinned. “Only time will tell, I guess.”

“Now, do you know what you’re going to wear?” she asked.

I shrugged. I’d been wracking my brain trying to figure it out. “I was thinking like an oversized button-down shirt?”

“That would be different.” She nodded.

“Like different bad?” I asked, grinning.

“No. Just different. But I think a lot of guys are into that whole boyfriend shirt thing. So maybe you’ll start a new trend at the club.”

“Well, I guess I’ll find out.”

“Baby steps, huh?” Her smile knowing.

I nodded. “More like infant crawls.” I took the last bite of ginger beef that was on my plate and tamped down the worry about tomorrow.

I walked to the sink and rinsed my plate off before placing it in the dishwasher. Mia was right behind me and did the same.

“Ready to tour Fort Knox?” she laughed. “I would’ve mentioned it when I was interviewing you, but I didn’t want to scare you off.”

I laughed and followed her down the stairs to the first floor where she proceeded to show me every tip and trick for securing the premises. By the time we reached the third floor, I knew the only person who would secure a house like this was someone who had a very important reason to do so.

“Did something happen to make your brother so…” my voice trailed off.

We were standing in the hallway, and she was about to show me her bedroom and her studio. She glanced behind her and then her gaze focused on me before she crossed her arms and nodded slowly.

“Yeah. There’s a reason,” she confirmed, but didn’t say anything more.

That was when I wondered how many of us were running from something?  And would there ever be something worth running to?

Luke

I pulled into the parking lot of Buttons and found a spot. It was twenty minutes to closing, but I had to find out if she was there. I looked in the mirror and smoothed my hair back. I had no idea what I planned on saying if she was, but I just wanted to know if she was inside, if she was safe.

That was bullshit. I wanted to see her again. I stepped out of the Tesla and closed the door before walking over to the entrance. The bouncer at the door gave me a quick nod of recognition as he opened the door for me. The club was packed with men, drinking and chatting up the servers. I glanced up and saw Liv, one of the more friendly waitresses, swinging above. This was not a place for Hannah.

“Never would’ve guessed you’d be here,” Sean’s voice called out over the pulsing beat of the music. “Making your semi-annual trek into Buttons, huh? You usually warn me.” Sean punched my shoulder with his free hand as he took a swig of his beer with the other.

“Looks just like I remember,” I said, my gaze scanning the crowd. “New hire on tonight?”

“Barbie? No. She’s coming on tomorrow.”

Hearing Sean refer to Hannah as Barbie irked me. It didn’t help to see the expressions on the faces around the club as the men watched their servers. It made my anger rise again and push out all of the logical reasons why Buttons would be a good fit for Hannah, for someone in hiding.

“Do you really think it’s a good idea to break the formula by adding a blond. You’ve got something going on here that people respond to. Why mess with success?”

“There’s something special about her. Something innocent. I swear she
alone
could double the initiation fee.”

“Really.” I folded my arms and attempted to push down the anger, only to have it rise.

He was right. There was something very innocent about Hannah, which was why this place made absolutely no sense for her to work.

“The theme tonight?” I asked, ignoring Sean’s gaze.

 “What’s up? You look like you’re ready to pulverize anyone who gets too close to you…”

“The theme?” I asked again.

“Wonderland. But seriously, dude. What’s going on? Is it Jessica?”

Oh, yeah. I was supposed to be heartbroken. At least it was a handy excuse.

I nodded. “Called things off with her.”

“No shit? I never saw that coming.” Sean whistled lowly. “Are you sure about that? It’s not often you find a woman who thinks like a man. She seemed like a good fit. No strings attached.”

I laughed and squeezed Sean’s shoulder. “There are always strings attached, especially with women. Hers just hadn’t reared its ugly head yet. Needed to cut it off before it did.” I pointed at Sean’s beer. “How about I have one of those. We’ve only got a few minutes before last call, anyhow.”

Sean nodded as we walked up to the bar and I got my own drink.

“Look who decided to show up.” I heard Liv’s voice crawl up my spine as I spun around to greet her. She must have just climbed down from the swing. She was dressed in a short, black slip and wore a bunny tail attached to the hem, I assumed to match the Wonderland theme, but she was no white rabbit. It was hard not to start laughing so I glanced over at the bartender as she slid on the stool next to me. I really didn’t get this club. “What brought you in?” she asked, her eyes curious.