Page 4 of Sweet Venom

My curiosity is piqued. I narrow my eyes before extending my arm and saying, "Well, please don't hold back now. Out with it."

"That outfit and sharp tongue will get you further on the job site than the suits that usually come through on these rehabs. While you'll probably get more stares than you care for, the guys will respect your authenticity." He straightens his hard hat before adding, "You just seemed nervous." He shrugs, and I can tell he feels like he overstepped, and from the little I've gotten to know Mark via emails and phone calls, I don't want him to feel that way because of my insecurity.

"Thanks for the tip. I appreciate it."

He nods before adding, "So, hit me. What are your plans?"

* * *

"Vivi, this place is great. You have a member right here for sure. I can't wait to come here. I'd love to take a pole class."

Seriously, that's one of the reasons I love Charlie. She's a woman after my own heart. I've always felt somewhat out of place for the things I like behind closed doors, and while I wouldn't say that Charlie has the same motivation behind her choices, I like that she is always game to try new things. Nothing surprises her. That could be because she worked at Covet, where I know she saw her fair share of fuckery and kink, but I also know she likes it too, and apparently, so does my other best friend. I always knew Mason had more depth than he led on when it came to his proclivities, but now that he's married and his wife is one of my new ride-or-die girlfriends, I get the insider scoop.

"Does that mean you have a pole at the house I don't know about?"

She laughs before saying, "No. Not yet, anyway. But I have been thinking about adding one. It holds some meaning for me, considering how Mace and I reconnected. I'd like to actually know how to do it…" She trails off before looking around and adding, "I know he liked it when I danced for him but it's different when you can actually do it. Let's be real. It was amateur hour for me. Plus, I've been wanting to work out, and I've heard pole dancing is great for strength and cardio."

"And Mason is going to be fine with you coming down here to take pole dancing classes?" I ask, knowing damn well the answer is a resounding, ‘hell no.’

"Well, he doesn't need to know what classes I'm taking. Besides, I'm sure when they pay off, he'll be more than okay with the end result. Plus, it's not like men will be walking around here."

I nod in agreement. She's not wrong. I'm opening Blush as a women-only, full-service wellness center. There will be a full gym complete with free weights, equipment, class schedules for fan favorites like pole dancing, hip hop, freestyle dance classes, aerial yoga, and a spa. Well, the spa is phase two. I'll have to turn a profit first; hopefully, the neighboring space will still be vacant by then. I also have plans to incorporate a coffee bar complete with fitness smoothies. Fitness is my happy place. It's how I've dealt with emotional baggage my entire life.

In high school, I was on the dance team, which kept me in great shape, but the year I graduated, I spiraled into a semi-deep depression. Through therapy, I was able to piece together the changes in my life and discover what was missing: the gym. My high school dance team went to state all three years I was on Varsity. We spent hours training and learning routines. It was during those hours that my mind was free. I was able to let go of all the other baggage in my life.

It was then that I realized I needed the endorphins from working out to feel better. Not just for the physical benefits, but the mental aspect. My physical accomplishments gave me pride. They improved my self-esteem and gave me confidence. All things I didn't get at home. My parents were selfish beyond measure when it came to extending any type of love or affection to me. Either of them doing so would acknowledge the other half, and neither could bear it.

"When will a crew get in here and start bringing your vision to light?" Charlie asks as she starts cleaning up our sub sandwich wrappers.

"Tomorrow. I'm excited. I plan to be here most days to get my hands dirty and really feel connected to this project."

Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise, "Vivian, have you ever done manual labor a day in your life?"

I can't help but snort, "You're one to talk. You grew up wealthy, then turned around and married rich. I, on the other hand, grew up middle class. While I didn't go without, my grandmother respected my father's wishes until I turned eighteen." I stand up from the dirty floor where we made a makeshift table out of a discarded crate and dust my ass off before adding, "I've painted before."

She throws her hands up in surrender, "Well, excuse me, Picasso."

I throw my napkin at her and say, "Come on, let's get out of here. Don't worry about the trash. A cleaning crew is coming in the morning to clear out everything."

As we head toward the exit, she hip-bumps me, "I think it's really cool what you're doing here. Women need a place like this, and while I may have done zero manual labor myself, I would want to be involved every step of the way as well. I get it."

Looking down at the floor, I kick a discarded Coke bottle. "Thanks. I'm glad you're here, Charlie." While I have Mason, it's nice to have another female around, especially when I'm usually surrounded by so much testosterone.

Charlie is about to grab the door to exit when a blacked-out Range Rover parallels across the street. I pull her back hard, making her fall against my front. "What the hell was that for?"

"Shhh…" I hiss as I pull her away from the door and over to the wall.

"Why are we suddenly whispering?" she asks in an exasperated hushed tone. Before I can answer, she follows my line of sight and sees Sebastian Lykos exiting his Range Rover. Double shit. Charlie is Sebastian's sister, not by blood, but her father, Nico, adopted him at age twelve and became his legal guardian. I inwardly cringe and wait for the words I know are coming.

"Don't tell me Ellis and Sebastian don't know you are home."

I squeeze my eyes closed and groan before answering. "Technically, they both know I'm back, but neither knows about Blush."

"Okay…" she says pensively. "What am I missing? Do you not want them to know?"

God, why am I being so weird? For some reason, when it comes to the Lykos men, I feel entirely transparent. It throws me off balance, and I can't think straight. The problem is, Charlie knows I'm in a relationship with Ellis. What she doesn't know is that Sebastian is the reason I left. Fuck.

"No, it's not that." I pause, trying to think quickly. "I just don't want Sebastian to find out before I get the chance to tell Ellis." The lie comes way too easy, and I hate it. Charlie is one of the last people I want to lie to, but I can't tell her my truth.

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