Page 74 of Awakened by Sin

Carmen picked up her phone and skimmed through her contacts before she found the right number. The phone rang once, and then a feminine voice came on the line.

“Carmen Pyre. Oh, my God.”

“Hey, Charisse.”

“Are you okay? I sent flowers when I heard about Vinny.”

She nodded even though Charisse couldn’t see. “Yes. I got them. Thank you.”

“Are you in town? What’s going on? How are you?”

“I’m back, and I need you.”

“You’re looking for a place?” Charisse’s excitement leaked through the phone. “That’s great! Do you have an idea of what kind of mansion you want?”

“No, but I’ll know it when I see it. Can you help me?”

“Of course. When?”

“Tomorrow if you can manage it.”

“You bet!”

Carmen made small talk with Charisse before they hung up. She might not be ready to move on, but she had no choice. She had to start creating a life for herself. Her dad didn’t raise her to wallow in self-pity or give up. He expected better from her. It was time to get her shit in order and get down to business. She made a few calls. One to the storage place to see just how many lockers she had, one to the RV park to check on her baby, and one to the bank to check on her accounts. She was fucking loaded—a millionaire many times over—sitting in a car, staring through the gates at her old life. She would see about getting a new place that suited her, and maybe it was time for a new ride as well.

Carmen tossed her phone and revved her car. Time to start living.

10

Carmen reveledin the growl of her new Aston Martin Vanquish S Volante as she put the beauty through its paces. The smell of new car and leather permeated the air as she sped through the city. She couldn’t resist stroking the luxurious red leather interior and gleaming panels. Getting a new car definitely improved her mood. She loved her gold Ferrari, but when she pulled up to the lot and saw this beast, she knew she would be driving it off the lot within the hour. As the saying goes, money talked, and she didn’t mind dropping buckets of it to get her way.

She pulled into the parking lot of a gentlemen’s club called the Red Diamond. The parking lot was full of flashy cars and limos that provided shuttle service to and from The Strip. She found a spot in the back lot and stepped out of the Aston. She took two steps back to admire it. The exterior was so shiny; it looked like polished chrome. The Aston was sleek, powerful, and sexy.

Carmen strutted to the back entrance and rapped a distinct pattern on the door. She glanced up at the camera and blew a kiss. The door opened to reveal a behemoth standing in the doorway with a craggy face, which showed no emotion.

“Hey, boss,” he said.

“Hey, Phil.” She went up on tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. “How’s life?”

“Haven’t gotten shot or stabbed in a year so I’d say life is good,” he rumbled.

“Slow year?”

“You wish.”

“Is Kiki here?”

“Yup. In her office.”

“Great.”

Carmen walked into a dressing room with well-lit vanities, a wall of hooker heels in every color, and props for the shows. Seeing this room filled her with memories of her stripping days, but it felt like a lifetime ago. The music from the club reverberated through the walls and made her heartbeat pick up speed. The beat beckoned her to indulge. She would, but she had business to see to first.

She stopped in front of a mirror and admired her gunmetal strappy heels. After she picked up the Aston Martin, she went to The Look, the boutique the woman in Incognito recommended. She dropped fifteen thousand on some pieces and became fast friends with the owner who waited on her hand and foot. Tonight’s ensemble was definitely inspired by her new ride.

Slowly, she undid the sash of her short black trench coat and revealed the silver shift dress beneath. Liquid silk brushed over her skin. It was a barely there dress that hugged every curve and left little to the imagination. The shift rode high on her thighs and made her feel as if she didn’t have anything on at all. She leaned toward the mirror to examine her porn star makeup job—the larger than life eyes, perfect lips, and flawless face. She shrugged off her trench coat and headed out of the dressing room.

The music intensified, and the urge to join the fun increased. Her palms tingled as she nodded to mingling security and called the elevator. The moment the doors closed, the music disappeared. She took a breath to clear her head and examined her outfit, which she was obsessed with. Sweet and sexy. She liked the contrast. In the past, she went for straight-up sex, but her taste was changing like so many other things. Even with the Aston, she went for a slightly subtler sexy than her Ferrari, and she was digging it.

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