Page 15 of Awakened by Sin

Alice helped her stand. She wobbled for a moment on her hooker heels and then steadied.

“Um …” Alice brushed her dress down.

She didn’t have the energy to be embarrassed over Alice seeing her crotch less underwear. Alice put an arm around her waist, which wasn’t necessary, but it felt nice, so she leaned against her. Whey they exited, they came face to face with the bathroom attendant.

“Oh my gosh! What happened?” the bathroom attendant exclaimed.

“Aren’t you supposed to be inside the bathroom, not outside?” Alice asked sharply.

“I paid her to stand outside,” she said wearily and directed Alice toward the exit for VIPs.

“Why would you do that?”

“I was being stupid.”

“How?”

She didn’t answer. They approached the exit, which was guarded by a bouncer. He took one look at Carmen’s face and opened the door. Crying was bad for business, after all. They walked into the casino. Despite the late hour, it was brimming with people. Normally, crowds didn’t blip on her radar, but right now facing a host of gawking strangers was the last thing she wanted.

As if Alice could read her mind, she said, “Here, let’s go through the employee exit. Are you feeling sick?”

“No,” she said and kept her head bowed as Alice navigated through the casino.

“I’m not going to let you drive. Where do you live?”

Her mother didn’t need to see her looking a hot mess. “Can I crash at your place?”

“Of course.”

Alice led her through the employee hallways to the parking garage and helped her into the passenger seat of a yellow VW Beetle. She clamped her legs together as the space between her legs pulsed.

“Why did you pay the bathroom attendant to stand outside?” Alice asked as she backed out of her stall. “For that matter, how did Marcus know you were in the bathroom in the first place?”

Those stupid tears were coming back. She hiccupped and covered her face with her hands.

Alice patted her knee. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. Just rest.”

Carmen huddled against the car door and moaned as her conscience savaged her. By the time they reached Alice’s apartment, she was crying uncontrollably. Alice spoke to her in a soothing tone reserved for children and helped her out of her shoes and dress and handed her a nightgown covered in rabbits. Alice wiped away her makeup and settled beside her on a flowery sofa.

“You shouldn’t drink so much,” Alice chided gently as she stroked her hair.

“I can’t stand it,” she whispered.

“Stand what?”

“The pain.”

“Your husband?”

More tears fell. “I love him so much. I don’t know how to go on without him.”

“I’m sorry, Carmen.”

An echo of Marcus’s words and once more, unnecessary. “I’ll get past it.” She had to. There was no alternative.

3

Present Day

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