Page 5 of Room One Hundred and Five

My sister slides her latex-covered ass onto the stool next to mine looking gorgeous as always. There’s a glow about her that wasn’t there this time last year and has nothing to do with the yellow and pink neon lights. Worry lines have morphed into laugh lines and the radiant smile on her face is because of the men in her life. She tries to deny she laughs more now than at any other time in our lives, but I know the truth. She’s madly in love.

“Mm-hmm,” she hums. “Yeah well, we’re all in or nothing kind of gals, right? We’re here to celebrate. You beat back the nasty ‘C’ word and that is worth going big on. Mom is smiling down on us right now and telling us to go for it.”

I swallow a snort. “You think? I can’t hardly imagine our pearl-clutching mother approving of a one-night stand for me.”

My sister slides a side eye my way that says I’ve got her there. “Hmm. Touché.”

But Luna is right. I did beat the odds. Stage one breast cancer is scary. Mom wasn’t so lucky as to catch it early enough. I did and I’m still here. It would be foolish of me to throw away my second chance at life.

But try telling that to my crap nerves. I can’t get my palms to stop sweating long enough to pick up my dirty martini.

My sister nudges my shoulder and smiles over at me. “Come on. Don’t get too much into your head about it. Tonight is all about drinks, kissing drop-dead-gorgeous strangers and all the dirty deeds you can think of. You think it, it will happen,” she tells me like her words are prophetic.

I raise a finger and point toward heaven. “Your lips, God’s ears, sis. By the way, Is that how you landed your men? Just shouted out your order to the Universe and bam?” I tease.

Her pretty red-tinged smile turns epically sinful without an ounce of shame. “Not exactly. I think the Universe got my wishes mixed up. I asked for treasure and well...”

I slowly turn my cool gaze on Luna’s gray one. “You got three hunks for husbands.” I don’t bother holding back my sass. “I’d say you got exactly what you asked for.”

I lick my lips that taste like hope and fear in equal measure. I'd love to be as lucky at some point. Multiple men or otherwise. I’m not that picky. It would just be nice to not be alone. I can’t be a third wheel to Luna’s life all the time.

Luna takes my hand in hers and curls her fingers around mine. “Point is, sweetie, if I can score three hot dudes, so can you.”

Voss, Shayne and Jasper are Seattle’s best fences. You steal it, they can move it for a cut of the action. I won’t say it’s easy money, but they are rolling in it. I probably shouldn’t know any of that, but being the sister to Seattle’s best thief comes with perks. And being the daughter of a former legendary thief also comes with behind-the-scenes benefits.

I mean, Luna didn’t just stumble into becoming a Belladonna. It’s come pre-subscribed in the family bloodline. Not everyone can be part of the legendary guild of lady thieves.

Fortunately, I was skipped over when it came to the family business. Unlike Luna, I opted for a different career path that doesn’t involve stealing. Or—I eye my sister’s pick of latex suits—me squeezing into something that belongs on a comic book cover.

Luna releases my hand and throws me a saucy wink. “Consider tonight all about refilling that brain of yours with inspiration for your next juicy romance book. I miss your stories.”

Me too. I haven’t been able to crank out new words since my diagnosis and the subsequent treatments.

I rub my palms over the fabric of my borrowed mini dress.

“You’re right.” Again, I might add.

My sister grows quiet a moment before she leans in and lowers her voice to add, “I don’t wanna make this about him, but I can see the way you keep looking over your shoulder so I’m gonna say it just this one time. I promise I won’t ever utter his name again after tonight.”

Ugh. My chest tightens. Tears gather at the rim of my eyes, dreading where Luna is taking this moment. I want to shut downand act like I can live in a bubble, but I know that is not how life is meant to be lived.

It doesn’t make what is coming next any easier to hear.

“You deserve to be happy. Mom got so little of that with our dad. I know tonight is not about making lifeline connections that go heart deep. It’s about sex, connecting to other humans and just…”

She pauses.

I take my sister’s hand. “It’s okay.I’mokay. I keep looking over my shoulder because that dude back there is hung like a freaking donkey and he’s just there. Full display. And his partners… fuck, Luna.”

The laugh Luna releases is contagious.

“Oh, my God.” Luna looks at the view over my shoulder and turns the same shade of red as me. I blushed the second I walked in here.

“Yeah.” I wiggle my brows. “He’s something, huh?”

Luna shakes her head, causing her loose hair to dance and sway over her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I thought you were just waiting for that douche face to walk in or something. Sorry, babe.”

I fuse our small connection with all the truth I can muster so she knows I mean what I am saying. “I’m good. Truly. I don’t think you could have a bad night here even if either of us tried.”

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