Page 80 of Trailer Trash

“Why?”

“Because he had started showin’ an interest in her, and she was holding him at bay, especially since she knew I was in such dire straits with him. Not to mention she was letting me use her car and he found out.” But mostly I needed to know what she knew about my meeting that night. As far as I knew, only Branson and Beasley knew the identity of the man who’d wanted to buy me. Stella had known a few details—I’d told her about the waiver and my suspicions about kinky torture—but no specifics. Branson could have told her later, of course, but I suspected he’d kept quiet. It was common knowledge she couldn’t keep a secret . . . although she’d done a good job of keeping the fact that Branson was alive and well from me—and not dead and buried by an oil well.

Branson had brought me to the house that awful night, and Beasley was the one who’d set up the logistics. They were the only two who could link me to that man by name and location, and I needed to make sure it had stayed that way.

The dancer left the stage—one of the women who’d been hostessing when we first walked in—and the bartender announced Carla.

She slunk out, looking just like I remembered her, which made me unbelievably sad. I’d escaped this life, but she was still stuck in the thick of it. I was relieved she still had the same quiet dignity to her. Looking back now, I understood why Stella had practically hated her on sight.

Carla was wearing a few scarves and began her slow striptease. She was gorgeous and knew how to work the crowd. The belly dancing was a new act for her—well, new since I’d last seen her—but she could move her hips in ways I’d never even dreamed of. She had the full attention of the room, every eye on her, with the exception of Jed, who was watching me with concern.

“You okay?” he asked.

I nodded.

Carla danced for the next ten minutes, making more money than the other dancers before her. Destiny came around again at the end of the show. “Are you sure you don’t want me, sugar? Carla charges a lot more. Or . . .” I could tell she was thinking fast. “You can have both of us together. How’s that? We can find something else for your girlfriend to do while Carla and I take care of you in the back.”

He pointed a finger toward the stage. “I want to see her. Just her. Out here.”

Destiny made an exaggerated pouty face.

Jed slid her a twenty-dollar bill. “For your trouble. Tell her I’ll make it worth her while.”

That appeased her. She took the money and suggestively tucked it down the front of her low-cut G-string before moving on to the next table.

I leaned closer to Jed. “You want to question her here?”

He leaned closer so that his mouth was next to my ear. “Do they have private rooms?”

“Yeah.”

He turned back to watch the people around us. “When she comes by, we’ll see if she’s agreeable to going to a private room to chat. You’re sure no one’s recognized you?”

“I don’t see anyone else I know, customers included.”

About five minutes later, Carla emerged from the door to the backstage, her gaze immediately landing on our corner table.

Jed’s expression and posture didn’t change, but he cast a glance at her as she approached. Then his eyes panned across the rest of the room—it was subtle, but I’d watched him do it all night.

She glanced over her shoulder before turning toward Jed. “I hear you were askin’ for me. What can I do for you?” Her gaze traveled over his body, and I was surprised at the spark of jealousy burning through my veins. The feeling had caught me off guard, but I could still tell she was acting strangely.

Her gaze drifted to me. She looked afraid but not surprised. “Kitty.”

“Hey, Carla.”

“You need to leave.”

Jed tensed. “Why?”

She moved closer to the table, leaning forward so that her boobs were right in front of me. While it might look like a seduction technique to anyone watching us, it was obvious she was trying to cover for what she was about to say. “He’s lookin’ for you, Kitty.”

“Who?” I asked, afraid to hear the answer. Knowing it anyway.

“Branson.”

Chapter 22

My blood ran cold.

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