Page 81 of Trailer Trash

Jed was on full alert. “When?”

Carla’s eyes were filled with panic, but she moved closer, thrust out her hip, and said, “Give me twenty dollars.”

I expected Jed to argue, but he reached into his pocket and slid a bill across the table. Carla began to gyrate her hips.

Jed sat back in his chair, watching her face. “You weren’t late getting here, were you, Carla?”

“No,” she said as she moved between his legs. “Destiny was told to try to keep you here. Stan kept me in his office until Branson showed up.”

“They’re both here?” Jed asked.

Her face moved to the side of his head, but her answer was loud enough for both of us to hear. “Yes.”

Branson was here now. We were in the same building.

I was speechless, but Jed didn’t react in any obvious way. He just sat still in his chair as she air-humped his leg. “Where are they now?”

“In the back.” Her voice broke. “Branson wants me to keep you busy in a private room so he can come out and talk to Kitty.”

All of my insecurities rushed back—my terror and my helplessness—but then fury rose up and burned those other emotions to ashes. I was done letting Branson scare me. I needed to stand up to him, and what better time than with Jed with me?

“I have a plan,” she said, putting her hands on his shoulders and bending over to give him an up close and personal view of her barely covered breasts. “I’ll go back there to set up the private room, and you take Kitty and get the hell out of here.”

“How do we know you’re not double-crossing Neel—Kitty now?” Considering a beautiful woman was flashing her nearly naked boobs in his face, Jed was doing a remarkable job of staying on task.

“Because I tried to help her escape before, and I’m doin’ it again. Listen to me.” She leaned across the table and grabbed my face with one hand, playing it off as another flirty gesture. “You need to leave.Now.If Jed isn’t back there soon after this song ends, Branson will come out here lookin’ for you, Kitty. He looks desperate, which means he’s dangerous.” She dropped her hold on me and began to swivel her hips for Jed again.

The music stopped, and a thrill of fear shot through me. Our limited time had been cut even shorter.

“Will he hurt you if we leave?” I asked, already feeling guilty about how Branson would react. I knew about his vicious temper firsthand.

“Branson Desoto can’t hurt me,” she said. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve.” She popped up to standing, taking the money with a seductive sweep of her hand. “Run, Kitty. Run far away from here and never look back.” Then she turned to Jed. “If you care anything about her, then get her out of here. Go. I’ll keep them busy in the back.”

“Come with us,” I pleaded. I didn’t look at Jed before making my request, but something told me that he wouldn’t have a problem with it.

She shook her head. “Thanks, Kitty, but my life is here. Plus, I have me a good man now. He’ll kick Branson’s ass as soon as he finds out Branson messed with me. And that’s something I’m dying to see.”

She turned on her heels and started to leave, but I grabbed her arm, then handed her a piece of paper I’d put in my pocket in case I saw her. “Carla. If you change your mind, we’re staying in the Motel 6. Call my number on the back.”

She nodded, then jerked free and walked away.

“You shouldn’t have given her that,” Jed said as he grabbed my wrist and tugged me out of my seat.

“I had to. I owe her.”

He started to drag me toward the front door.

“What are you doin’?” I asked, trying to break free. “This is our chance. We need to confront him.”

“No. If Carla’s right and this is a setup, then we need to get as far away from here as possible.” Without so much as a backward glance, he pulled me into the entrance foyer and pushed me against the wall next to the bouncer. He squatted down and pulled a gun out of a holster strapped to his calf under his jeans. The bouncer’s eyes widened, and he slunk back in fear.

Slick Willy’s wasn’t exactly the kind of place most people were willing to take a bullet for.

“We don’t want trouble,” Jed said as he stood, although his body language was broadcasting the exact opposite. “We just want to leave.”

The bouncer raised his hands in surrender. “I’ve got no beef with you.”

Jed nodded distractedly as he glanced out the door. Then he pulled me out with him and guided me toward the car.

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