Page 71 of Spicy Sapphic Christmas

TWENTY-TWO

bunny

“This is all bullshit.” Bunny paced the carpet of Siena’s office as soon as she and Piper stepped through the door. Ever since Bea had walked out of her apartment that morning, Bunny had been in a funk. She couldn’t shake it. And the more time passed, the more she stewed, and the more she stewed, the angrier she got.

Siena leaned back in her office chair and watched Bunny silently, the way she did when she thought Bunny simply needed to let off steam.

But this was more than that. This had all gone way too far. She should have gone with her gut instincts in the first place. But not anymore. This had to end.

Bunny’d had enough. She had tried. Hell knew she had tried. But working with Jo andBeawas impossible. She had to put her foot down now before it really was too late. Before they couldn’t pull out of the event.

“This isn’t going to work. And it’s better you have a chance to figure something else out instead of having the shitshow of a lifetime blow up in your face.” Bunny pulsed her hands into fists, staring at the ground. She couldn’t even look into Siena’s face when she said this, because she knew the storm she was stirring up. But she had no other choice. This had to end.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Piper snapped from where she had taken a seat on the other side of the room.

Bunny turned to Piper and shook her head. She was making the decision for both of them without consulting Piper first, which she never did, but this was bigger than the two of them. If they continued to work with Bea and Jo, they were going to face the consequences. “Look, I know you and Jo are getting along really well. That doesn’t have to change just because we aren’t going to do the show.”

“No.” Piper’s face hardened, and for a moment, it stopped Bunny in her steps, her body losing its momentum. Piper had never spoken to her that way before. She’d never been so firm or demanding. Bunny was the unmovable one. Bunny was the hard-ass. Piper was the blessedly gleeful one who was always full of joy.

“It’s not negotiable, Piper. We’re pulling out.” Bunny clenched her jaw, staring into Piper’s eyes. Piper she could look at. She had to know what Piper was thinking, what she was feeling. Because everything ultimately depended on Piper and Bunny working well together.

“No.” Piper stood up and stopped right in front of Bunny, towering over Bunny’s much smaller form.

Bunny narrowed her eyes, not letting Piper intimidate her. Who the hell was she kidding? Piper like this was scary as hell.

“Excuse me?” Bunny said, deepening her voice to try and make a point.

“The world’s different now. The world’s changed, and continues to. We aren’t going to be ruined if our fans know we’re gay.” Piper put her fists on her hips, continuing her stare down.

“You’re pansexual.” Bunny spat, her face twisting with regret the moment the word left her mouth.

“Seriously?Youof all people?” Piper’s face crumpled as though she was moments away from crying. “We’ve worked together for years and you still can’t wrap your head around it?”

Bunny shook her head. She couldn’t deal with tears, not even Piper’s. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

Tension pulled taut between them, the threads of their relationship fraying with every second that passed. Bunny needed to fix this. She couldn’t do this without Piper. They’d been so much a part of each other’s lives for so long. They’d built their career together. They were so intertwined.

“That was cruel of me,” Bunny murmured. “I didn’t mean it like you took it. I wanted to make sure that you were included in our community.”

Piper squinted, then wrinkled her nose. “I’m not giving you that one yet.”

“Fair.” Bunny moved her hands out to her sides. She hated living in the tension of unresolved hurt. She just wanted to make it up to Piper already. But she couldn’t force Piper to accept an apology she wasn’t ready to hear.

“I’m doing the show.” Piper channeled her anger at Bunny’s thoughtless words, her face pinching to show just how pissed off she was.

“You can’t. I refuse to participate.” Bunny curled her fists and dug them into her hips.

“I have no idea what’s going on with you. I don’t even know who you are anymore.” Piper’s soft words reached Bunny better than any yelling had. Piper tilted her head to the side, and Bunny had a strange sensation that her friend had gained X-ray vision and thoroughly scrutinized her in ways she didn’t feel comfortable. “I refuse to continue to hide who I am. I’m doing the charity event—with or without you.”

“You can’t.” Bunny turned toward Siena. “Our contract says we either both agree or neither goes ahead with any event.”

“It did.” Siena nodded, her words carefully chosen.

“What do you meandid?” Bunny’s nostrils flared and a pounding in her head made her far too aware of how little she had spoken to Siena or Piper lately—spoken to them in any real capacity, that is.

“Our contract ran out two months ago, Bunny.” Piper’s voice was softer. “And I asked for the clause to be removed. Siena agreed.”

“But I haven’t signed it,” Bunny snapped.

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