Page 127 of Roulette: The Madam

“I will gladly carve out time in my schedule to meet you here at 4:15 PM every day. That nose bleed is only a warning. I won’t be so lenient next time, Peppa Pig.”

“Oh my God, who are you?”

“You can refer to me as find out, cause your daughter has fucked around a few times too many.”

I grabbed the door, prepared to slam it back, but there were a few words too heavy on my heart to let them die.

“Haleigh?”

“Oh God.”

She trembled in the front seat, watching as her mother tried controlling the bleeding from her nose.

“I hope you’re saving for a plastic surgeon because you have the nose of a fucking elephant.”

I strolled toward the Sprinter where the ladies were ushering Malaya inside. It didn’t matter that I’d just bruised the ego of a seventeen year old. She needed to be humbled.

She’d fucked with the wrong one, taking shots at Malaya’s self-esteem each day she showed up for school, making it difficult to do the thing she loved doing the most.Learning. It was time she received a hit to that inflated ego of hers.

“And, try some fucking iron, box dye wearing bitch!” I yelled over my shoulder, sure Haleigh’s mother heard every word.

Her nose was bleeding profusely because it was unable to clot. Her blood was too thin. She needed to be at her doctor’s office the first thing in the morning or she’d bleed out by the time I finished whooping her ass every day at4:15p.

My daughter?I groaned internally.I referred to her as my daughter. Who the fuck am I becoming?

I climbed into the van and took my seat. I grabbed the drink I’d left minutes prior and tossed it back. There wasn’t a drop left when I lowered the glass.

Fuck. See, this is why I don’t want shit to do with children. I’d clear this whole fucking school out right now and I’ve only know the damn girl seven days.

“Somebody pour me something stronger,” I demanded, waving my glass in the air.

I didn’t care who assisted my intoxication. I just needed it pronto.

“Thank you.”

I whipped my head toward the back of the van where the voice had come from. The smile that reached Malaya’s eyeswas rich, fluent, and reassuring. This wasn’t about me. It never would be.

This was about restoring everything inside of a young girl that life had stolen from her in such a short amount of time. She deserved a chance at a good life, finances aside, and I would give her one.

“You’re welcome, Princess.”

Fuck. I regretted the word the second it came from my mouth.

I have to get away from this man. He’s fucking with my head.

The silkpajamas fit Malaya perfectly. Plumping patches were underneath her eyes, working their magic for the bags she was developing with the weight of her mother’s world on her shoulders. Soft pink was her color.

The mini fashion haul that coupled with the fashion show we watched in my living room featuring Malaya on the runway was proof. Rome stuck to neutrals, but every so often she tossed a baby soft pink in her wardrobe, and it made all the difference.

Because Malaya was still fairly young, she incorporated plenty of pink pieces. They were dreamy on her rich, buttery brown skin. She loved each one of them, making Rome the happiest girl in the world.

“Like this?”

I stared at her reflection in the mirror, watching her apply the flared lash nugget in the corner of her eyelid with theassistance of the lash bonding glue. It would last her up to seven days. At that point she could decide if wispy was the style for her.

“Yes. Just like that. Now, that’s the longer one so you’ll only need one more of those. Follow the lash map I’ve written out for you and make sure it’s right on that lash line, underneath your lashes. Never on top of them. Just like I did the left side. If they don’t look the same, we’re starting over, babe.”

“I think I’ve got it, babe.”

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