Page 58 of Stripped

“Probably a bad idea,” I said. “In the big city, people like to see a little skin from their yoga instructors.”

He sighed. “I reacted badly, Abby. It's just that I take yoga very seriously and what you suggested… It feels like tarnishing something sacred.”

And that one hurt, too. I was under no illusion that stripping was some higher art form, or in any way pure, but I'd never felt dirty, never felt less than, until now. “Lust is a human emotion, Zane. A very powerful one. I'm surprised yoga has no part in that. Aren't you the one who taught me about intimate yoga?”

“That's personal. It's not for sale.”

“You sound like someone who's never lain awake all night because you haven't eaten in two days and hunger is the only thing you can feel.”

He stared at me. “And you have. Is that why you got into stripping?”

“You should get out of my way now, Zane. I might be smaller than you, but I know where to punch to cause maximum pain.”

He grinned like he thought I was joking, or he thought I was cute. I wanted to smack that smile off his face.

“Get out of my way, Zane.”

His smile faded at the ice in my tone. “Abby, I'm sorry. I don't understand why you're so upset, but—”

“And that's the whole problem. We're too different, Zane. You deserve a woman who's pure and untouched, who wants to be the little wife and raise your kids. That's never going to be me.”

Confusion wrinkled his features. “That's not what I want and I don't think you're—”

I dropped to the ground, and crawled between his legs and out of that bathroom, because I'd heard more than enough. I grabbed my bag on the way out of his room and met Julie on the front porch.

She gave me a questioning look, but I just hurried down the stairs, away from that house and the man who lived there.

***

“Abby,” Carly shouted as soon as I walked into the barn. She, Alice, and Zed were sitting on a couch, watching television, but the two women jumped up and ran over.

I hugged them each and looked them over, making sure they were unhurt. “Are you okay?”

“We're great,” Alice said. “We're over that vampire compulsion and ready to go home.”

I sat with them at a table off to the side. Julie took their seat on the couch next to Zed and turned her attention to whatever he was watching, giving us space. “What will you do if you go back to Aspens Whiten?” I asked.

“I don't want to go,” Carly said. “Zed wants us to move to the East Coast. He knows a lot of people there and thinks we can get good jobs. Maybe I can finally get my degree.”

I sighed with relief, if there was anyone I was worried would easily fall under Leopold's sway again, it was her. She was just a very honest, sweet person and she assumed everyone else was the same. “That's great, Carly. You won't have to worry about Leopold coming after you all the way out there.”

Alice shivered. “Come after us? Why?”

“Because of me,” I said. “Leopold is pissed at me and he's the vampire leader at the moment. He could go after you to get at me, or he might just want you to dance in his club or to be his…” I didn't even want to go there. “It doesn't matter. The point is, it's not safe for you in Aspens Whiten. I don't have much money, but I could help you get out of there, help you get to a new town.”

Alice shook her head, her frown intense. “My family is all in Aspens Whiten, my boyfriend is in Aspens Whiten. I know you've always hated it there, Abby, but I love it. I don't want to leave, and I'm not going to let some blood sucking freak drive me out of town.”

“Okay.” I didn't know she had a boyfriend. He had to be worried about her. “I get that, but maybe you could take a vacation with your boyfriend, get of town for a couple weeks. I can't send you anywhere fancy, but—”

Alice smiled. “I'm not going to take your money, Abby. I'll be fine. I'll lay low for a while and Leopold will forget all about me.” She took both my hands in hers and gave them a squeeze. “I swear it, Abby. Everything will be okay.”

I was terrified for her, but I couldn't force her to move away or stay with the pack. She had a right to make her own choices. “Just be careful, okay?”

She grinned. “Careful as I've ever been.” She released my hands. “Before I go, we should have some fun. One last party to celebrate the end of our stripping lives?”

I was in exactly the right sort of mood for a party, for a night of drinking away my worries and my thoughts of Zane. “Sounds good.”

Julie and Zed joined us at the table when we waved them over, and Alice and Carly produced chips and dip and booze from some secret corners of the barn.

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