Page 8 of Liberate Us

“Are you sure? I don’t give a shit if Sammy’s attracted to you.You say the word and we can make them leave. And…”

I looked up then, being met by my friend’s concerned stare. “Continue.”

She sighed, pulled her long blond hair back into a ponytail, andtied an elastic around her hair. “I just worry about you. I don’t want you toend up with another guy like Aaron.”

I laughed then, rising to my full height. “Trust me. Sammy may bean ass, but he is nothing like Aaron.”

“And how do you know that?” she asked, stepping in line with meas I neared the room that held change rooms, costumes and anything else thegirls needed to spice up their routines whenever they danced.

I thought a moment. HowdidI know that? It wasn’t like Iknew Sammy really. I knew he was brooding, possessive and overbearing but Ididn’t really know much about him other than that. “I guess I don’t actuallyknow.”

“He’s made the other girls cry,” Shawnee pointed out.

“I know.” I pushed open the door that led to outfits of alldifferent colors. “Have you heard from Gigi? She’s supposed to be teaching us anew routine.” Gigi Rodriguez was a former ballerina who hurt her knee afterfalling on it the wrong way. She taught us a routine a while ago that we didfor Candace, our boss, and she loved it. A few tears were shed but sheappreciated it nonetheless.

“Stop trying to change the subject.”

“Listen.” I turned toward my friend, someone who had been by myside since we were kids. “I’m attracted to Sammy. There I said it. What hewants is strictly just sex. No emotions. No commitments. Just pure sex.”

Shawnee frowned. “Is that what you want?”

“It’s all I can handle now, but Sammy is not Aaron. How do Iknow this? I don’t know exactly but with Aaron, there were red flags almostinstantly that I missed or ignored.” I shrugged. “I was young and naïve. Youknow how shy and awkward I was growing up. Aaron was the first boy who noticedme, and I fell in love almost instantly.” I sighed, not liking to think ill ofthe dead but the bastard got what he wanted. I never even had a chance todivorce him before he died. It was like that fact alone made it seem like hestill had his clutches in me.

“Just be careful,” Shawnee said gently, pulling me from mythoughts.

“I will. I’m going to organize this room finally like Candaceasked, so you girls don’t have to do it.”

“And so you don’t have to see a brooding biker?” Shawnee laughedlightly.

“Yeah.”

She came up behind me, wrapping her arms around me from behind.“I love you, Amber, and I can understand being attracted to him but if he hurtsyou, I will gut him like a fucking fish. I stayed back and minded my ownbusiness with Aaron, but no more.” She spun me around. “You hear me?”

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her against me. “I hearyou.”

“Good.” She gave me a squeeze and slapped my ass.

I yelped, jumping away from her. “Seriously.”

She laughed. “I’ll leave you alone. Just make sure to lock thedoor behind me.”

“I will.” I followed her to the door and closed it behind heronce she left the room. Clicking the lock into place, I looked out at the roombefore me. As much as I thought I could distract myself from thoughts of Sammy,I knew that it would be almost impossible. I also knew that I would text him.Eventually. Maybe not tonight. Or even tomorrow night. But it would happen.

He knew it. I knew it.

It was only a matter of when.

Amber

It had been afew days since I’d seen Sammy andWill. Both of them got under my skin in very different ways. Sammy for the goodand Will for the bad. Very bad. Every time I saw him, it reminded me of howstupid I’d been as a young girl. I wanted attention. I craved it. I didn’t growup with a father, so maybe that was part of my issue. Aaron wanted me. Willwanted me. Two guys. What more could a girl ask for? But the way they wanted mewas unhealthy. I just didn’t know it at the time.

Even though Aaron was no longer around, I felt like he was attimes because both he and his brother had been so much alike. It was unreal.They weren’t twins, but they were close, and their personalities were quitesimilar. But if I had to choose between both of them, as much as he had hurt meover the years, I would have chosen Aaron every single time. There wassomething off about Will. Always had been.

It was now Thursday evening, and I had the night off. I wassitting on my bed with my laptop in front of me, getting ready to video chat withmy mom. It had been a routine we did often, at least twice a month, sometimesmore if life allowed it.

Getting comfortable, I turned on the computer and waited for itto load. I sent my mom a quick text, letting her know that I was about to videocall her. Once the laptop was booted up, I called her through Facebook andwaited for her to answer.

When she finally did, I couldn’t help but smile. My mom was morethan just my mom. She was my best friend. Between her, Shawnee, and the othergirls at Rouge, I had the best friends a girl could ever ask for. While I hadknown Shawnee the longest, I was close with all of them.

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