Page 23 of Laila Manning
“Which is why I lied and tricked you into coming with me here tonight.” She winked and held the door open for me. “Mav agreed to close the store down an hour early so we could do this,” She waved her hand for me to enter, “So come on.”
I groaned but rushed in ahead of her as the cool evening followed in after me. “Carly, I can’t do this.”
Racks upon racks of sexy clothes and lingerie stared back at me like strangers judging me.
“Yes, you can.” She reassured me for the tenth time since letting me in on her plan as we left our last stop at the salon. I should have known she had more up her sleeve besides the fresh highlights and blow-out she surprised me with today. “Your sexuality is a powerful tool.”
“It’s a weapon used against women by predators and pearl-clutchers to trick us into thinking we somehow asked to be targeted and brutalized simply because of the clothing we dress ourselves with.” I snapped back and then sighed, hating that I talked to her that way. “That wasn’t fair, I’m sorry.”
“It’s true.” She stared me down. “Sexuality can be used against us by everyone. Our family and friends, partners and first dates, strangers online, predators who attack and abuse us, the possibilities are endless.”
“Then why do it?” I questioned, waving my hand out at her tight neon pink leather pants and sexy black crop top with matching pinklaces tying it together over her chest. It wasn’t that the outfit was particularly revealing, there was only a sliver of skin between the top of her pants and the bottom of her shirt that showed. But it was the intent of it that rubbed me wrong.
It gave off alook-at-mevibe.
“Because I enjoy it.” She replied. “I enjoy dressing up in a way that gets attention and makes me feel good about myself. I have zero intent of doing anything about any of the attention from anyone besides your brother, but knowing that I can get it excites me, nonetheless.”
“Even after everything?” I lowered my voice. “After how your reputation and appearance made you a target for those men to use you?” I brought up our time together in the brothel for one of the first times since my rescue.
“Is that what you’re scared of?” She questioned, stepping closer. “Do you think if you embrace your body and sex appeal that it will draw the wrong attention and make you a target again?” She tilted her head. “Women survive every day without anything bad happening to them, dressed just like this and even more over the top.” She tried reasoning.
“And women endure torture every day for doing far less than simply wearing clothes that draw unwanted attention.” I countered. “I guess it’s just too much risk for the reward.”
Her shoulders dropped slightly, “I’m so sorry that you feel so threatened by everything. Believe me, Laila,” she said, taking my hand and squeezing it, “If I had one wish from a genie, or one do-over for anyone or anything in this world, I would erase all the bad things that happened to you.”
“I don’t want to change it all.” I whispered, surprising her. “In a way, I know things have to happen for a reason. I know things have to follow a certain path to come out the other side the way they have.”I squeezed her hand back, “Believe it or not, I still don’t regret saving you from Titus that night. Because it brought you into my life, and it gave me back Jed.” I fought to keep tears from my eyes. “So, I wouldn’t change all of it. But I would change some of it.”
“So maybe we can find a way to change some things, but not all of it.” She smiled sadly, wiping away her own tears and blowing her bangs out of her face. “Small bits and pieces.”
“Small bits and pieces.” I eyed the racks near us and fought the smile that she always managed to bring out of me. “Just maybe.”
I tugged the shirt down for the hundredth time and then groaned at how it just exposed my chest even more. Carly snickered from next to me on the sidewalk as we left Mav’s boutique with bags upon bags of new clothes for me.
On Ryker’s dime. Yet another debt to add to the growing list in my journal. Which reminded me I really needed to get another job.
Carly’s car was parked in the VIP section of Lux Strip Club, conveniently located down the street from Mav’s and also conveniently guarded by the jacked bouncers of Ryker’s swanky club.
“I can’t wait to see all these new clothes on you.” Carly smiled brightly as she popped the trunk and helped me put the bags in.
A man from the front of Lux called out to Carly. “Hey Sunshine, here to bring some class back to Lux?” I looked over the car at the man in a flashy suit as he chatted with the bouncers before going into the club. “God knows we all miss you.” He was middle age but surprisinglynormal looking for a man walking into a strip club on a Wednesday evening. I always imagined that the only men who frequented places like this were seedy and gross.
Maybe that was just the men who went to brothels.
Carly smirked and gave a pretty pout. “Those days are long behind me now, Tom.” She winked. “I’m a paying customer every time I walk in there these days.”
“Too bad.” The man named Tom shrugged good-heartedly. “See ya around, Sunshine.” He called before walking through the front door and disappearing into the dimly lit foyer.
Carly shook her head, still smiling. “Do you miss it?” I questioned, nodding to the building.
“All the time.” She answered honestly. “When the longing gets too big, I just go in as a customer and tip the girls big and enjoy myself as a spectator.”
“Hmm.” I hummed, staring at the elegant neon sign on the front of the building. We were in a decent part of town, and I was having trouble wrapping my head around what kind of stuff went on inside the black brick building surrounded by boutiques and bars.
“What is it?” Carly asked, watching me closely.
“Hmm?” I snapped out of it. “Nothing.”
“Laila.” She raised an eyebrow at me. “You can be honest with me.”
