𝐁𝐔𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐄

33

We arrive at Ethayn's, and Ali is wearing the comfortable smile of someone who thinks they have a new ally with ease, as I step out of his sleek sports car.

"When you're done at the mall, I'll pick you up and take you back to Dieson's...I don't know if we can trust Ethayn enough for you to ride back with her."

"Why? What's wrong with her?" I question.

He seems to think on something for a moment, before honking his horn. I see her front door knob twist and Ali shoots down the road in his vehicle.

What an ass. And how was I supposed to contact him anyways? Maybe that was another necessity I'd pick up while at the mall. But I don't have any money of my own, and Dieson's credit card is likely being monitored beyond my imagination. I don't have any physical cash. What could I do?

"Hey, gorgeous," Ethayn waved, "Where's your ride? I don't have one?" She was going to invest money in Dieson's club, but didn't have her own car?

"Oh, uh-

"I just figured you would. With Dieson and all. I prefer to bike around when I can. Didn't know if you would be comfortable doing that," she added.

"Uh, we can bike," I look down at my jeans and makeshift crop top, the top being a bit risqué but most of my clothes were anyways. I needed normal people clothes.

Ethayn and I head up to her garage, filled with scooters, bikes, and a lone motorcycle. She points it to it, not sparing me any details. "I had sex on that once." My mouth forms an 'O', but her back is to me before she can notice. I'm clumsy starting off, but I don't want to be left behind nor admit that I'm not the best at riding. Eventually, I catch the hang of it, and Ethayn and I are gliding along in the brisk weather as I regret choosing the clothes that I did, although my choices were limited.

"Beautiful day," Ethayn commented, looking at peace.

"Have you thought anymore about the club deal?" I ask slyly.

The roads are lined with houses, but as we leave the small cluster of homes that I would call a neighborhood, we're left on a small one-way street with trees on either side, and soft, wild grass with small wildlife scittering through it. We ride in the road, but I have yet to see a car pass, but have seen several other bicycles and one horse. I guess Canada had a lot of similarities between here and the hood- you could find horses in either places.

"I already told you I'd help you find lingerie for my idea. But you guys need to talk. Need to become in tune with one another," she advised. Maybe if Dieson and I pretended to be more functional than we are, then Ethayn would want to close the deal with him. I consider this as we bike. It would get money flowing in, but the sooner the deal is closed, the sooner I'll have to betray Dieson and my family.

They're not your family, only your aunt is, I think bitterly, reminding myself of the true facts.

"I think he'll go for something modest, but teasing. He isn't really into the butt-naked thing like you might think," Ethayn spotted my expression, it probably looked disbelieving, "I mean, I know the sort of girls he's around are typically half-dressed, if they're dressed at all, but don't you think if he's around skin all day that he would welcome a haven away from it? You could be that. You have to be yourself but also what he needs. You have to be more than those other girls. It's easy for a man like Dieson to want to be distracted if he doesn't have any faith with you."

"He hasn't cheated," I mutter.

"Hm," is all that Ethayn says.

Again, I question her motives.