Leather and Lace (Editing)

Cheaper 18

Chapter 18

The loud music was still vibrating through my ears as I tiredly walked along the footpath and away from the club.

The cold wind was making my bare legs prickle with goosebumps and a shiver rake through my spine.

It was a stupid idea to not change into my more comfortable, less revealing clothes after my shift but I really couldn't be bothered. It was so busy tonight and all the drunken, sleazy men wanting more than just a drink really took it out of me.

Of course I didn't give them what they wanted but just having to convince them away from the idea was enough work, on top of having to cater for all the drinks everyone wanted at the same time.

I heard the soft rumble of a car coming up beside me and peeked a glance, making sure it wasn't some creep.

I squinted through the dark and tried to uselessly make out the figures behind the heavily tinted windows.

I slightly remembered all the previous encounters with sleazy, perverted guys in my time and started to walk sightly faster, but when the car slowed even more and I heard an annoyed female voice yelling at someone I slightly relaxed.

I slowed my pace back down so I could listen to there conversation a little. I know, I know. It's wrong but a shiny expensive black car around these parts would get anybody curious.

"Why the hell did you have to bring us here?! Seriously, do you always have to take stupid shortcuts and get us lost?" I felt sorry for the person at the receiving end of this conversation. Her voice was high pitched and squeaky. I could already imagine her being exactly like Stacey.

"And I mean look at this place. It's disgusting. We'll get mugged any minute now. Look! There's even prostitutes." She spat with venom lacing her words and I could tell she would be scrunching her face in disgust. There must be a window open or something otherwise I wouldn't have been able to hear so much.

And I couldn't exactly blame her for her for mistaking me for a prostitute. I wasn't far from it and this work outfit was too revealing for its own good.

"Look. I'm sorry babe. I just thought it would be quicker." Another more masculine voice tried to sooth. It was a voice so silky and soft I almost went running in its direction and probably would have if I wasn't frozen on the pavement.

It was a voice committed to memory. His voice I would recognize bundled within a thousand others.

One that still pulled at my heart strings painfully but made me warm at the same time. The one that made me so conflicted.

The one that made me run away along the footpath, with the wind whipping my hair and sticking it to my suddenly sweating forehead. The goosebumps now covered my body from the bundle of nerves building in my stomach, making me shake to the bone as I tried not to stumble over my own feet.

I slightly heard giggling in the background, which I soon left behind but it still rung in my ears like sickening chimes.

I didn't realized my cheeks were wet with tears until I felt the cold hit them and hastily whipped them away before I turned the corner to Ethan's house.

I didn't stop running until my heels sunk into the soggy dirt of the dead lawn and breathed a big sigh to steady my breathing.

The lights were off inside, telling me Ethan was asleep. Of course. He sends me off to make the money until early morning while he does shit all, but that's not even worth thinking about right now.

The only thing to consume my reeling mind was that voice. It was unmistakable.

It was Ian.

Slipping into the covers next to a snoring Ethan, I failed to even get near a state of sleep. My mind was wide awake and more confused then ever but I eventually made my it wonder and found myself shutting my eyes.