Brave Enough

Twenty-Two

"Dad? Buck? Jerome? What are you guys doing here? How did you find me?" James steps back mortified. "Jerome I'm not giving you a lap dance. I'll just give y'all your money back." James turns to leave.

"So you're just going to leave us like that? We spend five weeks looking for you and Cleo and this is how you respond?" Buck asks. His heart starts to tear. James steps back towards them.

"I assume you showed them the letter, Jerome?" He nods. "Did you not understand it, Buck. He'll kill all of us. I'd rather lose those I love and have them living than have them dead." Buck closes in on her. "I love you Evan but I cannot let you die." He takes her face in his hands and leans down to kiss her. James lets her body melt into his taking in the warmth of his body. Letting her body remember how he felt, how being wrapped in his love felt.

       "Echo! I'm here to help! Jolie said you had three and might need..." Maisie walks into the room and gasps. "Echo you can't screw the customers. Jerome and Marcus try to stifle their laughs. "Um Echo?"

      "It's okay kid. That girl is a long way from home. That's her breath of fresh air," Jerome says. Maisie gives him a confused look. "James and Buck are a couple."

       James finally pulls herself away from Buck. "Maisie. Oh my god. I'm so sorry. Long story short my name is really James. This is Buck. The one I told you about." James raises her eyebrow. "Oh and Winnie is my sister. Her name is Cleo. That's our dad Marcus and the guy you were just speaking to is Jerome. He's a friend." Maisie' eyes go wide.

       "He's the.." James runs up and covers Maisie's mouth.

      "Shhhh...." James leans into her, "I'm not ready to tell him," she whispers. Maisie nods.

      "Nice to meet you guys. I'm Maisie. Soo like are they getting dances or not?"

      "I'll take one," Jerome says.

        "I get off in an hour and have to pick up Cleo. Maybe we can all go to dinner at Lolo's. You can meet Maisie's boyfriend Jorge and then Raven, her boyfriend Jake, and their son Koby." Nausea hits James and she has to fight the urge to show it."

Maisie notices James's hesitation. "James lets go out back for a second you look like you need some air." James nods.

"I'll get your money when I get off," Maisie pulls James out of the VIP room and out the back door. The minute the door is closed James drops to her knees and throws up onto the pavement.

"It's okay Echo. I'm going to keep calling you that. I assume there is a reason you were using that name and not your actual name. Even if you do go back home you still have Raven and I. We're going to be friends for a long time," Maisie says holding James's hair back as she throws up.

"Hey what's going on? Jolie sent me out because you guys left a VIP group?" Raven asks walking out of the club. "Oh, shit Echo are you okay?"

"She'll be fine. So will the group. They weren't here for an actual dance. They were here for her. Echo we should go back. We'll get off soon. I'm sure Buck is going to want to have you in his arms soon," Maisie says. Lifting to her feet James follows Raven and Maisie into the club. "Go drink something before you go on stage. It will settle your stomach for now." Maisie instructs.

"The one with the blonde hair and light blue eyes should probably get his rash checked," Raven says making James laugh.

"It's a birthmark. Like the one on my shin. It's a bit unusual but I love it."

"Hello Echo. Come to Papi. We can have some fun tonight," a man behind James says grabbing her hips and pulling her into him. James can feel his growing arousal pushing up against the small of her back making her shudder with discomfort. "You pretty little lady. I see you at the motel all alone with that little girl. Come on I'll be her new daddy. You just have to let me fuck you." His rancid breath running over her skin making the nausea return to her.

****

"Which way do we go?" Buck asks. Holding James's hand in his Buck walks on the street along the sidewalk where James is.

"This way. We're almost there. I've missed you. I swear I was just trying to keep you all safe. I couldn't bear the thought of you dying because of me being selfish and staying with you. I wouldn't be able to live knowing you died because of my choice." Buck stops in the street.

"James, that is my choice to make. Not yours. Not Colin's mine. You are coming home to me and that is final. Athena and I have been making a plan for the three of us. For when we get back to LA. At this point, we are going to have to fight Colin. It's only a matter of time before we have to." They stop in front of a small home.

"Stay here. I'll be right back out with her," James leaves him without waiting for a response. "Hola Mrs. Consuelos. I'm here for Winnie." Cleo runs up and hugs James. She squats to eye level to speak to Cleo. "I have a surprise waiting outside for you. Are you ready?" Cleo excitedly jumps up and down.

"Hello beautiful girl," Buck says. Cleo runs into his arms.

"Buck! I missed you. I love you, Buck," she says hugging tightly. James hugs both of them feeling her heart finally reforming. Silent tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks. Buck stands back and puts Cleo on his shoulders. Keeping one hand on her he slips the other under James's jaw.

"Te amo, mi Amor (I love you, my love)," he says before kissing her.

Do you guys like the new cover?