I guess her kind of work makes it easy for her. Maisie is a freelance stripper.
So while I'm at work during the day, she's at home entertaining her boyfriends, and then once it's seven at dusk, she leaves for work.
I puff a breath, gather whatever's within reach, and shove out of the car, slamming it shut.
A little stride across the asphalt leads me in front of the steps. I maneuver it nonchalantly and slide my key into the door.
The moment I step inside, the smell of musk hits me. And then I hear the moans.
"Ugh! What's with me and moans today?" I grumble.
Obviously, Maisie's too busy to realize I'm around.
Passing the foyer, I arrive in our small living room, where I see her bouncing on a man.
Her chest is bare, and her black denim skirt rides up her waist.
Her tits jiggle with every bounce she delivers over the man's cock.
Her eyes screwed shut in pleasure.
From the mop of red, mussed hair and uniform on the man, I realize it's the sheriff who lives opposite us.
He skipped work just to fuck Maisie? I'm totally blown away right now.
Their cries of pleasure pitch in volume, the sheriff lands his palms on her breasts and fondles, but I just couldn't take it anymore, so I interrupt.
"Ahem!"
I clear my voice so loud, it sounds like a broken record.
They both squeal and scramble off each other.
"Christ, Laura!" Maisie yelps, covering her tits and pulling her skirt down.
The sheriff quickly buckles up, flicking a sorry look at me in between, and then bolts away when he's done.
"Girl, are you a pussy-blocker or what? I was just getting my itch scratched."
"It appears so," I chirp, walk further into the room, and slump into the couch beside the one they were banging each other on. "Since all I've been doing this afternoon is walking in on people having sex."
My face falls at that, and so does my shoulder. The hurt returns, rubbing off on me. The tears start to leak from my eyes again.
"Hey, flower girl, what's up? Why do you look so glum?"
Flower girl, that's what she always called me back when we lived with grandma because every year, I always received a bouquet of bluebells from an anonymous person on my birthdays. It made me start a small garden in grandma's backyard in Maryland.
I look over at Maisie, willing myself to speak, but words fail me. Only the tears rush out.
She scoots close to me, sitting on the armrest and pulling me toward her. Her fingers rake my hair as she coos.
"It's okay, flower girl. No more tears, you've got me," her voice softens. "Tell me who the fucker is, and I'm going to kick his ass..." Maisie drifts off, as if realizing what's truly happening, she gasps.
"Liam, right?" I look up at her through bleary eyes, not speaking. But she reads it on my face immediately.
"He wasn't really going to propose to you, was he?" Her teeth grit. Tessa must have told her about the ring, too. "That piece of shit!" She shoots me a glare. Then. "You saw him screwing some bitch?"
I nod. "His ex. And then he...told me to be the third person in their bed."
A string of expletives escapes her lips. She punches the air and growls.
I've never seen her growl before.
"I knew that son of a bitch was only pretending to love you!"
"Yeah, you won," I gripe.
She sighs, turning to look at me, "I don't mean to gloat, but Liam truly isn't good for you, Laura."
"Would you know if someone will be good for me?" I shoot, blinking up at her.
She smiles, leans close, and wipes my tears with her thumbs. "Of course, there would be. I don't do relationships, I mean, romantic relationships, but when I see the one for you, that truly loves you, I'd know."
She smacks her lips. "But in the meantime..."
Maisie glances down at the things I heaped on my lap. A frown appears on her temple.
"What?" I ask.
She reaches a hand to my bag, pulling out the rumpled paper attached to the hand, and unfolds it.
The crease on her forehead irons out, and she begins to blink wildly.
"What's wrong?" I ask, getting curious.
And she turns the paper to me, not just paper. It's a flyer. Probably the one I saw attached to my sedan.
I read the wording.
"Sin House. The Ultimate Room X,"
I hadn't seen the image in the background before because it's blurry, but I see it now.
Some naked women tied to guillotines and suspension rigs.
I cut my gaze back at her, shrugging.
"Where did you get this?" She asks.
"I saw it attached to my car earlier. Didn't even know I came with it."
To my surprise, Maisie squeals, kicking the air.
"What's the fuss about?"
"I'm stripping there tonight! Sin House is the most elite sex Club in L.A. That's where the big fishes in the city do their thing, flower girl!"
"O-kay? That's good news, I guess?"
"Totally," She stares at the flyer again, then. "And since you're in bad shape, coming there with me tonight is a totally good idea..."
"Oh, no. No. Bad idea, Maisie..."
"No, flower girl. It's a freaking ass good idea! Don't you see? God probably wants you to unwind there and forget shits about some cheating cock, Flower girl." She stands, hands on her waist. "I'll be a bad cousin if I let you stay alone in this house, drowning in sorrow because of heartbreak."
"Maisie, clubs- sex clubs, are not my thing."
"One night of fun in sin won't hurt, come on." She says, meaning it.
Although I still want to protest, Liam's words about me not being fun in bed hit me square in the face.
Why don't I go out there and find out if he's really telling the truth or not?
A streak of doubt rears in, but with how determinedly Maisie's dragging me upstairs, I have no other option but to give in.
TBC.