Siren Unleashed

Chapter Thirteen

Chase Dawson had never wondered what the day shift at a rural strip club would look like. He didn’t have to. Logic pointed the way to that conclusion, but as the skinny, obviously on drugs and missing a couple of teeth young lady shook her bony ass in his face, he realized logic hadn’t led him far enough down reality road.

“Don’t.” His brother gave the girl named Misty Dawn a five, tucking it into her G-string. “Thanks, darling.” Charming Ben winked the girl’s way and off she went to shake that thing at a couple of truckers two tables over.

At least he thought her name was Misty Dawn given that her lower back was covered in a faded tattoo of a star and bunnies and the words Misty Dawn Rocks. Perhaps the girl simply had a friend she really liked named Misty Dawn. Chase doubted it. “I was only going to point her to the nearest rehab. And ask her to take a bath.”

Ben laughed. “See, I love going undercover. This is where I kick your ass, big brother.”

Chase lowered his voice. He doubted anyone could hear them over the loud thump of decades-old Southern-fried rock, but they should be careful. “I’m going to kick your ass if you keep referring to us being undercover.”

Ben sat back, the collar on his shirt open and a decadent smile plastered on his face. Georgia wasn’t the only one of his siblings who could act. Ben looked like he didn’t notice the stench of the place. It smelled like pickles and despair. The minute they had driven into the dirt parking lot and looked up at the dilapidated prefab building, Chase had kind of wanted to run home.

“Hiya, you boys aren’t from around here, are you?” A woman dressed in what appeared to be strings fashioned into some sort of bikini plunked herself right down on Chase’s lap. She was far better looking than Misty Dawn, but that was only because Chase thought he saw all her teeth. He could be wrong. She wasn’t a wide smiler.

God, she was sitting on his lap and he hadn’t offered. He was so offended he thought seriously about dumping her on her not very well-covered ass. She snuggled up, placing a set of not well-done breasts in his face. And she needed deodorant.

His little brother kicked him under the table, a reminder that they were supposed to be two high-rolling city slickers out for a good time and not one reasonable guy and one picky prick.

Yeah, he knew what Ben was thinking, but Chase was perfectly fine being the picky prick. It normally kept him out of trouble and out of the clutches of women who wore way too much makeup and needed a shave.

Still, he had a job to do. He tried to find the best place to put his hand where he didn’t touch too much skin. Nope. He settled back and hoped he looked like he enjoyed the view.

“What are you city boys doing out here? Come on now. You can tell Twilene.” Twilene wiggled on his lap. God, why hadn’t she picked Ben? She was looking for a hard-on. She was trying to get him erect and all he wanted to do was toss her off his lap and run home to Natalie. Natalie would protect him from strippers.

Natalie, who was still lying in bed sleeping because she’d taken his flogger with such beauty and grace. Natalie, who would look gorgeous on a St. Andrew’s Cross. Natalie, with her delicious pink hair and that jewel on her pussy he wanted to play with.

Twilene giggled. “Someone’s happy to see me.”

Ben gave him an encouraging smile.

“Yeah, uhm, I love strippers.” It was the best he could do. This was why Ben did the undercover and Chase just set everything up.

Ben’s smile turned to a frown, which quickly turned seductive when he looked up at Twilene, who Chase would bet was divorced. There was a tan line on her hand where a wedding ring used to sit. She’d been divorced no more than a couple of months. Faint lines on her abdomen were stretch marks from a pregnancy. Likely more than one.

Her husband had left her, and this was the only job she could get to feed her kids.

His distaste was being crowded out by a nauseating empathy. God, what the fuck was happening to him?

“We all love a beautiful woman, darlin’.” Ben poured on the Texas charm. They’d been here long enough that Ben had picked up the accent. He used it when it amused him.

Twilene giggled again, but now Chase could hear the affectation. Before he’d really studied her, he would have put it off as trying to manipulate a man into paying her way. Now he heard it for what it was, a way to feed her kids and keep a roof over their head.

“Come and have a drink with us,” Chase said. He was aware that his invitation wasn’t as charming as Ben’s but suddenly it was sincere.

“Really?” Twilene hopped off his lap. She blushed a little. “What can I get you boys?”

“Whiskey on the rocks for me,” Ben said.

“Rum and Coke.” He was still in the mood for something sweet. “And can you get us all some fries or chips or something?” He winked, a forced move, and gave her a hundred dollar bill. “And you can keep that change as long as you come back and share it with us.”

Twilene ran as fast as her stripper shoes, which did indeed look shockingly like Georgia’s Louboutins, would carry her.

“That was good, brother. Except for the wink thing. It looked more like a tic. I thought maybe you were having a stroke. Otherwise, nice job.” Ben smiled up at the girl awkwardly twisting her body on the center pole. She needed work. And potentially yoga classes. “So we’re going to work her gently into finding out where we can find some pharmaceutical relaxation. Just follow my lead.”

It wouldn’t be pharmaceutical. It would likely have come straight out of a trailer park meth lab.

“And don’t blow the cover,” Ben said.

Chase looked down at his phone, trying to ignore the horrors around him. No texts. Kitten was supposed to text him the minute Natalie woke up. The last thing he wanted Natalie to think was that he didn’t care enough to watch over her.

He should have stayed. Ben could surely handle one small-town drug ring that had already killed someone. Ben didn’t need him. Right?

“She’s fine.” Ben put a hand on his shoulder. “She’s safe. We need to keep it that way and this is where we start. You’re the brains, man. You know that.”

“Here you go.” Twilene’s smile was a little more genuine as she set the drinks in front of them. She had a tray in her hands and set the table with the ease of a woman who had done it a million times right down to napkins and properly placed knives and forks. “I brought out some fries and chicken wings and mini corn dogs. I know it’s not fancy, but it’s actually pretty good.”

And Twilene was hungry. He noticed the way her hands shook just slightly. There was nothing about her eyes that told him she was on drugs. Her pupils were the right size for the low light. And she didn’t put liquor in front of her, just a tall glass of iced tea.

“How much of that hundred did you have to turn over to the boss?” Chase asked.

She went still. “What?”

“Don’t mind him,” Ben said, obviously trying to smooth over what he felt was a faux pas.

Chase didn’t care. Now that he actually understood what the word “sympathy” meant, he couldn’t help himself. “I want to know how much he took and if you might need some more.”

She looked over her shoulder. “He took it all, but it’s okay. He also told me I could get off my feet for a while and I could eat with you. Usually that’s not really allowed, but not many people flash hundred-dollar bills around here.”

Chase knew where this was going. “You’re supposed to figure out who we are and where we come from and how to get more money out of us, aren’t you?”

“Chase.” Ben hissed the word.

But Chase thought he had a good hold on Twilene. She slumped down into her seat. “Yeah. Sorry. If you want me to, I’ll leave.”

He slid a hand over hers. It felt okay now because there was nothing sexual about it. He’d seen Natalie hold Gretchen’s hand, comforting her when she should have been the one given comfort. Natalie had been through hell, but she still reached out. Natalie would try to help Twilene. “Not at all. Please stay. We’re having a good time. We just like to have all the cards out on the table. I’m Chase. This is my brother, Ben.”

Twilene granted them an enormous smile now, and Chase had been right. All her teeth were there. “I kind of figured you were brothers, what with being twins and all.”

Ben snorted. “I’m much better looking. And we’re going to be here for a few weeks. We’re with Texas Oil and Gas. We’ve had some geologists scouting locations, looking for natural gas pockets like the one on that ranch. What’s the name again?”

Twilene’s eyes widened. “Barnes-Fleetwood? That’s the biggest ranch around. It’s how old Jack Barnes made all that money. I don’t believe the other rumors. I don’t really think he sold his soul to Satan for a hundred million dollars.”

“He’s worth far more than that,” Chase muttered, wondering what century he’d landed in.

“Yes, that’s it. We’re looking for more wells like that one. The geologists are almost certain we’ll find a couple. Maybe even something as big as the Barnett Shale.” Ben sounded like he knew what he was talking about.

“Wow. That could be real good for the economy. How nice and you boys are going to be here for a while?” Twilene dug into the mini corn dogs. She glanced up at the current entertainment and shook her head. “Poor Sally Lyn. She always puts on too much body glitter. I’ve told her it makes the pole slippery.”

Sure enough, Sally Lyn took a header toward the back of the stage. Another girl took her place. Wispers was a well-oiled machine.

“Does the owner know he’s missing an h?” Chase couldn’t let it go. It offended his sensibilities.

Twilene waved that off. “Oh, Cooder, doesn’t believe in silent letters. He says they’re just a way to make a man pay more for his signs.”

So Cooder was a philosopher.

“Anyway, we heard this was the place to come to party.” Ben easily smoothed the path back to where they needed it to go.

“Oh, yeah. We’re not actually in the county here so they leave us alone. We’re unincorporated so we pretty much do as we please,” Twilene explained.

“I like the sound of that.” Ben took a sip of his whiskey. “We’re not used to being out in the sticks and away from civilization, if you know what I mean.”

“Where are you boys staying?”

“We have a nice suite out at the spa.” It was time to dangle some more bait. The spa was the most expensive place in the county. It would also be interesting to whoever was running the underground club.

Twilene’s eyes went wide. “Really? I’ve always wanted to go. I’ve heard it’s real pretty. I know some of the employees come out here from time to time.”

That was interesting. And he couldn’t pounce since he was a bored oil and gas executive who probably shouldn’t give a crap about what the employees of his hotel did with their time.

Ben didn’t pounce either, but Chase was sure he hadn’t missed that little fact. “I’m surprised they would come out here. I walked into that dungeon the other night and thought I might never leave. It’s really nice.”

And there it was, a little flaring of the eyes that told Chase Twilene knew something. There was a hint of distaste, but she was smart enough to cover it up. “I’ve read about places like that.”

Chase shrugged. “I’ve done it all. That dungeon is a little rigid for my tastes. Too many damn rules, but how else am I supposed to amuse myself out here?”

Twilene’s eyes drifted back toward the bar where a burly dude was staring at her. She turned back. “I don’t know, though in a place like this you can probably find something fun to do.”

Chase slid his brother a look. They might not be totally in, but someone was interested in some cash.

Twenty minutes later, they headed out of the parking lot with five hundred dollars’ worth of pot and a number to call if they wanted to really party.

They also left with a tail, a nondescript brown sedan that followed them all the way from the club to the closed gates of the spa.

Chase didn’t like that tail at all.

Nat woke up cuddled up to one of her men. She groaned. She had to stop thinking that way. And then she realized neither Ben nor Chase had boobs. Yep, those were boobs against her back, soft breasts, and there was nothing soft about the Dawson twins. She felt her lips curl up. “How long was I out, Kitten?”

Kitten hugged her from behind. “Not long. Oh, Nat, you subbed out.”

She had. She’d heard that thud, felt it like hard rain on her back, and gone to that place she was sure she’d lost forever.

“Can we start looking at collars?” Kitten asked, rubbing her nose against Nat’s neck.

It wasn’t surprising. When they’d been in the cage, Nat had often awakened from a troubled sleep to find Kitten pressed against her. In the days after they escaped, Nat had slept with Kitten to get her through the night.

She put a hand on Kitten’s, trying to get her to slow down. “Hon, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Just because a flogger still works on me doesn’t mean I’m going to throw myself into another D/s relationship.”

Kitten sat up. “You haven’t been in a D/s relationship before.”

Nat turned, hugging the sheet although it wouldn’t bother Kitten at all to see her naked. She turned and found Kitten staring at her all big, sad eyes and tense mouth. “Sweetie, I do know what you’re saying, but I had a little experience before.”

“But you never had a Dom. Not a long-term one,” Kitten pointed out.

“Neither had you.” It had been worse for Kitten. Katherine Taylor had no training before Hawk morphed her into Kitten. “And I haven’t had a real Dom, not one who belonged to me.”

“A Dom doesn’t belong to you, Natalie. It’s the other way around.” A new voice grumbled through the room. Gretchen turned the corner and entered the playroom. She looked around, her eyes taking in everything. “Wow. Playroom deluxe. Hope it’s okay. They told me you were up here. Is there something you guys want to tell me?”

Gretchen grinned a little, pointedly staring at their undressed forms.

Nat sighed. Naturally Kitten had tossed off her clothes, too. “I fell asleep. I assume the Dawson brothers had something to do so they probably asked Kitten to watch me.”

They wouldn’t want to leave her alone in a place they didn’t know intimately. And they wouldn’t have invited Logan in, therefore they’d used Kitten as her guardian. They really were good Doms.

“I’m supposed to text the Masters when you wake up.” She reached for her ridiculously blinged-out cell phone and started to text. “Chase asked me to text photos of you while you were sleeping. It’s all right. I only got a few where your nipples were showing. The Master will likely be very disappointed. They were concerned about your safety, Nat. They didn’t want you to think they left without a good reason. I do not know what that reason is, but I bet it was good.”

“They aren’t the only ones concerned.” Gretchen wore her spa uniform, dark pants and a spa T-shirt and sneakers. “You just left without telling us where you were going. One minute you’re up for a murder rap and the next you were gone. Damn, Nat, I was worried.”

Nat sighed. Now she would get to hear about all the ways she’d screwed up. Gretchen almost always took the negative view, but then she’d been with Hawk the longest. “Sorry, the Dawson Doms didn’t give me much choice.”

Gretchen’s dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but it shook a little as she laughed. “I am just so shocked that you’re with those guys. Seriously, they’re hot. I like them.”

Holy crapballs. Gretchen didn’t like anyone. “Really?”

Gretchen looked down, frowning. “I’m sorry, Nat. I know I can be a pain in the ass, but I want you to be happy. I’m with Kitten on this one. You should grab them and run and not look back. Whatever happened between you and Stan, it doesn’t matter. They’re rich. They’re smart. You won’t do any time if you stick with them.”

Nat lay back. “I did not kill Stan, Gretchen.”

Gretchen frowned. “Well, I had to ask. I heard rumors about the two of you.”

“God, his wife is crazy. I never touched the man except to get rid of the knots in his traps. The man was a ball of stress.” And it brought up the question as to where Gretchen would have heard rumors. Gretchen didn’t have many friends on staff. She went into town on a regular basis, but as far as Nat knew, she didn’t have friends in town, either. How far spread were these rumors?

“Nat would not have slept with someone called the Furniture King,” Kitten said primly. “I don’t think Nat has slept with anyone since…well, she hasn’t in a while. Except for Master Ben, of course.”

“I doubt there was a lot of sleeping going on,” Gretchen replied.

Nat was well aware she was blushing. “I thought I was sleeping with Chase. Now I kind of want to sleep with both of them.”

“Nat wants a ménage.” Kitten clapped her hands.

Gretchen leaned over, frowning. “What will your parents think?”

“My parents are a D/s couple. They should think this is all their fault. If they had done a better job with teaching me to hide my sexuality, this wouldn’t be happening. Guilt. They should have instilled a whole lot of guilt in me if they didn’t want me to run off with the first two überhot rich Dom twins who need to share. I mean, seriously, they should have planned for that.”

Suddenly she really wanted to talk to her mom. Her mom would be amused by Chase and charmed by Ben. Her dad would hate them both, but that was okay because he was her dad.

And Ben and Chase would likely be horrified that she was thinking about taking them home to meet the folks. God, move fast much, Nat?

She stopped.

“What is it?” Kitten asked, proving she was far more astute than most people gave her credit for.

“You know that little voice in your head? The one that talks to you and makes tons of sarcastic comments?”

Kitten grinned. “I call mine Miss Kitty. She’s quite vulgar.”

Gretchen shook her head. “No. I don’t have some inner voice. I think that’s called insanity, Natalie.”

But it was her insanity. Since she was a kid, she’d had this voice in her head that told her when she was being a dumb-ass. It was the same voice that had whispered to her when it was time to paint and what she should make come alive. It was a voice that died when she’d been taken.

But suddenly she saw herself working, her hands moving across a canvas. Colors. Beiges and greens. Earth tones for Ben. He was rooted, a glorious man who built a home for the ones he loved. Blues and reds for Chase because his head was a chaotic, beautiful mess. She saw the whole painting in one flash of imagery. Sleek lines and gorgeous colors. It would encompass the way she felt. Free. Saved.

“Nat, you’re crying.” Kitten touched her face, wiping away the tears she hadn’t known she was shedding.

“I’m happy.”

She was. She wanted to work. She hadn’t wanted to work in years. Oh, she went to her job, but that was what it was—a way to earn cash. Painting, that was her work, and she’d ignored it for years. She didn’t even own a paintbrush anymore.

“OMG, you guys are pervs. Seriously, what’s up with y’all and no clothes?” Georgia walked in carrying a small black bag.

Abby Barnes followed right behind her. “Don’t worry about it, hon. This space has seen a ton of nudity.” Abby was a gorgeous woman who looked younger than her forty plus years. She wore tight-fitting jeans and a green shirt that accentuated her skin and red hair. “Now, I came up here to tell you that dinner is in twenty minutes and your men are on their way back. Georgia here seemed to think you might want to pretty up.”

“I brought my makeup. All Chanel. I’m so excited. Makeover. Ben and Chase asked me earlier to play around and see if I can make you look a little different. You know, for the undercover work. They know I spent some time on the stage. I totally got into makeup and costumes. And Abigail has a shockingly large collection of wigs.” Georgia grinned as she started to open her overly large makeup bag.

Abby laughed. “Well, I have been known to play dress up. Though I seriously doubt they want you in the naughty nun’s habit or looking like the slutty nurse.”

“I don’t know. My brothers have some weird taste.” Georgia opened her case.

Nat grimaced. She didn’t really love makeup, but Chase and Ben were so hot she felt a need to try, and Georgia obviously knew what she was doing. She was lovely and so put together. Nat’s version of a chic outfit was whatever went with her uniform pants. Georgia was their sister. She fit into their world. How the hell was Nat supposed to fit in? She’d grown up fairly middle class and her parents hadn’t exactly been mainstream. Ben and Chase had grown up rich.

Of course, this little session wasn’t really about making her look good. They wanted her to look different. So she could go undercover with them as their sub.

“Maybe I should wash my face first.” It seemed like a good idea before someone put a bunch of makeup on her. Abby handed her a robe, and she made her way to the bathroom.

Nat heard the chatter as everyone told Kitten to put on some clothes and Kitten pouted. It was kind of nice to be surrounded by people. She’d walled herself off for the last few years, choosing to be alone as much as possible.

“Hey, they have enough makeup out there to kill a cow, you know.” Gretchen leaned against the doorway.

Nat smiled, turning on the hot water. “Georgia seems very knowledgeable.”

“Yeah. So you and these guys, huh?”

Why did Gretchen have to be so curious? “I don’t know. Right now it’s just play, you know?”

“I didn’t think you played anymore.” There was a hint of judgment in Gretchen’s voice. “You’ve ignored the Doms who were interested in you.”

Nat found a washcloth and soaked it in hot water. “I wasn’t interested in them.”

“You don’t think that’s a little arrogant of you?”

Nat stopped, staring at Gretchen through the mirror. “Where are you going with this, Gretchen? I have the right to decide who I want to be with. Just because some Dom thinks he wants me doesn’t mean I have to go with him. Where is this coming from?”

She shrugged, her brown eyes sliding away. “I just know some Doms who said you were rude. I think it’s unbecoming.”

Nat felt her shoulders square. “Who said I was rude?”

“I’m not going to break trust. Just know you’re getting a reputation.” Gretchen looked at her through the mirror. “I think it’s great that you found a Dom. I wish it hadn’t been two, but you tend to do things your own way. I don’t think a ménage can really work. Men are jealous creatures.”

“They’re fine. They’ve shared before.” But Chase’s words were coming back to haunt her. He hadn’t wanted to share this time. He’d wanted her for himself. What if he changed his mind?

“I hope you’re right. I just worry that two men can’t really share.”

“I think Jack Barnes and Sam Fleetwood would say something different.” Jack and Sam shared a wife and each other.

“It’s not the same. Jack is the head of this household. Jack makes the rules. Sam and Abby both belong to him. It would be different if Sam wasn’t sleeping with Jack, too. How do two alpha males share?”

When they seemed to share one brain, how could they not? Still Gretchen’s words were making her think a little too much. Was it something that could work over the long term? All the long-term threesomes she knew had a Dom and two subs. She’d heard Leo was sharing with his brother, but they’d only been together for a short while and they’d had a rocky start. How could someone as obviously possessive as Chase really share? “Like I said, it’s not serious.”

Gretchen sniffled a little. “It can be hard to share, to give and give to a person and to know they still want someone else.”

Nat turned. “What are you talking about?”

Gretchen shook her head, standing up straight. “I’m just making a point. Jealousy will always happen. But you know better than the rest of us, don’t you? You always have.”

“I never said I was smarter than anyone else.”

Gretchen held out her hands palms up. “I’m screwing this up. I’m sorry, Nat. It’s been a stressful couple of days.”

“Yeah, I know.” She was the one under scrutiny for murder.

Gretchen was the one who huffed. “You know this isn’t easy on anyone. This has been hard on me. You’re important to me. I need you.”

Nat took a deep breath because Gretchen was self-centered, not selfish. She had to remember the difference. Gretchen had been through a lot. “I know. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you where I was going.”

“I understand. I do think I like them, Nat. They seem nice. Well, one of them seems nice. The other one seems like a Dom.” Gretchen smiled a little. “I guess you know which one I would prefer.”

Nat toweled off her face and thought about what Tate had said when they had talked by the pool a couple of days back. “Are you looking for a Dom?”

A smug smile lit Gretchen’s lips. “I kind of have one.”

Nat sighed inwardly. “Tate?”

A little smile lit up her face. “He wants me, but I haven’t taken a collar yet. I have to be sure. I think he’s going to test me before he asks, but I’m ready for it. I have to admit something, Nat. I was very lonely until he got here. The last seven months have been so nice. He’s really brought me back to life. He’s very commanding, very domineering.”

“Are we talking about the same Tate?” Nat asked. Tate was laid back. He was kind of known as the Surfer Dom. He played and he was obviously well trained, but he hadn’t struck Nat as a twenty-four-seven kind of guy.

“You don’t know him the way I do. He’s what I need. He’s very dominant in the bedroom.”

“You’ve slept with him?” Damn. How had she not seen that?

Gretchen shrugged. “I’m not as damaged as you. I can handle it. I know what I want, Nat.”

“But do you really know what Tate wants?” Because according to Tate himself, it wasn’t Gretchen.

“I know what he thinks he wants, but sometimes men can be stupid. He’ll come around. I’ll give him what he really needs, and he’ll see that we belong together.” Gretchen’s eyes went oddly cold. “Stay away from him, Nat.”

“I didn’t try to get close to him.”

“Just see that you do. He’s mine.”

“I thought a Dom didn’t belong to a sub.” Frustration welled as she realized that she might not be able to put up with Gretchen’s shit much longer. Years had gone by and this was what she got from Gretchen?

“I’m a good sub. I know how to treat my Dom. And I know how to protect him, too.” Gretchen ran a hand through her hair. “Sorry. I just really like him.”

Gretchen gave her that same smile she always used, but for the first time Nat could see it didn’t really reach her eyes. Maybe Nat had been so mired in her own misery that she hadn’t seen Gretchen’s.

“I don’t want him to hurt you,” Nat said. Gretchen had been hurt before, so fucking hurt.

“He’s not the one who can hurt me,” Gretchen replied. “Anyway, I’m going back out to tell Gaby you’re okay. I think I’ll skip the makeover. I have some things to do. See you tomorrow, I hope.” Gretchen walked out, taking her dark cloud with her.

“I don’t like the way she talked to you, Nat.” Kitten slid into the bathroom, a robe belted around her body.

“She’s still in a bad place.”

“You’ve made excuses for her for a long time,” Kitten pointed out. “I know you made them for me, too, but the only person I lashed out at was myself. I worry about her.”

“I worry about her, too.”

“Not the way I do. I think she could hurt you, Nat. I think she’s always hated how strong you are. I think she’s used your generous nature to get ahead, but when you’re no longer useful, she’ll turn on you.” Kitten took a long breath. “I hate talking like this. I hate dealing with problems. They should just go away or a Dom should take care of them for you, but I love you too much to ignore this. She’s toxic, Nat.”

“She’s just closed off.” But Nat wasn’t so sure. Habit forced her to defend her friend. “You’re not around her as much as I am.”

“Yes, which is why I can easily see the problem.” Kitten took her hand. “Come on. Let’s have fun and forget about her. Abigail is explaining D/s to Georgia and though Georgia is using a lot of words like ‘ewww’ and ‘gross,’ her pupils are dilated. Master Logan is going to have so much fun taming her. I hope I get to watch.”

Nat snorted a little. She had to stop doing that. “I don’t know about that. Logan seems pretty hands-offish when it comes to her.”

Kitten smiled. “Oh no. I know a good couple when I see them. Though now that I think of it, Master Logan might need a partner. I’ve heard about the town he comes from. I’ll think on it a bit. Hurry up. I want to make sure you’re perfectly gorgeous for the Masters when they return.” She turned back in the doorway. “Though you should know, I always think you’re beautiful, Natalie. You can’t help it. It’s just who you are.”

Nat felt it again, that pricking at her eyes.

She sniffled a little, washed her face, and joined the girls. If Kitten was going to play matchmaker that was a show Nat intended to watch.