Vaudeville Runaway, page 10
Kitty had to admit she was learning a lot with Calvin, Adam, and Damien. That would only help her. And the clubs in Vegas were always hiring if you were good enough.
That is if she didn’t end up in jail for stabbing Matteo with her shoe. She’d left it there at the scene of the crime and everything. There was no way she could say it hadn’t been her. Nope. The whole thing would depend on the self-defense angle.
Which wasn’t a lie.
Sighing she drank half her wine and Mamie smiled. “Are you sure you’re not French?” she asked, pouring more into Kitty’s glass.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to get me drunk.” Kitty grinned and drank more, enjoying the warmth it gave her. The giant cable-knit sweater she wore dwarfed her and the black was stained with flour but she didn’t care.
Kitty wore her favorite fleece-lined leather pants the most. They kept her legs from freezing which was one of those weird problems she’d always had in Washington. No one ever told you how to keep your knees warm when wearing a long jacket and boots.
“You should enjoy it,” Mamie told her, standing to come around the table. “Us shifters can’t really get drunk unless we really try. So indulge, for me.” The old woman gave her a big bear hug and then started fussing, pulling up Kitty’s thick, neon-pink socks. Mamie patted her boots and then kissed her cheeks. “I’m here if you need anything.”
Maybe it was the wine or maybe it was the swirling emotions that made her feel so vulnerable, but Kitty felt tears fill her eyes and she couldn’t blink them back as she threw her arms around Mamie’s neck. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have you and Laura to keep me company while they’re working.”
Mamie muttered in French and patted Kitty’s cheek harder than necessary. “Go join your friend and don’t fall in the fire.”
Kitty laughed and kissed the old woman’s cheek. She wiped the tears from her face and remembered to grab her wine glass. “Just so we’re clear I’m not sure that’s something I can promise.”
Laughing, Mamie smacked her ass as she ran out of the tent to join Laura around the bonfire.
The witch looked up when she heard her approach. Kitty saw Laura’s hand in Paul’s and felt her heart swell for her friend. Things were going so well. And she was enjoying herself more than she’d ever thought possible.
Which meant of course that her bad luck was probably going to rear its ugly head soon.
Kitty shoved that thought down hard and took the folding chair next to Laura, content to spend all night there. The heat of the bonfire warmed her skin and she wiggled down, stretching her legs out.
If she made it through this lawsuit, Kitty decided she would stay for a while and see everything the circus had to offer before she made a permanent decision. This wasn’t something she was ready to give up just yet.
Chapter Twelve
Kitty
“I heard you’ve been hanging out over here,” Adam said, walking up to the bonfire with two steaming bowls of pasta. “Have you been enjoying yourself?”
Kitty nodded, surprised to see him. It was still pretty early. “What about the show?”
He shrugged, took the seat next to hers, and then handed her the second bowl. “I have time between my act in the first one and my act in the second one. I wanted to come over and eat and say hi to the fam. It’s hard to get over here with our schedules being so different.”
Taking the bowl from him she watched as he took a bite. When he closed his eyes in bliss Kitty smiled. “I helped make the pasta with Mamie.”
Adam’s eyes widened in surprise. “She taught you her dough recipe?”
She took a bite and nodded. Fuck, this was good pasta. It didn’t taste like any pasta she’d ever had before. Fresh food cooked outside somehow always tasted a thousand times better.
“Holy shit dude. She hasn’t even taught Calvin her dough recipe.”
Pausing mid-bite she stared at Adam and then glanced over at Laura who nodded in confirmation. “This is a big deal right?”
“Super big deal,” Adam said, stuffing more pasta in his mouth. “But don’t worry, it just means she likes you best.”
Laura was laughing at something Paul had said and Kitty suddenly felt awkward. “Best? Out of who?”
“Out of everyone, including Calvin,” Adam snorted. “You make amazing pasta, by the way.” His crooked smile made her grin and that awkward feeling dissipated knowing he hadn’t meant old girlfriends or something.
Kitty ate her pasta slowly, enjoying the freezing night air that felt so crisp and clean in her lungs. The real bite of cold was kept at bay by the fire roaring in front of her. Then Adam took her feet and put them in his lap after finishing his food.
Neither of them said anything and she didn’t feel like she needed to. It was just easy to be with Adam.
The stars sparkled and Kitty sipped on her wine, keeping that chill buzz that warmed her hands and toes.
“I’m going to the club tomorrow,” she finally said.
Adam gave her a look but didn’t say anything.
“I want to ask if anyone will testify against Matteo. Doubtful, but couldn’t hurt to ask.”
“Then we’ll go with you,” Adam told her, squeezing her calves in support. “We’re here to help.”
Kitty smiled into her wine. It was intoxicating to have three hotties practically worshipping her. It didn’t feel gross. It felt…like she’d been missing out all her life. These dudes were hot, caring, kind, complex, funny, and they were there for her no matter what.
“By the way, I love that your lipstick matches your socks,” Adam told her, removing her feet from his lap. “Now I have to get back to the show, but I hope to see you later.”
There it was. That flutter in her stomach that came along with the knowledge he wanted to see her. It was a stupid crush all over again and she had it with all three of them.
Watching Adam head back to the big top she sipped on her wine, eyes on his tight ass until he disappeared into the maze of tents.
Kitty would feel guilty about it except none of them made her feel weird for reacting this way. She never once felt worried what anyone was thinking of her. It was the most liberating sensation she’d ever had.
To them and everyone in the circus it was totally normal.
So no one looked at her weird when she was cuddling with Adam one moment and then kissing Damien the next. They all knew who her mates were and most had mates of their own. Removing the stigma on multiple partners really took a lot of pressure off.
Right up there with the realization no one here gave two fucks that she was and had been a stripper. In the real world people cared. To normal people it was wrong, or a stupid mistake she’d have to live with the rest of her life. When they found out Kitty liked what she did and had chosen it on purpose – no kids and no drugs as a reason…well, it never went over well.
‘Slut’ and ‘whore’ were some of the nicer words they’d called her, which was really ironic since Kitty had never had sex with anyone for money. And she’d slept with the same guy all through high school and college.
Seriously. There wasn’t anything different from what she did to what a nude model posing for artists did. That was simply more ‘acceptable.’
Despite knowing all this in her heart, the judgement had hurt. But she’d had her ex-boyfriend being supportive at the time even if he hadn’t understood why she’d chosen that path.
Her parents had never been able to support her in that choice though. She was an embarrassment to them for choosing what they considered a degrading lifestyle. And they acted like she was doing it just to hurt them when in reality she was just following her heart like they’d always taught her to do.
Even now, Kitty still planned to help her brother. She would set money aside for him and when he was eighteen he could use it for college or whatever. But her parents…it didn’t matter how they felt about her. Kitty still loved them and she would do whatever she could for them.
If they didn’t want to accept her money she would give that to her brother too.
Christ, she missed him and how they used to hang out and play video games. He didn’t know anything about her life now, but sometimes Kitty wondered what her parents had told him. Maybe one day she’d be able to talk to him again.
“By the way, how are things going?” Laura asked. Paul whispered something then and gave Kitty a nod before leaving to give them some privacy.
Kitty eyed the witch over the rim of her glass. “The mate crap or my lawsuit?”
Laura shrugged. “Either, but I was asking about Calvin and Co.”
Snorting at the nickname Kitty swirled the wine in the glass. Laura was one of the funniest people Kitty knew. And she was even funnier because she wasn’t trying to make anyone laugh.
Kitty stared into the fire.
She didn’t really know how things were going though. She was just trying to take everything one day at a time. There was a lot to think about and evaluate and Kitty just didn’t feel like she knew enough to make a life-changing decision.
There were too many variables.
“Honestly, I don’t know. It might not even matter if I can’t win the case and end up in jail.” Kitty shrugged like it didn’t matter. But she was terrified. Knowing her luck she’d end up in prison for life or something stupid like that. “I’m trying not to really think about anything.”
Laura scoffed. “How’s that working out for you?”
“Obvs not great.” Kitty quirked a smile at the witch. “Got any advice?”
“I’m not the most powerful witch around,” Laura said slowly. She scooted her chair closer to Kitty’s. “But between me and a few of the others…I don’t think you’re going to end up in jail. Calvin won’t let it happen. He has all of us to call on. Witches, vampires, even a demon. He’s not going to let the humans incarcerate his mate.”
Her eyebrows went straight up. Kitty hadn’t really thought about it like that. “So you’re saying you can just magic this whole thing away? Then why isn’t that the first fucking option?”
“We have to follow the human rules and laws. To a point,” Laura told her draining her wine and then taking Kitty’s. “Our biggest rule though? Don’t get caught. Calvin will have Steve wipe memories and simply take you.”
Kitty didn’t know who the fuck Steve was but it sounded like a great idea.
The witch then drained her glass too. “Steve is a vamp by the way. Now go find your mates and hang out with them. You’ll never figure out what you actually want until you explore all your options. So, go play.” Laura kicked Kitty’s chair hard enough she nearly fell over.
The world spun a little but she found her balance before falling into the mud. Kitty blew the witch a kiss and then stumbled around the bonfire back to the big top and the backstage tent.
And shocker, she managed not to fall into the fire.
Chapter Thirteen
Kitty
She’d decided to wait in the backstage tent. Something about hearing the music and watching everyone run in and out during the final show of the night was soothing. Kitty rested on one of the lounge chairs set up in the ‘waiting area.’
It wasn’t long until she fell asleep wrapped up in the warmth of the tent. Between the heaters and the body warmth it was cozy and delicious.
And she felt safe.
“Kitty?” It was Damien by the sound of his voice.
She opened her eyes, blinking slightly against the light. “Hey,” she said softly, smiling at the concern she could see in his eyes. “I missed you guys.”
Chuckling, Damien pulled her to her feet, shirtless and sweaty and completely delicious. “We missed you too.”
“What are you doing back here?” Adam asked as he came in from the main tent, grabbing a towel to wipe down. “I thought for sure I wouldn’t see you until tomorrow.”
Telling them she was there because a witch had nearly kicked her chair into the fire was probably not the best way to start off. “Did you guys have anything planned tonight?”
Adam tossed the towel to Damien and the two switched places. Damien wiped down while Adam wrapped his big arms around her, kissing her on the top of the head. It was comfortable between them despite having barely been with the circus for a week.
But Kitty was one of those who bonded fast. She didn’t see the point in hiding her heart away when there was so much she could enjoy if she just put herself out there.
It didn’t hurt that these guys were just as into her as she was them, if not more so.
“Where’s Calvin?” she asked, peering past them to try and see into the main tent.
“He’s doing his solo act,” Adam explained. “Do you want to wait for him? We could go into one of our tents and play cards or something if you’d rather do that. It can be a bit drafty and loud in here.”
And just as he finished speaking the crowd went wild. They didn’t all come out and bow when the second show ended. Kitty didn’t really know why, she assumed to make it all more dramatic and mysterious.
Kitty nodded and took Adam’s hand.
She followed them through the maze of tents. Even after a few days it was still confusing. Some were marked, but they generally were pretty identical to an outsider. Even the different sizes and shapes didn’t always help her. The doctor’s tent had a flag up high with a red cross symbol though so Kitty usually based her internal map on that.
The boys chattered about something that had happened in the show and Kitty wrapped her arms around herself, content to just listen. If she stayed would this be what her life was like? Joining them for something fun after the last act, or maybe just seeing them during the day?
She didn’t know how she felt about that. The schedule difference between the families and the performers made it feel like two very different worlds in one. Which she supposed was why they had grandparents watch the children.
It made sense that everyone young or in good shape was part of the main circus – the performances or the rigging. It kept them all together, giving them the opportunity to spend time with each other even while working.
“Kitty, what kind of game would you like to play?” Damien asked, pulling her into one of the larger tents.
It was almost identical to Calvin’s but also very different. The bed and the furniture were the same. But the blanket looked like something Damien’s grandmother had probably made – purple and blue just like the big top.
There were a few things on top of his dresser but nothing that really told her anything. Kitty found herself touching everything, trying to find something that would give her more insight to the man who was her ‘mate.’
The concept of mates was still strange to her, but after being surrounded by it for the last few days it was less weird.
Kitty still didn’t know how to date a ‘mate.’ And certainly not in the circus. It wasn’t like they could go out to the movies or anything. Well, she supposed they could. Still, it made more sense to simply…spend time together?
This is what it must have been like before. She snickered, thinking back to Jane Austen and all the walks people went on.
“What are you laughing about?” Adam asked, wrapping his arms around her from behind. The mirror on top of Damien’s dresser let her see his face and he was breathtaking.
Kitty turned around and looked up into those blue eyes of his. He was so pretty and nice and funny. Her hands ran up his arms, feeling the corded muscle there. “Just thinking,” she told him. “How about strip poker?”
Damien’s mouth popped open in surprise and he nearly dropped the table he was setting open. “It’s a little cold for that, don’t you think?”
It was chilly. “Do you have a heater?”
Adam stared down at her like he was trying to understand what it was she was thinking. “We do, but it’s still too cold to sit at a table in nothing but our underwear. Would you rather just tell us what you really want?”
“I think I know what she wants,” Calvin said as he ducked into Damien’s tent. She whirled around and stared open-mouthed at every defined muscle completely exposed in his costume. He was a fucking work of art. Sculptors would weep for the privilege of turning him into marble.
“And what’s that?” Kitty asked, feeling breathless.
The clear blue of his eyes burned like the hottest fire. “A taste.”
“How could you possibly know that?” she asked – her words barely more than a whisper as Calvin slowly approached.
“I can smell it,” he murmured, eyeing her up and down.
Kitty couldn’t stop looking at his bare chest. His gaze was so intense and her heart pounded so hard she thought she may actually pass out. “So bossy,” she managed.
Calvin chuckled at that but didn’t disagree. He grabbed her hand and tugged her forward until she was flush against his chest. “Adam, Damien, are you up for a taste?”
Both of the other males growled at that but it wasn’t hostile. It was hungry and desperate.
“I have been waiting for a taste since I first scented her,” Adam practically purred. “Damien, mind if we use your bed to show her what this could be like?”
Kitty was suddenly feeling like she’d bitten off more than she could chew. These three weren’t fucking around and they wanted to show her a taste? She had no idea what that meant exactly but it made her knees weak and her core burn. She was already pressing her legs together in anticipation even if her body was screaming at her to take them up on the offer.
“My bed is your bed,” Damien murmured, eyes suddenly gold.
Like glowing gold.
Holy shit. She was in deep just like that.
But Kitty wanted it. She wanted to know what being with three of them at once was like.
Curiosity killed the Kitty.
“Time to feed the lions,” Adam murmured.
