As the night scenery sped past her, Izzy tried to process who she was now. Because she was not the same woman she was yesterday. Her promise to herself to find Alex had led her down a dangerous path and into a quagmire of emotion she was ill-equipped to handle. She’d agreed to make a sex tape for information. She’d stripped down to her bikini bottoms for a room full of cops, attempted to drug one of them, got caught by him, almost got arrested by him, then subsequently lost her virginity to him.
The external escapades paled compared to what she had experienced internally. Her heart, that thing she had protected for so long, had cracked open. It ached. Badly. Painfully so. Flynn had filled her with more than his glorious penis; he’d filled her with hope, abandon, happiness, need, and a burning desire to be cherished not for her birthright or her job, but for herself, the stripped down to the raw center Isadora. He’d peeled away her layers, revealing parts of herself she hadn’t even known about, and then walked away because he didn’t like what he’d discovered.
How was she supposed to recover from this? How could she not yearn for his strong protective arms around her, his warm body taking her where she knew she would never go again? He made her laugh, he made her swoon, he made feel like the most beautiful woman in the world when he looked at her with those electric blue eyes that melted her to her very core.
Her chest constricted as she fought desperately to silence the sob that threatened to give her away. She wished she were alone so she could cry.
She sniffed. Cry? The last time she’d cried was when her mother lay in her arms and took her last breath. She’d promised herself then that she would never allow anyone to get to her heart the way her father had gotten to her mother’s. And what did she do? The same damn thing. Except she wasn’t going to throw her pride and self-worth out the window and go crawling back to a man who didn’t regard her as his equal. Her pride was intact. No way was she going to walk through life broken, the way her mother had.
Her phone chirped in her purse, indicating she’d received a text message. Had to be a wrong number; no one called her, except the professor and Charlie. Or sometimes Andre to work an extra shift. Professor Gamble was in the UK, Charlie was in Santa Cruz, and the club was closed on Sundays.
To take her mind off her broken heart, Izzy slid the phone from her purse. The text was from Charlie:
Came home 4 clothes 2 find a fairly hot gigantic dude pounding on the door looking for u. What’s up with that?
Biting her lip to steady her nerves, Izzy’s stomach did a slow roll. Andre wanted his video. While Charlie knew she was a cocktail server, he didn’t know where. Not that he would judge. He got judged enough on his own, so he was the last person who would call her out.
What did he say? she texted back.
Just wanted to know where u were. I told him even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell a rude Russian. ;) Where r u anyway? Def not with a hot guy, so what’s up?
Izzy smiled. Charlie had no filter. She loved him like the brother she would never have. He knew all her secrets. Well, most of them.
Actually, I WAS with a hot guy. He’s bringing me home now.
Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor! Did you do it?
Several times ;)
<fans self> eta?
30
Oh, I am so not going to leave until I meet him.
We broke up so not sure what kind of reception you’ll get.
Oh sweets, I just want to meet the man who cracked your chastity belt code! I promise I’ll scat as soon as I do. Xoxoxo
PS, wait a minute! You hand over the coveted cherry and he dumps you? What a prick. Sorry, sweets, but I’m going to let him have it.
No, not his fault. Mine. Plz don’t say anything.
Just like you to take the blame.
It’s complicated.
Isn’t it always?
Izzy sat staring at his last text. He had no idea.
“Is everything okay?” Flynn asked, his deep voice startling her.
Looking out the window, she said, “Craptastic.”
He didn’t respond and she was glad. No damn it, she wasn’t! She wanted him to fight for her! To tell her he didn’t give a shit that his friends had seen her boobs.
Izzy swallowed hard. His friends and those guys at the restaurant weren’t the only ones who had seen what God gave her. No, there had been another party there that night, and when they saw what was going on...
“Those guys back at the restaurant?” she said her voice low and emotional. Might as well come clean. Not like she had anything to lose. “They weren’t the only ones that night.”
She turned to look at Flynn. His profile was tight, his jaw so hard she thought he might crack it. “While I stood there refusing to cover myself or take the bait, the dancers on the stage behind me stopped dancing when they realized they’d lost the attention of the crowd. It didn’t take long for half the club to get in on the sideshow.” Inhaling deeply, she let out a slow erratic exhale. “They started throwing money at me, catcalling, promising me more if I got up on the stage.”
“Did you?” he choked out.
“No. I continued to stand there with my hand out. After about five minutes of me not backing down, the crowd began to thin. My top was tossed to me in shreds. It was ruined, but Crystal, one of the dancers, gave me a bar towel and I walked back to the dressing room, changed, and went home.”
“Why did you tell me that?”
“I thought you’d want to know that those guys, your friends, and you aren’t the only ones who have seen my boobs.” She turned back to look out the window. “Probably like fifty or so more. And Andre because he was standing there. But that’s it. Oh, and Charlie my roommate, but he doesn’t count. Well, and the girls I work with, but they don’t count either, do they?” she asked, looking at him.
A small tic flicked in his cheek.
When he didn’t answer she said, “Anyway, that’s it.”
Still he didn’t comment. Not that she expected him to. “Oh, wait, I forgot about the time I was at the gym in the Jacuzzi. When I stood up my bathing suit top filled with water and the girls kind of popped out. But the guy sitting there was old. Maybe eighty or so. Although he winked and gave me a thumbs up, I don’t think if he ever saw me on the street he’d make a big deal about it. He’s probably seen so many boobs in his life they’re all a blur. Besides, he was a gentleman about it.” She sat back into the seat. “I didn’t realize the girls were so popular,” she said to herself.
Izzy didn’t say another word, but neither did Angry Man. As they pulled up to her little house, she reached for her bag in the backseat. By the time the car rolled to a stop, Izzy was ready to get out and never see Flynn again.
“I’ll walk you up,” Flynn said, his voice hard, emotionless.
“Thanks, but I can walk myself up.”
She pressed her hand to the door handle, turned to him, and said, “Thank you for not arresting me, and thank you for the best twenty-four hours of my life.” She pushed the door open and as she slid from the seat, she turned back and added, “I think it’s safe to say we don’t need to wait until the end of the week to evaluate our arrangement, so don’t stress about it.” She shrugged. “Not that you were going to.” When she was out of the car, she leaned back in before she closed her door. “And, Special Agent Ryker, I don’t expect you to continue to help me find my sister. But I am going back to the Oakland police department tomorrow and tell them what you’ve told me. Maybe that will light a fire under their butts.” Izzy couldn’t turn off her diarrhea mouth. “Okay, so bye.”