Chapter 1

SCARLET

1

Everyone makes mistakes, we all do things in the heat of the moment.

That's what I kept telling myself as I watched the bar burn before me. The glass exploded out of the windows as the flames licked the brickwork, and I shuddered at the sound. I flicked my lighter open and shut. The clicking of the metal case was oddly soothing, and something I'd done since receiving the gift. Maybe I was a slight pyromaniac—we all had our vices.

Everyone has a random lapse of judgment. We all fuck up.

Every girl has problems. That new cute guy at the coffee shop you can't get out of your head, your sister stealing your shirt and lying about it, or even the dreaded flat tire. Or little quirks, like the way you sound like a donkey when laughing, or how you wind up covered in bruises because you're clumsy as hell.

Not me. No, I had big girl problems and big girl issues.

Like right now, as I watched my cheating fiancé's bar burn to the ground because I had a moment of rage.

Well, ex-fiancé now.

Yeah, maybe I had problems.

"Definitely going to jail for this one," I muttered as I leaned against my car, glancing at the engagement ring I still sported.

Maybe my so-called quirks were a little bit extreme.

But when I'd found the man who'd told me I was the love of his life only a week ago after proposing, in bed with the new waitress and doing all sorts of naughty things, I saw red. In our bed. In our house. The bitch had known all about me, I'd met her on the odd nights that I'd gone in to see him at work bringing him snacks or just saying "Hi."

The audacity of the pair of them.

I'd reacted accordingly, of course. I'd socked her right in the eye, because, c'mon, bitch, girl code, and then when he'd gone to intervene, I'd made sure those precious jewels would need icing.

I'd wanted to burn our house to the ground as I'd stormed out of there, but instead, I decided to do one better. Rather than scream and shout and put on a show for the neighbors, I'd driven off, a new wicked idea in mind. His cherished bar, the place where he'd met that little hoe, the place he'd decided to destroy our two year relationship, was going to be my roman empire.

Well, kudos to them, she didn't understand girl code, and he was a lying, cheating sack of shit.

I pulled out my phone while pocketing my lighter, sirens sounding off in the distance as people began exiting the buildings around me.

I dialed my best friend while getting into my car and pulled away, my stomach churning.

Everyone was aghast at the blaze, standing on the sidewalk as they gaped, and I chewed my cheek as I glanced in the rear-view mirror at my handiwork.

At least I'd made sure the place was empty before using the spare key he'd given me.

"Hey, Scar, what's up?" Naomi's sweet voice was a balm to my jitters as she answered my call.

"Tommy cheated," I stated, not an ounce of despair or hurt in my tone. I didn't have time for that shit. Sadness and heartbreak were useless emotions, they didn't serve me any purpose.I'd had my heart broken more times than I could count, and I was done being upset over worthless men.

"What the fuck? What happened? Are you okay? Where are you?" She fired off questions as I drove, the inferno behind me lighting up the night sky and dousing it with smoke. At least it was a lone structure not close to any buildings. I may be crazy, but I wasn't murderous.

"Um, that's a story of itself, but I fucked up," I admitted as I watched a fire engine roar past me, the sirens wailing.

"Was that a fire truck? What happened? What'd you do?" Naomi's tone shifted, like she was scolding a toddler and not a grown-ass woman. She knew me too well, we'd been chaotic friends for too long.

"I burned the bar down."

"Well, fuck me, that's a big one, Scar."

"I know, what do I do?" Okay, maybe I was having concerns about my brashness and rage now. I'd simply acted, but I knew no one would get hurt.

"Was anyone hurt? Was the building empty? Please tell me you did not burn Tommy in there. I can't be involved in that," she said with exasperation and a touch of true fear.

"It was empty, you know where it is, it'd take some crazy winds to have the fire spread, and the fire engine is already there. I may have called it in before I actually lit the place up," I shared. I was crazy but not completely psycho.

"Well, I guess that's… something. Fuck, I knew you had your issues, but this is taking it up a notch."

"You know me, go big or go home," I joked, and she just snorted.

"If people were listening in right now, they'd lock us up in a ward."

"I'm probably going to wind up in one now," I said as I blew a raspberry. Psycho Scar was finally going to be institutionalized. If only my exes and high school bullies could see me now.

"Don't worry, I'll visit you," Naomi said with a chuckle. "Fuck, what are we going to do?"

"Wait for shit to hit the fan."

"Oh, it's past that. This is nuclear level. Cops will be after you," she said with a click of her tongue.

That was a given.

"Not my first time in a paddy wagon, or cuffed," I stated.

"Bitch, we've all been cuffed, just not by the real deal."

"Fuck off, you were there with me that time! Remember Shane?" I reminded her, and her wicked cackles had me grinning stupidly.

"Right, that fuckhead. Yeah, we really messed up his truck."

Understatement of the century. After he'd had my new rescue dog put down because he didn't like her barking while I was at work, Naomi and I had taken our revenge, keying 'murderer' into the side of his car and then slashing his tires and smashing the windows in. There may have been some expanding foam involved, too, and paint remover tossed on the hood.

We'd both been arrested that evening while we'd enjoyed wine at her place. We'd pled guilty and got some community service, but that'd been the end of it.

"You should come here. Have a drink while you wait for the cops. Tell me everything, I've got time," Naomi said as music began playing in the background. The club wasn't too busy on Tuesday nights.

"You know we have problems, right?"

"Yeah, but being normal is never any fun."

I smirked at this. We'd become best friends when we were teens, and we were certainly far from normal. Our issues and being stuck in detention had made us connect way back then, and the rest was history.

"We need therapy."

"Bitch, please, that boat has sailed and sunk. Embrace the chaos, you only live once," she shot back. "Now get your ass here, I'll make sure we've got cocktails ready."

"What would I do without you?"

"Probably burn the world to ash."

She wasn't wrong there, even though we were both just as crazy as one another, Naomi did sometimes try to rein me in, especially when things got too dark and wicked.

Her reasoning was she didn't want to have to hurt someone to join me in prison just so she could fend off all the ladies who'd try to make me their bitch.

As if I couldn't defend myself.

"See you soon, bitch."

"See you soon, psycho. Don't burn anything else."

"No promises."

I strode through the doors of Taboo Kisses, the neon lights outside not quite capturing the vibe within. The club had always had an oddly sophisticated quality, with the brown leather booths and gold trimmings, smelling of cigars and money. Only the elite came here, wanting their time with the best of the best. Something Naomi prided herself on.

I wouldn't ever judge her choice of work, especially not since I knew how much she was raking in. If only I had the same mindset and willingness to flaunt my body and flirt up a storm, instead, I waited tables at a family-run diner. Although Naomi did say the best money was in the back rooms, where things would get a bit more... raunchy. Not exactly my thing, but she didn't seem to mind it, and she was at a point that she chose her people and had regulars.

We all had to survive somehow, and from her past that I knew, this was an upgrade.

"Scar!"

I spotted my blonde firecracker bestie as she stood waiting at the bar, cocktails already made.

Her outfit tonight was a black leather one-piece and her stripper boots. Her face was made up in a sultry smoky look, while her dyed blonde hair was curled and tied up high. Her fake tits were ready to pop from the outfit with one wrong move.

I still remembered the girls nights we'd had while she was recovering from her augmentation, and how happy she was with her bigger bust. The extra income they brought her was also welcome.

I grinned as I made a beeline for her, slipping past the booths and the few other dancers. There were only a handful of guys in here so far, and they'd taken up their positions in booths or by one of the small stages of their desired dancer.

"You look happy for a wanted woman." Naomi arched a brow as I reached her.

"Life's too short, right?" I shot back. Maybe we embraced the whole ‘you only live once' thing a little too hard. We didn't have time to worry and stress. Tomorrow was never promised.

"So, Noms says you've got yourself in a bit of a pickle, huh?" Raymond clucked behind the bar as he batted those silvery lashes at me. I'd witnessed one newcomer try to have a go at him for being gay in a club like this, and he'd helped the bouncers toss the guy out on his ass, all the girls backing him one hundred percent. He'd been here for years, and he helped take care of the girls along with the various bouncers. Only he and the bouncer, Jared, were solid guys. They were veterans of this place, they knew how to handle troublemakers and keep the girls safe. This was their second home, and they protected their home and family, unlike others who weren't cut out for this lifestyle.

"What's new, hey," I said as I rolled my eyes, and he just shook his head, his light purple eyeshadow sparkling in the dim lighting, suiting his almond skin tone and making his dark brown eyes pop. He stood out in this place with his bleached white hair, a stark contrast to his darker skin.

"I worry about you girls, you know that," he said as he slid the cocktails closer.

"I don't even work here," I said as I took one of the glasses and tipped it to him gratefully.

"You're family, just like Noms," he said as he watched Noms pick up the other glass and take a sip.

"I've been a free woman too long, some jail-time won't kill me," I joked, but I inwardly cringed. I'd gotten good at never getting caught for the dumb impulsive things I did in my life.

There had to be something wrong with my brain.

"Got that friend who can help again?" he asked as I sipped the sweet fruity cocktail. I had to hand it to him, the man had talent. I swear every cocktail he made me was better than the last.

"Nope, he got himself into some trouble and has skipped town," I said with a sigh. An old fuck buddy, who was just as crazy as Noms and me, was no longer available to use his wicked connections to pull my ass out of the fire.

No matter, I could handle whatever came my way.

"Prison won't suit you," Noms said as she sat at the bar properly, resting her boobs on the counter like they were weighing her down. I'd be surprised if they weren't, she'd opted for some of the biggest she could get.

"Really? I thought orange was the new black?" I teased, and she snorted as Raymond shook his head.

"That's old news," he muttered, his gaze moving to a new patron sidling up beside Noms.

He didn't go unnoticed by any of us, and Noms turned to him, the man's face breaking out in a giant smile.

"Steve, baby, I'm afraid I'm not working for another couple of hours, got a few things to deal with here, do you mind waiting?" Noms batted her fake lashes, her sickly sweet voice making me want to roll my eyes. She knew how to play her part well.

"Looks like you're drinking away some troubles, how about I cover these for you and your friend?" Steve offered, those dark eyes flicking to me and giving me a once over.

"Oh, she doesn't work here, sweetie," Noms said as she playfully batted his arm.

How could anyone think I worked here in my jeans, boots, and black wife beater? In a bar, maybe, but not this place where even the two waitresses were done up like pornstars. Yes, the club even served food alongside their girls. They were catering to a higher class of men.

"That's fine, I just want your company, Nommy," Steve said as he touched her hand on his shoulder, lifting it to his lips to kiss it.

Ugh, men.

He had to be one of her regulars. He belonged in a corporate world, his graying hair slicked back, his matching beard trimmed and on point, and the navy suit tailored to fit him perfectly. His entire appearance oozed money. Noms wouldn't have minded the fact he was a few decades older, not with whatever he was paying her, and he wasn't a bad-looking guy.

Just not my type.

"Well, I mean, my friend here has just been through a traumatic break-up, so I want to be there for her," Noms said with an over-the-top pout as she leaned on his shoulder. "But then we can have lots of fun."

"Well, now, I'm sorry to hear it. It's his loss," Steve said as he leaned on the bar and nodded at me.

"Damn straight, this bitch is a catch," Noms said with a bob of her head and a wink my way.

"So, what exactly happened?" Raymond dove back in, only sliding his gaze to Steve for a moment. "Steve, anything?"

"Whiskey on the rocks, and I'll cover all their drinks."

He nodded, those brown eyes meeting mine with curiosity as he began making the drinks.

"Well, I caught him in bed with Rachel, that waitress he had working for him. Shame, considering he proposed only a week ago," I said with a heavy sigh before holding up my hand to show them all my ring. Raymond and Noms had already seen it, but Steve leaned over my busty friend to get a closer look.

"Tragic, you don't seem too distraught, if I may say so," Steve noted.

"What's that saying? Hope for the best, expect the worst? Something like that," I said with a shrug. "Besides, I punched that bitch in the face and socked him in the jewels when I found them there, messing up our bed. Was coming home early to surprise the fucker," I spat before downing the last of my cocktail.

"Damn, you didn't tell me that part!" Noms gasped, and Steve looked stunned before he chuckled and shook his head.

"Wasn't really the big issue," I said carefully as Raymond served Steve his drink and got to work on another for me.

"Well, damn, remind me never to get on your bad side." Steve tipped his drink my way before taking a swig.

"Now I want to know exactly how that went down," Noms said as she fixated those baby blue eyes on me. "Tell me how it all happened."

I just smiled, although I knew a part of me was going to get hurt to high heaven by reliving that moment.

Why was it so hard to find someone to truly love me? She loved me, but I wanted the love of a loyal man, one who'd do anything for me, just like I would for him.