Free Bourbon Street Royalty: Jaded Series, Book Two by Kimmie Easley Page A

pilot, she plastered on a smile and worked the room. Once she heard the first few beats of Type O’s Negative, “Cinnamon Girl”, Baby made her way behind the drapes and tuned out the crowd.
    Her chest pounded. Within seconds, she would be butt naked, on all fours grinding the stage for a few bucks.
    This was her existence. The bane of her happiness. If this was all life had to offer her, it could kiss her naked ass.
     
     

 
    CHAPTER TWELVE
    Lucky
     
    Witnessing his mother’s frail body lying in the plain hospital bed was entirely too surreal for Lucky. Tilly’s dynamic personality had been abruptly halted by machines and tubes. He paced the floor while Joyce sat in a chair at her friend’s side, reading her articles from a gardening magazine. Joyce could probably do more for his mother than he ever could.
    He fought to push the thought of Baby Jade and the Sasquatch she left with out of his head. His emotions were all over the place, pissed and hurt. But he couldn’t stop thinking about holding her in his arms, feeling the warmth of her body next to his.
    What the fuck is wrong with me ?
    “Joyce, do you know what Mother was looking for in dad’s office?” He asked the fatigued woman.
    She shook her head and grumbled. “I have no idea, but it must’ve been important. It had her all worked up. It had to be something of Mr. Gauthier’s. She hasn’t been able to go in there since he passed.”
    He thought about the way his mother had been throwing papers around and mumbling about finding ‘it’. “I spoke with the doctors. They don’t know if she’ll wake up tonight, but she’s stable for now. I’m gonna run home and see if I can find what she was looking for. You good? Do you need anything?”
    She went back to thumbing through the magazine. “No, you go on ahead. If something happens, I’ll call.”
    He nodded and kissed her on the top of the head. Walking by his mother, he stepped in and gripped her hand for a brief moment before leaving the room.
    The rumble of the Harley usually put Lucky at ease. He had always used it to melt away the tension. Unfortunately, the magic of the ride wasn’t working this time. He was worried about his mother, grieving his father or lack of a father, and Baby had managed to get under his skin.
    There wasn’t enough highway for this pile of bullshit.
    Lucky gathered up the scattered papers from the floor. He was uneasy being in the same room that his father had forbidden him from entering, now only to have free reign. He felt as if he was fourteen again, looking over his shoulder while he snuck cigars and scotch from his father’s desk.
    Not certain what he was searching for, he skimmed through the stacks of papers. He figured if it was something that had his mother so worked up; it would probably jump out at him. He had made his way through the majority of the pile when he heard the front door slam.
    “Joyce? Tilly?”
    Lucky cringed at the sound of Carrie’s shrill voice. He didn’t want her in the office, so he vaulted to meet her in the hall, but he wasn’t quick enough.
    She stood in the doorway. Her cold eyes scanned the room. “Someone called the office. Is it true?”
    “Is what true?”
    “Don’t play coy, James. It’s not becoming of you. Did Tilly have a heart attack?” She marched across the room, eyeing the strewn about files. He didn’t like the way she acted as if she had some sort of authority in his father’s office, or his house for that matter.
    “She’s in the hospital. They’re not sure what it is yet. Who called the office?”
    Carrie waved her hand in the air as if to brush him off. “Oh, I don’t remember, but I rushed right over. What happened? Is she ok?”
    She casually flipped open a manila folder before Lucky’s hand came crashing down, snapping it shut.
    “Like I said, no information yet. Do you usually bust up into other people’s houses without knocking?”
    Carrie locked her eyes onto his, her brow twisted.