I dug into my clutch for the notebook to answer him, but just as my hand found it, another voice came from my left.
“Hi, is there something you need help with?”
I turned and was surprised to find Bianca standing at the threshold of the room.
She seemed more relaxed. The room she was standing in front of was a dressing room of some sort for the dancers. At least twenty beautiful women were in there, putting on makeup and trying out new outfits. They were looking at me now that Bianca had asked me if I needed help.
I looked at them before shyly looking back at Bianca. Even if I could talk, I didn’t know what I could say to her. I didn’t know what I was doing there, but the sight of girls just being girls got to me more than I would ever admit out loud.
Having someone to laugh with and talk with was one of the many things I missed out on growing up.
I could only vaguely remember some of the childhood friends I had made when Father still allowed me to go to school with other people, but even then, I was never allowed at their house, and they were certainly never allowed over at Father’s house.
I shook my head and looked down. Offering a small smile, I took one step back and was about to walk away when Bianca called, “Wait. Would you like to come in and talk with us? I imagine it would be kind of boring out there with all those men. Although they are certainly something to look at.”
She wiggled her eyebrows playfully, making me laugh.
She smiled a bit and tugged my hand.
Leo came up to my side. “Miss, we really should get back.”
Something shifted in his eyes, but it was gone before I could really catch what it was, and Bianca put her arms out, blocking him from the room.
“Nuh-uh, Muscles. You can stay out here. This is a girls’ dressing room.”
I bit my lip and watched as the tall, menacing man stared down at Bianca.
If she was intimidated, she didn’t show it.
She flipped her hair over her shoulder, and I made a small mental note of that move because it looked totally cool.
“That means,” she said, moving up closer to Leo. “If you have a dick, you need to stand out here.”
“I can’t let her go in there unprotected.”
“Please. Like she needs protection with us. Don’t worry. We’ll leave the door open.”
Bianca pulled me into the room quickly. I glanced back at Leo but quickly looked away at the dark look in his eyes. I didn’t want to make him mad, but I also didn’t want to miss out on this either.
“What’s your name?” Bianca asked.
I opened my notebook and wrote it down for her.
She eyed me curiously, but if my mutism put her off, she didn’t show.
“Catalina,” she tested out. She turned to the women, who were all focused on us at this point. “Girls, this is Catalina.”
“Can’t she talk?” one of them asked. It was the pretty blonde I had seen perform with another woman when we first walked through the doors.
“Doesn’t matter,” Bianca said, pulling me to a lounge chair near a mirror. “I’m pretty sure she’s bored out of her mind out there.”
The blonde woman grinned. “What, you didn’t enjoy the dances we put on?”
My eyes widened, hoping I didn’t offend her. I shook my head, but she just laughed.
“Oh, stop being such a bitch, Lina,” Bianca said halfheartedly. I was hoping Bianca, and I could be friends by the end of the night.
I smiled at her, and she smiled back, her kind blue eyes glimmering.