Saving Grace

"Stop being such a brat and talk to us." She pushes me against the door.

My hand immediately comes up to strike her nose but she moves back. My other hand comes up to wrap around her hair but Charlie squeezes between us before I can even strike.

She grunts. "Stop it! This isn't the time or place! We should be laying low."

"Bitch!" I try to wrap my hand around Alice's neck. Who does she think she is, handling me like that? My anger is blinding. My head is no longer guiding, it's all emotions now running on a dangerous high.

"You don't know who you're messing with!" She tries to get past Charlie, not to fight me, to restrain me.

"Enough!" Charlie pushes us away from one another and presses my shoulders against the car window hard enough to make it shake.

"Get off!" I turn my anger towards her, throwing punch after punch, but she manages to evade each blow until I stop fighting. I can't land good punches when I let my anger get the better of me. Why do I let them get under my skin?

My mouth opens wide, taking in as much air as I possibly can. I close my eyes and count to ten. My eyes burn with shame and I want to crawl under a rock. What the fuck was that? Why did I just do that? I don't lose my cool. I don't ever fight with pure emotion. That is just plain stupid and reckless. I need rest, I need solitude, I need...

Charlie slowly releases my hands and brushes a tear from my eye.

I breathe in and look up at her. She looks torn but doesn't say anything.

Alice pushes her shoulder and walks around to the other side of the car. "We're wasting time. Let's go."

***

"Come back in three hours." Shawn shakes my hand and places the envelope with the pictures in his back pocket.

I nod and leave.

Three hours is enough to rest my eyes, hopefully, nap. I know it'll be difficult with the other two in the room but I've managed to ignore them this whole time. What are a few more hours? My mind instantly replays the altercation outside of the diner and the tear running down my cheek. I frown in annoyance.

Then I picture Charlie's lips against mine.

Ugh, so stupid.

I walk into our hotel room and head straight to the bathroom. Alice is on the second bed, closest to the door and Charlie is putting a blanket on the floor between both beds. They put my bag on the other bed. How thoughtful, I roll my eyes. A quick shower, a quick nap. Before I know it, I'll be on the road on my own. I won't have to put up with either of them. No longer share my plans and feel judged.

I can't wait.

The hot water beats against my back, in a painfully good way. My fingers slowly lather the shampoo in my hair. I moan in approval. A little pampering can go such a long way when everything else has gone to shit.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting?" Charlie's voice travels through the shower curtain. I can hear the smile on her lips.

"Fuck!" I jump and quickly wash all of the soap out of my hair. "Can I have a few moments alone? Is that too much to ask for?"

"I thought this would be a good time to talk. You know, when you can't decide to go rogue and fight the people who are actually on your side." She tries to pull the curtain but I snatch it shut.

"I can still use these shower bottles as weapons." I apply conditioner on my fingers and imagine sticking the whole bottle down her throat. The image appeases me somewhat.

"Noted." She sits on the toilet. "We think we should just stay here for the night."

"Of course, you do. You two always manage to say so much when I'm not around." I turn off the water. "Are you waiting for your team to catch up to us so they can finally kidnap me?" I know she's not. It still doesn't hurt to remind her I trust her even less now that I know she was in on it with Alice.

She doesn't say anything, probably ignoring my comment. I wait in silence. I want her to leave so I can grab a towel. For some stupid reason, they place it on the other side of the bathroom, instead of next to the shower. Had I known Charlie would unlock the door and follow me inside, I would have prepared. But somehow, I know I can never fully prepare for whatever Charlie has planned.

I open the curtain, ignoring my self-consciousness.

She's sitting on the toilet, with a towel held open for me. The room is foggy from the hot water but I don't miss the appreciation in her eyes. I try to reach for it but she moves back and motions for me to come forward. My hands ball up as I step out of the shower. She sits up and begins to dry my body with the cheap, thin towel. She speeds through the uninteresting areas, my arms, my calves, and my stomach. She comes to an agonizingly slow pace as soon as she reaches my breasts. My puffy nipples are fully erect by the time she brushes them with the towel. My cheeks are burning hot and I have to control my breathing with each brush of her hand. My body is completely out of control, my mind is mush. I can only watch as she does what she wants. It has been too long since I've been touched. Cared for.

"Hmmm." She licks her lips and gets close enough to blow against one.

I suck in a short breath. When she takes the edge of the towel down my stomach, eagerly making her way between my legs, I snatch it out of her hand and wrap it around myself.

Get a grip!

What am I doing? She stands, close enough to feel her breath against my cheek.

"I think it's time for my shower. Did you want to wait here for me with a towel as well?" Her voice is thick. She meant for it to sound like a joke, but I know it is a real invitation.

"In your dreams." I huff out.

She nods but begins to undress.

I rush out in a hurry, nearly tripping as I close the door behind me.

Alice sits up from her resting position in her bed and narrows her eyes. "What were you guys doing in there?"

I push myself away from the door and walk over to my bed. My hands are slightly shaking as I pull out a t-shirt and some cotton panties from my bag. I drop the towel, not caring if she sees anything since apparently I'm completely okay with strangers touching me. I put the shirt on and then my underwear.

"We need to talk." She mutes the TV.

"What I need is sleep." I toss the bag on the other side of the bed, near the wall. I take out my phone charger and plug it into the wall. I set my phone up on the nightstand with an alarm for three hours from now.

"We'll talk when you wake up." She unmutes the TV.

***

The alarm blasts me awake.

I groan and shift in my bed, reaching for the tortuous sound.

I shut it off and look over at Alice, sleeping soundly. The TV is no longer on. Checking the ground next to my bed, Charlie shifts enough to look up at me.

"I'm going to grab your fake IDs," I whisper.

She nods and turns away, getting comfortable again. "If you're not back in five minutes, I will go find you and drag you back."

My stomach tingles at the huskiness in her tone. Or maybe the air of her threat. Either way, it annoys the shit out of me. I throw on some pants and place the phone in my back pocket. After slipping my shoes on, I open the door and close it softly. The sun is setting, the birds are chirping their last tweets for the day.

Shawn doesn't look surprised to see me exactly when we said we would meet. "Here you are." He hands me an envelope and sits back in his chair.

"Thanks," I pull out the rest of the money. "Just so we're clear, you never saw us here." My tone takes a threatening tilt.

He brings up a hand to zip his lips. His face turns thoughtful and he unzips his lips. "The brown-eyed girl," He clears his throat and sits up. "I thought she looked familiar."

"You know her?" There is an unsettling feeling in my gut. He knows Alice.

He nods but zips his lips back up.

I sigh, "How much do you want?"

He names his price and I give him a couple more hundred-dollar bills. "I've seen her once before. I'm sure she remembers me and this location."

"So, she uses you for the same reasons we do. Please don't tell me I just paid you for that." My anger is threatening to overspill.

"I just think you should keep an eye out on her and who she hangs around." He places the money in his back pocket. "If I was you, I would just outright ask what she knows."

I'm sure just by saying any of this, he's probably risking ever doing business with her again. It also makes me uneasy about where his loyalty lies. If The Golden Circle came here asking for me how much would I be worth? Would he even feel guilty if he sold me out?

"I'll keep that in mind," I say distractedly. I know my five minutes are almost up and Charlie will be back here looking for me any minute. I walk back with less urgency.

Quietly closing door behind me, I remove my shoes and unzip my pants. I place the phone back on the charger and set the alarm for six in the morning. That'll be enough time for us to sleep. Seeing as I'm going to need to stay with them a little longer, I want to make sure we're all less cranky tomorrow. Just long enough for me to get more answers.

"So, we're staying the night?" Charlie leans up to ask.

"Yeah." I whisper.

I turn to my side and look across at Alice, still sleeping soundlessly.

***

My bed shifts in the middle of the night.

"Scoot over," Charlie whispers.

I groan. "Go back to the floor."

She pulls the comforter back and swiftly slips in, right behind me. Her arm promptly wraps around my waist and her lips come down to my neck. "Play nice, Grace." My body molds to her touch and I bite my lip. I'm still in that sleepy state just beneath the surface and my body can't differentiate between my need to sleep and the urge to be touched. She guides her hand under my shirt and runs her finger along the elastic end of my underwear.

"Do you want this, Grace?" Her soft lips brush against my neck.

I don't respond, afraid of my answer.

"Grace?" Alice's soft tone forces my eyes to open.

She's at the foot of the bed, wearing the same lingerie she was wearing two weeks ago. The same one she slaughtered those men in. She starts crawling near me. I watch her, uneasy. Without saying another word, she moves under the covers and faces me. Charlie continues to brush her lips against my neck.

"What are you-mm!" I'm interrupted by Alice's lips against my own.

Charlie's tongue swipes against my neck as Alice's tongue sneaks into my mouth. We moan in unison. Charlie chooses that moment to sneak her under the elastic band. My eyelids flutter close, and my breath quickens.

"Jesus," She sucks on my neck with urgency. "So fucking wet. So fucking mine."

Alice deepens our kiss, her hand lightly petting my breasts over my shirt. She brushes her tongue against mine in an expertly manner, leaving me breathless. With each roll of her tongue, Charlie brushes her middle finger deep between my swollen pussy lips. Oh, fuck. I quicken my kiss with Alice and Charlie quickens her finger until she begins to rub her thumb against my clit.

I moan out loud and shutter as the first wave of my orgasm crashes into me. My hips roll on their own accord, chasing the feeling, wanting more. My breath is coming out in puffs now, barely containing the noise coming from my lips. My eyelids flutter open and I realize it is daytime now. My hand comes up next to me, searching for a warm body, until I realize I'm in bed alone. I stare up at the ceiling, breathing fast and hard.

"Did you just...?" Charlie comes to sit at the edge of my bed.

I look down at her with wide eyes and then look over to see Alice sitting up in bed also looking at me in disbelief.

"What?" I sit up and move away from Charlie.

She smirks and shakes her head. "You naughty girl. You totally just came."

I throw a pillow at her and get out of bed. "No, I didn't!" I pick up my phone. "Why didn't my alarm ring?" I'm still trying to catch my breath.

"Who were you dreaming about?" Charlie has moved to the floor, packing her bag again. She is showered and ready to go. She's wearing the same variation of jeans and a dark t-shirt we have been wearing all trip.

Alice also jumps out of bed, laying out her clothes for the day.

"I don't remember." I rush out too quickly. They both stop moving and share a look, causing my cheeks to heat up. "Why are we leaving so late?" I try to distract them.

"We all needed more rest and you know it." Charlie throws her bag over her shoulder and opens the hotel door. "And who am I to deprive you of a much-needed orgasmic dream?" She continues to talk, ignoring my death stare. "I'm going to pick up some breakfast for the road. Be outside in 10 minutes."

I go into the bathroom, choosing to ignore the tingly sensation left over from the dream. I groan. That was more of a nightmare. Sleeping with the enemy. I shake my head as I use the restroom. Do I think so lowly of myself? How could I have felt any pleasure from that?

I take a quick shower, ignoring how tender my breasts feel and the urge to reach down between my legs. I turn the water much cooler to help with my irrational thoughts. I shut the water off once I'm feeling more like myself and dry off, trying again not to think about Charlie and her hands between my legs. I completely shut off any thoughts of Alice before they emerge. Even that is too much for me to deal with right now. I change into a new set of jeans and a black shirt.

When I come out of the room, I immediately notice Alice's choice of clothing. She's wearing a colorful dress full of flowers. Bright reds, oranges, and blues cover her body. It buttons up at the front and has a small red belt around the waist. Her makeup is lightly done, and her matte red lips are striking against her soft brown eyes and fair skin. Her hair is up in a ponytail.

"What the fuck are you wearing?" Although the anger feels irrational, I allow myself to get upset. It is the least I can do after that awful dream that will be haunting me for the next few days.

"Clothes." She crosses her arms and sits on the edge of the bed.

I notice she's wearing red heels and white stockings. My mind conjures up what she's wearing underneath and I mentally curse myself. She is hot. Ridiculously hot. I wouldn't be so bothered if I didn't just have a dream about her. Does she have some type of hold on me? I thought I was immune to her after finding out she is the biggest liar of them all. But I'm not sure if that is completely true anymore.

"We're supposed to be laying low, not dressing like common hookers." I throw my dirty clothes in my bag. I put on my shoes silently. Not a hooker no, definitely a high-class escort that could probably have all of her bills paid for.

"Maybe if you would talk to us, we could share our strategy with you." She speaks up.

I'm triggered at the mention of a plan between them. Without much thought, I rush up to her with every intention of hurting her. She is expecting it, of course, so we practically fight throughout the whole room. She punches, I block. I try to throw her around, she shifts. It is rather annoying. The lamp gets broken, the TV gets pushed off the drawer, and her bed ends up losing a leg.

I manage to overpower her and yank on the front of her dress, barely standing. The first couple of buttons pop off and go flying around the room. Her hands come up to my hair, trying to pull me away from her. My eyes drop down to her pink bra and full breasts. They're so creamy and inviting against the lace. She uses my distraction to wrap her legs over my thighs and flips me over so we land on the floor. My hands come up to her thighs and I feel the garter against my fingers. Plenty of images of what she looks like underneath pop up in my mind and I yell in frustration.

She digs her forearm into my neck. I look up at her in disdain. My hand comes up around her neck and I begin to choke her. She tries to choke me too and begins to look upset. I guess she's used to taking people down by now, but I'm not just anyone. She should know that, considering she has been watching me a lot more closely than I have been watching her. I pull her down against me, close enough to lightly brush my lips against hers. Her eyes widen in surprise and lightly loosens her hold. I pull back and headbutt her forehead. Not enough to do major damage, but just enough to surprise her.

"You bitch!" She falls back and brings a hand up to her forehead.

"Fuck you!" I start cursing back.

"What is going on here?" Charlie booms through our yelling. She looks around the room and comes over to help Alice up.

"Talk to her, before she ruins everything!" Alice looks around for the missing buttons on her dress and rushes out with her things.

It hurts to move, but I do. I roll over and pull myself onto the bed.

"They're never going to let you rent a room here again." She picks up my bag and hands it to me. "What were you guys fighting about now?"

I rub my forehead, angry with myself for letting her get to me, again. "Did you see what she's wearing?"

She hands me a bottle of water and shrugs. "It's part of the plan." She runs a hand down my face, moving a stray curl out of the way. Her eyes are also doing a quick check up for any cuts or bruises. I know that look well enough by now.

"Not my plan." I grind my teeth. "And why are you guys coming up with plans that don't involve me?"

She helps me stand and doesn't let go until she makes sure I won't lose my footing. "That's what we were going to mention this morning. But I guess Alice won't be up for talking after what you just did."

"I don't need either of you!" I storm out.

Alice is in the car, sowing the buttons back on her dress, in the passenger seat. There's a pervert sitting outside of his room, readjusting his boner as he looks at her.

"Go back inside, you perv!" I yell loud enough for Alice to hear.

"Get in the car." Charlie throws my bag in the trunk. "We have already called too much attention to ourselves."

I don't bother arguing, seeing as my head is now killing me and I can't do much driving. There is an unspoken silence agreement between the three of us. My hand digs into my pocket for one of the addresses that Vlad provided me with. I toss it to Charlie. I lay in the back seat of the car and close my eyes as she pulls out of the parking lot.

She tries to give me some pills for the headache but I ignore her.

***

I come to when I feel the car slow down.

"Are we here?" Slowly, I sit up and rub my forehead. Maybe I did more damage to myself than I intended. I try to quell the guilt that arises when I think of how badly I must have hurt Alice. She deserves whatever comes her way.

Charlie gives me the two pills from earlier and some water. "For your headache."

Alice gets out from the passenger side and walks across the street. We're parked in front of an old Italian restaurant in a small downtown. There are people all around, shopping or just enjoying the sun. Little kids are dragging their parents to some window displays, dogs are drinking out of complimentary water bowls outside of restaurants. Alice walks up to a local bank, looking both ways before going in.

"What the fuck are you guys doing?" My voice is gruff, but not as angry as I would like.

"Come here." Charlie pats the passenger seat.

I squeeze over the center console and plop down on the seat. My eyes are trained on the bank door, waiting for Alice to come back. Charlie's hand comes up to my forehead. She actually looks concerned. It is hard to imagine she is acting. I can't imagine Charlie pretending to be something she is not. Or feeding me lines just to get on my good side. Alice on the other hand...

"You're going to bruise." She clucks her tongue.

I shrug and look at her. She has her hair swept to the side behind her ear. It's getting longer now. Her green eyes are roaming all over my face. It does something funny to my heart to stare at her. I know what crushes are, I've had a few in my past but nothing like this. Nothing as forbidden as this.