Ivy giggled . She was , of course , referring to Crossan , who had been visiting often and asking for private time with Ivy . He loved to talk when they two weren ’ t intertwined on the couch as one . Ivy knew what he was , but that didn ’ t stop her from performing what the Flaming Ruby wanted of her . Besides , she didn ’ t think about the mission when she was with him or any of the others who had taken her while she was there . It had been getting easier to perform her task as a whore , waiting for the smallest sign of Lannus . “ He ’ ll be here again ,” Ivy said . “ Be careful ,” Simone said . “ You don ’ t want a demon to get attached to you .”
Ivy observed Simone . She had a look of genuine worry on her face . “ Is that when bad things happen ?” she asked .
Simone looked around before closing the distance between the two . “ They don ’ t always kill ,” she said . “ Some girls have left here with half their faces ripped off or bones broken , never to be seen again . You may have come here because you believed you deserve death or worse , but this place will toss you away with an injury like that , and you ’ ll be on your own .”
Ivy watched Simone ’ s face as she finished her warning . The two had talked when in the back , but Simone had never brought up anything like this before . “ What are you doing right now ?” Ivy asked .
“ I usually head home and try to sleep ,” Simone said . “ Why ?”
“ Come get some breakfast with me ,” Ivy replied . “ I don ’ t feel much like sleeping right now .”
Ivy and Simone had breakfast in a corner booth in small diner that wasn ’ t unlike the one in which she used to wait tables . Ivy picked at her eggs with the end of her fork while Simone dipped her toast in the yoke of of her own . “ How long have you been working at the club ?” Ivy asked . “ Three years ,” Simone replied . “ Why did you say that thing before ?” Ivy asked . “ That thing about me deserving death .”
Simone sighed . “ I ’ ve seen a lot of girls come and go ,” she said . “ Not many other kind of girls want to do this kind of work .” “ Is that why you do it ?” Ivy asked . “ I was in a bad way ,” Simone said , looking away . “ A boyfriend owed money to some bad people , so I took the job . He took what I gave him and ran off , leaving me to pay the rest of his debts .” “ But they weren ’ t your debts ,” Ivy said . “ Some collectors don ’ t care who ’ s giving them the money ,” Simone said . “ Not as long as they ’ re getting it .”
Ivy nodded , putting her fork down . The waitress stopped by and dropped the check . “ I guess we should probably head out of here ,” she said . She pulled some money from her pocket and dropped it on the table , making sure the waitress saw .
Simone and Ivy walked away from the diner , neither of them talking . “ Remember your first night ?” Simone asked , breaking the silence . “ How you grabbed me on stage ?”
“ Yeah ,” Ivy said with a laugh . “ I had to get some attention somehow , right ?”
Simone laughed . “ It was nice ,” she said . “ I was hoping it might happen again .”
“ Oh yeah ?” Ivy asked , raising one eyebrow . “ How far is your place from here anyway ?”
Minutes later , Ivy was in Simone ’ s bed . Simone was kissing Ivy ’ s neck while rubbing her breast , pinching her nipple . Ivy moaned , urging her to do more . Simone obliged , moving her hand down and rubbing Ivy the right way . “ I want to taste you ,” Simone said . “ Do it ,” Ivy moaned . She kissed Simone again . She broke the kiss a moment later , and