One Wild Night

768  As Equals

Candace and Andy lay on the bed as Candace told Andy all that had happened after she left.

She started by telling her how she had traveled to Varis to see Jero and about Jero’s package and how that had led to her finding out about how she had ended up at the orphanage.

“You mean your own biological mother did something like that? Where is that bitch? She had better be dead, else I’m going to fuck her up,” Andy hissed angrily and Candace found herself laughing.

“Save your anger. Harry and Tom fucked her up already. And trust me, they did a good job of it. Better than anything you could have ever done,” Candace assured her, and Andy raised a brow.

“Are you underestimating me now?”

“We don’t have the means to fuck up someone like Sara….”

“I haven’t told you yet. Give me a moment,” Andy said as she rose to get her handbag from the dressing table and she brought out three envelopes.

“What are those?” Candace asked and Andy poured out the contents of the envelopes and Candace gasped when she saw pictures of her and Jamal as well as all the others.

“How did you get all these?” Candace asked and Andy shrugged.

“Cassidy wanted me to know you were safe and doing fine so he had his men keep an eye on you and he sent me your pictures,” Andy said and Candace shivered.

“It is scary to know he had his eyes on us this whole time. Imagine if he wanted to hurt me,” Candace said and Andy nodded.

“Yeah. I understand. But he did it for my sake because I was very worried,” Andy said apologetically.

“He must really care about you. That reminds me, why did you sound that way earlier when you talked about how he didn’t say goodbye? Do you have feelings for him?” Candace asked and Andy sighed.

“I don’t know. Maybe I like him. I had sex with him last night. And before you ask or make any assumptions, he didn’t force me or make any advances at me. It was all me. I should say I blackmailed him emotionally into doing it,” Andy said and Candace raised a brow.

“Ever heard of Stockholm syndrome?” She asked and Andy rolled her eyes.

“You can’t call it that if my captor happens to be the one who deflowered me years ago and the best lover I’ve ever had even though it wasn’t done with my consent,” Andy said and Candace sighed.

“You can’t refer to those men Jero forced on you as lovers,” Candace said and Andy shrugged.

“Maybe not. But you get what I mean. It’s been a long time since I had sex and I wanted it with him. And it was really good. I didn’t feel like washing off my flesh afterward. As a matter of fact, I slept off on his bed,” Andy said and Candace raised a brow.

“So, what now? Are you in love with him?” Candace asked and Andy shook her head.

“I don’t think I am. Or maybe I’m not sure. He was just so different from the Cassidy I know. If I had met him under different circumstances, I would have fallen for him. Too bad things happened the way they did. Anyway, so about the bitch that gave birth to you, what was done to her?” Andy asked, returning to the subject.

“I wasn’t done with the story,” Candace said and Andy raised a brow.

“Wait. What? You mean she did more after selling you off for fame and breaking that sweet man’s heart by running off with his money and abandoning a week-old baby?” Andy asked in disbelief.

“Shocking isn’t it?” Candace asked before going ahead to tell her how she had come back wanting to meet Harry because she wanted a transplant and how Lucy had confronted her.

“I didn’t tell you yet how I’m related to Lucy, did I?” Candace asked and then digressed a bit to tell her about Sara’s relationship with Lucy’s mom and what she had done to her own family.

The more Candace spoke, the more Andy’s eyes widened in disbelief and she gasped and hissed in outrage at the despicable things Sara had done.

By the time Candace was done telling her everything, Andy had concluded that Sara was the most evil bitch to walk the face of the earth.

Andy clapped as Candace told her how Harry and Tom had set Sara up, and when Candace showed her the video, Andy laughed happily, “Those two deserve a lap dance,” Andy said and Candace laughed.

“Jade and Lucy would kill you if you dare go near their men,” Candace said and Andy shook her head.

“Not me. I’m done with that, but I can pay for it, but I won’t since I don’t want to get on anyone’s bad side,” Andy said with a grin, and before Candace could ask her any question she raised the bank documents on the bed which Candace had failed to check.

Candace gasped when she saw the amount of money the account held, “How did you get this?”

“Cassidy gave it to me. He said he wants me to have a better life,” Andy said with a shrug.

“Do you know what this means? Even if you didn’t end up being part of such a wealthy family, we would have also been wealthy. We are stinky rich, Candy,” Andy said happily.

“Do you think I should accept Sara’s and all that my adoptive parents left me?” Candace asked and Andy frowned.

“You weren’t going to? Are you kidding me? If anyone deserves it, it is you. Sara would never have had all of that if she didn’t sell you. And your adoptive parents left all of that for you so it is all yours. Why will you want to reject it?” Andy asked and Candace sighed.

12:27

“You weren’t going to? Are you kidding me? If anyone deserves it, it is you. Sara would never have had all of that if she didn’t sell you. And your adoptive parents left all of that for you so it is all yours. Why will you want to reject it?” Andy asked and Candace sighed.

“Maybe because I am scared and I don’t know what to do with all of it. How do I manage Sara’s company or that of my adoptive parents?” Candace asked and Andy rolled her eyes.

“That’s the simplest part. You get capable people to manage them for you. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy your money. We have worked so hard, Candy. We deserve this break,” Andy said and Candace nodded.

“I suppose you’re right. Let me ask you a question. How do you feel about being surrounded by all these accomplished people? Sonia is a famous writer, Lucy is a director at I-Global, and Jade is a big-shot lawyer at her young age. How do you feel?” Candace asked and Andy shrugged.

“Proud, of course. Finally, I get to be around people who can motivate me to be better and not just other strippers like me trying to make ends meet. Why do you ask?” Andy asked and Candace shrugged.

“Sometimes I feel like an impostor. I know they love me, but I feel like I don’t fit into their cycle. I feel small and inferior,” Candace said and Andy placed a finger under her chin and raised it.

“I ought to slap that thought out of your head. Are you out of your mind? You are amazing, and you shouldn’t feel less than that. They are amazing ladies, and we too are amazing. We did what we had to do, and if anyone dares to judge us for it, I’m going to punch them in the face,” Andy said, and Candace laughed.

“Alright. I’ve heard you.”

“You had better else I’m going to start by punching your face in for looking down at us. Stripping is an honorable profession too, you know? Do you know how many people we’ve entertained or spiced up their relationships? So what if they are lawyers and writers and directors? We also were professional strippers. Professionals, Candy! People begged to have us entertain them. We were the fucking best! Don’t you ever forget that!” Andy said and Candace rolled her eyes.

“Yeah. Whatever. Harry wants us to have an interview together to reveal everything. He says that way no one would be able to dig it up like some dirty secret later,” Candace said and Andy nodded.

“I approve. When you do the interview, your chin should be up and your spine straight. Better don’t act like you’re embarrassed. Why am I telling you that now when I will be in the background cheering you? You don’t have to worry about a thing,” Andy said and Candace grinned.

“I’m so happy to have you back,” Candace said and Andy smiled.

“Me too. I’m happy to have myself back,” Andy said and they both giggled.

“So, what do you plan to do with all that money?” Candace asked and Andy shrugged.

“I will wait for you to take over those companies and then I will buy shares. I will buy shares in all your companies. In Dad’s company as well as I-Global. And then I will look for a good record label to sign me and start-up music as I always planned to do,” Andy said with a shrug.

“A record label? I think I-Global should be into that since they just started an entertainment subsidiary. Bryan and Matt are signed with them. And I’m sure you can use Dad’s studio for your shoots,” Candace said and Andy spread her hands.

“Perfect! Everything has fallen into place for us, Candy. We’ve got lots of money to last us a lifetime, and now we can do whatever we want to do for fun and not work our ass flat for money,” Andy said happily.

“Yeah. It has. All of this feels too good to be true. Sometimes I’m scared I might wake up and find out I’m dreaming,” Candace said with a sigh.

“Well, even if it is a dream you better make the best use of it and enjoy it while it lasts. If I can only have all these in a dream and not reality, then I will make sure to make the dream count,” Andy said and Candace smiled.

“I’ve almost forgotten how positive you can be,” Candace said and Andy shrugged.

“The world is full of negative energy already, why add mine to it? So, let’s talk about you and Matt now,” Andy said with a wink and they both giggled.

“It’s past 3 A.M. already. We should get some rest,” Candace said and Andy raised a brow. historical

“Is that your way of avoiding the subject?” Andy asked and Candace rolled her eyes.

“What is there to avoid? I already told you we are dating now. What else is there to tell?” She asked and Andy grinned as she bit into a cookie.

“The details. Every juicy detail of how you both finally got here to the extent that he is here, sharing a bedroom with you, and after that, you can give me details on everyone else and their relationships so I know how to relate with them,” Andy said as she adjusted on the bed, letting Candace know that she had no intention of sleeping now or letting her go to sleep either.

Candace sighed, “Alright. Fine. If that’s what you want, let’s do it talk till Dawn then.”

By the time they were done talking, it was almost 5 A.M. and they were both exhausted and yawning consecutively.

“I can’t believe I spent all night chatting with you after my long flight,” Candace complained with a yawn as she lay on the bed.

“Are you complaining? Do you want me to go back to the Island?” Andy threatened with a yawn.

“Instead of threatening me with that, you should just say you are missing Cassidy and want to go back to have sex with him,” Candace said sleepily and Andy giggled as she watched her.

“Shouldn’t you go to your bedroom to spend the night with Matt?” Andy asked as she lay beside Candace.

“Are you sleeping already?” Andy asked when Candace didn’t respond, and she smiled when she realized that Candace had dozed off.

Andy looked at Candace’s face as she slept and she sighed softly. Even though she was exhausted and wanted to sleep, she was still too excited about being here with Candace.

Her mind was still very active even though her body was exhausted, so as she lay beside Candace staring at her, she thought about all that had happened since she arrived and she smiled as her thoughts drifted to Harry and Aaron.

The last thought on her mind as she finally drifted off to sleep was of Cassidy. She wondered if he would keep an eye on her as he had done to her family. Would he reach out to her? A part of her hoped he would.

Maybe it was silly of her, but she hoped the last time she saw him wouldn’t be the last time she would get to see him.

She hoped that sometime in the future, they would be able to meet again on friendly terms. Not as abused and abuser, or abductor and abductee, but as equals.

She hoped that by then they would have both fully healed from their past and he would have been free from his demons.