Trust in Us by Altonya Washington Page A

that jackass’s side over mine!”
    “Because I’ve heard it all before! You always get upset when somebody tells you the truth about what you do for a living!”
    “Orchid—”
    “Passing yourself off like some kind of businesswoman.” Orchid ignored Alythia’s attempt to interrupt. “All you are is a pimp.”
    Myrna gasped.
    “Bitch,” Jeena spat. “I’d rather be a pimp than a slut. At least a hooker gets paid.”
    Orchid winced as though the words were a physical blow. “What are you tryin’ to say?”
    “You never were very bright, were you?” Jeena sneered, folding her arms over the red robe she’d thrown on over matching pjs. “Then again, you never had to be, with Aly in your corner.”
    “Don’t even try it! Y’all are not drawin’ me into this!”
    The women didn’t seem to notice Aly bolting from the balcony.
    “Aly to make you seem smarter than you are, your family’s money to make you seem more respectable that you could ever hope to be and a parade of idiots in your bed to solidify your slut status!” Jeena wailed. The wind whipped her short hair about her face and added to the wild aura she cast.
    Impossibly, the voice volume continued to heighten. In the living room, Aly could only hope the women wouldn’t come to blows. As she was on her way out, Myrna would indeed ruin her manicure trying to break them apart.
    “You’re crazy, Alythia Marie Duffy, if you think you’re leavin’ me here with them fools,” Myrna hissed when she raced out into the living room behind Aly.
    “It’s okay, Mur, I already called Jay to come get his fiancée.” Alythia patted a side pocket on her rust-colored shirtdress to ensure her room key was inside. “You only have to keep the peace for a few more minutes. If you get nervous, call Dane.”
    “And where are you going?” Myrna propped her hands, fingers-down, on her hips.
    “I have a meeting.” Alythia sighed in relief, not seeing the need to hide her motives any longer.
    Myrna straightened, her cool, lovely gaze narrowing with discovery. “That’s why you came on the trip, isn’t it?”
    “And it’s a good thing, too. At least I’ll get something out of it besides catfights.”
    Myrna glanced in the general direction of the balcony. “Don’t you even care enough to help me calm them down?”
    “Please, Mur, Jeena will see what an idiot she was to have sex with that horse’s ass thirty minutes after she met him.”
    Myrna blinked. “Is that what you think about me and Dane?”
    “Sweetie, you and Dane are not a couple.” Aly’s tone was full of sympathy but she wouldn’t apologize for her honesty.
    “You’re wrong. We’ve been talking and we plan to keep on seeing each other when we get back.”
    “I’m sure you will. He’s not ready to close off a new sex pipeline so fast.”
    “You take that back!”
    “Ah, Myrna, do you hear how childish you sound?” Aly clasped her hands in a pleading gesture against the front of her dress. “Y’all have been ridiculous with these guys.”
    “Well, Aly, maybe me and Jeen want to find what Orchid has! Unlike you, maybe we don’t want to wind up lonely with only a bank account to show for a long life.”
    “Mur.” Alythia’s expression was one of sudden suspicion. “You don’t think Dane’s gonna marry you?” She could see in Myrna’s eyes that she held on to just that hope. “Sweetie, you and Jeen are just something they wanted to play with for a while.”
    Myrna was shaking her head. “Do you ever get sick of being so upstanding? So high, mighty and right all the damn time?”
    “I’m sorry you think that, Mur. I don’t mean to hurt you. It’s just so clear what’s happening. I’m just sorry you guys can’t see it.”
    “Go to your meeting, Aly.” Myrna smirked. “Business is the only thing you’ll probably ever get off on anyway.”
    Alythia watched Myrna head back into the argument on the balcony. Her fingers ached with the need to pull the woman back,