Shane flung herself into her bed. Marianne had been the worst, threatening to kill herself in front of Shane. She had looked at her with sardonic amusement. She was a good actress but Shane had been pretending all her life. What reasons they had for getting close to her had nothing to do with love but more with self-gratification. She was nice to them until they got clingy. It was the same with every woman until she became unerringly convinced that every woman was the same as before. Everyone wanted something from her, be it sex, company,money or a desire to be desired, but no one wanted the demon that dwelled beneath the surface.

When night fell, Shane made her way to Hyde. She sat at the bar, in this place, she didn’t have to worry about being seen. There were bigger stars than someone like her. She downed her bourbon and looked at the mass of pulsating bodies and bobbing heads. At the other side of the bar, Carmen looked at Alexis with uncertainty. “I don’t feel right Alex….” “This is the place to be seen Carmen….what are you worrying about? Just have a good time…and forget about Gail,” Alexis said as she swayed to the music. Carmen pushed her hair out of her face. “It’s so hot and stuffy here, Alex, I’m making my way to the ladies…” The loud blaring music was giving Carmen a headache. She bumped into someone and she didn’t glance up “Sorry,” “Sorry…” she heard the low husky voice say. She was about to move when she saw something glimmering on the floor. She stooped down to pick it up. A bracelet. She held it up for closer inspection and it was a triple chain bracelet with an exquisite lock attached to it .

Shane felt someone holding onto her wrist and she pulled out of that grasp hard. “What is it you want? An autograph, a photo with me or one night’s fuck?” Shane looked at the shorter Latin woman in front of her. There was an offended look on the woman’s face. “What? I didn’t know coyness was still in use….” She advanced on the woman. “If you wanna fuck, I don’t mind…” The woman was now looking at her with contempt. “I was thinking this is special to you and no, I don’t want your autograph, a photo with you or you to fuck me…I have no idea who the hell you are, but whoever you are, you have no right to talk to me like that,” She shoved something into Shane’s hand and disappeared into the crowd.