CHAPTER 16. Miss Bunny

**— VITA.**

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The night in this bar is always suffocating, but still, I come here under the name of Miss Bunny every night. The blonde wig, mask, and tight red dress have been my disguise, but I confess that things aren’t working out the way I’d like to... And that’s because, no matter how hard I try to get information, it’s always the same — nobody knows anything about that night.

I step onto the stage, breathing deeply as I pick up the microphone with my delicate hand hidden under the lace glove. My eyes go to the small crowd before me, elegant people sitting at the round tables... But they linger on one specific man who catches my eyes; he looks to be in his fifties or maybe more. His eyes are intense, and the way he looks at me makes me feel really disgusted. He’s a regular client, always there drinking and slapping the asses of the waitresses as they pass him.

When the sound of the piano echoes subtly through the place, everyone turns their attention to me, and I take a deep breath when the first notes of the song blend with my sweet voice... “Why do you glance at me like that, the beautiful moon in the sky, alone and distant that you can’t even touch...”

I close my eyes, surrendering to the song that resonates with my aching soul, increasing the notes to match the melody, “Don’t make me be an impossible dream, something that you just picture alone in the night. Come, make me your needy love, a touch that envelops. I just want you to accept my pained soul...”

I sway my body, feeling my eyes sting with contained tears, feeling my heart hurt at the lyric of the song, “Hold me tight, darling, don’t leave me here... I’m not a breath, a glimpse of time. I’m yours, body and soul. Why are you letting me slip through your hands? Take me in, all yours — your body, my soul...”

My eyes open, and I look out over the crowd, singing the softest notes, “Please, darling, don’t make me a lovely moon. I need your needy love. You need my broken soul...”

Suddenly, I feel the air being stolen from my lungs... What is Derek doing here?

The words almost falter, but I force myself to take my eyes off him and focus on the other corner of the bar, on a random face, with my throat tight... “Body and soul, all yours, come and take everything that always belonged to you...”

I keep singing, too aware that Derek’s sight is burning into my skin. Even though I’m in disguise and he’s never heard me sing before, I feel completely shaken, like he can see right through me, right into my soul.

When the song finally ends, I receive a few claps that echo through the room, and I slowly leave the stage, my heart pounding in my tight throat. My eyes are still burning with emotions that threaten to overflow because I feel too close to the lyrics of this song.

But as I stand behind the stage, hurrying to the dressing room, I see a face that has been very familiar over the last few days — Foxy, a shapeshifter fox who has been working in this bar for two years. Unfortunately, she’s not much use as she wasn’t here at the time of Alice’s death, but she’s well aware of the things that have happened and are happening around her.

“Hey, girl... Are you leaving already?” She asks, looking at me with naturally yellow eyes. She shakes her red hair, tossing it behind her shoulders.

“The night’s over.” I give her a discreet smile and stop in front of her, hugging my body because, somehow, I always feel uncomfortable when she looks at me like that. They say foxes are cunning, perhaps because it’s hard to know what they’re thinking.

“The night has only just begun, darling.” She looks at me with a certain amusement, then starts guiding me with her hand and away from the dressing room. “You could get a lot more out... you could make good money, you know... There are a lot of clients interested in Miss Bunny.”

Although Foxy and the rest of the staff know about my real identity, they all restrict themselves to calling me by my alias while I’m undercover, which is better for me, especially now that Derek is coming to the Woodbar with disturbing frequency.

“I’m just interested in singing, Foxy,” I say calmly, letting her guide me back to the bar near the backstage entrance. “Things like this aren’t my thing.”

“But haven’t you needed money since, huh, you got out of Wolf Jail?” She says quietly, covering her mouth so that no one can read her lips. “It doesn’t have to be many clients... just one could change your life completely and forever — do you even know how much they offered you? I mean... It’s a lot of money.”

I frown and open my lips to answer her, but she’s quicker to add, “Mr. Bug has been asking for your company over drinks.”

Mr. Bug...? The name makes me widen my eyes, and I huff.

Yes, I’ve noticed the stares from this Mr. Bug, who’s always looking at me like a piece of meat. But he doesn’t seem to be respectful to ladies.

“I don’t do anything like that, Foxy. I was very clear on my first day. I have no interest in being an escort.” I say politely, even though I’m tired of this.

It’s not the first time Foxy has tried to convince me of this, even though my answer was the same.

“But he’s a big fish here, and he could really change your life! You see, he has a habit of adopting some girls, like a Sugar Daddy... And now, his interest is completely in you! The other girls are annoyed because he’s not satisfied with any of the others and insists that you go with him!”

Oh, so that’s why the other girls are so hostile these days, I see...

“You can tell them not to worry... I have no intention of stealing their place.” I give a soft smile, and Foxy’s expression turns tough.

“Vita, he’s just asking for a bit of chit-chat over a few martinis; it’s not like he’s trying to buy you off.” She crosses her arms, and her foxtail lowers, as do her eyebrows. “You did the same with Mr. Raven, didn’t you?”

I give Foxy an equally fierce look, not liking her tone one bit. I think about telling her she’s wrong, that I’m not the one who called him... But no one ever takes my words seriously, right? It’s as if I’m never really listened to, like I have no voice.

“Find someone else, Foxy. I told you I don’t do things like that.” That’s all I say, and Foxy laughs sarcastically, without any amusement.

“You and that attitude of yours, huh? Sometimes, it seems like you’re better than all of us... but we’re all on the same ground now... Actually, not quite, since you were in a lower place, hum?”

“That’s not what I meant-”

“Oh, my... It’s really an honor to meet you, Miss Bunny... You’re a difficult woman to get close to.” I’m interrupted by a slightly high-pitched voice, masculine and somewhat breathless. There’s no accent, but it sounds strange to my ears, perhaps too slurred by the alcohol.

I turn slowly, finding the face of the man who has been watching me every night — Mr. Bug.

He shortens our distance, stopping so close that our arms are almost touching.

“But your friend is wrong... I’m not looking for a drinking partner... I want you to warm my bed.” Mr. Bug says with a wicked grin, and I can even smell the stench of booze flowing from his mouth.

“Excuse me?” I ask with surprise and anger because a man can’t be that disgusting!

I try to move away, taking a few steps back, but his big hand grabs my arm and pulls me close, eliciting a painful grunt from my lips. He brings our faces closer, forcing me to smell his drunken breath as he says, “You got it right, little bunny... I want you in my bed. So let me introduce you to the big bad wolf.”

I pull on his arm, but he’s too strong, and I can’t get free, even though I keep trying to wriggle out of his grip...

But then, a firm hand grabs Mr. Bug’s shoulder, enough to make him grunt and release me immediately...

“Well, well, Mr. Bug... What have we here? First, illegal gambling, breaking my laws, having your way in Loyalland, my territory... And now you’re crossing my path with your gross presence...” I blink a few times, watching as Derek stops between the two of us, “Tell me, do you have a death wish?”