Role Play by Susan Wright Read Free Book Online Page B

moment, trying to wrap my mind around that. “This, I have to see.” I pulled out my phone.
    “It’s a protected site. You have to make a profile to get on.” He wrote down the name of the website. “Her screen name is Lollycat.”
    I took the piece of paper between two fingers.
    Dick leaned closer, and I could smell the beer on his breath. “You can get hold of her laptop while she’s sleeping. I’ve got a URL you go to and click download, and it will record what she’s doing online—“
    “I’m not going to do that!” I exclaimed. “You’re crazy!”
    “ You better do something.” He reached into the back seat and grabbed a plastic bag. Throwing it into my lap, it took me a moment to realize it was the red curly wig he had loaned me. I had left it on the car seat when he dropped me off last weekend. “You check out that website. You’ll see! If you don’t keep an eye on her, then I will.”
    I got out of the car. I didn’t like the way he was yelling at me, almost threatening me, like he had a right to treat me this way. But I took the bag with the wig in it.
    I headed to my apartment, determined to have it out with Lola once and for all.
    ...
    Lola was stretching on the living room floor when I came in. My sister had always been flexible and fancied herself a good dancer, but you needed lessons to be able to really dance. Not just copying what you saw on YouTube videos. Right now Lola was lying almost prone between her widely outstretched legs, with her long hair bundled up behind her head.
    I could hear the deafening rap through the ear buds Lola was wearing. My sister gave me a wave, but didn’t stop her rhythmic stretching.
    I went into the bedroom to change into comfy night clothes, trying to figure out how I could make my sister talk to me. I went through my usual getting-home rituals, putting my clothes in the hamper, and washing my face and hands.
    Walking back into the living room, I waved to get Lola’s attention. “Hey, Lola!”
    Lola only removed one ear bud. “What?”
    “I wanted to talk to you about Martin.”
    “What about him?”
    I flopped down on the couch, trying to send out a relaxed vibe. “How’s it going with him? You’ve been gone all week, and I wasn’t sure if you were seeing him or doing something else.”
    “Both.” Lola kept on stretching.
    “Come on, Lolly!” The nickname came out without thinking, but it reminded me of the profile name that Dick said she had made. “Tell me what’s going on. I’m so curious.”
    “Yeah, I know you’re curious! Or you wouldn’t have spied on me.”
    Irritation flashed through me. I had done it to try to understand her. But I couldn’t tell Lola that or she would get even madder. “Well, I’d rather have you tell me. I just want to make sure you’re okay. What if something happens that you don’t like?”
    “I have a safeword. That’s what I say to stop whatever’s going on if it’s not working for me. But I’ve never had to use it. I got to trust Martin before I let him touch me.”
    “How did you get to know him?”
    Suspiciously, Lola eyed me. “At the mall. He worked there for a while. We kept running into each other in the food court.”
    “And that made him trustworthy?”
    “Sierra, I met him months ago. We were friends long before anything happened. He’s a performer. He travels all over the world doing shows.”
    “What kind of shows?”
    “Performance art.”
    I suddenly saw Lola’s stretching as more than an idle exercise. “Like dancing?”
    “Kind of. I want to be a part of his work. I’m sort of on a trial basis right now.”
    “You mean you aren’t having sex with him?”
    Lola shot me a look. “It’s none of your business, but I am.”
    My mouth opened. “How is it none of my business? I’m your sister.”
    “My private life is mine. Why do you keep acting like you own me? Like you can tell me how to live?”
    “Lola! I’m just trying to help you.”
    “I don’t need your