Fifty-seven pounds.

The weight of Eshe's packed luggage brought her over the limit—but it was almost her entire life crammed into one bag. The essentials at least. The rest she'd have to send for from her parents once she found a place to stay.

Fresh tears pricked her eyes, searing little needles of pain. The ache of them roared in her throat and nose. She sniffed them back loudly and was grateful she'd had the sense to wear her extra-large Chanel sunglasses on the plane. They ate up most of her long face, obscuring bloodshot eyes and heavy bags.

Her heart kicked in her chest, the rhythm unnatural, punctuated beats like a stone skipping over water. Unsure whether it was going to continue skimming the glass smooth surface, or break through and sink.

Hauling her suitcase off the carousal, she wove through the crowd and out into the guts of the airport. Cait, dramatic as ever, flashed a bedazzled sign the size of a small billboard. Bright and bold as Cait's wardrobe.

The first weak smile pushed across Eshe's lips.

"My god," Cait whispered as she gathered Eshe into a hug, "you look terrible." Eshe pulled off her sunglasses and Cait's mouth tumbled open. "Have you been crying?"

"I'm fine."

"Girl, do I need to haul you in front of a mirror so you can see the hot mess that is this outfit with your own blood shot eyes? You're a long way off from fine."

"I'm here to listen to your problems." Eshe swiped a hand under her nose. "Not to bury you with mine."

"Any reason why we can't do both?"

"It's a long story."

"We've got LA traffic to look forward to." Cait looped an arm around her waist. "Put those back on. And tell me all about it."

It took most of the ride to Cait's Airbnb, plus another twenty minutes of unpacking for Eshe to get through it all, and to her credit, Cait managed to limit herself to only three outbursts.

Plunked on the edge of the queen size bed of the guest room, Cait crossed a bare leg. Her canary yellow chunky heels bounced impatiently. "I'm stunned," she said, ruffling a hand through pale lavender hair. "What are you going to do now? Without the residency program?"

"Well, I emailed Tate on my way over here, and let her know that my schedule has cleared up for more modelling opportunities." Eshe's fingers skimmed the hem of her shorts, grazing close to the marks on her inner right thigh. "I was hoping maybe you'd have some...I dunno, contacts lined up."

Cait released a bemused laugh. "I wish I did, doll. Truly. But even with the successful launch of Vogue's Femminizer, I'm a long way off from calling any shots in the fashion world.

"Oh..." What little spark of hope Eshe had been holding onto guttered out in her chest. Even though she'd never been the sort to hold credence in miracles or signs, when Cait's emergency text came through right at the moment she'd been contemplating carving the manicure scissors into her thigh—Eshe had dared to believe someone had been looking out for her. Some benevolent spirit or Goddess (because why couldn't God be a woman?).

That fate had something in store for her. A way out.

But now that door was winging shut in her face. Sealing her in the dark.

"Are you okay?"

Was she? Her father had barely looked at her when she'd left the family flat, suit cases packed and tearfully hugging her mother and sister goodbye. Only for a single, bracing heart beat did their eyes connect across the foyer.

His had been dry and decisive. Perhaps a whisper of sympathy, but not much else.

"I will be." Eshe crossed her arms, too anxious to sit she paced. "Just need to sort out a flat in London."

"Why go back?" Cait popped up, smiling. Even in her heels she only came up to Eshe's shoulder. "There's a whole world. You can go anywhere. Like Paris." She wiggled her brows.

Eshe laughed. But it was weak. Reedy. "Your place is tiny, and already occupied by your flat-mate."

"Earl's hardly ever around. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"Thanks." She kissed Cait firmly on the lips and hugged her fast. "But I'll sort it out."

"You shouldn't be alone," Cait mumbled. Then bounced on her toes with a gasp. "Oh, I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner. It's perfect!"

Eshe narrowed her eyes. Cait had a devious look about her. The kind of look that got them into a lot of trouble as teens. But also lead to the creation of incredible memories. "What is?"

"Shayne! She's got an entire palace of bedrooms—more than enough space for you to crash without tripping over each other."

"I don't think—"

"She needs you."

Eshe stopped cold. "What do you mean she needs me?"

"Guess you haven't seen the news." Sighing, she nodded towards the computer. "Come and see." Cait flounced from the room, her gauzy thin floral printed kimono breezing in her wake, and was already firing up her laptop by the time Eshe found her seated on a chaise, a tablet in her lap. "Here it is—Disgraced Princess Seina returns to drag the monarchy to an all time low."

"Ouch." Eshe plunked down next to Cait. "Who wrote that?"

Cait skimmed to the bottom of the article. "Some loser named Thiago Mendoza."

Eshe scoffed. "Sodding prat."

"And he's not even the worst offender." She swiveled the tablet to Eshe. "There are dozens more that all popped up this morning—and far less flattering. Our girl is in trouble."

"Why didn't she call us?" 

Cait cocked a brow. "Shayne? Invoke the code?" She snorted a braying laugh. "I'd pay money to see that happen."

"Poor Shayne," Eshe whispered, scrolling through one headline after another. Guilt swelled inside her. "I can't leave you, Cait. I just got here."

Cait swayed into her, bumping shoulders. "We have all weekend. And then you can call your travel agent to swap out your return ticket to London for Madrid."

Shutting down the tablet, Eshe laid it on the chaise between them. "Well, then if all we have is a weekend, we better get to it. I'll slip into my bathing suit, you pop some bubbly and let's soak up some sun while you bring me up to speed on Evan."

#

"Twelve years." Cait swiped tears from her cheeks but the sun was so scorching hot they dried almost as quickly as they were shed. "Can you believe the bastard?"

"Well, technically only nine—if they were separated for three," Eshe clarified, earning a scowl from Cait.

"Screw technicalities, he lied to me."

Yes, he had. Sodding prick. Eshe and Cait lay stretched out on wide white cushioned tanning bed, side by side beneath a gorgeous LA sun. A dazzling gold orb in a flawlessly blue sky. Twenty minutes out on this quaint patio with a long strip of a pool and her spirits were already perking up just as Cait's started to nosedive.

Eshe sat up and swiveled around. Long legs crossed. "I get why you're angry," she said, looking to her dearest friend. The tip of her nose pink with grief. "You know Charles cheated on me throughout he entirety of our relationship. You know what the discovery of those betrayals did to me."

Cait sniffled.

"But this is not the same," Eshe continued. "Evan was trying to do the right thing. Where he fucked up royally was by not trusting you to handle or understand the sordid truth. He should've been honest with you from the start, but the facts are that he was actively trying to end his marriage—long before you came into the picture, I might add. And increased those efforts as soon as you did. Which obviously tipped Angela off and put you on her radar."

Cait rocked her legs and sat up to face Eshe. "You think I should forgive him?"

"I think you should fight." Eshe took her hands. Squeezed. "Not for him. But for yourself."

"I don't understand."

"This woman has threatened your career. She is holding your dreams hostage in some warped power play to keep her husband. That can't go unchallenged."

Cait wiggled her spine a little straighter, and beneath the sheen of tears, a gleam of defiance echoed in her eyes. "Alright. What do you propose?"

**AN**

Here were go with an update for Eshe! In case you missed the post SISTERHOOD NEWS my schedule had opened up for the next week or so, so I am banging out as many Sisterhood chapters as I can over the next few days. Keep your eyes peeled for more of the Girls and the new Stiletto Suitors make their debut. 

Prepare for all the smexy feels!