by C. J. Thomas
I watched him roll it between his fingers before sliding it under his nose. “Fancy.”
It was. I’d smoked one after leaving his place when I was finished with the day’s shoot. They were the best—incredibly delicious and only cost me three hundred Gs. And it just so happened that they went perfect with tequila.
Speaking of tequila, I reached behind me and grabbed a bottle I’d brought back. I held it up to Ted and he nodded, taking a seat.
I poured two glasses and handed him one.
I shot mine. He leaned back, crossed his legs, and sipped on his.
“Quiet around here,” he said.
I poured myself another and lifted the glass to my mouth. My lips puckered on contact and I nodded. “We just got back from Mexico and have another early morning tomorrow.”
He looked around as we sat in silence. I was exhausted from the trip and couldn’t wait to get home and go to sleep.
“Alex here?” His face pinched in on itself.
My eyes narrowed behind the rim. He just couldn’t stay away. She wasn’t here and I wasn’t about to tell him that. He’d flip if he found out she quit. Blame me for something that wasn’t completely my fault and assume that I’d pushed her too far.
“Everyone went home or is on their way out, Ted. We’ve been extremely busy filming and traveling.” My eyes closed and I pinched the bridge of my nose.
He set his glass down on top of my desk harder than was needed.
My head lifted and he was already on his feet. He had a troubled look on his face as he paced the room, his hands rooted into his hips and his head tipped back to the ceiling.
“What’s wrong, Ted. You look agitated.”
Slowly, he turned and met my curious gaze. His eyes were wild. “You haven’t seen it, have you?”
“Seen what?” I leaned back and folded my arms across my chest.
He reached behind his back and pulled out a folded up magazine. “This.” He tossed it on my desk.
I reached out and opened it up. My head went dizzy the moment I saw it.
“It was published today. She’s gone.”
My vision blurred and my ears closed up. I felt sick to my stomach. How could this be?
I gently set the magazine back on top of my desk, not knowing what to think. If I was going to read what happened, I needed another drink. I didn’t expect this and it was heavy.
“You’re not even going to read it?” Ted raised his voice. “You don’t give a shit, do you?”
She was so young.
Smart.
With a bright future.
“This is your fault!” Ted pointed at me.
My throat felt like sandpaper the next time I swallowed. And when I glanced up at Ted’s furious face, my eyelids felt gummy.
I didn’t know what to say. I was conflicted. A mixture of pain and anger, thinking that somehow I could have prevented this.
“She’s dead because of you.” Ted slammed his hands down in front of me. “Who’s next? Alex?”
97
Alex
I GLANCED up at the clock.
Nash was going to show up any minute and I still hadn’t figured out how best to bring up the murder. It was a fine line. I’d be walking on eggshells no matter how I presented it.
He said he wanted to see me but had some things he had to finish up at the studio before stopping by. I didn’t have much time.
The Madam called a little while ago and said she was going to give me a second chance, that I should be ready, and also that I could count on her to watch me closely.
Between her and Nash, my mind was scrambled and conflicted.
I strode to the bedroom and started digging through my closet. I didn’t have much time before Nash would be here and I couldn’t let him find me wearing practically nothing. If he caught me like this, it would be impossible for him to deny me. I still hadn’t decided on what to wear and didn’t know where to begin. I just had to choose something.
Kendra still hadn’t figured out a real plan on breaking my contract and everything was happening too fast to just quit. The Madam would have my head if I didn’t come through tonight. Quitting now was out of the question. Plus, on the bright side, it gave me an easy out with Nash.
I preferred it this way. It was for the best. And now, with the debt being cleared—however that came to be—how in the world was I going to explain to him that I still couldn’t be with him? He didn’t want me to escort, and now that I didn’t have a reason to, he certainly wouldn’t allow it.
I moved in front of the mirror and wondered how best to cover up the dark circles beneath my eyes.
I didn’t want him to stay for very long. I just needed to ask him a couple questions. Very tough questions, yes, so I knew doing it over the phone would be worthless.
I bit the inside of my cheek, unable to concentrate. I shook out my nerves and paced.
I needed to watch his eyes when I broke the news. See if there was a monster hiding inside. The detectives could say all they wanted, but I needed to be the one to decide for myself if he was the person they made him out to be, or if he was the man he’d convinced me he was.
My hope was that it would be the latter of the two.
A flush of adrenaline tingled through my body when the doorbell rang. I grabbed a bathrobe from the rack and quickly made my way to the door. Standing on my tip-toes, I peeked through the peephole and saw that it was a package delivery, not Nash. I dropped to the balls of my feet, sighed, and opened the door.
“Evening.” The man handed me a wrapped and sealed package.
“Hi.” I took the package. “Thank you.” I closed the door.
The moment I opened it, I knew it was from the Madam. It was my evening dress with a quick, handwritten note.
You owe me one. Be confident and don’t let me down. Your date means business ;-)
I inhaled a deep, calming breath and let my eyes fall inside the box. Instantly, I knew why she was reminding me to be confident. This was no ordinary date. She had plans for me, and clearly, so did this man.
I took the clothes between my fingers and held it up in front of my face.
It was a gorgeous lace lingerie set with criss-cross details and rhinestone accents.
It was sexy.
It was scandalous.
And there was only one reason a woman would wear this—to get fucked. The package included the whole outfit; bra, gartered skirt, leg garters, panties.
Just the thought of wearing it had me wet. If only I could wear it for Nash.
My eyes closed and I immediately wished I didn’t think that. But the truth was, I missed him.
Slowly, I padded my way back to my bedroom, knowing that I needed to get ready. The Madam told me tonight was going to be big, and even though I knew that Kendra was working on a way to get me out of my contract, no matter how fast she worked, there wasn’t enough time.
This was all happening tonight. And I needed to set my sights on what was happening now.
In the meantime, it was up to me to keep the Madam happy. That meant keeping her client happy. I’d do whatever it took to please both, because after tonight she would know whether or not she could trust me.
And I would know whether or not Nash was the killer the detectives wanted me to believe he was.
98
Nash
I PEEKED MY HEAD INSIDE. The apartment was quiet and I wondered if I’d missed her.
I knew I was running late, but I wasn’t that far off schedule. She should still be here.
When Alex had texted me, saying she wanted to talk, I couldn’t believe it. Especially with how our last conversation had gone. I thought she was done with me for good.
But with the news of my ex’s death, I could only assume that Ted had found a way to inform Alex about it too. She needed to hear what I had to say—I was prepared for it. In fact, I welcomed it.
With her nowhere to be found, I let myself in and walked around the apartment.
When all I could hear was my own breath, I knew that it was the kind of quiet that should make me worry.
I browsed around. Looking for clues. Seeing what it was she had been up to while I was away in Mexico.
Nothing jumped out.
My heavy footsteps echoed off the walls and I continued searching. “Alex?”
No response.
When I made my way to the kitchen counter, that’s when I found a note. The writing was hers.
Nash, sorry I missed you, but you were late and I had somewhere I needed to be. I’ll call when I can. ~ A.
I blew out a hot breath and turned to look out the window, ashamed that I’d missed her. My phone rang, bringing my thoughts back to the present. “Wes, what’s up brother?” I answered.
“You alone?”
“Yeah, why?”
“You might want to sit down for this.”
“What’s going on?” My mind raced. What bomb was he about to drop on me now? “Is Alex okay?” Oh, dear God. I freaked. If something happened to her I couldn’t live with myself. I’d already received too much bad news for one day to last me a lifetime.
“Relax. It’s not about Alex.” He paused. “I’m sure she’s just fine.”
I dropped my forehead into my hand and let my pulse race.
“I found more dirt on Ted.”
I tipped my head back and raked my fingers down my neck. “I can’t wait to hear it.”
“So get this, Ted would only take the money from Blake Stone because Stone had access to real members of the cartel.”
I thought about my meeting with Lopez in Mexico and being surrounded by an army of cartel members, all of whom had sworn allegiance to defend and protect Mr. Lopez at all costs. It all made for one hell of scene, and depending on the story, would be perfect for a movie.
“Why would he need that?”
“Adds a level of authenticity to the film he wanted to make.”
I spun on a heel and tried to make sense of it all. “What, exactly, are you saying?”
“Nash, Ted never did receive the money.”
It all suddenly started to fall into place. “That’s why he’s also after the quarter million.”
“Bingo.”
“But why? To fund his project? That’s chump change in the big scheme of things. He could find that anywhere,” I huffed. “Hell, I would have given him that.”
“Me, too. Except, listen to this.”
“There’s more?” I rested my free hand on the countertop to steady myself. I thought I knew Ted. It turned out I knew nothing about the real Ted.
Wes’s voice went low as he said, “It’s not to make a movie.”
“But you just said—”
“That’s what he wanted people to believe in case—”
“He ever got caught.” The words rolled off the tip of my tongue all too easily as I nodded.
“Nash, he owes Mr. Lopez money. Don’t you see?”
My eyes rounded and my heart stopped.
“Ted knows Alex had it. That’s why she was always his favorite.”
“And he wanted to pay Lopez back with his own money.”
“You got it.”
99
Alex
THE SUIT MY DATE, Adrian, wore reminded me of something Nash would wear. It had the same look and feel. Expensive and tailor-made. And he looked just as amazing in it as I knew Nash would.
My cheeks flushed when I caught him staring.
I had to give the man credit. Somehow, despite being surrounded by a few dozen other couples all sitting around candlelit tables for two, he’d made me feel like the only other person in the restaurant.
Tonight was going so much better than I could have ever imagined. I had to thank him for that, too.
He took my hand inside his and I brushed a curled bang to the side of my face with my free hand.
From his dimples to the heat in his very attractive gaze, he had me thinking of the man I should be here with—Nash.
Adrian had picked me up in an expensive car, and even if I didn’t know how much he paid to have me tonight, I knew he was wealthy like Nash. In fact, there were so many similarities between them that sometimes I forgot who I was sitting across from.
Maybe that was just my way of coping with the reality. It was easier to imagine I’d known Adrian longer than I had.
Escorting was like acting. It was all for show. I had to follow his lead and play co-star of the night. I’d been trained in the art, and when I thought about it like that, it became fun.
It also kept my heart at a safe distance. That was important. Because Adrian had a knack for being charming, and he could probably talk me out of this dress if I wasn’t careful.
“More wine?” When he smiled, he had the whitest teeth I’d ever seen.
My tongue slid over my bottom lip before taking it between my teeth. I nodded, playing up my role, dishing back the flirt.
When he reached across the table to take my empty glass, I noticed his sparkling gold wrist watch. Everything about this man spoke volumes about just how far out of my world, and into his, I really was.
Our conversation over dinner was easy. The food was terrific. And throughout it all, he delighted me, just like he had from the moment he picked me up. If it hadn’t been for my mind constantly roaming back to Nash, I might actually find myself enjoying tonight more than I knew I should.
He filled my glass halfway before setting it back down. There was a glimmer of confidence in his eyes that made me believe he was used to getting what he wanted.
The waiter came back and he told the man to put tonight’s meal on his tab. Adrian’s eyes hooded over and landed back on me. He took my hand again. “I’ve just had the most incredible night with you.”
“You surprised me.” I couldn’t believe my own admission. But it was true.
He tilted his head to the side and continued to hold my gaze.
“I didn’t know what to expect, but you certainly made me feel comfortable.”
“You make it easy.”
I bit my lip and flashed him a suspicious gaze. “Should I be worried about you?”
He smoothed his hands down the center of his chest and straightened his baby blue tie—which matched his gray suit perfectly. “Yes.” He gave me the most seductive smile, one that drew my nipples tight, and said, “Very. I’m trouble.”
I giggled and suppressed the tabloid headlines that flashed through my mind announcing the death of Nash’s ex. I’ll be fine.
“What do you say we get out of here?”
“Hmm . . . depends.” I tapped my fingernail against my chin.
“On?” He raised a single eyebrow.
“Where we’re going.”
He chuckled, and I could feel the deep, sexy rumble through the air. If I wasn’t careful, I’d end up exactly where he wanted me—in his bed. He was just that good.
“Do you like to dance?”
“Depends.” The crinkles around my eyes smiled.
He laughed and arched a brow. “On?”
“Who I’m dancing with.”
He squeezed my hand and brought me to my feet. I followed him through the restaurant and down a level where we passed through some doors and made our way down a hallway until we emerged on club-level.
“You’ve been here before.” It was more of a statement than a question.
He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me tight into his chest. “You can say that.” His body started moving to the beat and I positioned my legs around his thigh.
Together, we moved as one. He led us around the dance floor and I grinded my swollen clit on his muscled leg until my body threatened to burst. I kept reminding myself that I shouldn’t be doing this. But he made it so easy to throw all inhibitions out the window and just go with the flow.
His hands roamed across the small of my back before stopping on the ledge just above my ass. It was impossible not to get lost in him and the way he could move his body so incredibly
well.
I knew that he’d be fantastic in bed.
I just didn’t want to find out myself.
When the music stopped, he held my face inside his hands. I held my breath, waiting for him to kiss me. A part of me wanted him to. Just to see what it was like. A story to tell Kendra.
But, then again, I knew I couldn’t. My heart was still stuck on Nash.
“Alex, sweetheart, you have me so turned on.”
My breath hitched, still waiting for him to crash his lips down on me.
“How about we go to our own private VIP lounge?”
I didn’t know what to think. I could easily say yes, and the only regret I’d have was feeling like somehow I’d cheated Nash.
But I knew I couldn’t say no. This wasn’t my night. This was for the Madam. It was her night. Every decision I made, I had to think of her.
“Just the two of us.” He tucked a loose strand behind my ear. “In private.”
My gaze dropped as I nodded.
Then he smoothed his rough hands down my bare arms until his fingers threaded with mine. He led me through the crowd until we came to a bouncer at the entrance of what I assumed to be the VIP rooms. Adrian slipped him a couple hundreds as we passed.
My vision tunneled as we walked. I zoned out and let my mind escape my body, knowing that this wasn’t real. He’d paid to have me. I was no more than an expensive whore.
“Ladies first.” He straightened his arm toward the closed door.
I stared at the door, knowing that once I stepped inside, there was no turning back. That was it.
I was too afraid to say no.
But my fear of the Madam outweighed my fear of Adrian.
I did a quick gut check and took a step forward. As I skirted around Adrian, I lightly raked my fingers diagonally across his chest before opening the door.
He smiled and I giggled. When I turned around to face the empty, private room, my heart leaped out of my chest.
“Hey, baby.” Nash stood from the chair and slowly sauntered over to me.
I twisted around to find Adrian nodding at Nash. Then he left.
“What are you doing here?” My body temperature rose several degrees.
“Taking back what’s mine.” His strong fingers clamped over my arm just before his lips crashed onto mine.