After some time has passed, James breaks though our reverie to remark, “There is another artist showing her work here tonight. She is a talented artist who captures the unique perspectives of ordinary things with photographs. Here, let me show you.” He takes my hand and interlaces his fingers through mine. My heart practically leaps out of my chest at his touch. I am falling for him. Hard.
As we stroll through the gallery, I can feel eyes on us and can see the admiration on their faces. I overhear a woman talking to a friend about what a handsome couple we make. I glow from within as I enjoy the comfort and thrill of being James’ date.
For the first time in my life I feel like I am a woman who is worthy and accepted into society.
CHAPTER 6
WE’VE GOT TONIGHT
After we wander around in awe of the amazing artwork, we run into a friend of James’ standing in the corner looking at us from under hooded eyes.
James strides over to the man and I notice this guy looks tough. He is about five foot eleven and built like a linebacker with tree trunks for legs and a neck as wide as my thigh. He looks us over with some confusion as we approach.
“Hello, Dobbs. I would like you to meet Sophia.” James jabs Dobbs in the shoulder as he would a brother. I sense the two men have a real kinship with each other.
I smile up at James’ friend and say, “Hi Dobbs. Nice to meet you.” I turn my attention back to James who is grinning ear to ear.
Dobbs shifts a bit in his stance and grunts, “Yeah, likewise.” He gives a half-hearted smile to me and takes a big gulp of his beer.
The two men share a look and I don’t quite comprehend it. It appears they are having a silent conversation and it doesn’t look like it is going well.
I excuse myself to go to the ladies room feeling a little out of place between the two of them.
What was that look? I want to press James for answers but I don’t want to complicate our night with questions and convoluted stories.
I add a fresh layer of gloss on my lips as I try to clear my head of my nagging doubts. I am having the night of my life. Let’s not over-analyze this, Eva!
As though he has heard my thought, James is standing right outside the bathroom door when I walk out. “Let’s get out of here. I am done sharing you.”
He kisses my neck as he slips my coat over my shoulders and it shoots lightning bolts through my body.
“Absolutely, James. Let’s go home.” As I say the word home it is like acid on my tongue. I wish that I could go home with him. I wish more than anything that I never had to go back to the Parish prison ever again. What I wouldn’t give to watch that place would burn to the ground—with the men left in there to die a painful death.
We drive back in silence holding hands and looking out along the quiet city streets. It is almost peaceful and I feel the world slowing down around me, and then James’ phone rings.
He looks at the caller ID and answers, sliding over to the far side of the seat away from me but close enough to still hold my hand.
“This is James,” he intones.
I wish that I could hear his end of the conversation so I slyly scoot a little closer to him. He looks over to me and shakes his head with a grim look and releases my hand. I stop moving over, feeling the sting of his rejection.
“Yeah, Sophia is one hot piece of ass,” he laughs into the phone and it reminds me of Felix.“Yep, I am getting my money’s worth tonight, Alexi. Thanks, man.”
My heart constricts as I listen to him spew out those ugly words. I tell myself it is just for show. As I try to reassure myself, I know that it is useless.
My heart sinks back into its dark hiding place and my brain takes over again. Oh. My. God. I am such a fucking idiot! How did I ever think this man and night would be different?
He sounds completely the opposite of the James I thought I was getting to know and it is burning off the fog from my rose-colored glasses.
I can feel my security walls go up again. I have been betrayed by people that I have known my entire life. Why in the world did I think that James would be an exception? Gabi is right. He is no Prince Charming. He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
“No need, Alexi. I don’t want another girl tonight...but...no thank you...I want to do very bad things with Sophia and I don’t want an audience.”
His words cut into my heart. I am used to feeling like a piece of shit but not with James.
“She is waiting for us at the hotel? Well, I appreciate the gift, man. We are actually not going back to the hotel. No, I’ve got other plans for Sophia tonight....absofuckinglutely. Later.”
He slides over toward me to bridge the gap between us. I sit still and stiff with shame, but then he croons, “I’m so sorry that you had to hear that, Sophia. That was all an act, you can trust me. I don’t want to hurt you but I need to find Lily.”
Despite his soft and pleading tone, I resist giving back into the magic of the night. So, I am an ends to a means. He doesn’t love me or want me. He just wants to find her and now she has a name, Lily.
“Who is Lily?” I choke out her name, my throat is dry and tight from the heartache.
This must be the missing person that he is trying to find. Is it his girlfriend? Is that why he is trying to avoid having sex with me? What happened to her? I run through these questions in my head in rapid-fire fashion and I know that I don’t want to hear the answers.
I lean over and put my hand over his mouth. “Stop. Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. We have tonight, right?”
I am not angry with him at all, I tell myself. I know that this is all make-believe. I am mad at my own ignorance and lack of common sense. I was so stupid and naive to think that this would all work out. Ha! It’s just a fairytale. Like we would live happily ever after? Yeah right, Ms. Sophia Noire.
“I don’t want any explanations tonight James. We need to make sure that your cover isn’t blown. Let’s just get this over with. Felix always says that if a guy sleeps with his bitches he is okay in his book. If they are a cop, they are a dirty cop. Dirty cops don’t talk, they get paid.” I attempt to talk rough, in a worldly way, but I am not sure James is buying it.
I look down at my hands and nervously pick at my cuticles. I can’t bear looking at him right now. I know that once I lose myself in those eyes again, I will let go of all sense of reality as my brain turns to mush.
He lifts my chin up so that I am face to face with him and I roll my eyes up to meet his. “Sophia, look at me, please.”
He says intensely, but firmly, “That phone call was just for show. I need to keep you safe. He had that other girl at the hotel waiting for us. You are right, they are still suspicious of me. I don’t care about that. I care about you.” He gazes penetratingly into my eyes.
It’s too much, and I look down and away as I whisper, “James, it’s okay. You are going to be fine. I will go back to my life as I know it and you will get Lily back.”
James speaks forcefully, almost desperately, “Sophia, you are not listening to me. I know that you have been hurt and it is difficult to trust anyone, but you can trust me.”
I give him a tight smile, and then lower my eyes again.
“Yeah, right. It’s okay James. I know who and what I am. I am someone who gets paid to have sex with men. As you said on the phone, it’s time you get your money’s worth.”
As I say these words my heart is breaking and I feel the weight of the world crashing down on me. I am a fucking hooker. I have nothing and am worth nothing. My parents are dead and I am all alone. Why the fuck should he care? Stupid, stupid Eva!
But James persists in trying to convince me otherwise.
“Sophia, listen to me, please. We are not going back to the hotel. I need to figure out what to do or where we should go.” He drums his fingers on the back of my seat.
I don’t exactly roll my eyes, but I can’t really figure out why he is trying so hard to put one over on the common hooker? Instead I state flatly,
“Well, James, I can tell you that going anywhere with me is a bad idea. I have a tracker chip in me. They put them in all of their girls as a sort of loss prevention program.”
I will never forget the pain of them slicing my shoulder and having them hold me down while laughing at me. Tagging me like a dog.
“Yes, I know about the chip,” said James, surprising me a little. “I have an apartment over in the South Waterfront neighborhood that we can go to. It is part of my cover. We will go there,” his voice tolerating no dissention.
We weave through the city streets along the waterfront until we pull up in front of a fancy high-rise apartment complex. It is at least 30 stories high and the building is practically all glass. Looking up to the sky, I try to spot where the building ends and the sky begins.
We enter through the marble lobby and concierge staff rush to greet us, in practiced tones, “Good evening, Mr. Hunter. Welcome home.”
We take the elevator ride up to the top floor and enter his penthouse apartment. My mind is whirling with all the surprises this man and this evening is offering to me.
James stops and faces me. I don’t know what to think when he explains, “This is our furnished executive apartment in the Portland area. I stayed here for the past six months up until last this week when I checked into The Benson.”
I am out of responses. Walking over to the sweeping bank of windows, I peer out into the night. The view is stunning. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows wrap around to showcase a sweeping panorama from the river to downtown.
I walk through the modern apartment and gawk at the beautiful artwork and luxurious amenities that fill this penthouse with sophistication and comfort.
We hear a knock on the door and he motions for me to stay wait. Like the obedient woman I have been schooled to resemble, I stay put.
“Oh, Hi Dobbs. Come in.” James invites his friend into the expansive room.
Dobbs? The guy from Blue Sky Gallery? I try to rack my brain as to how he is connected and why the heck he is here with us. I guess he is not content to be just with me. Be wary, Eva.
James says with a flash of that dimple, “Sophia, make yourself comfortable. Would you like a glass of wine?” He opens the wine fridge and pulls out a bottle of white wine.
I shrug my shoulders and nod my head yes. I look at the bottle and notice it is a Sauvignon Blanc. I have never had anything but cheap wine before meeting James. I am certain that this wine will be equally good as the champagne from last night.
After he pours my wine into a beautiful cut crystal glass, he grabs two beers out of the fridge and hands one to Dobbs and they walk into one of the bedrooms, leaving me alone again. It’s getting to be a pattern.
Drinking a big gulp of wine, I try to calm my nerves. This night is not going at all as I had thought. Who is this Lily? Is it possibly his daughter? He is old enough to have a daughter, I think, but perhaps I am grasping at straws. Perhaps it is his girlfriend or wife? I steel myself to the fact that is more likely. Oh, I can’t think about that now. I am obviously not anything special—why would he care about me? Why the facade?
Standing there, I am berate myself. What is my problem? This is much better than any other job that I have ever had, and I should just relax and go with the flow. Get over yourself, Eva!
The door of the bedroom opens and James and his powerfully built friend re-enter the living area. Dobbs says, with an obvious attempt to be cordial, “Hi, Sophia. I am sorry that I didn’t say hello when I arrived. It is good to see you again.” He shakes my hand and looks me straight in the eye as he says it. Rather than making me feel good, his piercing gaze unsettles me. His look feels almost like a warning and my skin prickles with a uneasy feeling.
James reminds me that Dobbs is his friend from the Sky Gallery. Making light of the visit, James says, “Dobbs, lives in the building so he just wanted to say hi.”
Hmmph! I don’t believe that for one second, but I nod and smile. “Nice to see you again, Dobbs.”
They both go out onto the terrace and close the door. It is cold out there and I don’t know why anyone would be out there besides wanting a little more privacy. Left out again, Ms. Sophia. I shake my head. This is one strange night.
I peek out one of the windows and see that James and Dobbs are at the far end of the terrace away from all of the windows. The light from one of the rooms gives me a little light to see their faces. They look to be having a very heated discussion. James is running his hands through his hair and his eyes seem to be full of dread and pain.
What the hell are they talking about? I am tempted to barge out there and demand answers but instead I wait inside and curl up on the couch. I nurture a little anger at my center. I am so stupid for getting involved and not just doing my job. I should have listened to Gabi. She has never steered me wrong.
As I sit there I realize it would be useless to ask a bunch of questions because James probably wouldn’t tell me the truth anyway. Perhaps this Dobbs guy wants to join in and have some kind of gang bang. Yeah, maybe it is that sordid and simple. As these hateful thoughts run through my head I know somehow that this is not what is going on.
Tonight has been a tornado of emotions and I don’t want to trust in the turmoil the storm has left behind. My head or my heart—which one can I rely upon?
The fact that James didn’t take me back to the hotel with Misty makes me question my assumptions. Perhaps he really does care about me? I just want to believe that so much, but nothing in my life so far has prepared me for that kind of an ending.
Mulling this over in my head is exhausting and right now I just want some answers I fear I will never receive.
Just as I come to that conclusion, Dobbs steps back inside and looks at me while shaking his head like I am incorrigible. He says a quick good night and leaves. I am still confused and getting a little panicked. I really don’t understand what is going on between these two men.
CHAPTER 7
INTO THE LIGHT
I look back outside to see that James is still standing outside in the freezing weather. He appears stoic standing there with his hands in his pockets. I can see his warm breath misting, a sharp contrast with the frigid air. His wide shoulders are thrown back and his stance is one of aggression.
I can’t bear to watch him out there by himself any more. It seems like an eternity he has been standing there. I brace for the arctic weather and push out the door to see what is going on in that handsome but infuriating head of his.
Walking up to him tentatively, I say quietly, “James, are you okay? Why don’t you come inside and warm up.”
He turns around and I gasp. The pain in his face is raw and there is a fierceness mixed with despair in his eyes.
Reaching quickly over he wraps his arms around me and kisses me hard. My lips feel almost bruised his kiss is so aggressive. He has his hands roaming all over me as he clutches me in a tight grip, and even though I will myself to resist, I respond to his touch. A flush of hot desire blooms in my body, and I press myself more tightly to him.
Grabbing my hair and pulling it firmly back from my face, he shoves his tongue in my mouth and I can’t help but let my body and mind respond. A deep moan escapes me.
James picks me up around my waist and carries me back inside. His strong arms feel good around me and I can feel myself opening up to him again. The walls I erected in my mind to save me from more humiliation and pain recede.
Striding with great purpose, James rushes me into a lavish bedroom. Sitting me down gently on the bed, he kneels down in front of me and slides his hands up my dress. I am a goner—without even thinking I open my legs to him and roll my head back.
“I want you so badly that it hurts, but we need to talk, Sophia.” James pauses when saying my name and it sparks a warning signal in my brain, briefly. My body is humming with desire and I don’t want him to stop.
Taking the opportunity, I find myself demanding, “I want you, too! There is plenty of time to talk later. Please, J
ames.” I do not care that I am begging so I push myself up to him and take my tongue and run it along his lips and suck on his bottom lip. With a gentle touch, I slowly unbutton his shirt while kissing him along his jaw down to his neck.
He looks like a Calvin Klein underwear ad when I finally take his shirt off. I move my kisses to his chest and pull him over so that he is on top of me.
Realizing I am still fully clothed I struggle to undo my side-zipper—desperately trying to get out of my dress.
“Ahh, Sophia, “ James breathes, taking my hands to stop me and sensuously kisses along my neck. I can feel him release my hands as he carefully frees me from my dress. Continuing to kiss my neck he slides the dress off of my shoulders, and then I gasp as his tongue follows his hands down to my navel when he effortlessly slips the dress off of me.
Finding Eva (Sophia Noire Series) Page 4