Moira looked surprised. “You didn’t say anything…”
“I canceled my credit cards with the bank. If I had told you, I’d never have heard the end of it.” Julian glanced at his watch, then back at me. “Thank you for returning it. Let me write you a check.”
Huh?
“No. I don’t want payment.” My voice cracked. “I mean… someone already stole your cash and credit cards. It was like that when I found it. No need to reward me. I just thought you’d want your wallet back. It looks pretty expensive.”
Julian gazed at me with intrigue as he thumbed the leather wallet. He flicked through it, his finger running over the lining. The lining where his letter was still stuffed. Was he feeling for it?
My mind wandered back to the contents of the note. Was the girl who wrote it for him here at this party? Did she live here with him?
Julian cleared his throat and focused back on me. “Very well. I guess all I can do is say thank you then.” He held out his hand. “I’m Julian.”
I reached forward and took his large hand. It was warm and rough, sending a strange tingle down my arm and into my core.
“Lola,” I mumbled.
My tiny pale hand stayed encapsulated in his large tan one for what seemed like forever. He studied my face, his voice becoming low. “Nice to meet you, Lola.”
I couldn’t seem to break away. We lingered awkwardly for a moment before another voice broke the trance.
Noah.
“Hey, is everything all right over here?” He marched over to me, giving Julian a suspicious look.
We both stepped away, breaking our hand-shake.
“Every thing’s fine.” I smiled at Noah, placing my hand on his forearm to ease his tensed muscles.
“Can we go?” he asked.
I nodded and turned back to Julian, Moira, and Ruben. “We’ll see ourselves out.”
Julian smiled weakly, glancing between Noah and me several times. “Thanks again.”
I didn’t want to stay a moment longer to hear Moira or Ruben’s reaction to my leaving. I linked arms with Noah and practically dragged him down the corridor to the front door.
When we got out, I raced down the steps, taking in a deep breath when I got to the bottom. The spring night air was like being hit by a cool wave of ocean water on a hot day.
“That was intense.” Noah looked at me with concern. “You all right?”
“Fine,” I said breathlessly. But I wasn’t. I felt on edge. Spiked with adrenaline and unable to come down. But I couldn’t figure out why. “I just need to go home. Will you take me?”
Noah rubbed his jaw, then glanced back up at the brownstone. I’m sure he was wondering what happened in there, but I didn’t want to talk. I just wanted to go.
“Yeah.” He nodded toward the subway station. “Come on.”
Chapter Five
Julian
Thump.
Kash dodged my right hook and landed one square in my side.
I tried not to wince. He wasn’t going to get that out of me. He swiped for me again, but this time I blocked him, then popped him one straight in the jaw.
“Fuck.” Kash took two steps back, grabbing onto the rope. “And I thought you were off you’re game today.”
“I am.” I panted, sweat dripping down my face and onto my bare chest. “We done?”
He ripped open the velcro strap on one of his boxing gloves and nodded. “Yeah, my manager will kill me if I show up for another TV spot with a bruiser.”
I took off my own gloves and stepped between the ropes to exit the ring. “Gotta take care of that gorgeous face of yours.”
Why did he have to make it so easy to tease him?
“Shut up.” Kash shoved my shoulder with enough force that I almost tripped over.
A beast of a man who was skipping rope in the corner of the dark and dingy boxing gym scowled at us—daring us to make a scene and piss him off.
“Come on.” I lightly slapped Kash on the back of the head and staggered toward the locker room. The last thing I needed was to get in a fight.
I tried to keep all my punches in the ring these days. There is such a thing as learning a lesson the hard way, and I knew that from experience.
“You didn’t come to my party last night.” I wiped the sweat off my brow.
“Oh, no! I missed one of your boring networking mixers.” His tone dripped with sarcasm. “I really wish I’d dropped my date with Phoebe Larson to be there.” He pushed his sweaty fringe back off his face. His dark hair was shaved at the sides, with a long mane on top that swept over one side of his face. I told him that haircut would be a pain in the ass, but I guess he had to look the part.
I smirked. “Phoebe Larson, huh?” She was some reality TV star who was enjoying her 15-minutes. “You’ve upgraded from the desperate groupies to the desperate gold-diggers.”
“You’re just jealous because no one throws their panties at real estate brokers. Literally, no one.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “And I’ve also never had crabs. So, that’s a win in my book.”
He grimaced as he stuffed his towel into his duffel bag.
Kash was my best friend, and he just happened to be a big-time rock star. The lead singer and guitarist of the band, Infinity Clock. We’d met when I sold him a penthouse, my first multi-million dollar deal. I was just starting to make a name for myself as a broker. I couldn’t have imagined that only a few years later I’d be heading up my own team and making multi-million dollar deals on the daily.
“So why did you let me beat you today?” He flicked his gaze to mine before he took a large swig of water.
I shrugged.
He rolled his eyes. “You’re distracted. I told you, man, you’ve got to get out of your head, it’s not good for you.”
“That’s why I box.”
I figured that was obvious.
“No. Today you weren’t boxing, you were taking a beating.” He swung his bag over his shoulder.
I grabbed my bag and headed for the stairs with Kash close behind. I didn’t say anything as we climbed them.
“Still no news, huh?” Kash’s voice echoed in the narrow stair-well.
Once we were at the top, we exited onto the seedy alleyway where the gym was located. It was dodgy as fuck, and it stunk, but that’s what I liked about that place. No one important wanted to go there, and no one thought I was anything other than another amateur boxer. I wasn’t a Lewin. I was nobody, and that’s the way I liked it.
Kash lit a cigarette, taking a drag. He offered me a smoke, but I declined.
“No news,” I finally responded to his earlier question. “But you bet I’ll be there the second he makes a fucking mistake.”
Kash shook his head. “You gotta give this shit up, man. Seriously, it’s been eight years of this, ever since you got out of prison. When are you going to move on with your life?”
I glared at him. “When I know the truth. When he admits what he did.”
Kash sighed, letting the smoke billow out from between his lips. “You’re a stubborn fuck, you know that? And it’s gonna be the end of you.”
I laughed. I knew he was right, but I was still unwilling to do anything about it. “I only ever learn the hard way, remember?”
Chapter Six
Lola
“Dammit.” I threw my hands up in frustration.
“Give it here.” Aspen snatched the laptop away. “You need to go to the options menu, tick this box, and then click okay.”
I stared at the screen. “Oh. That was pretty easy.”
“Yep. A monkey could do it.” Aspen passed the computer back to me with a smart-ass look on her face.
“Thanks,” I replied, my voice laced with sarcasm.
“You got any gum?” Aspen was lying beside me on the sofa, flicking through her social media feed on her phone.
“Yeah, in my purse.” I passed it over to her without taking my eyes off the computer screen.
“
What the hell?” She paused as she rifled through my bag.
She lifted out a business card. I recognized it immediately.
I attempted to snatch it from her, but she moved her hand out of my grasp.
“Oh no, you’re not getting away with this one.” She let out a deep belly laugh. “Why do you have a business card for an escort agency?”
I sighed. The cat was out of the bag.
“Someone gave it to me, that’s all.” I wanted to sound casual, like it was no big deal.
The truth was, I’d thought back to the conversation with Minty many times in the days since the party. Her gorgeous designer clothes, the sparkle of her diamonds. She was a girl my age who had none of the financial concerns I did. She’d taken a risk, and it’d paid off. But was the pay-off worth it? It nagged at me. The idea of sleeping with a gruff, hairy businessman twice my age made me want to puke.
She squinted at me. “That answer is suspiciously vague.”
I snapped the laptop lid shut. “I went to a party the other night. A girl I met there works for that agency, and she recommended it to me as a way to make some money.”
“Are you gonna—”
“No!” I interrupted. “Of course not.”
I fidgeted with the buttons on my red, slouchy cardigan, which I wore over a short floral dress and thick black tights.
Aspen studied the card with interest and then glanced back up at me with a look of intrigue.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “No, Aspen.”
“It might be the answer to all your problems. I mean, you have to pay rent in like four days, right?” She was surely being facetious. “How much do they pay?”
“A lot apparently. Though it depends on whether you’re literally just escorting guys to events or whether you go all the way. You can choose.”
Aspen’s forehead wrinkled. “Then what’s stopping you? If you don’t have to plunge in the deep end, there’s no downside. Even if you get less money, it’s still better than nothing. You’ll get paid to dress up and go to glamorous parties. This job is your idea of heaven. I wonder if they provide a wardrobe…”
“It doesn’t matter, because I’m not doing it.”
A sly grin crept across Aspen’s lips. She had a plan cooking, I could tell.
She picked up her phone and began dialing the number for the escort agency.
“What are you doing?!” I tried to pull her phone away, but she leaped up off the sofa and began pacing the room while she waited for the call to connect.
She placed her index finger across her lips as if to say ‘be quiet’.
A second later, the call connected.
“Oh, hi! This is Lola Ingram. I’m calling to find out if you have any positions available.”
My eyes widened. What the hell was she doing? I stood up and began waving my hands around in front of her.
“Stop!” I mouthed.
She turned her back on me and continued to speak. “Yes, that’s right. I’m interested in working as an escort.”
I could feel the blood draining from my face. I leaned against the wall and put my head in my hands.
Aspen was going to die. I was literally going to kill this girl.
“Oh, you do? That’s great. And what’s the pay rate if you don’t mind me asking?” Aspen strolled over to the kitchen counter and picked up a pen. She started scribbling something down on a piece of paper.
“Perfect. Yes, I’d love to come in for an interview.” She glanced at me.
“No!” I ran up to her, my arms waving in a frenzy.
She backed away from me, smiling. “Excellent. I’ll be there this afternoon. See you soon. Bye!”
Aspen hit end on the call, and we both stood staring at each other from opposite sides of the kitchen counter. She pursed her lips, entirely satisfied, while I gaped at her.
“I can’t believe you.” I shook my head, unable to control my simmering rage. “I’m not going.”
“You will.” She seemed confident.
I chuckled with resentment. “No. I won’t.”
She took a deep, satisfied breath as she picked up the piece of notepaper she’d written on and pushed it toward me so I could see what she’d scrawled on it.
My eyes almost bulged out of my head when I saw the pay rate she’d written down.
“I think you added too many zeros on the end of this number,” I whispered.
She shook her head. “It’s right.”
I scrunched up my nose.
She offered a gloating smile and then waltzed out of the kitchen. “You’re totally going, even if I have to drag you there myself.”
* * *
Don’t ask me how I ended up in the office of Gia Molinaro, the director of Una Dea, that very afternoon. I tugged at the too-tight dress I’d borrowed from Aspen. I was pretty sure I’d flashed the reception staff my polka-dot panties when I was sitting in the waiting area.
“Lola Ingram.” Gia offered me a broad smile as she leaned back in her chair, examining me.
I felt more nervous than I thought I would, considering I wasn’t really going to go through with this. But if it would shut Aspen up, it was worth it.
Butterflies swirled in my stomach. This woman was nothing like I’d imagined—from the nude Jimmy Choo stilettos that adorned her feet, to her perfectly applied burgundy lipstick. She was young and put together—more like a Wall Street power woman than a madame. Although, I wasn’t sure what I’d expected…
“That’s a beautiful name. Are you Spanish?” she asked. I detected an accent, Italian, if I had to guess.
“Oh, no. My Mom’s just a fan of classic rock…” I smiled awkwardly. “Stuck in the seventies.”
That was an understatement, but she didn’t need to know about my bat-shit crazy family.
“I see.” She smiled, before picking up a silver pen from her desk. “And Lola, tell me why you’d like a job here with Una Dea.”
Was that sweat dripping from my forehead?
“Well..” I rubbed my hands over my thighs. “I think it would be a good opportunity to advance my uh…” I blew a piece of hair out of my face. “My skills in the area of…”
Gia raised an eyebrow as she rotated the pen between her long tanned fingers. She wasn’t studying me like a predator does prey, but more like one watches a half squashed insect with pity, as it tries to drag itself to safety.
I sat up straighter. “Well, you see. I ran into one of your… employees… and she gave me your card. I thought I could…” How could I say it?
“Make a lot of money?” Gia offered.
I swallowed. “Well, if you want to put it bluntly, then yes, I need the money.”
A warm chuckle rose from Gia’s chest, and she leaned forward. “It’s okay, Lola. Relax. I’m fine with bluntness. In fact, I prefer it. I never want you to be anything other than honest with me.”
My nerves dissipated. “Oh. Right. Well, in that case…”
Should I say it?
“I heard that I can work as an escort, but I don’t have to bang guys, is that right?” The words practically tumbled from my mouth.
Gia seemed amused. “I like your candor, Lola. And yes, you can work as a companion for our agency, just as a paid date. That’s technically all we offer—as far as the authorities are concerned. There are other… unwritten services that we don’t openly provide unless the client has been heavily vetted by us. In fact, we’re the most elite agency in the city. It’s why we only attract the top echelon of New York society, and it’s also why our girls need to be of the highest quality.”
I simply nodded. No one had ever described me as ‘high quality’. Here I thought this job wasn’t good enough for me. The thought they might reject me had my heart beating faster.
Gia continued. “We have different tiers of service. Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Those clients who strictly want a date, with no extras, book our silver service. Gold is for the ladies who offer intimate evenings, sleepovers. And platinum is…�
� She drifted off as if she was trying to think of how to word it. “Platinum is a special service only offered to the very elite of our clientele, and only the best of our ladies are selected to participate in work at that level.”
Participate? Weird word choice. I wondered if Minty was one of those girls… she certainly looked the part.
“I think the silver thing would suit me just fine,” I said casually. But inside, I was feeling anything but relaxed.
Gia pointed toward the far end of the room. “Would you mind getting up and pacing the room for me? You’re obviously an exquisite girl. Your face is delicate, and your skin is like porcelain. You have a high-end look. But, I just need to see how you carry yourself.”
“No problem.” I got up and trudged to the back of the room. I turned around to face her.
“Now walk toward me,” she asked.
I could feel my cheeks blush. I tried not to overthink it. I marched toward her, taking care not to trip in the six-inch heels I had on.
When I was done, Gia grimaced. “No, no, no.” She shushed me away with her hand. “Try again, and this time with confidence! You’re a sexy woman, Lola. Act like it!”
I did what she asked. This time, when I got to the back of the room, I told myself that this would all be over if I gave her what she wanted. I knew I could do it. I could turn it on if I wanted. I just didn’t know how much I wanted this.
I sashayed toward her, with my shoulders straight and chest pushed out. I swung my hips lightly side to side, hoping I didn’t look like a complete idiot.
Gia clapped. “Perfect, Lola! That’s what I’m talking about!” She glowed as I arrived back in front of her.
I retook my seat. “I don’t know about perfect…”
Gia’s eyes softened. “You underestimate yourself. You have potential.” She tapped her pen. After a moment of contemplation, she nodded and then mumbled something to herself. “Yes, yes. I think you could be a very in-demand young lady with the right guidance.”
Obsession: Seven Vices Series Page 3