Obsession: Seven Vices Series

by Blythe, Emily

  I wrinkled my forehead. Really?

  “I’m serious,” Gia continued as if she could sense my hesitation. “You could do very well for yourself. If you will consider doing more than just the silver tier—”

  “No,” I snapped.

  Gia sighed. “Okay, okay. But the opportunity is there if you change your mind.”

  My stare was hard, unwavering. Hell, no.

  She moved on from the topic. “Well, then. In that case, the next step would be to give you a trial.” She looked toward her computer, her eyes flicking across the screen as if she was looking for a particular detail.

  “A trial?” I asked. “Like a date?”

  “Ah-huh!” she pointed to the calendar on her computer screen, having found what she was after. “We have a mixer tonight. That’ll be perfect.”

  “Tonight?” I practically choked out the word. “I can’t—”

  “It’s just a mixer we regularly hold so that our clients can meet the girls. In this case, we can see if you register any interest amongst our regulars. It’s a chance for us to see if you’re suited to this work. It also allows you to decide if this is something you really want to commit to. If things don’t work out after tonight, no harm done. We part ways. And you still get paid for your services.”

  “I get paid? For going to a party?”

  “We pay cash, the day after you work a booking or a party.” Gia stood and skirted around the desk. She ushered for me to get up. “Now, it’s already late in the day, and you need to do something about your dress. So you better get going.”

  I stood up and followed her to the door. This was all happening so fast, and I didn’t even remember agreeing to it.

  “My dress?” I asked her, looking down at the emerald green number I had borrowed. It wasn’t to my taste, but Aspen had insisted on it.

  “Yes, it’s fine, but it looks cheap.”

  That’s because it is.

  “I don’t think I can get something nicer at such short notice—” I walked through the threshold, into the corridor, as she held the door open for me.

  “Of course not. One of the girls can lend you something. If you sign on with us officially, you’ll get a weekly clothing allowance. We have a stringent dress code.” She looked disapprovingly at my dress. “In fact…” Someone standing by the reception desk caught her attention, and she called out to them. “Minty, darling! Come here.”

  I whipped around. It was the girl I’d met at the party. The woman behind the reception desk was handing her an envelope. After she pocketed it, she headed over to where Gia and I were standing outside her office.

  “Lola!” Minty looked surprised to see me. She took me in an embrace and kissed the side of my cheek. I wasn’t prepared for it and awkwardly embraced her back.

  Gia glanced between the two of us. “You know each other?”

  “I met Lola when I was working a couple of nights ago.” She smiled at me. “I’m glad to see you took my advice. You‘ll love this job.”

  I smiled back, awkwardly.

  “Well, this is perfect then.” She put her hand on Minty’s shoulder. “Lola is going to the cocktail mixer for a trial tonight. You can show her the ropes. Can you lend her your spare outfit?”

  “Spare outfit?” I butted in.

  Minty linked her arm in mine. “First lesson: Always have a back-up outfit with you when you go on a date.” A mischievous grin appeared across her bright pink lips. “Especially if you’re clumsy.”

  I smirked. She was referring to our first meeting when she spilled champagne on me.

  Gia leaned toward me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I can see you’re in good hands. I’ll leave you with Minty. Did you give your contact details to our receptionist?”

  I nodded at Gia as Minty pulled me toward the elevator.

  Gia took a step back toward her office. “Great. I’ll email you the contract. Come back tomorrow, and if you pass your trial, we’ll get you to sign the paperwork.”

  I barely had a chance to respond, as Minty dragged us both through the elevator doors in the foyer. The second they shut, I let out a breath.

  I heard Minty giggle. I’d almost forgotten she was there.

  She put her arm around my shoulder. “Don’t worry! You’ve got this.”

  As I stood waiting for the elevator to whisk us down to the ground floor of the building, I couldn’t help but wonder how I’d gotten myself into this mess.

  I was way over my head. My only comfort was knowing that this was just a one-night thing. I was getting paid to attend a party. That’s the way I had to think about it. I didn’t have to sign-on if I didn’t want to.

  My mind wandered to whatever gorgeous designer dress Minty would lend me. I tapped my feet, watching the numbers descend on the panel above the elevator doors. A strange sensation sparked inside of me, sending energy down my limbs and making me restless. I could almost have confused it for excitement.

  I bit my lip at the possibility. The endless possibilities that the night held.

  Chapter Seven

  Lola

  The cocktail mixer was inside a member’s only bar, atop a skyscraper in the Upper East Side. On an average day, they wouldn’t have let me inside the building, let alone the swanky establishment Minty and I found ourselves in. The room itself was long and narrow, with giant floor to ceiling windows lining the entire length, affording the best view of New York I’d ever seen. As the purple and orange sunset reflected over the glassy towers surrounding us, lights across the city flickered on, creating a sparkling backdrop.

  Minty and I stood admiring the view, cocktails in hand. We’d arrived early, so I didn’t have to make a grand entrance. I couldn’t remember a time when I’d ever felt self-conscious, but it was hard not to in that moment. Minty had reassured me I looked great, and the crimson body-con dress she had lent me was stunning. But I also knew I was going to stand out in it. Paired with the bright red lipstick and the way Minty had made my wavy blond hair cascade around my face. I felt beautiful, but exposed.

  While I tried to pretend I wasn’t meat on an auction slab, Minty kept one eye on the entrance, pointing out the various guests who came through the door.

  She nudged her head toward a middle-aged man in a sharp navy suit. “That’s Mr. Tao, he’s a big investor in the mining industry. A hard-ass in business, but a total sweetheart in the sack.”

  “And that’s Mr. Waterman.” Her eyes were trained on a rotund, balding businessman who had just entered. “Don’t date him unless you’re into being dominant.”

  A smile escaped my lips as I took a sip from my cocktail.

  Minty’s eyes lit up as she spotted someone else across the room. I followed her gaze. She was fixed on a handsome, middle-aged gentleman who was chatting happily with a couple of the other girls in the room. The gray-haired man was attractive, with a tight, muscular physique I wouldn’t expect to see on someone his age.

  “And who is he?” I asked Minty.

  Minty couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. “That’s Cole Gallagher.”

  “You like him?”

  She served me a salacious grin. “Everyone wants to be Cole’s date. Rich, handsome, good in bed… he’s got it all. And I just love that George Clooney vibe he has going on. Every girl here thinks he’s the golden ticket.”

  I scratched at my cheek. “Golden ticket?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be naïve, Lola. A lot of the girls here are looking for more than just a date. They want to bag a rich husband.”

  I didn’t know what to say. Marrying someone for anything other than love just wasn’t something I had ever contemplated. “So, he’s the dream client?”

  “Well, yeah…” Minty took a swig of her drink. “Maybe except for Julian. He’s hot, hot. But that man has more baggage than a passenger jet.”

  My stomach swirled. “Julian? You mean…”

  She nodded. “Lewin. Yeah. You know him, right? You were at his party the other night.”
>
  How could I possibly forget? If I closed my eyes, I could still feel the texture of his warm skin when he shook my hand. He was stand-offish, sure, but a dream none-the-less.

  “You mean, he’s a client?” My mouth felt dry.

  “Yup.” Her eyes flickered as she looked past me. “Oh, here he is now. He’s coming over.”

  “What?” I spun around, only to come face to face with the very man who had caught me trespassing at his house only days earlier.

  “Fuck,” I said a little too loud.

  “Not right now, but thanks for offering.” Julian raised his eyebrow. “Does that line usually work for you?”

  Minty suppressed a laugh. I wanted to crawl under a table and never come out.

  Julian’s smile faded as he studied me more closely. “Wait—I remember you. Lola, right?” He held out his hand for me to shake, his eyebrows knitted.

  I nodded and shook his hand briefly, remembering the effect it had on me the last time. I practically snatched my palm away to avoid prolonging the contact.

  Minty spoke up. “You should. You invited her to your house, remember?”

  Julian chuckled, exchanging a knowing look with me. Was he going to out me to Minty? That I was a party-crasher?

  He didn’t.

  “You came with Mr. Hiscock if I remember correctly?” His tone was playful, his gaze pinning me in place.

  I tried not to smirk. “Yes. That’s right.”

  “You know what?” Minty glanced between the two of us. “I just saw someone who I need to talk to.” She pointed vaguely in the direction of some other guests. “Why don’t I just leave you two alone for a moment?”

  I pinched the back of her elbow, holding her to me. “No, no,” I said forcefully. “I’m sure Julian would like to catch up with you.”

  Julian smiled warmly at Minty. “Don’t let me detain you. I’m sure I’ll see you around later.”

  Minty plastered on a fake-ass smile and forced her arm from my grip. She looked at me sideways as she walked away as if to say, ‘Go get him’.

  I looked back at Julian, tapping my fingers awkwardly on the side of my glass.

  “So…” He took a sip of his drink—an amber liquid with ice. “What on earth are you doing here?”

  I flicked my hair awkwardly behind my ear. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean…” He looked as if he was wrestling with the right words. “You clearly don’t belong here.”

  My heart dropped.

  Was he serious? I looked around the room. Did I really stand out that much? Was I not glamorous enough? Not pretty enough?

  I ironed out my dress with my palms. “Well, the same could be said for you. Why the hell are you here?” I sounded a tad bit aggressive.

  “The beautiful women, I suppose.” He gestured with his hand toward the rest of the room.

  I rolled my eyes. “And I suppose I’m just not up to standard?”

  He paused, looking at me with confusion. “I think you’ve misconstrued my meaning. I’m not saying that you aren’t beautiful enough to be here. You just don’t belong. A lot of these girls are looking for a rich man to take care of them. You don’t seem like the type.”

  I didn’t know whether to be flattered or insulted. “And what makes you think you know me so well? What do you know about me at all?”

  “I know you’re a little bonkers.”

  I glared at him but didn’t say anything.

  “You crashed my party, remember.” He said it matter-of-fact.

  “That was one time.”

  “You found my wallet while crawling inside a dumpster looking for home decor.”

  I swallowed. “That wasn’t how it looked.”

  “I’m sure it wasn’t.” His tone dripped with sarcasm. He took another sip of his drink, draining the glass. “But, you have to admit, all signs point to crazy-town.”

  “Well, see, now you’re jumping to conclusions. I could do the same for you. I mean, what else is a young, good-looking guy doing hiring escorts? What are you? Some kind of sex-nut?”

  He chuckled, a slight pink hue creeping up his cheeks. “First, I’m flattered that you think I’m good looking—I’ll take that as a win. But as far as the second charge is concerned…” He looked at me with contemplation. “Maybe I am some kind of sex-nut. What would be wrong with that?”

  Damn. I didn’t expect him to turn it around on me like that. This guy could dish it up as well as he took it.

  “Nothing.” I conceded.

  He looked satisfied.

  But my curiosity certainly wasn’t. What was he doing there? He was hot as hell, he could have any girl he wanted. Unless it was a sex thing… maybe he had some weird kink, like the balding Mr. Waterman that Minty had warned me about.

  And whatever happened to his great love? Was Hannah at home, in the brownstone, while he was here picking out his next mistress? Or did they break up? As much as I liked to believe it, maybe love wasn’t enough in their case.

  While Julian was distracted, spying something on the other side of the room, I raked my eyes over his body. His suit was immaculate, perfectly fitted, showing how hard he worked in the gym. A black etching on his wrist, peeking out from beneath his cuff, caught my attention. A tattoo? My eyes landed on his neck, where another tattoo was hidden by his collar. Only a hint of the ink protruded above it.

  A warm swirling formed in my stomach. How many did he have? And where? He didn’t seem like the type, to be honest… he came across more like a buttoned-up suit.

  Suddenly remembering that I was gawking at the guy, I tried to act natural.

  “So, is there a Mrs. Lewin?”

  He pulled his eyes back to me. “No. Do you really think I’d be here if I wasn’t single?”

  I shrugged. “Are you telling me that there aren’t any married men in this room?”

  “I’m sure there are.” He glanced across the room again. This time I followed his eyes. They were fixed on Cole Gallagher and one of the other escorts, Yasmin. I remember Minty pointing her out. She was hard to forget with her gold sequin dress and gorgeous curves. She was breathtaking.

  I suppose Julian thought so too. Was he checking her out? I guess he couldn’t wait to finish up his conversation with me so he could chat her up.

  He peeled his eyes off Yasmin and Cole. “You know, there’s something I meant to ask you.” He looked at me curiously.

  “Oh yeah?” My stomach roiled.

  “Why didn’t you just tell my man at the door you wanted to return my wallet? Why sneak in?” He studied me, waiting for a response.

  I contemplated the safest way to answer the question. “Well... he probably would have just asked me to leave it with him, and then I wouldn’t have been able to return it to you in person.”

  “And why would that have been so bad?”

  The truth was, my curiosity had got the better of me. I wanted to see if he got his Hannah back… if he got his life back too. I wanted to see the man who the letter belonged to, in the flesh.

  He couldn’t know all that, though. I’d look like a psycho stalker. Even though what I’d done was a little stalkerish.

  “I wanted to make sure it was safely returned to your hands.” I tried to sound confident, but I wasn’t sure I pulled it off. It was a weak answer.

  “Right.” He didn’t seem convinced. His eyes drilled into mine as if they were trying to figure out what I was hiding.

  Did he know I’d read the letter? The thought that he knew that I’d been poking around in his personal business made my skin prickle. Before, it didn’t seem like such a big deal. But now... standing before him... it felt wrong.

  Before I could calculate a response, his eyes were once again drawn back to the other side of the room. It was pissing me off. What was with this guy? Since when was it okay to blatantly check out another girl mid-conversation?

  If he wanted Yasmin so badly, I’d make it easy for him.

  “Look, I need to use the ladies’ room.�
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  He snapped out of it. “Of course.”

  “I guess I’ll see you around.” I began to walk away.

  He swallowed as if he was uncomfortable... or guilty? “Right. See you around.”

  With that, we awkwardly parted, and I marched straight for the ladies’ room. When I got in there, I leaned over the sink and took in a deep, steadying breath. I couldn’t slow my heart down.

  “I can’t do this,” I muttered to myself. This whole process was humiliating. Being out there, feeling eyes on me, it was more confronting than I’d expected.

  I didn’t know what was worse—the feeling of strange men gawking at my figure, or the fact that Julian was the only one who wasn’t looking at me that way.

  I looked up at my reflection. Why the hell did I even care? Julian was attractive, but I barely knew him. His opinion of me shouldn’t matter.

  But the gnawing feeling in my stomach told me it mattered. That deep inside, I wanted him to like me.

  I stood taller and straightened out my dress. It was just attraction. Physical attraction. It was intense, but that didn’t mean there was a connection there. It certainly didn’t mean it was mutual.

  “He’s a client,” I repeated it to myself over and over. I needed to look at this more clinically. If I was going to be an escort, I couldn’t afford to wear my heart on my sleeve.

  Julian was there to pick a date, and he was obviously more into Yasmin’s looks. Not that I blamed him. How could I?

  You’re here to do a job.

  With that, I held my head up high and sauntered out of the bathroom. If I was going to do this, I wasn’t about to do it by halves. It was all or nothing.

  Chapter Eight

  Lola

  Minty scrunched up her nose as she looked me up and down. “No.”

  I rolled my eyes. We'd been in the rather expensive fashion boutique for an hour already, and my patience was wearing thin.

  Aspen, who was sitting cross-legged on the sofa beside Minty, tilted her head, evaluating me. “Too orange.”

  It was the fifth dress I'd tried on that afternoon, and so far, none of them were good enough. The blue one was too conservative, the red one was too revealing. I was starting to think I wouldn't find anything appropriate to wear on my first Una Dea date.