I’m not surprised to find Reina in my apartment when I get there. “Tell me what to do, Rei.”
“He can’t know you know yet.”
What? “You can’t expect me to pretend I’m still in love with him.”
“You are still in love with him, Isa. Feelings like that don’t just go away. Believe me, I know that from experience.”
“Fine. I love him. But I can’t be with him.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to do that. He thinks you spent the night with Ryan. Tell him you can’t sleep with him. He’ll understand, or at least pretend to.”
“What’s wrong with me, Reina?”
“Nothing, Isa. Absolutely nothing is wrong with you.”
“I believed him. He’s been lying to me all this time about who he really is. That means he lied when he said I was beautiful…and that he loved me.”
“I can’t answer that, because I honestly don’t know if everything was a lie.”
“I’m such a fool.”
“He fooled us all. We should’ve done a background check on him, even if he did come to us. I was just glad to have an ally, so I dropped the ball on this.”
“He was just that good, wasn’t he?”
“Yes, he was. We just need a little more information, and then we’ll get him Isa. I meant it when I said that I don’t want you to do anything you’re not comfortable with, but I want Ainsley and Tegan to dig deep, because after hearing who else was bidding tonight, I’m worried that this goes bigger than Vegas.”
“You think there are other cities with the same set-up?”
“Yes. I’ll take Kurt and Mason down if they’re all we can get, but I’d like to try for more.”
“Okay. I can pretend if it means saving some more people.”
“We’ll do this as fast as we can. I promise.”
“I know you will. Maybe I can get some info from him.” And then I realize I have something. “He asked me to call him Jake.”
“Jake?”
“Yeah. He said his good friends call him that because he doesn’t like his name.”
“I’ll let the girls know. And I won’t tell you not to try and get more information, because we need it. But don’t put yourself in jeopardy. We don’t know anything about the others who might be involved.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“Okay. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
She opens the door and literally runs into him. “Oh sorry, Reina.”
“Not a problem, Mason. Take care of our girl.”
“I plan to.”
I try to smile, but I just can’t. I guess that will work with him thinking Ryan ravished me all night. “You made it here pretty fast.”
“I was so worried. Are you okay? I mean, of course you’re not okay. But…God, Isa…I wish you didn’t have the job you do.”
Some truth from him. Well, isn’t that refreshing. “I love my job.”
“Even when you have to do what you did last night?”
“Even then. I don’t want to talk about last night right now. Or ever, maybe.”
“Of course. I’m sorry. What can I do? I’ll do anything you need me to.”
No, he won’t. Because I need him to take back all the lies he told me, and tell me what’s really true. Reina needs time, though, so I have to be the strong woman everyone tells me I am.
“I need you to help me wash off last night. I want it scrubbed from my skin.”
Audrey taught me to infuse some truth in my acting, and what I said was true. My world imploded last night. Just not for the reason he thinks it did. I can see on his face that he wants to ask me what happened, but he stops himself.
“Dammit, Isa. I want to kill him. You don’t know how much I want to kill him.”
“You don’t even know who it is.”
He looks me straight in the eye, and lies again. “That’s true. But if you know his name, I’ll find him. I swear it.”
“It’s over now. I mean, yeah, I did things with him that we’d never done, but I’ll get over it. Eventually.”
Another truth dished out because I’ve never slept in a bed with the man before me where we weren’t touching. Even when he’s just slept with me, he always holds me. And yes, I did say it the way I did to get a reaction from him. Even though I know he doesn’t really care about me. He only cares about whether I can put him in jail or not.
“What did you do?” he asks, and for a moment I believe he is really jealous and angry.
“I said I can’t talk about it. I really need a shower. You can help me…or go if you can’t be with me.”
“I’m not leaving. And of course I want to be with you.”
“You’re not disgusted that I was with someone else? I basically cheated.”
“I could never be disgusted with you,” he says as he cups my face with his hands. “I love you. You didn’t want to be with the other guy, so it’s not cheating. You had a job to do. I already told you I hate your job, but I could never hate you.”
“Stop. Just stop,” I yell as I run to my bathroom. Maybe I can’t pretend, because I almost believed what he just said to me. Almost.
“Isa, oh God. Don’t cry. Please don’t cry.”
“I can’t talk right now. I want to just be clean, and then go to sleep.”
“We can do that. I can do that. Let’s get you cleaned up and then I’ll tuck you in.”
I let him help me out of my clothes, and God help me, but I watch him take his off, too. Reina was right. I can’t just turn off the love, or the lust. He turns on the shower, and uses the remote to turn off the lights.
“You don’t want to look at me?”
“I do. So very much. But I thought maybe you needed the lights off.”
He’s doing everything right. Everything a real boyfriend would do. Why? Why is he doing this to me? I’m quiet, but I’m not pathetic. I know that. So why is he pretending to care? I don’t know if I’ll ever find out, but I need to know.
“Thank you.”
He kisses me lightly on the mouth, and then leads me into the shower. I stand there and let him wash me up. He’s still trying for that Boyfriend of the Year award as he gently scrubs every inch of my body from feet to forehead. He also washes and conditions my hair. I’m crying by the time he’s done. He’s right to think it’s because of what happened last night. Because the fact that he sold me to the highest bidder, and is now pretending to cherish me, is tearing me up inside. And when he pulls me into his arms to hold me tight, I’m done. There’s nothing left of me.
I barely notice as he dries me off, and carries me to my bed. I let him kiss me softly for a few minutes before I turn my head. He continues to kiss my cheek, and forehead, until I turn to my side because I honestly can’t take it anymore.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push.”
“You didn’t. I just need to sleep.”
“Can I sleep with you?”
No. “Yes. Of course.”
“I love you, Isa.”
I pretend that I’m asleep so I don’t have to answer him. Because he doesn’t deserve to ever hear those words from me again, and I’ll do everything I can to avoid saying them. He lies down close to me, but doesn’t touch me. I guess now I am doing with him what I did with Ryan last night. That’s my last thought before I succumb to the sleep my body needs.
* * *
Mason
I’ve been angry before in my life, but never like this. It’s like a red haze is clouding my vision, and I’m on the verge of committing murder. Isa’s so broken, and Ryan Griffin needs to pay for doing this to her. I wish she’d tell me exactly what he did, but then again maybe it’s better that she doesn’t.
I’m just about done with the dinner I’m cooking for her when I hear her come downstairs. I turn to give her the best smile I can. “Did you get enough sleep, babe? Dinner is almost ready.”
“I slept surprisingly well. You didn’t have to cook me dinner, Jake.”
/> She looks genuinely shocked that I did this for her. Oh God. Does she think I don’t love her anymore? Did he break her that badly? Death may not be a good enough punishment for him.
“I love you, Isa. That hasn’t changed.”
“Are you sure? I mean, do you really love me?”
“Yes. I really love you. More than I thought I could love another person. I told you that. You’re everything to me.”
She bursts out crying, and I start to go to her but she stops me. “You should go. I-I can’t do this right now.”
“You’re scaring me. I don’t want you to be alone.”
Awareness dawns on her face. “You think I’d hurt myself?”
I reluctantly nod. I am afraid of that. She really does seem broken, and fragile right now.
“I’m not going to hurt myself over you, Mason.”
Over me? What? Oh. “You really don’t believe me. Are you breaking up with me?”
She shakes her head. “No. But could it even be that? We’ve never given what we’re doing a name.”
“You need a name for this?” She shrugs and I know she does. “You’re my girlfriend, Isabelle Carlton.”
“You sound like you mean it.”
“I do mean it. Whatever happened with that guy last night doesn’t matter to me. It doesn’t change anything between us.”
“I-I just need to think. Please give me some time to think. I’ll see you at school tomorrow, okay?”
I don’t want to leave. Walking out of her apartment is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. And I’ve done some pretty intense things. But she wants, or needs, to be alone, and I’ll never deny her anything. I put on the rest of my clothes, and kiss her goodbye, thinking that it feels too much like forever.
I’m home for less than five minutes when the first phone call comes in.
“Hello.”
“Congratulations, Mason. Last night was our most profitable ever.”
“It was great.”
“And this Isabelle girl? I think we should move her around. Weekend trips to the other cities for parties.”
Oh Fuck no. “No. She’s doing very well for me here.”
“And she’ll do even better in some of our other markets. Those big eyes combined with the sexy lingerie is a big moneymaker. I almost bid on her last night.”
“You’re here in Vegas?”
“No. But I could’ve been.”
“You just said I made you a ton of money. Leave me and my girls alone.”
“Did you just try to give me an order? Are you forgetting that I own you? That I have enough evidence against you to send you to jail for years?”
“I haven’t forgotten.”
“Then bring Isabelle to Milwaukee next weekend.”
“No.”
“Yes, Mason. Either you bring her, or I’ll send a couple of the guys with her. I’d have to remind them not to mark her up on the plane ride, but they’d be happy to do what I ask.”
That red fog I’ve been seeing has turned into a full blown storm. There is no way in Hell I’m letting any of his “guys” put their hands or anything else near Isa. “I’ll bring her.” I won’t, but he doesn’t need to know that yet.
Once I’m off the phone with him, I get the other call. That one doesn’t go well, either. I know I’m in big trouble, but I’m not really caring about it. I should be, but all I can think about is protecting Isa. That’s my biggest priority. My only priority. I know she can take care of herself, but she doesn’t know how big this is, or how bad the man I work for is.
The other person who called me isn’t much better, but at least he works for my mother. He can’t push me too far unless he wants to deal with her. And no one wants to ever deal with her when she’s on the warpath. Which is why we all try and stay on her good side.
I spend the rest of the day planning. I’ve had an exit strategy for myself, but now I need to also protect Isa before I disappear. I take out the phone that’s only for emergencies. The one that no one knows I have. Well, one person knows, and that’s who I call now.
It rings in a weird way, but I know that’s because the line’s being scrambled. “Jake, you’re using the phone. What happened?”
“I need your help, Mom.”
“Why? Again, what happened?”
“I fell in love.”
“Tell me everything.”
Chapter 11
Isa
Ellie and Jade come over as soon as Mase/Jake leaves. They have ice cream, and the Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider movies with them. I laugh, and hug them tight. I thought no one saw me, but they brought me just what I need.
“He was here all day?” Ellie asks.
“Yeah. It was hard.”
“Did you have to…you know? I mean, it’s none of our business, so you don’t have to say,” Jade tells me.
“You’re my friends and I-I want to tell you. I know I usually keep everything in, and I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry for. You don’t need to be loud and in your face like us. We love you the way you are.”
“Thanks, Ellie. I love you guys, too. Even though you can be a little scary sometimes.”
“El and I are only like that with other people. We’ve got your back, Isa. Always,” Jade tells me.
“Thanks. To answer your question, we didn’t sleep together. It was even worse, though.”
“Worse, how?” Jade asks.
“He took care of me. When I said I needed a shower, he turned off the lights and scrubbed every inch of me. Then he washed my hair. All because he thought Ryan made me do…things.”
“He loves you. I don’t think he lied about that. I’ve seen the way he looks at you when we’re at school. He’s a dirty bastard, but he loves you.”
“He kept saying it. Like he knew I didn’t believe him, and had to convince me. But if he loved me, he wouldn’t have sold me to the highest bidder last night.”
“Ain’t that the truth. He may love you, but he loves his money even more,” Jade says.
“And that’s why we’re not going to talk about him anymore. I need just one day to be a no Mason Wells zone so I can be ready to face him again on Monday.”
“Let’s talk about Ellie and Aiden alone in a room all night. While she was wearing almost nothing.”
“He gave me the one night,” she says suddenly.
“Gave you…you mean? Oh my God, El.”
“Yeah, J. I think I did see God last night. But that’s it. He told me he couldn’t resist me, but it had to be for just last night.”
“Shit. That sucks.”
“And she did too, I’m sure,” I say and then cover my mouth as they both burst out laughing.
“Why yes I did, my little harlot in training.”
“Damn, Isa. We’re rubbing off on you. I like it,” Jade says.
“Seriously, though. Are you okay, Ellie? I know you want more than sex from him.”
“Yeah, I do. Especially after last night. I mean, I knew it’d be hot with him, but that man has skills no one I’ve ever been with could even come close to matching. I’m surprised we didn’t burn the house down.”
“He was nice to you?” I ask.
“Oh sweet little Isa, he gave her the best fuck of her life. That’s very, very nice.”
Ellie throws a pillow at Jade before answering my question. “Yes, he was nice to me. As my bestie over there so eloquently put it, he gave me the best fucks of my life. Plural. But it wasn’t all rough and hard. He made love to me slow and sweet, too. And when he whispered my name, and cuddled with me…well, I could die happy now.”
“You cuddled? Silent and scary Aiden Ford cuddled with you?”
“Yeah he did.”
Ellie looks like she might cry, and that jars me. These women who I always think of as stronger than me, are actually just like me in some ways. I’ve spent too much time hiding when I should’ve been getting to know them better. And even though I’ve kept to myself, they came right over to co
mfort me because they knew I needed it.
“It’s not over, Ellie. If you’re feeling like this, I bet he is, too. He can’t have been with you like that and not felt something.”
“I know he cares for me, Isa. That’s what makes it harder. If I was just a random fuck, I could probably handle this better. But I’m not. When I walked into the room last night, he pulled me into his arms, and held me tight. He told me that he’d almost lost in the bidding war, and he would’ve had to kill the winner if that had happened.”
“Then you need to step it up. Have Stella shorten your skirts even more than she does now. Wear your damn corsets every day. Flaunt the other guys in front of him at the clubs. Whatever it takes to show him what he’s missing.”
“No, Jade. She needs to do the opposite. She needs to become me.”
“What?”
Ellie sits up, her eyes sparkling. “She’s right. Oh my God, she’s fucking right. I’ve done the skirts, corsets, and other guys. It didn’t work. That’s what he expects from me. The trifecta didn’t nickname me ‘Brass’ because they think I’m sweet or smart. So that’s what I’m going to be. I’m going to still be sexy, but more like Isa and Reina. Understated and classy sexy. And no more going to the bars. By the time I figure out a way to get him alone again, I want him so confused and worked up that he can’t help but give in.”
“I love you enough to ignore that you inadvertently said I wasn’t classy,” Jade tells her.
“You, Stella, and Audrey are the sexpots. You can’t help it. The three of you exude sex appeal no matter what you wear. There’s nothing wrong with you playing it up.”
“Nate thinks there is.”
“Nate eye fucks you every time you’re in range.”
“I want a cock fuck, not an eye fuck, from that sexy beast of a man.”
“We’ll think of something,” I tell her.
The rest of the night is spent watching movies, painting our nails, and eating junk food. When I tell them that this was my first sleepover, they call all the other girls who aren’t on missions, and we do it all again Sunday. With an added fashion show courtesy of Stella, of course. I’m not alone with my thoughts for even a minute, and I appreciate what they’ve done for me more than they’ll ever know.
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