She needed to head home. It was nearly two in the morning, and she had a test to study for. The reality of life, her life, was breathing down her neck and crashing against her chest. She felt the tears emerge. She wanted more, she was fighting for more, but she had to stop thinking that she would ever fit into a world like this one.
Mariana grabbed her backpack and dinky jacket. It was cold outside but still colder in her apartment. The warmth of this room, the large king-size bed, and all the lovely accent pillows looked so appealing. She wished she could lie down and rest here and not venture out into the cold and to her small cave of reality.
She swallowed hard then opened the door and began her departure down the long hallway. There were gorgeous pictures both from artists and from photographers.
She reached the winding staircase, a picture perfect home out of a magazine of mansions. Freda was a lucky woman.
“There you are. Are you certain you don’t want to spend the night? It’s no trouble at all,” Freda said as she stood at the bottom of the stairs.
“Oh, I couldn’t do that. I’m fine, really.”
“It’s no trouble at all, Mariana, really,” Freda said. Her blue eyes sparkled, and she looked so nice and motherly. She’s not your mother, idiot. Your mother was a drug addict and a loser. This is not your world.
* * * *
Freda could see the emotional struggle Mariana was going through. A quick talk with Liam, who was very impressed and taken by Mariana, uncovered some interesting information. Mariana was young, she was quite resourceful, and definitely was interested in Jameson and Jax. Any fool could see the attraction between the three of them. But this woman had fears, uncertainties, and Freda was learning what those were.
“Perhaps another time then, you could plan on staying. We could have breakfast together. I’m forced to eat alone so often with Derrick, my husband, gone.”
Mariana looked up at her, and she suddenly looked sad. That wasn’t Freda’s intention at all. Especially after Alvin told her where Mariana had gone before she arrived here this evening for her first date. The poor girl visited the grave of her deceased mother. Yes, things were beginning to become quite clear to Freda.
“I’m sorry, perhaps another time, Freda. I don’t want to impose or be a bother. What you’ve done for me is quite beyond the norm of what a boss does for their employee.”
Freda smiled.
“You are special, Mariana. Even Liam noticed that about you.”
Mariana smiled.
“He was a very nice man and handsome, too. I enjoyed his company. So, I should get going. It’s late and I don’t want to miss the bus and wait another hour in the cold.”
“Oh, Benny is going to drive you home, dear.”
“No, that’s okay. You’ve done so much.” Mariana began to head for the door.
“Mariana, honey, I know where you live. It’s nothing to be ashamed about. You’re trying to pay for college.”
The poor woman looked so sad and about to cry, Freda felt terrible.
“You know, how? Why?”
“I have to investigate all my employees. Alvin knows where you live and he reported back to me.”
“I’m some sad charity case for you? Is that why you offered me the job and why you brought me to Sassy’s and brought me those things?” she asked, and Freda could tell she was insulted and hurt.
“That wasn’t my intention at all. You need to look and dress the part. Not you, nor any of the women I hire, have the funds to do so without my assistance. It’s something I need to do but also enjoy doing. Don’t for one moment think of yourself as a charity case. Now, it’s late, you live in a crime-infested neighborhood, and Benny is going to drop you off and walk you up to your apartment.”
“Not in a limo I hope. We’ll never make it to the front door,” Mariana said as she nibbled her bottom lip. Freda smiled then took her hand.
“Not to worry, dear. Oh, and here is your pay for the evening. I more than likely will have another job for you by Saturday. A small event at a private home outside of the city. I will let you know.”
She handed over the envelope, and Mariana blushed. She was so gracious and sweet. For a moment she feared that Jax and Jameson might eat her up alive. They were dominant and masterful. Any woman Jax had ever been with was submissive and he could be rough. She heard different stories, but who knew what was true? Their sex lives didn’t matter to her as much as their hearts. They were good men. Men who made it through battle then struggled to achieve respect and greatness in their professional field. They had come so far and proved that hard work and commitment won out in the end. Mariana was so much like them, but she was doing it alone as opposed to having a brother to lean on for support.
“Thank you, Freda. I have the cell phone, so call me when you know. Thank you again,” Mariana said, and then she leaned down and hugged Freda, shocking her.
Freda watched her go, and for a moment she wondered what it would be like to have a daughter. Derrick was sterile and they couldn’t conceive their own child. They made the decision to be alone, but now in her sixties and with Derrick gone so suddenly, she wished she had a child to spend time with. The tears filled her eyes.
“Freda, are you okay?” Alvin asked as she stood in the doorway to the sitting room. He had been there the entire time without anyone knowing. He was her bodyguard and her friend.
“Just thinking about life, Alvin, and how things turn out differently than planned. You know, seeing Mariana, it makes me wish Derrick and I had adopted children.”
She walked toward the stairs and held the railing.
“Mariana is quite the young woman, Freda. You’ve done so much for her. I’ve never seen you like this before.”
She turned to look at Alvin. “I’m just being silly, Alvin. I know I’m destined to die alone. It’s the way it must be because of those choices Derrick and I made so long ago.” She started to head up the stairs when she felt Alvin take her hand to stop her. She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
“You’re not alone, Freda. I’m not planning on going anywhere.”
She smiled, touched by his commitment and loyalty to her.
“Thank you.”
“If I might be so bold to point out, Freda, perhaps Mariana is in need of fulfilling a similar void in her life and maybe the two of you could lean on one another. After all, we know where she went before she arrived here today in preparation of her first job.”
Freda understood completely and nodded her head, feeling a spark of hope fill her heart. She was a patient woman, and she knew firsthand that sometimes things happen for a reason.
* * * *
Mariana was completely surprised to have Benny pull up in front of her apartment complex in a Range Rover and see all the utility vans. They were working on something.
“Oh God, maybe there’ll be heat tonight,” she said aloud as Benny parked the car behind one of the vans.
She opened the door before he could and he locked it then escorted her inside.
“Are you having problems with the heat or electricity, Mariana?” Benny asked as they entered the building and saw men working.
“I haven’t had heat all week,” she said, and now Benny looked upset. But as they climbed the stairs, she could feel the warmth like never before in the building.
“Oh God, I think the heat is on. It’s never been this warm in here,” she admitted then took out her key to unlock her door.
“Thank you for the ride, Benny. It sure did beat the bus and walking in the cold.” He looked a bit angry, and then his expression quickly changed and he smiled.
“My pleasure, Mariana. Call me if you need a ride anywhere. I’m on automatic dial in your cell phone on number three.” He winked then began to head back downstairs. She was still embarrassed as she unlocked the door and the heat hit her instead of the pinch of icicles.
She locked her door and smiled as she closed her eyes and tightened up her body. She had to remember this mo
ment, this evening, this experience forever. It was the first bit of happiness she felt in such a long time. As she opened her eyes, she threw her backpack onto the floor near the couch and began to pull off her jacket, as she remembered the envelope of money. She opened it, and her mouth dropped as she fell to the couch.
“Oh my God, two thousand dollars?”
Her mind raced as she thought about this type of work. She could do this. She could make this kind of money doing something she enjoyed, and she didn’t even have to have sex. Holy shit!
She jumped up and twirled around her small apartment thinking that if she could do this, she could put a dent in those college loans and that damn bank bill that came every month. She was so excited and felt a bit of relief and hope that she could slowly begin to dig herself out from under the weight of debt, and she thought of Freda. She owed her so much. The woman truly was an angel, and perhaps one day she could repay her in some way that would truly let her know how much Freda meant to her.
She smiled knowing that tonight she would go to bed warm and happy for the first time in ages.
* * * *
“We need to do something, Jax. I’m not going to stand by and let other men touch her, escort her around galleries and parties as if she belongs to them. We have to make her see that we mean business,” Jameson said as he ran his fingers through his hair.
Jax wasn’t surprised by his brother’s words. He felt the exact same way. They hadn’t slept well at all Saturday night or Sunday night. It was Monday, they were in the office for a few hours now, and all both of them kept thinking about was Mariana. At least they knew she hadn’t left the party with Liam to go to his hotel. Not that Mariana was like that, but they didn’t trust Liam or any other man with their woman. God, those words stung so hard. She wasn’t theirs yet, but she would be.
“I’m thinking, Jameson. I agree with you, we discussed this for hours, remember.”
“This is insane. You’re the one who always takes what you want. I’ve seen you with women, Jax. You dominate, you control and demand, and they comply. This situation is going too far.”
“She’s not like those other women, Jameson. She made that clear Saturday evening. I thought we were making progress until Tara showed up.”
“God, that woman is an animal. She had no boundaries whatsoever. She attacked me. You saw her. I couldn’t stop her fast enough. I kind of felt badly for telling her that I would never be interested in a woman like Tara but it had to be said. She recovered quickly though. Did you see her with that guy in the hallway? ”
“I was there Jameson and I saw how Tara attacked you, but so did Mariana and, man, did she send daggers our way. But that’s a good thing.”
“A good thing. How could you say that, Jax?”
“Because, she looked pissed off and jealous. From there on out, the rest of the evening she really played up being with Liam. We know that she’s an escort and that was a business job. There was nothing to worry about.”
“I’m not too sure. Liam looked very interested, especially as he kissed her good night.”
“It was on the cheek, Jameson.”
“He touched her, he hugged her, he pressed his lips against her skin. Fuck!”
Jax pulled out his cell phone. “You’re right. We need to take action.”
Jameson watched as Jax began to talk with Freda.
“So you want to book up all her Saturdays for the next three months?” Freda asked, and he could hear her shock.
“Yes. Jameson and I would like to lock in on her available dates of service. We have a busy schedule ahead of us.”
“I can arrange this if you are certain, Jax. I’ll need deposits on these. I was actually going to call you to see if Jameson or yourself were available as guards. I have three men scheduled for dates with her and they aren’t regulars. If you can’t handle this—
“Not a problem. We can handle security for her. Just name the nights. But also send us a contract for her available dates and we’ll send the deposit. We need her this Friday and Saturday.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Jax, her first availability isn’t until next month.”
“Next month? What? How? She just got started,” Jax asked in shock, and he looked at his brother who had his fists by his sides.
“She made quite a wonderful impression Saturday night. I have some heavies calling to book her. You’re actually the tenth person who called this morning. The phone started ringing on Sunday. She’s going to be busy. As a matter of fact, I need to call her and see how her schedule with work and school is for this week. There’s a special event on Thursday night. Oh, I’ll have to call you back, Jax. I’ll pencil you in for Saturdays starting next month and I’ll have Alvin call you to talk about what dates she needs security for.”
“Wait, Fridays, too, remember?”
“Not certain I can do that. I need to go, Jax. I’ll let you know. Bye.” Freda hung up, and Jax stared at his phone in shock.
He slammed the cell down on his desk and they both heard the crunch of plastic.
“What? What does she mean a month?” Jameson asked, and Jax explained. Now he was angry.
“That’s over ten dates, ten men that will hold her, hit on her and try to—”
“I know,” Jax interrupted through clenched teeth.
Chapter 7
Theo Centurion from Centurion Estates, an elite art gallery in Houston, was standing alongside Mariana at the premiere event. This wasn’t a bad job at all. She immediately noticed some familiar faces, and Theo was very busy speaking with so many people. She was more on display as his date than anything. Here and there he called her over to explain more about certain pieces to those people pretending to be interested in buying. She was shocked, though, mid evening as one man purchased an original Jack Vettriano painting for eight hundred thousand dollars. He wrote the check on the spot, and no one even questioned his ability to pay. She couldn’t imagine having so much money and being able to purchase fine paintings as a collector. Mariana hoped to one day run or even own a gallery. In some aspects, running a gallery and choosing what art to display for a time being would be like having the ability and means to purchase. Even if it were for a short time.
Mariana was walking through the study, where some more paintings by Vettriano were displayed. The guests were eating dinner and Theo was entertaining the buyers, so she had some free time to herself.
As she made her way into the quiet room, she had the opportunity to look at some of the well-known paintings by Vettriano. There was The Singing Butler, Dancer in Emerald, For The Dead Admiral, and then the more provocative of paintings that immediately drew her in.
She stared at the painting called Lovers and Other Strangers. Immediately her mouth went dry and a feeling of awareness or maybe even arousal perked her body’s attention. Especially her nipples as she absorbed the figures on the painting and the way the sexy, masculine man held the woman with such control.
Deep down, Mariana knew she was submissive in nature. In public she could be assertive to an extent and in class when she raised her hand to give the answer or had to make a public presentation. But looking at this painting that she always found to be so sexy made her think of things she really shouldn’t entertain. There was an almost invisible pull as she stared in awe. It told a story, as far as she believed, and involved the sexual attraction between two men and one woman. Not so far fetched and more prominently written about, besides being a subject of many artists.
In this particular painting, Vettriano painted the picture of one man holding a woman firmly around the waist. The palm of his hand pressed snuggly against her flat belly as his other hand began to unzip her dress. The most erotic part was the image of a man sitting in a large cushioned chair, watching. He was wearing a tux and holding a cigar whose smoke silhouetted upward toward the couple as he watched.
In her mind she imagined Jameson and Jax. Shocked at how easily she saw herself as the blonde in the picture, head down, accepting to
the one man’s touch as the other looked on. She wasn’t an exhibitionist. She liked her privacy and held in a lot of information about herself. She preferred it that way. But oh, how nice it would be to be able to let go completely, and know that she was safe.
The moment the arm came around her waist, for real, she gasped and turned to see Jax standing there.
“One of my favorites, too,” he whispered, and her heart began to race. He mimicked the position like the man in the painting. His arm was snugly wrapped around her center. Jax’s other hand lay flat against her side, his fingers inches from the swell of her breast.
She tried to speak, but a squeak came out so she cleared her throat. This man made her so damn nervous.
“You look stunning this evening, Mariana,” he whispered then kissed her shoulder and trailed more tiny kisses along her neck. She was lost in the sensations of his touch and the feel of being this close to him. Her mind yelled for her to place some distance between them, but it was too late. The painting, the memory of last week of how fine both Jax and Jameson looked in their tuxedoes, ruled her mind all week.
“Jax, please, I’m here with someone.”
His hold grew tighter a moment, and then he eased up. It was as if he was angered by her statement.
“I know, that’s why Jameson and I are here. We’re keeping an eye on you,” he said then kissed along her neck some more. When she felt his fingers tangle in her hair and hold firm, she found her body reacting in an unexpected way. Her lips parted, her eyes closed, and his hand smoothed across her belly. She was utterly turned on.
The realization of his statement hit her. He was running security? He was the guard she needed for the date tonight because Theo Centurion was very wealthy and had enemies.
The American Soldier Collection 2: Mastering the Art of Love (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 7