by Jami Denise
“Come on. I want to talk to someone,” Tony grumbled.
He dragged me along, making his way toward a group of men smoking cigars in the corner. That was another thing about him. He may have dressed like a gentleman, but he handled me like a brute. There was nothing considerate about the way he treated me at all. No doors held open, no introductions, and no conversation. He drove his point home crystal clear. I was a toy, and I was to understand my place.
Lots of men brought me along as their date to poker games. I could count on my fingers and toes ten times how often I’d been told I was a lucky charm. They were deluded, but I always played along. Sometimes, I’d be the lucky one and my date would hit it, but other times, I’d end up with a loser with something to prove once they’d lost their asses.
Many of the faces in the room were familiar. Some passed me apologetic nods—a sign of respect toward my father, their comrade—and others gave me the appreciative once-over, knowing they too could have a spin with Jayne if the price is right.
Girls and gamblers went hand in hand in Vegas. There was never a shortage of broads wandering around those parties, and then there were girls like me. There was a difference, and the men could smell it on me. They could pay me, but I could never be bought.
Tony was busy blowing smoke up the ass of an older man with fat pockets, so I decided to grab a drink from the bar to settle my nerves. I was frustrated, and it was starting to show. There was no room for feelings in my line of work, and for several weeks, all I’d had were feelings.
Confusion was at the very top. Worry was a close second. The assholes holding my father had become more and more difficult, and I was beginning to feel like I was being used as a pawn in someone’s sick game of chess.
Thinking about Flynn was like a daily ritual for me. Everything reminded me of him, and it made everything else in my life more difficult. There was no room for it. None. It wasn’t like me to fall under the spell of a man, any man, and certainly not a man like Flynn Maguire.
“Grab me one, would ya, babe?”
I sneered, but masked myself before turning around to face Tony.
“Beer?” I asked sweetly.
He merely nodded and turned back around to continue his conversation.
“Dumb bastard.”
I strolled toward the bar, smiling and greeting friendly faces, and then ordered a beer for my date and a white wine for myself. I needed a little something, and since I had no intention of being out of sorts while in the company of that man, I decided on something light.
I thanked the bartender kindly, winking at him when I caught him glancing down the neckline of my dress, and made my way back to my date.
That’s when I saw him, standing across the room with a gorgeous young blonde hanging on his arm. A rush of foolish jealousy ran through me like ice. I was livid, unreasonably and regrettably, but jealous nonetheless.
His eyes caught mine, and I quickly looked away, gathering my bearings and wiping away any evidence of distress on my face.
When I reached Tony, he was standing with a handsome gentleman in a smart grey suit. I smiled kindly, lowering my eyelashes and softening my eyes. With the older men, it was the innocence that got them. With the Tonys of the world, it was my tits.
“She’s a beauty, Anthony. You’re a lucky man.”
“Thank you. That’s kind of you to say.”
“If you want her number, Hank, I’ll be happy to share.”
The pit in my stomach filled with bile, and I wanted nothing more than for the floor to open up and swallow me whole. He was such a bastard—a dirty, rotten, stupid son of a bitch. There was nothing I hated more than a smug jackass.
If Hank was shocked by his comment, he didn’t show it. Honestly, he’d probably pegged me from the get-go. It wasn’t unusual for these men to bring rent-a-dates, and his warm smile told me he didn’t care one way or another.
“If you’ll excuse me.” Controlling the waver in my voice, I smiled. “I need to use the ladies’ room.”
Without waiting for a response, I moved away from him and headed toward the restrooms. I just needed space. I was either going to slap him, sacrificing a thousand-dollar payout, or I was going to burst into tears.
I wasn’t going to kid myself and pretend the tears were for Tony or his stupid words. No, they were for a certain handsome man with devilish eyes and magic hands. He wasn’t mine to cry over, and obviously, he wasn’t crying over me. Just as Tony made it perfectly clear to Hank that I was pussy for hire, Flynn Maguire made damn sure to show me where I stood.
I was a mess, and I had to get myself together before I completely lost it. Showing vulnerability would be a disaster.
When I reached the bathroom, I was glad to find it empty. I needed some time to splash some water on my face and breathe before I had to play nice with Tony and his smug friends. I wasn’t sure how I was going to pull off being seated across from Flynn all night without absolutely flipping out.
All of it was new to me—too new, and totally unwanted. I had to get him out of my system so I could get to work on getting out of my messed up situation.
I looked at myself in the mirror, and the girl looking back at me frowned. Jayne didn’t frown. Janie was moving in more and more every day, and I wasn’t sure how to reel her in anymore. She was on a long line, bobbing around inside my head, wanting attention, and lots of it.
A hysterical laugh escaped my lips, and I shook my head. Pulling out a tube of lipstick, I narrowed my eyes at the naïve idiot in the mirror and smeared bloodsucker red all over my lips.
My outfit was perfect, my boobs tight and high, and my hair was the best it’d been in weeks. I had what it took, always had it, and I was ready to put it to use.
Vince was already worried about me. He could tell I was walking a tightrope, but he thought it was all about my dad. It wasn’t. Every day, I cared a little less about what happened to him. It wasn’t that I wanted something to happen to him, I just wanted peace. For being twenty-five years old, I felt much older, and that pissed me off. I’d lived a thousand lifetimes because of him and his games, and I was tired. So very tired.
“Fuck all of them,” I growled into the mirror.
Men of all kinds had used me for so long, and although I did the same, the context was so different. It was all survival for me. For them, it was power and greed. They didn’t give a shit one way or another who I was or what happened to me. There was no compassion, no second thoughts. I was worn down and ready to throw in the towel, but I had to figure out how.
My mind was back in order once I settled down. It was funny how things always came into perspective in restrooms. At least, it was that way for me. My biggest dreams came to me as I stood under the spray of a hot shower, and they washed away down the same drain. The bubble bath I soaked in on hard days gave me the relief and peace that I couldn’t get anywhere else. For me, it gave me clarity, and maybe it had to do with the fact that growing up, it was the only place I had privacy. Most of my life was spent living in and out of hotel rooms with my dad, so as soon as the bathroom door shut, my tiny world expanded.
I took deep, soothing breaths and shoved my clutch under my arm, ready to work the room full of sinners like they’d never seen before. I’d done it a million times, and I’d do it again. By the end of the night, every man in that room would leave wanting me underneath them. That was how Jayne worked, no matter what power men like Flynn Maguire tried to capture from me.
I pulled the door open and walked into the hall, right smack-dab into Flynn. His eyes were smoldering, the anger rolling off him like thunder. For the smallest of moments, my knees wobbled, but with a shake of my head, I was back on track.
“Mr. Maguire, how nice to see you.”
I watched the muscles in his jaw jump as he tensed. There was a vein in his neck throbbing and visible underneath his casual white shirt. He looked absolutely feral, and I wasn’t sure if I’d done something to cause it, or if it was just par for the cour
se with the guy. He was impossible to understand, and standing there watching his head explode was just making things more complicated.
“I need to get back to my date.” I smiled sweetly and batted my eyes, never dropping the façade as I stepped forward to move around him.
I felt his hand on my arm, and my eyes went so tight I could feel them pucker. I couldn’t deal with him. I couldn’t talk to him and go back to stupid Tony like I wasn’t losing my shit completely. I had a reputation to uphold, and any falter in my character would come back to bite me in the ass.
“Is there something you need from me, Mr. Maguire?”
He glared at me heavily and forcefully before spinning me around and slamming me against the wall behind us, pressing himself against me.
His forehead was on mine, almost painfully, and his hot breath washed over me. I was afraid to make a sound, and I had to admit that for the first time, I was afraid of him. Flynn had a reputation for being impulsive, a trait I’d yet to see. With me, he’d been calculating and careful, too careful, so it was strange to see him so out of control.
“He’s gone. I got rid of him.”
I gasped. “You bastard!”
Growling, he leaned down and bit down on my bottom lip, letting his teeth dig in, dragging my flesh as he pulled away.
“You never answered my question before… do you like fucking those assholes, Jayne? You want him?”
I pulled my arms up and tried in vain to push at his chest. It was impossible. Being pinned between him and the wall, I was at a loss.
“That’s none of your business, you psycho! Let’s stop playing games. I’m paid to fuck them, and you know it! If you want to insult me, you’d better fucking pay me!”
He smirked, and it just made me furious. It was all around the worst night I’d had in months, and having Flynn treat me like shit was about to send me over the edge. I wanted to call Vince. I needed him to come get me and save me from the humiliation and the degradation.
“Just let me go. I need this job, and you are nothing to me.”
I stuck my chin out as strong and firm as I could and glared up into his face. “We’re done here.”
He chuckled and reached down to palm his cock. “I’m just getting started, Miss King.”
I growled, annoyed and frustrated, and struggled against him once more. It was useless, and when I felt his hand wind up my leg and his finger push my panties to the side, I gave up.
“Stop.”
My whispered request sounded more like relief, and he knew it. “You don’t want me to stop. Stop pretending with me, Jayne.”
The sound of my name on his lips was bittersweet. I loved the way he said it, but in my head, I truly wanted him to say my name. Janie. I wanted him to want Janie.
His thumb brushed my clit and I whimpered. There was a jolt of excitement, knowing any moment someone could come find us.
With his lips on my neck and his fingers inside of me, I was pliable to his whim. All sense was gone, all humility vanished, and all I could think about was coming all over his hand. I wanted to mark him, know that when he walked away from me when the dalliance in the hallway was done, I’d still be on his skin, my scent following him wherever he went.
As if reading my mind, he growled. “I want all of them to know I’ve had you, that I have you. I want them to know you’re mine.”
He curled his finger, hitting the sweet spot and causing me to cry out.
“Yes,” he groaned. “You like it when I fuck this pussy with my fingers, don’t you?
My mouth made decisions my mind would never make, and I threw my head back and agreed. His breath was hot and urgent on my skin, and I could feel the friction between us as he manned his cock harder and faster in sync with his ministrations on my pussy.
I heard the tear of the fabric from my dress and gasped, half conscious that it was likely ruined, and partially not giving a shit. His breathing increased, and I could tell his orgasm was near. I opened my eyes, not wanting to miss the look on his face, and I wasn’t disappointed.
The way his mouth fell open, his eyes fell lax and his brows creased, it was all magnificent.
“Flynn.”
His entire body tensed, and his gaze travelled down the hall toward the voice calling his name. I started to panic, and quickly squirmed out of his arms and stood behind him to adjust my dress.
“Flynn? That you, man? They’re ready to start the game.”
“Motherfucker,” he muttered under his breath. “I’ll be there. Give me five.”
He waited until the footsteps disappeared, then turned to me, cupping my cheek. “I have to get back to the game, sweet Jayne. Wish me luck?”
I didn’t have time to reply, or bitch about the fact that once again he’d left me frustrated and unsatisfied, before he lifted his fingers and rubbed them against his lips in a languid motion, leaving me breathless.
“You’ll be with me all night long.”
My mouth hit the floor. I had never been so affected by a man—or turned on.
He strolled away while I stood there, gaping after him like a lovesick puppy, and I knew the rest of the night was going to be one I’d never forget.
SIX
As I approached the table, I saw that Tony was irritated. I was glad. He was such a dick, and I had half a mind to fuck off with his money and walk away. Things weren’t the same anymore, and they were definitely more complicated after my encounter with Flynn in the hall.
Taking my seat at Tony’s left, I tried my damnedest to ignore the heated glare from Flynn across the table. He was obviously pissed off that I’d gone back to Tony after he’d told me not to.
I looked up as casually as possible, noticing the blonde from earlier was still at his side. Any other time, it wouldn’t have bothered me in the least, but with him, and after what he’d done, I felt cheap and used, and I was livid.
“Ready to lose some money, gentlemen?”
His smile was as smug as ever, the empty eyes I found the first night I met him clear and full of purpose. This was his show, that was evident, but he was mistaken if he thought he could manipulate me. I was the pro at that table. I’d tricked and pried things out of men ten times as rich and powerful as he was, and so I gave him a triumphant smirk of my own.
“I’ve got my lucky charm with me tonight, fellas. I hope you’re all ready to watch me take the table.”
There were chuckles all around, both good-hearted and half-assed. They were all liars, each and every one of them. The cheaters, philanderers, and wannabes. They were all disgusting, but the truly disgusting thing was that I was one of the same. I was them, and it hit me like a nail in the heart.
Tony nudged my side with his elbow, and I gave him a weak smile in return. I forced myself to stop daydreaming. I had a feeling he was going to talk to Vince about my behavior, and I didn’t want to deal with that on top of everything else. Letting Vince down was out of the question. At that point, he was the only real thing I had left.
I felt like I was kidding myself about my dad. Watching the men in front of me, knowing that he’d robbed them—probably numerous times—I began to wonder just how close to the enemy I was.
So I watched them. I looked at the marks, the tell-tale calls every criminal had—their faces, the ticks, the fumbling hands, and the shaky legs. I watched and recorded all of it, hoping by registering it in the back of my head that something would begin to make sense.
“So, Miss. King, would you care to join the game?”
Slowly, I looked over at Flynn. He was smiling, malicious and vengeful. I wanted to hit him—right in the smug grin he wore. Whatever game he was playing, I was ready to jump in and knock his swagger right on its ass. The fact was, I could beat them all, and he knew it. I wasn’t sure how, but somehow he knew I had the upper edge. It wasn’t in my best interest to throw that out into the arena I was in. It was my sure shot, the last resort. Inside, I was shaking, but I wasn’t going to let him see one bead of sweat on my p
retty face.
“A poker table is no place for a lady, Mr. Maguire.”
His eyes danced.
“Unless they’re bent over the table… maybe I can bend you over this table after I take all their money.”
As soon as the words were out of Tony’s mouth, Flynn was out of his seat and leering over him, fisting his shirt at the throat and growling in his face.
“You’re out. Pick up your shit, and leave.”
The chair tipped and Tony fell backward, clinging to his neck and trying to catch his breath. It all happened so fast that I wasn’t even sure what was going on. There were angry words, chairs scraping, and overall pandemonium as the entire room fell into an uproar.
I could do nothing but sit there, shocked and completely turned on. There was something about a man standing up for a lady’s honor, especially when it was mine. Coming from Flynn, it may as well have been an offer of marriage because my heart had leaped from my chest and fell at his feet, begging him to take it.
“Get up!”
My head snapped to the side to find Tony standing beside me, shaking and furious. “Get up. We’re fucking leaving!”
Frantically, I stood, grabbed my clutch from the table, and tried to follow his orders. I had no idea what the hell to do. Technically, he owned me, as sick as it was to think about, so I had no choice but to go with him.
His hand shot out, grabbing my upper arm painfully. I flinched, and the look on Flynn’s face was murderous. He’d always been so composed, almost emotionless when he wasn’t aroused, and it frightened me.
“Get your fucking hands off her!” he roared, launching himself out of the arms of the men holding him back. “She stays. You get the hell out!”
Tony laughed, the fool that he was. “I don’t give a shit who you are. I paid for the bitch, and I’m getting my money’s worth.”
Flynn’s nostrils flared. He shot me the most deadly look, and my entire body coiled tight. It was irrational for him to be angry with me. I hated it, hated the way he looked at me like he was judging me and my decisions. It wasn’t his place, and for that matter, who was he to judge me at all?