by L. P. Dover
“I don’t think they’d respect me either way. They’re douchebags. I could tell before they even opened their mouths. You knew this was going to happen.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t think . . .” he stopped, averting his gaze.
“Didn’t think what?”
He stared up at me and all I could do was stare back. A woman could get lost in his eyes; they were so green. “I didn’t think I’d feel this protective of you.”
“Why do you? You don’t even know me.”
He brushed the hair off my face and stepped closer. “No, but I’m beginning to. And the thought of someone touching you or hurting you drives me goddamned insane. I wanted to break Davies’ hand tonight.”
I smiled and then bit my lip. “I wanted to break his hands too. I don’t like being touched by strangers.”
“Then I guess you don’t like this,” he said, slowly sliding his finger down my cheek.
My eyes closed briefly, but then I backed away, reluctantly withdrawing from his touch. “You’re not a stranger, Jason.”
“Then why won’t you let me touch you?”
“We shouldn’t be doing this. It’ll only make things harder.”
“I like things hard.” Quite literally, his dick twitched against my leg.
“I can see that,” I murmured.
“What do you say? We’re here, we’re together for however long . . .”
“I don’t just sleep with men when I feel the urge, Jason. I’m not the whore I’m pretending to be.” I tried to pull away, but he grabbed me around the waist.
“I wasn’t insinuating that you were. All I’m saying is that I want you and I don’t know how long I can fight it.”
My breath caught as he lowered his mouth to mine. Before we could connect, I splayed my hands across his back and he froze. “Jason, what happened?” I tried to lift his shirt, but he grabbed my hand, pulling it away.
“It’s nothing, just the aftermath of an accident I was in a few years ago.”
“Aftermath? Had to have been something bad to do that kind of damage.”
He sighed, the pain clear in his eyes. I wanted to hear his story and he was just about to open up when my phone rang. I stood there, waiting, but he nodded toward my purse. “Don’t you need to answer that?”
I looked over at my purse and huffed. “Probably, but I want to hear what you have to say.”
“I’m pretty sure you don’t.” Knowing he wasn’t going to say anything until my phone stopped, I stalked off and fetched it out of my purse. “Who is it?” he asked curiously.
I cleared my throat. “It’s Adrian.”
“As in your ex-boyfriend?” I nodded and his jaw clenched. “Don’t let me get in the way then. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Jason, it’s not like that.”
“No, it’s okay. You said it yourself, if we let things go further it’ll only make things harder.” He stormed off to his bedroom and shut the door.
I had no clue what the hell I was going to do.
The hotel door slammed shut and I regretted ever answering the phone. Jason had been on edge all night and the last thing he needed to do was go out and get into trouble. I feared his trouble would involve stuffing his cock deep inside another female. The thought made me sick, which surprised me. I guess I had some things to reassess.
“Adrian,” I answered, hoping he couldn’t hear the distress in my tone.
“Aylee, it’s good to hear your voice. I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too. How’s it going up in Maine?”
“Good. I visit your uncle regularly. He misses you. I told him I was going to call you and give you the good news.”
“Oh yeah? What’s going on?”
“I’m taking a job in New York. One of the hospitals down there needs a thoracic surgeon. The money is good and I’ll be making way more than I am now.”
“That’s great. I’m so happy for you. I’m sad that I won’t see you when I get home, but I know you’ll love being in a bigger city.” It was going to be lonely back home without him but he deserved the chance to grow.
“Which is why I’m calling. I know you don’t want to hear this again since our argument before you left, but please just listen. With the money I’ll be making, I can support you without you having to put your life in danger. I can be what you need me to be. If you want me to be adventurous, I’ll climb mountains and go skydiving. I miss you, Aylee. Please think about it; think about coming to New York with me.”
Sighing, I laid down on my bed, my chest aching. “I don’t know what to say. I would never ask you to change, Adrian. You’re smart, funny, and one of my closest friends. I do what I do because I love helping people, just like you.”
“Will you at least consider my offer? I’m moving tomorrow. I’m leaving my address and a small present for you at your uncle’s. If you don’t come to New York, at least I know there’ll be something here to take care of you.”
A tear fell down my cheek onto the pillow. “You’re too good to me,” I cried.
“It’s because I love you, I always have. No matter what you decide, I’ll always be there for you.”
“Thanks. I love you too. New York is a big city compared to Augusta, be safe on your move.”
He laughed. “That’s for damn sure. Be careful out there.”
“I will.” We hung up the phone and I sat there, debating on if I should go after Jason.
Instead, I changed into my pajamas and sat in the dark, drifting in and out of a restless sleep. Whether I dreamt it or not, I don’t know, but there was a time in the dead of night where a set of arms wrapped around my stomach and held me close. Jason’s scent engulfed me and I held onto him, breathing him in. I fell asleep fast and then woke up to the morning sun, alone. It had all been a dream, but I swore I could still smell him.
With my back turned, I could hear Jason coming up behind me. “Where did you go last night?” I asked, slicing my apple with a little too much force. We had an hour before it was time to leave for the big party and I had yet to see him all day.
“I needed to blow off some steam.”
“I see. You must have been pretty angry for it to take all night.”
“Trust me, I needed it.”
Stabbing the knife into one of the apples, I turned and glared at him, his eyes widened. “I bet. Just make sure next time you let me know where you’re going in case I need you. Not that I would want to encroach on your fuckfest, but we do have a job to do here.”
“Fuckfest? What the hell do you think I did last night?” he asked, returning my glare.
“Oh, I don’t know, probably screwed the first sea donkey who was willing to ride your cock.”
“I’ve been out here for months, sacrificing my own pleasures for the sake of the job. I need the release. And what does it matter anyway? You let me go for your ex.”
“It wasn’t like that,” I exclaimed.
“Oh yeah? And what was it like? I bet he told you he missed you and that you two should get back together.” My face paled and his eyes narrowed. “Exactly.”
“So what? What if he did say those things? It doesn’t mean I told him I wanted him back.”
He stepped closer. “And just because I went out last night doesn’t mean I fucked the first girl who came my way.”
“The second then,” I countered.
His jaw clenched, but then he smiled. “I guess you’ll never know.” Winking, he backed up with a smirk on his face. It made me want to smack the shit out of him. “I need to get ready for the evening. I have a date with a whore.”
Grabbing a slice of my apple, I threw it at his head. “Ah, you’re so goddamned infuriating. I think I’m beginning to hate you.” It was a lie, but it felt good to say. If anything, it made me want him more. Shoving the remaining apple slices in my mouth, I trudged to my bedroom and slammed the door.
The dress I had picked out was silky and black and fell to the floor. I was tired of s
howing my legs, but this time it’d be the swell of my breasts and all of my back that would be on display. I hoped Jason choked when he saw me.
When the time came for us to leave, I emerged from my room with my head held high. Jason’s mouth dropped open as I walked by him. Glancing over my shoulder, I caught him staring at my backside.
“Holy fuck. Make sure you stay by my side tonight.”
“I can’t promise that. As you said earlier, I’m a whore, so I guess I need to act like one.”
He ran his hands over his face and groaned. “Only with me. Why do you have to make things so difficult?”
“The only person doing that is you. Can we go now?”
He motioned toward the door. “After you, firecracker.”
Huffing, I grabbed my purse and marched out the door. Jason caught up to me and grabbed my elbow. I tried to jerk away, but he held tight. “I thought we were getting along there for a while.”
I snorted. “Yeah, well, you let your dick get in the way.”
“I like all of this jealousy, it makes your cheeks red.” He pinched my cheek and I smacked his hand away.
“Oh my God, you’re seriously going to drive me bat shit crazy. And don’t get me started on jealousy. Who was the one who stomped away when I got a phone call? To be one of the best agents in the country, you seriously need to learn more about women.” I slammed my hand on the elevator button.
When it opened, Jason pushed me inside, guiding me until my back hit the wall. Gasping, I sucked in a breath, only for it to be cut off by Jason’s lips. His body pressed into mine, holding me firm as he kissed me hard. My mind told me not to give in, but my body wanted him to take me. His lips tasted like liquor and mint. I would’ve given anything to get drunk from his kisses, but the elevator door dinged and opened.
Jason stepped back and rubbed the lipstick off his mouth, smirking. “You’re right, I was jealous and I still am. I want you, but you’re afraid to let me. The longer I’m around you, the harder it is to resist you. What makes it worse is, I know you want this just as bad as I do.” He looked down at my chest. I followed his gaze and saw my hard nipples showing through the silky dress.
People started getting into the elevator, but we needed to get out. I brought my arms up to cover my chest. “Don’t we need to go?” I whispered.
He stared down at my mouth and shook his head like he was clearing his thoughts. “Come on.” The tension between us was so high, I could feel it tingling my skin. Jason had my hand in his strong grasp and led me to a parked limousine where the driver waited, wearing a black tux with his dark hair slicked back underneath a cap.
“Mr. Avery,” he greeted with a nod.
“Good evening, James. You have the address, correct?”
He nodded and opened the back door. “We’re all set to go.”
Jason ushered me in and I scooted all the way to the edge, turning my body away from him as he got in. I was embarrassed with the way I gave into him so easily, but also unsure of what to do. With Adrian, everything was simple and slow; with Jason, it was all heat and moving very fast. I didn’t know if I could keep up.
“Are you mad at me for kissing you?”
Not looking at him, I shook my head. “Shocked really. I guess I wasn’t expecting it.”
“That’s what makes it exciting.”
I turned to him, my gaze serious. “That’s what scares me. I’ve never felt that excitement before.” Against my better judgment, I glanced down at his lips and the way he pulled the bottom one between his teeth. “And now I don’t know what to do.”
“I tell you what. Let’s promise that once we get done with tonight, we’ll go back to the hotel and talk. Nothing but honesty.” The devilish gleam in his eye gave me pause.
“That doesn’t sound so bad, but why do you look like that? You’re up to something.”
He shrugged. “You’ll see, but I can guarantee you’ll have fun.”
Pulling up to Randall’s estate, I wasn’t surprised to see that his home was gargantuan, with a million cars in the lawn and driveway.
“I’m going to drop you two off at the front and hang tight until you’re ready to leave. When you text me, I’ll drive up to get you.”
Jason handed the driver a wad of bills and patted him on the shoulder. “Thanks, James. I don’t plan on staying here that long.”
“No worries. I have plenty of things to keep me busy.”
Opening the car door, Jason helped me out and I straightened my dress. “Let’s go meet Drake Blackwell, and see how much of a douche he is. If I had to take my pick on first impressions alone, I’d say Davies is the fucker we’re looking for.”
I couldn’t argue with him there. “True, but Mark didn’t really have much to say. You never know with those quiet types. It’s hard to gauge their true nature.”
Jason nodded. “I’ll try to talk to him tonight, but I want to get a feel for Blackwell. Other than Randall, he’s a powerhouse. Most of the time, these rich bastards think they’re untouchable and they can get away with anything.”
“True,” I agreed. We got to the door and my heart raced. There was an ogre-sized man, dressed all in black, standing there with a list. He was even bigger than Butch and Tom with spiked black hair and dark skin.
“Name,” he barked.
Jason stepped forward, squeezing my hand. “Jason Avery and Aylee McFadden.”
Flipping through the list, he marked off what I supposed was our names and opened the door. “Enjoy your evening.”
“Thank you,” I offered as we walked by. When we got inside, my mouth flew open. The entry was huge and opened up to a large great room with hundreds of people milling about in their fancy clothes and jewelry. I didn’t come from money, but I knew how to play the part.
Jason leaned in close to my ear, his breath tickling my neck. “Stay close to me.”
“I’ll try, but if we get separated I’ll be okay. Trust me.”
Straight ahead, I spotted Chazz and a couple other men drinking at the bar. He lifted his drink at us and smiled; Jason growled low in his chest. “It’s not you I don’t trust.”
“Aylee,” a voice called out to my side. I looked over to find Diane Randall waltzing forward, dressed in a silvery flowing gown, her arms outstretched. “I’m so glad you made it. William told me you were coming.” She grabbed my hands and kissed both my cheeks. “You look beautiful tonight.” Diane seemed genuine in her actions, but it was hard to tell. I knew I needed to stay on my guard.
“Good evening, Mrs. Randall,” Jason greeted.
She let go of my hands, but gently kept a hand wrapped around my arm. “Same to you, Mr. Avery. Do you mind if I steal Aylee away for a while? As I’m sure you can guess, I’d rather claw my eyes out than talk to some of the women here, but unfortunately, I have to play nice. It’d be good to have a woman around I know I can get along with.”
Jason’s jaw muscles ticked, but I glared a warning at him. “Of course,” he replied, keeping his gaze on mine. “I’ll just take a look around.”
Diane pointed down the large hallway. “If you go down that way, William will be in there with some of his friends. They’re drinking brandy and getting ready for the game tonight. I’m pretty sure they’ll invite you to play.”
“If he does, can I watch?” I asked excitedly.
“Of course, my dear. I always watch the games. But I have to warn you, it’s not the same as you’d see in the casinos. They play a little different.”
Jason snorted. “I’m sure it’s nothing I can’t handle.” He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “Have fun and I’ll see you later.” I nodded in reply and watched him as he took off through the crowd.
“Are you falling for him?” she asked, her voice amused.
I turned abruptly and chuckled halfheartedly. “I sure as hell hope not.”
She smiled wide. “Well, if you aren’t, I can definitely tell he’s harboring feelings for you. He must be a good lover. Most girls in your situa
tion can’t wait to be away from their clients.”
I shrugged. “I guess I just got lucky.”
“Not many girls can say that. Hold onto him as long as you can. The majority of women in your business do this in hopes of snagging a rich man. Some achieve it, but a lot don’t. Hopefully, Mr. Avery will offer you a lot more than just his money.”
“How do you know so much about what I do? Were you one before you met Mr. Randall?”
She put a hand to her mouth to hold in her laugh. “Oh, darling, no. Believe me, I’ve been accused of being one since I have ties to that industry, but I’ve never dabbled.”
“Ties?”
Pulling me over to a secluded corner, she grabbed two glasses of champagne off the waiter’s tray on the way there. “My sister is Ronnie Chatfield,” she confessed, her voice low. “It’s not something we speak about much, especially now that some of her girls have gone missing and turned up dead. That’s why I asked you if you were one of her girls the other day when we met. Anyway, do you see those women over there?” She pointed to a group of three women, all laughing with their fake smiles.
I nodded. “What about them?”
“They don’t like it when my sister’s girls come to the parties. I don’t want them knowing you’re a part of that crowd. Heaven knows you don’t look or act like one, so I figured it’d be easy for you to play the part. Can you do that for me?”
“You mean pretend that I’m not a prostitute?” She bit her lip and nodded. “I’m sure I can handle that. But you don’t take me as the type to care what people think.”
She snorted and held onto my elbow as we strolled toward the women. “I don’t, but unfortunately, their husbands work for William. I couldn’t get rid of them if I tried.”
As we approached, all three women eyed me up and down. Two of them were around my age with sleek hair and tight bodies, but the third woman was most likely in her early forties with fake tits and a body that screamed plastic surgery.
“Ladies,” Diane announced, “this is Aylee McFadden. She’s one of my guests.” I shook their hands and said hello.