by Sedona Venez
I was done denying this shit; this connection between Knox and me was going to happen. But this time, I knew for a fact I wouldn't fall in love with him. He had changed for the worse. He was cold and bitter. And me, I didn't believe in anyone but me. I was so emotionally broken that I knew nothing about feeling anything. He was right. We could both get closure with a lot of hot sex thrown in. In the end, we could both walk away and put a period at the end of this with no regrets and no hatred.
I nodded slowly. “Okay, let's do this. But let's get one thing straight. Me breaking up with you had nothing to do with money. You may not believe it, but it's a fact.”
His slight mocking smile returned. “You will be at my beck and call at all times. I have a five-night concert tour and several events that I'm committed to attend. After that… we'll play it by ear.”
“At all times? I have a business to run.”
“A business you won't have if you fuck me over on this deal. Are we clear?”
I stepped back from him irately. “Crystal.”
CHAPTER 4
I was totally screwed and with no sleep… cranky. No matter how many different scenarios I concocted in my mind—there was no way I was getting out of this unscathed. I had been staring at the contract for hours, scanning for anything that would give me a way out of being Knox's sex toy, and I found absolutely nothing.
Desperation had set in and I was tempted to beg Reason to find some loophole in the contract. Something I knew didn't exist in any of her ironclad contracts. That's why we paid her outrageous fees—she was that good of a lawyer.
Taking another sip of coffee, I tried to calm myself before calling her. On the second ring, she answered.
She yawned loudly. “Storm?”
“What’s the deal with not responding to my text about last night’s tiger debacle?”
I heard shuffling before she responded. “Storm, it’s fucking six o’clock on a Saturday morning. Sleep for me is a necessity.”
“Oh, don’t try to pull that vampire shit on me. You’re a hybrid vampire—a latent one at that. You don’t need to sleep through the daylight.”
Reason laughed. “Now you’re just being mean by pointing out all my genetic flaws. You’re lucky that I’m not a sensitive kind of girl.”
I smiled, enjoying the banter. That's why she was my best friend, and I loved her like a sister. A bond that was formed from practically growing up together. Her family, a long line of lawyers that have handled all of our legal affairs for centuries.
“Please. If you could, you would have a T-shirt printed boasting your hybrid status.”
Reason was the black sheep in the family. Her mother a human. Her father a vampire. Her birth was a shame to her blueblood family that did everything in their power to ostracize her. Her saving grace was that her father was a very powerful and ruthless man who literally loved her more than life and did everything in his power to make her fit into the vampire world. But Reason wanted no part of it, totally ignoring his attempts, much to his embarrassment. She was like me. We lived more comfortably in the human world.
“So what happened last night?”
Reason shuffled her cell. “Another client chose to ignore civility and got into a scuffle in a club with another music artist over who had the right to take over a damn VIP section.” She scoffed. “What morons. Anyway, as you can imagine, it got rough, wicked, and wild with both camps brawling like MMA fighters. They tore the fucking club up. Patrons and employees got injured. And of course, my client called me all panicked about getting arrested.” She sighed. “I told him to leave the club before the media got wind of it. So, in a nutshell… I had to disturb a perfectly good Friday night to go sweep things under the rug… again. The life of a celebrity lawyer sucks, my friend.”
I swung around to look at the Manhattan skyline. “What are you complaining about? You’re a well-paid celebrity lawyer. Suck it up.”
Reason responded with a laugh. “It’s more like being a well-paid babysitting service that keeps me rolling in the bucks. People would be surprised at the magnitude of shit that doesn’t get into the papers all due to my creative sweeping abilities.”
I rolled my eyes. “Blah—blah—blah—stop bragging… back to my contract issue.”
“It’s air tight. I’ll call Tiger Lady this morning and explain the finer things in life—like the huge penalty fee associated with lying and wasting company time. Then I’ll hit her with the fact there’s also a fee for any hint of her defaming Credence O. And if that’s not enough, I'll also point out that if we have to drag this shit before the Other Council, my legal fees alone will drag that bitch under.”
I cringed at the mention of the Other Council. “Well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Credence O. can’t afford a scandal.” Never mind the fact that most of the Council members hated my family. The only saving grace was that my family had a seat on the Council. Aunt Trulista would ensure we had a fair court hearing if it came down to that.
I sighed. “Call her and let me know if I have to get involved.”
“Okay, talk to you later, baby cakes.”
I swung around when I heard rustling. Light sauntered in wearing low-slung sweatpants and a tight white T-shirt that read “Bite Me.” I smiled with satisfaction. At least I wasn't the only one who had a rough night. The shadows under her eyes said it all. She carried two extra-large cups of what I knew were lattes and an expensive black shopping bag from an exclusive boutique in SOHO that catered to celebrities. It wasn't unusual to see the clothes from there on the red carpet.
She plopped down into the chair in front of my desk and sighed. “It's six in the morning. What are you doing up so early?” She took a huge swallow of coffee.
I looked at her with an arched brow. “Uh… working.”
She took in my scrubbed-clean face and hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. “You look like shit. What time did you get in last night?”
I didn't need her pointing out something that I was fully aware of. I looked like crap and felt like it too. “Are you the damn warden now?” I snapped.
Her eyes narrowed. “What flew up your ass this morning?” She threw the bag at me. “This is for you.”
“What is it?”
“Open it and find out. Some hot-looking guy just dropped it off a couple of minutes ago.”
I looked at it like something was going to jump out and bite me.
“Didn't you hear the doorbell ringing?” she grumbled. “Freaking doorbell disturbed my beauty sleep.” She took a sip of coffee. “All I know is whoever sent what's in that bag has damn good taste. A pair of thongs in that shop cost a pretty penny.”
I pulled out the card, reading it aloud. “Storm: My driver will be at your house at 9 p.m. sharp. Wear everything. No panties. KG.” I pulled out the nude, backless dress that was so short that if I bent over, you would see my crotch, which was probably the point.
Light took a large sip of coffee, eyeing the dress enviously. “Whew, baby… that dress is smoking hot. Me likey. Who's KG?”
“Knox Gunner.”
Light choked on her coffee. “I'm sorry—what are you talking about?”
I bit my bottom lip and waited as she continued to stare. “The client is Knox Gunner. Apparently, he's Ryker's friend.”
“Holy smoke… and?”
“He's pissed off at me.”
“For what? He was the one caught with his pants down. Literally.”
“That night I said some ugly things to him about me just having fun with him for kicks and that I was still seeing Luke.”
She waved her hand impatiently. “And you think he's still pissed about that? Granted, you said some ugly things, but that was years ago. Both of you need to let that shit go.”
“I was willing to do that. But by virtue of Ryker's refusal to budge on the escort issue, that was not an option.”
“Wait! Ryker pushed for this?”
“Yes. You interested? Because he was very blunt abou
t the fact that he has a thing for Credence women.”
Light sat back tiredly. “Oh, hell no! He's too much of a project, and I'm not willing to put in the work. Instant gratification… that's me all the way.”
“You did say that you were looking for a Dom.”
She plopped her feet on my desk. “Yeah… a Dom that will occasionally let me on top from the bottom. From what I heard about Ryker, that could never happen. Nope, not interested. Now how do we solve the she-wolf issue?”
I gritted my teeth. “I sort of resolved it.”
She leaned forward with wide eyes. “Sort of? This should be good.”
“I made an agreement to be his escort in lieu of a she-wolf.” I took another big sip, looking at my nails like it was the best manicure ever.
“Holy shit! When I said break some rules… I didn't mean all of them.”
Swinging the leather chair around, I walked over to the safe, pressing my thumb to the sensor to open it. I placed the contract back in, slamming it shut. I shrugged. “I had no choice. I'll honor the contract. He'll get bored within a couple of days. He'll chalk it up to getting his revenge and move on with his life. I can deal.”
“You can't have sex with him. Shit, you can't even go out with him. It's the Credence rule.”
“I made that very clear. No sex. No kissing. Straight business and I guess lots of humiliation.”
“He's a Dom?”
I nodded my head.
She clapped her hands with delight. “Oh damn… this keeps getting better and better. I told you it would happen.”
“I'm not a submissive, Light. I love power. I refuse to relinquish that to anyone.”
Light looked at me with disapproval. “Storm, get over this prejudice that you have against submissives. They hold all the power. It's just not supposed to feel like it.”
I was resigned, knowing what he truly wanted. “He wants me to feel powerless, but I'm not sure how far my dominant personality will take this shit before calling it quits.” I wasn't a quitter, just realistic about the power he held over me. It made me fucking uncomfortable.
She arched a brow. “I'm sure he thought of a way to ensure that doesn't happen,” she stated flatly.
I looked at her with shock. “How did you know?”
She shrugged. “He wouldn't be much of a Dom if he didn't.”
“If I quit, he'll ruin the business by essentially tarnishing our name.”
She raised a brow. “Oh, that's hardcore. But it also means that he wants you bad.” She stared into space before smiling softly. “Would it be so hard to see where this takes you?”
I sighed. She was right. When it came to sex, I wasn't a prude. And if I were truthful with myself, I wouldn't mind closure with Knox. In fact, I needed it. But D/s was not something remotely on my wish list
Light continued. “It's exhausting to be in control all the time… at work, in bed. Let him drive for a while. Admit it. This is the sweetest deal ever.”
“But it's not going to be easy, Light. You know me.” I smiled. “I'm an Aries. We don't give control. We take it.”
“Well, welcome to a whole new frontier, baby, because the power dynamic has just shifted in Knox's favor.”
“Yeah, that's what makes this so fucking scary.”
She smirked. “So you're going to be a rock star's groupie for a while. Whew, lucky you. And you know that blow jobs do count as sex? Just so we're clear.”
I ignored her, looking at the dress again. “How the hell did he know my size? And I'm not wearing this shit. If I bend over, you'll see my crotch.”
“Well, I hope that Brazilian wax is still in effect because he seems to be the type to like it well-groomed down there.”
“I'm really happy this is so amusing to you. I don't like this shit at all. Telling me what to wear. Where to be. It's disgusting.”
She smiled cheekily. “I hope the irony of this situation is not lost on you. This is exactly what our escorts feel with every client. But the difference is they enjoy it.”
“I'm not an escort.”
“Look, Storm, stop complaining. The worst that can happen is that at the end of this assignment you learn something about yourself.”
“And that is?”
“That's the journey you have to take. It's not ideal. I recognize that. But you need to loosen up a bit here. Besides, I think that we both agree that you and Knox have some unresolved issues. Just fix them. And move on.”
“It's easy for you to say that when you don't have to put up with the depraved things I'm sure he's planning for me. I can deal with straight-up sex, but the other stuff is a bit more challenging for me.”
“He may go easy on you since you’re a newbie. But either way, several rounds of rough-and-tumble sex might make you a new woman.”
I rolled my eyes. “So in essence, your answer to this mess is to fuck it out? And whoever’s left standing wins?”
“Yep, there's nothing that a good lay can't resolve. Just don't get all emotionally involved.” She looked at me pointedly. “Look, he wants revenge? Well, the sweetest revenge is turning the table on his ass by getting something out of this deal. No-strings-attached sex from the hottest man alive.”
I couldn't help wondering how Mom would’ve handled this. I wasn't her. I knew this. But she wouldn't be around to clean up our mess forever, which is something she’d been trying to tell me for years. No, this Knox issue I had to fix myself. I never understood the lifestyle of our escorts—didn't want to, frankly. But it was hypocritical of me to want to bask in the money that came from their efforts while I looked down my nose at them for it. Light was right. This I had to do.
“The goddess of fate has truly screwed me over.” I sighed. “There's nothing left to do but to go through with this.”
“Exactly! He wants to make you squirm. But think of this as a fantasy rock camp except with a hundred percent chance of getting laid.”
“You know our mothers will kill us if they ever find out about this, right?”
“What happens when the hags are away… stays between Team Us.”
I sighed heavily. “That's what I'm afraid of.”
* * *
I clenched my teeth as I sat in the SUV, refusing to get out. This was ridiculous. I looked at the entrance, trying to calm the disturbing excitement that was building from finally seeing Knox again.
“Ms. Credence?” The driver looked at me through the rearview mirror.
I nodded. I was ready to face him… I think. The driver swiftly stepped out, opening my door. I placed my hands in his and allowed him to escort me out.
He smiled. “Have a nice evening, Ms. Credence.”
“I don't know about that,” I mumbled under my breath as I walked away, stepping into the entrance of the restaurant to be greeted by stares—Other stares. It was the Credence factor… again. We were like unicorns; spotting one of us was intriguing. It was strange to be around so many Others intermixed with humans. Humans who mingled, clueless to the subtle Other eye flash—my only clue to their Other status. Others were not easy to detect even by another Other. Some of them had centuries of expertise of blending into society for safety’s sake.
I lifted my chin proudly as the men’s eyes narrowed with interest. I looked good tonight, that much I was sure of. I was such a nervous wreck that Light had to help me get ready. My thick, auburn hair flowed around my bare shoulders. The nude, backless dress was a nice contrast against my skin. Something that Knox somehow knew, which told me he personally picked out the skintight dress. A dress that hugged all of my size-nine curves in all of the right places. I finished off the look with my favorite kickass stilettos that I'd been dying to wear.
The light was dim like some upscale club, setting the mood for an anything-goes vibe. I looked around the well-known private restaurant owned by a former model named Vivica, who was also a vampire. It was more of a VIP restaurant frequented by the rich and famous Others and humans with a long waiting list. It was also k
nown that Vivica scrutinized each person. But the difference between this restaurant and other celebrity-frequented restaurants was that everyone that came here wanted their privacy because of the type of acts that took place here. Sexual acts orchestrated on a stage for all to see while patrons ate, watched, and, given proper motivation, had their own private show in their own private booths.
A tall, pale redhead dwarfed by two burly men walked straight toward me with a huge smile on her face. “Stormy Credence. I'm Vivica, owner of this sinful establishment.” She gestured dramatically. “Welcome to Redemption, darling.” She patted their arms before they fanned out, watching the crowd like some sort of security.
Vampires weren't known for being really friendly, but I sensed no falseness in her tone. So I smiled back. “Thank you.”
She circled me. “Oh my goodness! You look so much like your mother,” she gushed with a sultry voice.
I raised my eyebrows. “Minus the attitude, right?”
“No, darling, I can tell you have the same spitfire attitude.”
I looked around at the celebs sauntering around inconspicuously. “Look, nothing against your beautiful restaurant, but this place has more celebrities than rehab. And it's really not my scene.”
She puckered her pouty lips. “Then why are you here, darling?”
I adjusted my hem nervously. “I'm meeting someone. Not sure if he's here yet.”
She rolled her eyes like she was having a mini orgasm. “Oh, Knox is here, darling. Waiting for you… impatiently, I might add.” She looped her arm through mine. “Come with me.” We walked through the expensively designed restaurant draped with rich fabric across the ceiling. The whole middle section of the floor was wide open, making way for the strange circle configuration of several booths with high backs and wide sides facing toward a large platform, which pretty much obstructed the view and chance of any voyeurs.
Vivica practically glided across the floor. “I bet you didn't know that I used to work for Credence O.,” she stated matter-of-factly.
I glanced at her with shock. “Really?”
“Uh-huh. If I do say so myself, I was one of Ava and Lia's best girls. But this was way before you were born.”