Gin & Jewels

by Kimberly Knight

  Contents

  Gin & Jewels

  The Fallen

  Author Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  The Fallen

  Author Note

  Acknowledgments

  Books By Kimberly Knight

  About the Author

  A Saddles & Racks Novel, #5

  No portion of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any print or electronic form without permission.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, places, events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and storylines are created from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The subject matter is not appropriate for minors. Please note this novel contains profanity, explicit sexual situations, and alcohol consumption.

  Copyright © 2019 Kimberly Knight

  Published by Kimberly Knight

  Cover art © Okay Creations

  Formatting © Mermaid Publishing House

  Cover Photographer © by Franggy Yanes

  All rights reserved.

  Gabe – Angels & Whiskey

  Paul – Tequila & Lace

  Seth – Champagne & Handcuffs

  Vinny – Rum & Coke

  To my daughter in my belly:

  Thank you for sucking away my brain cells and making it difficult to think when I was trying to write this book. You were with me through every word and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

  I can’t wait to meet you!

  *Please note that you can read this book as a standalone. However, it is recommended that you read it after the first four books in the series to avoid any spoilers.*

  Six Years Ago – Fifteen Years Old

  “We’ll be home by eleven, Little Dove,” Mom stated as she and Dad grabbed their belongings to leave for date night.

  I paused The Originals on the TV so they didn’t interrupt my show. “I know,” I replied from my spot on the couch.

  Every Friday, my parents had a date night. I envied the love they still had for each other after twenty years of marriage. I wanted to have that one day, but I wasn’t sure if I ever would because my boyfriend of six long months cheated on me with Jackie Kirkwood—my now ex-best friend.

  Fucking bitch.

  The garage door closed as I unpaused the DVR and resumed my new favorite show. Since it was a Friday night, and my friends were at the mall, but I chose to stay home because I didn’t want to chance running into Robbie and Jackie. I’d get my license in two weeks when I turned sixteen, and then things would be different. If I saw them at the mall, I could just leave, but right now, I couldn’t chance being stuck with them and having to watch them make out.

  Gross!

  Not long after my parents left, the front door opened, and my brother Keith walked in. He was nineteen and still lived at home. I didn’t blame him. My parents let him live there for free while he was supposedly looking for a job, but he wasn’t. They didn’t know that, but I did. I also knew that he made money by selling weed. I wasn’t sure how they thought he made money, though they probably still gave him money. They were cool like that.

  “What’s up, loser?” He rubbed the top of my head as he passed.

  “Leave me alone,” I spat as I tried to fix my long blonde hair.

  “On your period?” he mocked.

  I rolled my blue eyes. “You’re such a jerk.”

  “Whatever. I’m ordering pizza. Do you want some?”

  “Duh.”

  I heard him call in the pizza as he continued toward the kitchen, not bothering to ask me what kind I wanted, which was always pepperoni and pineapple. I went back to my show, hoping it would be over before Keith bothered me again. Lucky for me, after he ordered pizza, he went upstairs to his room, and I was left with my man Klaus, who for some reason, I had a crush on even though he was supposed to be a bad vampire.

  Forty-five minutes later, the doorbell rang. Keith ran down the stairs, and I watched him pay and then shut the door before he brought the box to the coffee table. The smell of cheese and tomato sauce filled the air, and my stomach growled.

  Keith opened the lid, and I frowned. “Sausage and bell pepper?”

  “What?” he asked and took a bite of the slice he’d pulled out.

  “You know I don’t like sausage.”

  “Then pick it off.”

  I groaned and reached for a slice. To spite him for ordering pizza that I didn’t like, I turned the TV station to Hart of Dixie. I knew he hated the show, but whatever.

  “We’re not watching this.” He reached for the remote in my hand.

  I held it out of his reach. “Yeah, we are.”

  “No, we’re not.”

  “Yeah, we are.”

  “No, we’re not.” He glared at me, and before I could grab another slice of pizza, he stood and took the box with him up to his room.

  “Jerk!” I shouted.

  I continued to watch the episode and then went up to shower. I could smell weed coming from Keith’s bedroom next to mine. Once I was dressed in my pajamas, the cover-up smell of incense filled the air instead of the smoke. He only smoked in the house when my parents weren’t home.

  I didn’t do drugs. I liked to mend my broken heart with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream or cookies or a bag of Hot Cheetos or anything I could shove into my mouth.

  Needing to soothe my aching heart before bed, I walked down the stairs but stopped when the doorbell rang. I looked at the clock in the living room, noting that it was after eleven and my parents weren’t home yet, but figured it was a friend of Keith’s. I went to the door and opened it. It wasn’t a friend of Keith’s. It was two police officers.

  “Cassandra Davidson?”

  “Yeah?” I replied, wondering how the cops knew my name.

  “I’m Officer Lamb, and this is Officer Rios. Is your brother home as well?”

  I nodded and then yelled, “Keith!”

  “What?” he shouted as he opened his bedroom door.

  “You’re wanted at the front door.”

  “Who is it?” I heard his footsteps on the stairs and glanced over my shoulder. His steps faltered as he noticed the two policemen at the door. “Officers? What can I do for you?”

  “We’re sorry to be the bearers of bad news,” Officer Lamb stated, “but there’s been an accident. You need to go to the hospital.”

  Present Day

  “So, I have some news.”

  Everyone looked at Paul as we sat around the large table at the steakhouse. It was Vinny’s bachelor party, so Gabe, Paul, Seth, Nick, Galen, and I were celebrating with Vinny. After dinner, we were going to a small casino off The Strip gamble and drink free drinks. It was what Vinny wanted to do, and honestly, I was okay with a low-key night. In the morning, I was flying to Nashville to visit my mother. I tried to go home once a month if I could because my dad was long gone. She had a few friends but no one to help her out around the house. That was my job. I was all she had.

  “Joss is pregnant?” Vinny asked before taking a bit
e of his steak.

  “I wish, but no.”

  “Well, spit it out,” Gabe urged.

  Paul took a sip of his tequila and Coke. “I’ve decided to apply to be in the FBI.”

  The only one at the table surprised by Paul’s news was Galen because he had only been a part of our group for six months, though Seth was never in the game since he was a cop. It was safe to say that all of the guys (except Nick, Galen, and myself) had been mixed up in drama that revolved around the women in their lives, but it had all worked out for them. Vinny was the last one to get married out of our group. I had started calling them The Fallen because each one of my friends—except Seth—was falling out of the game of escorting and getting married.

  “Following in Joss’s footsteps, I see.” Seth smirked.

  Paul shrugged and grinned. “I liked being undercover and working with my wife. Is that a problem?”

  “Nope,” Seth replied.

  “I think it’s your calling,” Gabe stated.

  I nodded. “From what I’ve heard, I agree.”

  “Thanks.” Paul smiled. “I’m super pumped.”

  “When do you start?” Nick asked.

  “Just waiting for the call. They have four to five classes a year, so hopefully soon.”

  “Congrats, man.” Vinny clapped him on the back.

  “Who’s taking over your position at your self-defense business?” Seth questioned.

  Paul looked to Gabe and shrugged. “Autumn and I should be okay for a few weeks while we find someone,” Gabe answered.

  “I can help on my days off,” Seth offered.

  “Me too,” I cut in. “Might be good to get back out there and help others.”

  Gabe nodded. “All right. We’ll see about getting you two certified to teach both firearms and self-defense.”

  “Great.” I smiled at Seth. Some might think that being friends with a cop would be strange in my line of work, but Seth never asked questions, and I never took money with the mention of sex. I was paid to take a woman out for a good time, and she always paid up front. If things led to the bedroom, or her rental car, or hotel room, or the bathroom at a club, then things led to those places. No money was exchanged for sex because the women were paying for a date and nothing more. Therefore, it wasn’t illegal.

  Paul held up his glass. “All right. Drink up, assholes. It’s time to go win some money so Vinny can take Tessa on a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon.”

  The guys and I walked into the smoky casino. Being off The Strip meant it should have looser slots, making it a popular location for the locals, though I wasn’t sure anyone truly became rich from gambling. I never won more than a few hundred bucks, but it was still entertainment.

  “What do you want to play first?” I squeezed Vinny’s shoulder.

  “I’m a blackjack guy.”

  “Then blackjack it is.”

  There was a table with only one guy sitting at it, so the guys and I tried to join him, but the moment he saw our group, he decided to leave, which freed up a spot for each of us. We all exchanged cash for chips and waited for the dealer to deal the first round.

  “So, who’s next?” Vinny asked.

  “Next?” Gabe questioned.

  Vinny grinned. “To get married.”

  “Oh god,” I groaned. We were dropping like flies in our group. Being a male escort was fun and exciting, the money was amazing, and I planned to do it for however long women booked dates with me. I knew for certain that Nick wasn’t looking because he made it a point to tell us all the time when an engagement or wedding was brought up. He had no desire to quit Saddles & Racks, though each of The Fallen had thought that too. I didn’t know Galen’s story, other than he was new to escorting, so that told me he wasn’t looking to be tied down either.

  “I say it’s Brad.” Paul chuckled.

  “No.” I shook my head. “Maybe it’s Galen.”

  We all looked at our two cards the dealer had dealt face up and then went around the table hitting or staying.

  “I just started at S&R,” Galen responded. “I’m not quitting for some woman. I’ve been burned in the past when I fell in love. Dating for money works perfectly around my shifts at the firehouse.”

  “Cocktails!” a waitress shouted as she walked closer.

  Paul raised his hand to flag her down. When she stepped up to the table, Paul said, “Let’s ask”—his gaze lowered to the waitress’s name tag—“Cassie what she thinks.”

  I furrowed my brows. “You think she can tell just by looking at us?”

  “Tell what?” Cassie asked, and I looked at her face for the first time. She was beautiful. Girl-next-door beautiful with blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes that reminded me of the purest of jewels. She came up to my shoulders as I sat in the chair, and I knew that if I were to stand up, she would be the perfect height to drape my arm across her shoulders and bring her to my side as we walked ...

  Why are you thinking about walking with her? And to where? A date? A room at the hotel next door?

  “Settle a bet for us, will you?” Paul requested.

  The guys and I snorted with laughter. Hell, maybe we should make it a bet. When in Vegas …

  “I can try,” she replied, and her gaze met mine before she turned away.

  “All right.” Paul leaned back in his chair while the dealer dealt another round. Vinny, Gabe, and Seth had beat the dealer the previous round. The rest of us busted. “Out of these three”—he waved a finger at me, Galen, and Nick—“who do you think will settle down next?”

  She drew her head back slightly. “How am I supposed to know that?”

  Paul shrugged. “Just pick one.”

  Her blue eyes moved over each one of us, me last. I didn’t know why, but I winked. I winked as though I was flirting, and I wanted to be next.

  “Tell me your names,” she said.

  I grinned and pointed my finger at the guys as I spoke. “This is Nick, Galen, and I’m Brad.”

  Cassie thought for a moment. “Well, just by looking at you three, I’d say him.” She pointed at Galen.

  “Ha!” Nick yelled. “Told you it won’t be me.”

  “Calm down.” I chuckled. “I don’t think anyone thinks it’s you.”

  “Why is that?” Cassie asked.

  “Because he’s what women call a ladies’ man,” Seth replied.

  “Are the rest of you married?” Cassie asked as the dealer dealt another hand. The last round, she (the dealer) won with twenty and beat us all.

  “I am,” Paul stated and then motioned to the rest of The Fallen as he spoke. “Gabe here is too, Seth as well, and this guy”—he clapped Vinny on the shoulder—“is getting hitched in a month.”

  “I see.” Cassie gave a cute smile—maybe it was just a smile, but I thought it was cute. “Well, I’m still sticking with Galen. He has this boy-next-door vibe.”

  “Hey,” I protested. “What about me?” Why was I protesting?

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “You look like the one who would break my heart.”

  My eyebrows furrowed, and I grunted. I’d never broken a woman’s heart in my entire life. I always knew I wanted to be a Marine, so I didn’t bother having girlfriends in high school, because I knew as soon as I graduated, I would go off to boot camp. I quickly became a sergeant and was sent to various countries on special details, which I’m not allowed to discuss. After being stationed in Barstow, California, and spending free days in Las Vegas because it was less than three hours away, I became friends with an escort who had previously worked for Saddles & Racks ...

  “I can’t hang tonight,” Colin, my friend in Vegas, stated into the phone.

  “Why not?” I asked, the phone cradled between my ear and shoulder as I buttoned my shirt to get ready for our night out in Sin City. Two of my officers—Wells and Romero, my first and second lieutenants and the men I was closest with on-base—had made the drive to Vegas with me for the weekend. It was what we did to let off steam and re
lax.

  “I have a date.”

  “Well, cancel it. You said you’d get us into Tryst.” Tryst was the hottest club in Vegas, and we wanted to find out why—and also meet some ladies.

  “I’m still getting you into the club, but I have a date and can’t meet up with you.”

  “Bring her with us.”

  “It’s not that kind of date.”

  I stopped buttoning my shirt. “What do you mean it’s not that kind of date?”

  “Remember how I told you that I have a side job?”

  “Yeah?”

  He took a deep breath. “It’s escorting.”

  “Escorting?” I balked. “What do you mean, escorting?”

  “I get paid to go on dates.”

  I laughed. “You’re fucking with me, right?”

  “Nope.”

  I sat on the end of the bed and looked over at Wells as he ironed his shirt. Romero was still in the shower. “How?”

  “I work for an escort service, and when a client books me, I do whatever it is they’ve specified they want.”

  “Like sex?”

  Colin chuckled. “Well, not legally, but if the date is going well, I don’t turn them down.”

  “So, what you’re saying is you’re bailing on me to get laid?”

  “Maybe.” I rolled my brown eyes just as I heard the water shut off in the bathroom. “Your names are on the list—you’ll get into Tryst. Tomorrow we can meet for lunch, and I’ll explain Saddles & Racks to you. We’re always recruiting, and I think women will go crazy for a man in uniform.”