Looks like Trouble to Me (Bad Boys Need Love, Too #1)

by Calinda B

  The woman had eyes for him and only him. “I’d love to take a ride on the yacht again.”

  Zoé scoffed. The yacht. Right. That’s what you call it.

  “You’ll have to talk to Billy. He and I are on the outs. I’m spending all my free time with my girl, Zoé.” He withdrew his hand from under the table and wrapped it around Zoé’s shoulders.

  The redheaded woman’s demeanor turned icy cold. “I see.” She flashed Zoé a plastic smile.

  Zoé flashed one right back. “Nice to meet you. I’m Zoé Dubois.” And he’s mine, bitch, she wanted to add.

  The woman nodded, turning her attention to the group. “What can I get you all?” she asked. “I know what this one will have. Snake Bite, right?”

  “Yep,” Jace said. “One for my girl, too.”

  “Does it kill?” Zoé said. “Can we use it on her?” She flashed Jace a chill-filled smile.

  “Pull the claws back, babe,” Jace hissed in her ear. “Now. You’re going to love the Snake Bite I’m going to give you.” He pushed aside her hair, putting his nose into Zoé’s neck, letting his teeth graze her skin.

  Zoé melted into the fake leather covering the booth. Oh. My. God. She gently pushed him away before her body began to incinerate. Darlene flounced away, clearly peeved.

  “Hey, come back. We didn’t finish our order,” Jace called.

  The waitress whirled and stalked back to their table.

  “Tony? Tanya?” Jace said, clearly enjoying the effect he had on Zoé.

  “A light beer for me and wine for Tanya,” Tony said, gawking at Jace’s show of affection.

  Tanya glanced at him wistfully.

  So much for appreciating safe, Zoé thought. She tried to wiggle away from Jace in a show of solidarity with her good friend.

  “Where are you going?” he said. “Get over here.”

  Their drinks arrived and Darlene set them on the table. She gave one last wistful look in Jace’s direction and sauntered off.

  “Cheers, everyone,” Jace said, lifting his glass high.

  They tapped glasses and sipped their drinks.

  Jace tipped his head back and tossed the fiery liquid in his mouth. He lifted his head, shook it and smacked his lips. “Damn that’s good. Down the hatch, baby,” he urged Zoé.

  She did the same, coughing when the whiskey hit her throat. “Wow,” she said, when she’d gotten herself under control. “What’s in that?”

  “Yukon Canadian whiskey and lime juice. It’s a man’s drink.” Jace laughed. “And the man’s woman’s drink. Want another?”

  “Maybe in a bit. My head’s already spinning.”

  A dance worthy tune spilled from the speakers, making Jace bob his head rhythmically.

  “Oh, I love this song!” Zoé exclaimed. “Care to dance, stud? Assuming you can.”

  “Oh, I can dance, baby, just you watch.” He urged her from the booth and placed his hand on her back to guide her to the dance floor. His body moved with grace, as his feet alternated between a cha-cha, a chasse and a hip grinding move that made her cheeks flame, guiding her effortlessly.

  Her eyes widened. “Wow, you really can dance,” Zoé said, as he led her masterfully, guiding her body in twirls and two steps across the dance floor. “You’re quite graceful.”

  “I like to move, baby.” He held up his hand and instilled a pirouette in her.

  “We dance well together,” she added, enjoying this new side of him.

  “That’s because our bodies know how to fuck one another,” he said, guiding her backwards, dipping her low.

  A small gasp escaped her lips as lusty fireworks exploded in her belly.

  He drew her into him, placing one leg between her thighs, uttering, “But there’s always room for practice. Lots and lots and lots.” He grabbed her hand and pressed it into his stiff heat. “Can you feel me, baby?”

  She snatched her hand back, looking right and left. “You’re impossible!”

  He laughed, and twirled her in two revolutions.

  Once the song ended, Zoé said, “I’ve got to head to the loo. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  “Can I come?”

  “No, you most definitely cannot.” She batted his hand away and headed toward the ladies room.

  As she sat inside the stall, the door to the bathroom crashed open and two women entered, laughing, their heels clicking on the tile floor.

  “Oopsie,” one of them said.

  “Anyone in here?” the other called in a slurred voice.

  Their voices sounded familiar. Without thinking, Zoé quickly drew her feet up on the toilet seat.

  “Guess not,” the other one said.

  Zoé kept her breathing to a minimum.

  “So when are we leaving for this surprise trip Billy has planned?”

  Billy?

  “After the trial. He’s having his yacht detailed at Jenner’s…by Jace.” The word emerged on a snake-like hiss. “Damn, that man is fine. I’d sure like to see what hangs in his trousers.” Water splashed into the sink, followed by paper towel dispenser sounds. “Darlene’s already done him. She said he’s a love god. Sex incarnate. Says the man knows how to fuck.”

  The two women tittered with laughter.

  The redhead. Zoé’s eyes widened. Her gut began to burn as the green eyed monster stomped on her good mood. She pressed her fingertips into her temples as the alcohol fuzzed her brain.

  “Who’s Darlene?”

  “The waitress who served us our drinks, silly.”

  “She’s something. Did you see her boobs? Fake. They probably feel like basketballs.”

  A hollow clicking, like plastic being tapped on porcelain, echoed through the bathroom, followed by a long sniff. And another.

  “Your turn, Simone. We can finish this off. Billy will hook us up with more.”

  “So how long do you think the trial will take?”

  “I don’t know. Billy says it will be swift and merciless. He says he has a secret weapon to use against Jace. Something to do with his sister. That boy got hisself into some trouble, big time, a couple years ago, mm hmm. At least that’s what Billy says. He didn’t tell me the details. Do you know Billy’s going to walk away with seven figures? Says he’ll share it all with me.”

  What kind of trouble? What now? Zoé huddled in the bathroom stall. Her nose began to drip as tears threatened to pour from her eyes. I’m such an idiot for falling in love with him! She quietly wiped her nose with her hand.

  “You’re lucky, Jaz.”

  More plastic tapping and scraping against porcelain sounds. Another sniff.

  “Maybe Jace will come around when he’s tired of that new girl. He never stays in one place that long. And anyway…he’s just sampling the wares with her. That’s what I heard, anyway.”

  Sampling the wares? I’m in love with someone who’s sampling me? The tears battered her eyes. She blinked wildly to get them to stay put.

  “Do you know Kate?” Jasmine asked.

  Kate? Zoé’s heart began to beat against her inside, like a wild thing, desperate to get free.

  “No, who’s she?”

  “Kate Bethlehem. Some fashionista hoe. She spends her time downtown in Seattle, shopping for clothes, when she’s not getting busy with Jace in Port Townsend. That’s the one who’s stringing him along. She’s got her hooks in deep. I met her on Billy’s yacht yesterday. She told me she had him the other night and he was an animal. Fucked her all night long, and baby, it was intense. He’ll never be done with her. Those two are, like…boom-boom, baby!”

  This is too much. I can’t do this. She dropped her feet to the floor.

  Jasmine and Simone gasped.

  “Someone’s in here! Shit!”

  Zoé yanked open the stall door. “Don’t worry, girls. It’s just your boy Billy’s leftovers.” She stood at the mirror, washing her hands and patting her hair, ignoring their shocked stares. “What are you looking at?” she said to their gaping faces.

&nbs
p; They both snapped their mouths shut like dogs with biscuits.

  “He’s only using you to get back with Kate,” Jasmine said, a mean smile forming on her face. “Those two have a long, long history.”

  “Oh, yeah? Then why’s he seem so crazy about me?” she said, her heart climbing into her throat.

  “It’s a setup. Don’t you get it? The crazier he seems to be about you, the madder Kate gets, the more she wants him. Those two are like a forest fire. That’s what Billy says, anyway. You seem a little naïve when it comes to dating politics, sugar.”

  Simone smirked. “Yeah, what do you think? That you’re in some Disney cartoon and you’ve just met your prince?”

  Zoé felt like her consciousness was going to catapult out of the room and leave her body behind.

  “Jace Savage is no Prince Charming,” Jasmine said. “He’s a bad, bad boy with a wicked hot reputation. We all want him. Kate’s got him. We’re hoping she’ll share.”

  Oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God! Zoé’s mind began to whirl. Once more I’m being used! One guy’s leftovers and another guy’s sample. A driving hurricane of emotions hammered at her, making her completely insane. I thought I loved this guy! I thought he might love me back. Her breath chuffed shallow and rapid in her chest, making her dizzy. Don’t do this. Don’t fall into this trap - again. She took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes.

  “Honey, are you okay?” Jasmine asked her, head cocked to the side, a smirk on her face.

  “Fuck Jace Savage,” Zoé said, surprised at her chilling tone. “Got any more of that?” she asked, indicating the white powder remains on the counter.

  Jasmine’s eyebrows lifted. “Sure, sugar, want a bump?”

  “I’d love to.” Terror flooded Zoé. I can’t do this. I’ve never done this. What am I about to do? The thought of Jace and Kate all “boom-boom” and forest fire hot while he was supposedly with her obliterated any reason or good sense she might possess. “Well?” She tapped her foot impatiently.

  Jasmine reached in her purse and pulled out a small baggie. She carefully poured some onto the porcelain, and, using the edge of a credit card, scraped it into a neat line. “Here you go.”

  Zoé hesitated.

  “What, you don’t know how to snort coke?” Simone laughed. “Want me to show you?”

  “Of course I know how,” Zoé huffed. I’ve watched enough TV. She pulled a crisp dollar bill out of her pocket, rolled it up, placed it at the end of the line and sniffed. As she inhaled, it felt like someone shoved a sand blaster up her nose. Her head jerked back and she blinked a million miles a minute. “I’d like another.”

  Jasmine gave her head a quick toss. “Yeah, right.” She and Simone snickered. “I think we’ve got a virgin on our hands, Simone. What else you got in your purse?”

  “Let me check,” Simone said. “Give her another bump while I dig.”

  Jasmine lined up another hit, licking the edge of the card when she finished.

  Zoé filled her other nostril. For a moment she felt completely disoriented. Then, this incredible, happy euphoria kicked in. “Damn,” she said.

  “All I’ve got is some Fentanyl,” Simone said.

  “Perfect,” Jasmine said, a wicked smile on her face. “Give some to Snow White, here.”

  Simone pulled the blister pack free from her purse. She peeled back the foil with one manicured nail. “Open up, Snow.”

  Zoé opened wide and stuck out her tongue.

  Simone dropped the tablet in her mouth. “Leave this under your tongue until it dissolves. It might make you sick to your stomach. It might not. Everyone’s different. But combined with the gutter glitter up your nose, it should start to make you feel really, really good.”

  The two women peered at Zoé for a few minutes, watching her.

  Zoé’s head started to swim, feeling alternately buzzed and happy, and swirling, about to puke her guts out. “I don’t…I…” she started to say, before realizing she had no clue what she wanted to communicate.

  “She’s a virgin, all right,” Jasmine said, laughing. “Jace will take care of you. He’s helped many a virgin through her first trip.”

  “Has he now?” Her eyes blazed.

  “Oh, yeah, baby, you’re not his first time…at anything. Your boy toy has a reputation. Have fun. Go. Shoo.”

  The words launched into her like a bazooka, ripping apart her insides. She staggered out of the tiny room feeling like whoever had gone in there looking like her, had not emerged. Some new, crazy girl had taken her place.

  Jace stood in the hallway corridor. He raised two shot glasses of Snake Bite, a smile forming on his godlike face. His expression froze when he saw her.

  “Perfect.” Zoé grabbed one of the shot glasses from his hand, tossing the fire water down her throat. Her body felt all jittery, fucked up and strange. “Were you ever going to tell me the trouble you got into with your sister, Jace? Were you? Or how you fucked Kate the other night, all night long? Is that why you couldn’t stay with me?”

  His mouth fell open. “What? Who told you that?” He studied her face, intently. Brushed his thumb along her nostril. Pulled it back and stared at it, like it belonged to an alien. Licked it. His eyes became deadly slits. “What did you do in there?”

  “It doesn’t matter. What matters is I keep finding out about you from people and sources other than you. I’m done. I can’t do this.” She brushed past him.

  “Baby! Wait! I can explain!”

  She whirled around to face him. “No more!” She quickly backed away.

  He dropped his shot glass in the corridor and lunged for her.

  She held up her hand in dismissal. “Explanation time’s already expired, stud.” She turned and sprinted to the booth. “Sorry, guys, I’ve got a terrible headache. Something I ate didn’t agree with me. I’ve got to head home.”

  “Oh, no,” Tanya said. “Do you want me to drive you home?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. Just make sure he doesn’t follow me.” She turned and stomped out the front door, her heart jackhammering and doing the jitterbug in her chest.

  “Baby,” Jace said, lunging after her. “Stop. We can work this out. Talk to me.”

  Cold fury kept her feet walking. She blipped the unlock button on her key fob, and reached for the door handle to the Jeep, prying it open.

  Jace slammed the door shut, startling her. “You don’t get to walk away from me, Zoé.”

  She whirled to face him. “Yes, Jace, I get to do whatever I want. You don’t get to lie to me. We’re done.” She jabbed her finger into his solid chest. She felt powerful. Immense. Ginormous. Wonderful.

  “I’ve never lied to you. Not once.”

  “That’s because you never told me anything.” A weird, hysterical laugh left her throat.

  His green eyes bore into her, his anger evident. “What happened in that bathroom? You’re high as a kite, baby.”

  “Oh, Jasmine and Simone sauntered in, filling their noses with white powder. They mentioned you had done Darlene, which I already figured, that one was a no-brainer, and that you’re an incredible fuck, which I’ve had the pleasure of finding out firsthand. Thank you for that, by the way. One and a half weeks and I’m thoroughly wrecked. Completely ruined. Oh, and they mentioned Billy says the trial will be swift and merciless. Billy has a secret weapon for court. Something with you, your sister, and big trouble. They told me you’d be more than happy to help me with my first ever drug trip since you’ve helped virgins all the time. And they also mentioned about your recent sex encounter with Kate.” Her body felt rigid with anger.

  Jace looked like he could commit violence. Blood pumped an angry river through the veins in his neck. His jaw muscles twitched like a rattlesnake tail.

  She took a step backward, pressing into her car. “I’ve never been so pissed in all my life, Savage.”

  “Neither have I,” he snarled. He took a step toward her, crowding her space. Heat rolled from his body as he loomed over her. “I c
an explain.”

  “I don’t want your explanations, Jace! You’re nothing but trouble!”

  He dropped his head and growled in her ear. “You liked my kind of trouble.”

  Oh, Lord, he’s doing it again, she thought, feeling her goddamned physical response to him, only this time she felt buzzed-out electric, the drugs zinging through her. Don’t let him do this. “I did. But I didn’t know what I was getting into,” she shot back, breaking the spell he had on her.

  He ran a fingertip down her cheek. It felt like he drew a satin ribbon along her insides, making her feel weak and needy.

  “Yes, baby, I think you did. You told me you wanted what I had to give.” His voice came out in a dangerous caress as his fingers trailed along her jaw and her neck, landing on the hollow above her breastbone. There, he made sensuous little circles.

  Her eyes closed at the touch, wanting to succumb to his hypnotic effect. “I did.” She shoved his hand away. “But now I don’t!”

  Arms on both sides of her, he pressed his hips into hers, a bulge beginning to form. “You said yes to this, baby,” he whispered into her hair. “You granted me rights.”

  Her core began to throb. Oh, I’ve got to stop this man from getting into my head. She put both hands on his chest and thrust, hard, causing him to stumble slightly.

  Jace grabbed her wrists. “Don’t you ever get physical with me when you’re pissed, baby.”

  She twisted and squirmed in his grasp. “I’m not your baby, Jace, let me go.”

  “Yes, baby, you are.” He effortlessly drew her arms by her side and clasped them behind her back.

  She panted, trapped in his embrace. Don’t look at him. Whatever you do, don’t look at him.

  “Eyes up here, baby.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut. “No!”

  “Eyes up here.”

  “No!”

  He snaked one large hand around her slender wrists and used the other hand to grab her jaw. “Eyes. Up. Here. Now.”

  Her head pinged with a drug-soaked swirl of sensations. She opened her eyes, blinking rapidly, and met his glistening emerald orbs. She struggled to focus. “Let go of my face, you’re hurting me.”

  “Don’t turn away from me and I’ll let you go.” His face was inches from hers.