by René, Dani
I think my excitement stems from just having someone to talk to. Someone who has similar interests to Ember and me seems like the type of person I could perhaps learn from. He mentioned he teaches art; maybe he’ll be able to help me once I’ve gotten back on my feet.
When I reach the house, I head up to my bedroom and turn on the stereo. Music filters through the speakers, and I open my closet. I’m not sure what to wear. The hotel is fancy, and my heart sinks when I look at the old clothes that hang before me.
Ash has seen me in black and the orange one. The charcoal colored dress is perfect for this evening, so I pull it out and drape it over the mattress. I have a pair of silver sandals which I can wear, and perhaps some dangly earrings I got from Isobel.
A dark gray and silver ensemble will look classy, yet the styling of the garment is sexy, and that’s the way I’d like Ash to see me. Glancing at the time, I note that I still have an hour before I have to shower and get ready, so I settle on the mattress and pull out the small box of photos from under my bed.
After unlatching the lock, I open the lid and lift the pictures from inside. The first one is of my parents sitting at a table on their wedding day. Another is of Mom and me at the piano. Dad was the photographer, watching us play.
My eyes burn with tears when I think about not having them here to give me advice. To listen to me talk about a boy I like, about a class I hate or love, or even just to hold me when I’m feeling alone.
Because right now, in this small single room, I feel so alone. I blink, and salty emotion trickles down my cheek. I go through all the photos, each picture reminds me of where I’ve come from, what I’ve been through, and what I’ve lost.
I shouldn’t have opened the box now, but I needed to remember why I’m doing this. The reason I’m going to meet a man who’s going to pay me for the evening—to ensure my future isn’t as bleak as my past.
The smiling faces who look back at me are strangers now. I can no longer hear my mother’s voice. It’s faded from my mind, and I can’t recall my father’s laugh. Slowly, they’re slipping away, and the more time that passes, the sooner they’ll be gone, and I won’t have anything to remember them by but my photos.
“I’ll make you proud, Mama,” I murmur to the photo. My gaze lands on the man in the background, the father I didn’t really know because he never told me the truth. “I wish you had been honest with us, Papa, and told us you were struggling.”
Perhaps my father was trying to be strong for my mother and me. He was always a hero in my eyes, and I suppose I’d put him on a pedestal he couldn’t topple from.
“I love you both,” I tell them. “I’ll be out of here soon, sooner than I expected, and I won’t be stuck doing this forever. I have a life ahead of me, and I promise you I’ll make it.”
With conviction, I rise from my bed before packing away the photos and heading to the bathroom to get ready for this evening.
* * *
The hotel is within view, and I smooth my hands down my thighs as I make my way toward it. The large glass doors slide open, and I walk inside the entrance foyer. Glancing to the left, I take note of myself in the mirror which is set behind enormous plant pots. Smiling at my reflection, I turn and stroll forward. I feel comfortable for the first time in my life. My choice of dress this evening gives me the confidence I lacked before. It may be last season, but I feel like a million dollars.
The scooped material falls to the base of my spine, and the neckline is high, offering no glimpse at my meager cleavage. Thin straps slink down my back, and the hemline swooshes along my ankles. The shoes I’m wearing are silver, matching the edging of the dress.
I decided to leave my curly hair hanging loose, framing my face. I’ve applied a light dusting of blush, along with a dark catlike flick of eyeliner.
As soon as I enter the lounge area, my stomach somersaults and my eyes track each person, looking for the handsome young man with the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. His unruly golden hair was so tempting, I wanted to tangle my fingers through the locks, but I held back.
Settling myself at the bar, I choose my favorite chair in the corner, so I can see everyone who enters and leaves. I’m not sure why I’m so nervous, but I am. Stupidly, I feel as if I’m on another date, which I know should not be something I even think about.
He didn’t explain what he had in mind for this evening. Perhaps tonight he will want to do more than just watch me writhe on his bed. If he does, he may be sorely disappointed. My lack of experience won’t earn me another ten thousand.
Ash is paying for my time, perhaps even my body, and I know the excitement I’m feeling should be tamped down. But just for a moment, I want to feel like a normal girl. Not someone who sells their time and company to pay their rent.
“Can I get you something?” The barman glances at me, and the moment I meet his gaze, he smiles. “Oh, Ash said to get you anything you’d like.”
My mouth falls open, before I question, “Really?”
“Yes, he called ahead. He’ll be here soon. What would you like to drink?”
Smiling at the thoughtfulness of the man who’s messing with my rules, I place my order. “I’ll have a club soda please?”
“Sure.” He turns and leaves me, and I watch him open the fridge, and fill a glass. I would prefer a glass of wine, but I’m nervous about ordering it since I don’t have my identification tonight. When the barman sets the glass of red wine down alongside the one that I ordered, he offers a nod, “orders from the boss.”
Boss? I want to ask, but he’s gone before I have a moment.
I lift the glass and take a long sip of the bubbly liquid, wondering if I should just drink the red alcohol Ash ordered for me. My father used to allow me a sip of his wine with dinner. He would always have a glass of red. I smile as I think about the times, he’d explain the notes he detected—some were fruity, others smoky, or even spicy.
My chest aches as I blink back the tears again. I wonder if the pain from missing them will ever abate. Dabbing at my eyes, I glance at the room again before sighing.
Tipping the glass against my lips, I take a sip, reveling in the delicious flavors assaulting my taste buds. The fruity, yet wooded hints are amazing, and I can’t help a soft moan of pleasure tumbling from my lips.
“If you make those sounds over a glass of wine, what might you do once I fuck you?” The soft, yet sensual whisper comes from behind me, causing me to whip my head toward the voice. Ash is standing there, looking sure of himself as he offers me a wolfish, playful smirk.
Dressed in a white button-up shirt, with a black suit jacket, and a red tie, he settles beside me. His hair is messy, and I wonder if he ever brushes it. I note how the colors differ, the dark hue lightening as it gets to the tips. A golden halo. That’s what it looks like.
“You’re welcome to find out if you’d like,” I flirt with him, offering a seductive smile. I want to play this game to give him a bit of what he provides in spades.
“I will find out soon enough, Flame,” he says, using the name I gave him on our first night. I’m thankful he doesn’t utter my real name, which I stupidly confessed to him. I’d never told anyone who I was before that, but I had a feeling he needed to trust me, and that was the only reason I told him. At least, that’s what I convince myself.
“Did you have a good day?” I ask, turning to face him as I sip my wine.
“It’s been rather tedious, to be honest,” he sighs, before signaling the barman, and I notice he doesn’t voice his order. The man serving knows what he likes.
“Do you come here often?”
He darts his deep blue eyes to mine, and something flickers in them. As if I’ve asked a question, he’s not comfortable answering. Just like I did when I asked about his birthday.
“Occasionally my clients want to have business meetings here, so I’ve been here a few times,” he offers. Picking up the tumbler the bartender left on the counter, he sips the amber liquid, not meeting my gaze ag
ain. Instead, he fiddles with the coaster, turning it in circles while I ponder his response.
“I see.” I drink my wine, unsure of why our conversations start off well and then turn sad, or uncomfortable.
“Finish your drink. We’re going up to the room,” he tells me but doesn’t look my way. His abruptness causes me to pause for a moment before I down the last mouthful of flavorsome liquid. Rising from the chair, I wait for him to gulp down his whiskey, then he guides me to the elevator with a tender touch to my lower back.
We walk in silence. There’s nothing to say because it’s clear why we’re both here. To get lost in the fantasy. As if I were Cinderella and the prince was taking me to his castle. I can’t help smiling at the silly thought, and I catch Ash’s gaze when we reach the mirrored elevator.
“Something funny?” he asks while pushing the button to call the car. As soon as the ding sounds, the doors slide open, and we step into the small space.
“Just thinking,” I tell him, not bothering to turn his way. Whenever I look into the depths of his eyes, I get lost, and it’s dangerous to allow myself to fall into the promises he holds there.
“A penny for your thoughts,” he says.
We’re inches apart. I can feel the warmth of him prickling along my skin, and I want to reach out and touch him, or perhaps, I want him to touch me. To acknowledge the fire burning between us.
“Nothing that you need to worry about,” I tell him softly.
It’s strange; this is our third meeting, and each time we’re together is more intoxicating than the last. At eighteen, almost nineteen, I haven’t spent so much time around one man. Especially, someone, I would consider a relationship with, but this feels close to what I would’ve thought it would feel like.
Only if we were dating, he wouldn’t be paying me large sums of money. Mom, I wish you were here to offer me comfort in my confusion. I blink back the emotion that fills my eyes and swallow the lump in my throat.
I’m more nervous now than I was the first night I came upstairs with Ash.
When we finally step out into the hallway, I follow him toward the familiar door. The click of the keycard sounds louder than it should; it booms in my ears. He ushers me inside and there I find a man sitting on the sofa, tapping away on a laptop.
He turns his gaze to us, and I’m met with the greenest eyes—ones I saw last night at dinner. They’re almost luminous in the low light of the room. He’s dressed in a white T-shirt, a dark pair of jeans, and Chucks. He’s the complete opposite of Ash. His arms are inked, and I wonder if he has space for more. There are patterns and images all over his forearms, right up to his wrists. I didn’t see them last night, because he had a long-sleeved shirt on.
“Hello again.” He smiles, and my breath catches in my throat. He’s handsome. No. He’s more than that—he’s beautiful, exquisite. His dark hair falls across one eye, looking as messy as Ash’s, and I glance behind me, gazing into the blue depths.
When I glance over at the other man again, I smile and offer him a greeting. “Ember?” My voice comes out shy, a whisper, but he heard it because he gifts me another grin that only causes my cheeks to burn and I realize they’re probably bright red.
How are both of these men so gorgeous? It should be illegal to look this good.
“This is my brother,” Ash tells me. “As I understand it, you’ve met already and shared dinner.” The smooth tone comes from behind me, and my heart is hammering loudly in my ears. They are brothers. That’s why Ember was so familiar.
“But . . .” I turn to Ember. “I don’t understand.”
He smiles, rising from where he’s sitting before setting the laptop on the table and making his way over to us, stopping mere inches from me. “I wanted to see you again, princess.” His voice is like rich, warm chocolate, with a hint of spice. There’s a huskiness to it I recall from last night that causes goosebumps to rise on every inch of my skin.
“And I told him that you’d be here with me this evening,” Ash fills in his body against mine, cocooning me in his warmth. He’s taller than me, so when he dips his head, allowing his mouth to whisper along my bare shoulder, I shiver in response. “There are rules in this bedroom, Kitten,” he murmurs. “If you don’t want something to happen, it won’t. Please don’t be afraid of us.”
“I’m not afraid,” I bite out confidently, attempting to hide my trembling. But panic is slowly twisting in my gut. Would they hurt me? I turn to Ash, then to Ember, and weigh up my options. I could probably fight one off, but both? I don’t stand a chance. They’re playing a game, toying with me, and I struggle with the anxiety gnawing in my gut.
I meet a green gaze and offer a shaky smile. “It’s nice to see you again, Ember,” I tell him.
“Shall I call you Flame, or do you prefer Katerina?” he asks, lifting my hand before he presses a kiss to my knuckles, eliciting another soft shiver that travels over my form.
“Since you already know my name, call me Kat.”
He nods with a smile, one that shows off his dimples, and I realize now how much he looks like Ash. And Ember’s words come back to me suddenly. My brother is the eldest by about . . . Two minutes. Twins. Not identical, but at a push, they definitely could pass for each other.
“Kitten, why don’t you have a seat? I’ll grab us some drinks,” Ash says, as he steps around me. He shrugs off his jacket and hangs it over the back of one of the wingback chairs. Then he unbuttons his cuffs, and I can’t drag my eyes away as he rolls his sleeves up to his elbows. His skin is tanned, just like his brother’s, but there are no tattoos in sight. Where one brother is an inked canvas, the other is bare of any marks, but even so, both are beautiful to look at. Just what have I gotten myself into?
“So, why did you want to see me again?” I question Ember, meeting his inquisitive gaze as we settle on the sofa. His green eyes shimmer with mischief, a look that matches his brother’s.
“Call me curious,” he says confidently, leaning back against the cushions. Even though he’s dressed casually, there’s something almost regal about him. He sits as if he’s been trained to be upright at all times, rigid and poised. Come to think of it, both brothers are alike in that way as well.
Ash sets down three glasses filled with red wine. He lifts one, offering it to me, and the other to his brother. He takes the last glass and says, “To an evening of intrigue.”
His toast gives me pause, and I wait for them both to sip at their drinks before I do the same.
I meet blue eyes, watching Ash for a moment before I voice the question that’s been sitting on the tip of my tongue for a while. “Ash, what’s going on?”
“Tell us about you?” Ember says, responding before his brother can say anything more. He seems enamored with me, not offering his brother a glance.
I cast my gaze toward the man beside me on the sofa, and question, “What do you want to know that you don’t already?”
“I have an offer I’d like to make you, Katerina. But first, I’d like to get to know the girl that’s stepped into this room.” He waves his hand in the air, gesturing toward the door.
“Well, like I told you last night, I want to study, majoring in music. Make my parents proud. I lost them at a young age. My focus is a career and to get out of this job I’m doing,” I respond before taking a big gulp of wine, hoping it will calm my nerves and allow me to relax somewhat. “I want to have a normal life.”
“And you had mentioned to Ember and me that you’d grab any opportunity to do so?” Ash asks, watching me with a stare that burns right through me. It’s as if he’s attempting to set me on fire with a glance.
“Yes, I did say that. And I would. My education has always been important to me, and I just want to do the one thing I know my mother and father would’ve wanted for me if they were still alive,” I confess. They could help, but I can’t come right out and ask. Nerves have set in, and my heart is thudding wildly at the notion that they could offer me something I need.
&nb
sp; I set my glass on the table, wanting to keep a clear head because I’m not sure where they’re heading with this conversation. And if it’s something I’m not prepared for, I need to be able to fight back.
I’m wary of anything that comes my way that seems far too perfect, too good to be true because it usually is. Everything comes at a price. Every silver lining has a dark storm cloud hovering close by.
“Ash and I have a proposition for you,” Ember tells me, his gaze casting over me with nothing but friendliness and affection. They’re not here to hurt me, and it shows in his honest expression. He turns his attention to his brother before he lands those deep green eyes on me once more. “We’d like to assist you, pay your tuition without you having to repay us, and—”
“Oh, no.” I stand up, setting the glass on the table. “I can’t—”
“Sit.” Ash’s commanding tone is icy when he bites out the word, causing me to flinch. I glance at him, finding his cold azure eyes watching me intently. “Please.” He tacks on afterward softening his command, appearing to notice my unease.
I don’t obey him—not this time. Instead, I pin him with a stubborn glare, crossing my arms in front of my chest. “I’m not a charity case.” Even though I do need help, I have to be able to repay them. Somehow.
He arches a brow at me, and I can tell he’s not happy with this turn of events. But I’m more nervous than I’m letting on. If they think I’ll be shared between them for a chance at school, they’re wrong. Yes, this job may not be perfect, but it’s the easiest thing I can do to get myself out of the hole I’ve been in, but I won’t be a puppet for them to use.
“You came to this room to get fucked,” Ash grits out through clenched teeth, and I wonder where his anger is coming from. “If that’s how you want to do this, I can certainly assist you, Kitten,” he tells me with a smirk. The corner of his mouth tilts into that wolfish grin and my stomach flutters with lively hummingbirds.