Big Girls Don't Cry

by Taylor Lee

  “I’m glad you think this is funny, Brady. It’s not. And this conversation was unnecessary. So much for treating me like a partner. I thought I could trust you. But, oh no, you have to run and tattle to daddy.” She turned to leave the room when Jake’s voice cut across the room. There was no mistaking the dark threat in his command.

  “Come back here.” She whirled around, staring at him in surprise. He nodded. “Sit down, Lexie.”

  When she stood in the doorway and raised her chin defiantly, he jerked his head toward the table. “Now.”

  She hesitated. She was as angry as he was. Maybe more. This was unfair. But seeing his seething anger, she tossed her head and pressed her lips together in a hard line. She strode back to the table. Sinking noisily into her chair, she stared at the table, refusing to meet his eyes.

  “You can trust all of us, Lexie, including Brady. In this instance, it was you who was unwilling to trust. To tell me what happened so that Brady didn’t have to. There are no secrets on this team. We are loyal to one another.”

  “Really? So loyal that Mr. Smart Ass can’t keep his mouth shut? Don’t you mean, you are loyal to each other? And that, no matter what happens, no matter what I do, they’ll come running to you?” She snagged both Brady and Clint with her angry stare.

  Jake’s voice was quiet, controlled. “I’m the commander, Lexie. I expect absolute loyalty from every member of my team.”

  She turned on him, willing herself not to shriek. As angry she was, she forced herself to speak in a reasonably calm voice. “Then it’s a damn good thing I’m not on your team, Jake. I told you before. I’m not a team player. I run solo. I always have and I always will. What happened tonight confirms it.”

  The crease between Jake’s eyes deepened.

  “Those days are over, Lexie.”

  When she started to mouth an angry protest, he held up his hand. His face looked lean, dangerous. “You are correct. What happened tonight does confirm it.” He drew a circle with his hand around the four of them. “You are sitting square in the middle of this team and that’s where you are going to stay.

  “This is no small matter, Lexie. And yes, if I could, I would kill that man. I’m hoping I will have the opportunity to do so. In the event it hasn’t occurred to you, his description and MO are remarkably similar to the man who broke into your motel room.”

  Dread ratcheted up her spine. Oh, God, he was right. Fear and anger warred inside of her. She felt the familiar caldron of anxiety churning in her gut. Unwilling to sit a minute longer, she jumped to her feet.

  Jake must have seen something in her face, because he also stood. His expression was strained.

  “We’ll finish this discussion in the morning.”

  She narrowed her eyes and held his gaze. “No, actually we won’t. I’m done discussing anything with you.” She whirled on Brady and Clint, who also leapt to their feet. “Or with you! Or you!”

  She marched to the door and jerked her head at the cluster of beer bottles and remnants of snacks on the table.

  “Pick up your mess before you leave.”

  She practically ran down the hallway to the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

  Jake started after her when Clint put a hand on his arm.

  “Why don’t you give her some time, Jake? To get over her anger? I think she’s feeling a little outnumbered.”

  Brady nodded. “Since there’s nothing I like more that an ass kicking fight, I regret that I must agree with Clint. She looked pretty damned devastated when she came out of that room, Jake. It couldn’t have been easy for her.”

  ~~~

  Lexie took a long shower, determined to wash every remnant of the hideous scene at the club off her body and out of her mind. She refused to let herself think that Jake might be right, that the awful man was the same one who was in her motel room playing with her underwear. She stood in the shower so long that that the skin on her hands and feet were wrinkled. Exhausted, she couldn’t do more than towel dry her hair. She didn’t bother putting on a nightgown, just crawled in bed, desperate to go to sleep.

  She didn’t know how long she’d laid there staring at the ceiling when her cell phone rang.

  She saw it was Jake and debated whether to answer it. On the sixth ring, she flicked it on.

  “Lexie?”

  The deep timbre of his voice sent a flurry of unwanted sensations raging through her body. She struggled to keep her voice flat, unrevealing.

  “Yes?”

  “I’m sorry, Lexie.”

  “For…for what?”

  “For the way I acted tonight. Hell, sugar, you had a hideous experience and all I could think about was how I was going to kill the fucker. Insensitive bastard that I am, I didn’t even acknowledge what you went through. I’m sorry, darlin’.”

  “Umm…okay. But…I’m still angry at you.”

  “You have a right to be.”

  In the silence that followed, Lexie allowed herself to revel in his voice, to acknowledge how glad she was that he called.

  “Lexie, right now I have six men guarding your house round the clock. No one can get to you.” An undercurrent of steel laced through his quiet voice. “And, darlin’, just so you know, I will kill any man who so much as touches you.”

  He hesitated and his voice dropped. “But I can’t lie. I gotta tell you, just the thought of you dancing for a repulsive prick like that makes me crazy.”

  “Jake?”

  “Yes, Lexie.”

  “I’ve never danced for any man --- until last night when I danced for you.”

  When he answered her, his voice was soft, husky.

  “Thank you for telling me that, Lexie.”

  There was a long pause.

  “Lexie?”

  “Hmm?”

  “That’s not the last time you’re gonna dance for me.”

  A massive shiver shuddered over her at the image his dark sexy voice invoked.

  He murmured, “You know that, don’t you, baby?”

  “Mmm. I…I. Yes. I know that, Jake.”

  “Soon, Lexie. Very soon.”

  His soft chuckle vibrated over the phone, causing a startling wave of heat to run through her. His voice was soft, deep.

  “Good night, darlin’.”

  “Good night, Jake.”

  Lexie held the phone in her hand for several minutes. Not wanting to let go of the connection, she tucked it under her pillow and snuggled under the silky duvet. She wondered with a sigh as she drifted off to sleep which side of this bed Jake had slept on.

  Chapter 22

  Lexie stood in the bathroom stall listening to the girl’s voices from the adjoining dressing room. She recognized their voices as two of the waitresses, Dannie and Shelly.

  Dannie’s nasal voice grated with irritation. “You know Bella is jealous. That’s why she doesn’t invite us to come along. Why should she be the only who gets to entertain them when they come in? Do you have any idea how much money she makes in one night?” She huffed. “What the rest of us make in six months!”

  Shelly’s voice was tinged with worry. “But, Dannie, you know what they’re like. They’re insatiable. Just that couple of hours we spent with them when they came last month, I was sore for a week.”

  “Hah. So what’s new about that? Yeah, they’re hungry bastards. What men aren’t? So? They have different ideas about women in their country. Damn, if I could make the kind of money Bella makes, I’d walk with a cane for two months. And, sister, they’re not exactly hard on the eyes!”

  A soft giggle confirmed Shelly agreed. “Mmm, if you like tall, dark and handsome…and rough.”

  “I’ll tell you one thing, if Bella invites that skaggy blond to meet them, I’m gonna go to Sergio. I know he’s not involved with those guys, but we all know how he feels about Bella. Maybe he can rein her in. You’d think she’s running the show. And I’m telling you, Shelly. I don’t like the looks of that blond. Something doesn’t check out. Nobody, even someone
who looks like her, would let a piece of ass like the colonel slip away. I think she might play both sides. Have you seen the way she and Bella are holed up, chatting and laughing like they share some special secret?”

  Shelly laughed. “I think you’re barking up the wrong tree on that one. Shit, since she arrived, I practically have to strip naked just to get a guy to notice me. They’re all panting after her, their tongues hanging out. But you’re right about one thing. If our ‘visitors’ get a glimpse of her, we don’t stand a chance.”

  Lexie strained to hear the rest of their conversation. She opened the stall door a crack to see them leaving the dressing room. She heard Dannie.

  “From what Bella said, the shipment tonight is like none other. Not only in quantity, but she said if last month’s was pure, this month’s is supposed to be the epitome of the world’s market.”

  Shelly giggled. “Maybe if we can’t get the men away from Bella and the blond, at least we can snag some great blow.”

  ~~~

  Walt’s voice cracked. He tried to contain his horror.

  “I…can’t. I can’t do that.”

  The boss’s voice was cool, detached.

  “You can, Walt. And you will.”

  In the pause that followed, Walt tried to choke back his tears.

  “But, you don’t understand. She…she loves me. And…I love her.”

  The boss’s laughter and derisive snort cut to the quick.

  “You pitiful piece of shit. Walt, you are more pathetic than I thought. You actually believe that beautiful young woman loves you? That she doesn’t find you as repulsive as I do?”

  Walt shuddered at the disgust in the other man’s voice. It wasn’t true. It couldn’t be true. She danced for him. She…she was excited to see him. Always sat by him at the parties. Brought him presents. His special whiskey. No! He couldn’t do this.

  He tried to keep from whining, snuffling. He couldn’t let the boss knew he was crying.

  “Let me, let me do the other one. She is the danger. She...”

  “Shut up, Walt. Do you think I don’t know who she is? What she is up to? No, Walt. I have special plans for her, very special plans. But your ‘friend’ needs to go. She knows too much. She is too damned smart. And she’s greedy, Walt. She doesn’t know when to stop.”

  “And Walt. Remember, I want it to look like it was the same person who killed Beloi.” He chortled, “Because it will be.”

  Walt couldn’t contain his agonized groan. He gagged on the bile flooding his throat.

  He could only whisper, beg. “Please…don’t make me do this.”

  The boss’s voice softened. It was low, almost consoling.

  “Walt, it’s nearly over. Almost done. This is the last thing I will ask of you. Your last job, Walt. And then you can move on. Take off for that Caribbean nest you’ve been building.”

  Fear coursed through his body. Walt could barely breathe. “How…how did you know…?”

  Again, the derisive laughter.

  “Walt, I know everything. I know what you are doing from your first shit in the morning to the last drink you have before you puke up your guts and stumble into bed. And Walt? So do my enforcers. Don’t even think about disobeying me. As I told you before, what you did to Beloi and what you will do to the woman will be child’s play compared to what they will do to you.”

  Walt didn’t try to muffle his sob. He let the cell phone slide from his ear. It landed on the table with a smack. His head felt too heavy to hold up. He laid his head down on the table next to the phone.

  From a distance, he heard the boss’s wicked chuckle.

  “And Walt, just so you know, I’m not a total monster. Setting her on fire isn’t necessary. Dismemberment will be adequate.”

  ~~~

  Bella sidled up to Lexie with a sexy grin.

  “How are you doing, girlfriend? Did you survive our little floor show?”

  Lexie smiled at her and tossed her head. Matching Bella’s careless tone, she said with a wink, “Except for that disgusting man, I thought it was fun.”

  She nudged Bella in the ribs. “Maybe we could put together our own little show for one of those parties you were telling me about.”

  Heads across the room turned at Bella’s peals of seductive laughter. Grabbing Lexie’s arm, she nodded to the office and whispered, “Meet me in five minutes.”

  Lexie waited until she thought no one was watching her, then slipped inside the office and closed the door behind her. Bella was leaning against the desk, a look of pure mischief on her face. Her eyes with dancing with excitement. She grinned at Lexie.

  “C’mon in, you sexy thing, you. Girlfriend, you don’t know the half of what I have planned for us. Watching you last night? Damn, girl, you even turned me on. That body of yours is a billboard that screams, ‘Wanna fuck?’”

  Lexie felt her cheeks flush.

  Bella shook her head.

  “And then you get that little innocent look and there isn’t a guy in the room who won’t be creaming his jeans. I tell you, honey, I haven’t seen anyone dance like that in the most expensive joints in Vegas. How would you like to make more money in the next couple of days than you’ve made in your whole life?”

  Lexie saw her excitement and hoped that hers matched. This was her chance to get inside the ring. She couldn’t blow it.

  “Bella, I’m up for any damn thing you have in mind. And then some! Lay it on me, sister!” Before Bella could answer, Lexie screwed up her face in distaste. “Tell me, please, that we’re done with James. He is the most pathetic man I’ve been around and that is saying something!”

  Bella laughed, then sobered. “He really is, isn’t he? I can’t figure it out. This is the biggest fucking operation that I’ve been involved in and they have some over the hill drunk as gatekeeper. It doesn’t make sense.”

  She added with a frown, “I get the weirdest sense that he is a cop or something.”

  Lexie startled. “You’re kidding? Undercover?”

  “No, no. He isn’t smart enough. No, it’s more likely he’s rogue if he is at all. He just knows crap, details about the drugs that even I don’t know. He talks about titration rates, weight adjustments, weird stuff like that. Maybe he’s a lab tech, or, hell, who knows? One thing that’s certain is that he’s creepy and a drunk.” She shook her head. “Not at all like the rest of the team.”

  “What…what are they like?”

  Bella gave her a sly wink. “I won’t spoil it for you, honey. You’ll see for yourself. Let’s just say a couple of them might even give that stud of yours a run for his money. Gorgeous doesn’t begin to describe them.”

  “Will I meet them all tonight?”

  “Yeah. At least most of them. They come in once a month, regular as clockwork. But the word I got is that this is the biggest shipment yet.”

  “So I’ll get to meet the guy in charge?”

  Bella frowned. “Nope. At least not the top guy. He never shows. They call him ‘Mr. Boss’. But, honey, you won’t believe the other guys. Sexy doesn’t begin to describe them. Accents and all, they are righteous. Do have to warn you, they like it rough. And they like it to get it on together.”

  Lexie swallowed hard and forced a nonchalant smile. Not for the first time, she acknowledged how naive she’d been to think she could do this alone. Even with Brady, Clint, and the others hovering around her, she felt naked, vulnerable. Only Jake’s overwhelming presence gave her the courage to proceed.

  “Well, like I told you, Bella, I’m off men for a while.” At Bella’s frown she added with a saucy grin, “That is, unless the price is right.”

  Bella shrieked with laughter. “Oh, honey, you are a girl after my own heart. Make the bastards pay through their teeth, right? And they think they are exploiting us!”

  They exchanged high fives and a big hug.

  Lexie pressed for details.

  “Do they come here, to the club? Or do we go somewhere else?’

  “No
, not here. I won’t know until later where the big guys will be. There are at least seven parties scheduled and all are overbooked. Once I get the list, we’ll assign the girls to the various locations. The big guys all hang together. That’s the party you and I will do.”

  “Do the other girls know that? That I’ll be with you?”

  “Oh, yeah, honey. And they’re mad as hell. Spitting fire! But none of them comes close to you, Sarah. You’ve got something so special, you even make me jealous. But together we’re going to take these guys for all they’re worth.”

  Her smile turned evil. “My goal is to get to the top, the very top. And once I get there? It’s where I’m gonna stay. I have so much on these guys, they won’t be able to toss me aside. I’ve been working my whole life for an in like this. And, honey, no one is gonna stop me now!”

  Lexie silently prayed that Bella was wrong, that not only would she and Jake and the rest of the team stop her, but that they would save her life in the process.

  Chapter 23

  Lexie worked her way across the crowded club floor. Brushing off eager hands tugging at her abbreviated skirt, she softened her rejection with a wink or a shy smile. Sidling up to Clint’s table, she made a show of plunking down a couple bottles of beer. She tucked the fifty dollar bill he slid across the table in her corset, and sunk down in the chair next to him. To show her appreciation for the generous tip, she giggled and touched him suggestively on his shoulder and face, using the subterfuge to convey the information she’d received from Bella. Clint blushed at the attention, confirming for anyone watching that he was bowled over by the stunning young woman.