The Christmas Bet

by Alice Ward

  “Jack’s been offering to purchase me for a while. I kept refusing. I don’t take clients. I’m not a…” Her voice cracked at the end, squeezing my heart.

  “It’s okay, we don’t need to go over it. I know what an ass Jack is. He’s been my rival for years. I should’ve known when he challenged me tonight something was up. Do you mind if I ask you a question?” The muscles in my neck tightened, as I didn’t feel I had the right to ask, but I needed to know. I swallowed down the knot forming in my throat.

  She hesitated for a moment. “What would you like to know?”

  “Just your name, please.” Calling her Butterfly didn’t feel right, and truth be known, I was desperate to know her name.

  There was silence on the other end that stretched on. “I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you everything, but not yet. The battery on my phone is nearly dead.”

  “Good enough.” I exhaled and the tightness in my chest released some.

  We continued to speak to pass the time as my driver drove at breakneck speeds. She was calm and brave, and I was able to get to know a little more about her. She’d only been working at Jewel for a short time, and it was a friend of hers who’d gotten her the job after falling on hard times when her relationship ended. It was Brandy who she was worried about most, almost to the point of hysteria, even though the woman had apparently set her up.

  “You’re so completely shrouded in mystery. Will you tell me why?”

  She hesitated, her breathing becoming harder. “I didn’t want anyone knowing where I worked or who I was. I’ll fill you in on the rest later. You’ll be very surprised.” As she’d been last night, she was a delight, even while making her escape through the woods.

  I supposed Jewel would be an ideal place to hide and support yourself if you could stomach it. Within dark corners of high society, it was a coveted privilege to have a membership to Jewel, as the club was so exclusive and had such a long waiting list it was often years before someone was granted membership. That’s why patrons like Duk had to go through me, they rarely had an opportunity to get their own membership. Those of us who were members were allowed up to four guests per visit as long as we made reservations.

  I’d never realized that there could be a dark side to the reasons Jewel kept the women who worked there so guarded. I’d thought it was for their own protection, but I now suspected there were things going on at Jewel that would make even a brothel look bad.

  “We’ve reached the gate,” I told her and set the phone on the seat beside me before waving my membership card at the guard. “I’m here for a weekend of domestic bliss.”

  “Welcome back, Mr. Wellington. Let me alert the staff that you’ve returned.” He knocked on the driver’s window and handed him a blue placard.

  Panic flared. Her absence had probably already been noted, so my return would definitely raise suspicions. I wasn’t sure if this was going to work, but I had to try.

  “No need to alert anyone, I know where I’m headed. I just stepped out to pick up a few things that even Jewel doesn’t keep in stock.” I punctuated this with a devilish smile, hoping he would catch on and think I was such a pervert I used toys that were rare and not found at Jewel.

  His eyes lit up with a wicked gleam. “I understand. Let us know if you should need anything, sir. I’ll be sure to have your vehicle license plate added to the extended stay list. Will you need accommodations for your driver?”

  “No, my driver will be exiting and entering as needed. He’s just dropping me off now. It would be so much easier if you could just leave the gate open for a few moments.” I pulled out a wad of cash and tucked it into his hand under the clipboard.

  The guard fisted the money and nodded. “I will make note of that. Have a good night, sir.” He pulled out an iPad and started tapping at the screen.

  Leaning back in my seat, I raised the window as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. My insides, however, were a riot of stress. Who knew what he was tapping out.

  I just needed to get to her.

  As soon as we were a distance from the guard booth, I spoke to the driver. “We’re heading up the hill. Don’t stop for anyone if they flag us down or try to stop us, just keep going.” I was prepared for the worst.

  He nodded and drove with a steady hand on the wheel. I made another mental note to add a nice bonus to those driving gloves.

  I picked up the phone. “We’re through. Be there soon.”

  She didn’t answer, and I looked at the screen to find it black. Her battery must have died. At least I hoped that was all it was.

  In the distance, I could see headlights flare up near the entrance of the club. I had to find her fast. We had driven halfway up the hill when the lights were rounding the corner at the bottom of the street. I could see the bungalows ahead, but knew we were most likely headed for a face-to-face altercation.

  The driver stopped the car at the end of the street in front of bungalow eight, and I jumped out. I watched the shadows, and tapped the redial button on my phone.

  Straight to voicemail. Damn.

  “It’s Roman,” I called, my heart thudding a staccato in my throat.

  I listened. Watched. Waited.

  But there was only silence.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Adara

  When my cell phone died, a sliver of my confidence died with it.

  I stayed hidden deep in the woods behind the bungalows until I saw what I hoped was Roman’s car come through the main gate, which was the only way on or off campus.

  It had taken a lot of effort to get here, as the wooded area off of the paved pathway was very rocky and steep. So my leg throbbed and threatened to give out under me when I moved again. But I hadn’t been able to risk being on any of the interconnected walkways that laced through Jewel’s buildings. While the wooded paths were designed to be discreet enough to give an illusion of seclusion, they were heavily monitored through a network of cameras mounted behind light posts along the way. I knew the cameras would be able to see anyone within a wide periphery, despite the dim lighting, so I stayed far away from them.

  As I limped into the tiny yard behind bungalow eight, I kept a lookout for cars driving around the compound. As I watched, I noticed flashlights bobbing around the perimeter of the theater. I wondered if we would be allowed out the gate. While it had only been about twenty minutes since I fled, they’d already launched a search.

  When I saw the black car stop at the top of the hill, I prayed it was Roman and not security.

  A great sense of relief made tears well up when a man with dark hair got out of the car. Roman. He was so tall, wrapped in a long wool coat and as handsome as I’d remembered. My heart swelled, and I had to remind myself that we still had to get past the security guards, and I may have put Roman in danger along with me. I didn’t know the lengths to which these people would go.

  Just as I headed his way, headlights barreled up the hill. My heart lodged in my throat. Security coming to take me back to my cage. I fingered the butterfly Roman had given me. I hadn’t even thanked him yet. For the first time since Nate died, I felt like I had a chance at a life, maybe even love again. I wouldn’t let them take the chance from me.

  I remembered I was wearing a black hood and must look like the Grim Reaper emerging from behind the darkened bungalow, so I flipped the hood back, letting my hair fly loose in the wind. Steadying myself on my cane, I limped forward as fast as I could.

  The second Roman caught sight of me, he took off toward me at a sprint. Then my feet were off the ground, and I was in his arms, pressed against his warm chest. Heat from his body radiated through me as he carried me to the car. A crazy need surged through me. I wanted his hands on my body and my temperature raised by several degrees.

  It was stupid, because we didn’t have any time to spare, but I just wanted him to kiss me.

  The cars flanked either side of his car and two armed guards exited their vehicles. I wasn’t sure if he would be able to get us
out of this situation. They hadn’t drawn their guns, but they had them at the ready, each with a hand strategically poised over the weapon. Unlike the interior guards who wore Armani suits and spoke into earphones with discretion, these were Jewel campus muscle — armed, trained and maybe even licensed to kill.

  “Good evening, Mr. Wellington,” the one closest to us said. “There’s been a slight misunderstanding, and we’d like to escort you and Ms. Arc to Mr. Harmon’s office to straighten the matter out.” The officer was both threatening and polite.

  Roman nodded to him, then leaned into my ear as he helped me balance on my feet on the sidewalk, whispering, “Go straight to the car and get in. I’ll handle this.” He gave my hand a squeeze.

  I immediately did as he asked, and with some effort slid over the cool leather seat and tucked myself into the back of his car. The interior smelled expensive, the dark leather accented with deep mahogany trim that reflected the light of the bungalow porch lights.

  I could hear Roman talking to the officers outside. “There’s been no misunderstanding. I’m escorting Ms. Arc off the property and to safety. If you stand in our way, I’ll have no other recourse than to call the Montana State Police Department,” he said with unwavering authority.

  “No need to call the police. We’re perfectly capable of keeping the peace around here,” the second officer chimed in.

  “I don’t believe you are. If you were, you’d let us go, because you must’ve heard by now that there’s been an attempted rape by one of your clients perpetrated against the woman in that car.” He stood tall and towered over both of the officers.

  I watched the driver to gauge his expression, but he simply sat with his hands on the wheel, ready to drive off at a moment’s notice.

  “If you’ll come with us,” the first officer stated again, “I’m sure we’ll be able to clear up this misunderstanding and explain the arrangement Ms. Arc has agreed to, which must be upheld.”

  Anger seared through my body. I’d never agreed to anything with Jack Marshall.

  Roman’s eyes momentarily glanced over to me, and I shook my head. He smiled and turned back to the men. The driver tensed as Roman spoke so low I couldn’t hear what he said then casually moved to get back into the car.

  The first officer grabbed his arm and Roman glared. “I suggest you not add assault to an attempted rape and trafficking charge. It wouldn’t be good for PR.”

  “I have orders to detain you and the woman, sir.” The guard didn’t look quite as sure as he had before.

  Roman ripped his arm out of the officer’s grasp, and entered the car as he pulled out his cell phone. “I’m calling the police. I suggest you and your buddy not follow, as anyone in pursuit of this car will be named when I press charges.”

  Neither guard responded as Roman shut the door.

  “Back the car up,” he told the driver, “and turn it around. They may try and block you, but play chicken as long as you can. I think you can dare them off. If not, we’ll have to play crash-up derby.” He flashed a genuine smile.

  The driver laughed. “Yes, sir. I happen to have a little bit of experience in demolition derbies, and racing for that matter. It’ll be like in the movies.”

  “I don’t care about the car, just make sure we win.” Roman clipped the seatbelt around me as the driver turned the car around and headed straight down the hill.

  Both of the vehicles quickly followed behind us. I wasn’t sure what they were hoping to do since they’d already let us go, but we didn’t need to stick around and find out. I stayed silent and bit my lip, nervously watching the open gate come closer.

  That’s when Roman reached out and touched my hand, coiling my fingers into his gentle grasp. “It’s going to be okay,” he assured me with an assuring smile.

  I sank deeper into the seat and tried to relax, telling myself they had no legal right to keep me here. I didn’t agree to see Jack.

  Roman held my hand in a strong grip as the driver raced toward the guard stand at the entrance of the compound. I closed my eyes and squeezed Roman’s hand, expecting the guard to close the gates at any second. I braced for the impact of metal and iron.

  After a few minutes, the car was still moving and Roman squeezed my hand one more time, then let it go.

  “We’re out,” he announced.

  Disbelieving, I looked behind me to see the entry guard simply watching us turn onto the road. I blew out the breath I’d been holding and turned to Roman, who was watching me with an intense expression on his face. I burst into laughter. “We did it!” I screamed in amazement.

  “Did you doubt us?” Roman asked, a wide smile splitting his face.

  Then he also blew out a long breath, and I knew he was just as surprised we made it out as I was.

  He leaned forward and inched closer to the driver’s seat. “I owe you a raise, Warren. Damn good job back there.”

  “I’ll take it.” The driver wiped sweat from his forehead and looked in the rearview mirror hopefully. “Do I still need to drive fast?”

  Roman laughed. “Tear up the pavement, Warren.”

  Noticing a cord, I asked, “May I charge my phone for a few minutes?”

  “Of course.”

  My fingers were still trembling so badly that he plugged it in for me. He settled back into his seat. A few minutes was all it took before the device powered back on. Five missed calls. I yelped as the phone rang again in my hand, nearly scaring me half to death. Brandy’s name lit up on the screen, and I held it in front of me, unsure of whether to answer.

  “Is it them?” Roman asked.

  “It’s my friend, Brandy, the one who got me the job.” I heaved an enormous sigh, hoping to blow all the anguish, fear, and disappointment out of my body.

  “Don’t answer it.”

  I could tell he was used to commanding others and getting his way. I didn’t have any intention of answering the phone. However, hearing Brandy’s personal ringtone, Celine Dione’s “My Heart Will Go On” paralyzed my heart with fear.

  Roman took my hand again and stroked his thumb across my skin. His strong, gentle fingers offered comfort without invading my space. What he didn’t know was how much I wanted him to invade my space, how much I wanted him to wrap his arms around me and hold me right here in the back seat.

  We both remained silent as the phone continued to ring. I didn’t dare touch it for fear that, with my nerves, I’d accidently answer it. I couldn’t speak to her, for her own safety, until I knew what I was going to do.

  It seemed like a million years before the phone stopped ringing… only to have it start again.

  “Why don’t you give it to me, and I’ll turn it off,” Roman offered, extending his other hand. Roman looked behind him, directing my attention to the empty street. “I think it’s over. We’ve driven a fair distance now, so if someone was coming after us, they would have done it by now. It doesn’t look like they followed us.”

  I breathed out another deep sigh of relief. “Thank you,” was all I could muster as I handed him the phone. As I dropped my only lifeline to the outside world into his hand, I hoped he wouldn’t change his mind about me.

  Staring out at the darkness, I wondered if it really was over. “I’ll have to talk to someone there at some point. All my things are there, along with the money I’ve kept in an account.”

  Anxiety began to creep in. I’d been so sure of Roman when he was a phantom from my imagination, the incredible lover who adored me in my dream, despite my disability and scars. The man who’d only wanted to talk then had defended me from Jack.

  But this was real, not a dream. I just prayed Brandy wasn’t the one living a nightmare now.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Roman

  I let her sit with her feelings for a moment and just held her hand. I didn’t feel like it was the appropriate time for me to start offering solutions. However, there were very simple resolutions to the problem of her belongings. I’d have someone go to her apartment a
nd get her things. The money would be easy to replace, and she didn’t have to know it was from me.

  With her skin touching mine, the absurdity of my feelings for her disappeared. I promised silently that I would do everything in my power to protect her. Her safety was all that mattered.

  Helping her would be nothing in the great scheme of my world; I had more than enough money to set her up over and over again. The satisfaction, however, it would give me to offer this amazing, resilient woman sitting beside me a chance at a new and better life would be life altering. Since she consumed my every thought, offering something back to her when the world had obviously taken so much, would be satisfying.

  The idea of getting even with Jack Marshal was also too gratifying to pass up. I knew he’d become the largest internet retailer in the world. I’d heard talk that he went to poor manufacturers in foreign countries and offered slightly less than what they would normally get for goods in bulk wholesale, to be delivered in a fraction of the time they’d usually be produced. Although this arrangement meant a great deal of money for struggling businesses, it was a large, lump sum of money with a demand for the goods to be delivered at an inhumane rate.

  If a company could make a million t-shirts for a dollar a shirt in a month’s time, he’d ask for a million shirts in two weeks for a lower price. Having big orders helped failing businesses in impoverished places, yet the money was less than the value of the product. This was Jack’s signature, and he’d have them sign nondisclosure agreements, or no money would be tendered.

  My business was similar, we also went into poor areas overseas and sold locally made goods internationally. There was a great profit in having this kind of business practice, but when my company went in, we negotiated fair-trade for both parties. It was essential that their workers be paid fairly while working fair hours. Every business had to be in complete agreement and happy with the terms, or we wouldn’t contract with them.

  After the initial set up, my analysts always went in and gauged the realistic yield for the businesses. Often, we would upgrade machinery and make it more efficient as well as consult about niches in the market that weren’t being served. We’d find ways the company could capitalize on these needs. It was a win-win.