Hooker (11 page)

‘Don’t walk away from me,’ he commands, reaching for my arm. ‘Please, Jade … please. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. About that night.’

His confession not only shocks me, it pleases me. ‘That makes two of us,’ I want to say, but I don’t.

I turn to face him. The pleading look in his beautiful brown eyes makes my heart hurt. I can’t tell him the truth, but I can’t lie to him either. I need to do what’s best for both of us.

‘I’m sorry Brock. I need to get back to the party … to Theo.’

Tears
sting my eyes as I walk away. I hate that I’m doing this for a second time. I honestly thought I’d never see him again. I tried to convince myself that I was over that night—over him, but I know now I’m not. Not by a long shot. Why couldn’t I have run into him after my contract had expired? Why? This is so unfair.

I plaster on a fake smile when I join Theo again.

‘Are you all right?’ he asks, leaning down to kiss the top of my head. ‘You’re still awfully pale.’

‘I’m fine. Honestly. I just have a bit of headache.’

‘Go inside and lie down,’ he urges as his kind eyes meet mine. Reaching up, he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. ‘You don’t need to stay by my side if you’re unwell, Jade.’ I smile at his words. This is why I care for him so much. Underneath all those muscles and good looks, he has a heart of gold.

‘Do you want to join me in the pool?’

I screw up my nose and shake my head.

‘Come sit under the cabana then, out of the sun. I’ll get one of the servants to bring you something for the headache.’

Hooking my arm through his, I get up on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. ‘Thank you.’

‘No need to thank me,’ he replies as he guides me to the line of sunchairs that are sitting under the shaded part. ‘Just looking after my favourite girl.’

I can’t help but smile as I watch Theo clowning around in the pool. I hate that he has to hide behind this charade. He has a beautiful soul. He’d give you the shirt off his back without hesitation. This world is full of narrow-minded people. It saddens me that he can’t be the man he was born to be because he’s afraid of ridicule from his peers. It shouldn’t matter what
his sexual preferences are. What’s important is the person he is on the inside.

My gaze moves to the people milling around the pool. I haven’t seen Brock since I rejoined the party. I’m not even sure if he’s still here. It’s probably best if he’s left, even though that thought upsets me. I’m still reeling from seeing him again. I only wish things could be different.

My heart aches as the realisation we can never be sinks in.

*

BROCK

When Jade walks away from me for a second time, I’m consumed with hurt and anger. I’m not used to being told no. I hate that I’m hung up on someone who clearly isn’t interested in me. Maybe she’s my karma for all the hearts I’ve broken over the years. I sigh, tilt my head towards the sky and send the karma gods a huge ‘Fuck you.’ I walk down the side of the house and out the side gate. I can’t go back to that party. I’ll just text Theo later and tell him an emergency came up and I had to leave suddenly.

Once I’m in my Lamborghini, I rest my head on the steering wheel, trying to rein my emotions in. There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to leave because Jade’s still here. Fuck, I’m pathetic.

When I feel calm enough to drive, I start the ignition. Something doesn’t add up here. If she knows Theo is gay, why is she with him? Maybe he’s bisexual. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I dial Josh’s number.

I’m driving through the gates and turning onto the street by the time he picks up.

‘Bro,’
he says when he answers.

‘What’s the go with the Theo?’ I ask.

‘What? Why?’

‘I thought he was gay?’

‘He is.’

‘Then explain to me why I just met his girlfriend?’

Josh chuckles. ‘She’s his fake girlfriend. I told you he was still in the closet.’

‘What do you mean “fake girlfriend”?’

‘He hires her. She’s an escort.’

I screech to a stop.
Not Jade
. It can’t be true, even if it explains her reluctance to talk to me—and everything else, come to think of it.

‘Brock? Are you still there?’

‘I’ve gotta go. I’ll call you later.’

Jesus. It can’t be fucking true. I need to get to the bottom of this once and for all. Maybe then at the very least, I can move on. Turning the car around, I head back to the party to look for her.

Finally I see her sitting under the cabana, smiling as she watches the people in the pool. It kills me that she looks so happy when I feel so fucking miserable. Damn her and this whole situation to hell.

I greedily drink in her luscious body. I hate that she’s so skimpily dressed in front of all these men, and I hate that I have to control my urge to take off my shirt and cover her up. Of course that babe in the red bikini earlier reminded me of her—it
was
her. Knowing I was drawn to her before I even knew who she was really messes with my head. What is it with this woman?

If what Josh says is true, she probably gets around in far less far more often. That thought fills me with rage. I move
towards her and stop only when I’m standing beside her chair. She’s so engrossed in watching the others she doesn’t even notice me. I take a few more seconds to drink in her beauty before I clear my throat. Her head immediately snaps in my direction.

‘I need to talk to you. You can come willingly, or I can make a scene. Your choice.’ No more Mr Nice Guy. That ship sailed the minute I got off the phone with my brother.

‘About what?’ she asks hesitantly.

I don’t reply. Instead I turn and walk back to the house. For her sake, she better be following me. I meant what I said. I’ll make a damn scene if I have to. I need to know the truth.

When I enter the house, I spot a small corridor leading away from the main thoroughfare, so I head in that direction. Rubbing my face with my hands, I come to a stop at the end of the hall and turn around. I’m relieved when I find her approaching me. Smart girl. She stops when she’s about a metre away, looking unsure of herself as her arms snake around her torso. How could this sweet woman be a whore? I just can’t see it. Josh must be mistaken.

I try to think of the right words to say. I need to be careful how I put this, just in case I’ve got it all wrong. Unfortunately my brain and my mouth don’t seem to be connected today, because what actually comes out shocks even me.

‘You’re a hooker?’ I step closer and grab hold of her arm as I back her into the wall. Her pretty eyes widen. When her face drops and her mouth gapes open in shock, there’s no need for a reply. I already know the answer. Disappointment floods me.

I’m gutted
. The woman of my dreams is a fucking prostitute.

Letting
go of her arm, my hands rake through my hair as I look at the ceiling. Devastation consumes me. I knew there was something about her, something she was hiding from me, but never in my wildest dreams did I entertain the idea it would be this. If anything was stopping her from being with me, I would’ve guessed it was a strict family. Her family—do they even know their daughter sleeps with strangers for a living?

‘I can’t believe I’m hung up on a fucking hooker,’ I mumble to myself.

‘I’m sorry,’ I hear her whisper.
Sorry
. She’s fucking sorry.

I feel my temper spike. ‘I guess I was one of the lucky ones?’

‘What?’

‘I got a freebie. Or is my invoice for services rendered in the mail?’ The second those words are out of my mouth I regret them. I feel like a prick for what I’ve just said. In my defence, I’m upset. I think I have every right to be, but I’ll admit those words were spoken purely in anger.

Am I hurt by this revelation? You better believe I am.

Does is it lessen the feelings I have for her? Surprisingly not in the slightest.

I’m so focused on the tears that are now pooling in her beautiful jade green eyes that I don’t even see her raise her hand until it connects hard with the side of my face.

A small sob escapes her as she sidesteps me and runs down the hall. My shoulders slump as my hand comes up to rub my stinging cheek. I need to go after her. At the very least, I need to apologise for my outburst.

‘Jade!’ I call out, as I follow her.

She runs up the main staircase and I’m hot on her heels. I need to make this right. I don’t understand why she’d choose
a profession like this, and I don’t think I ever will. She has so much going for her: she’s beautiful; she’s smart.

And who am I to judge? I sleep around too, a lot. The only difference is I do it for free. Morally, I suppose that’s no better.

‘Please, Jade,’ I call out again.

She glances over her shoulder before speeding up.

I don’t think so, sweetheart. You ran away from me once. This time you’re not getting away
. I take the stairs two at a time, quickly closing the gap. I follow her down the long hall. She stops at one of the doors before opening it and darting inside. My hand reaches out just as she closes it in my face.

‘Leave me alone,’ she cries, trying to push the door closed the rest of the way.

‘Let me in!’

‘Why, so you can insult me again?’ Her force on the door strengthens as she puts her whole body weight behind it. She’s strong, but not strong enough. I managed to force my way inside, just in time to see her cover her face and slide down the wall in defeat. Sobs rack her body as she breaks down. My chest aches to see her like this. Even more so knowing I’m the cause of it.

‘Come here,’ I say as my hands reach for her, pulling her to her feet. The second she’s standing, I pull her into my arms, crushing her to my chest. ‘I’m sorry for what I said.’

She doesn’t speak, so I continue to hold her. It’s the only thing I can do. I can’t take those awful words back.

The minutes tick by and eventually she settles. ‘I knew you wouldn’t understand,’ she whispers into my chest. ‘That’s why I couldn’t tell you. Don’t think for a second I’m proud of what I do Brock, because I’m not.’

‘Then
why do you do it?’ I ask as I pull back, cupping her face in my hands. Her eyes are red and puffy, but she’s still as breathtaking as ever. ‘Tell me, Jade.’

‘I can’t.’

‘Are you in some kind of trouble? Let me help you.’

She shakes her head. ‘There’s nothing you can do.’

‘Do you need money?’

‘No. I have plenty of that. It’s not about the money.’

‘Then what?’ I plead. ‘Help me understand.’

‘I have my reasons,’ she mumbles as she looks down at the floor. I know in that moment I’m not going to get the answers I so desperately seek. I’ll let it go. For now.

‘Hey. Look at me,’ I say softly. I don’t speak again until her eyes meet mine. ‘Is that why you ran?’

She nods. ‘I never would’ve left you if I didn’t have to, please know that.’

Her hand comes up to gently stroke the side of my face but I need to feel her lips on mine again. I suddenly don’t care what her reasons are. All I care about is that I found her again. I won’t be letting her go this time without a fight.

My heart starts to race the moment our lips connect. I can feel her body shaking as it melts into mine. My arms slide around her waist to pull her closer and her hands move up to my hair as she moans into my mouth. All the emptiness and uncertainty I’ve been feeling since New York vanishes and, for the first times in weeks, I feel alive again.

Reaching behind her, I click the lock on the door before I back her against the wood. I swear I can feel her heart beating against mine. This woman awakens something inside me whenever we’re together. My hands run lightly over her skin
before they cup her arse, and I lift her off the ground. I groan when she wraps her long legs around my waist.

I need her more than I’ve ever needed anything in my life.

‘I’ve missed you so much,’ I whisper against her skin as my mouth makes its way across her jaw and down her neck. ‘I thought I’d lost you forever when you left me.’ I’ve never been the type of man who expresses his feelings, but in this moment, I feel compelled to tell her how I feel. She’s the first woman to ever make me
feel
.

‘I’ve missed you too. Walking away from you that day was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Those few days we spent together were the happiest moments of my life.’ Her words touch a place deep inside as my lips curve into a smile against her skin.

I untie one of the bows that holds her bikini bottoms together. Her hands move from my hair and go to work on the buttons of my shirt. Within seconds she has it undone and pushes it off my shoulders. I tilt my head back and groan when her lips make contact with my chest.

Looking over my shoulder, I see a large bed behind me. ‘Whose room is this?’

‘Mine,’ she replies.

‘Yours and Theo’s?’ I need to know before this goes any further.

‘Just mine,’ she says, as her eyes meet mine. ‘Theo is my friend. I’ve never been with him like that.’

That’s all I need to hear. Smiling, I turn and lay her on the bed. I let my shirt fall down my arms and onto the floor. Sliding out of my shoes, I undo my jeans and pull them down my legs, taking my boxers with them. Kneeling on the mattress, I place my lips on her toned stomach as my fingers
untie the other side of her bikini bottoms. I toss them aside as I go to work on the top. The second that’s off, my lips are connecting with hers again as I position my body over her.

When she opens her legs for me, I eagerly settle between them. I want to take my time with her, but at the same time I’m desperate. Not only for her, but for this. I pull her hands above her head and lace our fingers together. Our eyes are locked as I slowly slide inside her heaven. Her eyes slightly roll back in her head the moment I push all the way in. She feels even more amazing than I remember. I know she feels this connection between us too. Surely I’m not imagining it? It’s so strong.

I find myself wanting to freeze time. To freeze this moment. I want to stay buried inside her like this forever. I’m not sure where this is going, or what’s going to become of us, if anything, after today. All I know is that I want to enjoy every second of my time with her. I took our time in New York for granted because I thought there’d be more of us. Now I know better.