Little Black Book (5 page)

“I’m sorry
,
sir
, but I can’t do that. I appreciate the offer, but I’m no one’s whore.”

As
I stood to move away, he pulled me against his body. I looked up at him in shock, and to my dismay a little bit of excitement. My breasts crushed against his chest and he was very much aware as he bent over to whisper in my ear.

“My name’s Sebastian, not sir.”

I shook off the chills from his whispers, and walked away without looking back. As soon as I stepped into the cool morning air, I let the tears fall.

I’d just lost my job.

I made sure to wipe away my tears before I got back in the car with Kyle. He was asleep on the back seat with a smile on his face. I knew it would be gone the following day.

I dropped Kyle off at school, and then slept for an hour on the back seat, before using almost all of my gas to job hunt. I didn’t tell Kyle I’d lost our only source of income because it was clear he was starting to worry even more. He was old enough to know things couldn’t get much worse. We were already living in a car. He didn’t need to know that pretty soon our car would be out of gas and we’d really be screwed.

Once I picked him up, we
got some fast food and ordered from the dollar menu again. It was all I could afford to buy without a kitchen to use for preparation. I had to make the tips I’d received stretch as far as possible.

I parked near his school
, so I wouldn’t have to drive back and waste gas, and we sat and did his homework together. When night came, he curled up in the back and I got as comfortable as possible in the front passenger’s seat.

Kyle set the alarm on his watch, so I let myself fall into a deep sleep. It had been days since I’d actually gotten any sleep.
I was in the middle of a decent dream, starring Sebastian Black, when I woke abruptly to the sound of thumping on the window above my head.

I jumped up and pulled the blanket closer to my body. Once my eyes adjusted
to the early morning light, a police officer came into focus.

He l
ooked down at me with furrowed brows, tapping on the glass again. “Miss, we need you to open the door.”

Looking past him, I saw two other officers.
One as round as he was tall, and one who looked like he’d just graduated from high school.

W
e’d overslept. I knew this because teachers were already starting to pull up and make their way into the school. All eyes were on my car, as it was surrounded by police cars. I didn’t understand why they had to have their flashing blue lights on. We weren’t criminals on the run. It didn’t make any sense.

I reached out and popped
the door open letting in the cold air. Kyle sat up at that exact minute with wide, shifty eyes.

“Roz?”
he asked nervously.

“It’s okay, Kyle. Just stay back there.”

I crawled out of the car closing the door behind me and rubbed at my arms. It was freezing and I’d left my jacket inside the car.

“We had some reports about an abandoned car outside of the school. Some of the staff were worried.” The police officer’s expression changed and he shook his head. “Are you and this young man living in this car, miss?”

I didn’t want to answer him, but I didn’t have any other choice. “No. I accidently locked us out of the house last night and I didn’t want him to be late for school this morning. I’m sorry, officer. I’ll move the car right now. Thank you, but all is well.” I started to move closer to the door.

I thought I was home free
, until I felt a hot hand on my wrist. I looked up to see the round officer staring back at me with pinched lips and knowing eyes.

“I’m sorry, miss. We’re going to need to take the young man into custody until it’s verified that everything is indeed well.”

I shook him from my wrist and turned to open the car door. I obviously wasn’t thinking clearly since all I could think about was outrunning the cops. “No. That’s not necessary. Like I said, we’re fine and I’m taking him home right now.”

No matter how many times I said those words, the police officer didn’t listen.
He pushed me to the side and pulled open the backdoor.

“
Roz!”
Kyle said in a full on panic. His tone tore at my heart and fear roared through my body.

He
struggled in the officer’s arms and reached out for me with tears on his cheeks, as they pulled him to the car with the blue lights on.

“Roz, please
help!”

I
pushed and fought against the other two, while my little brother was thrown into the back of the police car like a common criminal. 

I lost it.
Pulling free from the hands that held me, I ran to the car and pounded on the glass. Kyle’s tear-stained face stared back at me.

“Miss, if you don’t stop
, we’re going to have to take you into custody.”

I heard the cop talking
, but I wasn’t processing it. I lost all track of reason. Reaching down, I picked up a rock and threw it at the window. The rock went through, leaving a gaping hole in its stead.

It was then reality hit
home. I was thrown against the police car and my arms were pulled behind me. The cuffs were too tight, and when I was tossed in the backseat next to Kyle, I knew I’d sunk lower than I ever thought I would.

There was nothing I could do. I fought. I fought with all I had left, but it didn’t matter. All that it got me was a one-way ticket to jail. Me—the virgin who’d never drank or done drugs.

I’d failed Kyle
. I’d failed the last person left in my life and there was nothing I could do to make it right. Turning away from his sad eyes, I stared out the window and cried.

Five

Sebastian

“What did you find out?” I asked the second Vick came into my office the following day.

“Not much
. The young boy she’s riding with is her little brother.  They’re living in their car outside of the middle school.” She flopped into my favorite chair and put her feet up. “It’s a damn shame she didn’t take your deal. Looks to me like she could use it.”

I was relieved to find out the boy wasn’t her son. I would have continued to pursue her regardless, but a brother made things easier to deal with verses a kid. Either way, it was still an extra mouth for her to fee
d.

“I’m not worried. She’ll be back. This is New York. The city will eat her alive if she doesn’t take my deal.” I went toward the door. I had a few business meeting
s to take care of and the walls were starting to close in on me. “Until then, keep an eye on her. Make sure nothing bad happens to her or her brother.”

I spent the day going over deals and turning down offers to buy my club. Every greedy
bastard in New York wanted to get their hands on what was mine. I wasn’t having it.  By the time I was getting in my car I was pissed, and annoyed that Vick hadn’t called me with good news about Jessica.

I
’d gone to my meetings, certain she would return to the club before I was done. I was on my way back when Vick sent me a text message that instantly changed my mood.

Vick:
Jessica’s been taken into police custody.

SB
:
Meet me at the station in twenty minutes.

I put my phone back in my pocket and grinned. Turning at the next light, I drove away from the club and toward the police station. I wanted her desperate, not desolate. The poor girl was totally innocent. Jail would break her down, which was the last thing I wanted.
I
wanted to break her in and I wanted to do it my way.

When I pulled up, Vick was
already waiting outside.

“Are
we rescuing the fair maiden?” she asked sarcastically.

“No
t
we
, you. Post her bail, get her out. Do it without me learning her name.”

I leaned against my car and looked down at my watch before crossing my arms. It distracted me from the tiny voice taunt
ing me, saying I might not forget this whole thing even if I did learn her name.

Finding
her wasn’t something that happened every day. The best things in life are always more difficult to obtain. It was currently taking me a little longer than usual to get what I wanted, which made it that much more exciting. It had been a long time since one of my girls presented me with a challenge and it was exactly what I needed. In the end, I knew she would be mine. I always got what I wanted. Always.

I sat outside for what felt like an hour, and then Vick came out
of the door, followed by Jessica. Her eyes connected with mine and her brows pulled down in confusion. Seeing she was safe, I turned away and got into my car. I waited until she climbed into Vick’s car, and then pulled away.

I stopped f
or a quick dinner before going home. The club was closed on Sundays and Mondays, so being that it was Monday, it was deserted when I pulled up and parked. I slung my keys around my finger as I walked in, locked the door behind me, and went to my office.

Jessica was there waiting for me
, like I’d hoped she would be. She stood from the couch in my office and our eyes locked as soon as I opened the door. Something about her was different. She looked as if she was seconds away from falling apart. Her shoulders were stiff and her flushed cheeks stood out from the rest of her pale face.

I closed the door behind me
and ignored her as I walked past and sat behind my desk. I could sense her anxiousness.

“
Sit,” I firmly commanded.

When she was seated in fro
nt of me, I laced my fingers together and stared at her.

“Are you okay?”

I never asked such questions, but I needed to know she was mentally stable and able to make the decision I wanted her to make.

“Fine.” Her voice broke. “
Thank you for bailing me out,” she said, as her eyes watered over.

I had to look away.
I’d seen women cry… hell, I’d even made a few cry, but seeing her do it was different. It hurt in my stomach—made me feel empty. Tears never bothered me before, but her tears cut deep. Luckily, I had mastered the art of ignoring annoying emotions.

“Vick bailed you out
.” I didn’t want her to think I was soft. I wasn’t.

Bailing her out was how I got what I wanted. Nothing more, nothing less.
Sitting back in my chair, I let my eyes devour her. “Was that all you came here for? A misplaced thank you?”

She looked as if she wanted to say something more,
or possibly slap me, but apparently she lost her nerve because she nodded, and left the room. The strange part was, I wanted to go after her and ask her to stay.

Six

Rosslyn

Jail was not for me. The minute we got to the station, I was taken into a separate room from Kyle and told he was being transported to child services.

I cried when they took my fingerprints, and when it was time to take m
y mug shot, I almost threw up. What would my parents say if they could see me now? What would Gran think?

I sat in a cell with another girl who was there for prostitution. It was kin
d of comical since I was starting to believe that selling my body was the only way to fix everything. Maybe when I got out, I’d go to Sebastian and accept his offer. Sleeping with him didn’t sound totally unappealing. It was really the part about getting paid that made it creepy.

An hour later, and a cop came to the cell calling my name.

“Your bail’s been posted. You’re free to go.”

My confusion on how the hell my bail was posted overshadowed any relief I might have
had in being free. I didn’t have anyone to post bail other than Trish, and I hadn’t had the chance to call her yet.

And then
, there was the fact I was being set free, while my brother was being held God-knows-where. There was nothing for me to collect when I left. It was a sign of how my life was turning out. I needed to get used to having nothing.

I was shocked when I came out and found Vick looking back at me.

“I left my white horse outside,” she said sarcastically. “Let’s go.”

I followed behind her and as soon as I
walked through the station doors, my eyes found Sebastian’s. In that moment, I knew who bailed me out.

How did he even know I’d been arrested?
Should I be freaked out?

I climbed into Vick’s black car and she pulled out
with squealing tires, directly outside the police station. Like I wasn’t already deathly afraid of going back.

“Sebastian bailed me out?” I asked when the silence in the car became too thick.

“Yep,” she responded. “No offense, but I have better things to spend my money on.”

I
didn’t bother responding.

“My brother, they took him into child services. Is there anyway…” I started.

“I’m taking you to Sebastian. Ask him.”

I turned and stared out the window
, as we drove entirely too fast toward Clive’s. I had so much spinning in my head. First and foremost, I was seriously considering his deal.

I needed the money, and it wasn’t like I wasn’t attracted to him physically, despite his outrageous proposition. My
body seemed to respond to him in ways I had never experienced with another man. It came alive whenever he was near.

Leaving Sebastian’s office, I moved through the darkness of th
e club, knowing that once I stepped through those doors, I’d be on the streets for the night. My car had been impounded and I had no money to get it out.

Vic
k took off after dropping me at the club, and I wasn’t about to call and bother Trish because I knew she was using her Monday as a day to relax.

The door was cold against my palm when I reac
hed out for it. The moment I began to push it open, the lights behind me came on. Turning around, I found Sebastian standing on the bottom step of the stairs.

“Do you have anywhere to g
o?”

I stared
at him, debating how pathetic I wanted to appear. Finally, I moved past my pride. I felt the girl inside me crumble as the words left my mouth. “No.”

His dark eyes moved from my head to my toes
, and then he huffed in annoyance. “There’s an extra room upstairs with a bed in it. You’re welcome to crash here tonight.” He turned and went back up the stairs without waiting for my response.

I followed behind him
. I had no other option.

The room he gave me was huge—a large bed centered the room. I stepped through the door, closing it behind me and took in the space. To the right was a fully equipped bathroom. I wasted no t
ime peeling my clothes off and getting into the shower.

I washed away the criminal grime and wrapped myself in a
plush robe that was hanging on the back of the door. Steam poured out when I stepped from the bathroom and made my way to bed.

I wasn’t going to sleep, not without knowing where my brother was, but at least I could lie somewhere comfortable without worrying about someone breaking into my car and killing me. I didn’t have anything to worry about
here. At least I hoped I didn’t.

I couldn’t stop thinking about my brother and how I’d let him down. I’d never been away from him overnight. I didn’t know if he was safe. I didn’t know if he was warm
, or if he was comfortable. These were just some of the things moving through my head.

I stared at the ceiling until the night
sky turned pink. And then I finally fell asleep and slipped into one horrible nightmare after another.

I woke at noon with sounds coming from
outside my door. Wrapping the robe tighter around my waist, I tip-toed down the hallway. A heavenly smell filled me and I followed it with my nose, like I was in one of those cheesy cartoons.

I hadn’t eaten anything
decent in forever and as soon as I stepped foot into the high-tech kitchen, my stomach growled loudly. It was then a half-naked Sebastian Black turned around from the stove and met my stare.

From the waist down he wore
hip-hugging jeans that rode low, but from the waist up he was all muscle and dark skin. Muscles I didn’t even know were possible rippled across his chest when he turned with a spatula in hand.

I felt my mouth hanging open and without rea
lizing it, I gawked at every piece of his flesh my eyes could touch. His face split into a knowing grin.

“Like what you see?” h
e asked with a cocky smirk.

His hair was a sexy slept-on mess. I wante
d to get my fingers stuck in its tangles. I averted my gaze and walked into the kitchen. Choosing a seat at a tiny table that was pushed up against a window, I looked out over the street in front of the club.

“By the sound of your stomach, I’m assuming you’re starving. I’ve heard many no
ises from women’s bodies in my time, but nothing quite like that.”

I felt my face heat up as a blush took over.

Soon, a plate was set in front of me, full of bacon, eggs, and a side of fresh strawberries. My stomach growled again and he chuckled softly above me.

“Thank
you,” I whispered in humiliation.

He leaned down from behind,
lips skimming the side of my neck, and the soft prickle of his stubble brushed against my skin. “For you, anything.”

A
shiver worked its way up my back and ran into my hair line. I was positive my hair grew an extra inch in that moment.

I dug into
my eggs like the starved woman I was, not even realizing when he sat in front of me with a plate of his own.

He didn’t waste any time and got straight to the questions. “Where’s your brother?”

My fork full of eggs paused, suspended in the air. A fireball of guilt ignited in my stomach. I was in such a luxurious place, eating bacon and eggs, while he was stuck in some children’s home. Swallowing hard, I answered. “They took him.”

Throat clenching, t
ears rushed to my eyes.

“Who?” he asked.

I choked down my feelings. “Child protective services.” I looked up just in time to see his tan face pale.

“Why didn’t you s
ay something sooner?” His chair scraped across the floor as he stood and went to his phone. Picking it up, he dialed a number and left the room.

I sat there confused
, until finally he came back into the kitchen.

“Vick’s on
her way to pick up your brother.” He sat back in his seat and began to eat again, acting as if he hadn’t just turned my world right side up again, leaving me dizzy in the process.

I gawked at him. M
y eyes landed on his lips and I was taken aback by how full they looked. “What?” I asked breathlessly. No way did he fix everything for me with a single phone call.

He looked up from his food. “Your b
rother. Vick is getting him.”

The muscles in his arms flexed as he bent over
his plate. It was then a tattoo was revealed. It wrapped around his arm and moved up, out of sight. While I was never one to find such things attractive, it changed his look. He went from Sebastian, suit-wearing club owner, to Sebastian, tattooed Sex God, with muscles I wanted to touch.

Without a second thought, I stood and walked over to him. Completely against myself, I bent and wrapped my arms around his neck. He stiffened in my arms, and turned to look at me.

We were face to face. Nose to nose. Lips to lips. I could feel his breath against my mouth and the strange desire to kiss him took over.

Pulling away, I cleared m
y throat and looked away. “Thank you,” I said.

“Don’t thank me. Thank Vick,” h
e said, before he dove back into his food with a pinched, angry brow.

I
smiled to myself and sat back at the table.

He stood then and I looked up at him, but he wasn’t paying me any attention.

Going to the sink he rinsed his plate and then turned to leave the room. I felt confused and disappointed all at once.

“I’ll be in my office. When you’re ready, find me there.”

And then, he was gone.

I felt annoyed with him
, and more with myself when I realized this was all a part of his plan. This was a game to him and he was currently winning.

When I was done, I rinsed my plate and went back to the room I’d stayed in the night before.
I would
not
be looking for him like he expected. I couldn’t be in the same room with him without wanting to slap him for being so smug and self-assured. Yet at the same time, I wanted kiss him because every time he looked at me I felt like I was seconds away from going up in flames.

I dressed in the only clothes I had and decided to get out of his apartment before I did something totally against who I was. Something like
, drop my panties for him and beg for his touch. It could happen.

I felt a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders now that I knew Kyle was going to be okay, but at the same time
, I knew I had to figure out my situation.  And I had to figure it out
fast
.

I m
              ade it to the door of the club, and then stopped. It was insane, sure, but what if I took Sebastian’s offer? I had already decided that having sex with him sounded… intriguing. And getting paid to do it? Well, hell. That was kind of a bonus in my current situation.

Sure, he
was a little extreme and, for some odd reason, he refused to learn my name--insisting on calling me Jessica. And despite the fact he wanted me to think Vick was the one who was always fixing everything, I knew he was a good guy.