Текст книги "Addiction"

Автор книги: Shantel Tessier

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“I know.” I speak when he just stands there looking down at me. “I look hideous,” I whisper only imagining what he must be thinking.

His dark blue eyes lift to meet mine. “No!” He shakes his head. “You look like a woman who I almost lost.” He closes the few spaces between us. “And you look like a woman who is giving a man another chance when he doesn’t deserve it.” His eyes search mine as he runs his hand through my messy hair. “I won’t let you down again, Taylor. I promise you. I would die before I let anything else happen to you.” Then he lowers his lips down to mine giving me a soft kiss on my lips, making tears sting my eyes for another reason.

***

Case stayed in the bathroom and helped me out of his sweatpants. He helped me into the tub, and before I could even ask what he was doing, he started undressing. I scooted forward for him to get in behind me. With a sigh, I laid my back against his muscular chest. I closed my eyes and silently thanked him for getting the suite. I’m not sure all the other rooms came with a tub big enough for the both of us.

His muscles flex against my back as I feel him shift. Moments later, I hear the sound of him pouring something into his hand. I let out a long sigh when I feel his hands on my upper arms rubbing soap on my skin, careful on the bruised areas.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“For what?” His chest vibrates with his deep voice.

“For everything you’ve done for me.” I think back now to the very first time I saw him in Seven Deadly Sins that first night with my brother. Who knew someone who seemed like a monster could be so caring.

“No need to thank me.” He removes his hands, and I hear him putting more soap on his hands. Moments later, he’s rubbing my shoulders. A moan escapes my lips. “I’m sorry what I said about Rachel.”

My eyes spring open, and I look at the black tiled wall in front of me. I wanted to enjoy this bath, but I do want to know more about Rachel.

I shrug as if it doesn’t bother me. But it does and he knows it. “I was dumb to think you really had rules in the first place,” I say honestly. He may have saved my life, but he still lied to me.

“Taylor.” He sighs. “I do have rules. They have just never applied to Rachel.”

“Because she’s special,” I say matter-of-factly. His hands dig deeper into my shoulders as he massages them with the soap. I refuse to moan while we talk about Rachel.

“No,” he says softly. “She’s not special, just different. Brecken and I knew her long before we opened the club.”

I hold my left hand up to stop him. “She told me all that I needed to know.” Just thinking about her sleeping with him has my body breaking out in hives.

“What all did she say?” He moves his hands down to my upper arms, and I feel my body turn to jelly. God, his hands are amazing.

I sigh, and it sounds sexual. I feel his chest move as he chuckles lightly. Think, Taylor. Rachel … “Well, to be honest it was weird. She had guessed that we were sleeping together before our shift even started. And then Blane showed up…”

“Blane was at the club?” he interrupts me in surprise, and I frown as he quits massaging my arms.

I move them in an attempt for him to keep going. Thankfully, he does. “Uh-huh,” I mumble. “Savannah was helping me get dressed for work in my bedroom when the news came on and I freaked out when they showed that Rox guy in handcuffs. I just bolted out of the house after you didn’t answer my call. Well, I guess she told him about it, and he came up to the club to check on me. Rachel ran into us in the hallway and she laid it on thick for him right there, letting him know just how much she wanted him. I told her he was taken and then he introduced himself. She started acting weird.”

“Weird how?” he wonders as he lowers his hands down to my forearms.

“I’m not sure how to describe it.” I lick my lips. “She just looked at him in shock for a few minutes. Then she walked off and went back into the locker room. After I had told Blane bye, I walked in after her. She was hanging up her phone and then she just started blurting out everything about you and Brecken having your way with her.” His hands stop once again, and I sigh not liking that we have to talk about this while we’re naked in the bathtub. “She told me that I can’t be what you want. And then she just left,” I finish.

“It’s not what you think …” he says quickly.

“Do you love her?” I hate that I asked it, but I’d hate myself more if I didn’t. I need to know where she stands. I don’t know why; it’s not as if we have a future together.

“No,” he says as his hands stop. “Why would you ask that?” he asks softly.

I feel my chest tighten. Is he telling the truth? I shouldn’t have asked. “Why wouldn’t you?” I ask seriously. “I mean yeah, she’s a bitch to me, but she’s beautiful,” I whisper. I know nothing about her except she hates me and she obviously has a thing for him.

Without warning, he stands from behind me and steps over me. He turns to face me and plops down in front of me. The water rises over the tub and spills onto the tiled floor. He spreads my legs as he fits himself between them. “Case.” I squeal as he has me straddle him and pulls me close to him.

He places his now wet hands very gently on either side of my face as his dark blue eyes search mine. “She is beautiful.” He agrees with me, and it makes my already sore chest tighten. “But she has nothing on you.”

I smile shyly but roll my eyes. “You don’t have to sweet talk me to get into my pants. You’ve already gotten that far with me.”

“You still think this is about sex?” he questions confused.

“I don’t know what it’s about.” I let out a long breath. “One minute, I was so mad at you I couldn’t see straight. And then the next, I was praying you would come and save me.” I mumble the last part as I lower my eyes to his defined chest and stomach. “You killed a man for me.”

“Taylor.” I look up at him. “I could tell you I’m sorry till I’m blue in the face, but it won’t change what happened to you. But I can promise you that they paid for what they did. I wish I could have killed that one guy slower than just shooting him, but at that very second, all I was thinking about was to get him away from you.” His left thumb softly rubs my cheek. “I don’t know what I’d do if they would have taken you from me.” Taken? Is that what they wanted to do to me?

“How did you know to come after me?” I ask softly.

“I wanted to apologize. The night had just been going bad, and I didn’t want to fight with you anymore. I was coming over to apologize to you when we were closing when you brought up Rachel. I wasn’t mad at you, but at her for even saying anything. When you ran out, my cell phone rang. I answered it, planning to give you a few minutes to calm down. But there was no one there. So I hung up and then went out the back. You were already gone. As I started to walk back inside the door, I heard you scream. I yelled for Brecken, and he came running out the back with me. The one guy heard us and came for us. He had a gun, but we managed to stop him before he got a shot off. Brecken took him to the club while I continued on to find you.” His eyes look deeply into mine. “I thought I had lost you,” he whispers. “Then when I saw you standing there …” He swallows thickly. “When I saw that a man had his hands on you. The way your body shook with fear. It was then I realized what I had to lose.” I take a deep breath. “I knew right then and there I would do whatever it took to keep you.” He lowers his forehead to mine. “I couldn’t breathe,” he says softly. “Watching you stand there, exposed to the world. When you closed your eyes, I thought you were dying. I just remember thinking I had to kill him. I had to save you. I couldn’t fail.” I place my hands on his chest and his heart pounds beneath them.

“I thought I was gonna die,” I admit softly.

“I wouldn’t have let you,” he replies just as softly.

I lift my head where my lips brush his. His hands slide into my hair, and he opens his mouth for me. I slide my tongue between his lips, and I moan when his tongue reaches mine. Opening my mouth wider, he deepens the kiss and it takes my breath away. The memory of last night momentarily gone. The fear I felt washed away. The concern of falling for him and getting my heart broken no longer mattered. Because I’m afraid I’m already there.

CASE

She moans into my mouth and my cock hardens knowing I can make her feel this way. Even after everything she went through last night and the pain her body must still feel, she still wants me. My hands tighten in her hair, and she gasps into my mouth. I can’t help but demand more from her.

I’m sick! This I know. I want her to fall for me. I need her to want me as much as she needs her next breath—that’s how I feel about her. This woman has quickly become my addiction. Forget the drugs. The money. Hell, forget the fucking club that is my livelihood. She is all I need. She makes me want to leave it all behind for a better life. For a better future. She brings me to my knees in the worse possible way. And I can’t help but like it. I can’t help but crave it.

Just remembering her last night with another man's hands on her body while tears ran down her face has me kissing her roughly. Not only reminding her that she belongs to me, but also reminding myself. She’s yours! Her gasps and moans only fuel my body that is already on fire for her.

She pulls away quickly sucking in a few deep breaths. “Sorry.” My voice is rough with need, and she places her hand on my chest as if to keep me back like a dog in heat. She does that to me.

“It’s okay.” She breathes heavily.

I shake my head. “It’s not. You’re still sore.” She was just attacked, you bastard. She still has the white bandage on her neck to prove it. I look down at it, and my chest tightens for her. The memory of me holding my shirt to her neck while I looked down at her limp body takes my breath away. You could have lost her! But you saved her. Only because I had to. I know she would be much better off without me. But I can’t make myself let her go.

I shoot to my feet. “I’ll let you finish,” I announce as I step out of the tub. I grab a thick white towel off the towel rack and quickly wrap it around my hips to hide my hard cock from her. Now is not the time for this. She already thinks that’s all I want for her. A fuck! I wish that were all I wanted from her. I’ve wanted plenty of women that way in the past, and once I had them, I left. So why haven’t I done that with her? Because she makes me feel alive. Plain and simple. She has the power to kill me, but I need to cross that line in order to feel alive. I walk out of the bathroom and close the door behind me to give her privacy.

***

I stand in our bedroom drinking a bottle of scotch from the mini bar and looking out over the lights of the city when I hear the bathroom door open. She’s been in there for over thirty minutes now.

I don’t dare turn and face her. My cock is still hard, and my mind is still in the gutter. I need to give her space. When she said she needed to get away from the club, I was quick to offer to take her anywhere she needed to go. Then after I looked at her and could see how lost she felt, I refused to leave her side. A hotel was the first thing that came to mind. Now, I’m not so sure staying here with her was such a good idea.

I lift the little bottle and drink what’s left. After placing it on the dresser, I turn to face her. She stands by the side of the bed, her hands gripping the towel as she holds it around herself. “I’ll sleep on the couch. Let me know if you need anything.” I watch as her face falls in disappointment that I’m not going to be sleeping in the same bed with her. It’s for the best!

I walk over to the door, and she darts from the bed, standing in front of me, blocking my exit. “I can’t stay in here with you,” I say honestly. Just the fact only a towel separates me from seeing her beautiful body has my hands twitching.

“Why not?” she asks softly.

“Because you need rest.” And you won’t get any if I stay in here. I don’t have that much willpower. Her body is to me like a hit is to an addict. Put it in front of said addict and they will take it. They will beg and bargain with themselves until they convince themselves that one little hit will be the last. Just one more. Then I’ll stop. The only thing I know is I’ll need her more than one more time.

She places her hands on my bare chest, and my heart speeds up as I watch the towel slowly unravel around her chest and fall to her feet. My breathing picks up from the bruises on her side and the bandage on her thigh. But that doesn’t stop my cock from begging to be inside of her. She is still just as beautiful as she was before last night. She’s possibly more beautiful because she survived. Because she is still standing in front of me and willing to give me what we both want. “I need you, Case,” she whispers.

I go to place my hands on her hips but pull them back. “I can’t … I’ll hurt you.” Hurting her is the last thing I want to do, but it’s also inevitable. It’s like the flu; you know you’re going to get it, you just don’t know when. And that’s because I have set her up. I know what our future holds, and it’s nothing good.

Instead of reaching for her this time when I lift my hand, I reach around her for the doorknob. I need out of this room. Her naked body is calling me to me, and I must find a way to deny it.

She leans her back against the door and places her arms over her chest, it pushes her perfect tits up, and I look down at her pink nipples. They harden as I stare at them, and I instinctively lick my lips. God, how I want my mouth wrapped around them. Walk away, Case.

“You could never hurt me,” she whispers as her eyes drop to see my hard cock behind my sweatpants. It leaves nothing to the imagination. And neither does she when she licks her lips.

You have no idea what I can do. I shake my head clearing it. “If I place my hands on you, I will hurt you.” My deep voice vibrates my chest as I speak the truth. I don’t know how to make love. And more importantly, I don’t want to make love. I need to own. Possess.

She sighs heavily as her arms fall to her side. “It’s because of last night, isn’t it? You don’t want me like that.”

The door rattles as I slap my hands on either side of her head. She gasps as I look down at her with narrowed eyes. “Don’t do that, sweetheart.” I breathe heavily as I push my hard cock between her legs. I can feel how hot her pussy is through my sweatpants. “Feel how hard I am for you?” I ask, and she whimpers. “I want you so fucking bad right now that I wouldn’t be able to be slow. I wouldn’t be able to keep myself from burying my cock so far inside of you while I hold you down by your hair.” Her blue eyes look up at me through her long, dark lashes and I can tell by her glazed look that her pussy is already wet just thinking about it. “I would bend you over the bed and fuck that tight little pussy while I fucked your ass with my finger.” A shiver runs through her body, and it takes everything I have not to remove my hands from the door and touch her. I lower my head to whisper in her ear. “You see, sweetheart. I can’t go easy on you because I don’t want to.” I pull away and look down at her lips parted as she breathes heavy and her eyes closed. “And you’re not ready for that.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

 

TAYLOR

I sit up on the hotel bed and look out the two windows that show off the beautiful city. I can see the sun start to rise in the distance. I’ve only been in bed for about two hours and haven’t had the chance to fall asleep yet. My mind is full of Case. He turned me down. Even when I tried to make him feel sorry for me, he called my bluff. What has happened to me? I’m trying to get pity sex.

I fall back onto the purple pillow and sigh as my body sinks into this bed. It feels like a cloud. Amazing! I wish he were in here to share it with me. But in a way, I know he was right. My body isn’t ready for sex with him. And there’s no way we could sleep in this bed together without me trying to jump his bones.

I close my eyes, but they immediately spring open when I hear my cell phone ring. I reach over and cuss when I see Blane light up my screen. Fuck! I didn't come home last night. Of course, he wants to know where in the hell I am. What can I tell him?

“Hello?” I answer trying to sound like he woke me from sleep.

“Taylor!” he growls. “Where in the hell are you?” he demands.

I go to open my mouth when the door to the bedroom swings open. “Who is calling you?” Case demands with thinned lips. I can tell by his heavy eyes that he really was asleep.

“Who was that?” Blane demands. “Are you at a man's house?”

“No!” I squeal sitting up. “I’m over at Jenna’s house, and that was her brother.” I lift my finger to my mouth and start to chew on my nails.

“What the hell are you doing at Jenna’s?” he questions but sighs as if he’s relieved.

“A few of us went over to her house after work. I had a few drinks so I decided to stay here.” Please buy it.

“I see,” he says after a long second. “Are you going to come home tonight?”

I sigh in relief. “No. I’ll probably come back to Jenna’s. I wanna give you and Savannah some time alone.”

He snorts. “Since when?”

“Blane,” I groan tired of him always being so protective. “I’m an adult. I’ll be home when I get home.” I pull the cell away from my ear and press end.

I look up just as Case closes the bedroom door. I fall back down to the bed once again and close my eyes. I’m all of a sudden tired and just want some rest.

***

Do you ever wake up and realize you’ve slept the entire day and night away? I didn’t know I could be that tired. But when I wake, it’s the next day. I slept like a baby, and I can tell by the way that my body feels that I needed it. I stretch and only feel a little tightness in my limbs. I get out of bed and make my way to the bathroom. My bladder feels like it’s about to explode. Once done, I slide Case’s sweatpants back on and slip into his t-shirt. I think he left his suitcase with the other pairs he brought me in the living room.

I open the door to the bedroom and come to a stop as I hear Case in the living room on his phone.

“No!” he growls. “The shipment was supposed to be in tomorrow.” He sounds mad, but he’s trying to keep his voice low. “Well, that’s not good enough!”

I pull myself back in the bedroom and shut the door only allowing me a little peek so I can still hear but run to the bed if I hear him coming this way.

“Well, that will just have to work, won’t it? Fuck!” he hisses. “It’s not all right. We had a plan, and you’re fucking with it.” There’s a long pause, and I hear him sigh. “Yes. But I didn’t really have a choice in the matter, did I? You sure as hell didn’t care what happened to her.” My eyes widen. Is he talking about me? “What I do with her is none of your business. I keep telling you that, but you don’t seem to listen.” I pull back a little back as the sound of his voice nears the hallway. “We’re getting off topic,” he snaps. “As far as tomorrow goes, have Blane go and do the exchange.” My heart speeds up. I forget what Case really is. What he really does.

But he saved your life!

I’m not saying he’s not a good guy; I’m just saying I forget how I met him in the first place. In the middle of a drug deal with my brother.

“Yes. She’s doing better,” I hear him say. “She’s been asleep for almost ten hours now.” I hear him sigh. “We will stay here one more night and then be back tomorrow.” I hear his voice getting louder, so I turn and run to the bed. I jump on it and bring the covers up to my neck just as I hear the door open. I suck in a deep breath as I get an ache in my side from jumping into bed. But I quickly forget about it as I pray I pulled the covers up high enough so he can’t see that I’m dressed. “Yeah!” He sighs heavily. “What about that video? Did Jones get it taken care of for us?” I hold my breath as I wait for an answer. “Perfect! That’s one less thing I have to worry about.” Then the door shuts.

I shove the covers off me and let out a long sigh as I look up at the ceiling. He proved me wrong and kept his promise. Why is it every time I get mad at him about something, he comes along and does something that makes me smile.

I lay in bed another thirty minutes before I choose to get up and walk into the living room. “Hi,” I say softly as he looks up at me from where he sits on the couch.

“Hey.” He places his phone on the couch next to him. “How do you feel?” he asks placing his left arm over the back of the couch.

I sit down next to him. His arms wrap around my shoulders, and he pulls me to his side. “I feel better,” I say, and he leans down to kiss me on the forehead.

“Good,” he says happily. “Are you hungry? We can order room service,” he offers, and I nod.

I sit quietly in the living room as he orders room service and then I sit on the couch flipping through the TV channels as I wait for it to arrive. After Case had ordered room service, he left the room saying he had to make some phone calls. I have a feeling one of them has to do with calling Blane. I hate that I haven’t thought more about what he’s doing. That I haven’t stayed on top of him about doing drugs. I allowed myself to get too caught up with Case that I’ve let everything else fall to the side.

I get up and walk my way back to the bedroom. I pick up my phone and let out a sigh as I pull up his number.

Me: Sorry about this morning. Was just tired. I hope that you have a great day. Love you.

I press send and then place my phone into the pocket of Case’s sweatpants that I’m wearing. As I walk back into the living room, the door to the hotel room opens and in walks Case. I sit down on the couch and let out a long breath. I have a feeling today is gonna be a long day.

“Can I ask you a question?” I ask looking down at my hands in my lap. I hate that I always have to ask him if I can ask him a question.

“What is it?” He sighs as he rubs his forehead.

I expected that. “How deep is Blane in your world? Do you know how often he does drugs?”

He surprises me by coming to stand in front of me. He bends down, and I lift my head to look at him. With both hands, he pushes my long hair from my face. “I’m only going to say one thing about Blane. And what I’m about to tell you, you will not repeat. Okay?”

I nod my head slowly confused by his hard tone. “Okay.”

“Blane works for me, and I will not fill you in on why or what it is I have him do exactly, but I will tell you this. Blane is not using drugs. He’s not getting high every day like you think. Does that help ease your concern?”

The way he says it makes it sound like he’s lying. That it was something he just told me to pacify me. And I hate that it worked. Blane isn’t doing drugs? I wanna smile at that, but it brings up another question. Why is he working for Case if he doesn’t do drugs? I go to open my mouth, but room service takes that moment to knock on the door. I watch as Case gets up and goes to answer the door. He didn’t give me the answer is was looking for, but it’s better than what I’ve been imagining.

CASE

Blue balls is a bitch! They literally feel like they want to explode. I need to fuck! I was locked up in a hotel room with Taylor for three days and didn’t have sex once. How in the fuck did that happen? I honestly have no fucking clue.

It’s not for lack of trying on her part. And I know I sure as hell wanted it. She just wasn’t ready. Normally, if I had been locked up in a hotel with a woman, I would have done nothing but fuck. But like I’ve known since the first moment I met her, she’s not like other women.

I wish that thought would make these blue balls go away. It fucking hurts to walk. I almost took care of it myself in the shower this afternoon before we checked out. But I heard her walk in and wash her face before brushing her teeth. So that option was quickly squashed. I almost shoved open the shower door, grabbed her by the arms, and pulled her into the shower. I wanted to push her to her knees while I fucked her mouth, but I’m not sure she’s ready for that. So I’ve endured it. The things we do for women.

I pull up in the back parking lot of Seven Deadly Sins. I get out of my car and walk around to help her out. She still wears a pair of my sweatpants and my t-shirt, and I’m afraid I’ll never get her scent out of them.

“Still feel okay?” I ask worrying about her.

“Yes.” She gives a small chuckle. “I feel much better,” she says placing her arm in the crook of mine as we walk toward the back entrance. I have to say she does look much better. I removed the bandage from her neck today and replaced it. The bruise on her face has lightened, and she swears she can cover it up with makeup.

I open the back door and hold it open for her to enter. “I don’t think you should work tonight.”

She comes to a stop and turns to face me. “Case …”

“I know you’re better, but I don’t like the idea of you working tonight. Just take one more night off?” She places her hands on her hips, and I beg. “Please?” A smile tugs at her lips. I take a step toward her and wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her to me. I lower my lips to her ear. “If you feel as good as you say … I thought that you could stay the night with me tonight?” I offer. “Wait for me to get off …”

“Okay.” She answers immediately, and I pull back from her as I laugh.

“Case …” We both look up as we hear my name called. Rachel rounds the corner. “Where have you been …?” Her voice trails off as she spots Taylor by my side. I can feel her shoulders stiffen under my arm. “Oh,” she says. “I see.”

I lean down and whisper into Taylor’s ear. “Go wait for me up in my apartment.” She looks up at me wanting to argue, but I remove my arm from around her shoulder.

“Okay, babe,” she finally says, and I watch Rachel’s eyes narrow on her. She watches as Taylor walks down the hallway and out of our sight. As soon as she is gone, Rachel turns to face me. “What the fuck, Case?” she snaps. “I thought you said you weren’t going to fuck her?”

I arch an eyebrow. “I thought you said I hadn’t.”

“I …”

“I know you already knew I was sleeping with her.”

She places her hands on her hips. “So she went and told on me?” she huffs.

“No,” I say simply, and her lips thin as she stares at me with hatred in her dark brown eyes. “But I’m only gonna tell you this once.” I take the steps to close the distance that separates us. And I lean down into her face. “Say one more thing about our past to Taylor, and you’re gone.”

She gasps. “You would kick me to the curb for you to play with a shiny new toy?” she demands.

I nod. “I already have,” I say simply and then walk away from her.

Three hours later, I stand in my office as I look down at the club. “So this is what you do all night?”

I turn around to see Taylor walk into my office. “Hey, sweetie,” I say as she walks toward me. I love that she still wears my clothes. I could have her go home and get some of her own, but I don’t want her to leave the club without me. “Pretty much,” I say wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “What are you doing down here?”

She sighs. “I’m bored up there. I’ve showered and watched TV. I even ate some food. I’m ready for you to come to bed. How much longer will you be?” I smile brightly down at her. I love the fact she wants to spend more time with me because I feel the same way about her. I can’t get enough.

“About another hour,” I say. “Maybe a little longer …”

“Fight!” I pull away from her as I reach for the radio on my desk when I hear Brecken’s voice on the other end of it.

“On my way!” I yell into it. “Go back up to my apartment,” I order her before I storm out of my office, not even bothering to look back at her.

I run down the stairs and onto the floor. I don’t need to ask where it is because I can see the commotion from here. It’s over in the far corner, and right in the middle of it, I can see bright red hair. Fuck! I shove people out of the way and as I come close, I can see Brecken and Miller pulling guys apart. Rachel now lies on the floor, blood dripping from her nose. I reach down and grab her hand, pulling her to stand roughly.

Once she’s up, I get a better grip on her hand and start to pull her to the back. She protests as I pull her out the back door into the alleyway. Brecken and Miller exit right behind us. Miller throws his guy down to the ground while Brecken shoves his guy up against the wall, his forearm pressed to the guy’s throat.

“What the fuck happened?” I demand looking at Rachel. She looks terrified. Her big dark brown eyes look back and forth between the two men. “Rachel?” I demand, stepping in front of her. Her eyes finally settle on me, and she shakes her head as if she doesn’t know.

I spin around to face the men. “The first one to tell me what happens won’t go home with broken bones,” I announce, placing my arms across my chest.

The one who Brecken holds by his neck starts to talk, but it’s nothing but mumble. Brecken takes a step back, and he sucks in breath after breath as he reaches up to rub his neck. “You better fucking talk!” Brecken orders him.

“The hooker …” He coughs.

Brecken and I immediately turn to face Rachel. The look in her eyes says it all. The fear she has as she takes a step back from us. Her eyes dart back and forth between the two men, and she goes to open her mouth. But I reach out and grab her upper arm. Without another word, I yank the back door open with the other and drag her inside. I pull her behind me through the busy club as the music pounds and the lights flash. The drunks sway on their feet and some I push too hard, causing them to fall over. As we approach the stairs, she tries to pull free, but I just dig my fingers into her more.

Opening my office door, I feel a moment of happiness when I see that Taylor did as I asked and left my office. I slam the door and let her go.

“What in the fuck are you doing, Rachel?” I demand as I whirl on her. Tears run down her cheeks, and for the first time in my life, I don’t feel sorry for some overemotional bitch. “Hooking? Since when did you start getting paid to be a slut?” I shout.