Hooker(32)

‘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.