Hooker(65)

Drawing her towards me, I wrap her in my arms. ‘Talk to me, sweetheart,’ I plead. She doesn’t answer for the longest time and it does nothing to calm my racing heart. Saying I’m confused would be an understatement.

‘I just met your fiancée,’ she finally whispers into my chest.

I almost want to laugh because the notion of me having a fiancée is quite comical. Why would she even think that?

Drawing back, my eyes search her face and I can tell she honestly believes I’m engaged.

‘You’re joking right? I don’t have a fiancée.’ My response doesn’t sound very convincing, but it’s true.

Her brow furrows before she places her hands on my chest, pushing away from me. ‘Deny it all you want, Brock, but she told me you were engaged.’

‘Who told you?’ I ask, pinching the bridge of my nose. This conversation is giving me a fucking headache.

‘Your fiancée,’ she says, ducking under my arm to head back to the street.

Here we go again. I should just let her go, but I can’t. I don’t want to lose her over a stupid misunderstanding. I don’t want to lose her period.

Who would say such a thing? My mind is swimming in a haze. Then realisation hits. Fucking Clarissa. She must’ve confronted Jade in the ladies’ room.

‘Fuck, Jade, stop walking away from me,’ I snap as I go after her again. ‘Do I even get a chance to explain?’

‘I think I’ve heard enough for one night,’ she replies glancing at me over her shoulder and narrowing her eyes. She’s so fucking sexy when she’s angry. I see her raise her hand to flag down the taxi as it pulls up to the kerb. If she thinks I’m letting her go, she’s delusional.

The moment she opens the door, I reach over her shoulder and push it closed. We have a silent standoff, before the driver interrupts us. ‘Do you wanna ride, or not?’ he asks impatiently, winding down his window. We answer in unison.

‘Yes.’

‘No.’ Of course my reply was the ‘no’.

Ignoring me, she tries to open the back door of the cab—again I close it.

‘For fuck’s sake, Brock,’ she snaps, and I smile. I think that’s the first time I’ve heard her use a profanity. I shouldn’t be turned on by her attitude, but I am.

‘I don’t have all night, lady, are you in or out?’

Reaching into my pocket, I remove a fifty dollar bill and pass it to the driver. The satisfying look on Jade’s face tells me she’s relieved I’m letting her leave.

‘She’s out,’ I say, before bending my knees slightly and wrapping my arms around her legs.

‘Let me go, you pig!’ she screams as I haul her over my shoulder.

I laugh. ‘Can’t do that, sweetheart,’ I reply smugly, walking towards the valet.

‘I’d like to collect my car myself,’ I tell him as Jade thrashes around on my shoulder. The valet gives me a quizzical look, but doesn’t argue. My company uses this luxury hotel often for functions, so they know me. ‘She’s had too much to drink,’ I say, trying hard to suppress my smile when she slaps my back.

‘Sure, sir. Let me get you the key to your vehicle.’

‘Let me down, Brock,’ Jade pleads when the valet walks away.

‘Nope.’

The valet approaches again, handing me the keys to my Lamborghini. ‘Take that door over there,’ he says, pointing. ‘Your vehicle is on the first floor, in the second row.’

‘Thank you.’

‘You can’t take me against my will,’ Jade cries as I climb the flight of stairs. ‘This is kidnapping.’ When I chuckle, she pinches my arse.

‘You didn’t exactly give me a choice,’ I say. ‘You forced me into taking drastic measure when you refused to hear me out.’

‘I’ve heard enough lies from you, I don’t need to hear anymore.’

Her comment gets under my skin. I pride myself on my honesty. And I’ve never lied to her.

When I reach the car, I slide her down my body, pinning her against the side of the vehicle. ‘Listen here, I’ve never lied to you.’

‘Really? You just forget to mention that, while I’ve been living at your house and sleeping in your bed, you’re engaged to someone else? You snake.’

I chuckle when she calls me a snake, I can’t help it. I’ve been called a lot worse in my time, but I find what she said, and the way she said it, amusing. Especially coming from her sweet mouth.

‘You think playing with someone’s emotions is funny?’ she says, pushing on my chest. ‘I thought you were different.’