Little Black Book(15)

I stopped for 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 front 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 my 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 kind 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 the 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.

Vick 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.