The tension prickled at my skin as the men in the room held their breath. Without asking, the man eased up on her, more interested in seeing where this would lead than expressing his dominance.
I frowned slightly, a little slow on the uptake. “We had it all planned out. Practiced it just to show you. But I guess if you’ve already started, we don’t have to do it.” I straightened and tugged at my dress, all businesslike. “We can just get it over with, if you want.”
Before my words were even out, the girl was released and practically thrown at me. They wanted to see it, they assured me. Please, they asked so nicely. Yes, absolutely, whatever you wish. I’m at your command, but give us a moment, just a moment. The men obediently trooped out to the sitting area, almost tripping over each other to nab a good seat for the nonexistent show.
The girl yanked her shirt on, still shaking. “Who the hell are you?”
My eyebrows rose. “Your fairy godmother. Who do you think?”
“I think you’re just a dirty prostitute. Like the other girl out there.”
Her voice caught, but the unspoken words hovered in the air. Like me.
I softened my tone. “Look, hon. It won’t be that bad. I’ll take the rough ones for myself, and—”
“Fuck you. I’m not doing that.” Her words were angry, but fear radiated from her.
This night was going from bad to worse. A sigh escaped me. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Go to hell!”
I took in her wide eyes, her flared nostrils. She looked like a pixie—a pissed-off, belligerent, terrified pixie. Selling her body for possibly the first time was a big drop, but she couldn’t get off the ride at the top of the hill.
“You’ve at least had sex before, right?” I asked.
“Of course I have!” she squeaked.
Ah shit. There was definite glistening happening in her ocular area. And that annoying snuffling sound. Apparently it was contagious, because now my insides had gone all quivery as well. This was exactly why I didn’t do people, why I didn’t do touching, at least not without the cold accompaniment of currency.
I forced down my emotions, pushed back my own revulsion and anger and fear, and patted her shoulder, proud of myself for managing it. There.
She swung around, and before I could blink, her fist connected with my face. Surprise and pain forced me back, and I fell against the wall.
Goddamn, that skinny little body packed a punch.
By the time my vision had cleared, she was gone, with only her footsteps giving away her run down the hall. I grabbed my purse from the table where I’d dropped it and ran after her the best I could in my heels and slinky dress.
The men in the sitting room hadn’t noticed her passing by, but they sure saw me.
“Hey,” the handsome one called. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Change of plans,” I called out, but he’d already caught me by the elbow. I winced, unable to smother the reaction when the right side of my face ached, but he didn’t hit me. Instead, he towed me back to the group like a recalcitrant child, and I stammered just like one. “It’s…her. She has a little problem.”
The silver-ringed eyebrow of the other guy lifted. “What kind of problem?”
Think, damn it. I could have come up with some sort of “show” on the fly, maybe a little girl-on-girl action with Jenny. This wouldn’t have been a problem. But if I was the fairy godmother, then my Cinderella had just fled the ball. The only thing she would get up to with a torn, skimpy outfit and a bad attitude was trouble.
From the lap of a man old enough to be her father, Jenny stared at me uncomprehendingly. Her pose was relaxed, her eyes glassy. Flying high, probably.
“Drugs,” I said. “The girl, um…Ella—she’s having a bad reaction.”
A round of curses filled the air.
“We don’t have any drugs,” said Prince Charming, sounding disappointed.
“Right, well. Perk of the job, I guess.” I waved my hand, ergo… “But the last thing we need is her passing out in the hotel, cops asking questions. Then the reporters… They’re like vultures over sex stories. But hey, I can round her up. Take care of it for you. Fair enough?”
They agreed and thanked me profusely. By the time I was unceremoniously shoved out the door, they had already cranked the music back up. Briefly I felt regret for leaving Jenny behind. But I couldn’t save all of us. In fact, odds were high I couldn’t save any of us.
I leaned against the wall. What the hell had I done? There hadn’t been any ambiguity or wiggle room in Henri’s instructions. Work the party so I didn’t end up facedown in an alley. I had done this before, so how had this gone wrong so quickly?