by Stone, Anna
Tangled Vows
Anna Stone
© 2020 Anna Stone
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be replicated, reproduced, or redistributed in any form without the prior written consent of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover by Kasmit Covers
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Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Epilogue
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Chapter 1
R uby entered the hotel bar. It was past 2 a.m., but as usual, the room was buzzing. The excitement never stopped on the Vegas strip.
She took a seat at a table midway between the bar and the entrance, the perfect spot for people-watching.
And the perfect spot for people to see Ruby.
A waitress came by to take her order. As Ruby waited for her drink to arrive, she crossed her legs and leaned back, surveying the room. The hotel was one of the most exclusive venues on the strip, not to mention one of the most expensive. The guests were of the highest caliber, all wealthy, upper-class, with discerning tastes.
It was the ideal place for Ruby to find clients. And she needed clients. She’d been out of the escort game for far too long, having given it up after entering a long-term arrangement with a client. When the arrangement had ended, Ruby had taken up a job as a waitress, but she’d quit after a few weeks so she could return to escorting.
However, getting back on the horse was proving difficult. Although she’d had plenty of interest, Ruby was struggling to find anyone she wanted to take on as a client. It should have been easy. In the past, she’d been able to pick and choose her clients as she pleased. Ruby wasn’t just any escort. Only the wealthiest could afford even a minute of her time. It was how she’d been able to make a living without needing to hustle. At least, until now.
Ruby needed to start making money soon. She was behind on rent. Her credit cards were maxed out. She was broke.
The waitress returned with her drink. Ruby sipped it slowly as she watched the crowd. What had changed? Was she losing her touch? She’d always been good at her job. She knew exactly what her clients wanted. They wanted the experience of having a young, beautiful woman at their beck and call for everything from dinner to far more intimate activities. They wanted a whole experience, and Ruby delivered just that.
And she knew how to attract the right kind of clientele. Her dress and shoes were designer, the jewelry she wore expensive but understated. She’d scrimped and saved for her outfits or had received them from former clients as gifts, all so she’d look the part. Her dark blonde hair was styled to perfection, and she’d learned to carry herself with sophistication and class, all to mark her as an escort of a special kind.
It was all an illusion, of course. Even before she’d taken a break from escorting, Ruby’s life had been far from glamorous. She spent most of her time lounging around her crappy one-bedroom apartment in sweats. The effortless confidence and charm she projected for her clients? Also an illusion. She was a mess of anxieties and unpaid bills.
Ruby sighed. Why was she finding this so difficult? Could it be that the problem was Ruby herself? Could it be that her heart just wasn’t in it anymore? It would be understandable, considering everything that had happened with her last client. Over time, that person had become far more than just a client.
And then he’d shattered her, along with her life.
Since then, Ruby had been trying her hardest to pick up the pieces, to rebuild her life, herself, again. But after being powerless for so long, she didn’t even know where to start.
Ruby sat up straighter. She wasn’t going to let that get to her. She was going to get back into the game.
She stirred her drink, a martini, continuing to scan the room. As she did, she noticed a woman walk through the door.
Ruby watched the woman surreptitiously. She had long brown hair, one shade away from black, and dark, bewitching eyes. Her elegant black off the shoulder dress was form-fitting, but in a tasteful way. She was on the shorter side, but her confident bearing, the purposeful way she walked, made her presence feel far more imposing. Several heads turned as she walked past, but the woman paid them no mind. She simply sat down at the bar and ordered a drink.
Ruby took another sip of her martini. If she’d learned one thing, it was that the kind of women who employed her services—rich, powerful, confident in their sexuality—had extremely specific desires. Some of them were exactly the same in bed as they were in all other parts of their lives, commanding and in control. Others were the complete opposite, seeking refuge in Ruby from their demanding lives, wanting to let go and hand Ruby the reins.
She knew which type she preferred. Which kind of woman was this dark-haired goddess?
Ruby was getting ahead of herself. Was this woman even interested in women? Was she looking for company?
Ruby studied her, searching for answers. The bartender set the woman’s order in front of her, a bottle of top-shelf scotch and a single glass. That was a good sign. For starters, it meant that the woman was wealthy enough to afford Ruby’s time. More importantly, it suggested she wanted to drink her troubles away. In Ruby’s experience, people in that situation wanted company just as much as they wanted to drink.
Providing company was the main part of Ruby’s job. Her more intimate services? Anyone could provide that. But the company of a beautiful, glamorous woman who would listen to their every word was something much harder to come by. It wasn’t unusual for her clients to bare their hearts to her, their deepest desires and darkest secrets exposed between the sheets.
What secrets was this woman hiding? What desires did she harbor?
Suddenly, the woman looked in Ruby’s direction. Her gaze fell upon Ruby, sweeping over her body before returning to her eyes. Ruby’s pulse quickened. The woman’s stare wasn’t greedy or lustful, like the leers so many of Ruby’s potential clients gave her. The look in the woman’s eyes spoke of desire that was more than physical. It was as if she were trying to see deeper into Ruby .
One thing was certain. The woman wanted her in a way that Ruby didn’t quite understand.
Ruby held the woman’s gaze, ignoring her racing heart. She’d played this game enough times to know what would happen next. In just a few moments, the woman would come over and speak to her.
But instead, the woman turned back to stare at her drink.
Ruby recrossed her legs and let her eyes wander around the room. So the woman needed a little convincing. That wouldn’t be too hard. Ruby would wait until the woman glanced in her direction again, and then she’d give the woman a flirtatious, inviting smile. Then the woman would walk right ov
er to Ruby and snap her up, thinking it was her idea all along. That was how it worked.
But as the minutes passed, the woman didn’t look Ruby’s way again. Nor did she do anything else. She simply continued to stare at her drink.
Ruby frowned. Perhaps the woman needed a little encouragement. Ruby liked to let clients approach her, but this was a special case. Ruby needed a client, and this woman intrigued her. The woman was interested in her too, but it was clear that she wasn’t going to make the first move. Ruby would have to do so herself.
So why did the thought of approaching the woman make her chest flutter? It was dangerous, the effect the woman was having on Ruby. When it came to her job, letting feelings get involved made it all too easy for her to get hurt. She’d learned her lesson from her last client. Ruby needed to keep her head .
She steeled herself. The woman was just another potential client.
Ruby picked up her drink and headed to the bar.
Yvonne stared at the bottle of scotch before her. She’d come to the bar after making an exit from her friend’s bachelorette party. She’d originally planned to turn in for the night, but she’d found herself with too much on her mind. Drinking her troubles away instead wasn’t the smartest idea, especially considering how much she’d already drunk over the weekend. She was usually far more responsible.
But tonight, she had a good reason to drink.
Yvonne picked up the bottle and poured a few fingers of scotch into her glass. She stared down at it as she swirled it around. Millions of dollars. Her inheritance.
And it was about to slip through her fingers.
“That’s a lot of scotch for one person.”
Yvonne turned toward the voice. Standing beside her was a tall, slender woman with long, blonde hair, dark as old gold. She wore a stylish red dress and black pumps. Her eyes were a pale blue and her lips were the same inviting shade of crimson as her dress. Yvonne had noticed the woman earlier. It was impossible not to notice someone like her.
But Yvonne wasn’t interested in company right now. Without acknowledging the woman, she turned back to her drink and took a long sip.
The woman sat down in the chair next to Yvonne, a martini glass in her hand. “Don’t worry, I have a drink of my own. I just thought you could use some company. I’m Ruby, by the way.”
Yvonne put down her glass and looked at Ruby again. Ruby smiled. Her red lips were so alluring, her teasing eyes seeming to beg for Yvonne’s attention.
Yvonne held back a sigh. Clearly, she had too much on her mind, because it had taken her far too long to realize what was going on.
“I don’t do escorts,” she said.
“What makes you think I’m an escort?” Ruby asked.
“It isn’t often that women approach me at bars. Or at all.” Yvonne was well aware that she gave off an intimidating air. It was an advantage. It kept people away. Most people.
Ruby flicked her long hair over her shoulders. “Maybe I’m the only one who’s game enough.”
“Actually, I prefer it that way.”
“Oh? So you’re the type who likes to do the chasing? I prefer that in a woman too.” Ruby peered at Yvonne from under hooded eyes. “You’re exactly my type.”
Yvonne gave Ruby a hard stare. “You say that, yet you came over here, dangling yourself before me like bait. I can see right through this act of yours.”
Ruby’s cheeks turned scarlet, and she lowered her gaze. It seemed she wasn’t used to being called out on her games. Yvonne felt a pang of satisfaction.
But Ruby quickly regained her composure. “What act? I got tired of waiting for you to come to me, that’s all.” She looked back up at Yvonne, her honeyed voice dropping low. “And now that I’m here, I’m all yours.”
Desire flickered along Yvonne’s skin. That coy manner of Ruby’s might be an act, but she couldn’t fake the way her skin had reddened when Yvonne had given her that stern look…
No. Ruby was an escort. It was her job to be whoever her client wanted her to be. And although Yvonne had a weakness for women who liked to please her, she had no interest in a woman who wanted to please her for money. Yvonne wanted a woman whose need to serve ran far deeper. She doubted that Ruby genuinely harbored such desires.
“You’re wasting your time,” Yvonne said. “I don’t do escorts.”
“Well,” Ruby said. “It’s been a quiet night for me. And it’s getting late, so I’m not going to find any clients tonight. I’m going to call it a night right after I finish this drink. So how about we chat until then?”
Yvonne raised an eyebrow. So Ruby was dropping the pretense of not being an escort? It was obviously just a change in tactics, another attempt to make Yvonne drop her guard. But Yvonne wasn’t going to fall for Ruby’s tricks. She didn’t like being toyed with.
But she did enjoy making Ruby squirm.
“All right,” Yvonne said. “Let’s chat.”
Ruby draped an arm on the bar next to her. “So, what brings you to Vegas?”
“A friend of mine is getting married. We’re here for the bachelorette weekend.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“Perhaps if you’re easily entertained.” Vegas wasn’t Yvonne’s idea of a good time, but Yvonne was maid of honor, so she’d had no choice but to come along. Between that, and the constant reminders of all things marriage, she’d been in a bad mood the entire weekend .
It must have shown on Yvonne’s face. “You seem preoccupied,” Ruby said. “Something on your mind?”
Yvonne scoffed. “What’s on my mind is above your pay grade.”
“You’d be surprised. People talk to me about their problems a lot. It comes with the territory.”
“You’re admitting you’re an escort?”
“Maybe I’m a therapist.” Ruby stirred her drink with the toothpick, swirling the olives around in it. “So what is it? Is it about a woman?”
“What makes you think I’m into women?”
Ruby shrugged. “It’s just a feeling. So you are into women?”
Yvonne fixed her eyes on Ruby’s. “Are you?”
There it was again, that faint flush that rose up Ruby’s cheeks at Yvonne’s words. Yvonne held back a smile. She had Ruby wrapped around her finger.
But Ruby’s confident facade quickly returned. “I wouldn’t be over here if I wasn’t. So, what’s this problem of yours?”
Yvonne folded her arms across her chest, scrutinizing Ruby. Was it reckless telling a stranger, an escort she met at a bar, about her inheritance? Probably. However, she doubted that this woman was capable of scamming her. Yvonne wasn’t easily manipulated. She was one of the most successful businesswomen in the country, with a reputation for being ruthless and unyielding. Despite Ruby’s attempts to seduce her, it was clear that Yvonne had the upper hand.
“All right,” she said. “Here’s the short version. When my father died, he left me an inheritance. But it came with conditions. In order to gain access to it, I need to get married within ten years of his death.”
Yvonne’s father had never liked that she was a lesbian. He hadn’t liked a lot about his daughter, but that was one major sticking point. He’d obviously hoped that the terms of the inheritance would sway her into a relationship with a man, but he hadn’t specified the gender of who Yvonne needed to marry. Her father had been so old-fashioned that the possibility of same-sex marriage being legalized had never occurred to him.
But that had been no help to Yvonne. She wasn’t the relationship, let alone the marrying, type.
“It’s been almost ten years since my father died,” Yvonne said. “And here I am, unmarried, which means all that money is going to go to my half-brother instead.” It was bad enough that Nicholas had already inherited most of Yvonne’s father’s fortune. Now, he was going to get the rest of it.
“Huh.” Ruby took the toothpick from her drink and slid it into her mouth, sucking the olives from it. “So there’s really no way around the whole marriage thing? N
o loopholes?”
“If there was, I would have found it.” Yvonne picked up her scotch and swallowed a mouthful. “I’ve already accepted it. The money is as good as gone.” She’d resigned herself to that fact already, although she wasn’t happy about it.
Silence fell between them. Yvonne wasn’t surprised that Ruby had nothing to say about her problem. However, Yvonne had to admit, she was intrigued by the woman, though she had no intention of employing Ruby’s services. She didn’t sleep with escorts .
But there was no harm in enjoying Ruby’s company for a little while longer.
Ruby took one last sip of her cocktail, emptying her glass. “Well, that’s my drink done.” She stood up. “It was good talking to you.”
She glanced at Yvonne, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. When Yvonne said nothing, she turned and began walking away.
“Stop,” Yvonne commanded.
Ruby halted, turning back to Yvonne.
Yvonne beckoned her with a finger. “Do you drink scotch?”
Ruby nodded.
“You were right. This is too much scotch for one person. Why don’t you help me with it?”
Ruby’s lips parted slightly. She gave Yvonne a tantalizing smile. “Like I said, I’m all yours.”
For a split second, Yvonne wondered if this was a bad idea. Getting drunk with an escort in Vegas? That was irresponsible.
She pushed the thought aside and caught the eye of the bartender. He came over to them.
“We need another glass,” Yvonne said.
Chapter 2
R uby awoke with a blistering headache. It was like someone had taken a jackhammer to her skull. As she rolled over, a wave of nausea hit her.
She groaned. She hadn’t had a hangover this bad since she was nineteen.
Ruby lay there with her eyes closed, waiting for the world to stop spinning. She definitely wasn’t in her own bed. The sheets enveloping her were too soft, the mattress too springy. Whose bed was she in? A client’s? She could barely remember a thing.
