The Escape

by Alice Ward

  She remained calm, though there was a time when she would have gone head-to-head with me. As teens, we’d fist fought once.

  She cleared her throat. “He’s offered two million dollars.”

  Why was she so invested in this? Why did she care if this place made bank tonight? Was making money more important to her than her oldest friend?

  “I’m leaving,” I said before pressing the end button and handing it back to Anne, not making eye contact with the other hostesses, most sitting with their mouths ajar.

  “See y’all tomorrow.” I waved as I opened the door and walked out of the room, not taking a breath until I was halfway down the hall.

  I should have expected Brandy to pressure me. What was she supposed to tell the horny bastard? Sorry. No, Adara is off limits, even though you own the place?

  My lip curled up as I scrunched my nose, bearing my teeth in the process. Of course that’s what she should’ve told him. Obviously, he wasn’t used to being denied.

  As I headed out, Brandy intercepted me.

  I was ready for her. “I’m leaving right now, I just need to go to my apartment and pack. You and Jack owe me eight grand.” I pushed my way past her, trying not to show any emotion. Where would I go if I left Jewel?

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

  I sighed and stopped with my hand on the door. I needed to get the hell out of here. “Right. You’re only sorry I said no.”

  “I know how you’re feeling, Adara. I understand,” she said as she trailed behind me, coming to a halt at the exit.

  “Do you?” I turned to her, fuming, my face hot. “Maybe you do, but here is the bottom-line, since it seems that you need it spelled out for you. The minute I fuck someone for money, I’m a whore!” It came out louder than I meant it to.

  Brandy’s face flashed shock and horror. “Keep your voice down, for god’s sake. And don’t use that word ever again.”

  I realized I should calm down a little — not for Brandy’s sake, as she was being a complete tool — but for the rest of the girls. I shouldn’t let my anger effect the Jewels. That would be wrong. Some of them couldn’t help that they’d been driven to this.

  I took a deep breath and spoke in a more civilized manner. “Once a whore… always a whore. You can never go back. I’m not a whore, Brandy, and I never will be.” I stared directly into her eyes as we stood in the hall, and my apartment sanctuary seemed a world away.

  She narrowed her eyes, her face growing tight with barely concealed rage. “I told you not to use that word.”

  I narrowed my eyes right back. I was so keyed up, I wanted to rage. “But that’s the word that fits. You don’t say it because then this whole glass house would shatter. Jewels… that’s a laugh. You don’t consider these women precious. The only thing dear to you is the client’s money. I should have seen it before now, but I thought we were still friends. Like sisters.”

  “I’m sorry you see it that way. I was hoping you’d understand, it’s such a small sacrifice for such a large payoff.” Her eyes were glazed over, bloodshot, and her avoidance of my reference to us being sisters cut deep.

  “Not to me.”

  “I’ll explain things to him, maybe he’ll lose interest,” she said in a flat monotone. “Go home and get some sleep. But you’ll probably never get a chance to make six hundred thousand dollars for a night’s work again, just remember that.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest, pissed that my hands were trembling. “There was a time I could write a song and end up with the whole two fucking million. Don’t play with my head, Brandy. You won’t win that game.”

  She cocked her head and her eyes ran over my mask and dropped to my leg. “You might write another song, but you’ll never bring in that kind of money again.”

  I didn’t hear if she said more as I turned and walked to the nearby double doors, blinded by tears. I hoped the wide hallway would somehow lead me to where I needed to be.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Roman

  Jesus, what was that man doing? Proposing marriage?

  It was almost three-thirty in the morning and Duk still hadn’t “completed his evening.” I couldn’t bear to sit in my private lounge any longer, so I went outside for air.

  While the rest of the world slept, things at Jewel were still in full swing. I could’ve numbed my brain with mindless TV and chose to be woken by my hostess, but I was still too keyed up to sit still.

  When I inquired about my client, our hostess confirmed that he was still with his date. This was one of the times when I wished I smoked, so at least I would have something to do while I was outside doing nothing.

  I stood in the cold air for a while, watching the stars that seemed so much more plentiful up on the mountain, and listened to the faint feral sounds of fucking in the distance. Someone must have had an outdoors fantasy.

  Boredom and disgust eventually forced me back toward the club.

  As I turned for the door, it was flung open, crashing against the wall. And there she was, the Butterfly, exploding from the opening. Even without the mask and slight limp, I would recognize her anywhere. My heart leaped in my chest, and my mouth went dry as pure joy vibrated like a gong in my head.

  As she walked toward me, her head down, Jack Marshall, one of the richest internet entrepreneurs in the world and my most vigorous competitor, followed and grabbed her arm. He was clearly drunk. And clearly angry.

  “Why dunna you ‘cept my offer?” His words slurred into one another. “Isn’t it generous enough for you, you lil’ bitch? I’m tired of waiting”

  “Please excuse me, Mr. Marshall.” Even under those circumstances, she used the same calm and measured tone she’d used with me. “And remove your hand.”

  I started to intervene, but a large security guard dressed in fine menswear and trench coat stepped out of the dark and onto the sidewalk. Surely this man would do his job and make this creep leave her alone.

  When he didn’t make a move to address the situation, I held back. Watching. Waiting. I knew the Butterfly had a great deal of pride and would want to handle this on her own. But I’d be ready if she couldn’t.

  “Not until you’ve fulfilled your obligation to me!” he shouted, belligerent in his anger.

  Her body tensed as her lips pursed into a thin line.

  “I have no obligation to you, sir.” She made an effort to pull her arm out of his grip, but his hand clenched tighter, his hulking body no match for her frail form.

  “I own this club, and so I own you. You’re very lucky I even made an offer for you. I can take what I want, when I want it.”

  Why was the guard just standing there?

  Her eyes narrowed, and her breathing became labored, her voice flat. “That would be considered rape, Mr. Marshall. You only own part of this establishment, sir, and I’m absolutely positive I wasn’t included with your purchase.”

  He wasn’t deterred. “I’m tired of waiting for you, and no other woman in this club is worthy of my attention.”

  She lifted her chin. “Please remove your arm so that I may return to my apartment.”

  Instead, he moved forward, towering at least a head taller and more than twice her size. Before I could blink, his fat hands groped her breasts and he angled her toward the door. Trying to twist away from the bastard, she tripped and fell against the door as it slammed shut, and he pressed his massive body against hers. Monstrous hands then ripped open her cape and pawed at her shirt.

  “I’ll fucking teach you not to refuse me,” he spat as there was a tearing sound, buttons flying as he ripped the gauzy black blouse she’d worn when she was with me.

  The tiny fissures in Jewels facade widened to earthquake proportions. Billed as an elegant men’s club where women were willing participants well-trained in the art of pleasure, it suddenly seemed more likely to me that they were being held captive, financially manipulated, and mentally coerced.

  I was already on the move. Someone had to stop the bastard fr
om molesting her. Fuck. The man needed to be taken down a notch anyway.

  “Good evening, Jack,” I said loud enough to startle him, my hand slamming down on his shoulder.

  I’d startled her as well. They both looked at me, shock freezing them momentarily.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Jack asked indignantly, his eyes crossing as he tried to focus on my face.

  I shook my head in disbelief before it dawned on me I would need to put on a show of my own. The hulking guard who still did nothing but gape at the scene would be one of many, and if I wanted to help her I’d need to play a careful game.

  My heart was erratic and beat so crazy it was a wonder all of them couldn’t hear it. Just being near her had my stomach in knots and her vulnerability to Jack had me grasping for calm. I was a tiny bit embarrassed that she was moments ago the star of the sexual fantasy that had me coming so hard I nearly passed out. But a protectiveness fueled me, making me willing to risk whatever was necessary to defend my Butterfly.

  My Butterfly?

  I took a quick step toward them, my grip on his shoulder clamping down harder. “Oh, come on, Jack, pretending you don’t know me won’t make this any better for you.”

  “Roman Wellington? The crave.com guy?” A glint of recognition lit his eyes. “Can’t get it on your own, so you have to pay for it, eh?” The asshole laughed, but loosened his grip on her arm.

  “I’m waiting on a client, I never purchase. Can’t say the same for you though.” Strange he’d taken that approach. I studied him closer. He really was drunk as hell.

  “I own this place.” He puffed up his immense chest and said with a straight face, “I can sample what I want for quality.”

  The lies men with money tell and actually believe. It still amazed me.

  “That’s strange. I was coming in from a bit of fresh air and I couldn’t help notice you threatening to rape this woman. That’s illegal, no matter who you think you are.” I straightened my spine and clenched my teeth, though what I wanted to do was throw a right hook into his beady eyes.

  My glare pierced through his drunken fog, and I watched pearls of sweat bead at his temple.

  I nodded toward the guard. “I’m sure this gentleman here can confirm what I saw with a phone call to the police.”

  “This gentleman here, you fucking piece of shit, works for me. If I want to throw her up against the wall and fuck her brains out, I can do it anytime, anywhere.”

  I shoved, and the bastard lost his balance, letting go of Butterfly to catch himself on the wall of the building. She was trembling, so I nodded to her to make her escape. She carefully backed away from him as I stepped firmly in his way.

  I watched him grapple with himself, his expression and inner turmoil obvious. Should he hold her there physically? For what purpose? Or should he let her go? While he seemed mired in indecision, she ducked past me and I pulled my phone out of my pocket.

  Looking over my shoulder, I was surprised to see she hadn’t taken the opportunity to flee. Her panic-stricken eyes held mine, and I watched as something that looked like hope sparked before determination filtered in.

  “Okay, then, just wait here while I call.” My thumb hit 9 then 1 then—

  Just as I was about to press the green call button, his fat, sweaty hand tried to snatch it from my hand. The sloppy move was easy to evade.

  “Not a smart move, Jack,” I warned. “Take my phone, and I’d have to add theft to the report.” If only I could’ve ripped his throat out.

  “I let her go, you’ve nothing to report. Don’t fuck with me Mr. Crave.com… you’re nothing. Tenex Capitol owns everything, even the platform you work from. I could squash you in a minute, like a fucking cockroach.” His words dribbled together in a drunken jumble.

  I shoved him into the wall again, hard enough for him to feel it tomorrow. “While I doubt you could, I’ll leave you to your fantasies.”

  He clung to the wall. “I’m warning you.”

  “Do your best, Jack. I’d be worrying about what I might know about your company. I could and most likely will dethrone you. Soon.” I turned to the security guard. “Tell my hostess that she can find me outside when my client is finished. Also, I suggest you take a moment to decide what kind of man you want to be in the future, one who watches a woman get raped or one who owns a pair of balls.”

  I knew Jack Marshal was one of the richest man in the world. He owned everything, no one had the guts to cross him. There’d been rumors that Jack’s Tenex Capitol Holdings was doing some shitty and mostly illegal things. Somewhere in my gut, I knew butting heads with him was the right thing to do. I was a risk taker, even though this particular risk bordered on insanity.

  I turned away from Jack and my eyes settled on the woman named for the most delicate of creatures, who apparently wasn’t quite so delicate. I moved toward her, unsure of what my next move would be.

  Our eyes met, and I hesitated for a second. She was so remarkably beautiful, even while completely draped in black.

  “You don’t want to go?” I asked after staring at her a moment too long.

  “I couldn’t leave without thanking you.” Her voice was deep and sultry, like she wasn’t used to it.

  “There’s no need. I was only doing what was right. Hope I didn’t cause you too much trouble.” I was grasping for more to say, not wanting to leave her company. Hoping she would ask me to take her away from this dark pleasure den.

  “I’ll be fine,” she assured me and drew her cape around her tighter.

  I was surprised when she motioned me to follow her. We fell in step together, walking down the sidewalk toward another building, the crisp, cold air a welcome change from Jewel’s warm, seductive scents. The sky glittered with stars, the rain having washed away the thick gray clouds, making the trees and walkways glisten with dampness, giving the night a spectacular flare. Or maybe it was just because she was next to me.

  I looked over to her, not sure what else I might say. She drew her hood more tightly around her face and kept her eyes on the ground. I was curious as to why she was behaving like a Jewel now when we were both outside and free of the place.

  “Most men here wouldn’t have stopped him.” She turned to me, our eyes meeting again.

  “You deserve better.” I restrained my desire to sweep her up into my arms.

  She nodded and whispered, “I do.”

  “What’re you going to do now?” I asked, my heart pulsing strangely in my throat.

  If only she’d allow herself to be revealed, throw off the mask and allow me to see what she kept hidden underneath. Then we’d be on equal footing at least. Surely, she was beautiful, with her ethereal pretense.

  I found myself swallowed up in fantasy and felt like I knew her, like somehow, she already possessed my heart.

  Which was completely unfeasible.

  I was in lust with an illusion, and I so desperately wanted her to dispel it because somehow, I suspected I’d recognize the real woman she hid.

  “I’m going to go back to my apartment, Mr. Wellington.”

  “Before you go, please…” I touched her arm, hoping for the intimacy and nearness between us that I experienced in that room to return. I expected her to flinch, but she remained still. “Can I at least know your name, your real name?” I hoped she heard the sincerity in my voice.

  She hesitated for a moment, and I withdrew my hand from her arm.

  Something that resembled need crossed her face then the ever-present façade took over again. “I’m sorry, Mr. Wellington, you may call me Mona.” Her voice fell, and her face turned somber. “I don’t give clients my real name.”

  “Well, then please, should we ever meet again, call me Roman.” I fished in my pocket for my wallet. “Mr. Wellington is… a math teacher or a butler or something. I’ve never been the Mr. Wellington type. My housekeeper calls me Mr. Wellington and it drives me nuts.” I smiled as I pulled my business card out of my wallet and handed it to her.

  She took
the card without looking at it and tucked it into a pocket in her cape, and my heart fell. It would probably be in a trash can the moment she entered her place.

  She nodded. “Thank you, Roman.” Then she turned and walked away from me without a parting word.

  There wasn’t anything for me to do but watch her leave.

  A few moments later, my phone buzzed. Duk was escorted out of the club, drunk and dazed. He met me on the front steps, and I could see car lights flare in the parking lot ahead. Finally, our night was over.

  “How’d it go, Duk?” I tried to sound jovial and interested.

  “Oh, so fucking good,” he blathered with a loud chuckle. “My dick’s never been so happy. She was so fucking good to my dick.”

  I forced myself to laugh with him in an effort to leave behind the cold that had filled me as I watched the Butterfly walk away. But while I loved how raw Duk could be at times, as he was ashamed of absolutely nothing, my thoughts were only on the mysterious woman with the mask.

  “Glad to hear it.” I slapped him on the back.

  “Can we come back again before I head to Korea? I’ve got to hit that one more time.” The words sounded awkward leaving his mouth, but he looked less intoxicated at the thought of another night of pleasure.

  “Let’s see what we can fit into the schedule.” I guided him down the steps and toward the awaiting car.

  As much as I loathed to ever see the place again, the thought of having another night with her was an enticing idea.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Adara

  Emotions overwhelmed me as I walked back to my apartment. In my pocket my fingers played with the soft paper and raised lettering of Roman’s business card. I was sure I’d never call him, but it felt good knowing I had it. That I could.

  I purposely left it in the pocket of my cape, right next to my cell phone, for no particular reason other than it seemed like that’s where it belonged.

  My place was in the second building on the left and up a flight of steps. Although it was a small one-bedroom accommodation, it neatly housed everything I owned. Even though none of the stuff inside was really mine, I felt safe there. After what happened tonight, however, I realized I wasn’t safe anywhere.