Breaking Bad: 14 Tales of Lawless Love

by Koko Brown

  Tam shrugged with a nonchalance that she didn’t quite feel. “I did nothing to encourage him. You were there. I was talking to Jason when Seamus pulled me out of my seat. And as you pointed out, it’s not like I had much choice seeing as he’s the biggest patron. I mean he must be a big shot since he has his own apartment and I’m not talking about the private rooms beneath ours.”

  Julie’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “He took you up there?”

  “Yes, what’s the big deal?”

  “No one has been up there. He usually takes whatever girl he chooses for the night to one of the rooms. No one has seen the inside of his apartment except Natalia and the cleaning staff.”

  Tam couldn’t help but wonder what made her so different that he’d break protocol. “But that doesn’t make sense. Hasn’t he utilized the services of the other hostesses?”

  “Often, but like I said, no one has been up here. It’s no secret that he and Natalia are friends. A lot of the girls have even speculated that he provided the funding to start this place which is why he has his own special section of the building, although Natalia handles the operation end of things. It’s never been confirmed or denied but it makes sense. Some other girls speculate that he and Natalia are actually a couple with an open relationship but I don’t think that’s the case. He’s clearly not into her.”

  Tam couldn’t concern herself with Seamus’s private life. It was just sex anyway and when she worked again, there would be someone else and he’d probably move on to someone else. But as that thought crossed her mind, she felt a twinge in her heart. “You’re telling me this like I should be concerned.”

  “You should be. Natalia is pretty good at keeping the girls with ‘stronger’ personalities in line. Sometimes they can be very petty. They might go after your regulars or just make things really unbearable for you. That you were fast-tracked in here in the first place has upset a handful of the hostesses already, but the fact that Seamus Haggerty started a fight over you on your first night has them seething. Just be careful, okay?”

  “I never asked for any of this.”

  “It doesn’t matter how it happened, only that it did.”

  Tam raised a brow. “And you? How do you feel about what happened?”

  Julie shrugged. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little jealous. I’m not immune to Seamus’s sex appeal. Most of the men who frequent the Devil’s Den are old enough to be our fathers, and the young ones are insufferable little shits because they’re living off their trust funds and have never lifted a finger in their privileged lives. But Seamus…he’s sexy and I hear he’s a great fuck. If I was given the chance to be with him, I’d take it in a heartbeat but I guess I’m not his type. He always seems to gravitate toward the curvy brunettes. For once in my life, being a blonde has worked against me,” she finished with a laugh.

  Tam didn’t really have a reply to that so instead, she changed the subject. “I think I need a cup of coffee to function properly. I’m going to make a cup and then start getting ready for tonight. Would you like a cup?”

  “No thanks. I thought I’d come over to check on you to see how your first night went. Seems like it went well if you’re still recovering. He must be every bit as legendary as I heard.”

  Tam headed toward her kitchen with Julie following. She didn’t want to discuss the ins and outs of the night before. Somehow, it almost felt like a betrayal to talk about it. She started the expensive coffee machine she’d purchased with her allowance. A few months ago, coffee was a luxury that she could scarcely afford so she appreciated having this gadget at her disposal.

  “So you’re not going to spill any details.”

  “You’re the one who said you’ve heard he’s legendary in bed so haven’t you already heard it all before? I imagine I wouldn’t have anything else to add.”

  Julie pouted, “Well you’re no fun. But on a serious note, don’t be disappointed if Seamus comes to the club tonight and he chooses someone else. He may be with one of the hostesses once or twice, and then there are times when he’ll stick with a particular girl for a few months. But eventually, he’ll move on. Don’t allow your feelings to get involved. This is just a job.”

  Tam turned with coffee cup in hand. “Duly noted.” If she didn’t know any better she would have thought the little blonde was speaking out of jealousy but there were truth in her words. Seamus had made it clear that she was just a piece of ass to him after he’d kicked her out of his place earlier. She was more determined than ever to remain focused.

  But long after Julie had gone and she’d had two cups of coffee Tam couldn’t stop thinking about her night with Seamus and how she’d feel if she saw him with someone else. She didn’t understand how this man had gotten under her skin the way he had but she had to make sure, that she didn’t allow her heart to get involved.

  SEVEN

  “I trust we won’t have any further issues with the deliveries.” Seamus glanced at his watch, trying to determine how long it would take him to get to the club. This situation should have been dealt with by one of his go-betweens but lately, he’d found himself handling more sticky situations than he cared to. Despite trying to distance himself from his black market ventures, he found himself in more and more situations like this. If it were up to him, he’d walk away from it all and never look back but these types of things needed to be handled with finesse. To completely sever ties with no traces of him would take time. And he was almost there, except several of his shipments that included highly specialized weapons were coming up missing. This had caused a headache he didn’t need because not only did it make the buyers antsy, but those hijacked items could cause him more trouble than he could buy his way out of.

  Torrance, a slender man with orangey red hair and a face full of freckles, was once one of his father’s associates before he died. He was one of the few men Seamus trusted to get a job done discretely so when Seamus had asked him to find the hijacker, Torrance didn’t let him down. “Of course not, Mr. Haggerty. As you can see, we’ve personally handled the issue ourselves.” Torrance pointed to the man tied to the chair, beaten and bloodied. He seemed to be breathing out of his mouth because his nose had been badly broken. It was clear without medical attention he’d die and Seamus would ensure that he would. He’d cost Seamus millions and would have to pay the price.

  Seamus walked over to the dying man and grabbed him by the hair, forcing the man to look up at him. “You thought you could steal from me? Did you think I’d gone soft because of my current business pursuits?” He leaned over until his lips nearly touched his victim’s ear. “You fuck with my money and I’m the most dangerous bastard on the planet. I want my face to be the last one you see when you take your last breath so your family can see the look of agony in your eyes when I mail them your fucking head.” He then gripped the man around the neck.

  “Please,” the bloodied man managed to wheeze out before Seamus tightened his grip and squeezed until the life slowly drained out of him.

  It had been a few years since he’d personally killed anyone but unlike the other times when he’d felt nothing, Seamus was slightly nauseous. He could have just as easily let the man die from his injuries but in the underworld, any sign of weakness was asking for an invitation to be challenged. Still, something felt different about this.

  He turned to face Torrance whose expression remained stoic. “You know what to do with the body.”

  “Of course, Mr. Haggerty.”

  “Send the word out to anyone who even thinks about crossing me that it won’t end well for them.”

  “Absolutely.” Torrance nodded, already directing his men to untie the body to dispose of it.

  Seamus headed out the back exit so that he wouldn’t run into anyone. He glanced at his watch again. If he timed it correctly, he could make it to his apartment, shower and be in the Devil’s Den in under an hour. After the stressful day, he couldn’t think of any better way to blow off some stream than a maratho
n fuck session and now that he had a taste of Tamryn, he wanted more. No. He needed more.

  The woman must have cast some kind of spell over him because he had been certain that once they’d had sex, he’d be able to forget her, but since he’d dismissed her from his apartment earlier in the day, she was all he was able to think about. He told himself that his interest in her was purely for the fact that she was his new toy, and like with all toys he’d eventually get bored with her. But in the meantime, while he still wanted her, he’d be damned if she entertained any of the other clients at the club. The very thought of it made him tighten his grip on his steering wheel, making his knuckles go completely white.

  He licked his lips as he remembered how she’d tasted beneath his tongue, so sweet and rich. His dick got hard as he remembered how soft her silky brown skin was to his touch, and he loved how wet her pussy got. No matter how many times he’d taken her, she was ready for him each time. Being inside of her felt right.

  Taking one hand off the wheel, he rubbed his crotch to alleviate the tightness in his pants. He couldn’t get to the Devil’s Den fast enough.

  Tam had barely made it out of her apartment before she realized it was going to be a long night. As she headed to the elevator to head down to the club, she ran into two of the girls. One of the girls, Brooklyn, was the other black girl in the club, but every time the other woman laid eyes on Tam, she’d make a face as if she smelled something bad. Brooklyn stood with a tall brunette who looked a lot like Natalia but curvier. They stopped talking when Tam approached.

  Seeing as they didn’t want to talk to her, Tam decided to ignore them as well. It wasn’t as if she was here to be best friends with everyone and the last thing she wanted was to assert herself in any drama.

  As the three women got on the elevator, Brooklyn and her friend started to giggle and looked Tam’s way. Clearly, they were trying to get under her skin but she didn’t give them the reaction they seemed to be searching for. Tam was thankful by the time the door opened to the floor they needed to get off on. As Brooklyn walked by, she flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulders. “Uh, I still don’t get what he sees in the new girl.” It was supposed to be spoken in a whisper but it was at a volume where she obviously wanted Tam to hear.

  “We’ve all gone slumming from time to time.” The brunette didn’t bother to hide the fact that they were openly talking about her because she looked back with a smirk.

  Tam took a deep breath and continued to walk, passing them by.

  “I heard that she was found on the street. I guess this would be the first time someone actually brought the trash in instead of taking it out.” Brooklyn cackled as if she’d told the funniest joke.

  Tam had dealt with way worse in her life than a couple of catty bitches who were looking for a rise out of her. She was well aware that was a no fighting rule among the girls and breaking that rule was cause for automatic termination. Maybe they thought she would attack them. And to be perfectly honest, it would have felt good to knock them down and stomp their boney asses into the ground but neither was worth the effort. Instead, she decided to use her words.

  Tam pasted a smile on her face. “Brooklyn, right?”

  Brooklyn sneered, which contorted her face into something far less attractive. “Yes. What’s it to you?”

  “Oh, I just wanted to match the name to the face. After all, I’ve heard so much about you. Sorry about your little situation.”

  Brooklyn crossed her arms over her chest. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  Just because Tam didn’t involve herself in some of the drama a handful of the other hostesses were embroiled in, it didn’t mean she didn’t hear things and she found it ironic that the two people who had the most shit to say were the ones who the other girls whispered about the most. “Well, that little problem. I mean, I’d be so embarrassed if one of the clients complained about me having an odd odor down there, but I think it’s very brave of you to be able to continue on. And you…” Tam turned to the brunette whose name she couldn’t remember. “And it must be so frustrating to be constantly passed over for younger and prettier girls every night. Maybe after your next facelift, things will get better for you.” Tam widened her smile while the two women stared at her gap-mouthed. “You two have a great night.”

  She walked away with her chin up and shoulders squared. It had taken everything out of her to not get physical but she refused to give them what they wanted. When she made it into the club, she recognized a few of the men from the night before but a lot of new faces. Julie had told her that she’d get used to the regulars after doing this for a while.

  As she headed to the bar, she was intercepted by Natalia who grasped her by the arm. Tam felt the bite of the other woman’s nails in her skin and whether it was done intentionally or not, she couldn’t tell, after all, Natalia wasn’t a particularly warm person, to begin with, but toward Tam, she was barely civil.

  “You’ve been requested. Seamus wants to see you again. But he’s taking you for an outside date. I expect you to act accordingly. Seamus will be here shortly so you should go wait in the lobby. Understand?”

  Tam barely registered Natalia’s condescending tone as her heart began to race at the mention of Seamus’s name. She thought after he’d kicked her out that that would be the end of things between them, but apparently, he still had plans for her. “I think I can handle it.”

  Natalia narrowed her eyes. “I should hope so. But just a little friendly advice. Don’t get too comfortable with Seamus. He’s only interested in you because you’re the new girl. You may be his favorite for now, but eventually, he’ll grow bored of you just as he has with the other women he’s taken an interest in.”

  Tam pulled herself out of Natalia’s grip. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were jealous. But you have no reason to be, right? Since he’ll just get tired of me.”

  Natalia glared. “You’d better watch who you’re talking to. I can make things very uncomfortable for you while you’re here.”

  And Tam didn’t doubt she would. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from saying what was really on her mind.

  “Is that all?”

  Natalia looked Tam up and down. “That’s it. Your appearance is acceptable tonight. You’ve certainly cleaned up to a level I didn’t think possible. Just be grateful for what you have now and don’t get too ahead of yourself.” She turned around, leaving Tam staring at her back.

  It was moments like these when she thought being on the streets weren’t bad. At least then she wouldn’t have to deal with people who would smile in her face and then stab her in the back without a second thought. At least on the streets, people double-crossed you for their own survival. Here it was because these women had too much damn time on their hands.

  Tam found Seamus in the lobby puffing on an e-cigarette and then blowing out a thick cloud of smoke. She tried to calm down the beating of her heart as she approached. He looked incredibly handsome with his hair slicked back and the top three buttons of his shirt undone to reveal a smattering of hair that rested on his toned chest.

  When he turned in her direction, she nearly faltered. No matter how many times she looked into them, his startling blue eyes always took her breath away. In contrast to his dark coloring, they stood out more.

  At a loss for words, Tam simply stared.

  “Ready to go?”

  She could only nod.

  He held up his elbow so she linked his arm through his.

  Seamus led her outside where a valet stood beside a black luxury SUV. Seamus opened the door for her before going to the other side of the vehicle and sliding into the driver’s seat.

  “This is a different car from what I remember,” Tam said for lack of anything else to say. She didn’t know how to act around him or what he expected of her since they’d already been so intimate.

  “One of many. Cars are somewhat of an indulgence of mine.” He took another puff from his ele
ctronic cigarette, filling the car with the scent of blueberries.

  “That smells nice. When did you take this up?”

  He smirked. “Someone told me that smoking was bad for me.” Seamus briefly turned his gaze her way before returning her attention back to the road.

  A shiver raced down her spine and all she could think about was their last time together. She told herself to play this cool but his nearness was a distraction that made it difficult for her to think coherently. “So...uh…where are we going tonight?”

  “There’s a little restaurant by the docks that has great food.”

  “There’s great food at the club.”

  “Yes, if you’re in the mood for that kind of thing, sure. Sometimes I prefer a little something more down-home.”

  “I have to admit, looking at you I wouldn’t imagine you’re the type of guy to like regular food, like that hole in the wall burger joint you took me to when we first met.”

  He shrugged. “There’s a lot about me that would surprise you.”

  “Like what?”

  “That when I’m not in my office eighty hours out of the week or traveling, I’d rather be home with a cold beer watching a ball game.”

  “You’re right. That does surprise me. I never took you for a homebody.”

  “It’s not that really, I just prefer not to be around a lot of people. They always seem to let you down.”

  If Tam didn’t know any better she would have thought she’d heard a sadness in his voice. But it touched her because she felt like that as well. In the course of her twenty-five years, she’d dealt with her share of disappointments and realized that the only person she could ever really count on was herself. “I know how you feel. Sometimes the people you’re supposed to trust the most are the ones who end up letting you down.”