Being a Jett Girl

by Meghan Quinn

  The bartender must have known I was coming because he had a glass of bourbon already ready for me. He gave me a wink and I tipped him a twenty.

  Once I turned around, I was met with Keylee’s glare. “You can’t just leave me stranded like that,” she said as she popped a hand on her hip.

  “I can when you’re shooting off blatant lies.” My anger took over and I was no longer able to control my temper. I was already on edge, I didn’t need Keylee telling the most gossiping hen in the crowd that we were planning on getting married.

  “I was just trying to help…”

  I leaned forward and whispered in her ear while looking out at the crowd, “If you want to help, be quiet, sip some water and stand by my side without opening that…” My words stopped as my eyes locked on a honey-haired goddess in a black dress that just walked into the party on Diego’s arm.

  My heart stopped, completely and my stomach bottomed out from seeing Goldie on someone else’s arm. Forget that, for even seeing her at the event at all. What the fuck was Diego up to?

  “I don’t have to take this from you,” Keylee said while poking my chest.

  Reluctantly, I tore my gaze off Goldie and looked down at her. “You want to be a Jett Girl? Well, that means knowing your role and right now, your role is to be pleasing to the men’s eyes while keeping your mouth shut. You think you can handle that?”

  Her mouth hung in shock from my directness. I didn’t have time to fuck around, to care about her feelings. I needed her to comply immediately.

  “You have three seconds to decide,” I continued. “Three…two…”

  “Okay,” she said in a panic. “Just, let me collect myself first. I wasn’t prepared for this. May I go to the bathroom?”

  Goldie crossed the room with Diego, whispered something in his ear and headed for the bathroom, this was my chance to talk to Diego without Keylee’s damn ears dropping in on my conversation.

  “Yes, but don’t doddle,” I commanded.

  She nodded, gave me one last look with those damn pouty lips of hers and then took off for the bathroom.

  Diego must have sensed my anger because as Goldie crossed the room, he made his way to the bar where I stood. After he ordered a drink, I grabbed him by the elbow, tightly, and swung him around.

  With a smile across my face but a menace in my voice, I said, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

  “Do you think it’s smart to be talking to me right now?”

  “Don’t fuck around with me. What is she doing here?”

  The bartender handed Diego his drink and he followed with a tip. Surveying the crowd, Diego stood by my side but never looked at me as he spoke in a light tone, “She made me. I didn’t have a choice.”

  “Are you insane? You’re like three times as big as her. Of course you had a choice.”

  “She really knows how to pinch a nipple, man.”

  “For the love of Christ. Please don’t tell me that you brought her here because she pinched your nipple. I swear to God, Diego, I will take everything away from you that you worked so hard for.”

  Shaking his head, Diego said, “Low blow, man. Maybe you need to just let her be. She will do whatever the hell she wants, it’s about time you realized that.”

  “You could have stopped her. What if something happens to her tonight?”

  “Nothing is going to happen to her. We’re in the middle of the most politically acclaimed event in New Orleans. No one will try anything tonight so stop shitting your pants and do what you’re supposed to do. Get the job done, man.”

  “Fuck,” I muttered, trying not to show the distress I was in by having Goldie at the event tonight. With her here, there was no way I would be able to focus on the task at hand.

  “Got to go, keep your distance man and for the love of God, don’t blow it.”

  With that, Diego took off and started shaking hands of younger men who Diego grew to know while attending these events. There was a whole secret club of kinky men in the city and Diego knew each and every one of them. They were the only reason why Diego went to these events, so he could network and when he was ready for his club to open, he would have a decent membership.

  The next hour flew by in a blur as I watched Diego escort Goldie around, something I should be doing. She made anyone who talked to her laugh and she put a bright smile on their faces. I couldn’t blame them, she had the same effect on me.

  Through the night, I heard people whispering about the exotic new girl that was wrapped around the elusive club owner’s arm. Some people liked them, some people didn’t think they belonged but everyone thought she was charming. That she was a breath of fresh air and here I was, with Keylee Zinc acting like a dead fish hanging off my arm. I knew I told her to keep her mouth shut but she took the submissive thing way too seriously. She barely looked up at people and bowed her head most of the time. If anything, she was hurting my image.

  Fuck!

  The sway of Goldie’s hips mesmerized me as she walked across the room, which was why I didn’t see my dad step right in front of me until he cleared his throat.

  “Who is this treat?” he said while looking at Keylee.

  I hated this man, despised him. The fact that he could just walk up to me and act like there was nothing between us made me sick to my stomach.

  “This is Keylee Zinc. Keylee—” I swallowed hard, “—this is my father, Leo Colby.”

  Ever since she went to the bathroom, Keylee finally perked up from the mention of my father and her eyes lit with excitement. She held out her hand and my dad took it in his and placed a kiss on the back of her hand. It was sickening.

  “Mr. Colby, what a delight to meet the man who had a part in making this delectable guy.” She leaned in and pressed her free hand against my chest.

  As if a match snapped, my attitude did a one eighty and I got in the same mind frame as Keylee. Happy couple.

  I wrapped my arm around her and leaned in closer. I watched as my father’s eyes scanned between us with a grin.

  “Well, isn’t this a new development.”

  “New, maybe but I can’t tell you how happy we are.” Keylee’s lies started flowing and this time, I could actually kiss her for turning on at the right moment.

  “Is that right?” My father eyed me.

  “It is. It’s actually embarrassing. The paparazzi caught us in a rather intimate moment yesterday,” I added.

  “It was rather embarrassing,” Keylee said while holding her hands to her cheeks. What a fucking regular old Martha May with her acting skills. Damn.

  “That’s my son for ya, always had a hard time controlling his needs and desires.”

  My teeth grinded down, keeping my mouth shut so I didn’t say anything too stupid.

  Keylee looked between the two of us and sensed the tension because she pulled away and said, “I think I’m going to get a refill. Can I get you anything, baby?”

  Baby? Christ.

  “I’m fine, thank you.”

  “Mr. Colby?” She addressed my father.

  “I’m good, dear,” he said without taking his eyes off me.

  Getting a clue, she left us and for good measure, I watched her walk away even though her sway wasn’t nearly as impressive as Goldie’s.

  “She’s a nice little number. How much are you paying her to be here with you?”

  “Not everyone has to pay someone off for a date,” I said while taking a sip of my bourbon.

  “So confident tonight, as if you think you’ve won it all.”

  “Haven’t I?” I asked, trying to be as unflappable as possible. “I have the woman, I have the house and now I will have the property. Cut your losses, old man, and start going after something else.”

  The corner of my father’s mouth twitched as his jaw grew tense.

  “I plan on going after something and it’s here in this room, dressed in all black and looking absolutely divine.”

  The moment of truth, my face held still as I
took another sip of my bourbon as I said, “And what would that be?”

  “Don’t play with me, boy.”

  “I’m sorry that you think I have time to play around with you, but I don’t so if you would like to get to the point of this conversation, that would be appreciated.”

  In the corner of my eye, I could see Goldie approach with Diego chasing behind her.

  Not fucking now, please not fucking now. I was holding on by a thread. A bead of sweat trickled down my back as Goldie got closer. Why wasn’t Diego stopping her?

  My dad’s head turned and saw her. An evil grin spread across his face and he finally spoke. “You want to get down to the point, fine. Right here, right now, tell me. Lot 17 or Goldie? You can only choose one.”

  I knew Goldie heard my father because he spoke loud enough. She stopped in her place as she waited for my answer. I hid the shake in my hand by lowering my glass and set it on a table nearby. My next move would either make or break my relationship with Goldie but I had no choice.

  With the flick of my wrist, my hand caressed my jaw, showing off the bright emerald green cufflinks that donned my wrists, trying to portray to Goldie that she needed to have faith.

  Without blinking, I cleared my throat and said, “Is there even a choice? No doubt in my mind Lot 17 wins every time.”

  I saw the slight intake of air out of the corner of my eye from Goldie’s chest and the defeat in her shoulders. Without looking back, she turned away from me, grabbed Diego and fled through the crowd.

  With all the energy I could muster, I smiled and laughed. “You can’t please them all.” With that, I grabbed my bourbon and walked away, leaving my father stunned and Goldie broken-hearted.

  Chapter Thirty Seven

  “Love of My Life”

  Lo

  The bounce of my leg kept my beating heart steady as I sat on my bed and thought about the words that rang from Jett’s lips. “Was it even a choice?” I couldn’t lie, it fucking stung to hear him utter such words.

  Diego tried to calm me down in the car but I ignored him as the street lanterns of New Orleans passed us by in a blur. My mind felt calm, calmer than it’s felt in a while because I knew what I had to do.

  Without a knock, my door burst open and Jett stood in the doorframe, gorgeous as ever wearing his tux with his tie undone and his hair in a mess from the stress he put himself through tonight. I didn’t move, I didn’t waiver as he strode to my bed while shutting the door at the same time. He fell to his knees in front of me and clasped his hands over mine.

  “Goldie,” he choked out, looking up at me with desperation. My hand went to his face and caressed his cheek. “God, I’m so sorry. I hope you know that I didn’t mean any of that, that you’re always my number one.”

  “Am I?” I asked with a little bit of emotion lacing my voice.

  He sat up and looked up at me. “Of course you are, how could you think that you aren’t?”

  A part of me wanted to believe him, that I was his number one, that I was the only thing that mattered but that wasn’t the case, especially tonight and to be honest I was okay with that because he was a good man and fighting for a good thing. I couldn’t hold that against him.

  “Jett, you have one of the sweetest hearts I’ve ever come across. You don’t like to take credit but you change so many people’s lives. You saved Kace, you gave Diego a second chance, you’ve sheltered and educated the girls, you’re bending over backwards to help the Boys and Girls of New Orleans by sacrificing everything that makes you happy to give them a place to play, a place to grow up in. Am I number one in your life? No, but I’m okay with it because the people, the causes that come before me are deserving of your attention.”

  “But that’s not true,” he said but I placed my fingers over his lips.

  “It’s commendable that you’re willing to put everyone before your own needs.”

  “You’re all I need,” he said quickly.

  Running my hand through his hair, I answered, “I know that but like I said, you put everyone else before you, which means that I get a back seat to everything.”

  “Goldie, that’s not what I want you to think. It’s just hard right now. I wasn’t expecting to…” He paused as his hands twisted in mine. “I wasn’t expecting to fall for you and this all happened in the middle of a deal I’m trying to make.”

  “And I’m okay with that,” I said reassuringly. “I get it, Jett. I promise you I do but there comes a time where you need to stop trying to protect everyone else and protect yourself. I’m a big girl and I can handle my own against anyone.”

  “These are dangerous men…”

  “I’ve been through hell, Jett, and you coming into my life was by far the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I will forever cherish that.”

  He perked up and sat down next to me on my bed. “I don’t like the way you’re talking to me right now, Goldie,” he responded seriously.

  With a deep breath, I reached behind my neck and unclasped my necklace. I let it fall into my hand as I looked directly into Jett’s eyes. The look of devastation crossed his features as he took in the meaning of my gesture.

  “Little one…” His throat tightened. “Wh-what are you doing?”

  I opened his hand and placed the necklace in his hand and clasped his fingers around it. I bent forward, pulled a suitcase that was packed out from under my bed and stood. My chest burned and my stomach flipped as I looked into Jett’s gaze. Tears welled in his eyes as he watched me stand.

  My hand cupped his chin and my lips gently kissed his. When I pulled away, my hand gripped the back of his neck as I said, “You’ve been saving me, protecting me and giving me the chance to live for the past couple of months, it’s about time that I returned the favor.”

  “By leaving? By breaking my fucking heart?” Anger started to sear through his gaze as he clutched the necklace he gave me.

  “No, Jett, by taking matters into my own hands. It’s about damn time that someone stuck up for you and protected you.”

  “I don’t need to be protected, I just need you, Goldie. This is all over tomorrow…”

  “It’s not and we both know it. There is only one way to fix this and I’m the one to do it.”

  I walked toward the door but he stood and clasped his hand around my wrist, pulling me into him. His lips found mine in a carnal force that I wasn’t expecting. The bag I was carrying dropped from my hand and my hands ran up the front of his chest and clasped around his cheeks. Tears spilled over my eyes as my love for the man in my arms encompassed me. I loved him…so damn much that I was willing to do whatever it took to make him happy, to make us happy.

  With force, I pulled away and looked up at him. Tears glistened his eyes as well.

  “Don’t do this, don’t do this to me, Goldie. Please, don’t’ leave me.” The vulnerability seeping from Jett was like a knife to the gut, I was two seconds from breaking and giving him what he wanted but knew it wasn’t what needed to be done. Instead, I pulled out a box from my suitcase and handed it to him.

  “Open it,” I said while looking down at his hands that were shaking.

  With a deep breath and confused look, he opened the box and a small smile hit the corners of his mouth. He pulled out a watch with a green face and gold numbers.

  I placed my hands against his chest and said, “Have a little faith in the power I have, Jett. Trust me with your heart because I promise you that it’s the most treasured gift I will ever receive from you.” I placed the necklace he gave me in the box and said, “Keep this safe for me for now. When I come back, because I will be back, I will be requesting that you collar me again…that is if you’ll take me.”

  “I always will,” he said breathlessly.

  I took the watch from him and placed it on his wrist. It was a perfect fit.

  I traced the face and said, “Green for faith and gold for power. This watch means that even though we are apart right now, you’re mine and you need to have fa
ith in me and in time, the power we crave, the power we have for each other will soon be ours to keep…forever.” I kissed him again and said, “This isn’t goodbye, Jett, this is only the beginning.”

  With that, I left the room and took off down the stairs to the taxi that was waiting for me. As the cab drove away, I looked up into the room I once occupied and saw Jett, staring down at me. His hair was tousled and his eyes were wet with emotions. I turned away, not being able to stand to see him in such a state and tried to push back the feelings that were coursing through me. It was game time. I was getting what I wanted and there was only one place to start.

  The dark night of New Orleans fell upon me as we pulled up to my destination and then I paid the cabby. With my suitcase in my hand, I took a deep breath and knocked on the front door. Anxiety wrestled with my nerves as I waited patiently for the door to open.

  The sound of locks turning echoed through the night and when the door opened, light flooded the entryway. I put on my best smile and puffed my chest out. I could do this for me, but most importantly, for Jett.

  A smile met mine as I stepped inside the grand entryway.

  “Why hello, kitten. You’ve just made my night.”

  Thank you for reading Being a Jett Girl! I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please help other readers find this book:

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  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight