Taking Jana (Paradise South #2)

by Rissa Brahm

“Aren’t you near work all the time—wherever you park your car?” She smiled then flushed. Was that rude? Yes, damn it, it was. Nice insertion of foot into mouth, Jana. Had she become a snobby bitch since becoming a Manhattan-ite? Or since getting on the Trauma Team? Jesus, Jana, get over yourself.

  But Tony gave her a gracious smile and nodded. His muscular arm, noticeable even in his white cotton dress shirt, came up to adjust the rearview as if trying to see her a bit better. “The depot and dispatch, I meant. Anyway, I’m close to everything, which is great. I can walk to the grocery store, the dry cleaners, the bank. And I love walking, a break from driving, you know?”

  She did know, kind of. Not the driving part, per se, but she loved the City where she could walk most anywhere and only have to depend on her own two feet. “Yeah, I actually miss Manhattan a lot for that reason…well, for so many reasons.”

  He gave her a slight smile and sighed. “The City’s too much hustle and bustle for me, personally. I felt swallowed up there. No space or time to breathe. It’s a lot better for me here in the ’burbs, even with how much I work. I exercise more, I read more, I even volunteer a couple of days a week at the library. Yeah, I lost myself in Manhattan, and not in a good way. I guess I’m just not a city guy, not at all.” His cell rang, interrupting his explanation. He slid a wireless earpiece on. “Excuse me for a second… Hey Celi.”

  She nodded and slid back. Shit. His talk of time for himself, and volunteering? While here he is stuck driving her ass around twenty-four-seven. Yes, he’s probably getting paid well enough for the gig, but to be doing this seven days a week for three solid months? Sleeping away from his home, from his potential family?

  Wait.

  If she stayed at Johnnie’s place in Newark then Tony could at least return to his own home every night. Johnnie said it wasn’t ever used, and she’d have it to herself. And she’d be glad for a real bed in what was most assuredly cleaner and more sanitary than her folks’ place.

  And was it really necessary for her to be with her father every day at the hospital in Fort Lee? Her father didn’t even want her there. And hell, her mom liked playing saint so much, she could keep doing the daily grind. Maybe it would force them to shut down the restaurant that much faster with the pressure and exhaustion of it all. Jana could go up every few days to check in on them. Meanwhile, she’d be pulling in the funds to afford her father’s necessary care.

  It was decided. Johnnie’s apartment tomorrow night, no more armchair.

  She’d also give Tony off on Sunday. She’d arrange to take a cab up to Fort Lee General without Tony or Johnnie even knowing, or she’d even consider giving herself a day off, a day off from the club and her parents and their bills. Yes. She deserved a day off too.

  And Johnnie had said the studio was close to the club. It’d be cheap enough to cab there Sunday nights. Yeah, she would bring her clothes with her tomorrow and stay at the studio. She’d tell Tony after her stint at the club Saturday night. He’d probably feel relieved. After all, he’d given her a sense of relief with his kindness, his thoughtfulness, his brush-off of her rude reaction to him earlier in the day.

  She pushed herself back from the partition and sank into the seat. The soft black leather creaked under her and molded to her body. She heard her own breath leave her as if her relief and comfort were so palpable she was separate from them. Maybe she’d found a small mobile sanctuary, a true gift between the two hells she’d be juggling. Tony the Driver and his fancy limousine could be the one piece of sanity she could count on over the next grueling months. Maybe?

  *

  Her mind quieted as the highway noises lulled her. She imagined a comfortable bed with crisp, clean sheets at Johnnie’s apartment.

  Shit, though. Johnnie’s words and Luly’s warning about him rang in her ears. Of course, she’d picked up on all of his sweetness and the hard-to-miss innuendos. Damn it, she felt regrettably drawn to him and could almost justify the release he’d provide. And, hell, she of all people deserved a good strong climax, a heavenly peak and then a soft, cushioned fall into sweet, freeing dreams.

  But with Johnnie, her boss, the strip club crown prince, it just wasn’t safe, not prudent. Not by a long shot.

  But she’d be at his damn apartment! That was a mixed message if she’d ever heard one. What if he took it as a sign that she wanted him? What if there were strings attached?

  No. She’d drawn her line, she’d been clear. Friends only. And he’d agreed to it.

  Plus, he’d clearly said the apartment was for her alone. He’d promised no strings, and she believed him. She did.

  But on the other hand, he was indeed a man. With natural inclinations, core controlling desires.

  “Be careful, Jana.” Her guardian angels sang out in her head in unison.

  Char had taught her well, and she knew Luly spoke from personal experience as a single mom, five kids later. She couldn’t ignore the nagging question: Why was Johnnie making things so easy for her?

  But it was too much to think about then. She was on overload as it was, and it wouldn’t help to cycle through it in her head again, at least not anymore tonight.

  She looked down at the little black mp3 player. She selected the ‘New Age’ playlist, put the earbuds in, and pressed shuffle. She let Johnnie and the club, and her family, and the bills just drift from her mind, and Jana drifted off to sleep in the backseat of Tony’s luxury limo.

  CHAPTER 20

  On Saturday night, Johnnie ushered in his new consultant, introducing Winter to the entire staff.

  “This woman was the highest earner here at The Wet Spot for three years straight and then took the highest shares at our Manhattan club too,” he said while she kept her head down, modest, calm, stoic even. But while his tiny-framed fantasy girl let the praise float right over her, she still had an extreme confidence about her, standing straight, chest out, almost like a ballerina.

  “I’m really glad to be here,” she said. He knew she was lying through her teeth. “And I’m going to show you all how to maximize your time at the club and make a hell of a lot more money. That’s why we’re all here, yes?”

  The older dancers nodded or rolled their eyes while some of the younger girls smiled, or even lifted their eyebrows at each other, seemingly pumped at the thought of more action.

  But when Roxy, the redhead he’d recently fucked, stormed out of the club with an evil eye targeted right at him, he knew others would definitely follow. That would be fine, though. Some of the vets there were dragging the entire club down anyway, something Johnnie had been telling his father for years. Jana would replace them and train them. He’d show his father the real possibilities the club held and that he had the balls to turn the key to those possibilities and open the lid on the place.

  Jana didn’t fluster a bit when Didi and Honor followed Roxy. Instead, she kept her poker face on and got right in there, bringing the girls up on stage, showing them how she worked the pole, and for fuck’s sake, did she own that pole.

  *

  “You looked great up there,” he said, handing her a water.

  “Thanks. God, I didn’t think you’d be watching.” She blushed.

  “Wanted to see their reactions. You think you can handle the cats while I’m out for the week?”

  “Definitely. Not a problem. Laynie already gave me a good base last night with the who’s who. According to her, the three who left were the biggest pains in the ass anyway. I’ll train the rest of them in a rotation throughout this week, and based on performance and attitude”—she lifted her eyebrows in the direction of one of the older dancers sulking in the corner—“I will schedule who I want to keep and replace the rest next week.”

  “I love it.” He motioned for her to follow him up to his office. As she did, Johnnie caught Laynie winking at Jana, but Jana replied with a simple headshake. Intuiting the silent communication to involve him fucking the living daylights out of Jana, he didn’t care what the other girls thought. No, that wa
s a lie. He fucking loved the thought of those catty cunts jealous of Jana. They damn well should be, whether he was sinking his cock deep, deep into her, or not…yet.

  “I have a few things for you,” he said, pulling out an older flip phone from his front pocket. “I want you to keep this with you. My number’s already programmed in. And”—he led her further into his office, to his desk, while he pulled out his wallet from his back pocket—“I’m giving you an advance for the week since I won’t be here.”

  “Whoa, Johnnie, that’s really not—”

  “You’ll take it, please, and use it.” He gave her the wad of cash and his best modest smile. “I know you’re good for it, Jana. God, you’re going to make magic here. Magic.” He winked then leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, and she stepped back as quick as a timid mare.

  “Thank you,” she said, taking two more steps back. She shifted her stance, as if wondering what to do with herself, then remembering the green bundle in her hand, she shoved it into her purse and looked up at him like a deer in the headlights. Shocked and awed. Perfect.

  “Last thing. I’d forgotten that I had tickets for a show on the Wednesday after next at Lincoln Center. They were for my ex and me,” he fibbed some more, “and I’d hate to waste the second one. I was so ready to go on my own, be the ‘strong bachelor with an empty seat beside him,’ but I’m just not that brave.” He smiled at her coyly. “Come with me…please. As a friend.”

  Her expression showed her apprehension.

  “Hey, if there is anyone who deserves a distraction, a night out with a friend, it’s definitely you,” he said. “And it really would go to waste otherwise.”

  Her lips formed a close-lipped smile, a sigh lifted her shoulders then she nodded. “Sure. That’ll be nice. And it’s not a busy club night that I’d miss.”

  “Perfect,” he said, liking how things were going his way at every turn. He gently spun her around toward the office door and began leading her out.

  But she stopped and turned, her face only inches from his.

  So close. So kissable.

  “You are really great, Johnnie. Why are you so sweet to me?” she asked with her head tilted and her gorgeous brown eyes wide with skepticism. But she so wanted to trust him, he could tell.

  “Look, I have a sweet spot for you, no secret there. But you work your ass off. I’ve seen that firsthand when you danced, and now you’re a nurse? I know you’re smart, educated, driven. I am drawn to you, what can I say? Bottom line, though…I respect you and I want to help, plain as that. Oh, and showing my father how much I can improve this place—we, I mean, we can improve this place—well, that’s just cream.”

  She smiled. “Well, I appreciate everything, Johnnie. And I’ll work for it. I think the club has a lot of potential. I’ll do all I can.” Then she turned toward the stairs and he followed her down, thinking how she sure as hell would work for it. He’d work her ass, riding it to the end of time. And she’d scream his name over and over again; ecstatic and trembling under his control all the way there.

  CHAPTER 21

  They got outside to the parking lot, Tony waiting with the car door open for Jana.

  He watched Jana give a quick and polite smile to the chauffeur but she hardly made eye contact. Johnnie’s chest swelled. Because that fucking guy…of the girls he’d have Tony shuttle around, no matter the status of his female companions—low class or upper crust—they’d all eye Tony. Such the polite fucking gentlemen. And the man’s physical stature didn’t help Johnnie any, a head taller than him and broader in the shoulders too. Tony’s strong, silent persona irked the fuck out of him, and he wished his father would find someone else, anyone else really, to chauffeur for their family. Someone who had a beer gut at least. But he guessed he shouldn’t complain. Most people didn’t have such an impressive bitch boy, after all.

  Just then three dancers came out of the club and Johnnie watched as they ogled the high-class limo, Tony, and then Jana, or Winter to them. Then they whispered amongst themselves.

  “Don’t worry about them,” Johnnie told Jana.

  “Oh, I know. Remember, I was surrounded by it for nearly a third of my life. It doesn’t matter what it is, a catty girl will catch it and rub it in your face. The difference now—I’m really not one of them.” She grinned.

  Damn straight she wasn’t. But wait. Beyond the perks they saw Jana getting, his totally unsubtle attention toward her would have them wanting to scratch her eyes out. And worse, they’d shoot their filthy mouths off. About him––to Jana. Because they were jealous little kitties. And although the thought of them all clamoring for him while Jana had already won him and his ever-loving cock was a total fucking turn on, he couldn’t have them blowing his plan. Drawing him to be, well, who and what he really was. Jana wouldn’t take her throne as top feline next to him if she didn’t trust him.

  “Listen. Don’t take any shit from them. They’ll be jealous of the special treatment.” He referred to the limo with a tap of his hand on the top of the door as he slid by Tony and escorted her into the vehicle himself. “They’ll try sabotage, lies, anything to rile you up, knock you down, or scare you off.”

  “I expect as much.”

  “They may even use me in their schemes, I’ve seen it before with headliners we’ve gotten. Some of the older girls making up shit I’ve done or said,” he said helping her into the car while Tony stood behind him, still hovering, ready to close the car door.

  Goddamn this guy. Doing his job, yes, but right up in his fucking space. Johnnie knelt down in the doorway to get a modicum of privacy, right at the seat’s edge, his hand an inch from her leg, and God, he could just squeeze her juicy thigh then yank it wide open for dessert. Soon. For now, he’d finish speaking to his fantastic focal point without the lingering fucker behind him, right within earshot. Focus. “But like you said, you know their nature. If there’s anyone who can handle them, it’s you.” He winked and patted her hand.

  Tony cleared his throat.

  Jesus fucking Christ! Yes, I know you’re still there. “Give me a second, would you Jana?”

  Johnnie felt his pulse in his neck jackhammering out his frustration. Couldn’t the other man read the signs and vibes and neon fucking signs that he was working here? Obviously fucking not. Was the piece of shit in a rush or something? Whatever the prick’s deal, he’d have to remind the douchebag who drew the lines here. And while he was at it, he’d make sure Tony knew good and well that this one, this catch, was more than off-limits. Being loyal to his dad didn’t mean Tony was loyal to Johnnie. And Jana was out of this world. Even a righteous prick like Mr. Tony Perfection had to have noticed. So he stood up, turned away from the open car door so Jana couldn’t hear and brought the chauffeur a few steps away from the limo for a…pep talk.

  *

  God, he hated this guy. Could hardly muster manners, let alone say the man’s name. Especially when he wasn’t performing for a female audience, in this case, Jana, who was now officially out of earshot and busy with something in her purse.

  He set to whisper. “Listen, man. I’ll be out of town for the week. Take care of her like she’s my goddamn sister, but know that she’s anything but. In other words, watch out for her without laying your goddamn hands or eyes on her.” He patted Tony’s shoulder hard, drilling in his message while keeping friendly appearances for Jana if she happened to glance his way from inside the limo.

  Tony replied with only a nod.

  “Now, give us some motherfucking privacy. Please.”

  Tony and his goddamn professional poker face moved to attend to something at the front of the vehicle while Johnnie turned back toward Jana and knelt down in the doorway again to say goodbye.

  “So, I’ll see you next Friday night when I’m back from the Island. You need anything, call. Don’t hesitate.”

  “I won’t, thanks. I mean, I won’t need anything, but if I do, I won’t hesitate,” she said then laughed. “Oh, I, uh, I’m going to start crashing
at the studio if that’s still okay. My folks’ place is just—”

  “Absolutely! That’s why I gave you the keys. Free rein, honestly.” God, he was good. He was so damn good.

  *

  Johnnie tapped on Tony’s window. “Make sure she has everything she needs at the apartment.” She saw Tony nod, and then they rolled out of the parking lot.

  He looked up at the rearview to make eye contact. “There’s a twenty-four-hour grocery on the way. Do you wanna stop to get some stuff?”

  “Thanks. I should, but I’m just so tired,” she said, but then remembered her original plan. She wanted to give him the full day off tomorrow. But she couldn’t muster the energy to go grocery shopping tonight. Maybe tomorrow afternoon, and at least let him have the entire day until then to relax, and she’d let him completely off the hook next Sunday.

  “Would you take me tomorrow afternoon to the store? I’ve decided to sleep in and not do anything. My parents will be fine for a day, you know?”

  “Yeah, sure. You deserve a break,” he said with his eyes still on the road.

  Deserving? She wasn’t feeling deserving. “So, listen…the other day, when you asked me, you know, about consulting, and I snapped at you…I think—”

  “You owe me no explanation. At all. Really.”

  “No, I know,” she said leaning closer to the partition. “I realized, you know, my defensiveness was just my disdain for the club scene. I’m so…raging pissed that I’m in it again at all. I danced for seven years to support my folks…and for school, and here I am. Déjà vu. But at least, this time, it’s off stage, clothes on,” she said, feeling heat rise to her cheeks. She closed her eyes to reset. “This consulting thing Johnnie put together, it’s a huge deal, a real blessing. But anyway…I shouldn’t have been rude to you. It wasn’t cool.”

  “Please, no worries. And seriously, you have nothing to defend. God, your parents have got to know how blessed they are to have you, Jana.”

  She smirked and changed the subject to signify to Tony not only were her parents so the opposite of appreciative, but also, that he wouldn’t even want to hear that pathetic saga—like, ever. “So, I’m kinda psyched about Johnnie’s studio; cutting down the commute, increasing the sleep”—in a bed, thank God—“and hey, you can get to sleep in your own bed, right? Must be hard on you, out all the time. Your family must miss you,” she said, noticing for the first time the wedding band on his left hand, now on the steering wheel as he made a right turn onto a side street.