Art of Loyalty

by Monique Orgeron

  A few minutes into the conversation, Fallon makes a joke and looks at me saying,

  “Did you like that Mrs. Stern?”

  Avery asks, “Mrs. Stern?”

  Fallon nods her head and proceeds to tell them about how the hostess thought I was one of them. Avery laughs but then Murphy bluntly says,

  “So, I’ve been told what you do for a living. Fallon and Avery said you aren’t ashamed of it.”

  She must see my guard go up because she raises a hand to me before I can say anything.

  “I don’t expect for you to be. In fact, I’m happy to find a woman who owns it and doesn’t bow in shame. My mother was a stripper and I ran her strip club, so I don’t judge. Some of the finest women I know are strippers and escorts. But since it was brought up with the name confusion, I would like to know, have you ever been with any of our husbands?”

  I look at her trying to decide if she would be upset or not if I told her I had. But then I look at Fallon looking for permission to answer honestly. She gives me the nod, so I turn back to Murphy and tell her, “Yes, I have been with Gabriel. He used to be a regular of mine.”

  She leans back and asks what she really wants to know.

  “What about Zander?”

  I lean back and cross my legs showing her two can play at this intimidation game. “No, I have never been with Zander or Liam. Would it have bothered you if I had?”

  She lets out a short laugh, “I don’t know. I would love to say no, and I would have, if you’d asked me months ago. I was never a jealous woman, but now things have changed. I honestly think I would have been. Which, well shit, pisses me off. Especially with someone like you. You’re stunning.”

  She slams her hand on the table and practically yells out.

  “You see what the big oaf has done to me? I think I would’ve been seriously jealous.”

  We all start laughing. I can’t help but join them. I don’t know her well, but I’m sure I will soon love her like I do Avery and Fallon.

  Avery then stops and says,

  “You mentioned you never slept with Zander and Liam, but I didn’t hear you say Vin?”

  All the girls look at me while the hostess comes with our bottle. I raise my glass first to be poured, trying to buy some time hoping they will forget. I hurry, insisting to make my order even though it’s the hostess and not the waiter. She reluctantly takes all our orders, then Fallon shoos her away. However, my hopes are dashed when Avery repeats the question. Shit, here goes nothing, “Once, a long time ago.”

  Fallon practically jumps with joy.

  “I knew it! I saw the two of you talking at my wedding reception. I always meant to ask but hell, with everything happening, I forgot. Damn, I knew it!”

  “Okay, okay settle down. It was a long time ago and only once, geez.”

  Then Murphy asks, “Why once? I mean it’s Vin we’re talking about. He doesn’t say much but when a man looks like he does, who needs him to talk?”

  I almost spit my drink out. “I think I love you already. A woman after my own heart.”

  Fallon gets serious. “She’s right, why only once?”

  “Can’t we just leave it alone?”

  They all yell, “NO!”

  I look around the room and see everyone staring now. “Okay fine, just lower your voices. Fallon, remember the night we first met, and we got drunk?” She nods her head. “Well, I was kind of nervous around him.” I look at Murphy, “Like you said the man is fine. Well, he brought me home and I turned ‘working Brittany’ on and tried to seduce him. I was curious, I mean he never sleeps with any of the other girls or the men.”

  Now Avery does spit out her drink. “Shit!”

  We laugh, and I go on, “I just wanted to see if I could entice him to sleep with me and I was drunk enough to try. I mean the man is gorgeous and after hearing that deep dark voice of his, I couldn’t help myself.”

  “And?” Murphy asks.

  “I failed, he watched me pleasure myself then he left.”

  “You didn’t!” Fallon gasps and Murphy says,

  “I think I love you too.”

  I smile and continue, “The next day he found my compact in his car and returned it to me. I apologized for my behavior. I mean, I felt like an idiot. Who does that with someone they don’t know? He obviously wasn’t interested, at least that’s what I thought.”

  The girls all sit up leaning in closer, “And then?” Fallon asks.

  “But the next thing I know, he’s grabbing me and kissing me hard. I’ve never felt so much passion. I instantly turned ‘working Brittany’ on again.

  “Why would you do that?” Fallon asks.

  “I haven’t ever been with a man without working.”

  They all looked at me shocked. “Never?” Murphy asks.

  “No, when I was younger I had made out with boys and stuff, but I never had sex with any man without working.”

  Murphy leans back into her chair and studies me. I look back at her and ask, “What? Don’t look so shocked. I might be an escort, but I wasn’t, nor am I, a slut.”

  “I’m sorry, you’re right. I just assumed that you had had sex before you started or at least a few men in between jobs.”

  I shake my head no.

  Fallon wants to get back to the story, so I start again. “We had sex, some hard-wild sex. But then somewhere in the middle of the night, something changed, at least for me. I don’t know how to explain it. I never cared before, I guess that’s what was different. With my clients, I don’t really care about the emotions that are attached to sex, but with Vin, I started to feel something. I was stupid.”

  Avery asks, “How so?”

  “The next morning, we woke up and I told him I was going to take a shower, then I would make breakfast, but by the time I came out of the bathroom, he was gone. That’s when I noticed he left a thousand dollars on my nightstand.”

  “That fucking bastard.”

  Murphy says it, but all the girls are nodding their heads. Fallon grabs my hand and tells me,

  “I’m sorry Brittany. Did he ever apologize? What about the reception when I saw you talking to him?”

  “He tried calling and texting several times, but I ignored them all. Then at your reception, he cornered me and wanted to know why I was avoiding him. That pissed me off, even more. I mean I told him I never bring anyone to my home and he still didn’t get it. It never occurred to him that I wasn’t working. He thought I was just sleeping with him for the money.”

  Avery looks pissed now. “I can’t believe him. I would never have thought Vin would’ve treated any woman like that. He’s always been so gentle and understanding with me.”

  I shrug my shoulders and continue. “I told him I never wanted to see again, then I informed him why. I told him that he made me feel like a whore in my own home. Anyways, he got the picture and he hasn’t tried to contact me again except…”

  “Except when?” Fallon pushes.

  “Except when I went to see Gavin for the first time. When I was leaving, he grabbed me and pushed me against a wall. Not to hurt me but man did it make me want him. He was strong, and I could see the want in his eyes. But, he released me and that was it. I haven’t seen or heard from him since.”

  Murphy says, “Wow! That’s hot. I love being thrown against a wall and having Zander …. well you get the picture.”

  “Yes, I do, but does Zander walk away without doing anything?”

  “Zander? Ha! That man does whatever the hell he wants. It’s hot as shit too. But I have to push him away every now and then. Can’t make it too easy for the oaf. But trust me, I always want him, I just hate admitting it sometimes. It makes it more interesting, if you know what I mean.” She winks at me and I salute her.

  Fallon turns to me and asks, “Do you still want him?”

  “Hell no! The last thing I need is a man. Besides I have plenty of them. Having just one is not in the future for me. I will never use the C word.”

  Ave
ry whispers, “What C word, cunt?”

  “NO! Commitment!”

  Everyone starts laughing but when the laughter dies down, I ask Fallon how my baby boy Gavin is doing. I changed the subject fast because I refuse to give Vin Stern one more second of thought. Fallon tells me how Gavin’s been, then I learn all about Murphy’s daughters. Murphy fills me in on her and Zander’s love story and finishes it by telling me how Zander asked her to remarry him. She says he wants a wedding where she makes the choice to love him forever. They are just in the beginning stages of planning. I’m enjoying learning all about how she nailed down Zander without even knowing if she really wanted him. It’s amazing to see how her face lights up when she discusses her twins. It’s so hard to picture Zander with twin daughters, but it serves him right with all the women that man has been through. I know a lot of women who still wish he were single. He always had a reputation with the ladies. I hope Murphy doesn’t continue to grow with jealousy because I might have never slept with him or Liam, but those two men sure did make the rounds when they were single. Murphy must be psychic because all of a sudden she asks Fallon,

  “So, you two look very close. It doesn’t bother you that Gabriel and Brittany used to be a thing?”

  I answer first, “Gabriel and I were never a thing. He was strictly a client and not one that I saw every week or month. Gabriel never needed to pay for sex but when he did, I was the only one he used.”

  She looks confused. “Why only you?”

  I giggle and answer. “I have a lot of powerful men like Gabriel as clients that just need to escape reality for a little while. They come to me stressed out and frustrated, but when they leave me, they are relaxed and put at ease. It’s kind of my thing.”

  Now Avery and Murphy get curious, “How do you do that?”

  “A long time ago, someone taught me how to read a man and his body language.” I glance over to Fallon, wondering if she knows I was trained by the same woman who trained her.

  “Plus, it was out of necessity that I learn really quick and know exactly what a man needs. Fallon here has the same power. She just uses it on Gabriel, and since they’ve been together, he’s never needed me again.”

  I catch Fallon’s smile. I wonder if she understands the web she weaved on Gabriel or how much other men truly desire a woman like her?

  “Okay that’s enough about me. I think we need another bottle, anyone else?”

  They all happily agree. We finish our meal and three more bottles. By the time we’re done, we are all drunk. Fallon is always good for a laugh when she’s drunk and tonight is no exception. Time has flown by and it’s now dark outside.

  Fallon tells me, “I’m sorry, but I had to call Vin to pick us up; I had no one else. Catherine has been sick with some kind of cold and you know we can’t tell our husbands. They don’t know we know you.”

  Avery shouts out, “I am not calling my mother. I can love her from afar but that’s enough for me.”

  I tell them not to worry because I’ve already texted Leo and he shouldn’t be too much longer. Leo is one of my closest friends and also a male escort. He’s just down the road, finishing with a client.

  Once the bill is paid, we stand, deciding to wait outside, which was probably a mistake because now, Fallon is singing out loud. At least when we were inside, she had a little more restraint. But screw it, we all join in.

  Vin’s car pulls in right as we all are acting like we are the next Rockefeller dancers. He gets out of the car looking like a pissed off father, but he can’t keep the look up for long when Avery almost kicks him in the face, trying to show why she should be the star of our show.

  He looks at me for just a second before he says,

  “Alright ladies, it’s a wrap. Put your legs down and let’s load up.”

  I fall back as the girls all start getting in the car. He turns back to me,

  “What are you waiting for, an invitation?”

  “No, not from you. I have a friend picking me up. You can leave now, you have all you came for.”

  “Get in the car Brittany! I’m going to bring you home.”

  “Hell, no! You will never bring me home again. Just go Vin, I’m drunk and I don’t want to argue.”

  “Who’s picking you up?”

  “A friend.”

  He slams the car door and storms over to me.

  “I asked who?”

  Right then Leo pulls up. “My date’s here.” I nod my head in Leo’s direction. “He’s bringing me home.”

  Leo gets out the car, telling me, “Your knight in shining armor has arrived my love. Come on baby, let’s go home.”

  I push past Vin and walk towards Leo, trying to be as sexy as I can manage with being as drunk as I am. Leo opens the car door for me and we give each other a small kiss. I make sure when I go to sit that my split on my skirt opens all the way, revealing my long legs. That’ll show him.

  The girls roll their car window down and start whistling and hollering at me. Vin just stares, looking pissed off at the world.

  Vin

  The minute I realize she’s not coming with us, I start fuming. She left me standing there looking like a complete fucking idiot, watching her walk away. When Leo calls himself her knight in shining armor, I almost lose it. Then she kisses him and gets in the car, revealing her sexy legs. She was playing me to get a reaction. Fuck that!

  Getting in the car, I rollup the back window. “Settle down ladies. I’m bringing you all home, so your husbands can handle your asses.”

  I hear them whispering, then suddenly Fallon yells out.

  “You’re an idiot and an ass!”

  Murphy follows suit, “Yep, an ass!”

  My brows pinch in confusion as I turn and ask. “What the hell did I do?”

  “Nothing!” They all yell.

  I shake my head trying to figure out what the hell has gotten into them.

  Fallon yells at me. “I’m hungry, Vin.”

  “Oh no, no way, you’re not eating in my car again. When I get you home, Gabriel can feed you.”

  “He sure in the hell can!” She yells back and the girl’s laugh, then they all start singing some sultry song. Fuck. Why me?

  I texted Gabriel at a red light to tell him to make sure all of them are ready to get their wives from me. I’m done playing babysitter for the night. When we pull up, all three of my brothers are in the driveway waiting for us. Liam and Zander have huge smiles on their faces, but Gabriel stands with his hands in his pockets looking stoic.

  I get out and holler at them, “Get your wives. I’m done.”

  Gabriel asks, “Why did they call you instead of us?”

  “I don’t know, I guess because I had mentioned to Avery earlier that I was going to be nearby. It wasn’t a problem, but man, Fallon cannot sing. It’s your turn to hear all that shit.”

  My other brothers start laughing, “I don’t know why you two are laughing. Murphy and Avery can’t sing either, but damn, can Avery kick high.”

  They all looked confused as I go to walk away. But Fallon stops me. “Vin, I need you for another minute.” She whispers to Gabriel as Murphy yells at Zander,

  “Come on you big oaf, I’m hungry and you need to feed me.”

  Zander wiggles his eyebrows at me and yells, “I got something for you, Red.”

  “Food Zander, food.”

  Zander takes off and Liam picks Avery up in his arms literally, carrying her away while Gabriel follows behind. Avery yells back at me. “You’re in trouble. You’re on all our shit list!”

  Again, what the hell did I do to them? I turn back around to a very pissed off Fallon.

  I cross my arms and ask, “What?”

  “Don’t you what me! I know what you did to Brittany. How could you be so stupid?!”

  She walks up to me and hits me on the back of my head.

  “Hey!”

  “Don’t hey me either! I cannot believe you did that. You paid her!”

  “I thought th
at’s what I was supposed to do.”

  “Did you discuss it first?”

  “No, it just happened.”

  “Exactly! It just happened. Brittany is a professional. Don’t you think if she wanted to be paid she would’ve mentioned it beforehand?”

  “I don’t know, I’ve never done anything like that before. I never had a professional.”

  “Well, you better fix it! I love Brittany and I love you. But I will not watch you hurt her.”

  “Well, that won’t be a problem. She won’t even talk to me.”

  “You’re just as clueless as the rest of them.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means, I can almost guarantee you’re already wanting to be with her again. I know you are, I saw it when you looked at her. Fix it! I don’t care how you do it. But, you better make damn sure the next time you sleep with her, it is understood what the arrangement is.”

  “I’m never going to sleep with her again.”

  “Sure, you will. Remember what I said. Now, I think I’m going to be sick.”

  Fallon stumbles, but makes it to the house in time for Gabriel to pick up her hair before she starts retching. My face sours as I yell out, “Serves you right.” Then I see her lift her hand to flip me off.

  Once Gabriel gets Fallon in the house, I start thinking about what she said. It’s starting to piss me off. I can’t believe she told the girls about us, or fuck, not us, but about our night. Our one fucking night. I need to talk to her.

  I get back in my car and head for her house. When I get there, I see Leo’s car still in her driveway. Shouldn’t he have left by now? I sit in the car waiting for him to leave. It takes a while but then I finally see him come out, locking the door. I sit there for a minute deciding if I should knock on her door or not, but then I decide it’s best to leave it alone for tonight and let her sleep it off.

  8

  Vin

  Another week goes by, it’s late but we are all enjoying ourselves as a family. The kids are all asleep for once at the same time. So, we have been taking the opportunity to all catch up on what my brothers now call grown-up time. Gabriel, in fact, has been enjoying himself a little too much. He just excused himself to go sleep off the booze. Everyone has been drinking but me, I didn’t feel like it much tonight. One by one everyone follows Gabriel’s lead. I stand, trying to also excuse myself when Fallon’s phone rings. She walks away to answer it as I kiss mother’s cheek. Fallon runs back into the room panicking. She starts to whisper something to Catherine and then I hear mom tell Fallon to take me.