“So, you don’t like him, but you’re going to continue to see him.”
“It’s fucked, I know.”
“Are you sure you aren’t just trying to find excuses to not be happy. Are you afraid to let him get too close, because if you do, you might learn that he in fact isn’t just another spoiled rich guy?”
Jessica watched her friend, but she said nothing. Ben was perceptive, and hearing him say the words out loud made her think. Perhaps she did like Rafael more than she wanted to. She’d spent too long thinking of him as the enemy. The man that represented the root of inequality. And she liked him. What did that say about her?
CHAPTER TWELVE
ON THE NIGHT of the masquerade, Rafael stepped from the back of his car, straightened his tuxedo jacket and fixed his black mask over his eyes. The masquerade party was one of Di Terrestres’s most popular events, and it was one of his own favorites, but he felt a nervous twitch in his stomach. That happened more and more when he thought about seeing Jessica. He had offered to pick her up in his own car, but Jessica told him she would rather arrive separately. He knew why. She was becoming increasingly paranoid of being discovered together. He understood it, but he didn’t have to like it. So, he’d sent another car for her, and he knew that she’d just arrived before him.
When Rafael entered Di Terrestres, the party was already in full swing. The place was filling up, as most members were eager to attend the twice-yearly party. But as if she had a beacon on her, he instinctively turned his head in her direction and was able to identify her, even though she was wearing a black lace mask that covered the top portion of her face. But even if he hadn’t been able to see her face, he would have known her body anywhere.
“That’s some dress,” he whispered in her ear, seeming to startle her. His eyes raked over her. The dress in question was backless, the V in front plunged almost to her belly button, and the hemline hit the floor, but the slit rose high on her thigh.
She smiled. He could see her green eyes turn mischievous underneath her mask. “I’m glad you like it.”
“I more than like it. In fact, I’m going to like it even more when it’s balled up on my bedroom floor in a few hours.” He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. He felt her still against him before pulling back.
“Raf,” she chided him, looking at the people around them. “I don’t know if this is such a good idea.”
“I told you, no one cares who we are here.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t put so much trust in my fellow man, and NDAs, as you do.”
“Just relax,” he soothed her, trailing his fingertips down her spine. He felt her responsive, full-body shiver, and he smiled in the knowledge that he could affect her so. “Want to go sit down?”
“Yeah, sure.”
* * *
A seat was definitely something she needed. That, and a good stiff drink. Even though she tried to keep a steady head, every time she was around Rafael, he clouded her senses and took over her common sense. Going to the party had definitely been a mistake. She couldn’t be seen with him in public. It would cripple her campaign if their relationship—if that’s what it is—got out. Any questions that people had would lead to further digging into her personal life, and then her stripping would be discovered.
Rafael took her hand and led her up a small staircase to a table that overlooked the club. A table that, as she noticed, wasn’t empty. Five other people were already seated. One face she immediately recognized—Alex, Rafael’s campaign manager, and he frowned at her but quickly covered it. She didn’t miss the challenging looks exchanged between Rafael and Alex, who clearly disapproved of her presence. The others she didn’t recognize, but from the way they watched her, they all seemed extremely interested in her.
“Everyone, this is Jessica. I invited her to join us tonight.” Rafael went around the table and introduced each of his friends, the members of the infamous Brotherhood.
“That explains the extra chair,” Brett said.
A stunning blonde woman, Alana, eyed her from across the table. “Well, when Rafael said he was bringing a guest, we weren’t really sure what to expect. We certainly didn’t expect Jessica Morgan.”
The man next to her, Gabe, slung an easy arm over the back of Alana’s chair. “Oh, I don’t know. I think this is what we all expected.”
“Guys,” Rafael said to his friends. “Don’t be dicks.”
“We aren’t,” Gabe insisted.
“We’re being perfectly cordial,” Alana agreed, and reached across the table to Jessica. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Jessica said, shaking her hand. “Thank you all so much for having me.” She turned to Rafael. “Thank you for the invite.”
“But I’m curious why you’re here, though,” Alex said.
“Dude,” Rafael said, his voice a loud whisper, through what she could tell were clenched teeth.
“It just seems strange to me that you’re both spending so much time together, while you’re campaigning against one another.”
Jessica opened her mouth to respond, but Rafael cut her off, pointing at his friend. “Let’s step away from the table, shall we?”
“I’m comfortable right here,” Alex responded, settling back in his chair, sipping dark liquid from his glass.
Jessica watched as a silent battle of wills took place between the two men. But she also didn’t miss the silent communication between the others at the table—a nonverbal conversation between a close-knit group of friends. After several tense moments, both Rafael and Alex stood.
“We’ll be back soon,” Rafael told her before they walked away.
Alone in the awkward silence of the table, Jessica frowned. “You know what? I think I’m going to go home. I shouldn’t have come.”
Again, Alana reached across the table to her. “Oh, don’t be silly. Those two have been friends since childhood. They’re always fighting about something. They just need to get it out now and then.”
“I’m sorry if I caused any trouble for you guys or Rafael.”
Brett waved her off. “This isn’t exactly a usual situation, you guys being competitors, but don’t worry about them. They’ll be fine.” He sipped his drink. “But this is all very interesting because you’re giving Raf a bit of a hard time in the press. I didn’t know he was such a masochist.”
“I think we can all agree that Rafael could use a hard time every now and then,” Jessica said. “Just so he doesn’t get soft.”
Alana watched her for a moment before she burst into giggles. “Oh, you are good,” she said, and then turned to the group. “I like her. Raf better not screw it up.”
Jessica felt her cheeks color at Alana’s implication. “It’s not—” Thankfully, a waitress came by and took their drink order, so she didn’t have to address the nature of whatever their relationship was.
Rebecca, Brett’s wife, leaned in to her. “How’s the campaign going?”
“Really well, thanks,” she responded. “It’s a lot of work. And I know being mayor will be a much different job than city councillor, but I’m not afraid of a challenge.”
“And being so visible in the public eye? You and Raf have your faces splashed everywhere now. That must be difficult.”
“I don’t mind it so much, I’m just trying to get my message out there. I’m actually really grateful for all of the free publicity I can get. As long as the story is on my message, and not my personal life, I don’t see the problem.”
“Are you worried about something in your personal life being exposed?” Gabe asked. She’d been told he was a lawyer, and she could tell by the way he’d honed in on a phrase she hadn’t meant to use.
“Aren’t we all?” She tried to laugh it off. Gabe didn’t seem convinced. “You know what, it’s not like I’m embarrassed by it. I’m tired of hiding it.” She kn
ew that even though they were Rafael’s friends, or maybe because they were his friends, the table at Di Terrestres was a safe space for her. If Rafael trusted his friends enough to bring her there, she could probably trust them, as well. She hoped she could. She shrugged. “I’m a stripper.” Every pair of eyes at the table turned to her, and she nodded. “Yeah, I’m a dancer. I work in San Francisco most weekends.” The group was seemingly stunned into silence, and she continued on. “I’ve actually won world championships for pole dancing.”
It took several more moments before anyone moved and Jessica regretted even saying anything. She should have kept her stupid mouth shut.
“Shut up!” Alana said, her surprised exclamation startling her. “That’s amazing.”
Jessica relaxed as Rebecca also leaned close. “Yeah, you should teach us how,” Rebecca added, as excited as the other woman was.
“Hell, yeah,” Brett concurred, putting an arm around his wife. “I’d be all right with that.”
The table broke into laughter and Jessica relaxed a little more. But she tensed again when she saw Rafael and Alex standing in a far corner. They looked deep into a tense conversation. She wondered what they were talking about. The last thing she wanted to do was to come between Rafael and his oldest friend. It was an intense moment, and she wanted to leave the table, just for a moment, so she could breathe.
“If you guys will just excuse me for a moment, I need to go to the ladies’ room.” She stood, and left the table. Even as she walked away, she could feel their eyes on her back.
* * *
“What is your fucking problem?” Rafael asked Alex, when they were alone. He was pissed, but on a night as important as the masquerade, they couldn’t appear to be fighting in front of their guests.
“I don’t have a problem,” Alex maintained. “But what I do have is a healthy curiosity.” He raised his hands. “What the hell is going on? Why did you bring Jessica here?”
“Because I wanted to. I wanted her to be here with me.”
“So, are you guys dating or something?” Rafael didn’t know how to answer the question. “Dude, we tell each other everything. You haven’t been the same since you got back from San Francisco, and I can only assume it’s because of Jessica. What’s going on with the two of you?”
“Okay, just keep your voice down. We are sleeping together.”
“That’s old news. Tell me something I don’t know. And I don’t want this nothing bullshit. You think I don’t know you better than you know yourself? How long have we known each other?”
“Too long,” Rafael responded stubbornly.
“Since kindergarten, man. We’ve been through a lot together. And I don’t know why you won’t trust me with whatever is going on with you and Jessica.”
Rafael blew out a heavy breath. Tired of lying and avoiding his feelings, he was weary. And for weeks, he’d just thought Alex was pissed at him for jeopardizing the campaign, but he could also see that his friend was hurt by being shut out. “I don’t know. I never thought it would go this far. It’s like I’m going crazy. She makes me forget that we’re opponents. That the last thing on my mind should be sex, or her, or how I feel when I’m with her.”
“No,” Alex said quietly. “Because I need you to keep focused on the job, and getting elected. If this is just sex, fine, relieve a little tension when you need to. But not with her. Jessica has the power to destroy everything you’ve worked for.”
“What, you’re giving me orders now? You don’t get to dictate who I sleep with.”
“No, I don’t. But I never thought you’d be so fucking reckless. So, what are you doing now? Throwing the campaign so she’ll win?”
“Hell no,” he responded, adamant. “I know how important the office is to all of us.”
“Do you think she’s using you, to distract you from the election?”
“Not a chance.”
Alex was silent, and he nodded, taking in what Rafael had just told him. “That’s all well and good. But I’m going to play bad cop here for a minute. I’m not your best friend now, I’m your campaign manager, and it’s my job to make sure you win this election. Did you see the latest poll numbers?”
He knew by Alex’s tone that they probably weren’t good, and he turned his back. “No.”
“You’re down again. By four points.”
“Fuck.”
“You really need to get your head back in the game, man. You’ve only got a couple weeks before the election. It’s crunch time. You have to hit the trail hard. Without worrying about getting your dick wet in your opponent, no matter how much you might like her. Do you even care about winning anymore?”
“Of course I do,” Rafael hissed. “No matter what’s going on between me and Jessica, I’m going to put it aside. You know me, I’ll do anything I need to win.”
Rafael saw Alex’s gaze rise to a point behind him, over his shoulder. He turned around and Jessica standing behind him. He blinked quickly. He hadn’t heard her come up behind him. “Hey, what’s up? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I was just on my way back from the restroom.” Her tone gave nothing away. Had she heard any part of their conversation? His proclamation that he would do anything to win?
* * *
When she left Rafael and made it back to the table, the previous conversation had resumed. It seemed as if his friends still had questions for her.
“So, I’m guessing that with your rising political career, you can’t keep dancing, right?” Gabe said to her.
“What did I miss over here?” She looked up and saw that Rafael had made his way back up the platform. He reclaimed his seat next to her. But she noticed that he was alone. Alex was nowhere to be found.
“Jessica was just telling us about her side job.”
“Oh, really?” he asked, obviously surprised.
“I’ve got an idea,” Alana said. “Why don’t you do a performance here?”
She felt Rafael’s gaze on her. “I don’t know. In Las Vegas? I can’t. People will see that it’s me.”
“It’s so perfect, though. You’re a world-champion dancer, it’d be a great show for our guests.”
Jessica looked to Rafael, who was still watching her, his face unreadable. He’d already made it known that he didn’t like the idea of her dancing. What did he make of his friend’s offer?
“Absolutely not,” he said.
“Why not?” Alana asked.
“I don’t dance in Vegas,” Jessica told her. “Someone could see me, they’ll say something.”
“They’re legally not allowed to say anything. It’s in the contract,” Gabe reminded her. “You could wear a mask.”
“Maybe.” She was still unsure, and she looked around the table at the expectant eyes. Rafael’s were the only ones that said he disapproved.
“We have a stage, and we have regular shows and performances here in the main room,” Gabe offered.
“Yeah, I’ll arrange everything for you.” Alana pulled out her phone and consulted the screen, scrolling down several times, until she looked up again. “How’s Friday?”
“Friday?” she asked, her mind racing. She had at least one million things to do. The election was scheduled for the following week. Dancing would be the perfect way to expel all the tension and energy that would bring. But she shook her head. What was she afraid of? She danced all the time, and she knew she would miss it when she had to quit. Perhaps Di Terrestres would give her a chance. She smiled. It would be fine. But as she looked at Rafael, a small niggling of suspicion formed in her stomach, and she remembered what she’d overheard him say to Alex. I’ll do anything to win.
Oh, whatever. Friday would give her almost a week to come up with a routine, and the opportunity to perform would be welcome.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Rafael muttered. She could tell
he wasn’t happy about it, but she’d about made up her mind, and Rafael wasn’t going to tell her no if she wanted to do something.
She looked up at Rafael and put a hand on his thigh and squeezed, as he covered it with his own. It felt like a perfectly regular moment between two lovers. But their relationship was nothing close to regular. She shut her eyes and tried to remind herself that they weren’t in a relationship, and whatever it was, they had to end it or risk exposure. “I’ll do it.”
Rafael grimaced, but she ignored him. With the matter put to bed, everyone began to engage in their own conversations. Jessica leaned back in her chair, and into Rafael, stroking her fingers up and down his thigh, until she felt him relax under her touch. His arm wrapped around her, and with his fingertips, he drew circles over her bare back. “Let’s go for a walk.”
They walked down into the party. “I know you don’t want me to perform, but you said you wanted to see me dance again.”
“I know, but part of me doesn’t want anyone else to see you.”
She opened her mouth to respond, to tell him that he couldn’t boss her around, but instead she stopped when someone over his shoulder caught her attention. “Oh, my God,” she whispered.
“What?”
She pointed at a woman in the crowd. She wore a small mask over her eyes, but it was obvious who it was. “It’s Tanya Roberts. From LVTV.”
“Shit,” Rafael muttered. “How did she get in? We have a strict no-press rule, even if they’re not attending in the capacity of a reporter.
“It’s okay. I’ll get Alana to see whose guest she is, and revoke his privileges for life. And if she says anything, or if anything pops up about us, we bring her down. Hard.”
“It isn’t okay. We can’t be here together. In your freaking sex club.” She tried to catch her breath. She knew it wasn’t a good idea to go. She’d known better. “I want to leave.”
“Okay. Where do you want to go?”
“I want to go home.”
He nodded. “Okay, I’ll take you.”
* * *
Rafael’s teeth gnashed together as the driver made his way to Jessica’s home. They’d left immediately, but not before he’d relayed to Alana and the rest of the club management that a well-known reporter had made her way inside.
Sins of the Flesh Page 12
