by Sienna Blake
Jacob rewards me with a dazzling smile. “Please.” He holds out a hand. “Shall we sit in my private booth?”
Private booth. French champagne. Shiny designer shoes. This guy is way out of my league. I guess the quicker he realizes I’m a barely-making-ends-meet nursing student he’ll send me on my way.
He whistles again to get the attention of the bartender. “Have this sent to my booth.” He steals a glance at me then turns back to the bartender. “Um, please.”
I can’t help the smile that pulls at my lips before I walk through the crowd to the booth that I had seen him sitting in earlier.
Standing on one side of the booth is Garfield. He nods to me in acknowledgment and I nod back. On the other side is another man, thinner and shorter than Garfield. He has shallow cheeks and pale skin and is good looking in a scary kind of way. He’s standing with his weight on one leg, hands fisted across his chest. This is Snake, I presume. When I catch his eyes I understand what Jacob meant when he said that Snake was “not a people person”. Snake’s eyes are black and soulless and I can’t help but shiver.
Jacob stands next to me and places his hand between my shoulder blades. I look at the women in the booth – three of them – who are staring at us. Correction, glaring at me and fluttering their ridiculous false eyelashes at Jacob. I get a sense that any one of these “ladies” would think nothing of stabbing me in the face when Jacob’s back was turned. Oh God. What am I getting myself into?
“Alright, ladies,” Jacob says, and I think he is about to introduce us. “Goodnight and get out of my booth.”
One of them gasps then pouts her gaudily-painted lips at Jacob.
“What the fuck?” the second one snarls.
The third one laughs and flips out her hands to pat playfully at Jacob’s arm. “Oh, you’re such a joker, Jakey. He’s joking, guys. Calm down.”
“Not joking, Mandy. Get the fuck out my booth.”
I feel the eyes of the second one roaming over my dress. Yes, it’s tighter and skimpier than anything I would ever usually wear, but it is practically a nun’s garb compared to the shreds of material that these girls are wearing. I’m wearing a strapless back pencil dress that drops to an inch above my knee with a black lace overlay up to my neck like a choker and fitted sleeves down to my wrists.
“Are you fucking serious?” she says. “You’re giving the three of us up for… this?”
I jump when Jacob slams a hand down on the table. So do the three girls. “You say one more thing about her and I will personally make sure you are never allowed to set foot in any club in this whole goddamn city. Now. Get. The fuck. Out.”
They pause for a moment before gathering their purses and yanking themselves out of the booth. Jacob grabs me and tucks me against his side when the loudmouth one shoulder charges me as she moves past us.
The one named Mandy hoists her chin up as she pulls herself out of the booth. “And it’s not Mandy, it’s Mindy, asshole.”
Jacob rolls his eyes. “Whatever.”
I slap Jacob on his arm. “Hey. Don’t be so mean to her.”
Jacob turns his dark brooding eyes on me. “She was only after me for my money. What does that say about her?”
“You were spending your time with her. What does that say about you?”
He pauses then makes an exasperated noise. “Sorry, Mindy,” he calls after the girl. “Have a nice night.”
“Fuck you, asshole.” She yells back over her shoulder before she disappears through the crowd.
I slide into the booth. I notice that same crest is painted in gold, large across the wall of the booth. It’s an eagle behind a shield with a halo made of leaves above its head. It must be the club’s crest. I also notice it engraved on the napkins scattered among the mess on the table. There are two bottles of half-full Grey Goose vodka sitting in ice buckets and way too many glasses.
I expect that Jacob will take the other side. He doesn’t. He slides in next to me just as the bartender arrives with our champagne. The bartender cleans up the used glasses and sneaks curious glances at me, while I try not to feel trapped and unnerved at the fact that I’m pressed against the wall of this booth with Jacob squeezed against my side and his eyes roaming across my face.
“So, princess. Tell me what you do with yourself.”
I lick my lips, which have gone dry. I notice Jacob’s gaze is fixated on my mouth. “I thought you said you’d promise not to try to kiss me.”
He smiles, but his eyes don’t leave my lips. “I haven’t tried to kiss you.”
“Yes, but you look like you want to.”
He leans in, “I promised you I wouldn’t try to kiss you, not that I wouldn’t be thinking about it every time you move that perfect little mouth of yours.”
I push him back with one hand and I can’t help but notice how hard his chest is under his dark shirt. “Look, buddy. If you want to keep making me uncomfortable I’m just going to go.”
He shifts back a bit on the booth seat with his hands up in the air. “Okay, okay. I’ll behave.” He flashes me a grin. Yes, I can see already that Jacob is a man used to getting what he wants. “Forgive me, princess?”
I find myself nodding. Dammit.
I’m thankful for the small amount of space he has put between us. I feel like I can breathe a bit better now. I consider leaving anyway, but I do need a way to get home. And, I argue with myself, Jacob is being a gentleman. To me, anyway. Sort of. So far.
“Please, I want to hear about you,” he says as he leans an elbow on the table and rests his cheek on his hand. His whole upper body is turned towards me. I feel on show, like a spotlight is on me.
“There’s not much to tell,” I begin, “I’m a full-time student in my second year of nursing.”
“Nursing? Why nursing?”
“I actually wanted to be a doctor, but my grades slipped in my last year of school.”
“Why was that?”
“I…” I shift in my seat. “My grandmother fell ill. She was more important than school. I started working part-time to help out, you know, with bills.”
He purses his lips. “Is she okay now?”
I smile and nod. “Yeah, she’s okay now.”
“It’s a shame that you didn’t get a chance at med school.”
“It doesn’t matter. I decided I could help just as much if I went into nursing. Plus I think with nursing you get more person-to-person contact anyway. I want to work with patients.” I blush under his stare.
“You want to save the world.”
“I want to try.”
“Tell me, princess, do you think the world is worth saving?”
“Of course it is.”
He leans in. “And everyone in it?”
I nod.
He smiles and shakes his head. “You actually believe that. Cute.”
I reach out for my champagne flute and take a sip.
“What else? Tell me more.”
“When I’m not studying, I work part-time at a local bar to pay the bills. I also volunteer at the local old folks’ home.” I shrug. “That’s about it. I’m not very interesting.”
“You’re the most interesting woman I’ve met in a long time.”
I’m caught between pleasure and embarrassment at his compliments. “I’m not so unique. You’ve just been hanging out with the wrong people.”
He snorts. “Obviously.”
“So what do you do?”
He raises an eyebrow at me. “Seriously? You haven’t figured it out?”
I frown. I’m missing something but… “What? I don’t get it.”
He laughs again. “You are funny. So innocent. So fresh and uncomplicated. See all this,” he holds out his hands and waves to the club, “this belongs to me and my family.”
Then it hits me. Tyrell. Jacob Tyrell. Of the Tyrell family. The Tyrells own over half the night clubs in this city. That’s why the bar staff snapped to attention. That’s why he has goon and gooner flanking him. That’s why those pl
astic girls were so upset when I came and stole their meal ticket. That’s why he didn’t have to pay for the champagne. He owns it all anyway.
I shake my head, trying to clear it. “I don’t want anything from you, Jacob.”
He smiles. “I know. Which makes me want to give everything to you. You haven’t had much luck in your life, but I plan on changing that.”
Jacob is true to his word. He doesn’t try to kiss me. Once or twice I catch him touching my hair. Once I catch him as he brings the ends of the strands up to his nose to smell.
When I start to yawn, Jacob takes me by the hand and leads me through the club to a side exit, where a long black limousine is waiting.
“Are you for real?” I say when the driver gets out, opens the door and I realize this limo is for us.
Jacob chuckles and helps me get into the car. He holds my hand until we get to the base of my dorm; he insists on driving all the way to the door. He hands me his phone and tells me to program my number into it. He kisses me on the knuckles goodbye. “Good night. I’ll see you soon.”
I watch the limo drive out of the gates from the front window of the dorm lobby.
As I unlock the door to my dorm room my phone buzzes with a text. I’ll pick you up at 8 tomorrow night, princess.
Chapter 9
The present
On our first date Jacob took me to one of the restaurants that his family owned. When I walked into the empty place, I frowned until I realized he had closed the whole place down just for me. Later that night we had our first kiss.
“We’re made for each other. You know how I know?”
I shake my head.
“You’re unpredictable, princess. Different. Like me.” He leans in so close I can smell the cognac on his lips. It thrills and scares me to have him this close to me.
I can still remember the taste of liquor on him, the insistent way his tongue probed my mouth as if he owned it.
Oh God.
I am sitting here drinking coffee in a restaurant owned by the Tyrells. I knew that they owned lots of properties and businesses across the country, but I never got the full list. I knew it would be a possibility that the cities I ran to would have a tie to them. I never imagined that I would walk straight into one of their properties. I never imagined that Cade would lead me to them.
My mind seems stuck like a skipped record. Oh God. Oh shit. Oh God. What if they’re here? What if Jacob’s here? He can’t still be looking for me, can he?
“Your body, your blood, your life…belong to me.”
I recognize this familiar feeling of numbness and cold pins and needles across my skin. I’m in shock. I try to snap myself out of it. I need to get the hell out of here.
I can’t move. My muscles seem to have seized up. Everything feels like it’s going very slowly. Everything sounds muffled as if I have shoved cotton wool in my ears.
I realize too late that the latte glass is slipping from my fingers. It hits the saucer with a crash that echoes menacingly through my haze. Coffee splashes over the table and starts to dribble off the sides. The spray of hot liquid into my lap seems to snap me out of my shock. I look up in fear as I hear someone rushing for me.
It’s only the waiter running over to me with a cloth. The restaurant has gone quiet. Everyone is looking at me. Oh God. Everyone is looking at me. In a restaurant owned by the Tyrells.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” I mutter as I dab helplessly at the pool of pale brown liquid with a sopping napkin, keeping my head down so that my face is hidden. “I’m such a klutz.”
“It isn’t a problem, madam. Let me do that for you. Here, for your clothes.” He hands me a stack of napkins. I sit with my chin buried in my chest, pretending to focus on cleaning myself up as the waiter wipes down the table with his cloth. I want to run out of here. All my instincts are screaming for me to run, panic clawing at the insides of my throat. The waiter is blocking my path. He won’t let me out. He’s doing it on purpose. I’m trapped. Trapped in the corner of this booth.
“I shall get you another latte.”
“No!” I swallow when I realize that I have just shouted, causing the other patrons to look over again. Too much attention. Way too much attention. I clear my throat and try to smile. “I’m sorry. I’ve just realized I have an appointment that I forgot about. How much do I owe you for the latte?” I scramble around in my bag looking for my wallet.
“That’s fine, madam. It’s on the house.”
I look up in surprise. I catch his eye and quickly look down. Does he know who I am?
I look around the waiter slowly, barely daring to breathe, convinced that Jacob will materialize out of the photo to stand before me, my nightmares made flesh. My heart lurches and my eyelids flutter shut in some desperate notion that if I just wish hard enough, everyone will go away.
“Are you okay?”
My eyes open. Jacob isn’t here. There’s just the waiter peering at me with concern. Not recognition, just concern.
Breathe, woman. Jacob isn’t here.
“Fine. Thank you. Sorry again.” I grab my bag and my knuckles turn white from the grip of my fists. I walk out without another look at the waiter. Or perhaps I run.
Why was Caden here? Was that really Jacob in the photo or someone who looked just like him? What does this mean? What the hell does this mean? Am I overreacting? Was this just a coincidence?
Do I even believe in coincidences?
I should have seen the signs, but back then I didn’t know what to look for. Jacob insisted on seeing me every day that he could after that. He told me that he was falling in love with me on our third date. Part of me told myself that this was all moving too fast, too intense. But the other part of me felt so good to be wanted, so good to be loved.
Three weeks later I said I loved him back. Only then did I agree to sleep with him…
Chapter 10
Five years ago
“Bounce up and down on me. Come on, baby.”
I bite my lip but continue to move slowly over Jacob. I need to get used to him. I have had sex only once before, so to be naked with someone still feels strange and uncomfortable. He watches me from below with a smirk to his lips. My face heats. Can he see the inexperience in me? Is he laughing at me?
“Look at you, little princess.” He reaches out and pinches my clit, hard. I flinch. Too hard. “All fresh and new just for me.”
From where he pinched, a heat bursts out like a small bottle rocket. It feels… good. I start to rock a little faster.
“That’s it. Come on.”
And faster.
I hear a loud slap and a hot sting on my ass. I cry out. I look down in time to see his hand come down on me again. Crack. I flinch as the fire spreads across my skin.
“Jacob, that hurts.” I look back to him with pleading eyes. There’s no sympathy in his. The smirk is still on his face.
“It’s pain, baby. It’s part of life. But pain can feel good. So good.” He digs the fingers of one hand into my hip, pinches my nipple with the other and starts to thrust up into me.
After this first time together, Jacob convinces me to cut my classes for tomorrow and Tuesday and keeps me in bed for the whole time. He loves me, can’t get enough of me, wants me all to himself. By early Wednesday morning I’m sore from the amount of sex we’ve had. But it feels good that he needs me so much.
A weird awareness sits under my skin like an itch. I need to escape this bubble and pay some attention to the rest of my life – school, study, work, friends. Shit, and I haven’t called my grandparents in days. They’ll be worried. I slip out of bed and dress while he dozes.
I hear him grunt behind me as I gather my things. “I’m not letting you leave.”
When I spin around he’s sitting on the edge of the bed, covered only by a slip of sheet across his lap. His face is adorably crinkled from sleep and his hair is mussed. I laugh and walk over to him, slipping between his knees. I kiss his nose. “I need to go to class.”
>
“I have some business to take care of tonight and tomorrow. If you leave now I won’t see you again until Friday.”
“I have to keep up my classes if I want to graduate.”
“I told you, you don’t need to work. I can look after you.”
I pout. “Then I’ll be no better than those gold diggers you so despise.”
He grunts again. I can see the slip of acceptance on his face. I bend down and kiss him thoroughly on the mouth and curl my fingers through his hair. His hands slip up my legs, into my skirt. I feel him twitching beneath the sheet. I untangle myself from him before we get carried away. Again. I walk across the room to shove the last of my stuff in my bag.
“I’m sending Snake with you. He can look after you until Friday.”
I spin around. “What?”
Jacob is leaning back on the bed with a satisfied look on his face. “Yeah. Snake can look after you while you’re not with me. Just until I find someone I trust to do it full-time.”
My mouth drops open. A chill begins to grip me. “No.”
Jacob pouts again. “This way I can make sure you’re safe.”
“You mean to tell me that you want Snake come to class with me, hang around while I eat lunch, study at the library, go to sleep?” This is absurd. I can’t even begin to describe how friggin’ absurd it is. I can’t believe Jacob is even suggesting this. “What about the bathroom? Is he going to stand and watch while I have a shower, too?”
Jacob growls. “No, he can fucking wait outside.”
“No. No way, Jacob.”
“I just want to protect what’s mine, princess.”
“I’m not having Snake follow me around all day.”
“Then I’ll send Garfield.”
I stare at him. He’s serious. He is so serious. What the hell is this really about? “Don’t you trust me?”
“You, I trust. It’s all those assholes who want a piece of you that I don’t. I love you, don’t you understand? I fucking love you.”
My heart clenches. He looks so desperate and pained. I make my voice softer. “Jacob, I love you too. But I won’t have anyone follow me around, okay? Not Garfield, not anyone and definitely not Snake.” I sigh. “Please, I don’t want to fight, baby. I’m going to class – alone. I’ll see you on Friday, okay?”
