Damned Sinner, page 7
part #1 of Jayne Series
“I never said I didn’t care about her, asshole! I’d take a bullet for that girl.” I took a deep breath and shook my head.
“I have nothing to offer her, Flynn. Getting involved with her will only hurt her. She has a future—and I may be a bastard, but I’m not fucking cruel. I won’t take that from her. If I take her, her future is as good as gone.”
His smile disappeared, and a look of understanding passed between us. “Looks like you got your way. She’s moving on. Can you handle that?”
Could I? That was a question I didn’t want to answer. The last time we were together, it hadn’t gone well. Jealousy was as foreign as the intense feelings she brought out in me. No. I wasn’t sure I could handle it. The real question was how I would handle it. I would have to, eventually.
“You didn’t even bother checking the guy out?”
He tipped back his beer, emptying it in one long gulp, and eyed me over the rim.
I could feel sweat beading on my forehead and swiped my hand over my face. The guy was developing that sense that Jayne had—reading into things that weren’t meant to be divulged. It was eerie, and it was pissing me off.
My hands were in tight fists against my thighs underneath the table while I tried to settle myself down. She wasn’t mine. I said it to myself almost a hundred times a day—every time I thought about her—but it didn’t make me feel any better.
“I’m not her father,” he snapped. “She’s Jayne’s little project. I’ll help her out—whatever she needs—but the girl has a right to make her own decisions. He looked harmless enough. Young, clean cut. He drives a Maserati, so he’s not some chump. She’ll be fine.”
Young dude in a Maserati? That didn’t quite equate to fine in my book, but he was right. The bastard.
“Why didn’t Collins tell me about this guy?”
Flynn raised an eyebrow. “It’s not his job to babysit my employees. I asked him to watch over her while she’s my guest, but I don’t want him stalking her every move. It’s unnecessary. She’s living in a highly secure suite under constant surveillance, and she’s got a fairly uncomplicated job. There’s no need for him to tail her.”
I sneered at him. “It’s only okay when he’s stalking Jayne, is that what you’re telling me?”
His face went dead cold, and I could tell I’d hit a nerve.
“That was a completely different situation, and you were brought into the loop with that right away. She was in danger—and I’ve already apologized to her for the way I handled that. She agrees with me. Without Collins, she could have been killed. You did the same thing with Kelsey then, and it was the right thing to do when she was at risk. There is no risk of her being hurt working here. If I thought there was a need, other than your sick fascination for her, I would do it in a heartbeat. Don’t doubt that. I care about the girl too.”
I sniggered and picked up my beer. He was a fucking hypocrite.
“The feds are still looking for the rest of your father’s soldiers. Do you realize that there could easily be a price on her head? Her sister stole from two of the most powerful men on the west coast, and you think it’s just fine for a naïve nineteen-year-old girl to run around Las fucking Vegas like she hasn’t got a care in the world? You’re not that stupid.”
His jaw tightened. It occurred to me that he was still keeping things from Jayne—to protect her most likely—but the fact was that the war was far from over, and he needed to wake the fuck up.
“She’s important to all of us, and that makes her a target—I get it. That’s why I offered her the job at the casino. She’s safer here than anywhere else. We have the top security team in Vegas on our books. She’s not in danger as of now, Vince. We put a tail on her, and she’s going to catch on. Do you want to explain to her why she has someone watching her?”
I shook my head. “I have no problem being honest with her. I was honest from the very beginning. She’s young, but she’s not stupid.”
“Kristine is most likely under protection, or dead. The feds have the trail nailed down to a few men—and they’re closing in on them quickly. Once we find the body—or bodies—we can move on. You, on the other hand, need to straighten your head out about the girl once and for all. Either man up or leave her the fuck alone.”
“I’m not bothering her!” I growled. “She’s the one pushing it. She won’t take no for an answer. She’s fucking stubborn.” I smacked the tabletop with my fist, frustrated. “I try not to hurt her. You have no idea.”
“No?” he asked, giving me a questioning look. “I know you left a handful of marks on her last time you were here. I know you dragged her in the room with you, and she didn’t leave until the next morning—in nothing but her underwear and a T-shirt. So... you want to tell me again how you’re trying not to hurt her?”
I slammed my hand against the table again and pushed out of the booth. “I don’t need to explain anything to you. I don’t even know how we got on this damn subject, but I’m done. Go back to the room—alone—and don’t bother having Collins watch Kelsey. I’ll handle it. I don’t trust that old fuck anyway.”
****
After leaving Flynn at Seville, the girls and I headed across town to hit a few more clubs. I rarely went clubbing—it wasn’t really my scene—but from time to time I’d go merely for professional reasons and to meet contacts.
I didn’t actively recruit girls off the street, or from the clubs. I wasn’t interested in getting picked up on pandering charges, and that was a surefire way to get popped. I worked strictly on word of mouth. People contacted me about interested girls, and I went from there.
There was a very specific code to follow when working with escorts. I’d never been interested in turning girls out. From my past experience working on their side of the fence, I had a good enough reputation, so I never had to go that route.
When word got around that I was managing girls—they flocked in my direction. I had the right clients, and a lot of money to hand out. They knew I’d have their backs.
I still remember the first time I found out Jayne was taking dates. Of course she’d done it all behind my back—and her father’s. I hadn’t been able to tell that kid what to do since she was old enough to tie her own shoes, but I’d never felt so lost or so broken up over her decisions. It’d been bad enough when she’d started dancing. It never bothered Sam, but shit... it pissed me off. I was no stranger to the clubs—or the girls—but she was different. She was mine, and I fucking hated it.
Needless to say, there was no way of talking her out of it, so instead I taught her everything I knew. She was my partner—my comrade and sidekick. For several years, there wasn’t a woman in the world more in demand than Jayne King.
Now, hours after spending time with two of the most vapid and ridiculous women I’d ever had the displeasure of meeting, I realized too late that Flynn was a lot smarter than I’d given him credit for.
I faked a phone call as an excuse to leave, and slipped out of the tourist-infested nightclub and escaped. I called for a car and waited out front, drunk and heavily remorseful for being such an asshole.
To everyone.
Flynn was on cue. I had to straighten out my head—both for myself and for Kelsey. I was more than ready to leave Vegas behind, but as for Kelsey... that was another story. I was a strong man, but there was only so much I could do. Letting her go—really letting her go—would be a motherfucker.
Chapter Nine
I heard voices in the next room and lifted my head to scan the room. I wasn’t sure what time it was or where I was, but I was positive my head felt like it was full of lead.
It wasn’t without effort that I crawled out of that bed, but as soon as I recognized Kelsey’s voice, I pushed myself up, threw on a shirt, and trudged to the door.
I found Kelsey and Flynn sitting at the kitchen table; a full spread of fruit, pastries, and breakfast foods were sitting out in front of them. I stood back in the doorway, like a creeper, and listened to them talk.
She was laughing at something he said, and her face was bright and her eyes open and sweet. My head told me to kill for her—to take her over my shoulder and run like I was on fire. She warmed something cold and deep inside of me, and it only got stronger every time I saw her.
“She sent me a picture of a few dresses she likes,” Kelsey said excitedly. “They’re beautiful. I wish I could’ve been there.”
Flynn’s eyes softened as he listened, a lazy smile on his face. “You should come stay with us so you don’t miss any of it. I know she’d love to have you there to help.”
My chest tightened. I wanted to both hug and smack him for being so kind to her. It wasn’t hard to do—she reeled you in like no other woman I’d ever met—even Janie. There was something about her that cried out for protection, and I could see what Flynn said was true. He would take care of her no matter what.
I decided to make my presence known, and walked into the room and cleared my throat. She turned her head and looked at me, and the smile she’d worn just moments before was gone. In its place she wore a look of pure disappointment and hate—a look that seared through me like fire.
“Morning,” I rasped. I walked over to the counter and grabbed a cup, pouring hot coffee straight to the brim.
“I see you decided to use your brain last night after all,” Flynn said coldly.
I took a long drink, careful of the heat, and set the cup down before turning around. “I wasn’t aware I had a curfew.”
He grunted and went back to buttering a piece of toast. “I better not find anything wandering around here later.”
I gave a quick glance toward Kelsey, and instantly wished I hadn’t. “Kelsey, can I have a moment with Flynn, sweetheart?”
She huffed, pulling her legs up beneath her. “I’m getting ready to go anyway. You can tell him all about those skanks from last night when I’m done with my breakfast.”
Flynn snorted, and I stared at her, surprised. “That’s all right. I have somewhere to be. Nice seeing you, Kels. Flynn... go fuck yourself.”
I walked out with the coffee cup in hand and went back to the room so I could shower and get the hell out of there. I wasn’t sure what Flynn was thinking bringing up the girls from the night before, but he was close to getting his ass kicked.
I spent more time than normal under the spray of the shower. Between the pent-up anger and seeing Kelsey in her pajamas first thing in the morning, I was hard as steel and ready to break through rock.
With one hand against the cool marble of the shower, I closed my hand around my cock and squeezed, relieved by the pressure. I rubbed down my shaft, lathering my balls and stroked myself a few times. Closing my eyes, I let myself imagine what it would be like having her hand on me, or her mouth. Those sweet soft lips wrapped around my cock, her cheeks pulled tight, and her tongue laving against my skin would be a sight to fucking behold.
I groaned and pulled harder, working toward the inevitable. I was going to come and come hard, but it was sure to be as unsatisfying as the rest of my recent experiences. It had entered my mind many times since meeting her that I’d never be able to enjoy anything the way I used to—before she’d stormed into my life like a walking wet dream.
There’d been a girl like her when I was young—before I’d fucked off my life and any chance at normal. She was blonde—not as tall—but just as tender. She was a good girl, smart and gentle—like Kelsey, and I’d done my best to persuade her over to my side of the tracks.
It wasn’t long after that when I’d gone to jail, and I never heard from her again—obviously. I thought about her for a while—before I’d given up on believing there was anything left for me but filth and sin.
My balls pulled up tight, and I knew I was close. I pumped myself a few more times before emptying down the drain with a shudder—my forehead still pressed against the cool tile of the shower.
Taking a few more deep breaths, I turned off the faucet and got out. I was in no hurry to go back to the other room—especially after the mind-blowing orgasm I’d had while imagining her—so I took my time, sorted out some of my things, and then waited until I was sure she was gone before heading out.
She was gone—thankfully—and Flynn was on the phone, so I grabbed some of the food and sat in front of the television while I waited for him to finish his conversation. I’d settled down a little after my shower, but I still wasn’t looking forward to talking to him. Frankly, I just wanted to pack up my shit and get back up north and start on the new business, putting Vegas and Kelsey behind me.
He walked into the room and sat down, sighing. “Have you made any progress with finding her dad’s body?”
I finished chewing and swallowed, shaking my head. “They have nothing. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I think they’re fucking with me. I got a call from one of my marks, and they were brought in for questioning—about me and the girls.”
“Shit,” he spat. “So, they’re throwing us on a wild goose chase? For what? You’ve got clean tracks, right? It’s all legit on paper, and there’s no one throwing you under the bus?”
“Not that I know of,” I said. “But, there’s always someone out there ready to come up. Shifting the girls could have caused a wedge somewhere. I know there are plenty of guys that wanted my girls and my connections. They could’ve gotten wind and decided to clean house to get what they want. Whatever it is—I can handle that. I don’t know what I’m going to tell Janie about Sam. She’ll never let it go until she has closure. I just wanted to give that to her.”
He pushed himself deeper into the sofa and groaned. “I can’t wait anymore. I was going to wait until we could bury him, but I can’t make her wait anymore.”
My eyebrows dipped in confusion. “What are you talking about? Are you going to tell her that we’re looking for him?”
He shook his head. “Yeah, I mean... no. That’s not it. I’ll tell her because I don’t want to keep it from her anymore, but I’m talking about the wedding. I need to marry her immediately. It’s almost been a year, and I intended on doing it the same day I asked her.”
“Ahh,” I said. “She was just talking to me about it. So what are you going to do?”
He looked over at me and smiled. “I’m going to tell her to get it done within the next few months. We’ll do it at the house, small, beautiful, everything she wants. As long as I can go to bed knowing she’s my wife, I don’t give a shit.”
I smiled. “Well, do what you have to do. I’ll be there—just tell me when.”
He pointed an angry finger at me. “You’ll have to deal with this whorehouse the two of you are cooking up alone for a while.”
I laughed. “It’s going to take her a while to get used to not getting away with anything, you know. She thought she was running right under the radar with this. So... you’re not pissed off about this, are you? This is on the books legit. I’ll run everything day-to-day. She won’t have to deal with anything.”
He chuckled and sat forward, folding his elbows across his knees. “I want her to be happy. I thought... well, it doesn’t matter what I thought—I’m an idiot. There’s no reason for her to work, but she has this desire to be independent of me, and it confused the shit out of me at first. I thought she’d just fall into this comfortable life, you know? She hasn’t. She’s always got these ideas and ants in her pants to do something. I just want to take care of her—the way she deserves.”
I nodded. I understood completely. It was easy to imagine that someone like Jayne would dive face first into a life of leisure and opulence after living a life struggling to survive, but that wasn’t her. Even when she was cranking money in by the millions, she worked her ass off sun up to sundown. She knew what it was like to have nothing. It was one of the things that tied us together so tightly. We'd lived hand-to-mouth. Gone without food and shelter—even been on the brink of complete destruction—but we'd also been smart enough, determined enough to pick ourselves out of that gutter and we created an empire of our own.
“She likes to be useful. She isn’t used to letting someone else hold her future in their hands. She’s done that before, and it kicked her in the face. It scares her, you know? I can blame her father for that fear. He loved her—don’t get me wrong—but he had a problem, and that was his downfall. Not her—never her. I think he always thought he was doing it for her, but that wasn’t the case. Everything he did was selfish.”
“Everything I do is for her. She has to know that,” he said earnestly.
I felt bad for the guy. He had an uphill battle if he wanted Jayne to conform into a submissive rich-bitch housewife. Janie was rooted from a very different soil than he was. Dressing her up like a rose never took the scent of ragweed away from her.
“She loves you and feels safe with you, and I know she has no doubt that you love her back, but she’s always going to have that fear in the back of her head, no matter what. Trust me—I live it every day.”
“It gives a guy a complex, you know what I mean?” He laughed.
I shrugged. “I told you she was difficult. I warned you right off the bat. Jayne isn’t just some broad. She’s not satisfied with sitting around waiting for you to give her what she needs. She may want you—but she doesn’t need you to take care of her like a child.”
He seemed to contemplate that for a moment and then stood abruptly. “I’m heading out. We’ll talk to her about Sam when you get back up north. When are you leaving?”
I stood, walked into the kitchen, and threw my plate in the sink, throwing on the faucet to rinse it off. “I’m leaving tomorrow. Since I have no reason to deal with the authorities, I don’t have a reason to stay. I need to talk to a couple people about the brothel, and then I’ll fly out.”
He nodded and held his hand out for me to shake. “Make a point of apologizing to Kelsey. Don’t be a dick.”
My head dropped, and I sighed as he walked out of the room. That was a conversation I was hoping to avoid, but yet again, he was right. After the epiphany I’d had the night before, I was resolved to make nice with Kelsey again. If nothing else, I wanted her to know that I was there if she needed me—no matter what turmoil it caused in my groin.
