His hand wraps around my waist and his fingers grip me tightly before he tugs me against his side.
“I’m going to fuck your ass tonight,” he breathes against my ear, his breath fanning over my cheek.
I try not to shiver in disgust. I try really damn hard, but I can’t control the goose bumps that break out all over my skin. My date takes that as a sign that I’m turned on or excited about the words he’s just whispered into my ear.
I’m not.
In fact, anal isn’t really my thing—at all. I’ve only done it a couple of times and I was paid handsomely for it. Those payments paid off the balance of my plastic surgeries to Layne. After that, I said I wasn’t going to do it any longer.
Without turning my head toward him, I speak through my smiling lips, as I look out at the crowd all around us and try to find Trista and her date. I see them and breathe a sigh of relief at them dancing innocently on the dance floor.
“Have you discussed this with Layne, this is something typically talked about and negotiated with him.” Not to mention that preparing for anal is something that needs to be done before a date, something that I haven’t done today.
“You’ll give it to me for free,” he announces.
“Why would I do that?” I say, keeping my voice low and sugary sweet.
He wraps his hand around my elbow, his fingers gripping my skin far too tightly. I’m going to have marks there now too. Lovely. Clearing my throat, I wait for him to speak, to answer me.
“You’ll do it or I’ll pull my account from Layne and go elsewhere with my money,” he snaps.
Pressing my lips together, I look out at the people dancing around me. They have no clue that this asshole is trying to blackmail me. That he’s trying to take from me something that I’m not quite willing to give—especially for free.
He will get it too. Because Layne will do a lot worse than fuck me in the ass if I lose this man as a client. When you lose a big hitter like this, a big fish, they typically take all of their friends with them and he has friends, loads of them, and they’re all connected with very deep pockets.
“Not for free,” I whisper.
“Do you think you have a leg to stand on when it comes to what you will and will not do for me, Avah?” he asks, almost snarling.
I hum, my smile growing as I turn to face him. “At the end of the day, Senator, we both have a lot to lose if we fuck with one another. However, I’ll do this for you happily and willingly for a personal cash payment.”
He snorts, his gaze searching mine. “How much?”
“Ten thousand in cash before.”
He could afford a hell of a lot more. God knows that Layne would charge him at least double for my ass. However, that’s not what this is about, this isn’t just about a little extra cash in my pocket, this is about control. I will not let him or anyone have that kind of control over me. Not ever.
He tugs me against his chest, his hand placed at the small of my back as he tips his head down and his eyes clash with my own.
“I should tell you no,” he grunts. “But…” He lifts his hand and cups my cheek, his thumb sliding along my skin just below my eye. “I’ll give you your money and you’ll give me your ass, yes?”
Nodding my head, I don’t look away from him. Holding his gaze, I inhale a small breath before I speak. “Yes, I’ll do that.”
He leans forward, his lips touching mine in a soft brush. “Good girl,” he purrs.
A shiver of disgust rolls throughout my entire body. I mask it with lowered eyelids and pouty lips. I’ve taken seduction lessons for the past three years, I know how to hide my true feelings, especially those of disgust.
“Let’s go,” he practically barks.
“Yes, Senator,” I exhale, instantly slipping into the submissive role that he will expect when we make our way upstairs to our room for the evening.
I hate myself a little each time I sell my body to a man. I know that this is my job and I do it willingly. But it doesn’t take away from the fact that it chips away at the woman inside of me, the one that I hide, the vulnerable one who just wants to be happy. Every single day over and over.
HAWK
FIVE YEARS LATER
“Pres,” I grunt.
“We got a problem, how close are you to Eagar?”
I pause for a moment, looking out at the desert sky and let out a sigh. “I’m in Lake Havasu City,” I grumble.
I’m here because it’s party season and I’ll just be another tourist on a bike. Nobody will look at me twice, nobody will question me, and I can do the few runs that I need to, then work my shift at the bar at night.
Bartending isn’t my favorite job, but it gets me by, plus it allows me to learn everything that I need to about every town that I’m in. Who does what, where, when, and how. It’s the perfect cash-paying gig, plus I get laid on the regular.
“I’m a few hours away, what’s up?”
There’s a moment's pause and then he grunts. “It’s Savanna. We got a problem. She fucked up, man. For a long fucking time she’s been fucking up, but this time she tried to fuck with the club.”
“Trista?” I ask.
He’s quiet. “We’ve tried to keep an eye out, but nobody really knows what’s going on inside that house. Silver knows more than most, but he washed his hands of Savanna a while ago.”
My brows rise in surprise. Never would I have imagined that Silver would wash his hands of Vanna. I would
