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“Yeah. Really close. I work for him here, actually.”
“Then how come you’re at this party when you don’t want to be? If you work for him, can’t you just tell him you don’t want to be here?”
“Yeah, I tried that. Didn’t work so well.”
Rhys studies my face for a minute, his dark eyes shining in the dim light from the lamp on the desk. “From the way you talked about him, it didn’t seem like he was a man concerned with the image of you actually being here. So he’s worried about you.”
It’s strange that he can tell that from the few things I said. But I shouldn’t be surprised. Reading people probably comes along with his job.
Rhys lowers his gaze. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
“No, you’re right. He is. He doesn’t like that my life is mainly work.” It’s not even close to the full story, and I think he knows it. But I’m not going to offer any more than that. I don’t want to talk about my dad right now. I don’t want to talk about how Cameron had to pull him off me because Dad was beating me. I don’t want to talk about going to the hospital and lying to the doctors and nurses about what had happened.
That stuff doesn’t need to follow me into the new year.
But I have no doubt that it will.
Rhys doesn’t say anything for a few minutes, and I let the silence hang between us. What am I doing? I should’ve let him go as soon as I made Phil leave. Is Rhys scared of me? He’s not looking at me the same way he looked at Phil, so maybe he’s not.
He takes a step closer to me and reaches for my hand. He doesn’t try to pull me closer or do anything more. He simply threads our fingers together, and it feels really nice. I can’t remember anyone holding my hand other than Cam when we were kids.
Fireworks are popping off outside the window, and I can hear the countdown beginning in the main office. People are cheering and laughing. And I love that I’m tucked away here with Rhys instead of out there.
When the countdown reaches one outside, Rhys closes the gap between us and kisses me. It starts out soft and careful, like he’s unsure. But then I wrap my free hand around the small of his back, pressing him against my body, and he melts into me. I feel nothing but warmth. His firm, soft lips moving with mine. His mouth opening to let me in.
It’s not the chaste New Year’s kisses I’ve had before. Need and want roar through me, and I dig my fingers into his back, pulling him closer even though there’s no space left between us.
Rhys’s other hand is on the back of my neck, his fingers tugging at the short hair there. And I wish we could just stay like this forever.
Three
Rhys
All through the next day, I can’t get the kiss with Parker out of my mind. I’ve been kissed loads of times but never like that. Parker kissed me like I was…worth something. Like it wasn’t just about my body. It was about me.
I know it’s a ridiculous thing to think, but I can’t stop it.
The only thing that worries me is how angry Phil was. It was bad enough when Leigh talked to us, but it was so much worse when Parker made him leave. The worry stays in the back of my mind all day, wondering if he told Tony about what happened. All I can hope is that he’s afraid of Parker and losing his job enough to not talk to Tony about it.
Parker had asked for my number before I left, and he’d blushed when I’d given it to him. He’s rich and really good-looking but was still so uncomfortable about asking for it. And I don’t think it was just because I’m a hooker.
I’m a little surprised when he texts me to ask if we can meet tonight. I don’t have anyone scheduled during a couple hours around seven, so I text back and tell him yes. This little voice in my head tells me I shouldn’t be doing that. Parker’s asking me out on a date; he’s not hiring me to fuck him.
I’ve never been on an actual date. I’ve had lots of clients like Phil, who take me out to dinners and parties to show me off, but it’s always been for money. And it’s always ended the same way.
Even knowing that, I can’t help feeling the small flutter of excitement in my stomach when I think about going out with Parker. I know that part of it is because of the way he stopped Phil from hitting me. No one’s ever done that for me before. I’ve grown so accustomed to things like that, it didn’t even really faze me when it happened. But Parker had looked so angry, and he’d been so gentle with me afterward.
I’d almost forgotten what it felt like to be treated like a human.
When I get to Tony’s place, I knock softly on the door and wait for him to tell me to come in. I use the key he made for me the same day he put the collar on me and open the door. I find him in the bed, eating breakfast in his boxers.
I move over and hold out the envelope of money. A lot of clients will pay online, but some prefer no digital trail at all. “From last night and this morning.”
“Where were you?” He licks his fingers before taking the envelope from me.
“Downtown.”
He doesn’t ask for specifics. He hasn’t in a while. As long as the threat of him hurting Jack is over me, he knows I’ll obey him.
