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Blowing out the breath that was meant to offer a slice of sanity in a chaotic world, I turned to face Nisha. “Listen, the massage place is on the top floor. You'll need this key.” I scrounged in my pocket for the one I collected earlier from the receptionist at some ungodly hour wearing a knitted sock on my cock. "Why don't you go up? They’re expecting you. Then come and find me. I'm in room 1779."
Nisha plucked the key from my fingers, peering at it speculatively. "This is some sort of joke, right? Like you’re not actually asking me to be your real date and..."
I read the hesitancy in her tone and my chest grew heavy.
"No. It's not a joke."Maybe I should stay in the US longer.Maybe that was the joke, and I hadn’t been privy to it til now.
Jess’ blade of a voice cut through the silence that hung around us. "Oh, yes, I've known him for years. And the secrets I can tell you..."
I squeezed my eyes shut, and rubbed the back of my neck. “Fuck me.”
"Ford?"
"You’re going to wear my name out if you say that often," I said, my voice hard. I closed my eyes again and opened them to find her watching me cautiously. "Headache," I murmured. It wasn't a lie. Jess brought those on pretty effectively.
"Okay." Nisha slipped to hand from my grasp to claim the key. “Do I need a code for the lift?"
"Shit. You do." I rattled off the massage suite number that would give her access. "Room 1779. Find me after. Promise?" I released a hand and tipped her head back with my knuckle. My skin prickled with little shocks, and I barely held back the urge to make out with her right there in the foyer. Heedless of the warning bells in my mind where anything Jess oriented was concerned, I leaned forward, brushing my mouth across the corner of Nisha’s.
"Okay," she whispered uncertainty after a stalled breath from us both, lifting her deep brown eyes, and turned away to the lift, throwing a slightly bemused look over her shoulder back at me.
Then she was gone, leaving me to face New York City socialite menace I wish I never got involved with.
I used to live here.
I told Nisha I went to Columbia with Rex, but I hadn't told her everything. Not yet. After the wedding, maybe. If she still wanted anything to do with me then.
Weaving my way around trolleys delivering bunches of flowers and silky fabrics, I made my way back to Jess and grabbed her elbow. "Right. Let's go."
"What about Matty?" she mewled, scratching at my arm in an attempt to pry my hand off her. Fortunately, my jacket offered some resistance until she started on my fingers.
"You know, there was a time when I would've given anything to have your hands on me, Jess. But right now, all I want to do is get you whatever you want to get you out of my life. Permanently. As in I never want to hear from you ever again." I held her gaze and spoke loud enough at the entire reception team to let out a collective gasp.
I didn't give a fuck.
Jess huffed and puffed curses all the way to the elevator bank on the opposite side of the foyer area. No way in hell was I putting her and Nisha in a small space together.
"She won't last two nights with you," Jess coated the evilly victorious words in venom.
I dropped my hand from her arm and prompted her into the lift. She grabbed the stripper, clutching his hand and dragged him inside with us.
"Keep your thoughts off Nisha," I snapped, the elevator car shrinking by the minute and taking all breathable air with it.
Then I winced.
"Nisha." Jess’ smile widened, her scarlett lips matched to her talons. "I'll be sure to say hello at the reception later. She is your date for that, isn't she? Does she know?"
The doors closed and the lift began to move. I turned on her, slapping my hand into the mirror behind her head. "If you say a single fucking word, I swear–" I roared right in her face.
Jess had the decency to look terrified.
A large, meaty hand gripped my shoulder. "Not cool." Matty waggled a finger side to side in my face.
I stepped back, pushing my hair off my face. “Fuck.”
"See now, she doesn’t know what you're like, does she?" Jess cooed in a little singsong voice, sidling over to Matt, and rubbing her hands long is torso. "And I suit you much better. Just admit it.” Her gaze turned speculative. “You know, the three of us could have fun."
Disgust rose from my stomach into my throat. "You did me a favour, you know."
