“Oh, I almost forgot.” Tootse ran out my door and then came back in with another bouquet of flowers. “Here you go; card is in there.”
I looked at the ranunculus that Tootse placed on my night stand and smiled to myself. I knew what Jett and I shared wasn’t a relationship, but I couldn’t help but feel taken care of, watched over, and protected. It was a feeling I’d been missing for a while.
“Do you girls get flowers too?” I asked, while fingering one of the petals.
“No, Lo, we don’t.”
I whipped my head around to look at her. “Seriously? Does it make you guys mad?”
She shook her head no. “We’re different. Francy and I are together and here for a reason, to earn some money and then go our own way. Pepper and Babs, they don’t do emotional connections.”
“I don’t either,” I tried to add, but the look on Tootse’s face said she didn’t believe one word that just came out of my mouth. “I don’t want you guys hating me for the attention he gives me.”
Tootse laughed. “We don’t hate you, Lo. Whether Jett calls us up doesn’t matter to us. For Pepper and Babs, they go up to have a good time, but if they don’t get called up, they don’t really care either way. They are here for the same reason me and Francy are, to make a new life for ourselves.”
“That’s why I’m here too,” I say.
“Just be careful, okay?”
“What does that mean? Why do people keep saying that?”
“Because the minute a new girl comes here, you’re going to be pushed to the side. I don’t want you thinking that it’s just going to be you and Jett forever. There will be other girls; that’s how it always happens.”
I knew that was how Jett worked, but the fact that the words came out of Tootse’s mouth, confirming everything, sent a pang of hurt through my body. I knew I wasn’t supposed to think this way, but for some reason, I thought Jett and I had a connection. But apparently, that was how he was with all new girls. Good to know.
“Thanks for bringing these flowers in.”
“Not a problem. See you tonight, sexy.” Tootse gave me a wink and then walked out.
Eyeing the flowers, I walked over to them and opened up the card that was written in his perfect chicken scratch.
Lo,
Thank you for accompanying me last night to the Bourbon Room. I hope in the future you will come more easily.
Tonight is the big social event for members. There will be a lot of men watching you, checking your body out and wanting to touch you. Remember, you are mine and no other man is allowed to lay a hand on you. The minute someone does, you tell me. I will be around and keeping an eye on you, my little one.
I hope to see you tonight in the Bourbon Room. Kace will let you know when to appear. I look forward to seeing how gorgeous you look in your dress for me.
-Jett
Even though I knew what Jett and I had wasn’t a relationship, it sure as hell felt like one.
***
“Tootse, are you sure the dress is supposed to fit like this?” I asked, as I tried to cover up my girly bits.
“Yes, now stop fidgeting.”
“I feel like people can see my ass, can they see my ass?” I asked while spinning in circles, trying to catch a glimpse.
“No, just relax; you are all secure.”
I took a look at all the girls and it was hard not to stare. We all had our hair pulled back and in long ponytails, air brushed black masks just around our eyes with crystals glued around the corners, and we were all wearing black, floor length silk dresses with dangerously high diamond heels. If someone stole us off the street, we would be worth a sit ton of money, given the amount of diamonds dripping over our bodies and attached to our feet.
Everyone had their own style of dress. Francy was pulling off the Grecian goddess look, Babs’ dress crisscrossed in the front with a little key hole giving everyone quite a view of her cleavage, Tootse’s gown was strapless with a high slit and Pepper’s dress was a halter style Marilyn Monroe type dress, giving her a total sex kitten look. I was the only girl who was barely covered, literally.
My dress, if that’s what you wanted to call it, had a neckline that should have been considered a crotch line because basically that’s how far it dipped down. There were two strips of fabric that barely contained my breasts, but the rest was open and flowy. The only reason why I didn’t have a nip slip was because Tootse put tape near my breasts so the dress didn’t fall to the side. The strand of diamonds holding up my top draped down to the silk fabric that came just above my crack, exposing my entire back and possible side boob, scratch that, I knew there was side boob. The dress gave me no chance to wear anything underneath, due to the choice of flimsy fabric. No, I was naked, uncomfortable and praying to God that the fabric didn’t have a mind of its own and slip past where it was supposed to be.
“Can I ask why I am the only naked one here?”
The girls looked at me and then smiled; they were in on something and I didn’t like it one bit.
“Looks like you’re excited for tonight,” Pepper nodded toward my chest.
I looked down and, lo and behold, my nips were beyond erect and ready for a good time. There was absolutely nothing I could do about it….nothing.
They all laughed as I said, “I hate you all.”
“Jett is going to kill you,” Francy said to Tootse, who only shrugged her shoulders.
“He might, but I can’t wait to see his face when he spots Lo.”
I ignored the comments they made as we waited to be called out while fidgeting with my dress. It was going to be a very long night of making sure my dress stayed intact because right now it seemed like it was being held together by a thread.
Kace came sauntering back to our dressing room in a black suit, white shirt and black tie. My mouth watered at the sight of him. Even though he drove me crazy most of the time, I could admit when I saw a hot man in a good suit and good fucking God was he a hot man in a good suit.
His eyes met mine and then perused my body. Heat enveloped every last morsel of my skin as his eyes blazed up and down, resting on my breasts longer than they should. He cleared his throat and then looked away.
“Alright, remember, you are here to do one thing and that is gain members. You are not to talk to the men or interact with them. You are merely walking statues. No drinking,” he paused to look at me.
“What? I know how to hold my liquor,” I responded with indignation.
Everyone snorted with laughter as he continued, “No eating; food will be catered for you later and absolutely no stopping to talk to each other or anyone else. The only people you are allowed to communicate with are me and Jett, if he approaches you. Got it?”
“Yes,” everyone chimed in.
Kace looked over at Tootse and asked, “Is that dress going to hold up?” He pointed with his thumb over to me.
“Up until the moment Jett rips it off of her.”
Kace made an inaudible sound as he waved for us to enter the ballroom. I was the last in line as we filed out. Nerves tingled up my body as I tried to concentrate at the task at hand. A warm hand was placed on my back just before I was about to walk out and Kace whispered in my ear, “If anyone, and I mean anyone, comes up to you at any point in time, you tell me. You got it?”
“What do you mean?” feeling a little nervous now.
“I mean there are a lot of dangerous men out there tonight. I will keep an eye on you, but if anyone tries anything, you let me know immediately.”
I nodded my head as I tried to tamp down the feelings Kace stirred inside of me. His breath caressed my shoulder as he looked me over one last time, sending a bolt of desire through my body.
“You look…” he cleared his throat and continued, “You look beautiful, Lo.”
“Thank you,” I said, right before he pushed me out to the ballroom.
I couldn’t think too much about the short moment of vulnerability I just shared with Kace because I had to focus on the
event, but all I wanted to do was hang back with him and ask him what the hell all his little looks, touches and moments of weakness meant. Damn men!
I was instantly hit with the sense of wealth surrounding the room. Men in suits, holding tumblers of dark liquid draped the polished marble floors of the ballroom. Male waiters in tuxedos with white cloths draped over their arms passed around small finger foods, while classical music drifted through the warm night air. Lights dangled across the ceiling, providing a rather electric southern ambiance. The French doors that led to the backyard were propped open, bringing in the warm air of a quaint New Orleans night. I couldn’t help but be impressed with way everything had come together and I also couldn’t help but notice we were the only women in the entire house. Fantastic.
Walking out into the room, I noticed the men part ways as I slowly but stealthily walked about the room. The slit that was in my dress luckily didn’t run up the length of my thigh like Tootse’s, but it still gave me plenty of leeway to move about freely.
Scanning the room, I noticed some important men that I’d seen splashed across the papers or on the television. Senators, high-powered businessmen, moguls, and city officials owned the room and glanced our way as we walked about the room. There were five pedestals around the room that we were supposed to rotate through. I found my first pedestal and stepped up. It was only a couple inches off the ground, but given my height and my heels, it gave every single man in the room a straight on view of my barely-there dress.
I could feel the silk fabric brush against my already-hardened nipples, sending ripples of pleasure straight through me. I looked over at Tootse who was smirking at me, knowing exactly how uncomfortable she made me. Bitch. All I wanted to do was flip her off, but knew the gesture would most likely be looked down upon.
Tootse. She knew exactly what she was doing when she designed my dress…that bitch. Well, I was just going to have to own it, so I did. Cocking one hip out to the side, I showed off my leg and stood in the middle of all the wandering-eyed men with pride as my nipples tried to poke every last man who walked by me.
Standing still in my heels for a long period of time was going to hurt, but we were only on the pedestals for five minutes, then we walked around for a while, and then got back up on the pedestals. The event wouldn’t be too bad, at least I hoped.
The ballroom doors that led to the entryway both opened at the same time as light blared through the entrance. It felt like the room stopped and started playing in slow motion as a shadow of a man walked forward wearing a finely-tailored suit that would make any woman’s mouth water. I couldn’t catch a glimpse of the man until the doors closed, due to the light, but once they did, I lost all ability to breathe.
Jett.
Standing there, in the most mouthwatering black suit, black shirt and black tie I’d ever seen was Jett Colby. He fastened one of the buttons on the front of his jacket as he stepped forward and observed the room. His dirty blonde hair was combed perfectly back and slightly to the side, and his face was perfectly shaven and begging for my touch. His eyes stood out against the light bronze tan that caressed his skin, something I never noticed in the dim lighting of the Bourbon Room before. He was perfection, fuck me in the ass, all finger huts in the room are weeping, my lady cactus drought is over, panty pudding overload, kind of perfection.
As he walked into the middle of the room, his swagger commanded the attention of every important man that surrounded the room. He adjusted his cufflinks as he sidled up next to the bar and ordered a drink, while shaking hands with the men who stepped up to say hi. He was such a stark contradiction sometimes, domineering and demanding in the Bourbon Room, but approachable and personable with his comrades. He intrigued me.
Easily, he stood out amongst the men in the room, not because of his sensuous appeal that would make any woman weak in the knees, but because of the way he owned the room. He didn’t need money or power or fame, all he needed was the quirk of an eyebrow and the tick of his jaw and he owned every single human in the vicinity.
Trying to slow down my heartbeat, I focused on the task at hand and that was being completely still as men walked around me and observed what I had to offer as a Jett Girl, well Jett Girl in training, but they didn’t have to know that.
The color around the walls changed from a deep purple, to a gold, signaling it was time to walk around the room. I stepped down from my pedestal and started walking the room in a clockwise manner, as I’d been told. The task was rather easier than I thought, given the fact that the men parted like the red sea when I approached them, giving them a better opportunity to take me all in.
I smiled casually as I walked around, feeling a little uncomfortable and maybe a little stupid for not interacting with anyone, but I just did as I was told; I didn’t want to get in trouble. Although, going into tonight, I thought that maybe, since it was a social, we could have a little drink and do a little dancing, but apparently that wasn’t in the plans.
Seeing another light change, I found the closest pedestal and started walking toward it. Right when I was about to step up, a familiar warm hand pressed to the small of my back. I smiled to myself as I turned around, knowing he wouldn’t be able to resist me in this dress for too long.
“You are going to have to wait until later to…”
My words were cut short when I made eye contact with a pair of molten brown eyes…not blue.
“I’ve been searching up and down New Orleans for you, kitten. If I knew you were right under my nose the entire time, I would have come sooner for you.”
Rex Titan stood in front of me, looking sexier than ever with fury and lust blazing through his eyes. I thought for a second of denying that it was me, telling him that he was talking to the wrong person, but there was no use; he spotted me easily, but how, was my question?
“How did you know…?”
“Oh, kitten. I know your body like the back of my own damn hand, plus it’s hard not to recognize your heart-shaped birthmark that is so prominently on display tonight,” he said, as he caressed just above my ass where my trademark rested.
Shit…I didn’t think about covering it up.
“I can’t talk to you.”
“I know. That is why you are going to meet me on Sunday at Café du Monde at noon. I will be at the back table to the right next to the hedges.”
“I can’t…”
Rex leaned down and brushed his stubbled jaw across my cheek as he spoke into my ear. His hand was dangerously close to my ass as he spoke softly, “Kitten, please do not say no. I need to see you, talk to you. I have so much to say and I can’t do it with the almighty Jett watching so closely over you.”
“Rex…”
“Please, kitten.” His pleading tone cut to my very soul as he pulled away to look at me. His thumb reached up and caressed my bottom lip. “You’re all I think about, all I crave and I can’t stand to be without you anymore. Please say you will come on Sunday.”
“I’ll think about it,” I found myself saying, as a small grin started to appear at the corner of his mouth.
He leaned in one last time as he nipped my earlobe and caressed my bare stomach with his hand, almost sending me to my knees, begging for his touch.
“Until Sunday, think of me, kitten.”
With that, he walked away, making me not only completely and utterly turned on, but nervous as fuck for thinking about what the hell I just possibly agreed to. How come I couldn’t say no?
As I watched his back side retreat, I knew why. Rex Titan owned my body at one point and it was pretty much impossible to say no to him, just like it was impossible to say no to the man who was currently staring daggers at me as I stood up on the podium.
A wave of heat flooded my body as I thought about him seeing the interaction between me and Rex. I just prayed that he didn’t catch anything, or else maybe I would be seeing Rex a lot quicker than I expected.
Determination rang through Jett’s eyes as he slowly walked toward me, s
haking hands with men, but never really breaking eye contact with me. Anxiety started to build up in my bones as he came closer and closer. What was he going to say? Was he going to reprimand me in front of everyone?
The way he took in my entire body made me feel self-conscious, exposed. If looks could undress, I would have been stripped naked and shaved completely by Jett’s glare.
The lights turned again signaling for me to change. I turned away from Jett’s death glare and started making my way around the room. It wasn’t until my arms were grabbed from behind and I was pulled up next to a pillar, out of sight, that I realized Jett had caught up to me.
The look of hazy lust took over his deep pools of blue as he breathed heavily. Swallowing hard, I just stood where I was, waiting for Jett to make his first move, because hell if I knew what I was supposed to do.
The look in his eyes not only made me incredibly nervous, but it also excited me; it shot a barrel full of lust down to my core as I anticipated what he was going to say to me, do to me.
He didn’t say anything as he ran his hands up my sides and stared down at my dress. His thumbs brushed against my exposed side boob, sending bolts of desire straight down to my very core and sending my nipples into overdrive. I didn’t think they could get any harder, but boy was I wrong.
“Did Tootse put you in this dress?” he asked, while eyeing me up and down and working his hands so they spanned my back. I could feel the warmth of his hands, sending the thrill of a man’s touch through my body, not just any man, but the touch of Jett Colby.
I nodded and he swallowed…hard.
“You are to go up to the Bourbon Room now and wait for me.”
His words shook me out of the stupor I was in. “Wait, what?”
“Don’t make me repeat myself, Lo.”
“Hold on a second,” I said, as I tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but his hands that were once on my back were now holding my hips against the pillar, making my escape impossible. “I have to be down here with the other girls.”