“Man, you need some sex,” Diego said while taking a big bite off of his spoon.
“Excuse me?”
“You’re so tense. You need to be fucked.”
“I’ve been fucked quite fine, thank you.”
“Nah, you need to be fucked until you can’t move anymore.”
“Oh? I didn’t know you were an authority on sex. When did this occur?”
“Last fall,” he said with a shit-eating grin.
“Errr, I want to hit you!”
“You’re quite violent, you know that?” he said in a calm voice. “One night in one of my play rooms and I would be able to fix that.”
“I thought you were Jett’s friend.”
“I am. Can’t a guy lend a helping hand, or possibly a finger…or three?”
“Make it four,” I said with a cheeky grin, making him sputter on his gumbo.
“Shocker? You know, two in the pink…” he suggested while making the hand gesture.
“I know what a shocker is and no! God, you’re disgusting. Maybe you’re the one who needs sex since you talk about it all the time.”
“You’re right about that,” he said while tipping his water glass toward me before taking a drink out of it. “I need a good play time, I just can’t seem to find the right girl though.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, slightly curious by the semi-serious tone he took on.
“Well, I’m a dom, Goldie. I like to take charge, just like Jett and for a dom like me to be satisfied, I need a willing submissive. Someone who would give me their body entirely without making a sound besides her cries of pure ecstasy. There are girls who will test it out with me but then try to change me, try to push me out of my lifestyle and that’s when I send them on their way. There is no changing for me and maybe someday I will find the right girl but until then, I’ll just twittle around with you.”
“Twittle? There will be no twittling.”
Laughing, Diego said, “Relax. I have no intention of doing anything with you. I just like pressing your buttons…or button.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“Seriously! Enough with the sexual innuendos.”
“Why? Am I making you hot?”
“You’re making me want to slap you around.”
“I’m into that.”
“Check please!” I called out in frustration as I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms. Diego just laughed while he patted his mouth clean with his napkin. It was going to be a long fucking couple of weeks at this rate.
Chapter Twenty Five
“She Keeps Me Warm”
Jett
“George, I understand that but I want to make sure we are ready to make a move when we can,” I said into my phone as I paced the length of my office.
“Mr. Colby, you just have to be patient.”
I wanted to laugh into the phone. Someone telling me to be patient was a joke, I was the most patient man in the world but when it came to finalizing this Lot 17 bullshit, I wanted it completed. I hated being apart from Goldie, now that I had her. The club wasn’t the same without her smart mouth and ridiculousness. Everyone missed her, even Miss Mary.
“I’m a very patient man, George, but what is taking so goddamn long? What is the city waiting for? Don’t they want to get this over with? Start making some money?”
“They do, but there is a process. Once I hear something, I’ll let you know. Until then, make sure your affairs are in order so that when we can put a bid in, we do so in a timely manner.”
“You know everything is ready to go, don’t treat me like a child.” I seethed. I’ve been working with George ever since I extracted myself from my father and there were times in our lawyer/client relationship where he acted like my father and I had to remind him who worked for who.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Colby. We will get Lot 17. You have good standing in the community and you want to use it for a good reason.”
Damn fucking right!
“Thank you, George. I’ll be in touch.”
I turned off my phone and gripped my desk as I looked out the window of my office. Was this even all worth it? I could find a new lot, some new land. Was I risking too much just because my dad was involved now? I was a prideful man but right now, was my pride getting in the way? I didn’t want to lose to my father, but I also didn’t want him to destroy the culture and feeling of New Orleans by putting a monstrosity of a building in a place where it doesn’t belong, especially when the lot belonged to the children so they could play.
The night had taken over the sky as I was trying to keep my mind off Goldie and figure out my next move. I looked at the time and noticed that it was past ten so I grabbed my phone and walked out to my master suite where I got ready for bed.
My suite was my escape, my only sanctuary and now that Goldie was no longer in the club, sleeping one floor below me, my bedroom seemed so cold and empty. The gray walls seemed large and uninviting as well as the chrome and black furniture that was scattered around my room. I used to find this room to be a place of my own, where I could think and step away but now it almost seemed like a jail cell.
I needed Goldie’s arms, her body, her heat. That is where I was comfortable.
As I brushed my teeth I thought about how in a matter of days, I became a pussy whipped man who could barely function without the sweet scent of his girl wafting next to him. I used to make fun of men like me but now that I was in their position, fuck, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I thought I had it all when I was with Natasha but fuck was I wrong. Goldie is having it all, Goldie is peace, she is my heart.
As I chucked my clothes into my dirty hamper, my phone chimed with a text message. Knowing it was my girl, it just had to be, I turned off my lights and got into my cold and empty bed. I pulled my phone out and read the message from her.
Goldie: Hi, handsome. You’re probably off gallivanting, trying to save the world but I just wanted to tell you that I had a good day, despite Diego’s ribbing and not having you to hold me. I was happy with my painting and felt like I really contributed to something. Tell the girls I miss them and slap Kace in the back of the head for me.
I laughed to myself and typed her back a message.
Jett: Hi, gorgeous. I’m actually calling it a night and headed to bed. I’m glad you had a good day. If Diego gets too lippy, you have my permission to castrate him.
Goldie: That would require me touching his penis. Do you really want me to do that?
Jett: Fuck no. I will hire someone.
Goldie: Overbearing.
Jett: Only for you, little one. Now, tell me what you’re wearing.
Goldie: Is this a test? Because if it is, I think I pass…
A picture popped up on my phone and it was a smiling Goldie, lying against her pillow with her hair fanned out around her, wearing a little tank top. She was beautiful. My chest constricted from just the sight of her. I saved the picture to my phone as my wallpaper and then wrote her back.
Jett: You’re so damn beautiful. How did I get so lucky?
Goldie: You strolled the cemetery, looking for fresh meat.
Jett: And came out with a sassy, defiant man-eater.
Goldie: I think I eat your manhood pretty damn well, if you ask me.
Jett: You’re pushing your luck, don’t make me come over there and test your skills.
Goldie: Is that supposed to be a punishment because it seems more like a reward to me.
Jett: The only reward you’re going to get next time I see you is a slap to the ass.
Goldie: Once again, it seems like you’re trying to punish me…
Jett: Did you think about me all day?
Goldie: Do dogs sometimes eat shit?
I cringed from her foul mouth but just shook my head and laughed. You could take the girl off Bourbon Street but you can’t take the Bourbon Street out of the girl, that was for damn sure and at this point, I don’t think I would want to. She keeps things…interesting.
Jett: I’
m going to ignore that last text and let you try again. Did you think about me all day?
Goldie: Snob! And yes, I did. How could I not? Did you think about me?
Jett: Every damn second. Why are we texting?
My phone started to ring and I smiled as I saw her name pop up on my screen.
“Hi,” I answered.
“God, I love your voice. How are you?”
“Much better now,” I admitted as I got comfortable in my bed.
“I feel like a teenager, talking to my high school crush right now.”
“You have a crush on me, Goldie?”
“I have a hell of a lot more than a crush, Mr. Colby.”
“Oh, yeah? Tell me about it.”
She laughed and said, “I’m not going to lie here and boost your ego. You know you’re hot, you know you own me, no need to repeat myself.”
“Sometimes a man likes to hear it.”
“You don’t need it.”
“I do, Goldie,” I said weakly. There was something about her that made me weak, that made me feel needy and I couldn’t control it.
“Jett, you’re such a confident man who knows what he wants and when he wants it, what makes you question my loyalty to you?”
I took a deep breath and thought about telling Goldie about Natasha but found myself unable to speak. She needed to know, it would be so easy to tell her but would she think differently of me?
“Jett, I wish you would talk to me.”
“I was engaged once,” I said quickly.
“Oh…”
Fear started to prick the back of my neck and my stomach churned. I couldn’t do this. Just from her little response, I knew this wasn’t a good idea. There was no way I could tell her right now, not when we were so far apart. I would only be damaging what we had.
“Hey, I have to go. I forgot I had to sign a couple of things before I went to bed.”
“Jett, don’t. Don’t you pull away from me.”
“I’m sorry, Goldie.”
I pulled my phone away and ended the phone call, hating myself for not being man enough to tell her. I was a confident man but when it came to her, I was so fucking weak.
Chapter Twenty Six
“Let Love In”
Lo
“What the fuck,” I said as I looked at the blank screen on my phone. He hung up on me. Jett hung up on me.
Oh hell no!
I got out of bed, threw on a pair of yoga pants and a sweatshirt and grabbed my purse. I was not about to let Jett get away with pushing me away. I didn’t care if I wasn’t supposed to go out alone. If he wanted me safe, then he was going to have to not fuck around with me and talk. I was growing irritated more every day with his evasiveness. There was only so much a girl could take.
Being as quiet as possible, I stepped out of my room and walked down the stairs to the back entrance. The stairs creaked under my feet and I just prayed that Diego was a heavy sleeper. When I reached the door, I checked the locks first, then opened it as slowly as possible and slipped out of a small crack. I looked behind me before shutting the door to make sure Diego didn’t see me. The coast was clear, so I shut the door and walked through the back alley until I hit Royal Street. Bourbon was still roaring with drinkers so I stumbled near my old dwellings and flagged down a taxi.
The ride over to the Garden District was quiet and almost eerie as I passed the wonky trees that lined the roads and the trolley tracks that were vacant of tourists and runners. I didn’t travel much at night so it was odd to see the quiet side of New Orleans.
The taxi pulled up to the Lafayette Club which was dark besides Jett’s office window on the third floor where a dim light shone through the window pane. The tall, white pillars and dark lanterns seemed intimidating in the dark as I paid the driver and walked to the back of the house where I still had a key to get in.
The driveway was vacant as I walked to the back door and slipped the key into the lock. As I turned, I heard a rustling next to me and my stomach dropped as I tried to unlock the door faster. Fucking spooks.
I opened the door and was about to shut it when someone grabbed my arms from behind. I screamed bloody murder and slapped my purse around to nail the arm grabber right in the head.
“What the fuck?” Kace said as he gripped his head.
Chest heaving and tits blazing, I swatted him in the shoulder and said, “What the hell do you think you’re doing sneaking up on someone like that? Christ, only creepy perverts do things like that. Is that what you are, Kace? A creepy pervert?”
Kace looked at me with a menacing look but I held my ground. He could have said something rather than grabbing me.
“Not when I think some psycho is trying to break in.”
“With a key?” I held up my key and he examined it, then huffed.
“What are you doing here? Is Diego with you?”
“That is none of your concern,” I said while I tried to walk past him but the cinder block wall that was Kace’s chest wasn’t allowing me to pass.
“It is when you’re not supposed to be walking around by yourself, especially at night.”
“Oh don’t act like you care.”
He got right in my face and said, “You know I fucking care so don’t test me. Why are you running off by yourself?”
“It’s none of your business,” I said, growing frustrated now. “I just need to see Jett, okay?”
“Something happen between you two?” Kace asked as his voice softened.
“Not really, he just…I just need to see him. Please, Kace.”
“I’m not going to stop you but he’s not going to be happy about you being here by yourself.”
“I couldn’t really give two fucks. Please just let me by.”
Kace nodded but grabbed my hand before I walked by him. His thumb ran against the back of my hand as he said, “If you need to see Jett again like this, call me. I’ll come get you. I don’t want you out there by yourself, okay?”
I nodded and brushed a polite kiss against his cheek. “Thanks, Kace.”
The walk up to the third floor had my nerves twisting in knots. Kace was right, Jett was going to be so pissed at me but right now, I didn’t care. I just had to confront him, to talk to him. He was not allowed to run away from me.
When I reached the top of the stairs, I saw that his office door was slightly cracked open with a little light filtering from it. With a deep breath, I walked to the door and peeked in. Sitting at his desk, with his elbows on the desk and his head in his hands, pulling at his hair, was Jett. He was shirtless, showing off his glorious muscles that I now knew Kace helped with forming and there was a glass of bourbon sitting next to him.
Pushing the door open, I let myself in. He looked up from his desk and the look of shock on his face made the knots in my stomach twist even tighter until his gaze softened and he pushed back from the desk, showing me he was only in his boxer briefs. My gut clenched from the sight of him.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, trying to look behind me. “Is Diego here?”
My hands twisted together as I realized I should have been a little smarter about this. He was going to yell, I could feel the calm before the storm.
“He is not.”
Stepping forward, I could see his chest start to heave with anger.
I held up my hands and said, “Before you get angry, I want to tell you that I’m mad at you. You can’t just hang up on me like that and push me away when things get tough.”
“When things get tough?” A sarcastic laugh escaped Jett’s mouth as he said, “This is already fucking tough. I have to have you stay with another man because I can’t keep you here. I have fear every day that something is going to happen to you, that I’m not doing my job of protecting you. That’s what’s tough, not some stupid conversation on the phone.”
Stupid? Was that what he really thought?
“It wasn’t stupid.”
“That’s not what I meant,” he said while pulling
on his neck. “There are so many more important things to worry about—”
“No!” I shouted, interrupting him and shocking him a bit. “You’re not allowed to decide what’s important and what’s not important because right now, we don’t know very much about each other so when you go and say something like you were engaged, it’s important to me to learn about that because I want to know you, Jett. I want to know what makes you tick.” I stepped forward and got right in front of him so I could place my hands on his chest. “I don’t want to just know this body, I want to know the man too. If this has a chance of working out, I need you to not push me away and open up to me. Are you afraid I’m going to judge you?”
“Yes,” he said while holding his head high and not skipping a beat.
Trying not to be thrown off by his confession, I stood back and said, “Well, that kind of stings.”
“I don’t mean to hurt you.”
“Oh, so you were trying to make it feel like kittens were licking my cheeks when saying that?”
“Goldie…”
My pride got the best of me, like it always did and I stepped farther away. “You know what, save it, Jett. God, I’m so sick of this.” I threw my hands up and walked toward the door. “I come over here to talk to you, to open up with you and you don’t even fucking trust me to do so, so then what’s the point? Please tell me what the fucking point in all of this is. Do you only trust me because I signed a goddamn contract?”