Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 62404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
How can he even pick up on that? I scrunch my nose up at his words.
“I’m right.” His grin is smug.
“You should leave now.”
“We have a date.”
“It’s not Sunday,” I remind him.
Jake checks his TAG Heuer watch, and I give him another eye roll.
“It is,” he replies.
Shit.
I do swear.
Just not out loud.
“You know what, I can see that you are all types of fucked-up.” I gape at him and blink a few times. He hands me my food, but he doesn’t leave straight away. “I paid the charity donation from the auction. I’ll be back in a few months to collect on your debt. I expect those dates, Oriana.” He releases my food and turns to walk off. I stand there, baffled.
Did he just?
How rich is he?
I watch him as he leaves, confused by everything that just happened. And wondering why, when I see him get into his car, a small smile touches my lips.
Chapter 9
Women are crazy
Jake
A woman I barely know makes me go fucking crazy. How is that even possible? My work is all about women. I know women. They’re what I’m good at. I know how to please a woman, how to talk to a woman, and how to give her what she wants. Yet one single redhead has thrown me off my game.
I’ve known who Oriana is for a long time. I’ve had business with Kyler on numerous occasions. But his pretty wife was always busy working, for him. Attached to his arm and too oblivious to realize that other people were looking at her.
I don’t make it a thing to go after married women.
In fact, I stay away from them.
I have a club that lets all people—married or single—do whatever it is they want.
I meet women from all over the world.
I even buy women. Yes, that’s right. And I will continue to do that.
Maria stands next to me at an auction. In the middle of the room are a bunch of women on a rotating platform. The platform turns, showing all the people around the circle each and every woman they can choose from.
Human trafficking.
It’s the hidden underground I hate.
But I play the part and do what I can.
I may be evil, but I was raised by women. I respect women more than anything. So this? This is what I do to protect those I can.
“The bidding price is quite high,” Maria comments. Maria is my cousin. Like I said, raised by women.
“Get the blonde.” I nod to the small out-of-her-brain one who looks as if she is barely standing. “And the brunette.” Who is currently itching her arms as if she can scratch her way out of her skin.
“I don’t know if we have enough for two,” Maria says.
“Work it out, Maria.”
She nods before she picks up the iPad they use to take the bids. She puts in a number, and it comes back straight away as denied. Thinking for a second, she throws another figure, higher, and once again, it comes back denied. When she glances at me in silent question, I nod my head in agreeance. We have a limit for these things, but sometimes, just sometimes, we have to go over it. Maria smiles when she wins the first one, but the second one seems to be trickier. We stand and wait in a closed-off area—each buyer gets privacy to bid. It’s all incredibly top secret, and they do a great job at keeping it that way.
“Got them.” Maria smiles proudly.
“Good. Go and collect them.”
Maria nods before she walks off. I go to leave, and I see Burke, a collector of all things beautiful, step outside the same time I do.
He smirks as he sees me, heading in my direction. “It’s been a while, Jake. I’ve heard stories you have been buying overseas.” I look to Captain, who is waiting for me, then I turn back to Burke, who’s dressed in heavy black boots and black jeans with a white shirt.
“Rumors,” I tell him.
“Are they true?” he asks.
“Does it matter?”
He shakes his head and pulls a cigarette out of his pocket, and lights it. “I guess not, just beware. Talk is circulating, Jake. And the talk isn’t good.” He tips his head to me and turns to leave. “You have a good night, Jakey.”
For fuck’s sake. I grind my teeth as he walks away.
“Trouble,” Captain says, watching him as well.
“That he is.” I already knew this though, so it’s no great surprise he is making trouble.
But my main concern is a redhead who won’t leave my fucking mind.
Chapter 10
Date me before you fuck me
Oriana
It’s been almost two months of doing nothing.
I’m not used to being this way.
I thought I was doing okay at the three-week mark and decided it was time to look for work. Then I got divorce papers in the mail. That knocked me down for a few more weeks.