Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 38961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 195(@200wpm)___ 156(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 195(@200wpm)___ 156(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
“That’s great.” His tone might seem low and flat to anyone else, but I’ve known Tim since I was little. I can hear the relief in his voice.
“If you need any help tending to the extra work, go ahead and bring some people on. I’m going to be gone for a little longer but everything is fine now.”
“Sounds good. I’ll hire the Wilks boys to come over and help. They are always looking for extra work,” he says, talking about the family that lives down the road from the farm.
“They do pretty good work. And Dad?”
Tim goes silent, and I know he is thinking of a way of telling me something, a way to phrase something without lying, but without telling me the honest truth either. This is something he never does. He’s always honest with me. Guilt weighs a little heavily on me for the lies I’ve been telling him.
“He was home last night. He’s just still sleeping it off.” I glance over at the clock and see it’s already three in the afternoon. Jesus.
“All right.” What else can I really say? “You can reach me at this number if you need me.” We say our goodbyes, and I feel a little bit calmer. Almost like something has been lifted off my shoulders.
I look back at the clock and see that only a minute has passed. I wonder when they will be back. I should have brought some books or my Kindle. I make my way to the kitchen and grab a banana out of the bowl on the counter. I sit down at the breakfast bar and open the paper.
Flipping through the pages, I stop cold on page six.
Looks like the rumors are true! Casino hot-shot Justin Cortez and Reality Star Natasha Woods are hot and heavy.
It’s then I realize who the woman is. She’s a famous reality star who lands on the covers of magazines around Las Vegas all the time. The same woman I saw Justin with downstairs only moments ago.
The picture shows him leaning in close, whispering in her ear, with her pressing her body into his. She’s smiling right at the camera. The article goes on to talk about the event they were at. The one that was hosted at this casino last night. Where they went last night after they left the room.
I can’t bring myself to read it and I drop it back down on the counter. I head back to the living room and plop back down onto the sofa.
The mistress contract said we weren't to ask the clients about where they spent their time; it wasn't our business, but Justin made it seem so different this morning. Or maybe that was their game. They wanted a woman at home but wanted to do whatever they wanted when they were out and about. It wasn't an unheard of arrangement in Vegas.
They are rich men who want to have their cake and eat it too. Or maybe they think since I got both of them, they should get other people too. I drop my head in my hands and force myself not to cry. I feel like I’m drowning in the grief of losing something I never even had.
I should have listened to myself in the beginning. Men like Justin and Aaron are too good to be true. Yeah, they may want me. They may even want to keep me, but I wouldn't be the only one they spent time with and that just isn't something I’m cut out for.
Back to plan A, which would be easier this time. I know the game for sure. Do your thirty days and be done. Put your walls back up, Stella. Guard yourself. Do as they command, and walk away with what you came for.
I hear the elevator ding, and I look up to see Justin and Aaron exit, both with big smiles on their faces. They both stride towards me. Justin reaches me first, pulling me up into his arms. He kisses me, and I willingly open my mouth. It takes everything in me not to kiss him back, but I don't deny him access either. It is, after all, what they paid for.
He pulls back and looks at me in puzzlement.
“You look beautiful, baby,” he says.
“Thank you.” My words are flat. I should at least try to pretend, but it's just too soon. The bitterness of what I lost is still too fresh.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, looking over at Aaron, and then back to me. Aaron looks just as confused.
“Nothing.” I pull back from his arms and drop to my knees in front of him, going for his belt. The look of shock on his face would be almost laughable if I wasn't so mad. I have no right to be, but he made me believe I could have something that I couldn't. I wouldn't be their little woman who stayed at home while the boys went out just being boys.
But I would give them their fucking thirty days. It might rip me apart trying to stay detached from them, but I would do it.
“What are you doing?” he demands, grabbing me by the wrist. My anger gets the best of me and I snap.
“I’m doing what you paid me to do. I’m sorry if I’m doing it wrong, but maybe next time don’t get yourself a virgin. At least then you’ll have someone who knows what they are doing. Wait…is that why you have Natasha? Because she knows how to suck you off how you like?”
“Fuck!”
10
JUSTIN
When we pull in to the Cortez, there are paparazzi everywhere. “This place is turning into a zoo. Fuck, I can’t wait for this tournament to end.” I push past a few of them as security from the casino comes out and helps us through the crowd.
Once inside, we walk past the tournament tables, but before we clear them, I’m run over as Natasha jumps out in front of me.
“Justin, we need to talk.” She’s got her fake-ass camera smile pasted on, so they must be close by. After hearing about what happened that night at Snake Eyes, it’s all I can do not to grab her by the arms and throw her ass out of our casino.