Trashy (12 page)

I glanced down at the card.
PINK PRODUCTIONS.

I snapped my head up. “I told you
no,” I growled.

He shuffled closer and grabbed my chin again. My jaw already hurt from how he grabbed it earlier. I struggled to pull away. His hands made me sick. How the hell I ever got pleasure out of them I would never ever understand.

He tightened his grip and stepped even closer so I could feel the muscles beneath his clothes. I wanted to sag in defeat. His sheer size and muscle mass outmatched me tenfold.

“I told you it was a done deal,” he said quietly. “I’ve already been paid. The money’s been spent.”

So that’s how he paid for that car…

“You
will
do this, Roxie,” he intoned. “And in return, I’ll get out of your life.”

I felt tears well in my eyes. Damn him! Damn my weaknesses, damn my anger, and damn my fear.

His eyes softened. “Don’t cry, baby,” he crooned. “I love you.”

Oh my God, was that supposed to make me feel better?

Finally, he released my chin and stroked the side of my head, like he was petting a dog or a possession. “Just do this for me.”

I’d rather die.

“You wouldn’t want anything happen to lover boy, would you?”

That got my attention. I might give up my life, but not Adam’s.

He smirked. “I thought so.” Craig stroked my hair again. “Be at that address day after tomorrow, Roxie. Come dressed like the trashy bitch you are.”

He stepped away, but I felt no relief.

Causally, he strolled toward the door like he didn’t have a care in the world, like hitting and threatening someone he supposedly
loved
was natural.

He turned in the open doorway before leaving and gave me the kind of charming smile I fell for when I didn’t know any better.

“And, Roxie? Wear your hair like that. It looks hot.”

When he was gone, I sank down onto the sofa, my entire body trembling. I sat there for a long time, numb and staring off into space. Reality eventually came creeping back, and I felt the heavy card crushed in my hand.

I looked down and a sob ripped from my throat.

I was finally getting what I wanted. I was getting rid of Craig.

The price for my future was very steep.

PINK PRODUCTIONS.

It sounded innocent, almost pretty.

It was none of those things.

Craig tried to sell me to them before, and I wouldn’t have it. Seems he somehow made a deal behind my back. He pretty much sold me to a company with no morals at all.

The price for my freedom and apparently Adam’s safety…

Starring in a porn flick.

Adam

She was late.

Roxie was never late.

She was probably just nervous, fussing over her hair or some shit, and lost track of time. But the more I told myself that, the harder it got to believe.

Harlow poked her head in my office as I looked at the clock. “Has Roxie called in?” she asked.

I muttered a profanity. “No. She hasn’t called you?”

She shook her head, worry in her eyes.

“Did you see her before work?” I asked.

A guilty expression crossed her face. “I knew I should have stayed home,” she said almost to herself.

I motioned for her to come into the office. “What the hell does that mean?” I asked as she walked in.

“I haven’t seen her. I stayed at Cam’s last night.”

That bad feeling in my gut intensified. “Is there a reason you look guilty?”

Harlow sighed and averted her eyes.

“Spill it,” I ordered.

“I think he’s bothering her again,” she admitted.

I knew she was going to say that. I mean, I’d pretty much been thinking the same thing, but just hearing the words out loud pissed me off. “What makes you think that?”

“He’s been calling. Blowing up her phone,” Harlow said. “I asked her about it. She doesn’t say much, but…”

“What?”

“She’s been a little jumpy lately.”

“Fuck.”

“She was home alone last night.” Harlow worried, wringing her hands. “I offered to stay home, but she told me to go.”

That would explain the dark circles beneath her eyes and her distracted head.

“It’s my fault—”

I held up my hand. “No, it isn’t. Roxie is stubborn as hell.”

“Still, I think I might be all she has.” She said it softly, like it hurt to voice aloud.

It fucking hurt to hear.

“She has me,” I ground out.

Harlow glanced up, her eyes wide. “I thought you two were just friends.”

I gave her a level stare. “You know better.”

She smiled. “Yeah, I do. Glad you finally do too.”

I grunted and reached into my pocket and pulled out my keys. “Can you keep an eye on the place? I’m going to check on her.”

Harlow nodded.

I shut my office door on the way out and scanned the crowd already forming in the bar. Cam was behind the bar, and I knew he and Harlow would be able to handle things here.

I nodded at Ty, the best bouncer in the place, on the way out and stepped into the parking lot. It was still light out, but because it was late summer, it wasn’t as bright as it would have been just last month.

I turned the corner of the building toward my bike and collided with Roxie.

She bounced off my chest and I reached out to steady her. I couldn’t help but notice all the dark curls falling over my fingers.

“Roxie,” I said. Relief flooded my system. “I was just coming to check on you.”

“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said. Her voice was slightly off. Forced. “I lost track of time.”

She was shaking again. I felt the slight trembling beneath my hands.

“Hey,” I said, releasing her. “You okay?”

She glanced up at me, then ducked her head. Her face was red. I went to grasp her chin to look at her again, but she flinched.

Rage burned through me. It ate away all the worry I had for her just moments ago. I’d never had a woman flinch away like she was scared.

“Look at me,
Rox.”

She did, letting her curls fall around her face. Her cheeks were flushed, her skin uncomfortably red. “Why is your face so red?” I asked.

“Oh,” she sighed. “The A/C in my car went out. I’m just hot.”

“Didn’t you just have that fixed?” I asked suspiciously. I was suddenly taken back to the night I sent her home because of that damn non-working A/C. She was sick from the heat, and I told her to go. I’d ultimately sent her home to be attacked.

It was the night I slept on her couch.

“Apparently, the guys at the garage thought they could charge me full price and slap a Band-aid on it to make me think it was working again.”

I clenched my jaws. What kind of asshole takes money for a job, then lets a woman drive off in the heat, knowing the problem wasn’t fixed?

I muttered exactly what kind of asshole I thought he was. Roxie laughed, her head tipping back with the force of her giggle.

She had a handprint around her throat.

My vision dimmed and went dark around the edges. Her cheeks might be red from the lack of A/C, but the redness around her jaw and the markings on her throat were not because she was hot.

“Sweetheart.” My voice was heavy. I didn’t know how to feel such strong emotions simultaneously.

Rage and regret threatened to choke me.

Her eyes flashed, and I knew she realized what I’d seen. Quickly, she ducked her head and let her hair fall around her neck and over her shoulders.

Even so, what I’d seen could not be unseen.

“We’re leaving,” I said, motioning for her to move toward my bike.

“I’m here to work.”

“We need to talk.”

“No, we don’t,” she said. I saw the panic sweep into her eyes.

“What are you so afraid of?” I whispered.
Why won’t you talk to me?

Her shoulders slumped. The stubbornness she always carried wasn’t there. “Right now?” she whispered. “Everything.”

I wanted to grab her and yank her to me. I was afraid to. I was afraid she would flinch away or that I would scare her.

Fuck. That.

I wasn’t going to let that fuckwad influence the way I treated Roxie. I wouldn’t give him any power over me at all. He already had too much. If Roxie didn’t want me to hold her, she could tell me herself.

I reached for her, gently tugging her wrist. “Come here.”

She melted against me. It wasn’t the first time I’d had Roxie in my arms, but she felt smaller than ever. I had to stomp down on the rage inside me because she didn’t need that kind of emotion. She needed something else, something better.

Something I was pretty sure not many people had given her before.

I tucked her against me, fitting her head just beneath my chin. The way she curled into my chest, like she couldn’t get close enough, made my heart trip. Roxie pulled her arms so they were under her, against my chest, and gripped the front of my dress shirt.

I rubbed up and down her back and didn’t say a thing. I just held her close, feeling like a fish out of water. I didn’t know how to act in a situation like this. I’d never had any experience with a man who fucking beat a woman.

I wanted to kill him.

Honest to God. If he were standing here right now, I would’ve fucking killed him.

Men—
no—
people in general who took advantage of someone smaller, someone more vulnerable, were scum.

But how could I do that without hurting her worse?

A couple people on their way into the bar gave us sideways stares as they walked past. I gave ‘em the eye, daring them to say a word. They didn’t, having gotten the message.

“Sweetheart,” I murmured, tightening my hold. “Let’s go talk.”

She made a sound like she didn’t want to move, like it was early morning and someone was trying to get her out of bed.

I smiled. Guess that meant she thought I was comfortable.

“We can’t stand outside all night,” I said, amused and feeling pretty damn smug.

She stiffened and then snatched herself away from me in two seconds flat. The way her eyes darted around with fear and the way the blood leeched from her skin had my jaws clenching again.

Was she afraid someone might see us?

That
he
might see us?

I took her hand, ignoring the way it stayed stiff and towed her toward the entrance to the club. Ty opened the door and seemed a little surprised to see us both there.

I put Roxie right beside him. “Watch her, Ty,” I ordered.

I didn’t bother to see if this pissed her off, because frankly, I didn’t care. I stalked into the bar and pinned Cam with a stare. Harlow was standing nearby, giving him an order of drinks. Both of them looked up.

“Cam, you’re in charge.”

Cam just nodded. Harlow’s eyes got wide.

“You help him,” I told her.

“Roxie?” She started forward.

I held up my hand. “I got this.”

She started to protest, but Cam called her name and her steps faltered.

“I’ll handle things here,” Cam said.

I trusted him. I knew the Mad Hatter would be fine tonight. For once in my life, I really didn’t care. I wasn’t worried about my business; I was worried about Roxie.

It was a little startling to realize I’d never put any of my four wives above this place. Maybe that’s why I was divorced.

Nah. They were just bitches.

Roxie was still right next to Ty when I walked out. “Thanks, Ty.”

“See
ya later, boss!” he called after us as I led Roxie toward my bike.

“My bike or your car?” I asked.

“Oh, I have a choice?” she snapped.

I pinned her with a stare. “I told you, you always have a choice with me.”

Her lower lip wobbled.

I groaned. “
Rox, you wanna come with me?”

I wanted this to clearly be her choice.

She nodded.

I straddled my bike and reached for her. She started to climb on behind me, but I made a noise and stopped her. “Uh-uh. Up here.”

I patted the seat in front of me and scooted back to make a spot for her between my thighs.

“I can’t drive that thing,” she said.

“I’ll drive.”

“You can drive with me sitting there?”

I gave her a look. She sighed and climbed on, fitting between my thighs perfectly. Once she was settled, I scooted closer so my chest was pressed along her back. Our legs were forced together, and I reached around her to grab the handlebars.

I didn’t want her behind me. I didn’t want her to feel exposed or somehow vulnerable. This way she could feel more protected and I could feel her in my arms.

“You ready?” I asked low right beside her ear.

She nodded and curled her hands around my knees.

The bike roared to life beneath us, and I steered it away from the Mad Hatter and in the direction of my place.

It was the first time I’d ever driven a bike with someone practically in my lap. The feel of her relaxing against me and the sensation of her silky curls flying out and wrapping around my arms made me want to do it more often. With her. Only with her.

I lived in a condo on the beach. It cost too much money, but I didn’t care. I liked getting up and running right on the sand. I liked the view from the window, and I liked the gated security that came with the building. After I opened the Mad Hatter II and got it rolling, my next business purchase was going to be a complex like this. The guy who owned this place had to be making bank for what he charged for rent. I wanted in on the action.

The guard was surprised when I pulled up with Roxie on the front of my bike. To his credit, he didn’t say anything, just pressed the button and waved me through. I saw Roxie glancing at the gate as we drove past it, and I hoped it made her feel safe and not trapped.

The spot right beside my car, a two-seater BMW, was open, so I parked and cut the engine. Roxie didn’t move. I could feel her hesitation.

“You know I just
wanna talk,” I said.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Please don’t be afraid of me.” I breathed the words into her ear.

She shivered lightly, and I wrapped an arm around her waist.

“It isn’t you I’m afraid of,” she said. “It’s the way you’re going to look at me when I tell you what you want to know.”

I reached up and slid all the hair over the back of her shoulder, tucking it out of the way and revealing the side of her cheek. I nuzzled the soft skin on her face, pressing lingering kisses to her cheekbone.

“Give me a little more credit than that, sweetheart.”

She turned her face into my kiss. I wrapped my other arm around her, and she tilted her face upward so I could reach her lips.

I kissed her slow and light. The way our lips brushed together like two feathers floating from the sky had my loins tightening. I pulled back slightly and kissed the corner of her mouth, letting my tongue dart out to tease the fullness of her lips, and she sighed.

I forced myself off the bike and led the way up the stairs to my condo.

As we walked, I steeled myself for what she was about to say, because I knew whatever it was, I wasn’t going to like it.