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Instead, I just wanted to hide from him, the pain fading as total shame and disappointment took over.

  Fear had done me in. I shoved my face into his thin shirt, dulling my failure in his spicy masculine scent, marveling how hard his muscles felt against my cheeks.

  “I'm so, so sorry,” I whimpered, pulling back to face him when I could finally speak again. “When I...when I heard that thing buzzing so close to my skin, I don't know what came over me. Everything went into a panic. I couldn't breathe. Voices in my brain just screamed 'STOP!'”

  “Wow, you're hearing voices? You really must've fallen a hell of a lot harder than I thought.” He lifted one arm and pressed his big palm to my forehead.

  Even through the stupidity, the shame, and the lame joke, I laughed. He really had a way with smoothing things over.

  “Don't be ashamed. You pressed yourself too hard. Even a Princess needs to ease herself into the unknown. Right? We should've started with something smaller, something on your wrist or half the size of the design you picked out.”

  “No!” I shook my head furiously. The faintest idea of having that horrific tattoo gun up against my skin made my stomach knot. “Maybe someday I'll be ready. But for now...I think I just need to go.”

  “Got it,” he said simply.

  Garrett held my hand and slowly lifted me up. My heart was still racing.

  It took me a minute to stand without shaking. The adrenaline flooding my veins kept exploding, rippling my nerves in tense waves.

  I started toward the door. I wanted to say 'goodbye,' to thank him for the great bedside matter despite my panic, but I knew the words would only leave me more embarrassed.

  I don't need anymore. I've had a few months' worth of devastation in a day.

  Garrett slid around me like a panther, and soon he was blocking the door. I stopped, just a foot away from him, blinking through the drying tears in confusion.

  “What's up?” I bit my lip, fearing I already knew.

  “We had a deal, and I'm a man of my word. Listen, Jessie, you've got all the sympathy in the world from me. Not so much that I'm going back on my promise, though. And neither are you.”

  He stepped closer. My heart kicked into butterfly mode again, beating against my chest in sheer amazement and a little fear.

  “What do you want?”

  “One night with you, Jessie. One evening out. Tomorrow.”

  All at once, the thunder in my chest settled. I hadn't noticed how heavily I was breathing until he was only an inch away, my breasts rising dangerously close to his slab of muscles whenever I inhaled.

  I couldn't believe he still wanted me. He really wanted to spend time with an unadventurous coward?

  Stop being so hard on yourself. For all you know, he knew how you'd react from the beginning, and this whole thing was contrived to end up here.

  Maybe he's taking advantage of you.

  I refused to listen to my doubts. So what if they were right? This man, this giant god towering over me, wanted to stake a claim like no man ever had before him.

  “A deal is a deal,” I said quietly, slipping my limp hand into his strong grip.

  We shook. His warm flesh sizzled through the cold in mine, breaking up the ice flows in my blood formed by the terror.

  A deeper, sultrier curiosity returned. Suddenly, finding out where he intended to lead was all that was on my mind.

  I wasn't afraid. Not totally, at least. If this big, bad wolf wanted to drag my virgin body through the wringer, maybe I'd come out feeling purified. Cleansed.

  “I'll pick you up at seven this Friday?” He asked, though it had too much confidence to be a simple question. More like a statement.

  I shook my head. For the life of me, I was smiling the entire time, letting that damned irrepressible grin curl along my face and beam at my heart's new captor.

  “Forget what happened here, Jessie,” he said, inching his way clear of the door. “I don't want you to feel bad about this. Don't take any shit from Ava. Just think about where we're going this Friday. One night with me, and you won't remember freaking out over a few needle strokes.”

  “I'll bet,” I squeaked, seeing my chance to slip past him.

  Garrett chuckled a little as I popped the door and left. Ava was near the door, impatiently twitching.

  Her leg bobbed up and down on the floor in regular strokes.

  Her face tightened and her eyes turned into big moons when she saw me. Damn, I hadn't wiped away all the telltale signs of sadness after all.

  I didn't even hear what she asked me as she approached, her lips moving silently.

  The excitement stirring in my blood silenced everything. I couldn't believe how a dull autumn day had suddenly burst alive with pure fire. And whether I liked it or not, that fire was bound to grow more intense, devouring all the soft mediocrity I'd taken for granted.

  II: Strict Offerings

  “Jessie, you don't have to do this. Ah, I know that look...I know damned well how stubborn you are.

  Just don't let him bully you into anything you're not ready for. He's already done it once with that stupid tattoo.”

  I settled into my heels, looking every so often into Ava's eyes. Was she speaking with real concern, or just jealousy?

  Both mingled in her eyes. She knew me better than anybody else. I couldn't deny that.

  But she also had her greedy eyes on claiming Garrett for herself. The sooner my boring, pesky ass got out of her way, the better.

  “I'm a big girl. I appreciate your concern. Really.” I stood, testing out my walk.

  It had been forever since I'd worn the tall, sleek, pointed heels. Probably not since that last big party bash before graduating Uni.

  They certainly weren't suitable for the little insurance office where I worked, and they'd sat in the back of the closet gathering dust. Until tonight.

  We're destined to make amazing things happen. Just you and me, heels.

  I pushed them together, feeling more confident in my stride. I stopped in front of Ava and reached for her shoulder with one hand.

  “I'll be okay. I've said no to a dozen guys before, haven't I? Nobody ever got past second base. It's not like I've stopped waiting for Mr. Right.”

  “Of course!” Ava flashed me a fierce, somewhat sour smile. “I know you'll do the right thing. You've resisted some real hotties over the years. It's just that...well, Garrett's the kind of guy who's good for play, and not much else. By all means, have your fun with him tonight. Just don't let him have too much fun with you. Fun you'll regret.”

  “You're just full of sisterly advice this evening, aren't you?” I did my trademark eye roll.

  “It's what I do.”

  My phone pinged behind me. I clambered across the floor to my nightstand, where I'd left it. A text from an unknown number announced, I'M HERE – G.

  I squealed with excitement. Even Ava set her jealousy aside for a moment and laughed right along with me.

  “Go out and have a good time, girl. I know you'll come back the same sweet Jessie. And if you don't, I'll beat him up myself.”

  Laughing, I thanked her one last time before grabbing my coat and purse and heading outside.

  Things were gonna be alright between Ava and I. And with him? Well, that was just getting started.

  Garrett pulled up in a flashy black Mercedes. It took me more than a full minute to realize it was him, even though he signaled me twice.

  Jeez, just how much business does he bring in?

  The choice of car also surprised me. If he were staking up the big bucks, I figured he'd be the kind to opt for something sportier; a pimped out Charger, or maybe a Viper.

  I popped the door, slid in, and clicked my seat belt closed. When I looked up, Garrett's eyes were already on me, the flames inside them roiling at a steady crackle.

  “Mmm. Nice.” He growled with pleasure like he'd just taken a long sip of something sweet. “You didn't have to actually dress like a Princess to impress me, Jessie. Since you outdi
d yourself, though, you'll have to accept my compliments and my eyes on those legs all night.”

  I flushed. One second with him, and he'd torn my speech away yet again.

  Sheesh, what's wrong with me? How many times is this going to keep happening?

  I had to admit, I did look pretty knockout. Garrett wore a more unassuming outfit: a neat gray button down shirt with dark trousers and a shiny leather belt. Simple or not, he looked pretty damn good with the tight buttons pressing around his hard hills and valleys.

  “Don't you want to know where we're going?” He asked.

  We'd been on the highway for several minutes, roaring toward the city center. I'd mumbled a bashful greeting and nothing else.

  “I do. Or is it going to be a surprise? Doesn't sound like I have much choice in wherever it is we're off to.”

  “You don't. Good thing you're going to like it.” His abrupt, hard tone reminded me that I was his dolled up slave for the night, however much he complimented me like a lady. “You'll see it when we're down a few more blocks. Now that you mention it, I do like surprises.”

  Damn! He knew exactly how to peak my interest. Not to mention many other things.

  I snuck continuous glances at him as we rolled on, winding past the city limits and through wide streets lined with tall skyscrapers. The main entertainment strip with the best theaters, bars, and lounges lay just ahead.

  “Holy shit! You don't seriously expect me to believe we're going there...do you?” The car jerked into the narrow parking lot, stopping next to the curb for a valet.

  “Only the finest for my free time. And for my women.” Garrett looked over at me, landing one more wink.

  I stumbled out of the car with him as a tall, gawky valet in neat dress took his keys.

  I'd never been so close to The Red Widow. Yet, there it was, in all its glory: five floors of dim colorful lights seeping through the windows like a grounded rainbow, the red carpet rolling past the bouncer duo guarding the doors, a gentle scent like perfume or exotic incense wafting from its low red interior.

  Otherworldly. Beautiful. Feast for all the senses.

  “Seriously, Garrett. I have to ask.” I rushed up to him and let him take my hand for the walk to the door. “How the hell does a tattoo artist afford this?”

  “It's easy when you're a co-owner here.”

  “Co-owner?” My mouth dropped. “Then...you're not just a tattoo artist?”

  “No, my art is a full time job. What goes on here is only a small slice of my life...but a very important one. Lots of benefits beyond a residual income stream too.”

  The bouncers nodded politely as we walked past the surging throng lined up outside. Dazzling warmth flooded my head.

  Never in a million years did I expect to set foot inside such an elegant, exclusive, and crazy expensive place. And never in a billion ages did I expect to do it with a co-owner, VIP of VIPs.

  That intoxicating spicy scent grew darker still the instant we were inside. Gentle music throbbed around us. Several neat fat cats older than Garrett and I were parked at the spacious glass bar, half their arms thrown around women who were way too young and good looking to be their wives.

  “Your drink order, Mister Foster?” A woman in heels and a leggy one piece that put my outfit to shame came running up. A black lace strip wound around her long neck, almost like a collar.

  “You already know what I want, Lucy. Get me one of those, plus anything my date would like.”

  The woman's dark eyes only drifted over to me when Garrett motioned. She eyed me with what looked like contempt, a swish of her head away from turning up her nose.

  Well, a big 'fuck you' to you too.

  “Something with pomegranate, ginger, and whiskey – lots of whiskey – in the tallest glass you can find.”

  “May I see some ID?”

  Garrett's face hardened. He gave the server a look equal parts warning and disbelief.

  I cracked my purse and fished out my wallet. I shoved my license up to her face, letting her get a good, long look. I was used to being carded since I'd only been legal for more than a year, but this was the first time someone had done it just to be a bitch.

  “Very good, Mr. Foster. Shall we bring this out to your usual seat or somewhere else?”

  “You're gonna give me the pen, aren't you?” Garrett's eyes hadn't softened one iota.

  The woman fished a silver pen from her belt and placed it into his hands. She walked away and he tugged at my hand, pulling me forward, toward a tall shiny elevator down the sleek hall.

  “What's all this about a pen?”

  “It's got a locator inside,” he said, tucking it into his pocket with his free hand. “Not a lot of mix ups here. One of the few changes I brought to his place that really mattered.”

  My heels clicked as we stepped into the elevator. All alone, my head was still spinning.

  Just how old is he? I wondered. Old enough to be doing serious business with an exclusive urban club while I was just finishing up High School.

  “What do you know about the Red Widow?” He tapped the button for the tenth and highest floor.

  “It's very exclusive.” I swallowed, resorting to the obvious. “Best bars in town. I heard people come here from all over the world. Never known anyone who's visited this place first hand. Not a lot of that when you're a lowly first year accountant.”

  “Mm, yeah. You're right about all that.”

  I frowned at the mysterious twinkle in his eyes. Jeez, what did he want from me? Whatever it was, I couldn't give him anything else.

  My knowledge of the place began and ended with what I'd seen in the bar and lobby. I clasped my hands, smoothing my dress, listening as soft notes chimed as we passed each floor.

  “You've never heard the rumors then. Good, I knew we'd gotten those leaks under control some time ago.” He smiled, continuing before I could ask what the hell he was talking about. “We came here for a very specific reason, Princess. There's another side to this place most guests don't know about, and even fewer outsiders. There's a different side to me too. Are you ready to see it?”

  Ding!

  The door split open with a classic ring. Garrett took my hand and led me into a dim, dark chamber.

  It was weirdly open. For one thing, there was no bar anywhere against the walls, or even in the center. A fountain sat there instead, serenading the huge room with its echoing waters.

  All the walls were lined with big, spacious nooks. I glanced up and saw huge curtains – no, veils –

  that could easily be pulled around them, like something from another age.

  Several of the spaces had their curtains pulled. If I listened closely, I thought I heard sharp, muffled sounds coming from behind the thick dividers.

  “This way. Our table is over in this corner.”

  Garrett helped me slide into the massive, circular booth. I wondered why the table was so plush, with little pits around the edges for wooden coasters that had been carefully laid into place.

  “Listen closely,” he said, moving in next to me. “What do you think you hear?”

  My ears perked up. No, there was no more denying it.

  Loud, lurid screams echoed every so often through the burbling fountain. Silent voices, almost speaking in a whisper, suddenly broken by a shark crack like a bat connecting with a fat softball. More screams.

  Not pain. Not always, at least. Distinct satisfaction – pleasure – echoed in those high, shrill cries.

  I started to sweat. There were cries of pain and pleasure all around us. Dark whispers that asked questions and barked orders no virgin should understand, let alone enjoy.

  Except me. I was intrigued, curious, and starting to get a lot of naughty ideas about my date. I leaned toward the edge of the booth and listened closer, straining to clarify the sounds.

  You like that, pretty? I hope you do. Your little ass isn't red enough yet.

  Harder. Faster! I know you can do better than that – I trained t
hose lips to suck me just right.

  Please! Don't take that fucking hand away from me, Master M. I want it there. On my throat. Please, Sir, choke me while you drain your balls inside me...

  I shifted my thighs together beneath the table. Garrett threw his arms around my neck, pulling me close, running those huge, serious fingers along my soft jaw.

  “Well?” He growled softly in my ear. “What is it you hear, Princess?”

  “People fucking.”

  He grinned and pulled his face away. “Wow. For such an innocent, conservative girl, you've got a mouth like a whip.”

  “Maybe I'm not always so innocent.” I matched his smile through my ruby lips.

  Our drink order arrived just in time. The same surly waitress pressed a stubby glass of scotch with ice cubes into his hands.

  He tipped her a few bills as I received the tallest pomegranate-ginger whiskey I'd ever laid eyes on.

  Exactly what I needed to keep up the bad girl facade, or at least make myself drunk enough to sit still without going crazy.

  Sweetness and fire curled up my straw, shooting across my tongue. Across the room, a woman screamed louder, whimpering with pleasure as flesh slapped in steady waves.

  Yeah, just what I'm thinking about this drink, honey. I'm sure I'd be ready to feel that with Garrett too, if only I really were a bad girl and not a scared, simpering little virgin underneath.

  Only one cure for self-doubt: more alcohol.

  “Let's pull this shut.” He said, rising over the table and reaching for the cord angling down from the ceiling. “I only wanted you to hear the music of love in this place once. No need to listen to it the whole time we're here. Everybody needs some privacy.”

  The curtains fell, blocking out everything. The faint bluish lights above illuminated his face, painting the fires in his eyes with a thick haze I wanted to get lost in.

  “Just you and I now,” Garrett said.

  He tipped the tumbler to his firm lips and knocked back his drink in one swig. I was only halfway done with mine, feeling it burning its way through my stomach and straight up to my brain.

  “How about that dare?” He raised his eyebrows and slid in closer to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder once more. “I didn't just bring you to this place to talk. How about some one on one time, Jessie? Doesn't the Princess underneath get tired of everyone treating her like a good girl?”