Cat Haus - The Complete Story (23 page)

"Okay. Thanks." I'd almost told him I could get it myself, but I didn't. See, I'd learned. Henry would be proud of my progress.

Ty hefted the suitcase out of the trunk like it weighed nothing and set it on the ground next to me. He even pulled the handle up so it would be ready for me to wheel away, back to my room in the whorehouse.

"I had a good time." He took a step closer and wrapped those beefy hands around my arms.

"So did I."

He cradled my face and kissed me, hard and long. My mind immediately turned to who might be watching. I'd get all sorts of shit from Tiffany if she saw this. Hopefully, she'd be too stupid to figure out I'd been on a paid job. I'd just tell her I'd run into Ty at one of the casinos and we'd hooked up. God, I hope she wasn't vindictive enough to sell my bogus story to the press because Ty was a public figure.

All this chatter happening in my head made me realize something—I shouldn't be able to think so hard while being kissed like this by a man like Ty. That could mean only one thing. This week really had been just a job. It seemed the only man I felt weak from kissing was John. That was not good.

Ty finally broke away. He stepped back with a sad sigh. "You have my number."

"I do."

"Call if you change your mind."

"I will."

After a moment's hesitation he nodded and walked around the car to the driver's side.

I waited for him to drive away, feeling better about things knowing that I had an out if I needed it. It was like having a parachute when before I'd felt as if I'd free fall should what John and I had, whatever it was, imploded.

Maybe that would be better than this limbo I was living in. Counting the weeks. Watching for him. Waiting for him. Doing it all over again when he left a couple of days later. Yet I couldn't walk away from it. There'd been no question in my mind that I couldn't take Ty's offer—and that's exactly why I should have.

All this thinking was making me tired. Time to get back to reality. I had a shift to get to. There were men to be serviced. With a sigh, I turned . . . and my heart leapt.

That big black car parked by the back door could only mean one thing. John was here, and earlier than I'd expected him.

I did my best to not run to the front door while dragging my bag behind me. I pushed inside the foyer and glanced around, I guess half expecting him to be there to welcome me. A few of the girls were lounging around the parlor. There was even a man seated at the bar with one of them, but the man I searched for wasn't there.

But he was around somewhere if that car was any indication. And if history was any guide he'd be down, or call to have me come up.

Figuring I'd use my time wisely, I headed for my room to unpack and get dressed for the day. That way when John's summons came, I'd be ready and waiting. My room was clean and empty. Whoever Henry had put in here for the week I'd taken off was gone. Not that I had any doubt regarding Henry's efficiency. Gus, yeah, he might have fucked up and double booked my room, forgetting what day I'd be back, but not Henry.

I'd have to stop by the office and say hi later. Henry would probably enjoy all the details about that absolutely fabulous suite I'd had the pleasure of living in for the past week. He'd have to hear about it whether he wanted to or not because there wasn't anyone else I could tell around here. Maybe Sahara, but I wouldn't trust any of the others to keep the secret about my not quite legal party in the city.

I dressed in one of my usual work outfits and headed to the parlor for the start of my shift. I'd been away for long enough, things felt both strange and familiar at the same.

Sahara's perky smile met me. "Hey, look who's back. How was your vacation?"

"It was good. Relaxing." All true, I just didn't mention it was a working vacation.

She nodded. "Yeah, you look relaxed. You should take off more often."

"Maybe." I shrugged.

Who knew? Ty might hire me again. I'd do another week or two for him. No problem. It was the permanent thing I'd had issues with, and the reason for that had yet to make an appearance downstairs. Of course, John could have flown in on a redeye and was sleeping upstairs. That was fine. It meant he'd be well rested when I got off my shift.

I opened my mouth, about to ask Sahara what drama I'd missed while I'd been away, when Henry walked into the parlor. My heart jumped into my throat. Maybe John wasn't sleeping after all. I forced myself to stay sitting until summoned.

Henry wore an odd expression as his eyes darted to me, and then to Sahara. He motioned to her, not to me. I nudged her with my elbow. Since she'd been inspecting her nail polish and not tracking Henry's every move as I had, she didn't see him waiting for her.

"I think Henry wants you for something."

"Really?" She glanced up. "Hmm. Okay."

Sahara met him in the doorway, but he didn't reveal anything there. After one more glance in my direction, he guided her down the hall that led to the office . . . and John's apartment.

I don't know what made me suspicious enough to stand up, tiptoe across the room and lean around the corner. Henry's strange behavior maybe. Paranoia more likely. Or just good old-fashioned intuition. Whatever it was that made me look, the sight nearly took me to my knees—Henry, leading Sahara to the staircase at the end of the stairs. Sahara, going up those stairs to John's apartment.

I didn't know what to do first. Vomit in the potted plant or grab the gaudy lamp off the table, run upstairs and smash in John's head with it. Or I might just pass out for a bit, because the hall had begun to sway around me.

Henry turned and saw me standing there, clutching the doorframe to remain upright. I'd never seen the man move so fast in all his time there. He was to me in seconds. "Cate. Just walk away from this. Go back to the parlor. Or better yet, to your room. Take off tonight if you need to."

And do what? Lie in bed and picture John upstairs doing everything he used to do to me to Sahara instead.

"Doesn't he know I'm back?" As ill and upset as I felt, I still tried to find reason in it. I spun on Henry. Looking for someone—anyone—to blame besides John. "Didn't you tell him?"

Henry shrugged and shook his head.

I frowned, understanding eluding me. Why would John do this? Wasn't I enough for him? Was he bored with me?

"Cate, come into the office." There was concern in Henry's voice. He was probably scared I'd cause a scene in public. Actually, I might.

"I don't want to."

His hand landed on my arm, to comfort me or control me I didn't know. Everything seemed so surreal I couldn't be sure of anything.

"Cate, you have to remember, you have sex with a dozen men a week. It means nothing."

That was the point. With John it did.

The walls felt like they were closing in on me. I couldn't stay under this roof another moment, not beneath John's apartment where he was fucking the only girl here I considered a friend. "I'm leaving."

"All right." Henry nodded. "I think that's wise. Take tonight. You'll feel better tomorrow."

No, I wouldn't. Did he not know anything at all? "I'm not coming back tomorrow."

"Cate—"

I shook his hand off my arm. I needed to get out of this building, away from this place, as fast as possible. There was no time to pack. "Box up my shit. Or hell, throw it out. I don't care."

Turning, I strode for my room. To his credit, Henry didn't follow. He probably assumed I'd get it out of my system and come crawling back apologizing in the morning. He was wrong. I ignored Tiffany's glare as I strode through the parlor as quick as I could without causing a ruckus. I hit my room and felt the first sting of tears behind my eyes. My cell phone was on my dresser. I grabbed it and punched the contact list. Ty had put his number in there.

I let out a bitter laugh. He'd known this wouldn't work with John. Ty was smarter than I had been. A hooker couldn't have a relationship with a man. What the hell had I been thinking? But no, this wasn't my fault. The truth was a man—John—couldn't handle having a relationship with a hooker. I guess I'd just been a plaything, until he decided to play with someone else.

But even as I thought it, it didn't ring true. John wasn't a player. He'd never treated me like a girl he was only out to fuck. Still, the proof that I didn't know what the hell I was talking about was upstairs now. On those sheets I'd been on. Staring into those eyes I'd melted into so many times.

I hit the button and dialed Ty's number.

It rang twice before I heard him say, "Cate. Hey."

"Ty." My voice cracked, and I swallowed before trying to continue. "I changed my mind. Can I still come with you?"

There was a moment of silence during which I felt the rest of my world crumble into the abyss. Ty was my escape plan, and judging by his hesitation, even he didn't seem to want me anymore. The tears flooded my eyes and I drew in a shaky breath.

"I'll come get you."

"No, I'll drive to you."

"Cate, it doesn't sound like you should be driving."

"I have to. I can't stay here another second."

Again he paused. "All right. Drive to that gas station a few miles down the highway from the Cat Haus. I'll meet you there."

"Okay." In a daze I hit the button and scanned my room, at a loss for what I needed to do.

It's strange what a person puts value on in times of extreme stress. I dragged my suitcase from under the bed and flipped open the lid. I tossed in my sweatpants and pajamas. My toiletries, jewelry, laptop and sex toys went in, as well. I tossed in a few pair of underwear, one evening gown and a pair of black heels, then zipped it closed, convinced that was all I'd need to survive away from here.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. The smeared makeup and red eyes were bad enough, but I couldn’t walk through Ty's lobby dressed like this. After peeling off my red latex mini skirt and tossing it on the dresser, I pulled my suit off the hanger in the closet and stepped into the white pants while still wearing my thigh-high stockings and heels. I pulled the jacket over my bustier and grabbed my purse.

In it I had my wallet, makeup, birth control pills, and my eReader. That's it. Nothing else was holding me here. I fished my car keys out of my bag, grabbed my suitcase and opened the door to the hallway.

This was a commercial building so by law we had to have fire exits. I turned left down the hall, heading away from the parlor and toward my freedom. In all my time here, I never thought it would end like this. Then again, I guess I'd never thought much about how it would end. The future had seemed so far away. Now that it was staring me in the face, I wasn't sure I was ready, but I had to be.

"Cate? Where are you going?"

It was one of the girls. Not Tiffany, thank God, but still, I couldn't face any of them. Not physically since the tears were streaming down my face, and not emotionally either. Not right now when I was leaving the only home I'd known for the past two years, and the man who, though I hadn't let myself admit it, I'd been slowly and completely falling in love with.

What a fool.

Head down, feet forward, I hit the door handle, not caring it read
For Emergency Use Only
. No alarms sounded, not that I would have stopped if they had. I continued into the sunlight, oddly disoriented. It would have felt more fitting had it been pitch black outside. An escape into the night, not into a beautiful, sunlit day when all should be right with the world.

Grateful for the excuse to hide my tear-filled eyes I pulled my sunglasses out of my purse and slid them on. My hand shook, but I finally got my key into the door of my car parked behind the building. I tossed my suitcase into the back seat and dropped my purse onto the passenger seat. Slamming the door, I glanced back at the building, half expecting someone to come after me to try and stop me.

No one did.

That figured.

Ty had been right. I shouldn't have been behind the wheel, but I drove anyway and by the time I reached the gas station I was more of a mess than I'd been to start. It was as if every mile I drove farther away from the Cat Haus tore a larger whole in me.

The gas station loomed on the side of the highway and I swung the car into the lot without bothering with the blinker. I'd reached our meeting spot earlier than he had, which was good. I'd have time to park and get myself together before Ty showed up.

When Ty's fancy car pulled into the lot I'd already dried my eyes and fixed my makeup. Except for a pink nose and slightly reddened eyes, which I covered with my sunglasses again, I didn't look like I'd been crying.

I was fine . . . until that big, sweet man strode up to my car, opened the door and pulled me out of the seat.

"Come here." He wrapped me in his arms in a hug I so desperately needed, it started me crying all over again. The tears I'd kept moderately under control while driving away from the Cat Haus turned into a sobbing, ugly cry now that I was safe in Ty's arms.

"Fuck, baby. What the hell happened that got you so upset?" Ty palmed my cheeks and forced me to look up at him. He turned my face, as if looking for bruises.

What was it with men that they thought the only way to hurt a girl was to hit her? There were far more effective ways to destroy a woman. Ways that didn't get you a felony conviction. John had found one of those ways.