March (Calendar Girl #3) (2 page)

“So, Alec painted me, Dad. Some of the paintings you wouldn’t like so me much because I wasn’t wearing any clothing, but he didn’t take advantage. Not really. We had fun and he loved me. Only it was different than any love I’d experienced before or the very real and intense feelings I still have for Wes. I’d liken it to my love for Ginelle, only the boy version with a bit more physical contact.” A lot more if I was being honest. I grinned and looked over at Dad. Nope, eyes still closed.

“Alec taught me that it was okay to love people beyond just you, Mads, and Gin. That you could care about another person, love them even, and not have to be with them forever. It was sweet. My time with Alec helped me see a few things about myself. It’s sad to think I won’t see them again. Though maybe not Wes. I’m still confused over him, Pops.” I looked at his face, so serene and peaceful and knew this was the one moment that I could admit what’s been plaguing me for over a month. Put actual words to the thoughts crawling around my subconscious.

Glancing at the door I couldn’t see anyone. With the coast clear of prying ears, I laid it out. “Dad,” my voice shook. I licked my lips and sighed. “I could fall for Wes, Dad. Really fall. And you know what?” I asked, even though I knew he couldn’t answer. “That scares the shit out of me. My track record is garbage. Straight up foul. My heart wants to take the leap, but my brain reminds me of all the dickwads that came before. Aside from that, I have another ten months to work off before the debt to Blaine is paid.” I huffed. “And of course, Wes offered to pay it. Asked me to stay. And I didn’t. I left him in Malibu.”

I rested my eyes and leaned back in the chair before pressing my hand into my heart. It ached. Hurt with the loss of a promise of more with Wes, one I couldn’t accept. But I’d wanted to. More than I wanted anything. I wasn’t the type of girl that had these grand ideas, where I believed life was going to be cash, cars, and endless youth. No, I grew up poor, worked hard, took care of my sister and helped my Dad survive. The life Wes had wasn’t even close to the life I led which was a definite part of the appeal. The timing for Wes and me though wasn’t right. That’s why it was so easy to fall into Alec’s embrace. Until it’s meant to be, there’s a lot of living to be had and experiences to partake of.

“I wish you’d wake up.” I held his hand and kissed it once more. “Soon Dad, wake up. We need you. Maddy needs you. I need you.”

My sister and Ginelle came back a few minutes later. I listened to Maddy update Dad about school, purposely not telling him about the guy, which I planned to needle her about later. Then Gin shared several jokes she’d learned recently. Through it all there were three pairs of eyes watching, waiting for any sign that my dad was still there. That he hadn’t already left us.

Before I left, the doctor gave me the rundown of Dad’s prognosis. He was doing well physically, almost perfectly healed from all his injuries. A physical therapist came in every day to work Dad’s legs and arms. They were going to teach Maddy how to do it to give him more stimulation. I hated that she had to learn that. It killed me that I wasn’t the one who’d be here to get the family through this.

By the time we left, I had a chip on my shoulder and an ax to grind. Home. I needed to go home. Eat a home cooked meal, throw back a couple of beers with my bestie, and sleep away the last two months. Tomorrow, I’d meet up with Blaine.

C
HAPTER 2

Ginelle and I walked through the casino dead set on our mission. Get to Blaine’s office, give him the check for my second installment, and get the hell out of dodge. The next day I had a host of beauty appointments to tend to and then first thing the following morning I was on a plane to Chicago to meet my next client.

“Why do you think he has an office in a hotel anyway?” Gin asked as we stepped around some scantily clad women serving drinks.

It wasn’t even ten in the morning and the booze was flowing. There’s a reason the players can’t see outside of hotels on the gambling levels. It makes them feel like it’s still early. Pumps them full of artificial noises, music, all day buffets and drinks that they don’t have to pay for as long as they’re gambling. When you add all those things up, people become gambling, drunk zombies that are dying for a win. But they never do. The house always wins. It’s the most well-known fact, probably in the world, yet people are still dumb enough to keep trying their luck and pissing away their kid’s college money or their rent for that matter.

In my Dad’s case, the hardcore gamblers, they
borrow
money. Lots of it. More than they could ever possibly pay back in their lifetime. All for the win, for Lady Luck. In my experience, Lady Luck was a cold hard bitch that smoked, had fake tits, and an STD.

“Blaine once told me that he didn’t need to hide what he did. Said he was an “investor” and thought having an office and staff made him look less like the criminal he is, and more like the businessman he claimed he was.”

Gin huffed and smacked her gum. “Pretty smart actually.”

“Yeah, well, I never did say the man was stupid. Just a heartless bastard with a black soul.”

We made our way to the elevators and then to his floor. When we arrived at the door I stopped, straightened my hair and adjusted my t-shirt to make sure it covered every speck of bare skin. I wore my leather jacket and paired it with black motorcycle boots with kick-ass studs on the heel. The cherry on top was the bright red 24-hour stay-red lip stain. The lipstick promised to keep my pout a bright, flaming red. I felt fierce and ready to handle a prick with a tiny dick. Really, he had an average sized dick but it made me feel better to emasculate him internally.

I turned to Gin and stopped with my hand on the handle. “Okay, this is as far as you go.”

Ginelle’s eyes flared white hot. She put a hand to her petite hip and presented me with the oh-no-she-didn’t stance. “If you think for one minute…” Ninja-like I clasped a hand over her mouth and got close. Really close. So close I could smell the mint on her breath from her gum.

“Gin, Blaine already hurt one of my family members. Bad. Really bad. He’s threatened to hurt me and Maddy. I cannot handle him threatening someone else I love. I need you to go and wait for me at the bar downstairs.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out a twenty. “Please,” I begged while pressing the twenty into her hand.

I let her go and her eyes watered. “But what if he hurts you?”

“He won’t. I’m worth too much money to him. Trust me.” I stared into her eyes letting her see the fierce love and protection there.

She took a long, slow breath. “O-kay. If you’re not down in thirty minutes, I’m calling the cops.”

“Fine. That’s fair. Now go, before someone sees you.” I turned her around and gently pushed her toward the elevator.

I waited until she got on. “I love your guts,” she said.

“I love your guts, too. See ya soon, ho.”

Her eyes widened, but before she could get in a jab, the elevator doors closed. I chuckled and then put on my brave face. Time to deal with a monster.

***

Blaine’s office was black, red, and white. Reminded me of a racer’s checkered flag. Didn’t seem all that inspired as far as decoration goes, but it did connote his desire for “winning” pretty nicely. A buxom blonde with big silicone tits, a small ass and even smaller IQ, with an anorexic-sized waistline led me to his office.

“Mr. Pintero, Mia Saunders is here to see you.” She allowed me to walk past her. Blaine stood up. All six feet four of him towering over me. He was broad, with an additional solid forty pounds of pure muscle since I last saw him.

“Mia. Pretty, pretty, Mia,” Blaine responded holding out a hand, reaching to pull me close.

I pressed my own out, hand up and palm facing him. “Nope, I’m here for business not pleasure.”

“Why can’t we do a little of both?” His tone was sultry, his eyes like those of a snake, green and yellow. The pupil was black and beckoning, as if he could mesmerize me with one glance. I looked away and took a chair near his desk. I pulled an envelope out of my jacket pocket and slapped it on the glass surface of his desk.

“Here’s what you were wanting.”

“How could you possibly know what I want, pretty Mia? It’s been far too long since we’ve seen each other. Long enough for time to heal some wounds, wouldn’t you agree?” Instead of sitting across from me, he chose the chair next to mine.

“What do you want then, Blaine?”

“Time,” he said simply.

“Okay sparky, I’ll bite. Time for what?”

“I see you haven’t lost that quick wit of yours.”

“Blaine, the point? Get to it.”

“I want you to have dinner with me tonight.”

The man should be committed. “Are you insane?”

“Last time I checked, no,” he said flatly.

Suddenly, it was too hot in the small room that overlooked the rest of the Vegas Strip. My skin felt like it was burning, covered with acid, or maybe it was the anger boiling, so fired up it was overflowing.

“You beat up my father so badly he’s still in a coma.”

“That’s just business. You know that. He gave me no choice.” He reached an arm out to clasp my hand. The second his skin touched mine I jerked it away.

“Don’t fucking touch me. You lost that right years ago when you fucked me over. Now, you’ve screwed over my dad. You know he still hasn’t woken from his coma?” My voice rose so loud the people in the next office could probably hear me. “They’re not sure if the brain damage he sustained is going to affect his ability to speak or move his limbs!”

Blaine’s serpent-like gaze locked on mine. “That was an unfortunate side effect of his punishment. I’ve taken care of the man that hurt your father. He is no longer a problem. The additional violence has been avenged, I assure you.”

“You assure me. Do you hear yourself? Ever listen to what you’re saying? You’re talking about human life as if it’s something that can be easily given or taken away.”

“Life is fleeting.”

“Yeah, when you have your goons pound it out of people. I can’t even believe this.” I stood up and pointed down at the envelope. “There’s your money. Installment number two. In a month, I’ll mail number three.”

“You can bring it in person,” he clenched his teeth and gripped the chair handles hard enough to turn his fingers white. “You
will
bring it in person.” The tone brooked no argument, but I wasn’t one of his minions.

“That was not part of the deal.”

“Deals can be renegotiated.”

“Not this one.”

“What if I book your services for the month?” he threatened.

That’s when I turned on a heel and got real close to his face. I could see my breath ruffling the lengths of his sandy brown hair. “I’d be very careful about allowing me anywhere near you when you’re vulnerable.”

“Ah, but I’m a risk taker.” He smirked.

“Don’t bet on me, buddy. It’s the last bet you’ll ever make. I can’t be held responsible for what happens to you in your sleep. I can already hear my statement to the cops now.” I stood up, twirled my hair and made a pouty face. “It was an accident officer, I swear. We were having sex, and he liked it rough. I didn’t think he’d choke. One minute he was coming and the next going…” I clucked my tongue then looked down my nose at him. He visibly swallowed but didn’t show any other outward sign that I’d hit home with the threat, but I knew him well enough to know he wasn’t sure if I was bluffing or not. Didn’t matter. Just the fact that he had to think about it made me a winner.

“Now, I’ll be leaving. Thanks for the face-to-face. It’s always good to see old friends. Especially when they haven’t aged well. You should look into some eye cream and some face moisturizer. That desert heat is murder on the skin. Ta ta.” I wiggled my fingers in a sexy wave and I was out of there.

***

By the time I hit the bar Ginelle had two shot glasses lined up.

“Oh, thank God.” She slumped into her chair. I picked up one of the glasses of Patron Silver and slammed it back. Then grabbed the second and did that one, too. “Hey! That was supposed to be celebratory!”

“Another two,” I pointed to the glasses but looked at the bartender. He nodded, grabbed the tequila and poured another couple of shots.

After four shots to the head I finally stopped shaking.

“Are you okay?” Gin asked leaning close.

“Yeah, it’s just, there is no human on Earth that can make me that angry.

She took a sip of her soda and set it back down. “Did he threaten you?”

“Yeah, threatened to be my next client if you can believe that.”

Her eyes went as wide as ancient sundials. “What? That’s crazy.”

I pointed to her. “Right! That’s what I said.”

“Well, how did you get out of it? You’re not really going to be his next client are you?” She squirmed in her seat, obviously as uncomfortable with this line of discussion as I was fifteen minutes ago.

“Hell no! Basically, I told him, if he did, I’d kill him in his sleep.”

Her mouth dropped open and her eyes bugged out. Then she tipped her head back and burst out laughing. “Only you...” She giggled and continued to laugh until she started to hiccup. “Only you would threaten a loan shark—allegedly a guy who murders people as part of his job. You better watch your back.”

I thought about what she said for a moment. Blaine could come after me, but that would be like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. As long as I owed him money, or he perceived it as I owed him money, I was worth far more to him alive than dead. That line of thought worked for now. It would get me through the year at least. Long enough to pay him off and figure out my next move.

“So what beauty appointments do you have lined up for tomorrow. Part of my contract,”—I added air quotes around the word to emphasize my annoyance with it—“is to be perfectly presentable at all times.”

“Well, with the budget you gave, you, me and Mads are going to a spa. I had a buy-two-get-one-free coupon. We’re getting facials, waxing, manicures, pedicures, the works! Oh, and you’re getting your hair trimmed. I had to pay extra for that, but you said you needed it so whatev’s.”