Wicked: Billionaire Rules (Alpha Billionaire New Adult Romance) (4 page)

A
t school the next day
, I could barely focus on my classes. Everything seemed to be under a filmy glass. It was all a haze. The sound of my professors’ words were distant, so far away they didn’t get to me. By the time I had my lunch break, I felt like a nervous wreck. If I got behind in school, all this crazy crap I was doing at the club wouldn’t matter. And then what would that make me?

I ate a slice of pizza alone in the cafeteria and tried to focus on my studies. I had a required math class that was kicking my ass in multiple ways. As I tried to figure out a tough equation, my phone buzzed with a text message.

How was your first night?
It was Addison. I was seriously angry at her for getting me into this mess. But I picked up the phone and replied.

OK. I met a guy. A man.
I waited a moment, trying to figure out what time it was in France.

A man?
She texted back
. Tell me everything.

He’s an important Wall St. guy and hot. But I don’t know if I should see him again.

Are you kidding?

He’s weird. He did all kinds of things to me.

That’s the job.

You didn’t tell me what to expect. I’m still pissed at you.
I typed furiously.

I couldn’t or you never would have done it.

Whatever.
I almost ended the conversation there. I was furious at her for getting me into this.

Just tell me about the guy.

He wants me to work for him privately.

And?

I think it would be dumb to go to his place alone.

What do you think will happen?

He might be a serial killer.

Please. If he’s some rich Wall St. type, I doubt he’ll murder you.

I’ve seen House of Cards, Addison.

That was in DC, Kira.

Whatever. I’ve got to go.

I turned off my phone and packed all my things in my backpack. I’d had to take the subway to school and would have to take it back home after. I’d decided to leave my truck at the club until tonight. It was probably already covered in parking tickets. I didn’t have time to go all the way out there, deal with the tow truck, have it towed home, and be back in time to get ready.

After my last class, I hurried home. It was already late afternoon, and I had to figure out what to wear. Leo had seen me in both outfits I owned, so I’d have to wear something else. Not that I
had
anything else.

I dropped my backpack on the kitchen table and went to my closet to rustle through my clothes. I owned a collection of oversized gray sweaters, black skinny jeans, and casual sneakers. This would not do. The one dress I owned was a light blue spring dress with little white flowers. I only owned it because I’d worn it to my high school graduation and hadn’t worn it since.

Someone rapped on my door, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I wasn’t expecting anyone. I threw the dress on the bed and hurried to the door. Through the peep hole I could see a delivery man holding a box. I sighed, both in relief and irritation. I knew exactly what this was.

I opened the door and signed for the box. My heart leapt as I opened the container. Inside, I found a garment bag with a low cut leopard print tight mini dress inside. I held it up in front of me on the hanger.
What in the hell?
This was so not me. The dress might have been ugly, but it was definitely high end. There were a pair of black pumps inside the box as well as a leopard print bra and pantie set.

Under the shoe box was a note. I knew exactly who’d sent it this time. Leo Cole

Wear this. Pick you up at eight.

Did he expect me to go home with him after I’d explicitly told him I wouldn’t? I put the new clothes on the bed and went to take a shower. After my shower, I did my hair and makeup. I had to apply extra eye make up to match the gaudy dress he’d sent. I did my hair sleek and straight, with almost a wet look to it.

When eight rolled around, my heart started pounding hard in my chest. What would I do if he insisted on taking me to his house? Would I be able to refuse? I didn’t want to go against my own gut so easily. I’d already compromised myself enough already. Letting him take me to his private property would just be a further violation of my self-respect. I’d told him I wouldn’t do it, and I had to stick to my principles. I didn’t trust him.

There was a buzz from the intercom, which was strange because people could get in and out of this building so easily. I buzzed him up, and a moment later, there was a knock at the door. I opened it, expecting to find Leo standing there.

The excitement on my face crumbled as I saw a short, bald older man standing in front of me, wearing a chauffeur’s uniform. I made myself smile at the man, as I squared my shoulders.

“Ms. Glass?”

“Yes. Just let me get my purse and coat.”

I grabbed my purse and slung my trench coat on over the miniscule dress. The night was cool, and I shivered as I followed the driver to the limo parked in front of the building. He opened the door for me and I slid inside. I half expected to find Leo there, but I was alone.

The driver got in and started the car. We made our way into Manhattan, and he let me out in front of the club. I walked in my gorgeous, expensive shoes to the front door of the club, my heart doing wild flips in my chest. How had I let myself come back here? I must be crazy. There must be something seriously wrong with me. Maybe I should have just found a new room-mate or a cheaper apartment.

Thoughts swirled through my mind as I knocked on the big oak doors to enter Club Scarlet. I didn’t want to go inside. I wanted to run as far away as I could. My truck was parked down the street. Maybe it would start. I didn’t have to do this. I didn’t.

The doors swung open and Clive himself greeted me.

“Kira, come. Leo is waiting.”

Clive hurried me through the main banquet hall, and a jazz singer’s voice lilted through the air. I passed the central atrium, and Clive sat me at a booth looking out onto the red draped room. I waited for Leo, hoping this meant he wanted to get to know me better. Maybe we were going to have dinner and talk rather than just going back to a suite to screw.

I rung my hands as I waited at the table, the smell of cigar smoke and perfume filling my lungs. Every moment that passed felt like another tick on some kind of scale, taking me away from being a decent girl.

Had I ever been a decent girl? My mother had never thought so. After she’d found my stepdad masturbating as he watched me swim in the pool when I was fourteen, she’d treated me like a whore. A year later, when she found out I’d lost my virginity to an older guy, her opinion of me had been sealed.

No matter what I did, or how conservatively I dressed, she always looked at me like I was some huge slut. She constantly taunted me, saying I’d probably get pregnant before I was out of high school and that college would be a waste of my time to worry about.

After she and my stepdad got divorced last summer, he’d visited me on campus. He wasn’t all that old. He took me out for pizza and flirted with me. He told me he’d always wanted to screw me. Maybe he knew that fucking him would be a way of getting back at my mom for how she treated me. I knew he was using our messed up relationship as a way to get in my pants.

But somehow, I couldn’t help myself. When he offered to take me back to his hotel to “watch a movie,” I went with him. Needless to say, we screwed. It wasn’t horrible. I’d only done it a handful of times, and as an older man, he knew what he was doing more than my young boyfriends had.

After I left my stepdad’s hotel room, I knew I was all the worst things my mom had ever said about me. I’d proved her right. All that time, she’d been right about me. I’d been the reason her marriage fell apart. I’d been the reason they’d stopped sleeping together. Part of me was tempted to call her and tell her the truth, tell her I was sorry for being so corrupt.

Instead, I just sucked it all down. I focused on my studies. I made myself even more introverted and dorky than ever. I stopped hanging out with friends and became a complete recluse. That was part of the reason I left Ohio. I no longer had any friends, and I couldn’t stand the thought of being anywhere near my mom or stepdad.

My mom had always refused to help me with school, even though the government required parental information on my student loan applications. She made plenty of money to contribute, but she wouldn’t give me a dime. If I wanted to go to school any time before the age of twenty-five, I had to do it on my own. Not even the federal government would help me.

As I waited for Leo to arrive, I saw a glamorously attired woman in a chic white dress slip into the table not far from mine. A moment later, I saw Leo walking toward me. I gulped. My heart stopped. He looked devastating in his black suit. I could seem the gleam in his eye from across the room.

As he drew closer, he veered toward the other table and sat down with the woman in the white dress. My mouth dropped and my stomach sank to the floor.

M
y body went numb
. I couldn’t even cry, I was so angry and confused. I began to stand, but Clive came up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder.

“Leo wants you to stay,” he said, his hand cold on my arm.

“What is he doing with her?” I said through clenched teeth.

“He is the client. He makes the rules. He wants you to sit here. That is all I know.”

“I want to be paid. I’m leaving. If you don’t give me my money, I’m calling the cops.”

“Are you sure you want to make threats like that, Ms. Glass? You are on the employee list here. What do you think calling the police will accomplish? Just wait here. I will have dinner brought to you. Our chef is quite good.”

I gritted my teeth and looked down at the table, watching my wringing hands turn white. A short time later, I was presented with a filet mignon, a glass of red wine, and a side of grilled asparagus. The steak was perfectly cooked and melted in my mouth, but the bitterness inside me made it taste like ashes. I grabbed the wine glass and drank a deep swig, emptying it in several large gulps.

A waiter emerged soon after to refill my glass. I drank the second glass only slightly less quickly. I continued to eat my meal, knowing it would be the best food I’d have in my belly until I got paid. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of Leo and his slut.

They spoke to each other in what looked like a comfortable, intimate exchange. She gazed up at him and laughed. He extended his hand across the table and covered hers. I growled as I shoved another bite of steak in my mouth, chewing it like an angry dog.

Why did he want to torture me? Did he want to make me jealous? Did he think that would work? I emptied my second glass of wine and grabbed my purse before standing from the table.

Just as I got to my feet, an attractive man in his mid-forties approached my table. He was dressed in a tailored suit that hugged his toned body. He had black hair with gray at the temples. As he smiled down at me, lines appeared around his eyes, making him look distinguished, experienced.

“Are you alone?” he asked.

He must have been a patron. There was no way he was staff. I crossed my arms and glanced over at Leo. His back was to me. I looked at the man in front of me and smiled.

“Yes. I’m alone. I was just going to the powder room. Would you care to join me?”

“I would,” he said, gracefully slipping into the other side of the booth. The waiter returned and filled a glass for the mystery man.

“I’m Alex,” he said.

“Kira,” I said. “I’ll be right back.”

I needed a moment to compose myself. Was I seriously going to play the jealousy game with Leo? He started it, I might as well end it. I went to the ladies’ room and on the way back to the table, I saw Leo standing over the man, Leo’s eyes dark with anger.

“What are you doing at this table,” he asked Alex as I approached.

“The lady invited me to join her. You look like you are well taken care of,” Alex said, motioning to Leo’s date.

“Kira is spoken for,” Leo growled.

“It didn’t look that way to me,” Alex said, laughing.

I slowly strode back to the table, my heart pounding in my ears. I should have bolted for the door the second I noticed the altercation, but the sick part of me wanted to watch. I wanted to see Leo squirm. I wanted to see him react to another man at my table.

“Is there a problem?” I asked, gliding into my seat as cool as can be.

“Kira, why is he here?” he asked tightly, motioning to Alex. There was a hint of panic at the edges of his words.

“I was lonely,” I said, looking up at him. I batted my eyelashes and then looked back down at my plate. “This filet mignon is to die for. Have you had it Alex?”

“I have.”

“Kira, come with me.” Leo grabbed my arm and pulled me from the table. My fork clanged on the porcelain plate as if fell. Leo’s fingers dug into my arm as he pulled me up the stairs and down the hallway. Once we were inside his suite, I pulled away, rubbing my arm.

“What’s wrong with you?” I demanded.

“I paid for you. You can’t talk to other men.”

“Who says? You left me alone to go play with your whore. Why should I wait around to be taunted?”

He stepped toward me, his chest heaving. He stared at me with dark, cold eyes and grabbed my shoulders. He pulled me tightly against his body and gripped my chin, pulling my face up to look at him.

“You belong to me. Do you understand?” He kissed me forcefully. I could feel his erection press against my stomach. It made me melt into him against my will. I wanted him. Even if he played with me, taunted me. I still wanted him.

His tongue slipped through my lips as they parted. He kissed me hard, his tongue pressing deep inside my mouth. Arousal dripped between my legs, and I moaned. I was bending to his will and I hated myself for it. I hated that I loved it. I pushed away.

“I don’t belong to anyone but myself.”