Head On (Strength And Love)(19)

“What would you like?” I ask her.

“An orange juice please.”

I remember then, she doesn’t drink alcohol. I order her juice, grab both drinks, and head toward a booth near the back. A hand on my arm stops me as I’m halfway there. I glance down and my heart sinks when I see the dagger-like nails painted in a zebra stripe. Fuck. Selina.

“Ooh, hello there, gorgeous.” She smiles at me, and I see she’s with her friends. Of course, she wouldn’t be anywhere near me if her husband were with her. She leans in close. “I’ve been meaning to book you in again. He’s away for four days, starting tomorrow.”

I glance at Isla by my side, taking the whole thing in. Her face is a carefully neutral mask, and suddenly I don’t want to talk with Selina. “Sorry, sweetheart.” I keep my voice low, pleasant. “I can’t do this week, I’m not working.”

“Not working?” She says this as if it’s incomprehensible.

I get the urge to say something like, Yeah, even whores get time off, but I stuff it down. Instead I smile and peck her cheek. “I’ll message you when I’m back at work.”

The moment she clocks Isla, her eyes narrow. “I didn’t know you had a girlfriend.”

Please, do not let Selina make a scene. She’s normally cool, but she’s had a few drinks, and I’ve seen her get bitchy before with too much wine down her neck. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Didn’t think she was your type,” she whispers. “Bit of a Plain Jane. Pretty, but all prim and neat.”

My gaze takes in Selina, really takes her in. She looks…hard. Hard and cynical. Beautiful, at a glance, but too scornful of life itself to be attractive deep down.

“Come on, let’s go get a seat over there at the back.” I guide Isla away, tossing Selina a goodbye smile. She’ll be pissed, but she’ll come around. She’ll have to if she wants my cock again. I’m allowed a fucking break, for God’s sake.

That’s the thing when people buy your time, rent your body, they think they’re buying a piece of your soul. They’re not.

We settle at the table, and I wrack my brain for something to talk to Isla about so she doesn’t start discussing Selina.

“So, why don’t you drink?”





Chapter Ten



Isla



His question distracts me from the one I’d been about to ask. I wanted to know who the woman was. A client maybe? I lose track of my thoughts as I scramble to answer his question.

“You know I was in a car accident?” He nods. “Well, I sustained some damage to my internal organs, including my liver. I had to have surgery to help stop the bleeding, and ever since I’ve wanted to take care of myself. I mean, no one’s told me I can’t drink. The doctors gave me a clean bill of health after my treatment ended, but I don’t want to risk it. And then there were some other things…I like to take care of my health.”

He nods again, but I see the way his eyes narrowed when I mentioned ‘other things’. Like a hawk latching onto its prey. He picked up on it, and I send up a silent prayer he won’t ask. I don’t want to talk about it. I never want to talk about it.

A shadow falls across our table and I look up to see the most astonishingly beautiful man I think I’ve ever laid eyes on. He’s prettier than most of the women in here. He’s got soulful blue/green eyes, framed by lashes that should be illegal. His cheekbones could cut glass, his jaw is strong, and his lips are soft and full. I look from him to Ethan, and think I must be losing it because I prefer Ethan, and I know he’s not as objectively good looking as this guy.

“Sit down, Luka. You’re looming.” Ethan almost snaps the words.

“Fuck me, it’s busy in here for a week night. And noisy.” Luka winces, but it does nothing to dim his pretty.

So, this is the friend we’re meeting. Wow, Ann was right. He is all that, and some. And what’s with the frosty welcome from Ethan? Might she be correct about him liking me, and the jealousy, too? I bite back a smile.

Luka doesn’t seem to take offence and merely grins at Ethan before turning to me. His smile is as beautiful as the rest of him. He sits down, and waves over a young woman collecting glasses.

“Do me a favour, Emma, get us a drink in. I don’t want to have to go wait at the bar.” I swear he bats those eyelashes at her.

She flashes her dimples at him, and trots off to do his bidding. I bet he can get almost any woman to do what he wants with those eyes, and that smile. I look at Ethan again and my heart does a little flip-flop. Yep, I prefer him. More rugged, more masculine. He’s no slouch in the looks department either. But Luka’s the sort of thing broken hearts are made of from a single glance. His face is sad though, at least in repose.

“Who’s this?” Luka nods at me.

“Luka, meet Isla. Isla, Luka.” Ethan gestures between us and takes a sip of his drink.

“Someone hired me to do my special on Isla, without her consent or knowledge.” Ethan lays it straight out there.

Luka runs a hand through his hair. “Fucking hell, mate. You serious?”

Ethan sighs and takes a sip of his pint. “Deadly. And I want to know who. I can’t think of anyone on my end who’d do it. Makes no sense.”