Head On (Strength And Love)(6)

There’s a tiny shudder she gives, when she mentions this uncle. She doesn’t like the ex-girlfriend either. Her dislike shows in the miniscule tightening of her mouth. It’s a tell, and I pick it up.

It might be nothing, but I can’t help shake the niggling feeling that someone knew the lights are normally off. Maybe the father’s ex booked me? Fucked up shit if so, but jealous, pissed off women can do worse. Maybe the kid had something to do with their break up.

“Please. Can you please just leave? I swear I won’t call the police. I swear it.” Her voice is shaky as she twists her hands over and over.

I should leave…but then. She’d be alone here, and someone possibly means her harm. It could be a nasty stupid prank played by some bitchy girls, but it could be way worse.

Or the target might not be her. It might be me.

Shit. The possibilities are all nasty.

“You could be in danger,” I tell her. “Who do you live with?” She’s mentioned her father, but maybe there’s someone else.

“It’s just me and dad.”

It figures. My luck isn’t holding out tonight at all. He’s most likely going to try and kill me, but I can look after myself and she needs someone here.

I pick her phone off the nightstand and hand it to her. “Call him and tell him to come home. This is serious, honey. Someone hired me tonight to pretend rape you, which clearly if you didn’t request it is not pretend, and is not remotely okay. Someone is either setting me up for a fall, or trying to hurt you. Badly. Call your dad. We can talk to him together and explain. He’ll likely try to kill me, but I want to know you’re going to be okay before I leave.”

“I can’t call him.”

I sigh. “Why not? He won’t be angry. You didn’t do anything.”

“He’s in New York right now. Even if I get through, he’ll freak out and it will take ages for him to get home.”

Double shit. “Is there anyone else who can come over?”

She shakes her head. “My gran’s sick. Flu. My best friend is in Tenerife, and my other friend is in Norfolk.”

“You don’t have a boyfriend?”

She shakes her head.

“No other friends?”

Another swing of her long hair side to side. “Not around here. Look. I’ll be okay, I have Sadie. Please, can you go? Sorry, but after what happened, you scare me.”

I do scare people. It’s that air of danger that some women pay good money for. But for the first time in a long time, I don’t want to. I don’t want to scare her. And the thought flat out terrifies me.





Chapter Four



Isla



“I’m not leaving.” He frowns. “And I’m sorry I scare you, I don’t want to. This is a horrible, fucked up situation. It’s not even a misunderstanding. Clearly one of us has been set up. But there’s no way I’d hurt you.”

I snort, and wish I hadn’t when his eyes narrow. “Sorry. No offense, but you attack women for a living, and I’m supposed to trust you?”

For a moment something crosses his face, something I can’t decipher. “What I do for a living is completely consensual. It didn’t start out about the rough stuff either. It started out as vanilla sex for money, and then a couple of clients came up with special requests. That’s how it became kind of my thing. It’s a fantasy. Played out between consenting adults, with clear rules, and a safe word. And I’d like to add, it’s not my fantasy, it’s theirs.”

I nod. I don’t trust him though. Can’t trust him. He has sex for money, for God’s sake. He’s big, and broad, and too much…and I want him out of my room. Out of this house.

“Have you got any enemies?” he asks, and I laugh.

“No. I mean…just no. I’m so boring… I’ve got a couple of friends, and very few people in my social circle. I rarely go out.”

“What about at work?”

I shrug. “I worked in an independent bookstore, but it closed. I lost my job a few months back. I’ve been looking for something else, but so far nothing’s turned up.”

He watches me for a moment, considering. Then he blows out a breath, and sits down on the bed. I scoot back and pull the duvet up to my chin.

“Someone is trying to hurt you. Or trying to set me up. Now if it’s me they’re after, and you’re the innocent party in this, then fine. I can handle myself. But if they’re after you, you’re in danger. You’ve told me there’s no one to come stay with you. I’m not happy to leave you here alone.”

“With all due respect, Mr?”

“Ethan.”

“Mr. Ethan.”

“Just Ethan.”

I don’t like using his first name, but I want him gone. “With all due respect, Ethan. You’re no one to me, and vice versa. I’d rather you leave.”

“Are you even listening to me? What if they hire someone else? Someone who doesn’t do this consensually for a living? They realise this has gone wrong, so they hire a thug to do the job right? Or get someone to beat you up? Who knows. You’re here alone. What if someone comes for you tomorrow night? And this time they really mean business?”