Connections (7 page)

“
Ahh, yeah Brad’s son I guess is the top seller in his troop.”

“
Brad?” Saying his name out loud sent a chill throughout Shayla.

“
He’s my agent, small world running into him huh?” Zach handed her one of the red cups.

“
Thanks, and he lives here in town huh?” She hugged it in her hands, processing all of this. Why the hell has Brad moved here of all places? Why not into the city?

Zach nodded, “Yeah, and he’s having a party this evening and invited me, and I would love for you to come with me. So what do you say?”

“
Yes, sure,” Shayla couldn’t believe she was agreeing to this, she had to still be asleep and this was a dream.

“
Wonderful, it’s cocktail attire, but I’m sure you’ve got something since the reunion is on Tuesday night.”

“
I do I’ve got a great little black dress right in my room.” Shayla smiled, trying to think of the positives of this situation as she led Zach up to her room.

He stood in the doorway looking at the artifact of her past, as she pulled a dress out of her suitcase.

“
What do you think?” She held it against her body, showing that it would be form fitting and short, perfect for him to show her off in.

“
I love it, and I can’t wait to see it on you.” He took a step forward and kissed her quickly on the lips. “So, you still want to answer fan mail?”

“
It can wait, let’s go raid my old VHS collection and see if we can find anything to watch.”

“
Sounds like a plan.”

Shayla could feel the butterflies building in her stomach as she pulled on her cocktail dress, feeling the smooth fabric against her skin, thankful that her lace panties didn’t leave a line. The straps however left her feeling more exposed then she felt comfortable with considering who was throwing this party.

Yes Brad had seen her naked, hundreds of times, he’d touched her, licked her, fucked her more ways than she could even remember. He had also used her to convince clients to sign on with him. She’d dropped to her knees a few times for the signing bonus blow job; a few times she’d even fucked them.

Brad had made it worth her while though, at least she’d thought so at the time, looking back now, perhaps she was starting to realize it hadn’t been her smartest moves.

“
Brad, I don’t want to just blow some guy.” Shayla looked up at her older lover, yearning to just be his, for him to just be hers.

“
Baby, I wouldn’t ask you do to this, if I didn’t think it was the only thing I have left to offer to get him to sign with me.” Brad smoothed her hair, giving her that soft smile that always made her feel safe.

Shayla sighed as she looked out into the restaurant at the young college football star. He wasn’t unattractive, she would admit that. It wouldn’t be that different than what she used to do on the train right? “Are you sure this will get him to sign with you?”

“
Baby, if you do this I’ll make it up to you.”

“
How?” Shayla pouted, knowing that when she did that he couldn’t resist her.

Brad leaned in close, his breath warm and moist against her ear, “That couch you want for the apartment, is yours. After I sign this guy, all you have to do is suck his cock dry.”

“
Just a blow job?” She needed to hear him say it one last time.

“
Just a blow job, I don’t want him fucking that pussy of yours. You know I like being the only man cuming in you.”

Shayla smiled, “Good, let’s get him signed.”

They’d returned to the table, made the small talk before returning to Brad’s office. As soon as ink was on the page, Brad excused himself leaving Shayla alone with his new client.

“
We should celebrate.” She smiled as she opened a bottle of champagne Brad had on hand.

“
What’s a sexy little thing like you doing with a guy as old as him?”

Shayla smiled as she poured three glasses, letting her glass over flow just enough before she took a long sip, “Being with Brad gives me connections to the fine young studs like you.”

“
So really, you just hang around him so you can get guys like me huh?”

She led him over to the couch, “Can you blame me for wanting a chance like this? To drink champagne with a future star of the NFL before every woman in America is desperate to suck your cock?”

He smiled, “Well, how am I to stop you from getting the chance to do what millions of women will only dream about.”

Shayla watched as he unzipped his jeans and pulled out his cock from his briefs. He wasn’t as big as she expected him to be, but he was already hard. “You’re giving me such a pleasure.”

“
Enough talking, how about some sucking?” He held his cock with his fingers, shaking it at her as if that was going to make her horny.

She smiled before sliding off the couch and pushing his legs apart, taking his cock from his fingers into her own as she stroked him. Wondering how much time Brad was going to give her to do this as she licked her lips before opening her mouth.

“
Mmm,” He moaned, his fingers digging into her head as she bobbed up and down, as he urged her to go faster.

Shayla wiped her lips with a cocktail napkin while she watched him zip his pants up. She picked up her glass of champagne and gulped down several large sips just as Brad came back into the office.

“
How are you two getting along?” He acted perfectly oblivious to what his girlfriend had just done, even after setting it all in motion.

“
Wonderfully,” Shayla smiled, as she tried to process everything she felt.

Shayla shook her head at the memory that had been a long time ago. She wasn’t the same girl she was then; it had shaped her, no denying that. It wasn’t all her years with Brad—and she had spent years as his mistress. It was everything she’d experienced when she lived in this room.

“
I need a shawl or cardigan or something.” She finally spoke to herself, breaking her out of her reflective state as she wandered into the hallway going towards her Mother and Father’s room. She’d missed them once again, while she was in the shower and they were already gone. Apparently they weren’t very eager to see her either.

As she opened the closet, she was surprised by how full it was. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen her mother in anything besides jeans and a sweatshirt. Yet there were gorgeous gowns in drycleaner bags, silk blouses that appeared to be older than Shayla. Pushing them aside as she looked for something she could use to make this outfit look a little less sexy.

As she stepped back she saw a pile of what looked like scarves on the shelf. As she pulled one down it came with a cardboard box. She caught the box, almost falling backwards as she coughed on the dust.

She placed the box on the floor, for a moment scared of what she might find as she opened it.

The gold statue made her heart race as she pulled it out of the darkness. She couldn’t believe what she was holding in her hands as she studied the inscription.
Abigail Jackson
.

“
What’s this doing in my parents’ closet?” she looked down at it again, wasn’t that the name of the woman who was playing her Mother?

She looked in the box again and found a set of photographs.

Her hands were shaking as she looked at the old photo of her mother and the man who until a few weeks ago had played her father on the show.

Was her mother going to be playing her mother on the soap?

This was too much.

She put everything back in the box and took the shawl. She couldn’t worry about this right now.

She had to focus on one thing at a time and issues with her mother were the last thing she wanted to deal with tonight.

She made it back to her room, flipped her laptop open, tapping her foot nervously as she waited for it to wake up.

Her fingers raced over the keys as she logged in, then quickly did a Google search. Moments later she saw pictures and video clips of her mother acting on the same soap she now starred on.

She closed her laptop, glanced in her mirror to check her make up as she heard the doorbell ring.

“
Get through tonight and in the morning, get the fuck back to the city and away from this small town hell.” She told herself before grabbing her purse.

Zach rang the bell, nervous about this evening as he looked over at Shayla, “Are you okay? We can only stay a few minutes if you’re not feeling well.”

“
I’m fine, I just found out I have to go back to the city tomorrow.”

“
Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

The door opened, Brad had a scotch in his hand and a smile on his face. “Welcome! Come on in.”

“
Thank you.” Zach took hold of Shayla’s hand as they entered the house. It was just what you would expect for a family that had money to burn, and liked to remind you of that.

“
Lovely home,” Shayla looked around feeling the burn of her past heartbreak of seeing a man she once loved surrounded by his family, the family he choose over her.

“
Why thank you. I’m Claire, Brad’s wife.” She was slim, her brown hair back in a French twist.

“
Zach Jensen and this is my date Shayla Daniels.”

“
I know you from somewhere don’t I?” Claire studied Shayla for a moment, “Wait a minute, aren’t you on TV?”

Shayla smiled, “Yes, that’s probably where you recognize me from.”

“
Well, let’s get you two a drink.” Claire led them to the bar area, “Enjoy the party.”

“
Thank you.” Shayla looked around, her eyes scanning the room, her stomach twisted to see how many of these men she had been around when Brad signed them as clients. She could even see a few of the men she’d helped with.

“
I promise we won’t stay long.” Zach whispered in her ear. “As soon as we can leave, we’ll get out of here.”

“
Thank you, but don’t rush this on my account.” She kissed him on the cheek, noticing as she pulled away that Brad was watching them. “Why don’t you go mingle and I’m going to check out the spread.”

“
You are too kind.” Zach kissed her forehead before going off into the sea of professional athletes. Some were still playing, a few were just hawking some product on late night infomercials and a few had gotten hosting jobs.

“
I want to see you again.” Brad’s voice was close to her, too close for her comfort right now.

“
This isn’t the time or place to discuss this.” She walked over to the table and picked up avocado crostini.

“
When then,” Brad picked up his own crostini.

“
I don’t think we have anything to discuss.”

“
Yes, we do. When will you be back in the city?”

Shayla smiled, “Tomorrow. Something has come up and I have to return.”

“
Monday morning then?”

She bit into the crostini, enjoying the flavor of the avocado as it mixed with the French bread. She didn’t want to answer him; she didn’t want to be pulled back into his world. She was better than being a signing bonus for some foolish boy.

“
We can meet for Coffee at that place you like near my office.”

She looked around to see if anyone noticed them talking, Claire was flirting with a football player who’d recently gotten divorced and was known to be a stallion in the bedroom. Shayla knew it to be fact though, since he was one of the few she’d spent the night with—for Brad. “9 am, coffee. That’s all.”