Sins & Mistrust (10 page)

It shouldn’t be too hard. I’ve fucked men and women, just separately. This way should be more enjoyable anyway. I get the best of both worlds, but Lincoln doesn’t come across as a likeable guy. A fucking sexy guy, but not likeable. Maybe I’m judging him too soon, though.

After Jace and I part ways at the hotel, I go home and jump in the shower and then fall into bed. Before turning off the lamp, I check my email to see if Nathalia has emailed me. I’m so close to breaking the rules and giving her my number. It’s much easier to communicate that way, but I need to do my best to make sure I don’t cross any lines.

She emailed me several hours ago, so I don’t expect to hear back from her right away. I look back into my schedule and find that I soon have to meet with an event planner for the opening of our club.

My phone vibrates in my hand as a notification pops up that I have received an email from Nathalia.

As soon as I hit send, I worry about maybe being too comfortable. Will she interpret my message the way I intended; playful and teasing, or will she think I’m being a cocky douche? Only time will tell now.

Well, shit. It’s safe to say she interpreted my message better than I could have hoped for. I figure after I’m supposed to meet with the event planner will be a good time to disappear with her for a week. I block it off in my schedule and email Nathalia back with the days so she can email the agency. I’m starting to feel bad about making her pay for time with me, especially when I want to be with her as much as she seems to want to spend time with me.

Fuck.

I eventually fall asleep, and when I wake up seven hours later, I instantly check my phone to find I have another message from her. She’s informed me that she has to go to California for a couple days for her dad to do some hotel business, but that she wants me to accompany her there, and we can spend the week at one of her father’s hotels. The days she has to work are only for a few hours a day, so I figure a change of scenery doesn’t sound too bad. I confirm with her all the details and get up and ready for my day.

I don my blue jeans and plain white shirt, grab my phone and keys, and head out into the bright sun. The rays beam down on me, heating my skin instantly, and I’m happy to get into my white BMW and blast the air conditioning. The drive into the city takes about half an hour due to traffic, but I enjoy it today.

Thinking about being out of Vegas for a while and with someone who’s bringing me to the surface again makes me feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I know that the weight I feel is my own doing by not just telling people the truth. It’s not that I’m keeping it secret from everyone. My family and friends from home know, a few people here in Vegas know, but anybody associated with my work doesn’t know.

I keep telling myself that I’ll tell them all soon, but another day goes by, and another excuse comes up.

After I’ve found a parking spot, I step out and stick my cell in my pocket, swinging my keys around my finger as I walk to one of my favorite spots to eat at. I don’t pay attention to the many people walking around me; I’m stuck in my own head. So, bumping into somebody isn’t to be surprising. However, the person I do bump into catches me way off guard.

Lincoln Cash.

He turns his body so that he can see who has bumped into him. The scowl that was on his face slowly turns into a smirk. He looks me up and down, unabashedly, and then says into his phone, “Let me call you back.”

After dropping the phone into the pants pocket of his suit, he lets his hand stay there while the other hand runs over his blue tie. I wonder if he’s talked to Nathalia already and is aware of this threesome that’s supposed to take place. Another thought hits me. Does he know I’m an escort? I have no idea what Nathalia may or may not have told him.

I clear my throat and speak first. “Mr. Cash. Nice to see you again.”

“Is it?” he asks, amusement in his voice. “That’s good to hear.”

“Well, it’s the nice thing to say,” I reply, not wanting to inflate his ego.

He chokes out a laugh. “I appreciate the words, even if they are a lie.” He pauses and then puts his other hand in his right pocket. Staring into my eyes he says, “Now, did you mean to ram me from behind, or was that just a pleasant surprise for me?” He lifts a brow at me and grins.

His words surprise me momentarily, but I don’t allow him to think they did. They only surprise me because he’s so brash in his thinking that I’d even be into him. Why would he assume I was into men, unless Nathalia told him? But I don’t think she did. I feel like she’d tell me if she told Lincoln anything about me and this rendezvous that’s supposed to take place between all of us. He’ll figure it out once he gets word that I agreed to this threesome that was supposedly his idea. No strictly straight man would agree to fuck another man, no matter how hot the chick asking was.

I’m not surprised that Lincoln throws around overtly sexual comments to people. He owns a sex club for fuck's sake.

Well, let’s see what happens.

Slowly looking at him from his feet to his face, I give him a lopsided grin and say, “If I were to ever ram you from behind, it would be because you’d be begging me to.” I straighten up and cross my arms over my chest. “Now, is that what you’re wanting?”

He doesn’t respond right away. I wonder if he’s figured out that Nathalia has already told me what he wishes to do.

“If you want me to beg, you’d have to do a whole lot of teasing first. Are you saying you’re willing to tease me?” he asks in a gravelly tone.

Fucking battle of wills we have here.

“I’m willing to do a lot of things, on my own accord. So, if you want anything from me you’ll have to be sure to ask nicely.”

I give him a smirk and wait for his reply. When it doesn’t come, I uncross my arms and step around him. When we’re shoulder to shoulder, I turn my head only slightly, and he does the same.

“I don’t beg for anything, ever,” he states confidently.

“But if you were to beg me, I’d grant you more than you knew what to do with.”

I walk away and look forward to our next meeting.

“Why haven’t you answered my calls?” I bellow into the phone.

I hear her sigh heavily. “Nice to hear from you, Mr. Cash,” she says stiffly.

“Mr. Cash, huh?”

“I’m working right now. Can I call you back here in a few minutes?”

I huff. “I expect to hear from you very soon.”

After hanging up the phone, I pace in my office and then make my way to the decanter of scotch. I drink two fingers' worth before my phone is ringing.

“Thalia. So glad that you got back to me so quickly,” I say through gritted teeth.

“Funny. You don’t sound too happy at all. What’s going on, Lincoln?”

“I’ve been calling you for days now, but you haven’t been answering. Are you intentionally ignoring me?”

She releases another loud sigh. “I’ve been busy, that’s all. I was going to call you back when I had some time.”

“Busy with that escort of yours, hmm?”

She’s silent and I know I’ve shocked her with that bit of information.

“How did you find out?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“You’re an unrelenting bastard,” she says, and I think I hear a bit of laughter in her voice.

“That’s not the worst thing I’ve been called.”

“Oh, I’m sure not.”

“Now, tell me, Thalia. Did you talk to your little friend about what we’ve discussed?”

“My
little
friend is actually not so little, and he has a name, and you know it. Do you mean Marc? If so, then yes, I’ve spoken to him.”

“Really?” I answer with a large smile. “And what did he have to say about this?”

After a brief pause, she says, “He said even if he fucked men, he isn’t interested in someone who comes off like a stubborn bastard.” Another pause. “And he doesn’t find you attractive in the least.”

“He didn’t say that,” I say after a few moments. I hold my breath and wait for her to respond.

Her laughter floats through the phone. “Maybe not, but I had to mess with you.”

“You might have made me believe you if you hadn’t said he didn’t find me attractive. I mean, come on.”

Thalia laughs again. “So cocky.”

“It’s probably just because mine is so big, so you know…”

“Oh shut up!” she cries through laughter.

“Well, I ran into Marc today, interestingly enough.”

“Did you?” she asks, her voice going higher and curiosity filling it.

“Well, he actually ran into me. Literally. We had a fun talk.”

“I doubt that.”

“Why do you doubt that? I’m fun.”

She scoffs. “Okay,” she says, placating me. “What did you two fun guys talk about?”

“Well, after my initial sexual innuendo, he decided to do a verbal spar with me. He said how he wouldn’t ram into me unless I begged him to. Something similar to that anyway. I responded with something about how he’d have to tease and if he was willing, he said he would do what he wants, but I’d have to ask nicely. Clearly, he hasn’t gotten to know me very well. Anyway, then before we parted ways, I told him I don’t beg for anything, to which he replied that if I did, he’d grant me more than I knew what to do with.”

“Huh.”

“What kind of response is that?” I ask.

“I just wish I had been around for that. You two are going to be my entertainment, I can tell.”

“I don’t see how this is fun for you,” I respond, confused.

“It’ll be fun watching you two together. In the red corner we have Alpha one, in the blue corner we have Alpha two. Who will deliver the first blow…job?” She begins cracking up.

“How funny you are, Thalia,” I groan, rubbing my head.

“I know,” she chirps.

“So, you think Marc is an alpha male? That’s funny. He doesn’t seem to be too intimidating.”