The Arrangement Anthology (72 page)

That’s the end of the conversation. I’m shoved in the car and am back on the road before I can think. Driving past the sand dunes, I wonder about Black’s other thug and what to do if that guy finds me. God, I feel sick. It’s like someone has been playing PONG with my stomach. I crack the window and creep along the road until I hit the parkway.

It feels like I’m missing something that should be obvious, but I don’t see it
. When I started working for Black, Mel told me that I could leave—that I could take one client and be done with it—but things didn’t work out that way. It’s like I’m her only call girl. For a second, I wonder how many women Black employs. I’ve only ever seen Mel, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other girls. I’ve seen the thick files on her desk, right before she enters the data into her computer. Black’s operation takes in a lot of money, and she has a shortage of girls.

Even so, something doesn’t sit right. I can’t put my finger on what’s wrong
, but it feels perilous. Is there another connection between all these people? Gabe, Black, Naked Guy, Mel, Henry Thomas, and Sean Ferro. I think back, trying to make connections between them. But, other than Henry and Sean, there aren’t any obvious ones.

Maybe
I’m a paranoid psycho for even thinking this way, but it feels like I’m standing in the middle of a chessboard and all the other players are moving into position. My gut instinct is that it has nothing to do with being a call girl, but that doesn’t make any sense. All these people are in my life because I’m a hooker. There’s no real connection between these people. Well, that’s not entirely true. There is one connection between all of them—me.

My throat tightens.
Am I being played? If so, why? I mean, I’m a nobody. If my name showed up in the paper, accused of some heinous crime, no one would care. And, my sexting files? Being outed as a hooker would end my career, but it would also get Black’s ass thrown into prison. It would ruin both of us. So, why would she do that? That can’t be it. Black is trying to keep a hold on me, and maybe it’s about the money and nothing more.

I try to shove the puzzle pieces together over and over again, but they don’t fit. I’m the only link between all these people and I’m also the only person getting
dicked around. No one messes with Black or Gabe or Thug #2. Damn it! What the hell is that guy’s name? I need to remember.

When I get back to the dorm, I park at the back of the lot and run to the building and up the staircase. By the time I’m on my floor, I’m sweating and shaking. He
art pounding, I race to Mel’s room and knock. She’s always here a few hours before a client, getting ready, but she doesn’t answer.

Instead Asia pops her head out. “What’s up, Avery?” She looks me over and arch
es an eyebrow. “Were you making-out with seaweed again?”

Again?
WTF? Ignoring her jab, I ask, “Where’s Mel?”

Asia throws out her hip and rests her head against the edge of the door.
“Working. Her boss called her in early. She said that she’d meet you there.”

The skin on the back of my neck prickles instantly and spreads, covering my arms and snaking around my neck li
ke a noose. I stand shivering and speechless.

Asia looks back into the dar
kened room. It’s pitch black and a voice I don’t recognize calls her name. She says, “One second,” over her shoulder and then steps out into the hallway, pulling the door closed behind her. “What’s the matter? You look like you’re going to hurl. Is Mel all right?”

I nod a few times and force a smile.
It feels like a trap. There are neon signs lighting up and exploding in my head, but I still can’t see the connection. Hiding my apprehension, I manage a normal tone and make something up. “Yeah, everything’s great. I just thought we were riding to work together, that’s all. No biggie.”

Asia knows I’m lying but doesn’t say anything. She has
the look on her face that my mother used to have when I told a bald-faced lie. Asia tucks her hair behind her ear. “Call me if you need anything, or if Mel does. I’m around tonight.” She winks at me and tips her head toward the door, indicating that they’re not knitting in there.

“Will do!” My voice is too chipper. I’m a horrible liar.

I walk down the hallway to my room and slide the key into the lock. I’d rather smack my skull against the door, but that won’t fix anything. The idea that someone is playing me makes me irate. I didn’t think I was that stupid. Kicking the door open, I go inside and toss my keys on the table as the door swings shut behind me. It’s dark, except for Amber’s pink lava lamp glowing dimly next to her bed. Amber must be out at dinner or something.

A sound catches my ear, something like a foot sliding across the carpet.
My skin prickles like I’m not alone. The sound was as light as a cat’s paw, barely there, but I heard it. Turning quickly, I grope the wall, looking for the light switch. My thumb catches the edge, so I shove it upward. Light pours from the ceiling as my eyes dart through the shadows scanning for a sign of what made the sound. My muscles are flexed, like I’m ready to run or beat the shit out of someone. God, if Amber is hiding in her closet, I’m going to lose it.

My gaze flicks to a pair of scissors on the counter. I pluck them from
their place and hold them like a dagger, stalking slowly toward the source of the noise. It came from Amber’s side of the room. I feel stupid, because I’m certain that no one is there. It was probably a card falling to the floor or something dumb, because I don’t hear anything else. It’s quiet, save for the sound of my breathing.

Stepping slowly toward her closet, I reach for
the knob, and jerk it open. Jumping back, I hold tighter to the shears and raise them up over my head, expecting to need to stab something, but nothing is there. Just clothes. There are no nefarious feet hidden behind Amber’s dresses and no glowing red eyes.

I stumble back and let out a r
ush of air as a shiver works its way up my arm. I sit down hard on Amber’s bed and try to calm down. My heart is racing like crazy and I can barely breathe. What the hell was I going to do with a pair of scissors anyway? I don’t think I’d have the guts to stab someone in the face if it came down to it.

Those are
situations I’d rather not think about, because part of me thinks I’m so far gone that I’d do whatever I had to do. Pretending I’m still human, that I could use my deductive reasoning to outsmart someone, rather than stab them to death, sounds better. As if I’d be mentally superior to anyone. I’m shaking, trying to shoo away the worries that swarm around me.

What if…? What if…?
They whisper the words at me over and over again.

What if nothing!
No one is here. I don’t have to think about what I can do or what I would do. No one is stalking me and my imagination is in hyperdrive. I just need to slow down.

I go for my phone and for the first time ever, I think about texting Sean. I want to tell him that I’m freaked and hear his voice, but I know I shouldn’t. If Black saw it, she’d have proof that we were together
. But if she already knows, maybe I have nothing to lose? I’m close to trembling and turning into a snotty mess. But then I see Gabe’s face and hear his voice in my mind, and I can’t give Black more ammo to shoot me with. I can’t text Sean unless someone is actually killing me.

It takes me a moment to get my hysterical self under control and punch in
a different number. Mel picks up on the third ring. “Can’t talk now, Avery.” Her voice is clipped, but it doesn’t sound like she’s shoved under someone’s floorboards or getting her neck slit. What the hell is wrong with me? Mel can handle herself. I’m the question mark, not her.

I spit it out,
“I’m quitting. I can’t take this anymore, Mel. I’m not coming.”

“You better. I’ll come over there and haul your ass from that dorm room. Some jackass booked a threesome and guess
whose names got pulled. I’m relieved it’s you and not Trish this time—”

Crap, she doesn’t know
that Sean’s the guy who hired us. I don’t have time to explain that right now. “Mel, shut up and listen. Something weird is going on. I’m majorly creeped out. I swear to God that it feels like someone’s been in my room.”

She shushes someone and there’s a moment filled with the sound of her hand
over the phone. “Look around while I’m on the phone. Hurry up.”

“I already did. No one’s here. Nothing’s out of place, but it feels
wrong.” I bite the tip of my finger and glance at the door again to make sure it’s still locked.

“You’re just worked up. Don’t worry about anything. Go change in my room if you want.”
I know she’s just saying it to be nice, but we’re both thinking the same thing. Someone was in here.

Glancing around again, I try to pinpoint what’s been touched, but nothing is obvious. After switching my phone to the other ear, I tell her,
“Asia is doing someone in your room.”

Mel laughs. “Good for her. It took them long enough. Damn.” Her hand covers the phone again before she adds, “I
gotta go, chica. I’ll see you at Black’s in a bit.” The line goes dead.

I toss my phone onto my bed and walk into the bathroom.
My heart has resumed a normal pace and I’m starting to feel stupid for being so freaked out. The first time I stayed home alone I was 9 years old and I couldn’t calm down the entire time. Every noise was a threat. I finally grabbed our fat tabby cat and bunkered down at the top of the staircase with my little heart beating uber fast. I totally thought I was going to die. The cat on the other hand thought I was insane because I wouldn’t let him leave my side, but he didn’t know about my cat-in-the-face attack plan. It would have worked, too. A startled, orange, thirty-pound cat smacking into some dude’s head would have thrown him off balance long enough for me to jump out the bedroom window. Maybe I have too much imagination, but when I get freaked out, I can get a little bit weird. Like now.

Leaning into the shower stall, I turn on the water. After letting it flow over my hand for a few seconds, I adjust the
temperature. Pulling off my shoes, I toss them on the floor and pad over to the closet to get my bathrobe, my little basket filled with soaps and hair care products, and the best razor in the world. Amber’s not here. This is nice. There’s no sign of Naked Guy and I can take my time. Sean and Gabe are looking out for me. There’s nothing to worry about, although I may need to consider the purchase of a new attack cat. Amber wouldn’t notice.

God, my life is a mess. Graduation can’t come fast enough. I’ll get my degree and finally get things rolling.
I can picture myself there, in graduate school, and how my life will look after I make it through my degree. I think about those things, about the future that seems to be constantly crumbling as I slip out of my clothes and pull on my robe. My mood is turning to crap. I need to sniff the entire bottle of honeysuckle soap. Maybe mix it up with sweet pea and warm vanilla sugar. I’ll smell like a yummy fruit cocktail. They totally need to make cake scented body wash. I’d probably eat the bottle. Mmmm. Cake.  Sighing, I set the basket of goodies on the ledge inside the stall, before pulling the door shut. The little room is like the inside of a cloud as steamy mist billows from the shower stall.

My gaze finally lifts to the
mirror. Every thought falls out of my head as panic comes back, full force, choking me. Steam swirls in the humid air, fogging the glass, as letters slowly appear.

BE AFRAID

I watch without blinking as words form in front of my eyes. For half a second I wonder if Amber is screwing with me, but there’s no way. She wouldn’t have written this. The edges of the letters start to drip down the glass. My body tenses as my arms start to shake. Before I can think, I react. My hand wipes away the words and condensation smears across the glass. Rivulets drip from the mirror and moisture clings to my hand.

I stand there, frozen for a second, and then bust out of the bathroom and run down the hallway. I bang on Asia’s door like a lunatic and I honestly have no idea what I’m going to say,
because everything sounds nuts.

Asia peeks
through the crack in the door. Her face is flushed and her hair is messy. “You have really bad timing.”

“
This is going to sound crazy, but can you guys come down to my room?”

Asia gives me a really weird look and nearly closes the door in my face. I manage to get my fingers into the space between the
door and the jamb before she closes it. “Ahhh! I didn’t mean it like that.”

She opens the door a little bit and looks really annoyed.
“Talk fast, Avery.”

“Someone is messing with me and they only seem to do it when I’m alone. I need to get ready for work and my roommate is gone. Can you guys come and hang out in my room? You can stay there for the rest of the night.”

“We were going to stay here for the rest of the night.”

“Yeah, but Mel will be back around two
o’clock. I’ll give you my room until morning.” I give her my best puppy dog face and clutch my hands together under my chin. Begging looks awesome on me.

Her eyes flick up and down like she’s considering it. “What about your roommate?”

“She’s fine with it.” Mainly, because she doesn’t know about it, but hey, Amber’s locked me out enough times and this is totally worth it. Dropping my hands, I straighten. “Please, Asia. I’ll only be there for half an hour and then the place is yours.”

She rolls her eyes and looks back at the bed. “Wait.” Asia pushes the door shut and I hear her muffled voice through the wall. A moment later she reappears wearing a
bathrobe, with a tall guy behind her. He takes her hand and leans in, pressing kisses to her neck. Apparently no bed isn’t a problem for him, because he keeps kissing her like they’re still alone. His hands slip around her waist from behind and cup her breasts over her robe. Asia moans as she tips her head to the side, before replying, “Deal. You’re homeless until 10am.”

“Done.” Holy shit, this is awkward. They’re much more into public displays of affection than I am. The way the
y behave makes my face turn red. The guy does whatever he wants and Asia lets him. It doesn’t matter that they’re in the middle of the hall.

I race back
to my room. The shower is still running. I duck inside before I see much more and get dressed as fast as possible.

The sounds of
sex reach me through the walls as I pull on my lingerie and stockings. Miss Black is still going to check everything even though Mel and I aren’t actually having a three way. After applying my make-up, I grab my purse and duck out the door, but not before seeing Mel’s sweet, meek roommate doing insanely kinky things. I need to scrub my brain with bleach. I’m a hooker and what I just saw Asia doing shocked me.

You’re a bad hooker
, a little voice tells me.

Yeah, that’s my problem.

Oh crap, now I’m having conversations with myself. I growl as I race down the stairs with my sneakers on my feet and my fuck-me heels in hand. After finding my car, I drive to Black’s as quickly as possible. I don’t want to be alone and I’m so spooked that I’d rather be around her than no one at all.

When I step out of the elevator, Gabe i
s there. He doesn’t look at me, but he falls in step and says in a low voice, “I’ve got your back. Ferro will rip this place apart looking for you if we aren’t on time tonight, so don’t linger, and Avery,” I look over at him and swallow hard. “Don’t piss her off. She’s in a mood and if I didn’t know better, I’d think someone’s got her by the balls.” Gabe suddenly veers off down a different hall without further explanation of anything.

I
make my way to Miss Black’s office and can hear her talking to someone on the phone. Her voice carries through the door. “I’m well aware of that and you can rest assured that it won’t happen. I know what I’m doing. Yes, well—” her voice cuts off abruptly. Gabe must have told her I was here, either that or she can see through wood.

When I step up to her door,
I find it’s opened a crack. I look inside without pushing the door open.

“Stop lurking, Avery. It’s rude.” Miss Black s
tands and walks over to me. She’s dressed neatly and looks completely respectable. You’d never know that she made her living selling sex. She snaps her fingers at me. “I don’t like that dress, so I hope you have something better underneath.”

I know better than to say anything. The little black dress is pretty with a scoop neck and a swishy skirt.
It doesn’t scream hooker. Apparently we can’t both look respectable. Black narrows her gaze and shoots me a disgusted look, followed by an overdramatic sigh. Wonderful. She’s even worse than Gabe let on.

I hate this
, but I do it anyway. Reaching around to the side, I unzip my dress, and step out of it. I’m wearing a black lacy demi bra with bits of purple trim along the cups. I’m practically spilling out the top. The bottoms are a black cheeky panty with a bow right above my bare ass. It’s been tickling me every time I take a step and since scratching my ass is a fashion
faux pas
, it’s been driving me nuts.

“Turn,” Black commands with her hand on her chin and a look of sheer annoyance on her face. She lets out an irritated
breath when she sees my back. “What is this?” She reaches for the bow and tugs it, nearly knocking me over. “I told you to only wear string bottoms. These aren’t good enough. No one cares about your bow covered butt, Avery.”

Miss Black walks to her desk and opens a drawer. When she comes back, she doesn’t even look at me. Instead
, she takes scissors and clips twice. The piece of fabric that made up my cute little panties falls to the floor. I want to cover myself and yell at her, but I don’t.

I remain rigid and stare straight ahead, chanting
to myself,
Shut up, Avery. Don’t say a word. Don’t fight back. Just stare straight ahead
. It’s my theme song, or I swear to God, I’d hit her.