“I’m worried about you too, Em. But I was giving you time. I do know what that’s like.” She sighs.
“How are you doing?” I ask. Everything has been so crazy lately I haven’t even thought about asking how she is doing.
“Great,” she lies. A softness falls over the room and I sit up to take a drink of my rum and Coke. “Haven was right.”
“About what?”
“I have an addictive personality.”
I shake my head. “She was just …”
“Correct. I know it. You know it. Everyone knows it.” She stands. “Do you think I’m a whore?”
I jump to my feet. “Jasmine, no …”
“You don’t have to lie. We’ve always been honest with one another.”
I grab her hand. “I wish I was more like you.”
She snorts.
“You’re gorgeous.” She rolls her eyes. “Sexy and confident. You enter a room, and everyone stops what they’re doing to look at you. You’re not a whore. Not even close. You know what you want, and you go for it.”
“Says the girl in a sex dungeon.” She laughs.
I do too. “You didn’t sleep with him. And even if you did, so what?” I tuck my hair behind my ear. “Like I said, I wish I was more like you. I was always shy. I had only ever slept with Bones until I moved to Chicago. Even there, I only slept with one guy. Now Titan makes three.”
“How is that going?” she asks.
“Good. For now.”
She smiles over at me. “He’s good for you.”
Doesn’t mean I’m good for him.I’ve been thinking about it ever since he begged me to stay. I have nothing to offer him. He owns a Kingdom. I’m homeless, broke, and my current job is being an escort.
“Enough of this. We’re going to do shots now.” She goes back over to the minibar. “Pick your poison. I have Jim, Jack, and Garth.”
“Garth?”
She holds up her phone. “Garth Brooks.”
“How about all three?” I offer.
“That’s my girl.” She punches some keys on her phone, and then “Friends in Low Places,” fills the room from her speaker.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
TITAN
ICHECK MYphone for the third time in five minutes. I’ve become a fucking chick waiting for a call from Em. I’m worried about her. I was able to talk her into staying here, but she’s on edge, and George is still MIA. We have no leads at the moment. I shove my phone into my back pocket. “Any word on the guy who broke into her parents’ house?” I ask Bones as we walk up the back stairs to Kingdom.
“No. Luca has put the word out and is waiting for info. He’ll call the moment he has it.”
We walk into the back door of Kingdom and see Nigel standing behind his desk. He is to the Kings like Alfred was to Batman—irreplaceable.
“Hello, Bones. Titan.” He nods in greeting.
“Good evening, Nigel,” I say, coming to stand in front of the single elevator. I place my card in front of it, and the door slides open.
