“Bro, you made it.”
Theo’s voice gained his attention. He was sitting in the living room on the large sectional, watching one of the college football games with Cassie and her father. Mrs. Clarke was nowhere in sight, but the delicious scent coming from the kitchen was a good indicator of where she was.
“I got your keys, man.” He shook his hand as the metal clinked together.
“Come in, Jesse. Have a seat,” Cassie called to him and patted the cushion beside her.
He acknowledged her invitation but debated on accepting it until he noticed Cori sit in the chair next to the same spot. Guess it wouldn’t hurt to stay a minute. He didn’t want to impose on them right before dinner.
Slow strides brought him to the couch. Cori was busy doing something on her phone when he took the seat beside her sister. As much as he wanted her attention on him, he needed to be cool.
“So, what’s new?” Cassie inquired as she leaned against Theo.
“Nothing much. I have to drive Mom down to The Keys to help take care of my Aunt Jenny after her surgery.”
“How come you’re not flying down? Wouldn’t it be quicker?”
He nodded at Theo. “Yeah, but Mom doesn’t like flying. She said if God meant for her to fly, she’d been born with feathers and wings.”
Both Theo and Cassie chuckled when he rolled his eyes. So did Mr. Clarke. “I remember one time when your father tried to get her to go skydiving. He said he was going to hogtie her to get her on the plane. She threatened to shove him out without a parachute if he tried.”
“Sounds like something Mom would say.”
Mr. Clarke raised his beer in acknowledgment, then took a sip as his eyes went back to the T.V. Cori was still nose deep in her phone, but he held Cassie and Theo’s attention. His best friend’s new bride was caressing the small protrusion at her waist, as was Theo, but it was Cassie who spoke first.
“Are you going to take a few days and enjoy the beach while you’re there?”
Jesse shrugged. “Sounds like a good idea, but I think I’ll just head back. Dad will be lost without Mom, so I offered to stop in and help him with whatever he needed.”
“That’s a long drive down,” Cassie quipped. “Is someone riding with you to keep you awake.” When Jesse shook his head, Cassie snorted. “My sister isn’t doing anything this weekend. I’m sure she’d ride down with you and keep you company.”
Cori glanced away from her phone and stared in Cassie’s direction. “Since when do you know my itinerary?”
Cassie’s cheeks flushed before she frowned at her little sister. “Maybe because you told me you had nothing but a boring weekend planned.”
The tension between the sisters was palpable. They rarely squabbled about anything. Jesse didn’t want an argument to start because of him.
“It’s no biggie. I don’t mind traveling by myself. I’m a big boy.”
Cori snickered. “That you are.”
She spoke the words so low that he wasn’t sure anyone but him heard her. When she winked at him, everything around him combusted. He loved being the center of her attention like he was at the moment.
“I really don’t mind riding along if you need me to accompany you.”
If he needed her? Shit. She didn’t realize how loaded that insinuation was. There was a lot of need in him when it came to Cori, but he didn’t dare tell her as much. The thought of being in the same car with her for several hours, seeing her sweet smile, listening to her mesmerizing voice, and staring at her beautiful body . . . Holy shit. He’d end up wrecking his car.
Still, it was tempting. If he wanted to impress Cori, the best way to do that was now. He needed to prove his interest in her, that he knew her better than a lot of people. Otherwise, he was no different than some random guy on the street.
“Are you sure it won’t interfere with your dance classes?”
The smile on Cori’s face faded. She gasped a second later, as did Cassie. Jesse looked at both, trying to understand the reason for their surprise. Had he said something wrong?”
“What the hell?” Her father grumbled. “Are you still taking dance classes?”
“Dad, I can explain.”
The words made Jesse’s blood grow cold. He didn’t have time to ask what was going on. Mr. Clarke had stood from his chair.
“Dad, calm down,” Cassie added as she and Cori both stood.
“Stay out of this, Cassie. This is between your sister and me.” He glared at the youngest Clarke. “I specifically told you no more dance classes. I’m paying for you to get your degree, not dance half-naked on a stage. You might as well be stripping.”
“Dad, stop! Let her explain,” Cassie shouted.
The commotion caused her mother to enter the room. She glanced at her family in confusion as her husband stormed toward their youngest daughter.
“I’m an adult, Dad. You can’t treat me like this. I can make my own—”
“I don’t want to hear your excuses, Cori. Is this why you’ve been so short on money every month? Am I financing classes that I forbid you to take?”
“And why did you forbid me to take them? Your reason isn’t valid, Dad. What’s the real reason you don’t want me dancing?”
“I don’t have to justify my reasons to you, little girl. I’m not paying for those classes. If you can’t respect my wishes, then I’ll stop paying your college tuition.”
“Craig, stop this.” Mrs. Clarke tugged on her husband’s arm, but it didn’t sway him. He kept marching toward Cori.
“Save it, Sara. Our daughter has been lying to us. You may not have an issue with that, but I do.”
Before Mr. Clarke reached Cori, Jesse stood up and came between them. It only pissed off Mr. Clarke more. “Son, this is a family affair. I need you to step aside so I can speak with my daughter.”
“I don’t want to butt in, sir, but it’s my fault this came out the way it did. Can you at least hear your daughter’s explanation before you go off on her?”
Mr. Clarke looked as though he would blow a gasket. His face turned beet red, and his brow lowered. “You’ll understand my feelings when you have kids someday. My daughter has been lying to me for—what— the last four years?”
When Cori nodded, his anger erupted. “That’s it. I’m done. If you’re not going to abide by my rules, you’re getting cut off. No more tuition payments, no more allowance, no more money, period.”
Mrs. Clarke did her best to talk sense into her husband, but he wasn’t listening. He waved her off and marched out of the room. She chased right after him, begging him to listen.
Jesse turned to Cori, ready to apologize for his part in the mess. Yet when he saw the tears in her eyes, he couldn’t speak. All he could do was stand there, frozen in place, feeling like the biggest idiot in the world.
He definitely made an impression on Cori. A horrible impression that just cost her everything.
Any interest she may have had in him just went up in smoke.
Chapter 8
A week of solitude. It was just what Jesse needed. No Internet. No cell phone. No T.V. Nothing but the beach, a cooler of beer, and his headphones. The rest of the world disappeared.
Tomorrow he would head back to Savannah and help his old man do a few things around the house. He’d be there now if his dad hadn’t insisted he stay. As guilty as it made Jesse feel, it subsided when his Uncle Thomas promised to keep his dad company.
Solitude wasn’t just a necessity. It was something he deserved after his fuck up. He could have had the chance to be alone with Cori in his car for hours. When Cassie first suggested it, he thought for sure Cori would put up a fight. The moment she assured him she could go, he took it as a sign from the universe that his interest in her was for a reason.
Then he opened up his stupid mouth, and it all went to shit.
Walking through the doors of the nightclub, he was desperate to order the tallest, coldest beer on the planet. His Aunt Jenny’s neighbor swore th
is was the place to come, that it was the only club he frequented when he came to Miami.
Jesse had never heard of it, but it didn’t quell his curiosity. Besides, he needed to interact with people after a week of being unplugged. He was always up for finding a cool new place to kick back a cold one and mingle with beautiful women. Miami was full of them.
There was no need to rush back to Savannah. He didn’t have anything to do with the band, and he sure as hell didn’t have a girl waiting for his return. Cori would probably spit fire if she saw him again.
Damn. He was doing it again. Every time he thought about being unattached, Cori overtook his thoughts. What the hell was wrong with him?
Focusing on the second set of doors, he shook the thoughts from his mind and opened them. Music played in surround sound speakers throughout the room. The bar was off center and surrounded by a few tables. It took him a minute to adjust to the dim lights.
While the rest of the setup wasn’t much different than some of the places where he hung out, the customers were definitely better dressed. Many were wearing suits and ties, but some had on Polo shirts. His dress shirt blended in, but without a tie, he felt a little underdressed.
Oh well. He wasn’t here to impress the other patrons. He wanted a cold beer, a moment to unwind, and if he was lucky, he’d find a pretty girl to talk to. Then he could head to his hotel and crash, unless the girl wanted to tuck him in.
He laughed to himself. There was no harm in a woman putting him to bed, so long as he got to sample her pussy before he went to sleep. So far, he’d yet to meet a woman who didn’t oblige him.
As he moseyed up to the bar, he flagged down the bartender and ordered a beer. Then he scanned the building, taking in the other patrons who were there enjoying themselves. There didn’t appear to be many single women, or men for that matter. Most of the men looked older than him, but he guessed a few of them to be close to his age. The women varied in age too. From what he could see, not all of them looked old enough to be his mother.
Good. That meant there were prospects.
Once the bartender gave him his beer, he chugged half the bottle before setting it on the bar. Damn, there was nothing as good as an ice-cold beer. His Aunt Jenny’s neighbor had been right. This place did have some of the iciest drinks on the planet. He would definitely enjoy a few before he left for the evening, hopefully with some hot chick on his arm.
The thought had him downing the rest of his drink and motioning to the bartender to bring another. He was quick to deliver too. Now he understood why his aunt’s neighbor liked this place. Cold beer and fast service. Who wouldn’t enjoy that?
Surveying the room again, he spotted a younger couple at the opposite end of the bar. If his appearance wasn’t deceiving, Jesse guessed the man to be close to his age. He was one of the men wearing a suit, and his short blond hair was styled in the latest fashion of short, fringed bangs. The goatee he sported gave him more of a mysterious edge.
The woman at his side was just out of Jesse’s view, but she was built like a brick house. Long legs stretched for what seemed like miles. She had on a cocktail dress that fell just above her knees, and her hair hung in perfect waves halfway down her back. It didn’t look different than most of the women who were in there, except for one thing. The color.
Red.
He hadn’t dated many redheads in his life, but something about the color tugged at his soul. It wasn’t the cheap, bottle-red that a lot of women dyed their hair with. This was a true red. Strawberry blonde to be exact. It kind of reminded him of—
The woman broke into laughter, tossing her head back as she did. Her face came into view, and the sight of her sent Jesse’s heart racing. He couldn’t believe Cori was there. What the hell was she doing in Miami? More importantly, who was this guy she was with?
Cassie never mentioned that Cori was seeing someone. She wouldn’t have suggested her little sister accompany him on his trip to The Keys if she was in a relationship. Was this some guy Cori knew from college? If so, it still didn’t explain why she was in Miami, all dressed up, and sharing a drink with some dude.
The longer Jesse glared at them, the more his anger began to surface. He didn’t like the way the guy was placing his hand on Cori’s hip or the way he trailed it down the back of her leg. It was only a couple of weeks ago that Jesse was in a similar position. He hadn’t forgotten the feel of Cori’s silky skin on his fingers or the way her mouth parted when he slid the garter up her thigh.
He’d enjoyed every second of it. Now this asshole was touching her in ways he had. Worse. He was touching her like he knew what was coming later. This man had every intention of sleeping with Cori.
Maybe he should call Cassie and tell her what he was seeing. She was protective of her little sister and wouldn’t want anything to happen to her. Jesse didn’t have proof that something bad would go down if he didn’t step in, but his gut was screaming at him to make his presence known.
A second later, he noticed Cori say something to the man before walking away toward the ladies’ room. Perfect. This was his opportunity to approach the man and fish for information.
Downing his second beer, he thanked the bartender when he brought him another one. Once he grabbed the bottle, he made his way to the end of the bar. He tapped on the man’s shoulder and forced a fake smile on his face when the guy turned to greet him.
“Anyone sitting here?”
“I don’t believe so.”
“Cool.” Jesse pulled out the stool and took a seat. The man beside him took a sip of his mixed drink then faced him once more.
“It’s kind of dead in here tonight, isn’t it?”
Nodding, Jesse took a swig of his beer. He thought about different ways he could pull information from this guy without being obvious. The hardest part would be getting the info he wanted before Cori returned.
“I was hoping to meet a beautiful woman tonight, but from what I can tell, she’s already taken.”
The guy appeared to be confused until Jesse motioned to Cori’s drink. “The redhead with you is gorgeous. Where did you meet such a beautiful woman?”
“Oh, her.” His nonchalant response irked Jesse. Did this guy think Cori was just some average woman he could treat any way he wanted?
Like hell.
“Yeah, her. Is she your girlfriend? Because if she isn’t—”
“No, she’s not my girlfriend, just a date. A very expensive date, if you know what I mean.”
No, Jesse didn’t know what he meant, and by the sound of it, he wasn’t sure he wanted the details. Then again, he had to protect Cori. Cassie would expect it of him. Hell, he expected it of himself.
“Sorry, man. I’m not following you, but I’m listening.”
The guy appeared bemused by his response. He glanced around the bar as if to make sure no one was listening, then he leaned closer to Jesse’s face and pulled out a business card.
“I just joined this exclusive club. It’s pretty low-key, so don’t show this to all your frat brothers.”
Frat brothers? Did this guy think he— Ah, screw it. Let him think whatever he wanted. As long as Jesse got information, he didn’t care.
“You have my word as a gentleman.”
“Gentleman,” the guy laughed. “Yeah. Right. Anyway, you can keep the card. They just opened their doors to new clients, something they only do once or twice a year. I’ve been waiting to join for months.”
Jesse examined the business card, scanning over the silver letters and black background. My Little Black Book, Escort Services. Owner: Beverly Lang
Fire filled Jesse’s face. This wasn’t good. Why would Cori be working for an escort service? Didn’t she realize what type of danger she was in?
Fuck. He had to get her out of here. The problem was coming up with a valid excuse. This guy was paying for her to be there. He wouldn’t walk away easily. Time wasn’t on Jesse’s side.
There was only one thing to do. Lie.
“Lis
ten, man, I think it’s time for me to be honest with you.”
“Beg your pardon?”
Jesse prepared for his best performance. He looked the cocky son of a bitch in the eye and fed him the hook. “I didn’t want to say anything, but the girl you’re with . . . she’s my girl.”
“Your girl?”
The confusion in the stranger’s voice made it hard for Jesse to answer. Damn. There was a special place for people like him. Hell.
“Yes. That beautiful woman you’re with is my girl. We have a child together.”
Yep. He was going to have a VIP suite in hell. The devil would greet him personally.
The stranger shook his head, but he burst out laughing a second later. “Is this one of those reality shows where they play a joke on you? If so, just point out the cameras and let’s get this over with because there’s no way in hell my date is your lover. No disrespect, but she’s way out of your league.”
The guy had a point. Cori was too good for Jesse. He would only bring her heartache if they were in a relationship. Didn’t mean he was going to let this asshole take advantage of her.
“Listen, I know it’s hard to believe, but we’re high school sweethearts. Right now, she’s pissed at me and is acting out.”
“How long do we have to do this before someone pops out and tells me how this is all a big joke. I bet Warren set this up, didn’t he?”
The man searched the bar like he was expecting to see someone he knew. After a moment, he turned back to Jesse. He looked him up and down as he folded his arms across the bar.
Did he finally realize this wasn’t the joke he assumed it was? A lie, yes, but not a joke. Right or wrong, Cori’s safety depended on it.
“My life isn’t a joke, dude. My girl and my child are all I have. They’re my only family, and I think she . . . I think she’s pregnant again. I’m worried that she’s drinking and putting our baby at risk because she’s upset with me. Please, man. I need you to believe me.”