Chapter One
West
Death was at my door when I opened it. Not figuratively, but literally—Death, the person who did security for the place where I worked. He leaned against the wall opposite my room.
“You ready, kid?”
With a shaky smile, I shrugged to play off how I was about to shit myself. “As long as you don’t call me kid, sure.” I stepped out of my assigned room and into the hall. He started down the hall, and I fell into step beside him. I pressed a hand to my stomach. There was a chance I would vomit, which wouldn’t be pretty, so I swallowed thickly and prayed my light dinner wouldn’t revolt on me.
“Can’t help it. You’re a lot younger than me,” he said. Then, in the next breath, he gave me the rundown on the device I had to wear on my suit while assuring me he would be my backup for that night.
Were they expecting something to go wrong?
That didn’t help my nerves one bit.
In fact, I wondered if Death would mind a pit stop to a toilet, so I didn’t shit myself.
“Wait,” I said, holding my hand up. Turning, I pressed that palm onto the underground garage wall and breathed deeply to try and control my bodily functions.
I hadn’t been kidding. My gut swirled so much it put pressure on my bowels. I inhaled and squeezed my ass cheeks together. If my parents saw me now, they’d disown me. Actually, if my religious and very strict parents saw me and knew I was gay, they’d kick my ass and then disown me. Luckily, they knew nothing about my new job as an escort or the fact I was gay. Something I hid since they would be disgusted.
“West, you okay?”
“Yep,” I chirped and used my free hand to give him the thumbs-up.
Death snorted. “You look like you’re gonna hurl. You don’t have to do this, you know?” His hand landed on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
I pressed a palm to my stomach and straightened. Come on, West. You’re being a chicken-shit. You don’t even have to have sex. It’s a date, for God’s sake.
Nodding to myself, I faced Death, and his hand fell away. “I’m fine. You just threw me with all the protectiveness.” I let out a huff of laughter. “Like you think something will go on.”
Death smiled softly. Even if he was a large man covered in tats and looked scary, he was still a sweetheart under it all. Not that I would tell him. I’d get my head bitten off.
“Don’t stress, kid—fuck, West. I’m sure nothin’ will happen.”
Nodding again, I sucked in a breath and straightened my suit jacket. “Right. I can do this.”
“Yeah, you can, and I’ll have your back the entire time.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Besides, if I didn’t, Wreck would kick my ass because Lucas would have a word with him for getting his friend into shit.”
Laughing, I bobbed my head. “That is true.”
Feeling better, I made it the rest of the way to the car Death pointed out. Once there, he handed me the keys. “Drive safe. I’ll be right behind you.”
“Got it. Thanks.”
He tipped his chin up at me in response. Something I noticed a lot of the bikers did. Death was also a part of the Diamond MC. I met the club through Lucas, my friend from college, whose brother was in the club.
They were a good group of people, and if it hadn’t been for knowing Lucas, I wouldn’t have met them. I probably would have been too scared to, since a lot of them looked like they could kill with one hand tied behind their backs.
Slipping into the car, I put the key in the ignition and started the engine. After another big breath, I put it in Drive and headed out of the underground garage and onto the road. I’d already memorized the address I needed to go to where Mr. Adrik Hail would be waiting for me. My date.
The drive took me half an hour, which was annoying because it gave me more time to fret over this. I parked out on the street to this huge condo complex and quickly got out of the car so I didn’t second-guess my choice. My knees were weak, my hands shook, but I sucked in a lungful of air and reminded myself I needed this money.
At least I wasn’t selling my body for money, just my time.
You’re a sinner. Pray to God for forgiveness. Pray to God.
Words my parents used to say when I got into trouble for something flashed through my mind. No, they could never find out about this. Never.
It would be just another sin added to my life, like wanting to move away from them, even when it wasn’t far. It had only been recently they’d started speaking to me again, and only after I’d told them I’d prayed every morning and night for forgiveness.
They were different. I knew this. They were strict, and God was everything to them. My stomach pivoted downward.
Gosh darn it all. Now definitely wasn’t the time to think of them. I was doing this for me, to help my future, to set me up, because there wasn’t a chance I would go back to living under their roof.
I had to get my head in the game, so I pasted on a smile as I opened the front doors to the building where Mr. Hail lived on the top floor.
Two men stood behind a desk, and both looked up when I entered. Their grave expressions had my smile slipping a little, but I pushed it back up.
Was having men guarding the door a normal thing for condos? I’d heard of doormen before, but these two looked nothing like doormen. Besides the fact they hadn’t opened the door for me, they both wore plain black T-shirts, and if I had to guess, since I couldn’t see below their waists, they’d have jeans on as well.
One picked up a phone and said something into it in a quiet tone.
“Ben Gowan?” the other man called with a slight accent.
I nodded and walked the rest of the way to the desk. “Yes, I’m me. I mean him…. I’m Ben.” Shit, get it together, man. The new name, my escort name, had me fumbling like a fool. I had to remember my name so I didn’t give anyone my real one.
“Mr. Hail is waiting for you. I’ll escort you up.”
Wait, what? Why?
“Um, sure, okay.” I stepped back and waited for him to move around the desk. He grabbed a jacket on the way. When he walked by, putting on the jacket, my eyes widened when I caught sight of the gun strapped to his back.
Who was this guy? No, more importantly, who was Mr. Hail? A condo didn’t need this type of security, did it? For a moment, my hand itched to touch the pin I wore on my suit. This whole scene had me on edge.
At the elevators, the man pressed the button and then turned to me. “Do you mind if I pat you down?”
“Sorry?” I choked.
“Pat you down for weapons,” he said seriously and with an intense gaze.
Laughing uncomfortably, I waited for him to join in, thinking he was pulling my leg, but he didn’t.
My laughter evaporated. “Right, okay, sure.” I nodded. His hands ran over my body quickly, and I found it strange he was doing it now and not when I first walked in. I could have had a gun and shot them both already, then got in the elevator and headed up to kill Mr. Hail. I wasn’t sure if mentioning the flaw in their system or not would be good. It could get me killed. Then again, there was a possibility I looked innocent enough they didn’t think they needed to check me over until now. Or their skills were that good, and I didn’t seem like a threat, but they’d better do their job.