38. Jenny
JENNY
While the lawyers drew up the final contract, my mind raced. Cole’s father would go ballistic if he discovered his son was negotiating my return. I was risking the wrath of Lewis Bryson, and I didn’t know what to do.
I’d said I’d return, but I was just buying time. Part of me wanted to grab my things and run out of AccommoDating right then and there. But I couldn’t do that to Audrey and Elena. Would Cole do what he threatened and expose them? I doubted it, but people did terrible things when they were mad. Audrey and Elena were the only two people I had. I couldn’t risk hurting them.
I sat there, thoughts racing, wishing a solution would present itself.
But the only exciting thing was that Elena brought me lunch: a juicy cheeseburger, chips, and a chocolate shake. The Madam left me alone, and I ate in silence.
My thoughts darted between Cole’s father and Cole himself. Their threats surrounded me. I was damned if I did, damned if I didn’t. But I’d navigated some tough shit in my life. I’d been in the business a long time, and before that—at sixteen—I’d been homeless. I’d made it this far because I knew how to handle myself.
If I was going down, I was going down swinging.
And the people I loved? I would protect them. No matter what.
As I finished the chocolate shake, an idea came to me. It was risky, but it was at least something. If I signed the contract, there was nowhere to hide from Cole’s father.
I took a deep breath.
And then I picked up my phone and called him.
“Hello?” Lewis Bryson’s voice lilted with disdain. “Is this who I think it is?”
“Yes, Mr. Bryson, it’s Jenny. I’m sorry to bother you—but I need your help,” I said.
He snorted. “I don’t recall offering my assistance.”
“I know,” I said quickly. “But I have an issue.”
“Make it quick. I have a meeting.” At least he didn’t hang up.
“Cole wants me to come back and work for him for the next month,” I said, the words tumbling out in a rush. “Our friends James and Audrey are getting married in a few weeks. They asked us to be in the wedding.”
“I have no idea why you’re telling me this,” he said coldly. “It’s not my problem. And I already told you that I want my son to have nothing to do with you.”
“I understand,” I said. “But Cole wants me back for the wedding. He wants to hire me back. He said he’d sue me if I didn’t comply. He threatened me. I don’t know what to do.”
It killed me to ask for his help, but I needed to appeal to him. Not appeal to his sense of decency—based on his behavior, he didn’t have any. No, I needed to appeal to his sense ofsupremacy. He needed to feel like he was calling the shots, that I was just a silly little escort with big hair, a checkered past, and an overdrawn checking account. So, ofcourse, I needed his wise guidance.
In other words, I needed to appeal to his sense of entitlement.
“Are you looking for money from me, Jennifer?” he asked.
“No, sir—not at all. I just want to know what to do.”
“You should go away and not look back.” His tone was icy.
“I would, but Cole’s threatening to sue me. Among other things.”
“That’s not my concern,” he said.
I sighed. Cole’s father was like a wicked rich brick wall. “Of course not. But… He’s threatening my friend. If I don’t do what he says, he’ll expose her for being an escort. And Iknowyou don’t care about that, but Cole knows I would never do anything to hurt my friend. Do you see where I’m going with this?”
“You’re going somewhere with this?” he asked.
“Hurting her isn’t something I would normally do. People will know something is wrong. Cole will know,” I said. “You said it was important that he didn’t find out we talked. If I leave, he’ll be suspicious.”
“Perhaps I’d rather have you out of the picture than worry about my son’s feelings,” Lewis Bryson said. “And who would be aware if I was involved in your absence? You are a nothing, after all. You’re a nobody. I’ve had you looked into, Jennifer. Your aunt is the only relative you have left, and I don’t exactly think she’d be sad to see you go.”
I swallowed hard. Lewis Bryson was threatening me. Threatening me, threatening me. It was clear as day.
I chose the following words very carefully. “I understand. But the Prestons are all over the Internet right now. Todd and Evie’s wedding was a big deal, and James and Audrey’s engagement was already in the news. There’s also tons of coverage of Mrs. Preston’s arrest. Cole and I have been in the pictures. People know who we are. It might not be the best time to make me disappear, if you know what I’m saying?”
He didn’t speak for a moment.
“I think you’re missing my point,” he said. “I don’t care about the press. I don’t care about some wedding. I care about my son’s future—a future you aren’t ever going to be a part of.”
My stomach twisted. Cole’s dad really didn’t like me, huh? Not that I’d held out any hopes of eventually winning him over, but still… At that moment, it was evident to me that it was never, as in never ever, going to work out for me and Cole. His family would never allow it.
I wanted to close my eyes and go back—back to before—before I knew what it meant to love someone, before I got involved in this mess, before I became a pawn in a billionaire’s game.
“I know you don’t want me with Cole, and I won’t be,” I said. “The wedding’s only a few weeks away. We can stage a breakup after that. I’ll make sure he knows I’m only coming back for the money—it’ll be strictly business. Then I’ll leave and never come back. You have my word.”
I held my breath, waiting for Cole’s father to respond. The silence stretched out inexorably. I checked my phone to make sure the call hadn’t dropped.
“Fine,” Lewis Bryson said eventually. “You have my permission to sign the contract and return to work for Cole.”
That was something. I blew out a shaky breath. “Thank you, Mr. Bryson.”
“You shouldn’t thank me yet. This isn’t for your good; it’s for mine,” Cole’s father said. “You owe me now.
Fuck .
“You’re on borrowed time. You’ll be followed. I will know everything. You will be my son’s hired date and nothing more.” He paused for a moment. “Also, you will do what I ask when I ask. Think of yourself as my puppet, Jennifer. Everything happens for a reason, which usually has everything to do with things working out in my favor.”
He let that sink in.
“One step out of line, and your aunt’s return will be the least of your worries. Do you understand? I know who your friend is—that Audrey girl,” he said, his tone menacing.
My stomach dropped.
“I know where you work,” he continued. “And I know all about the illegal things that they’ve been getting up to at AccommoDating. If you cross me, it won’t just be trouble for you—it’ll be trouble for your friends—bad trouble, the kind you don’t bounce back from.”
I swallowed over the lump in my throat. I’d dealt with enough rich men and enough sick ones to know when one of them wasn’t playing. “Yes, Mr. Bryson. I understand. I’ll do what you ask. And when the wedding’s over, you won’t ever hear from me again.”
“I intend to keep you to that promise, Jennifer.” Lewis Bryson hung up.
I dropped my phone onto the table because I never wanted to touch it again. I’d just used it to make a deal with the devil. Cole’s father had said yes, so he could use me. My situation was getting worse by the minute, and that was saying something.
But I was going back to Cole. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
I was going back to him, but it was only for a few weeks. They would be bittersweet. Even though he’d just blackmailed me and been a total dick, I knew that wasn’t the real Cole.
I had to make the most of my time with him—if I were cold, he would be happy once I was gone. He would know I wasn’t the girl for him, and he could move on with his life. He’d be able to find somebody Daddy approved of, with a pedigree, a trust fund, and a lack of a background in prostitution—you know, basically anybody other than me.
I tried to look at the bright side. I would be Lewis Bryson’s puppet, but at least I’d be with Cole. And I could attend Audrey’s wedding and be there for my best friend. Elena wouldn’t get sued. There was also the money. A million dollars was a lot—by the end of the month, I’d be rich.
My whole life, I’d been focused on hustling, trying to make ends meet. But now I was going to be a millionaire, and I had zero fucks to give. The money would keep me off the streets. It would keep me in a warm jacket in the winter and afford me the luxury of cheeseburgers and chocolate shakes.
But it could never buy me what I wanted: a life with Cole.
I was only ever going to be his whore.
And I was just going to have to live with that.