Chapter 5
Attending over-the-top galas like this one was just part of the job.
Instead of showing up solo, I would have preferred to carry a piece of eye candy on my arm like most of my friends and colleagues—having a partner at these upscale events always came in handy.
Whether that be a reason to get away, or a reason to take her into a hidden room, or bathroom, and fuck her when you got tired of hearing people talk about work and all that they’ve accomplished so far that year, it was all better than dealing with it alone.
Only a few hours ago, I was at the pool, partying it up with my friends and taking in the sight of Avery in her smoking hot fire engine red bikini.
The thought had me pulling my phone from my coat pocket for the hundredth time in the last few hours, willing a text from an unknown number to flash across my screen.
Fuck, I knew she was playing hard to get since the night we met, but I sort of hoped she’d use my phone number when she finished up her shift.
Maybe text me and thank me for the large tip or tell me how much she enjoyed seeing me—assuming that was the case.
After all, I was over the moon when I spotted her walking up to our cabana.
Watching her bop around with a bright smile on her face, working her customers and fully in her element.
When I asked Avery what she was doing tonight, it came from a selfish place deep down from not wanting to attend this event by myself. I wanted the excuse to see her again. To see her dressed to the nines for me to show off.
So, when she told me she was busy and chose not to text me, I was racking my brain for answers to why she wasn’t giving me a chance. Was she truly just playing hard to get? If so, it was working.
As if I needed a reminder that I was at this gala without her, an older gentleman, that I knew I’d seen before, but couldn’t quite remember his name, shook my hand, tearing me away from thoughts of a dark-haired girl in a downright sinful swimsuit.
“Hey, man! Good work on extending Jayson’s contract for another four years. Looks like he may be closing out his career with the Neon after all.”
“It was an easy close. He loves it here and he’d be a bastard to leave before going for the threepeat.” We chuckled at the same time—mine sounding a bit more forced.
Over the years, Jayson and I had become best friends.
When I became his agent, signing him to the Neon his rookie year, I was just a few years into my career.
I had yet to land a big client, but with him, I hit the jackpot.
Not only did I have faith in him when other teams didn’t, but he turned into a goddamn superstar and made me one rich mother fucker.
It didn’t take much persuasion to convince him to extend his contract, but he was a fuck boy that enjoyed making people sweat.
“Hey, I’ll catch you later. I’m going to grab a drink. Have a great night.” I nodded at the gray-haired man.
Avoiding more small talk, I spotted the bar across the way with a cold one calling my name.
After walking through a wave of men in tuxedos, and women in diamonds and floor-length gowns, I found a sliver of the bartop available to lean against. Raising two fingers in the air, the bartender caught my eye.
“What’ll it be for you tonight, boss?”
“Whatever lager you have in the bottle, please.” There was a time and place for whiskey, but here wasn’t it. I needed to pace myself so I wouldn’t end up looking like an ass.
It was an open bar, so after the bartender slid the beer my way, I traded him for a twenty.
Lifting the bottle to my lips, the malty flavors hit my tongue.
It wasn’t long after I swallowed when I heard a familiar voice next to me.
Her back was turned, but I knew those little tattoos anywhere—especially after seeing them sprinkled along her body earlier.
Avery?
Avery was here with her friends?
With her back turned to me, I was able to look around for the girls she was with the other night at the bar. No familiar redhead or blonde in sight.
Right next to her stood a man not much younger than me. A man I knew very well. A man I’ve most definitely worked closely with.
Unsure of why she lied to me instead of telling me she had another date, I took the opportunity to interrupt said date.
I took a long pull of my beer, and the words left my mouth before I could even think twice.
“Hunter, my man.” I clapped him on the arm, avoiding eye contact with Avery.
“Spencer, how’s it going? Figured I’d see you around here tonight.” He reached for my hand, offering the hundredth hand shake I had shared tonight.
“All is good over here. How about yourself? And who do we have here?” I asked, finally dropping my gaze to meet Avery’s.
“Good, great, actually. This is my date, Sky.”
Um, come again? Did I hear that right?
Which one of us dumbasses had the wrong name here? Because I knew without a doubt that this woman right in front of me was Avery. Unless she had an identical twin sister walking around the Strip with the exact same tattoos.
“Sky.” I nodded my head, offering her a slight dip in my brow as I reached my hand for hers. “Spencer,” I introduced myself.
Her petite hand filled mine. “Nice to meet you.” She spoke in a voice so low that I almost didn’t hear her.
Just as her hand slipped from mine, Hunter became distracted by the bartender offering to fill up his drink.
“Meet me by the bathrooms in ten if you don’t want me to blow your cover,” I whispered in her ear, the anger brewing inside me.
“Sorry to cut this short, man. Gotta run and make a phone call.” I clapped Hunter’s back before walking off toward the bathrooms.
My head was spinning.
Was she a fucking con artist?
Who the hell was this woman? I’d never seen her walking a day in my circle of friends, and now I’d seen her three times in the last week alone.
Leaning up against the wall, I dug into my pocket, fishing for my phone as I kept a direct line of sight to where Avery stood, waiting for her to walk in my direction.
Maybe I didn’t need to make a phone call, but Jackson had been blowing up my phone with text messages all day.
Jackson: Hey Dad.
Jackson: Did you get a chance to wire that money yet?
Jackson: I talked to that guy and he’s getting pretty impatient with me.
Jesus, kid. What happened to a month? It’s been all of what, a few days?
Me: It will be a few days before the money comes through. What happened to a month?
He must have been sitting by his phone eager for my response since my phone pinged with his reply almost immediately.
Jackson: I’m just getting anxious and want this problem behind me.
Me: You got yourself into this mess, Jackson. It’s going to be a few days. Tell your guy it’s coming in the next couple of weeks, and you’ll be good for it. In the meantime, sit there and think about how you got here in the first place.
My eyes lifted from my phone, the sound of a simple pair of black heels clicked in my direction, the conversation with Jackson completely vanishing from my mind.
Only feet away from me was the girl I had just left a four-figure tip to at the pool hours earlier.
She’d traded her red bikini for a red satin ballgown.
My eyes roamed over the tan leg popping out from the slit in her dress.
A slit so deep it teased my mind with dirty thoughts.
She looked so damn good in red.
“Spencer. I can explain.” Her voice pulled me from my thoughts, only reminding me that she wasn’t who I thought she was.
“Sky,” I responded with a roll of my eyes as I slipped my phone back in my pocket.
“My name isn’t Sky.” She swallowed thickly.
“No? Then you gave Hunter the wrong name and I’m the lucky bastard who gets to know your real name? Or is there another name out there that neither of us know?” I scoffed.
“I swear my name is Avery. It’s a long story and I want to explain.”
“Do tell. I’m all ears.” My arms crossed as I waited impatiently.
“This isn’t the right place, and I don’t have much time.”
Her behavior continued to grow more anxious—incessant looks over her shoulder, her bottom lip being tugged on, her knee shaking.
“Please, just let me text you later. I can explain everything.”
“Yeah. Sure.” I nodded, ending the conversation so she could get back to her date.
She looked over her shoulder one more time before pulling me into a corner that kept us out of sight.
“I promise it’s not what it looks like.” Her palm reached out for my cheek as she crept closer. Even in a pair of heels, she still only came up to my shoulders. Standing on her tip toes, she placed a quick kiss on my cheek, replacing her cold palm with her warm, soft lips.
Before I could register what was happening, the sound of her voice tickled my ear. “Please wait up for me tonight so I can explain everything.”
Then she was gone, leaving me standing there with her ruby red lips marked on my cheek, and watching her perfect ass sway in crimson silk back toward her date for the evening.
Waiting up for her would be easy.
Watching her with Hunter all night would be another story.
All I had to do was follow her around this room with my eyes, watch her every move, and wait until she left—hopefully alone.