3

Ben

After picking the girls up from the library, I dropped them off at their mother’s, like I do every Thursday afternoon, and headed back to work. I guess you could say I’m a little bit of a workaholic, but running your own company isn’t an easy task.

When the economy crashed, I was on the verge of bankruptcy and about to lose everything, including my house. The life and stability I’d worked so hard to build after my divorce was crumbling down around me. I was drowning in debt, with no lifeline in sight. It seemed like no matter how hard I worked, I couldn’t get ahead.

Then Jason, an old college buddy, called, and he gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse.

He was in a bind and had heard of my divorce. He needed a filler for his new venture. I wasn’t surprised to find out Jason was running an escort service out of his family’s butcher shop; I knew he’d spent a summer wining and dining women of all ages during college.

His Louisiana Hot Link canceled an hour before he was due to meet up with a client. No one else was available to fill in, and the client was a V.I.P. who couldn’t reschedule, so he called me. Since I wasn’t serious about any of the women in my life, I saw no harm in helping out a friend. And I didn’t have to do anything I didn’t want to.

I met up with the client, wined her, dined her, and afterwards, I followed her back to her place, and we fucked like champions. The whole experience was something out of the pages of Playboy, and the best part was the pocket full of cash I went home with. Maybe I shouldn’t have been that comfortable with what I was doing, but money talks, especially when you need to make ends meet.

The gig became permanent when the guy I filled in for got stupid with Jason and lost his spot with the service. I didn’t hesitate when Jason asked me to step in permanently. My experience that night was a good one, and it’s all it took to convince me to become the new Louisiana Hot Link on his menu.

The piercing sound of my cell phone fills the small trailer I’ve called an office for far too long. I glance down at the screen and see Jason’s number flashing back at me.

Speak of the devil!

Looking over at the calendar hanging on the wall, I check to see what the date is. It’s Thursday, not my usual night to entertain a date. I wonder if he’s calling to ask me to pick up another client, not that I’m in the mood to do so. Seeing Cami today has me all twisted up inside, and the last thing I want to do is spend any time with another woman.

“What’s up, Jason?” I answer, knowing there isn’t a reason not to answer but all the same racking my brain, trying to figure out what excuse I can use to turn him down.

“Hey, Ben, how’re you doing? How are the girls?”

“All is well. How are things with you?”

“Pretty good. Listen, I was wondering if you have any plans tomorrow night?”

And there it is. Pleasantries don’t last too long; they never do with Jason, at least not when it comes to the business.

“I don’t have anything on the books and nothing happening otherwise. Does one of my regulars need to switch their night?” I ask, hoping it isn’t a last-minute booking. We get our schedule on Mondays when we all meet up at The Brown Bottle. But my schedule hasn’t changed in months, so he knows my Friday is clear. Jason doesn’t usually schedule last-minute bookings, so this is out of character for him.

“No, it’s dinner with a new client.”

Shit, fuck, shit. I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“I don’t know, man. I’m not really in the mood to take on a last-minute booking, let alone a newbie.”

“I know, man, but believe me when I say you’re going to want this one.”

It isn’t the first time Jason’s given me that line; in fact, it’s the line that got me this gig in the first place. But it’s also something he says whenever he wants me to pick up a new client. Thankfully, I can choose if I want to take on a new client, regardless of their order.

“I honestly don’t have the time to fit another one in. I’m already booked four evenings a week.”

“Do you want to know who it is?”

“You said she’s new.”

“She is, but that doesn’t mean you can’t know who she is.”

“Please, tell me it’s not Veronica.” I’m praying like hell it isn’t my ex-wife. The last thing I need is for her to find out what I do when I don’t have the girls.

“What the fuck, man? You think I’d do that to you? Besides, last I heard, she was pretty happy with Bill.” He pauses, letting my brain come back from the path I started down. “Do you want to know who it is or not?”

“It doesn’t matter who it is. I don’t want to take on another client right now.”

“Not even Cami?” he asks, chuckling across the line. I choke, unable to respond because I’m not sure if I heard him correctly. “That’s fine, Ben. I’ll see if Damian’s free. I’m sure your girl will enjoy an evening with him.”

“What the fuck—” My body locks when he says Damian’s name and then calls her mine in the next sentence. The instinct to beat on my chest and mark my territory surges through me.

“She had no idea who she wanted to order, it being her first time with us. Did you know she was that shy? She stood at the counter shaking like a leaf. I thought she was going to pass out before she could muster the courage to ask about our extra services.”

“You’re lying.”

“No, man, I’m not. Camilla Babcock, the librarian, the one you told me about after that city job you did. I thought you were kidding when you described her. She’s fucking gorgeous,” he informs me, trying his hardest to rile me up. He knows who Cami is and what she means to me.

“Jas,” I growl into the phone. There’s no way he’s talking about my Cami. “Shut the fuck up.”

“Hell, if I didn’t already have plans, I’d take her out myself, find out how those legs feel wrapped around my waist.”

“The fuck you will—”

“Damian will show her a good time. She’ll get her money’s worth. Don’t worry, Ben. She’ll be in good hands,” he barrels on, ignoring my attempts to get a word in. There’s no way I’m going to let anyone near Cami, and if they attempt it, I can’t promise they’ll leave standing up.

“Fuck that. Damian isn’t touching her. Matter of fact, he even looks at her, and he’ll need to clear his calendar for the next two weeks. He won’t be servicing anyone. And don’t you have Rocio to worry about?” I growl into the phone, my blood boiling hot in my veins. “When’s the fucking setup and where?”

“Ben, it’s okay, buddy. We got this—” he starts, ignoring my jab about Rocio.

“Jas, shut the fuck up, man. I’m taking the date.”

“I’d thought you’d be happier about this. I thought you liked this woman.”

“Not gonna talk about this with you. Just send me a text with everything I need to know.” I exhale loudly, pushing out the irritation he built up inside me. My mind is spinning.

My Cami.

My beautiful goddess hired an escort.

And I’m the man for the job.