Where was Lincoln? He was never late, and she had to get to her appointment with Lorenz in thirty minutes. Lincoln would be so angry if she just left. Was he that mad that she’d had an enjoyable time with Lorenz? Was he trying to prove a point?

She believed that if there was one thing true about Lincoln, it was that he wanted to keep her safe. The only way she’d felt comfortable enough to relax and do her job was because Lincoln was right there most of the time. The times he’d been fired she’d been on edge. He was her lifeline. Even though it got violent and scary, really there was nothing more comforting than knowing Lincoln was there to be sure she didn’t get hurt.

And now he was gone. AWOL for the most important appointment she’d had yet.

Lorenz was charming and a fantastic kisser and she knew that she wanted him. It wouldn’t take much for her to fall into his arms. A couple million bucks also made him damned attractive. She trusted Lorenz somehow, and that was exactly why she needed Lincoln. He didn’t trust anyone. It was his job NOT to trust and that had kept her safe as she navigated this new world of high-priced “associate” for Petra Vallin.

Had she hurt Lincoln when they argued? Pushing him to be close to her may have backfired. Maybe he had had it with her antics. She wanted to call Petra and let her know that there was no security here for her, but what if Petra fired Lincoln again? They’d both worked so hard to get him back on Petra’s good side. She’d never forgive herself if she was the cause of Lincoln’s troubles. It was a pattern. She caused trouble for the men in her life.

She felt her resolve slip. A desire to cry bubbled just below the surface of her red lips but dammit that would ruin the forty pounds of mascara she had on. She would push down her worries about Lincoln just like she did about Daddy when she was on the job. She needed to be on the job.

She was a big girl. She used to work all the time without a net at the strip club. No one took her to work, walked her to the bus, or stood between her and the patrons of the club when she danced. She’d gotten too dependent on Lincoln. Lincoln had his reasons for not showing and she wasn’t going to be a baby about it.

She called a cab. She could afford a cab now instead of the bus. And she finished getting ready. Again, putting on the mask had become so easy, so simple for her now to look and act like what men wanted.

She heard the honk of the cab and closed her duplex door. Before she sprinted out, she remembered Lincoln’s lecture. She used her key to deadbolt the door from the outside.

“Then there won’t be any surprise visitors in here when you get back,” she’d heard him tell her in one of the many “door lock” lectures. The cab waited and so did Lorenz. She still had that pit of worry in her stomach but it lived next to determination.

Lincoln was strong. Her father wasn’t, and this job was about him. He needed her to get on with it. She fixed her resolve on the cab ride from her slummy part of Vegas to the center of the billions of dollars that changed accounts every day. The Strip, with The Diamond Hotel, was one of the most opulent landmarks on a street full of opulent landmarks. The place had become almost familiar to her. The cab stopped at the front doors and a bellman who’d she’d encountered before opened her door and offered a hand.

“Hello, Miss Fields.” The bellman recognized her now as Miss Fields instead of a performer in one of the shows.

“Hello.”

“Where is your 200-pound gorilla?” He said it with a smile as he helped her out of the back of the cab.

“Oh, I’d be careful if I were you. He’s always around and doesn’t like to be called names.”

“I meant it as a compliment. But so I stay on his good side, let me get the elevator for you.”

The bellman escorted her to a private elevator that only went to the upper floors. She’d been in it so many times it now almost seemed routine. Almost. Somehow, Lorenz made her feel different like he wanted the real her just a bit, not only Marilyn but a little of Leslie too.

It opened to the top floor and there was Lorenz. His crisp white collar against his olive skin was a sexy contrast. She wondered how much the suit cost, probably more than Lincoln’s truck.

“Marilyn. I was coming down to get you.” He put a manicured hand out to her.

“Here I am.” She put her hand in his.

“No Lincoln?” Lincoln had become so engrained in her life that even her clients noted his absence.

“I probably shouldn’t answer that.” She knew she should be wary of Lorenz, but while the vibe he gave off was sexual, even predatory, she felt almost safe with him, almost.

She felt a hand on the small of her back as they took the short walk to his suite. As before, it was breathtaking and expansive and she understood why he could pay the amount she asked. She reminded herself it was an amount she was worth dammit.

“You seem on edge.”

“I’m sorry.” Her problems were not supposed to be passed on to the clients. She knew this, but somehow Lorenz made her feel like he wanted her to talk, not just lay down and spread her legs. It was more seductive than she’d bargained for.

“Here, sit down. What’s on your mind?”

He positioned her on the large, l-shaped couch in the sunken sitting area. Sitting on the couch made the expansive living room intimate.

She inadvertently curled her legs up under her. This was not her normal sexy pose, but Lorenz seemed to want her to be her. Not to act. So she did what came naturally to her instead of how she’d seen Marilyn act on screen.

“What now?” Lorenz sat across from her and reached out to brush a stray bleached lock from her face. She was angry with herself for letting her real self through, for letting him in. But she wanted to let him in, god help her.

“I’m worried about Lincoln.”

“Why is that?” Lorenz was talking to her sweetly, gently, and not like any client she’d ever had. It was making her feel warm, and taking the edge off the anxiety about Lincoln.

“He’s always with me and today, nothing. He didn’t pick me up to come here. He didn’t return my calls. I think he’s angry with me.”

“Well, first of all, no man in his right mind could be angry with you for too long. Second of all, worrying about someone who can clearly take care of themselves, like McCall, is a waste of worry. So how did you anger Mr. McCall?”

“Well, I think it was. Oh, never mind, we can talk about something else?”

“Not until this frown line is smoothed out.” Lorenz moved a finger to her brow. She hadn’t released she was frowning. Ugh. This client was paying and she couldn’t seem to pull it together. She wasn’t sure if what she said was Marilyn or Leslie. But it was true and it was just what Lorenz probably wanted to hear.

“Well, I think he saw that you and I, that I, at least, had a connection with you? And he maybe didn’t like that so much.” There it was. She’d let Lorenz know he affected her more than just a regular assignment.

“Ah, so you didn’t have a connection with Franco or Dom?” Lorenz slid slightly closer to her on the couch. She could feel her chest rising and falling, her breasts straining at the tight neckline of her dress. That was its design, but normally she’d been in it so briefly that the effect was lost on its intended target.

“Not like with you.” And Lorenz slid his hand against her cheek. She leaned her face into the caress. And then she crawled forward into his arms. She wanted to be held. He cradled her just as she wanted him to. She wanted to feel safe, wanted to be touched by this man who seemed so powerful to her at this moment.

Lorenz encircled her in his arms and slowly lowered his face to hers. She wound her hands around his neck and her fingers found his lush black hair. Both their eyes were open as he lowered his mouth onto hers. It was soft.

He pulled his head back and seemed to ask permission. So she gave it. Marilyn lifted her head to his mouth and kissed Lorenz. It was she who probed his mouth with her tongue, letting him know it was her desire to let him touch her where he wanted. She made him think it wasn’t about the money. Maybe it wasn’t right then. Being paid didn’t mean you couldn’t like it. That’s what Petra was trying to explain to her when she’d ask Lincoln to leave them alone a minute.

She wanted permission to enjoy some of her jobs. And Petra gave it. That’s what Lincoln couldn’t forgive she feared.

She put Lincoln out of her mind and let Lorenz’s hands and mouth fill her senses. His touch was maddeningly soft at first. Lorenz sprawled out over her and trailed his lips from her mouth to the mounds of her breasts. She was still contained in the low but tightly fit bodice of her dress, but barely.

 He scored his teeth over the fabric, and she couldn’t stop herself from the motion of her hips, trying to get closer to the heat she felt coming from Lorenz. Lorenz knew how to please a woman. What a revelation! This had not been her experience up to now.

His hands slid the narrow straps of her dress down below her shoulders. She’d worn no bra or panties; the nude-colored dress was unforgiving of all of it, so she didn’t bother.

 Her nakedness so close to his hands felt delicious. He didn’t yet know she was so accessible everywhere.

She was still covered, but barely, when Lorenz lifted her up in one swift motion and carried her to his gorgeous bedroom. All the while, she licked at his earlobe and neck. She loved his neck, she had to admit. It smelled rich and tasted salty.

She could barely take in the silk sheets, the shine of the surfaces, and the stark beauty of the place. It was so modern and different than any room in which she’d ever slept. She registered that it was another room with large windows where the sparkle of the city provided the only real decoration needed. But everything was a bit blurry and unfocused as the need she felt built in her and pushed out the thought of surroundings, or motivations, or worry. Lorenz was putting her in that moment with him and she was on fire.

The dress zipped up the side, and Lorenz had discovered this. He slid it quickly down as he placed her on the sheets. He didn’t pounce or rip or threaten. He just slowly took off his perfect shirt and tailored pants. She hoped he kept the silk boxers on for a moment, entertaining the idea of what they’d feel like against her sensitive skin. As if he read or her mind, or maybe because he didn’t want to scare her, he climbed close and left the boxers on, another tacit request for permission. When he didn’t need to, could a man who hired a callgirl be a gentleman? She decided yes he could, he was.

Lorenz slowly peeled down the dress, licking her breasts, her nipples, her hip bone, and all the way down to the arch of her foot as he gently discarded the garment. His fingers crawled up her legs as he moved back the length of her body, his mouth again on hers.

This time, it was Lorenz who plunged his tongue in and swirled it around hers. As they kissed, his hands found the buds of her nipples and he squeezed and twisted. The sensation caused her to writhe up against him and struggle to spread her legs so he would be between her thighs, where she wanted him to be.

He lifted up and let her position herself her way. She could move the way she wanted; she felt the silk boxers that surrounded the hardness underneath. She pushed herself onto his length and moved up and down, but they were still separated by the thin fabric. She heard him moan into her neck as she moved on him.

The moan was enough; she’d pushed him and he no longer waited for permission. She had made it clear. He pulled back and removed the boxers so there was nothing between them. Marilyn’s legs were spread wide as Lorenz plunged into her. She cried out from the first stroke. He’d been so slow and attentive; she was beyond ready for him. She gripped his backside with her hands as he continued his slow motion in and almost out. He lifted up and looked at her face as he pushed in again.

She matched his gaze.

This was the dangerous part. This was the part where Lorenz would take more than her body. He wanted her to see him worship her. She knew what he wanted without saying it. None of her clients had connected with her in any way. Not like this.

She’d thought Dominic and Franco were dangerous.

No. It was Lorenz.

Lorenz was the most dangerous to the most vulnerable parts of her.

She felt herself clench around him and push him deeper.

“I need.” Marilyn shocked herself with the words. She never did this, said what she needed. She mustn’t, her needs weren’t what mattered.

“You need what?” Lorenz asked her. She could barely form the words as she struggled to move closer to him, to get more friction. But Lorenz’s strokes were deep, slow, maddening, and she understood he was in control. Always under control, hers was slipping. She needed…

“I need you to go faster, do it harder.” There. She rarely talked dirty, but there it was. Maybe that’s what he wanted.

“Are you sure?” he leaned down and trapped her nipple in his teeth. One and then the other, her frustration grew.

“Please Lorenz, please.” She’d begged him. That’s what he wanted, for her to beg.

“Yeah, baby doll, here you go.” And he did as she asked, turning the slow torture into the heat, pressure, friction she craved. She lost her grip in him and reached above her head to the wall as Lorenz took her to a height she’d never felt.

He rocked her body as hard as she asked, punishing almost, but perfect, until she cried out. “Li, Li, Lorenz.” She’d had the presence of mind to correct herself, thank god, as waves of pleasure spread from where they were joined down to her toes, up to her chest.

Both of their bodies were slick with sweat as they finished together. She struggled to return her breathing to normal, Lorenz lightly stroking her shoulders as he did the same.

She had a slight feeling of panic. It was not Lorenz’s name that she’d rasped at first when rational thought left her head and only sensation took over. But she’d morphed it into his name right away. Had he heard? Did he realize the mistake she’d made as she slid over the edge with him? She didn’t know the answer because Lorenz, in fact, was too much of a gentleman to mention it.

***

She lay wrapped in silk sheets, her head on Lorenz’s shoulder. It was sweet that he hadn’t kicked her out. But again, where was Lincoln? If he’d been there watching, spying everything, what would he have thought of her taking refuge with Lorenz?

She’d never had the option but felt her flesh crawl at the thought of Dominic or Franco or god forbid Barchek trying to cuddle with her afterward. This time, with Lorenz felt different. He was different. Or maybe she was.

Lorenz kissed her forehead. Was he awake? Should she get out of his way?

Then the quiet was interrupted by loud stomping feet and a burst into the room by Dominic Maldonado, her former client and Lorenz’s younger brother.

“Oh, fucking perfect.” Dom stood there, clearly livid, as Marilyn tried to cover herself with the sheet. “I’ve seen it all before baby if you remember.” Marilyn had no reply.

“What the hell are you doing in my bedroom?” Lorenz offered the complete sheet to Marilyn and boldly stood up, stark naked, in front of Dom.

“She’s a great piece of ass, brother dear, but they’re not supposed to sleep over.” Dom looked at Marilyn as he spit out the words.

“Shut your fucking mouth or I’ll shut it for you. Now clearly you’re insane over something. I’ll discuss whatever it is in the other room.” Dom didn’t move and Lorenz grabbed him by the lapels and nearly lifted him off the ground and shoved him out the door, which Lorenz promptly slammed and locked.

“Get your ass out here brother!” Dom was apparently kicking it from the other side. Whatever this was, Marilyn didn’t need to be a part of it. She needed her paycheck. She needed a lawyer for Daddy, a doctor, not these violent brothers. The look of fear must have been pretty easy to see.

Lorenz walked over to the side of the bed, “There’s a robe in the master bath. You can shower, put on the robe, I’ll get rid of my brother. I’m sorry he barged in and disturbed you.”

“It’s okay.” Lorenz kissed her gently on the lips and then quickly grabbed some sweats from a nearby dresser and head out to deal with Dom. The high-powered casino owner looked incredible in low-slung sweats and much younger than his nearly 40 years. She was surprised to notice this amidst the turmoil that had just invaded the bedroom.

Marilyn wasn’t sure what made her go to the door and not the shower but she did. It wasn’t hard to hear what was being shouted.

“We haven’t heard from Franco in DAYS. Do you get that? Father is flying back now. I called him because apparently you have nothing on your mind but banging that hooker.”

Some sort of scuffle occurred and then a lower voice, a calmer voice, Lorenz. Marilyn strained to hear.

“She doesn’t know a damn thing about Franco. But if she does, she’ll tell me. Your way of getting information and mine are very different. And mine works.”

“You better hope so. She won’t be so pretty if she doesn’t start talking.” Marilyn heard a door slam and she high-tailed it to the bathroom and started the water.

Lorenz may be all soft kisses and caresses, but she had better keep her eyes open. She was in serious trouble if they thought she knew what happened to Franco.

She stepped into the shower jets and whispered under her breath, “Where are you Lincoln, where are you?”