Chapter 22

Inside the car, Jake's words lingered. Huddled against my car door, I remained very still, wishing I were anyplace but here.

Bianca made a sound – a half sigh, half purr. "Why should I do that?" she said.

"Because," Jake said, "you're giving it to Luna."

"What?" she sputtered.

"You heard me," Jake said.

She gave a nervous little laugh. "You're not serious?"

"Wanna bet?" he said.

"But," Bianca said, "she has her own dress."

"I know," he said. "And in five minutes, you'll be wearing it."

I heard a sharp intake of breath, Bianca's. A moment later, she leaned around Jake and gave me a pleading look. "Luna?" she said. "What's this about?"

I looked down at my dress. Ugly as it was, it was mine. I guess. And then there was the ick factor. "Don't worry," I told her. "I don't want your dress."

Jake gave me a hard look. "It's not her dress," he said. "It's mine." He turned to Bianca. "Isn't that right?"

Bianca gave a few rapid blinks. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I paid for it," Jake said. "You didn't. That makes it mine. Now take it off."

Even though Jake's words weren't directed at me, they still stung. Remnants of Bianca's earlier words echoed in my brain. He makes me do things. Unpleasant things.

"But," she said, "it was a gift."

"No," he said, "it was a business expense. I'm paying you by the hour. And right now, I'm paying you to take off that dress and hand it over."

My heart was hammering. "Just stop it!" I said. "I don't want her dress. Okay?"

"Luna," he said in a low, warning tone. "This is between me and Bianca. You don't need to worry about it."

"Oh come on!" I said. "You're asking your paid escort to give me her clothes. How does that not involve me?"

Bianca gave a little gasp. "What did you say?"

"I'm sorry," I said, "but let's all stop pretending that we don't know what's going on here."

Bianca's gaze narrowed. "What precisely do you think is going on?"

I slid my gaze to Jake. He raised an eyebrow as if inviting me to continue.

Across the seat, Bianca's voice became shrill. "Just what do you think I am?"

I looked from Bianca to Jake. Her face was a mask of civilized outrage. On his face, I saw shades of amusement that hadn't been there a moment earlier.

Screw it. Whatever game they were playing, I wanted no part of it. Better to get everything out in the open than wade through some minefield of their making. I turned to Bianca and said, "I think you're his call-girl."

"What?" she shrieked. She turned to Jake. "Are you hearing this?"

I took a deep, steadying breath. "Look," I said, "it's not that I’m judging you–"

"You?" she said. "Judge me?"

"Jeez," I said. "I already said I'm not judging you. Okay?"

Her voice was practically a hiss. "I'm his event-planner, you twit."

I stared at her. "What?"

"That's right," she said. "I organize his calendar. I plan his events." Her gaze narrowed. "And sometimes, I take his little 'friends' shopping for things they don't understand."

I glanced down at my dress. And suddenly, I understood way more than I ever wanted to. I glared across the seat. "Well, I guess you did a nice job on me," I said.

Bianca put on her innocent-face. "I have no idea what you mean." She whirled toward Jake. "And aren't you going to defend me from this attack?"

Before he could answer, I jumped in to ask, "And what was all that crap about him 'destroying' you?"

Bianca gave a little sniff. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You told me," I continued, "that he makes you do 'things'." My voice rose. "Unpleasant things."

She gave me a smirk. "Like carting you around?"

Between us, Jake said nothing. I whirled toward him. "And why are you so quiet all of a sudden?"

"Because," he said, "I figure if she pisses you off good enough, you'll see things my way." He turned to Bianca. "Go ahead," he told her. "Keep talking. Looks like you're almost there."

"You know what?" she said. "I didn't sign on for this."

"Yeah?" Jake said. "So quit."

She drew back. "What?"

"Or lose the dress," he said. "Your choice."

I gazed at Jake with narrowed eyes. "So you did pay her to shop with me? What's the problem? You think I can't buy a simple dress on my own? What is it? You're worried I'll embarrass you?"

"No," he said. "I thought you looked stressed out. I thought I was doing you a favor."

"Some favor," I said. "And just for the record, I don't want her dress."

"See?" Bianca said. "She doesn't want it." She gave a little laugh. "Like it would fit her anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I said.

She let her gaze travel from my head to my toes. "Well, you're not exactly the willowy type, are you?"

Okay, so I wasn't "willowy", whatever that meant. But I wasn't a freak of nature. I was a normal girl. What was the big deal?

"And," she said, "the dress you already have is fine. I don't know why you're complaining. It's perfectly lovely. Just because you can't pull it off…"

"Oh, and I suppose you could," I said.

"It's not like it's hard," she said. "That style? It's all the rage in New York. Trust me. You'll be thanking me later."

"Yeah, right," I said.

Between us, Jake rapped on the glass that separated us from the driver. "Stop the car," he called.

Henry eased the car off to the side of the road, and we came to a rolling stop. Jake turned to Bianca. "Get out," he said.

Her jaw dropped. "What? But I'm working tonight."

"So I'll pay you," he said. "Now get out."

She glanced around. "I'm not sure this neighborhood's safe."

"So," he said, "we'll wait for a cab."

Her voice became pleading. "Jake, come on!"

Slowly, he leaned toward her. "Listen," he said in a low voice I barely recognized. "You think that because I fucked you a time or two that you can fuck over someone important to me, and I won't call you on it?"

She drew back. "I, I don't know what you mean."

"Cut the crap," he said. "I gave you the chance to make it right. You blew it. So get the fuck out."

Stunned by the venom of his words, I reached for Jake's arm.

"Luna," he said, not turning to face me, "for the last time, stay out of this."

"Well that's rich," I said. "You're kicking her out because of me? And I don't have the right to say anything?"

"Not if you're gonna stick up for her, you don't."

"I wasn't going to," I said. Not probably anyway.

Finally, he turned to face me. "Oh yeah? What were you gonna do?"

"Actually," I admitted, "I'm not sure. But this whole thing, it's freaking me out."

"Don't let it." His voice softened. "I've got this. You don't need to worry."

As I gazed into his eyes, I almost believed it. The moment seemed to go on forever, and then I heard a noise, one I instantly recognized – the sound of a long zipper sliding down.

Reluctantly, I peered around Jake, only to see Bianca yanking that little black dress over her head, revealing black panties and a lacy bra. A moment later, she flung the dress in my direction, saying, "Go ahead. Take it. If it's soooo important to you."