Chapter 7
Dillon
I felt powerful in the highest pair of Louboutin heels I owned. Women stared at me as I glided past them like it was nothing, and men—hell, men were easy. If I showed a little leg, they’d give me anything I wanted. New car? Sure, what kind? A week in Paris? Hell yeah, I’ll fire up the jet. I was a handful and I knew it, but I was damned good at what I did—making people give me the story of a lifetime. I played hard and worked harder. No one could ever say I owed my success to a man.
I was sick to death of going to these ridiculous parties. The same people were constantly there, naming themselves Southern royalty because they were the benefactor to yet another pointless contribution. Will knew I hated coming, and I think that’s the reason why I ended up being the one to cover so many of them. At least the alcohol was free.
All my ‘sources’ were supposed to be here tonight, but I only recognized a few of the doctors from ESEC as I circled the room. There was a lady giving me the side eye from a few tables over, but I didn’t recognize her either. If she didn’t stop soon I was going to go over and introduce myself, but before I could make a move to go to her, she made her way over to me.
“You’re Dillon Hart, right?”
I looked at the woman wearily. These situations didn’t normally go so well for me. Women either blamed me for making their man look bad, or I was accused of luring their man to cheat.
“I am,” I answered. “I’m sorry, but I don’t recognize you.”
She laughed. “Oh honey, you wouldn’t. I’m a PA at ESEC. I recognized you from when you had lunch with Dr. Turner the other day.” Her thick southern accent made me smile. Over the years, I’d learned to tamper mine down some, but this woman was as twangy as they came. “I just wanted to give you a warning. The guy is amazing in bed, well technically anywhere but a bed, but he’s an asshole. Not that I don’t think you can hold your own, but it’s always nice for someone to keep girl code, right?”
The confused look on my face must have given me away, so she continued. “We all fall for him. He’s sexy as hell, but he’s a sexist pig just like all the rest of them. He’s exactly like his stepdad, although at least Zane’s not married. There’s probably four or five women here that he has slept with though.” She giggled. “We could probably form a club.”
I laughed. “That’s a headline story for me.”
She grinned and held out her hand. “I’m Kate.”
I reached out to shake hers. “Nice to meet you, Kate. I’d buy you a drink for the warning, but they’re free.”
She held up her glass. “I’m way ahead of you, sugar. Do you want me to introduce you around?”
“That would be lovely.”
Kate hadn’t been kidding when she said there were four or five woman that had slept with Zane. Within an hour there were six of us sitting around the leather couches and discussing what a dickhead Dr. Zane Turner was. The story was always the same, he hit on the girl, gave the same smoldering smile and expected us to fall for his tricks. Only my story was slightly different, but he did work with four of the six women sitting around. Apparently he didn’t mind dipping his pen in company ink, I thought wryly.
It didn’t seem fair that the man was hot as hell, successful, and he had a huge cock. Most women had to fight for all their attributes, while everything just seemed to fall into Zane’s lap without him even trying. His dad was a famous doctor, so he’d got in medical school without even trying. And his family came from old southern money. Plus, he had the body of a Greek god, but barely ever went to the gym.
Not.
Fucking.
Fair.
“And that’s how I let him take me into the ladies room and fuck me blind,” Lisa finished. She took a long sip of her drink. “I should have known better, but one look at those eyes and his body and I was done for.”
She was the last of us to recount her story about the good doctor. My stomach felt queasy after listening to them for the past forty-five minutes. I didn’t know why. Zane was supposed to be a mark, a subject for me to write about, not someone I had feelings for. I needed to put more distance between us, and after story time, it wouldn’t be hard.
“I can’t help but wonder why we do this shit to ourselves.” I took a drink of my wine. “We’re smart women, so why do we end up making the same mistakes with men over and over.
Kate reached over and squeezed my knee. “That’s the million dollar question isn’t it? Zane’s good to look at, but he thinks he’s God’s gift to women. Although, most men believe that, don’t they?”
I smiled. “They sure do. I had a real winner before Zane. He ended up being married with a kid on the way.”
“What is it about men that make them think that we should just put up with their bullshit?” Lisa asked. “I haven’t gone on a good date in forever.”
The girls all murmured their agreement.
“Maybe we should teach them a lesson. It might be fun,” Bianca spoke up. “You should do it, Dillon.”
“Do what?” I asked in confusion.
“Take on Zane. Show him what it’s like to want something he can’t have.”
I snorted. “I seriously doubt that I’m the girl to do that. I’m sure he’s already moved on to another girl at whatever godforsaken event he’s at tonight.”
“He’s at the hospital working late tonight,” Kate smirked.
“Okay, one, it’s creepy that you know that.” I laughed. “And two, what makes you ladies think I could pull this off.”
Carrie leaned forward. “We know what you’re doing at the hospital. You aren’t a patient, or a drug rep, or doing a fluff story on the doctors like some of them think. We all know better. Who do you think submitted the anonymous tip? Zane isn’t guilty, but someone in that hospital is.”
I did not just hear that.
“Are you kidding me?” I whispered as I looked around us to make sure no one had overheard her.
She leaned back in her seat and smiled.
I grinned back. “I’m very happy that I ran into you ladies tonight.”
“So will you give him a taste of his own medicine?”
I raised my glass in cheers.
“To exposing the truth.”
The girls clinked their glasses with mine, each sharing a small smile.
* * *
Jake stared at me from across the table, a small smile playing on his face. I tried to hold back my laughter. He was battling with himself over if my story was hysterical or disturbing. I’m sure he was a little afraid that some woman was going to play him like an idiot too.
“You’re telling me that you are going to lead this guy on just because he’s a player?”
“Well, he deserves it doesn’t he?”
Jake shook his head. “He’s a prick for sure, but you guys are waging some tough psychological war on him.”
I grinned. “You can’t tell if you want to laugh or feel sorry for him, right?”
That’s what I was going for. I wasn’t sure I even wanted to go along with these women, but something in me wanted to get even with men in general for how shitty we’ve been treated. Not that I wanted to tell my brother that.
Jake shook his head. “I hope you haven’t taken this too far, Dillon.”
I frowned and stared at my big brother. “You really think it’s too far? We had six women sitting there telling the story about how he fucked us then went riding off into the sunset like nothing happened. Is it really too far, Jake?”
“Gross. Don’t talk about having sex with me.”
“He didn’t even bother with a bed for anyone. I was leaned over—”
He covered his ears and started singing the Star Spangled Banner. Loudly. I laughed and tugged his hands down.
“I’m done, but do you get my point now?”
“Yep, I’m on board. Zane’s a dickhead and he has to pay. But you do realize that he’s not—”
I glared. “If you say his name, I’ll junk punch you.”
“Fine. Not all guys are him though. You don’t have to constantly push them away. Or compare them,” he added as an afterthought. Jake took a sip of his coffee. “From what it sounds like, this Zane dude likes you. He never took any of the other girls out. He literally fucked them and it was over. You guys have gone out a few times. Right?”
I looked down at my breakfast. I’d completely lost my appetite. “That’s because he thinks I’m writing some rosy little feature on ESEC and he needs to suck up to me.”
Jake looked skeptical. “I don’t think that’s it.”
My phone picked that exact moment to vibrate.
“Are you going to see who that is?”
“Nope.”
I took a big bite of the omelet on my plate.
“Pussy,” he taunted.
“It’s not him. It’s probably Piper.”
“Then why won’t you check it?”
I picked up my phone and almost dropped it onto my plate when Zane’s name showed up on my screen for the second time in two days. What the hell was he texting me for?
“It is him, isn’t it?”
I wanted to punch my brother in his smug face.
“It doesn’t matter, I’m not texting him back.”
“He likes you, D. Mark my words.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Now, tell me all about your date last night. I want to hear all about the bimbo Barbie that you got set up with.”
“Stacy was nice,” he said slowly.
“Nice?” I arched an eyebrow. “That’s all you can think of to describe her is nice?”
“I don’t know. She teaches second grade, volunteers at the animal shelter and babysits her niece all the time for her sister.”
“So she’s too…perfect?”
“In a word, yes. She’s sweet and pretty and smells fucking amazing, but she’s too good for me. I’m just like your asshole doctor, remember?”
I rolled my eyes at him. “She’s too good for the blue collar officer that everyone loves and respects? I also hear from my friends all the time how, gag me with a spoon, hot you are, and I’ll agree, you aren’t too hard on the eyes. You did two tours in Afghanistan and came home a decorated war hero after you saved your best friend’s life.” Now he rolled his eyes. “You, my dear brother, are what they call a catch.”
“I’m also a manwhore.”
“If you want my advice—”
“I don’t.”
“Then ask her out again.” I smirked. “You can’t stop smiling now that we’re talking about her.”
He pointed his fork at me. “I bet she’d ignore my text,” he said pointedly.
“Quit being an ass, you obviously like this girl.”
“And you obviously like Zane.”
I sighed. “There’s a huge difference.”
He motioned for me to continue. I glanced around to make sure no one was listening. “I’m investigating him for fraud. Your lady friend is amazing. Mine is just a douchebag stealing money.”
Jake was quiet for a minute. “You could be wrong, Dillon.”
I already know I am, but that just means he has feelings for me back.
“Have I ever been wrong before?”
He shook his head. “There’s always a first time for everything.”
“I’ll be fine. Zane isn’t the guy for me. Honestly, I don’t think there’s one out there.”
“Don’t say—”
I cut him off quickly. “Can we just change the topic?”
“Yeah, D,” he said softly. “We can talk about something else.”