Page 14 of Bourbon Deceit
“Bullshit, Jett. I know what you think of me.”
“Do you? Please enlighten me about my feelings toward you.”
Huffing, I pushed past him and went to his desk where I grabbed a stupid paper weight that was shaped like a little marble globe and tossed it around in my hands. I was fidgety and starting to get wild so I needed something to calm myself down.
“You think I’m just some street trash that you found and can fuck for a while and once you’re done you can just throw me away, with the rest of the Bourbon Street residue.”
Okay, I knew that wasn’t necessarily true, and a little over-exaggerated because he cared for me, he took care of me, and he told me I was beautiful, but I refused to acknowledge any of that right now, I was mad.
“You disappoint me, little one.” My heart fell. “I never want you to think of me like that, because that is not even close to how I feel.”
“Yeah, well, with the way you just stated your feelings about me, how am I supposed to think?”
Jett ran his hand through his hair and blew out a frustrated breath. Ha! I got him. Finally, an emotion!
“I’m sorry.” He shook his head as he looked down at the ground. He loosened his shoulders and then looked back up at me. “I just . . . fuck, I’m an ass.”
I nodded, he was an ass. Good self-assessment.
“We’re different, Jett, in many ways, and I’m trying on my end. Can you try on yours?”
He continued to stare at me but said nothing.
“Why can’t I go to your parties with you?”
Silencing me, he held his hand up and said, “That is non-negotiable. You’re not going.”
“Because you’re embarrassed of me,” I stated, my pride starting to deflate.
“No.” He grabbed my hands and pulled me to his chest. “Not because I’m embarrassed of you, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. I just don’t want you to be exposed to those people. You’re a Jett Girl, you need to keep your anonymity. I don’t want them knowing who you are.”
“They won’t,” I said, pushing the subject. “No one knows who I am on stage so if they saw me in person, they would never be able to tell. I just don’t see why you won’t give me a chance. I can be classy.” I grabbed an empty tumbler off Jett’s desk, held it in front of me, and stuck out my pinky finger. In a fake British accent, I said, “Oh why isn’t it a charming night in old New Orleans? Did you catch the hobos eating a rat a few blocks down?”
A smile crept over Jett’s face, his attempt at holding back his laughter failing. “Not happening,” he said more playfully as he pulled me to his chest.
“Just give me a chance. I’ll go to charm school. I’m sure Kace could teach me a thing or two.”
“I don’t want Kace teaching you anything,” he said, with a sharper tone than warranted.
I played with the buttons on Jett’s shirt. “You jealous?”
“When it comes to you, I’m always jealous. You should know that by now. Seeing you interact with anyone but me drives me crazy. I don’t think I could stand to take you to any parties with me, there would be way too many people staring at you. I wouldn’t be able to take it.”
Slipping my hand into his shirt to caress his bare chest, I said, “Jett, give me a chance. I can be the person you need.”
The look on Jett’s face was almost comical as he struggled with wanting to say no but also wanting to please me. The man put up a front but like he always said, I held the cards and right now, it was obvious how much I did. My other hand wandered down to his waistline and played with his belt. A growl escaped from the back of his throat as he picked me up, threw me over his shoulder, and carried me toward the Bourbon Room.
“You will talk to Miss Mary starting tomorrow.”
“Who’s Miss Mary?” I asked. Jett set me down next to the Bourbon Room balance beam. My insides twisted in excitement.
“Your new finishing school teacher,” he said as he played with my clothes, eyeing me with desire.
“You’re giving me a chance?” I asked in anticipation of hearing the answer.
He nodded his head and licked his lips as he looked me up and down. “Now, enough talking, do you have something to say to me?”
Boy fucking did I!
