Page 92 of Risk
“Have a seat, Princess.” Pulling the seat out for Leah, I wait for her to descend gracefully into her chair before I push it in a little. She’s the show-stopping centerpiece in this ballroom and everyone knows it.
Mr. C can kiss my ass if he thinks he can intimidate either of us with that dumb ass smirk of his. I have no doubt he thinks he can use my girl against me and blackmail me with Daisy Ren, but he can’t. I’d have to be ashamed of being with her for that to happen, and I’m not. I’m proud as hell she’s my girl and I love what she does for a living.
“Hey.” I turn Leah’s head with my finger under her chin. “Don’t worry about him. If he says one thing to you, I’ll knock his goddamn teeth out.” I’ve been dying for an excuse to pop Carmichael in the mouth for years.
She shakes her head. “I’m not worried about myself. I’m scared for you.”
“Me?”
“He’s just told Jackson I’m Daisy Ren. I know it. They’re going to tell everyone here that I’m a…that your girlfriend’s a…” She leans in and whispers, “sex worker.”
I arch my brow, unfazed. “You’re a hustler like me. You work hard just like me. You carved a path for yourself and have done amazingly well, just like me. You and I are the same.”
“You don’t charge people to…” She clams up and drops her gaze to her plate. “This is a huge mistake.”
Fear spikes in my veins because I think she’s going to run. Bolt out those double doors like Cinderella at the stroke of midnight. That’s not fucking happening. I grab her hand and squeeze it reassuringly. “Stop doing that, Princess.”
“Doing what? Pointing out the truth?”
Her cheeks redden more. Her eyes shine with tears she’s trying to hold back. “Don’t put yourself down again. You’re a businesswoman, Leah. You found a niche, put in the hard work, and made a damn good life for yourself.”
She grimaces. “I put peanut butter on my feet for money.”
“Working smarter, not harder.” I fail to see how this is a problem. Her feet are adorable. If they can make her money so she can have the things she wants, why’s that an issue?
“He’s married,” she spits out. “And she’s pregnant.”
I’m sure lots of people online are in similar situations, but I don’t think Leah’s faced the reality of who was in her audience before. It’s easy to lie online. Maybe she fooled herself into believing the only ones paying to chat with her were single, lonely men and women. In my world, however, this is not earth-shattering news. Half the people in this room are likely having affairs. They’re all in a club of some kind, all pretending they “would never” when in fact they “will always” if given the chance.
Nearly everyone here is just out for themselves. Carmichael is among the worst of them. Part of me keeps hoping Jackson will kick him to the curb, but I doubt he ever will. It makes me wonder if Carmichael has something on my brother and uses it against him every chance he gets.
“His wife is beautiful and sweet,” I say. “She’s also fucking at least two other men in this room.” Probably more. I wonder whose baby is even in her belly. Hell, Carmichael offered her to me two years ago when he first approached me about becoming a board member for BanditFX.
I declined, of course, and it insulted him.
Boo fucking hoo.
Leah called this place the lion’s den. It’s not. It’s a toxic cesspool.
The urge to dash out of here with Leah in my arms so I can protect her is strong. But I said I was going to be here tonight, and I don’t back out of my word. No matter who I made that promise to or if they deserve my loyalty or not.
Besides, I’m untouchable now. Liberated. And like I said already, that’s a dangerous thing. It’s got me wanting to say and do all kinds of rebellious shit.
“If I hold him down…” Landon leans in on Leah’s other side. “You can stab Carmichael in the eyes with this cute little salad fork.”
Her laugh is fake.
“Hey.” I make Leah look at me again. “No one except the people at this table matter.”
Her brow pinches, and that little extra crinkle is back. I kiss that spot, and the scent of her shampoo and perfume fortifies me. “We can leave soon.”
But first, I have a point to make.
Leah lets out a shaky breath. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m being like this.” Worry and anger war in her gaze.
“You’re being protective of me, Princess.” Which is incredible of her. No one other than the three guys at this table have ever given a shit about me. Leah genuinely looks like she wants to burn the world down on my behalf. God damn, I’m the luckiest motherfucker alive.
It’s not being called out as a camgirl that has her upset, it’s that she’s already imagining them spinning our relationship as something more scandalous. She’s worried about what all these people will say about me dating her. I don’t think she cares what they’d say about her at all. It’s me and my reputation that she’s getting paranoid over. “I promise you there’s nothing to worry about.”