Page 20 of Tangled Roses
“Okay.” I play with the hem of my dress, suddenly nervous about what will happen tonight.
“The party we are attending isn’t typical. It involves powerful men who pay for an escort for the evening because of what’s expected of them.”
“I’m not doing anything shady or indecent.”
I say angrily and he growls, “Play your part and you won’t have to.”
It reassures me a little and I take a deep breath. “So, what am I here for?”
“To be my plus one. My escort for the evening.”
“But I’m not expected to do anything else.”
I cringe as I ask because this is mortifying, and he shifts the gears and sighs. “My father attended these parties four times a year with the same woman for a reason.”
“Why?” now I’m curious and from the tone of his voice, something is upsetting him about that.
“He had a mistress. The woman who accompanied him to these things. At first we thought it was just business, but my brother discovered he was in love with her.”
He sounds so upset I feel sorry for him and I surprise myself when I reach out and place my hand on his leg and say sincerely, “I’m sorry, Arman. That must hurt.”
For a second, he says nothing and then surprises me by placing his hand over mine and squeezing it softly.
“Thank you.”
I turn my hand and clasp our fingers together and whisper, “So, tell me about the party.”
“I am required to form an alliance with the men there. Our business is failing because they have withdrawn their support and my contact believes if they trust me as one of them, they will invest again.”
“I see.”
Now I’m getting the idea. “You scratch my back kind of thing.”
“Yes.”
He squeezes my fingers, and it’s kind of nice. In fact, this is nice. Being alone with him while he opens up a little and so I say with encouragement. “Then what?”
“We mix with them, laugh at their jokes, promise them the world and play the game.”
“That’s all.” I ask innocently, and his voice deepens as he hisses.
“I haven’t told you what the game is.”
The air changes in the car and wraps me in trepidation and he growls, “When the business is concluded, the men like to party with their companions. The house we are going to has many bedrooms and they will be occupied by the people there tonight.”
“Excuse me.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing and he says roughly, “It is expected and if you are asked, you share.”
“Wait what?”
I snatch my hand away and yell, “No way! No fucking way! I’m sorry, Arman, but this is a step too far. I will not, and I repeat not be a part of this, so stop the car and I’ll take the fucking bullet because if you think for one minute I’m letting any of those creeps, and I include you in that, touch me, you are definitely mistaken. Fucking weirdo and for your information, before you have a go at me for swearing, I never pretended to be a lady, so shove your rules and your weird fucking shit right up your tight ass.”
CHAPTER 12
ARMAN
Gabrielle has shocked me, and that is very hard to do. It’s not the way she’s swearing like a trucker, either. It’s the panic in her voice and the chaos surrounding her. She is afraid and her words are her weapons of defense. It could be that, or it could be because I have never been spoken to like this before. I get what I want and people listen. They do what I ask, even if they don’t want to.