Page 25 of Tangled Roses
“There isn’t much to say. I was fired the other day and then, well, bumped into Arman and he offered me a job.”
“What job?” Carly says with interest.
I say impulsively, “His, um, assistant. I mean nothing, um, sexual. Just to help him out, and I never really expected to be here tonight.”
The girls laugh.
“Wow, you must be wondering what the hell is going on.” Carly says with wide eyes.
“You could say that.”
Jane sighs. “We should be heading back.”
“Let them wait a little longer.” Carly’s eyes flash.
“You know, Tony is such a creep. There is something about him that makes my skin crawl and I can’t place it.”
“Ed’s a sweetie.” Jane smiles. “I mean, a depraved sweetie of course, but it could be worse. I could have got that letch Joel.”
“There’s still time.”
“What do you mean?”
I stare at Carly in surprise and she groans. “These men like to swap. I’ve had every man in the room, on occasions in the same room, and something is telling me that’s a possibility tonight.”
“No way.”
My mouth drops open and Jane nods. “I get that impression too.”
She fixes me with a sympathetic smile. “Your, um, date, is new. The men like to make a point. Call it a test if you like. The fact there’s only five of them means they will want to play hard. Test his loyalty even and you are in deep trouble, girl.”
“Me?”
They nod and Carly says with a warning, “I saw the way they looked at you. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself in a situation you can’t control. You should really plan for that.”
“They can fuck off if they think I’m letting any one of them near me tonight.”
“Good luck with that.” Jane says with a wry smile. “I’ve seen women refuse, and it gets them nowhere, if you hear what I’m saying.”
I do. Loud and clear and now I feel sick.
Fuck! What the hell has Arman got me into?
CHAPTER 14
ARMAN
As soon as the women leave, Tony and Ed waste no time in talking business and I get the impression they are keen to carry on the arrangement they had with my father. It makes me feel a lot better and as business is my oxygen, I am happy to speak about it all night. They make no secret of the fact it depends on my loyalty and as Tony moves away to talk to Michael, Ed leans in and whispers, “Word of warning, Arman. They are setting you up tonight.”
“Excuse me.”
He turns so his back is to the other men and says with a grave expression, “Your father was an honorable man who did everything for the benefit of this club. He was allowed certain privileges because of his involvement in setting it up and I doubt they extend to you.”
“Privileges.”
Ed nods. “We are expected to leave our morality at the door to prove we are one of them. That is the reason for these quarterly gatherings. We bond over depravity and your father was the only man with a hall pass.”
“Why?”