What's Your Price? Read online

  Gabe was the first guy she’d slept with since she was eighteen years old. She pushed some hair off her face and didn’t even try to think of that tiny little detail. Any single element of her foster life, she didn’t allow herself to think about, to dwell. It was all in the past, and she finally had her future ahead of her.

  “Hello, pretty lady,” Gabe said, coming to stand directly behind her.

  She’d recognize his voice anywhere, and with how he stood, pressed directly behind her, she couldn’t help but close her eyes for the merest second to bask in his presence. The tips of his fingers traced across her arms, and goosebumps erupted all over her flesh. For the tiniest hint of a second, she allowed herself the luxury to close her eyes and enjoy the attention, his touch. It set her on fire in all the best ways.

  Then, reality sank in.

  She spun around. “I’m working.”

  “And I’m enjoying one of my many nightclubs.”

  She put a hand to his chest, and he smirked. “Dance with me.”

  “I’ve got a table to wait on.”

  “Order up,” Mike said, choosing the most inconvenient time to interfere.

  “I’m waiting,” Gabe said.

  She grabbed the serving tray, ignoring the shake of her hands, and made her way across to the table. With a smile firmly in place, she served them up. Returning to the bar, she only had time to put the tray on the counter before Gabe grabbed her arm and led her onto the dance floor.

  This was one place she never partied. In fact, she never went out. She saved her money, using only a small amount to buy some treats for herself, mostly lingerie.

  “You’re not the boss of me,” she said.

  The music was fast, but Gabe pulled her into his arms. His hands landing on her ass, he held her close. His lips brushed across her ear. “That’s where you’re wrong, baby, but I can wait.”

  She gripped his shirt. “This is my workplace.”

  “This is my bar. Dance with me.”

  The music suddenly turned to a slow number, and couples all began to hold one another.

  “What are you’re doing?” she asked.

  “You’re not impressed?”

  “It’s going to take a lot more than slow music to impress me.”

  “You know, Laura, you’re turning out to be quite a challenge. You don’t accept gifts. You don’t like losing your work and that is the only time I get a reaction out of you. I can support you.”

  She laughed, stroking the hairs at the back of his neck. “I wonder how many women have fallen for that. Sure, you’ll support me. For a year, maybe two. If I’m lucky, maybe even ten, until my much younger replacement takes over.”

  Gabe leaned forward. “I’m the one with the reputation for being an asshole. For being deadly, and yet, I’d say you’re overtaking me in being a cynic.”

  “I know what the world is like, Gabe. There’s no getting away from that, even if people try.” She shrugged. “I’m not hiding. I know.”

  “And what exactly do you know?” he asked.

  “You think I haven’t seen up close men with wives? Men who claim to love their woman for all eternity, then turn at the sight of fresh pussy? How they negotiate to get into it for the smallest crumb of food, perhaps?”

  He tensed beneath her hands. “This happened to you.”

  She froze in his arms. She’d said too much. Flicking her hair over her shoulder, she pressed her body against his. “Thank you for the dance, but I need to get back to work.”

  Laura made to pull away, but he tugged her close. His hand gripping the back of her neck, he took possession of her mouth. She should fight him, tell him to stop, but instead, she melted against him for several seconds before she finally pulled away from him.

  Without a backward look, she went to her section of the nightclub and made the rounds, gathering orders. She ignored the quiver in her hands and focused on what was important, keeping her job.

  Gabe didn’t leave all night. He sat at a table, watching her. Every now and then, waitresses would go to his table. Some would flirt, and she didn’t like the rush of possession that flooded her at seeing them.

  Get your head back in the game.

  The game she played was well and truly fucked at the moment.

  By the end of the night, she finished cleaning up the bar along with the barman and waitresses. She grabbed her jacket and bag, and left out the back, intent on not encountering him.

  Only, Gabe had other ideas. He captured her hands and pressed her against the wall.

  She tilted her head back. “You caught me.”

  “And you keep sneaking off.”

  “It doesn’t matter now. The question is, Gabe, what are you going to do to me?” He had her hands locked on either side of her head. Completely at his mercy.

  He took her lips in a searing kiss. She’d never been kissed like this before, and his lips on hers was everything. She couldn’t begin to explain it.

  Within seconds, he had her skirt up to her waist, her panties out of the way. She was able to get more sense as she ordered him to use a condom, which he did. Gabe, it would seem, always came prepared.

  He pressed his cock to her entrance. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she began to fuck her. His hands cupping her ass, he held her up as he took her, driving in deep.

  She moaned his name, feeling an answering spiral of heat swirling inside her. She couldn’t get enough of him, and with the way he took her, neither could he.

  He kissed her neck, his tongue dancing across her pulse. He nipped at the tender flesh and she melted against him, crying out at the instant hit of pleasure.

  “Touch yourself,” he said.

  “No, you come.”

  “Touch your fucking pussy,” he said, growling the words against her neck.

  She reached between her thighs and even though there wasn’t much space, she found her clit and began to stroke.

  “That’s it. My good girl.”

  She groaned. Teasing her clit, she sank her teeth into her lip, trying to contain the noise, but it was no use. The pleasure was intense, and with his cock deep inside her, she came.

  “That’s right.” He thrust inside her, going deeper, pounding into her, and she moaned his name, hungry for more. Gabe gave it to her. Against the wall of his nightclub, he took her harder, and even as she wanted to hate it, she loved it. Each thrust and grind of his pelvis sent an answering hit of need throughout her own.

  When he tensed up, she groaned, wanting more.

  He came, pulsing into the condom as he did.

  They were panting for breath and reality set in. She needed to get home. The moment Gabe pulled out of her, she kissed his cheek and made her escape, shoving her skirt down to her knees as she left.

  ****

  “No charges have ever been brought against him. Rumors have surfaced, but like so many things, they disappeared,” Felipe said.

  Gabe tapped his fingers on the file spread out in front of him.

  A Mr. Pinal stared back at him. A man with an innocent smile, surrounded by his children and wife. Known for taking in foster girls. On rare occasions, foster boys. The girls didn’t stay for long, apart from Laura, who stayed for eighteen months. At first, she ran away.

  With what she said to him last night, he knew there was more to this story.

  “Thank you, Felipe.”

  His guard nodded his head and turned to leave.

  Gabe had nothing to go on. He picked up the file on the man with Laura’s words ringing in his ears. Another picture of her fell out of the file. She was a pretty girl, no denying it. Slightly mousy features a teenager would have. Her body had already developed. The shape of her could easily draw every single male’s attention, and he had a feeling the man in that photograph was the result of her cynicism.

  Slapping the file closed, he got to his feet as another knock happened at the door.

  “Come in,” he said.

  “Sir, Anya is outside, waiting
.”

  He blew out a breath. Anya was an ex-lover who had enjoyed spending his money for as long as he enjoyed being between her thighs. She hadn’t been anything special. Easy. She’d whined all the time, and he’d found her utterly droll. Many times, she’d brought up the subject of marriage.

  “Get rid of her,” he said.

  Felipe nodded. The man knew how to do his job.

  He had a date somewhere else. He left his office and made his way down to the car.

  “I just want to see him. It’s really important,” Anya said.

  “You need to leave,” Felipe said. “You were aware of your time with him being over.”

  “He loved me.”

  “No, I didn’t,” Gabe said, stepping toward Felipe, who had his hands on the woman, trying to restrain her.

  “Please, Gabe. I need you. I’ll do whatever you want.”

  He saw the look in her eyes. The dilated pupils. He’d suspected she was using, and now he was completely convinced. At the time, he’d offered her a full-expense-paid rehabilitation. Drugs were always supplied, and he had a portion of the pie. He’d never given them to Anya, nor had he ever taken them himself. The world, when it came to drugs, was a messy one. He didn’t like it, but he also knew the market.

  “Listen to me closely,” he said, stepping toward her. “You will leave. If you come here again, I will have no choice but to call the cops and have you arrested.”

  She burst out laughing. “Go ahead. I’ll tell the cops everything. I know a lot about you, Gabe.”

  He wrapped his fingers around her neck. “If you know so much about me, why are you standing in front of me, threatening me?” He squeezed even tighter. This woman sickened him.

  As far as he was concerned, he was through with her.

  Throwing her away, he turned to Felipe. “Handle it.”

  He turned on his heel and climbed into his car. Two of his guards climbed into another and proceeded to follow him. He drove toward the diner. It just so happened, this was one place he didn’t actually own.

  Stepping out of his car, he made his way into the diner and found her already serving.

  Families and couples were spread out while the singletons sat at the bar. The scent of greasy food filled the air as soft music played. Children’s laughter with the occasional squeal filled the air. All of it screamed it was the wrong place for him, and yet, he took a seat, watching as Laura helped with a young family.

  He saw a woman on her own with four kids. Laura helped put the baby into a high chair.

  Seeing her holding a young child did something to Gabe. He’d never considered kids. The world he lived in didn’t exactly allow for love or a family, but the sight before him couldn’t go unnoticed. She looked natural.

  With the baby in the chair, next, she helped the little girl to sit. The woman thanked her repeatedly. Once everyone was sat down, Laura took out her notepad. The woman reached out, touching Laura’s arm and pointing at the door.

  In a matter of seconds, Laura turned toward him. She pocketed her notepad and pen. Nothing in her stance gave away the fact she’d caught sight of him.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “I came to see you. Rough night?” He pointed toward the table.

  Her gaze followed his finger and she shook her head.

  “No. Her husband is supposed to be joining them. The man just got a brand-new job and they recently moved to the city, but the kids are having a hard time adjusting. This place makes them feel like home.”

  “You got all that?” he asked.

  “Yes, and I help her often. Her name’s Cynthia. She and Frank are a lovely couple. They’ve just fallen on bad times.”

  “But you don’t believe in love.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Cynthia and Frank are one of a kind. You’ll see.”

  He watched as she poured a cup of coffee and three milkshakes. She’d also brought over a baby’s bottle, which she warmed in the microwave. She tested the temperature on the inside of her arm.

  She carried the drinks over on a tray, and he noticed she also took over some coloring sheets with crayons. With the table settled, she returned to him. “What can I get you?” she asked.

  “I’ll take a coffee for now.”

  “Just a coffee?”

  “It’s all I need.”

  She pushed some hair off her face and served him a drink. He took a sip and was surprised to find it delicious.

  “You’re a snob,” she said.

  “I am not.”

  “Oh, please, after that fancy restaurant you took me to? You expect everything here to be bad because it doesn’t have your high-class clientele. Let me tell you something, this place is awesome.” She rounded the counter and put a hand on his arm as she went to serve other customers.

  As she came back, a man who he assumed was Frank entered. The man walked right up to his family with a smile on his face.

  Gabe watched Laura. She seemed happy, and she excused herself to go and serve some coffee. The moment she got to the table, he saw the smile on her face. It was genuine. She hugged Frank and then Cynthia. She poured the man a drink, and Gabe watched him. Frank stared into his wife’s eyes. He didn’t try to feel up the waitress. The only time he turned away was to check on the baby.

  With their orders in place, Laura returned.

  “You like them,” he said.

  “They’re good people. Frank’s finally been given a salary and the means to stay. They can move from their cramped apartment to a house. They start looking tomorrow. It’s good news.”

  “A happily ever after,” he said, agreeing.

  “Don’t mock me.”

  “I’m not mocking, but it is kind of a fairytale.”

  “And I can believe in those.”

  “But you don’t believe in them?”

  She glanced over at the table. “I think in life, there are exceptions to the rule. They’re the ones I know of.” She shrugged. “Not all men who appear to be the family kind are nice.”

  There she went, giving him clues.

  She pushed some hair off her face. “Can I get you anything or will your snobbish tongue hate everything here?”

  He pursed his lips. “Get me what you think is the best thing on the menu.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Positive.”

  “You’re going to become addicted.”

  While ever she worked there, he had a feeling he’d be just as addicted. Ten minutes later, she brought him out a three-tower burger with a platter full of fries, dripping in some kind of spicy cheese sauce.

  “You’re going to love it. Trust me.” She put her hand on his arm before stepping away. He was becoming highly addicted to her touches.

  Each time she made her way over to Cynthia and Frank, he got to see another side of her. A side he imagined was there before she was sixteen. She was happy, sweet, and kind. Someone had taken that away from her. He had a feeling he knew who it was and even why the man had done it.

  All he wanted to do was break down the walls she’d built. What had started out as sex was long gone now. All he wanted to do was take care of her, to put a smile back on her lips, and to have her turn to him with happiness shining back at him.

  He’d get it too.

  Gabe always got what he wanted.

  Chapter Four

  “You surprise me, Gabe Moore,” Laura said.

  “And why is that?”

  “You ate the entire plate of food, and the diner doesn’t do small portions. Charlotte loves to feed people proper food. She’s known for it.”

  “My stomach agrees.”

  Laura chuckled and held on to his arm. “So, do you want to tell me why you decided to seek me out at my place of work for a second time in a row?” She came to a stop, leaning on a wall that overlooked a city park. Lights were aglow throughout, showing off couples. “Were you hoping for a repeat?”

  “I was hoping to see you.”

  “
And you saw me,” she said, stepping up close to him. “Tell me, why do you keep coming back for more?”

  “Maybe you’re like a drug.”

  She giggled. “You’re addicted?”

  “Maybe.”

  Laura put her hand on his chest. The truth was, after seeing Frank and Cynthia, she felt happy. The couple had been going to the diner for the last eight months. The first day Cynthia entered, the woman couldn’t even pay for a cup of coffee. Laura had helped, even though she’d promised herself she’d never help anyone. The woman had looked close to tears. On her own paycheck, she bought the woman and her kids drinks and food. Frank, when he arrived, had been in a state of panic and had tried to pay her back. She refused.

  Since that day, the couple had visited her regularly, and she’d seen them get back on their feet.

  She thought about what Gabe had tried to do, taking her jobs and offering her gifts. With her hand on his chest, she tilted her head back.

  “Please don’t do anything to Frank and Cynthia,” she said.

  “You think I’m that cold?”

  “I think you’re used to getting what you want.” She nibbled on her lip, hating how nervous she was. Also, she was pissed off with how vulnerable she’d left herself.

  Gabe cupped her cheek. “That couple is safe from me. I got what I wanted.”

  “What exactly do you want?” she asked.

  “You.”

  “But you don’t have me.”

  He ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “Laura, you know who I am. The kind of man I am. You belong to me, and if you even think to test me, I will warn you. Frank and Cynthia are safe, but if you try to see anyone else, I will kill any bastard who thinks they can touch you.”

  “I could run to the cops. Tell them everything I know about you.”

  “You don’t know a whole lot, and you don’t trust the cops.”

  “You think you know me?”

  Then he said his name.

  Laura tensed up and tried to pull away, but Gabe moved a lot faster, caging her in against his hard body and the gate.

  “Don’t do that. Don’t pull away.”

  “I’ve got to go home.”