Beautiful Strangers (The Masquerade Series) Read online

  Looks like a typical Saturday night crowd, probably lawyers and rich college guys. After doing a couple of private dances, I worked the floor mingling and getting guys to buy me drinks.

  Once again I am approached by Mr. dull green eyes the creepy shoulder licker. Then he slips me a card and whispers, “my friend asked me to give this to the lady with wings.” He walks away.

  That was weird, hmm... Never mind he is referring to my angel wings tattoo. I tucked the card into my bra. If Ritchie saw he would be pissed. House rule number one; do not exchange anything with a customer.

  Except maybe saliva!

  But I kept that thought to myself.

  I’m scanning the room for that messy black hair and those electric blues, but no luck.

  Oh shit!

  Ritchie was approaching me and he didn’t look happy, his mouth is set in a hard line. He saw me take the card I just know it.

  “Grace I need to speak with you in my office.” He demands in a firm tone.

  Great! Here it comes; he is going to fire me. I sit down in one of the chairs facing his desk mentally preparing myself to fight for my job but his tone shifts.

  “Grace you are one of my best girls, and I know you are usually off on Sundays but I have something special planned,” he states calmly.

  I let out the breath I was holding and I wait for him to continue.

  “I have a photo shoot lined up for you. I have everything set up and you will be paid extra. I need to get some promotional ads for our big Halloween Bash. Be here tomorrow around one.”

  “Thanks for selecting me,” I all but gushed at him.

  I escape Jocelyn and duck into the bathroom. I don’t want her feelings to be hurt that I was picked to be in the promos. I find myself crushing another hit of speed. Wouldn’t you know I need something to cut my lines!

  Shit! Shit! Shit!

  Then I feel the card from earlier poking my nipple. The card! It will have to do. I pull out the white card and it is blank. Flipping it over, I see a message. It reads, “thank you for an excellent time, give me a call anytime you want to grind,” with a phone number. Guess I made an impression on blue eyes.

  Finally home and I am still too keyed up. My apartment is small but nice enough. I live in a decent building in Hermitage. It isn’t Brentwood but it is within my budget.

  I really didn’t want to take another Xanax and risk feeling like shit all day especially since I’d be working. I was prescribed them for the anxiety I developed after my father passed away, but I rarely take them.

  After several boring flips through the TV and a few minutes on the internet, and an internal debate to call or not to call. I gave in and called.

  Blue eyes….

  After four rings, I was about to hang-up when I heard a deep rugged voice answer. “Hello.” His voice sent chills through my whole body. I couldn’t find my voice. What is this stranger doing to me?

  “Um hi, I got your message.”

  He chuckled, “ready to grind so soon?”

  “No. I don’t usually call strangers I meet on the job. And you did leave me hanging last night,” I pouted.

  “Did you call to tease me then?” he whispered.

  “Maybe I did.” I let out a gasp. “I’m not sure why I called to be honest,” I admitted. “What’s your name?”

  “Why don’t we start with your name instead and then you can tell me what I should have done differently, since you say I left you hanging,” he playfully suggests.

  “My name is Grace but my friends call me Gracie,” I answer trying to keep my cool.

  “So Gracie what should I have done differently last night?”

  “You should have punished me,” I whispered.

  “If I had you here with me now, I would take you over my knee,” he said full of promise.

  “And your name is?”

  “Tonight isn’t about me. And I did love the way your legs looked in those green heels tonight.”

  “I knew you were there,” I accused.

  He laughed, “I saw you looking for me but I had to go, or trust me I would have approached you myself. I wanted to make sure you got my card though.”

  I talked to my stranger for at least thirty minutes. I believe that is the longest I’ve talked with anyone on the phone since I was in junior high and I still hadn’t managed to even get his name. He all but promised me I would hear from him soon and that was that.

  The photo shoot was a blast! They made me up like a fairy. And of course I had to wear the clubs signature mask. Ritchie had even hired a hot male model to pose with me. He had to wear the signature black mask the customers are required to wear as well.

  It was all very fast paced and Ritchie let me know not to be surprised when I saw the billboards showing up all over the city. He was going all out for this bash it seemed.

  “Before you go Grace, Stacey mentioned something about letting you dress the girls for Halloween. How would you feel about working with Reggie on that?” Ritchie asked.

  “That would be great.” I almost hugged him, but Ritchie was not the kind of man you hugged ever. He is my boss after all. Besides he is really scary in a Tony Soprano sense.

  The rest of my week was pretty good, other than awakening to nose bleeds and having a constant nasal drip. I know I need to quit snorting so much speed but who wants to have the shakes, the runs, the chills and the shits. Not this girl!

  I had some flirty text and really intense phone sex with my sexy, masked, no name man. But Evan on the other hand was becoming a real pest. Texting and calling non- stop! Ugh, if I didn’t need him for my supply, I would have cut him out a long time ago.

  Evan: Grace we need to talk. I need to see you, you can’t hide out forever.

  Get a fucking clue, ass hat. I will not be toyed with by you ever again, now it’s my turn. He was right about one thing though. I would have to see him eventually, by the looks of my dwindling supply. I’d be out in a few more days.

  On a positive note, Reggie called me about our budget for the Halloween costumes. Reggie is our stage manager, make- up artist/house mom of sorts. She also happens to be Ritchie’s sister, so to say that I don’t trust her with anything personal is an understatement. We agreed we would get started after the weekend.

  Then I had another call from Ritchie with some really awesome news. Jaxson Hayes’s manager called they wanted to rent the club for his next music video, they want to hire me exclusively to star in it. They were really impressed with the advertising posted throughout the city. And they may have also mentioned that Mr. Hayes really enjoyed the clubs atmosphere. All he needed was a yes from me and Ritchie would have the contract waiting next time I returned for work.

  Let the good times roll….

  Things were looking up and I had some cherry Garcia and an Alfred Hitchcock marathon waiting for me. My plans were shot all to hell when a distraught Jocelyn showed up on my doorstep.

  “That son of a bitch,” she sobs throwing herself down on my sofa. “He promised he would leave her and that he was ready to give her the house and move in with me. I sat there waiting for him for over five hours and he never showed,” she cried.

  “Jocelyn, I’m sorry I didn’t know you were so serious with him.” Him meaning Robert Drake, silver haired devil number three. Jocelyn seems to mostly attract older married men.

  “I don’t want to say this to upset you, but most of them never do leave their wives. My asshole of a father never left. He paid his mistress off, to just go away,” I sadly told her.

  I would have never found out about her if I hadn’t been told by his lawyer when he died. And I would have never found out that Evan was using me to get back at my father for breaking his mothers heart but I kept that to myself, no need in dragging Jocelyn into my fucked up world.

  Evan wasn’t my brother or anything that would be down right sick, but he sought me out and got me in this shit of an addiction just to hurt my dad.

  That fucker!

 
“Have you tried calling, maybe something came up?”

  “Yeah and his bitch of a wife told me to stop calling or they would file harassment charges. What am I going to do?” she cries.

  “I tell you what we are going to do. Either you are going to sit here feeling sorry for yourself enjoying my cherry Garcia or we are going to get dressed and go to Pandemonium and find you a hot piece of man!” I smack my hands on my hips.

  She looks up with her sparkly green eyes wiping away her tears. She grins at me and giggles, “I vote for a man.”

  “Ha! That’s my girl. Let’s take a cab so we can get fucked up Jojo cat,” I cheered. Jojo cat is the nickname I gave her when we first met our freshmen year of college.

  I loaned Jocelyn some slut gear and freshened her face. Hell I even did her hair, look at me being all nice and shit, I thought. I did an extra hit of speed before we left.

  “Damn, Jojo, we look hot!” I told her as we stepped out of the cab.

  Chapter Three

  Behind the mask!

  Pandemonium was an old warehouse converted into a dance club, they had the biggest dance floor in the city and it was packed tonight. I live for nights like this when we can cut loose from everything and everyone. We make our way to the bar to get some drinks. We shouldn’t have to wait long, my girls are pushed up and getting every guy in the places full attention.

  I wore a black bustier with a hint of peek a boo lace lining my cleavage, paired with my favorite denim mini, and favorite black Jimmy’s. I had my hair pulled into a high pony tail showing off my black angel wings tattoo on my back. All of my tattoos were gifts from Evan. I have seven of them total.

  “What are you fine ladies drinking tonight?” asked the bartender.

  “We’ll have four Lemon Drop shots and two Budweiser’s.”

  “Not wasting any time are we ladies?” The bartender laughed.

  “Nope, not even a little bit,” I said as we downed our shots and pounded each one down on the bar.

  I felt my phone vibrating in my back pocket. I have a text from blue eyes asking to see me. I texted him the address to the club and told him to find me on the dance floor. I was ready to meet the man behind the mask. I am feeling on edge. Grabbing our beers we make our way to the dance floor.

  Jojo cat was definitely feeling better. She finds a random college guy. I spot her making out with him in a booth in the corner. I, on the other hand, was content dancing by myself, when I was interrupted being grinded from behind. I felt the heat within me rise. When I went to glance over my shoulder, to see who my new partner was I was pleasantly surprised to hear a familiar rugged voice whisper “Hello Gracie” in my ear. Sending shivers down my spine.

  Even with barely there lights and the ball cap pulled down covering his eyes I knew it was him. And damn could he dance. He looks so good in regular clothes and not dressed in some business suit. He was wearing a white v-neck tee and a pair of faded jeans, and brown boots.

  I want more than anything to jerk that cap off his head and run my fingers through his hair and get a good look at his face. He still hasn’t told me his name, even though I asked twice. We joined Jocelyn and her young thing at their booth.

  “Hey girl this is Bradley. We are going to head to my place. Will you be alright to get home?” she asked, eyeing my company.

  Yea I will be more than fine if I could take my nameless guy home with me.

  “Yea I’m good. You better call me tomorrow though,” I told her as she hugged me bye. Well Jojo cat strikes again, I chuckled to myself after she was gone.

  “So are you going to tell me your name, or am I going to have to refer to you as hey you forever?” I asked him.

  His jaw tensed as he answered, “How about we get out of here first then I will tell you.”

  “Um okay, you better not be a murderer or serial rapist. But the feeling I have in my gut tells me your not, so let’s go,” I told him teasingly.

  When he took me by my hand I felt a spark. I could swear he just shocked me. Out in the parking lot he pointed to a black’57 Chevy. This guy keeps getting more interesting.

  “So,” I asked casually, “your place or mine?”

  “I figured you’d be more comfortable at your place.” He said squeezing my hand.

  “Sure I live at Pine Meadow Apartments in Hermitage, you familiar with them?”

  “I know the area.”

  I started to wonder if I was making a mistake. This guy won’t even tell me his name and I don’t know jack shit about him, I think to myself leaning my head against the passenger window. It’s not the first time I took home a strange man, but he wasn’t exactly a stranger was he? But the way he keeps hiding his face with his ball cap has me wondering what he is trying to hide from.

  “You okay over there?” he asked.

  “Oh yea I just hope Jojo is okay,” I waved my hand in a not so important air.

  “Jojo cat seemed more than good to me,” he laughed. I gave him a few directions to my complex and got out to put in the security code at the door while he parked his truck. In case he turned out to be a weirdo, I didn’t want him knowing my pass code.

  I invited him in turning on my living room lamp. When I turned back around he had taken the cap off and I truly got my first full look at his face. Holy Shit! Jaxson Hayes was standing in my living room. I tried not to look dumbfounded while trying my damnedest to play it cool.

  “So guess I know why you were reluctant to tell me your name or remove the mask.” I take a deep breath and continue studying him. Is this for real? Somebody better pinch me, I must be dreaming here.

  My inner kitten is shouting, hell yeah! But the rest of me is as anxious as a virgin on prom night.

  “Well when most girls find out who I am they immediately want everyone to know they are with me, so I try to fly under the radar when I go out. The paparazzi are always hot on my ass looking for their next big story. And I didn’t want to lie to you,” he explains.

  “I can appreciate that,” I said taking a seat on the couch.

  “This is kind of awkward now,” he laughed.

  “It doesn’t have to be,” I said patting the spot beside me on the couch.

  We sat in silence for a few minutes and he finally started to talk. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t normally do this,” and he gestures to me.

  I asked, “What, you don’t normally pick up women and take them home?”

  “No, I don’t really trust many people. Everyone seems to just want a piece of me. Plus you are about to sign a contract to star in my video,” he answers looking tense.

  “Well I don’t want anything from you but thanks for picking me. It sounds like it will be fun,” I sighed.

  Sex on a stick….

  This is not what I was expecting. What happened to the teasing control freak? He took my hand and began rubbing the back of my palm, making circles with his thumb.

  “You have really taken me by surprise Gracie. You wanted me before you even knew who I really was, and that’s not happened to me ever, and it’s damned sexy.”

  “I have never been so attracted to a stranger,” I admit. Why am I breathing so hard, and why am I so nervous I ask myself. “Because this man is sex on a stick,” I belt out before I can stop myself.

  “Did you just call me sex on a stick?” he asked trying not to burst out laughing.

  Oh hell, my cheeks are burning with embarrassment. I can't believe I said that aloud. I shifted a little so that I was facing him and caught him staring at my thigh were my skirt had risen almost exposing that I wasn’t wearing any panties.

  He bit his lip and I playfully asked, “See something you like stud?”

  Without warning he thrust me back on the couch hovering over me crushing his mouth into mine. I swear when he kissed me fireworks exploded in my core which was now becoming very moist and swollen. He pulled his mouth back from mine and I greedily followed not wanting him to stop.

  “I’m sorry but I find myself wantin
g to rip your clothes off and fuck you right here,” he moans.

  “Don’t apologize and definitely do not stop,” I growl like a lioness ready to devour her kill.

  He grabbed me up in his arms and dashed to my bedroom. I inhaled his scent and buried my hands in his hair as he laid me on the bed and began to undress me. When he saw I wasn’t wearing any panties a primal growl escaped his throat.

  Jaxson took his time undoing my bustier nibbling and suckling on each breast as they popped out of my top. I pulled his shirt over his head, his gaze never leaving mine.

  “Gracie you are beautiful,” he said as I tugged on his jeans. My core was hot and aching to have him inside me. He stood to remove his jeans and apparently he hated underwear as much as I hated panties his erection sprang and I licked my lips, he looked delectable.

  He pulled me to the edge of the bed and knelt on the floor as he spread my legs apart and began strategically kissing up each of my thighs. He was pushing me over the edge already and we barley had gotten started.

  He kissed his way up to my stomach and on up to my mouth again. He began pinching my plush pink nipples and I arched my back raising up to meet his hard member teasing my wet core. He slid into me like our bodies were meant to be joined and began slowly circling his hips thrusting in and out of me. Fast then slow, he repeated the motions; sending my body into sensory overload.

  Finally I couldn’t take it any longer; I needed my release and begged him to fuck me harder and faster. And he did just that, flipping me onto my stomach. I stuck my ass up as he entered me from behind and fucked me blind. I was seeing stars or maybe it was spots but damn he felt good. He soon found his release filling me completely.

  I could have passed out then but I needed a shower. Jaxson joins me for my shower. Even though it’s small we fit inside okay. How sweet, he even helps me wash my hair, and he towels every inch of me dry. I am hardly functioning at this point all my speed has worn off and I am about to crash hard.