Stolen Desire (The Lust List: Kaidan Stone #3) (4 page)

Kaidan only calls twice to check on me the whole week, but I try to curb my disappointment by reminding myself how busy he is with work.

So I spend the week searching the internet for job opportunities in case Friday's modeling audition doesn't pan out, and I place half a dozen calls to my lawyer. But he's made no progress. Rowan gave me some time, but it’s running out.

On Friday, before my evening audition, I get dressed in a sexy low-cut shirt and jean skirt with knee-high boots. I carefully do my make-up, settling on a day look with a hint of smoky-eye. I don't look very professional, but that girl Jade said this was for a modeling job. I need to try to look hot, not like I want to get hired to work in a cubicle.

I call the number Charles gave me, and he picks me up in my parking garage so the paps parked outside won't see me leave. His stoic demeanor is kind of creepy, but I decide it's reassuring having him around. I hand him the paper with the address Jade gave me.

He takes a long look at the address, brows furrowed, but grunts and opens the door so I can slide into the backseat.

There's a box in the center of the seat, and a little bundle of flowers tied off with a ribbon. I can't help but smile as I pick them all up. I sniff the bouquet, wildflowers that smell like summer. Then I open the box. There's a note on top.

I hope you're feeling better.

Just got in. Can't wait to see you tonight.

~K

I'm grinning now as I lift out the velvet box beneath the note. My breath catches as I open it, revealing a gorgeous white gold infinity symbol bracelet. Small diamonds dot the symbol so it sparkles. It's delicate and gorgeous. Exactly the sort of jewelry I'd buy for myself. Or steal for myself, during another time in my life.

I try to ignore that thought, but as I put it on, a little twinge of guilt races through me. Here he is, buying me gifts, and how often have I considered stealing that diamond from him? Well… not from him, but his almost-step-mother.

I call his cell, but he doesn't answer, so I leave a message thanking him for the gift.

***

The drive takes a while, and I start to worry as we cut through a warehouse area. Why is this modeling gig out in the San Fernando Valley? Honestly, I know nothing about modeling, but shouldn't most of these things to be in LA?

We continue past the warehouses and, after a while, start going into the hills. The houses are getting bigger here, mini versions of all the mansions I'm used to. This comforts me, but not as much as I wish it did. Something's not right about this.

When we reach the address, I discover it's a Spanish-style house with a stucco roof and wide driveway. The driveway is packed full of cars, but not the sort I'd expect to see. These are low-end cars. Beaters. I thought the job paid well.

Charles parks and shoots me a veiled look that I try to ignore. I hold my head high and don't bother to explain that I'm here for a job interview. He doesn't need to know.

I head toward the front door, and Charles follows.

“You can wait outside,” I say.

“I've been instructed to accompany you into your destinations to ensure your safety.”

“No.”

“Mr. Stone requested it. Would you like to call him, ma'am?”

I let out a little growl. Guess I can't hide that I'm on an interview. Oh, well.

I straighten my shirt and top, clutch my purse tight, and march up to the door and knock.

Jade opens the door, and her heavily shadowed blue eyes light up. She looks just as gorgeous as the last time I saw her, and way more at home in this house than the crappy apartment where we met.

“Hayley!” she says. “Glad you could make it. We're just getting started.” She glances behind me, and her eyes widen when she sees Charles in his suit, then the Jag behind us. I still don't think she has a clue who I am. Good. This is less embarrassing that way. Sometimes I feel like the whole world is reading the tabloids, but thankfully, there are exceptions.

She opens the door and sweeps out an arm, welcoming us inside.

The entryway is Spanish tile, and a wooden staircase winds up to a second level. A bronze statue of a naked woman stands next to the door, and a full length mirror runs down one wall of the hallway. Questionable taste, but it's not my business.

Jade's heels clack against the tile as she leads me down the hall. She flashes me a smile. “You won't have to do much today. They just want to meet all the girls and see who has what it takes.”

“I didn't expect it to be… in a house.”

Jade gives me a sidelong look, but doesn't answer. We turn down another hallway, and it's lined with pictures of naked women.
Naked
. Women. Like legs spread, twats on display.

I swallow hard. Oh, shit. Ooooh shit. Charles clears his throat, and I consider running back out the front door. This modeling gig… it's not what I thought. I need to get out of here.

But it's too late. The hall opens into a huge living room. Floor to ceiling glass walls look out over a pool. A few girls sprawl on the deep-purple leather couches, and they're wearing far less clothing than I am.

Jade grabs my hand and leads me to one of the couches. I sink down onto it, mortified, my face flaming. I steal a glance at Charles. He does not look happy. My not-so-secret-spy will most definitely be reporting my activities.

Every girl in the room seems to be gaping at me, and my stomach sinks.
They
know
exactly
who I am.

A short guy wearing a thick gold chain and a suit comes out of another door and stands before us. “Welcome, ladies. We have room for just a few new girls on the roster, but I can tell we have a lot of talent here today. Are you prepared to convince me you have what it takes?”

He shoots a look at Charles, like he's annoyed he's here, but then he sweeps his gaze over the girls, assessing us. His eyes skim right over me and land on a busty girl to my right. “You first,” he says. “Let me see what you look like.”

The girl bounces to her feet, excited to be picked first, and with the confidence of a well-paid stripper, she peels her shirt off and wiggles out of her skirt.

I'm frozen in place, staring at her thong and the back of her toned ass, like an animal who knows damn well a car is coming, but is too freaked to get the fuck out of the way.

“The rest,” Gold Chain says.

And like that, the girl is naked in front of me, twirling around to show off her assets, her perky breasts bouncing a foot from my face.

I finally recover, sliding back into the couch.

The man claps. “Beautiful. I love that confidence.”

He leans to the side to look at me. I defiantly glare at him, but he's not paying attention to my face. His eyes trail my body, and I feel like he's leaving sleaze on me as he does it.

When his eyes reach mine, and he sees my glare, a little surprise flashes across his face, and a slow nasty smirk spreads there.

“Your turn. I wanna see you two together.”

I get up to leave, and the girl in front of me takes that as an invitation. She steps up to me and caresses my face, her tits pressing against my shirt. She pushes my tank top strap off my shoulder and leans in, trying to kiss me.

I shove her away. I know my face is cherry red. I glance at Jade, and she looks worried. The other girls are still gaping, and one of them whispers to the other.
Hayley Wade.

Gold Chain steps closer. “Undress. Show me you can do this.”

Charles is suddenly there, at my side, glaring at the guy.

“I'm clearly in the wrong place,” I say, holding a hand up.

The man's face darkens, and he shoots Jade a look. “I thought you properly screened these girls.”

She shoots me a pleading look. “I… I did.”

The man rolls his eyes. He makes to grab my arm, but Charles steps between us, blocking him.

“Baby girl, this job's worth thousands of dollars,” Gold Chain says smoothly, ignoring Charles's girth between us. “You've got the look, but if you want the job, you need to lose the muscle.”

Thousands of dollars. But this
isn't
just modeling. That's clear. This is something else. I gotta get out of here.

“I'm sorry. I changed my mind.” I turn heel and rush out of the room. I can sense Charles following, but by the time we reach the front door, Jade's caught up.

She looks really stressed out. “I'm sorry. I should have explained better… but you'd be perfect for—”

“What is this?” I hiss at her.

“I thought you understood. It's
modeling
.”

I cross my hands over my chest. “
Nude
modeling?”

“Yes. And you don't have to do anything you don't want to do.”

“What's that even mean? That girl tried to
kiss
me.”

She grabs my arm and smiles at me. “Sometimes we do video. Girl-on-girl only. It's really good money.” She looks friendly, and like she really thinks she's helping me. Wait till all the girls in there tell her who she invited to be a porn star.

I push Jade's hand off my arm. “No, thanks. I just… I don't think it's for me. No offense. I'm sorry. I hope that guy's not mad at you.”

She presses her lips together and gives me a small nod. It's obvious she's worried he
will
be mad at her. She opens the door for me reluctantly.

I step into the sunlight and head for the car without meeting Charles's eyes. “Please just take me home.”

That's when I see the familiar cars—the paps—half-hidden by the bushes. The snaps follow me as I rush to the car.

I slide into the back of the Jag, cheeks still hot, feeling like a fool.

Hayley Plays For Both Teams - Auditions for Lesbian Porn Behind Kaidan's Back! Kaidan Says KaiHay OVER!

I tried to get a job and almost signed up to be a porn star. Not an option, even if it would pay well. How could I be so stupid? I hang my head in my hands, too ashamed to even risk making eye contact with Charles. My eyes are burning, but fuck crying.

I'm so preoccupied with my racing thoughts, my embarrassment, my anxiety about what to do next, that I don't pay attention as we drive.

I don't realize Charles isn't taking me home until we pull through the Stone mansion gates.

My throat constricts, and my heart beats faster as we drive up to the front door, and I see Kaidan standing there. He's got on tight jeans and a blue button down shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His face is dark, arms crossed over his chest. Charles must have texted him. God. He looks sexy even when he's furious, but I'm scared more than anything. Scared of what he's thinking, what he'll say.

I lean forward and grab the headrest of the passenger seat.

“Why are we here?” I squeak out. “I asked you to take me home.”

“And Kaidan ordered me to bring you here,” Charles says. “He wanted to see you, ma'am.” He parks and gets out of the car.

I slide deeper into my seat, feeling as awful as I did when I got caught shoplifting.

Charles says something to Kaidan, and his handsome face hardens even more.

That's it. This is stupid. I didn't do anything wrong. What if I
did
want to do girl-on-girl porn? Kaidan doesn't have a right to dictate what I do or don't do.

I get out of the car clutching my purse tight and try not to slam the door behind me. Charles steps off to the side and folds his hands in front of him.

A gentle breeze lifts a blond strand and blows it across my face, and the sound of the fountain flowing behind us fills the tense silence. I can't even read Kaidan's expression.

“I asked Charles to take me home.”

“Do you have your keys?”

What the hell? Confused, I open my purse and dig my keys out and dangle them in front of him. “Yes…?”

Kaidan uncrosses his arms to pluck the keys from my grasp and drops them into Charles's waiting palm. “Anything you want in particular from your house? You'll be staying here for a while.”

After I finish picking my jaw off the brick drive, I let out a strangled laugh. “Excuse me?”

“Nothing in particular? Okay.” Kaidan gestures to Charles.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Give me my keys back.”

Charles hesitates. “Anything you need, ma'am?”

The thought of him rifling through my stuff pisses me the hell off. “No. I don't want
anything
. I'm going home. Now give me my keys.”

Kaidan gives Charles a brief nod, and Charles hands me back my keys. I grip them so tightly, they cut into my palm.

Kaidan says something low in Charles's ear, and Charles gets into the Jag and drives off.

My muscles are so tense, I'm shaking. “What the fuck, Kaidan?”

“I heard about your little adventure,” he says tightly. “Care to explain?”

“No. Because it's none of your damn business.”

“It's none of my business that my girlfriend just auditioned for a porn job?” His voice rises as he says it, and a little vein pops out on his forehead.

The word girlfriend makes my stomach flutter for just a second, but he's ugly this way. I hate it. “And what if I did? What if I wanted to do porn?”

Kaidan's face twists in hurt confusion. “Why? Why would you?”

I sigh and drop my keys back into my purse. “I didn't, okay? This girl invited me to what she
said
was a modeling job. I told you my inheritance was held up. I thought this would be a fun solution.”