Free Just For You, Sir (Doms of Decadence) by Laylah Roberts Page B

much as you do, honey. Now, you come back and let me know that you’re doing okay. Promise.”
    Tears filled her eyes at the older woman’s kindness. “I promise.”
     
    ***
     
    Derrick climbed in to the backseat of his town car after greeting Robert. Exhaustion washed over him. He’d been away five days, but it felt like a month. He was growing old. He hadn’t slept well, either, which didn’t help. He’d told himself it was because of the unknown surroundings, however he was a seasoned traveller and had never once been homesick.
    No, the real reason he’d had trouble sleeping was because he’d been plagued with dreams about Jacey. Her touch, her smell, the little noises she made when she came. He had barely managed to push her out of his mind in order to get some work done, but during the evenings she snuck into his head, tormenting him.
    He should have gotten her phone number. He’d spent endless hours wondering if she was okay, if she was safe. The area she lived in wasn’t that bad, but she’d have been a lot safer in his house. Robert could have driven her to and from work and Derrick could have called her each night. Why the hell hadn’t he insisted she stay there?
    Because she’d have run a mile in the other direction and he knew it.
    He glanced at his watch. It was early, she’d still be working her shift at the diner .
    “ Robert, change of plans. I feel like having breakfast.” He gave his driver directions to the diner. Not like he was going to get any sleep until he’d seen her anyway.

Chapter Nine
     
    “What do you mean she’s not here?” Derrick asked with a frown. “Is it her day off?”
    The overweight waitress, who couldn’t been older than eighteen or nineteen, smacked some gum as she stared at him in boredom. She looked him up and down as though assessing him. Suddenly, she straightened.
    “She got fired,” the girl said. Chew, smack. Chew, smack. She reached out a hand, touching his chest. “But if you’re looking for a good time, I can help ya.”
    Derrick barely held in a shudder of disgust. Fired? From what he’d observed, Jacey was a well-liked, efficient waitress.
    Wasn’t the end of the world, though. He didn’t particularly lik e her being on her feet all day.
    But he was sure she was devastated. And scared. He needed to find her.
    “Can you give me her address? ” It was probably against the rules, but he figured this kid was too dumb to know that.
    “Her address?” she said slowly, reconfirming his view on her intelligence.
    “Yes, I’m a friend. I know she lives in one of the apartments a few doors down, I just can’t remember which one,” he lied.
    The girl let out a snort then started laughing. “Dude, don’t know what sort of ‘friend’ you are, but that Jacey didn’t live in no apartment. She’s homeless, man. That’s why my uncle could let her go, cause she was a cash job.”
    Derrick gaped at her, unable to control his jaw which had dropped open. Homeless? No way. He would know if she was homeless. There was no way that he had left the diner every day to go home to his nice, warm house while she went to a shelter or worse yet, slept outside. There was no way that he had dropped her off here the other morning while she had nowhere to go.
    “Sit down before you fall down.” The older woman he’d seen a few times stood in front of him. She gave him a prod and he sat on the seat behind him. “Go get some work done, you idiot,” she barked at the girl.
    The other waitress glared at her. “Shut up, old woman. My uncle owns this joint.”
    “Your uncle would kick your ass to the curb long before he’d think about firing me, girl. Go find something to do.” The waitress smacked her gum as she turned away with a huff. “Stupid girl,” Frankie muttered. Then she looked at him, her gaze shrewd.
    “You want some coffee? You’re looking pretty pale.”
    “No thanks, ma’am,” he said politely, his mind still reeling.
    “Please, don’t