Free The Bound Bride by Anne Lawrence

way out. Had Oliver been anyone else, Jeff would have laughed in his face. Maybe he would have tried to strike him for good measure. But she knew that Jeff hadn’t done that. He had been intrigued to the point where he agreed to everything Oliver proposed. Jeff probably hadn’t envisioned a future of chauffeuringOliver Chambers to any destination that appealed in a given moment. But here Jeff was. And he didn’t look any worse for the wear.
    “Does he?” Cassandra finally asked.
    Jeff removed his cap and sat at her side.
    “He’s really a good guy. Once you get to know him. A little strange? Sure. But who isn’t?”
    Cassandra liked Jeff. He was honest. Direct.
    In some ways he was everything Oliver wasn’t.
    “Can I ask you something?”
    Jeff nodded and smoothed his hands thought his fine blonde hair.
    “Does he… does he do this kind of thing a lot?”
    “Buy girls for the night. Absolutely.”
    Cassandra suddenly felt foolish. Ofcourse he did. He could have whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it, with a simple snap of his slender fingers. Was it possible that he couldn’t seal the deal? Did he ply the others with wine and music only to hide himself away in a rented room and beat himself up for the one failure that cut the deepest?
    No. It didn’t ring true.
    “But,” Jeff started, “I don’t usually see them home. He gives them cab fare for that. And I take him home.”
    That was more like it.
    “So… so this is…”
    “Different? You bet.”
    Cassandra took some comfort in Jeff’s words. Oliver obviously had something to do that he didn’t want her privy to. At least not just yet. But his planning would be a more pleasurable affair if he knew she was under the protection of someone he trusted. It wasn’t exactly what she wanted. She wanted Oliver. Wanted him near again.
    But she’d take what she could get.
    She started to her feet, and Jeff saw her all the way to her door. Cassandra rifled through her clutch and finally found her key. As she turned it in the knob, she looked back to see Jeff smiling.
    “Do… do you want to come in?”
    He was nice to look at, but Cassandra’s interests were elsewhere. She wanted to get him comfortable and buzzed in an effort to learn the history of Oliver Chambers. She thought she saw Jeff about to take her up on the offer when his phone buzzed. Jeff’s smile stiffened as he texted a quick reply.
    “Who is that?” she asked.
    “Who do you think?”
    Oliver knew that she was with Jeff. And he wanted to make sure that she was home in one piece. Cassandra took it as a compliment and leaned against the doorframe.
    “What are you telling him?”
    Jeff finished his text with a smile.
    “All there is to tell. You’re home. Safe. He’ll be glad to hear it.”
    Glad to hear it. So he was concerned. Still interested. She started to voice her invitation to Jeff again when he bowed and told her to get some rest.
    “Why?” Cassandra asked.
    “Because he’ll be glad to hear that, too. Not gonna make me a liar. Are you?”
    No. Cassandra was nearly inside her apartment when he gripped the door.
    “Stay here. Okay?”
    It was polite. But it was still a demand.
    “I—”
    “Just hang tight. He’ll make contact. He always does.”
    And Jeff winked as he turned for the staircase.
    Two days since anycontact from Oliver. Or even Jeff. She checked her phone and her email every five minutes. When she slept, she dreamt of Oliver appearing and taking her back to the Empire and fulfilling all of the desires that she had felt, that they had both felt , in that room. When her eyes opened, he still wasn’t there. Cassandra continuously turned to her side and clutched the pillow that she wanted to be him tighter.
    Where was he?
    Cassandra started a pot of coffee. Her wants and needs were focused on Oliver. And she was grateful for the money. But what if that was it? It from him or anyone else who might desire her services via LeaseALady? She had no other callers.