Playette

“Are we safe to be here?” Sharon whispers again while looking around.

“Tell me more about Jasper? Where is he?” I ask, ignoring Sharon’s words.

The young girl looks me up and down. “You should go and not look back.” She walks away leaving us, and Sharon grabs my hand. “I want to leave, please,” she begs.

I nod, walking her out.

6

Isadora

“We shouldn’t have gone there,” Sharon says, looking at her hands and then back to me.

“No. You shouldn’t have…” I pause. “Now, I have to go home,” I say.

“You’re not making any sense. What are you up to?”

I turn to look at her, her long blonde hair doesn’t match my brown hair, which is covered by my pink wig. I decide not to answer her. I shouldn’t have brought her, I don’t even like her. Guess she was there to play a part, that part being so I could gain access to the men while she was a distraction. It didn’t work tonight.

As we arrive at the club, I usher her out. She walks inside while I pay the driver who leaves me where I stand. I could go inside and keep working, I guess, but now I’ll have to figure out how I’m getting back to that place to mark my next kill.

“So pretty in pink.” His voice startles me.

I jump on the spot. “No smoke tonight?”

He bites his lip as he looks me over, the scar stretches and he smirks at me. His chocolate hair is styled to perfection and tonight he’s wearing jeans with a black shirt. He looks good, real good. My eyes search around and I see his black car sitting not far from the club’s entrance.

“Why do you come here?” I ask, stepping closer. He does as well. His smirk not leaving his face, while his hands don’t leave his pockets either.

“So, can I kiss you?”

My heart rate picks up. I nod back to the club. “You could go in there with the right amount of cash, and have any of them kiss you.”

“Including you?” he dares ask me.

“No. I don’t kiss for money.”

“But, would you do other things?” he asks, his head dropping to the side with the innuendo.

“No,” I answer truthfully.

I’m in this business for one reason and one reason only—to get to them.

“Such a shame, really. Such a shame.” He shakes his head and starts walking backward to his car. “Would you like to come with me?” He opens the door.

I look at it and shake my head. “No woman should get in a car with a stranger,” I reply, but with a smile.

He taps his chin with his finger. “Then, why did you?”

“Excuse me?” I ask.

“You got in the car with them, I saw you. So, why did you?”

“How do you know I don’t know them?”

“Do you?” he challenges.

“No,” I answer truthfully.

“Well, why won’t you get in mine?”

“Agendas,” I say, smiling.

“So, you have an agenda to get into theirs, but you don’t mine?” That smirk is back again.

“What do you want from me?”

His eyes travel the length of me. “What can you give?”

I smile back at him. “Nothing. Now, goodnight, stalking stranger.”

“At least leave me with a parting kiss?” he says loud enough for me to stop in my tracks. “I can still taste you, Issy. Can you taste me?”

I spin around to face him. “How do you know my name?”

He smirks. “Does that matter?”

I nod my head. “Of course it does.”

“Kiss me, and I will tell you.”

“A kiss?” I ask, confused. “And you will tell me how you know my name?” I question with a laugh. “No, thanks.” I turn to walk away again.

“If that is your will, then I bid you a goodnight, Isadora.”

Now that shit makes me stop, spin around to face him and take notice.

No one knows that name not even Benny calls me that. He knows my full name, but he also knows I prefer to be called Issy, and therefore my full name has never been mentioned.

“A kiss, and you will tell me how you know?” I ask him in disbelief.

“A kiss. Yes.”

I walk back and when I reach him he looks at me waiting to see what I’ll do. He’s so close now I can smell him. He smells so good, like a man that knows he has it all. He smells of the ocean and damn hard work.

Before I can open my mouth, he reaches for me again and places his lips on mine, his hand holding my head in place as his tongue seeks permission to enter.

I’m letting a stranger kiss me, and I like it.

I like it, a lot.

His hand holds my pink hair in place, if he tugs on it, it will come away from my head. He doesn’t, though. His other hand grips my hip and pulls me to him, so our bodies are touching.