Strife: Part Two (The Strife Series Book 2) by Sky Corgan Read Free Book Online

at some point, I'm fairly certain I'll have to sleep with him.
    I set the garment down on the chair on the other side of James' desk and reach behind myself to unzip my dress. He returns to his office chair, lounging back to watch me. It makes me feel completely dirty, again reminding me of how seedy this kind of work is.
    “Hurry it up. You have to be out of here and on your way to the client's location within the next fifteen minutes.” James rolls his eyes at me in frustration.
    I hustle to take my dress off and put the new dress on, being careful not to mess up my hair or makeup. For not even bothering to ask me my size, James couldn't have picked a better fitting dress. It goes on like a glove, sliding down my body, the material hugging me as if I'm wrapped in silk.
    It's not until I look in the mirror that I realize how exquisite the dress is. The bodice has a V neckline with cutouts and lace insets. It's sexy but not trashy. A high dollar dress, judging by the material and design. I can't help but wonder how much it cost. I admire myself in the mirror for a few moments, fidgeting with my hair to make sure that it's perfect.
    James stands again and walks around his desk, stopping behind me. He reaches up and puts his hands in my hair, pulling out the bobby pins that are holding it together. It falls over my shoulder, and I silently curse at him for undoing my work.
    “There, now you look somewhat worthy of being one of my escorts.” His eyes are glued to my neck, and his touch is a bit too gentle, too intimate. It makes me get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I hate the way he's looking at me. Hate the way he's touching me.
    “Who is the client tonight?” I turn around, trying to divert his focus.
    It works well enough. He slides his fingers through my hair a few more times before returning to his desk. Internally, I sigh in relief, thankful for the distance between us.
    “Apparently, you made quite the impression last night. Dmitri Strife requested you again.”
    “Dmitri Strife,” I mouth the name, feeling my heart skip a beat.
    A man knocks on the door, drawing both of our attention to him. He's wearing dark sunglasses, is dressed in black from head to toe and looks like the kind of guy hired to break some legs and dump a body.
    “Nathan,” James says to him, “Please take Miss Kimbrough to the client's location.” When I turn back to James, he's holding out a card to me. I take it gingerly, looking at the handwritten number on it. “From now on, whenever you leave a location, you'll call Nathan to pick you up. This is part of the way I keep track of your time. I will also confirm with the client when you left him. If you lie to me about the time...well, you don't want to lie to me.”
    A shiver rolls down my spine as the meaning of his words sinks in. I feel like last night was my probationary period. Now, things appear to be getting serious. If I go out with Dmitri tonight, I'll be hooked into the business, perhaps way over my head.
    It feels like I'm making a moral decision all over again—like I stepped into James' office for the first time. My eyes dance from the card to the driver, and I try not to look afraid. Maybe it's too late to back out now. After all, I have a client waiting for me. What will this guy do to me if I tell James that I don't want to do this after all?
    Of course, that's not an option. I made my decision when I showed up at the party the night before. I reaffirmed it by showing up today. I need this money and this opportunity. There's no going back, only forward.
    I nod down at the card before turning to leave with Nathan. He towers over me as I flank his side, quickly stepping in front of me to lead the way, opening doors like a gentleman all the while.
    “It's nice to meet you,” I say as I climb into the back of the black Escalade waiting outside. It feels a bit degrading that he doesn't allow me to sit in the front passenger's seat, but who am I to