I couldn’t argue with him there. “True, but Mark didn’t really have much to say. You never know with those quiet types. It’s hard to gauge their true nature.”
Jason nodded. “I’ll try to talk to him tonight, but I want to get a feel for Blackwell. Other than Randall, he’s a powerhouse. Most of the time, these rich bastards think they’re untouchable and they can get away with anything.”
“True,” I agreed. We got to the door and my heart raced. There was an ogre-sized man, dressed all in black, standing there with a list. He was even bigger than Butch and Tom with spiked black hair and dark skin.
“Name,” he barked.
Jason stepped forward, squeezing my hand. “Jason Avery and Aylee McFadden.”
Flipping through the list, he marked off what I supposed was our names and opened the door. “Enjoy your evening.”
“Thank you,” I offered as we walked by. When we got inside, my mouth flew open. The entry was huge and opened up to a large great room with hundreds of people milling about in their fancy clothes and jewelry. I didn’t come from money, but I knew how to play the part.
Jason leaned in close to my ear, his breath tickling my neck. “Stay close to me.”
“I’ll try, but if we get separated I’ll be okay. Trust me.”
Straight ahead, I spotted Chazz and a couple other men drinking at the bar. He lifted his drink at us and smiled; Jason growled low in his chest. “It’s not you I don’t trust.”
“Aylee,” a voice called out to my side. I looked over to find Diane Randall waltzing forward, dressed in a silvery flowing gown, her arms outstretched. “I’m so glad you made it. William told me you were coming.” She grabbed my hands and kissed both my cheeks. “You look beautiful tonight.” Diane seemed genuine in her actions, but it was hard to tell. I knew I needed to stay on my guard.
“Good evening, Mrs. Randall,” Jason greeted.
She let go of my hands, but gently kept a hand wrapped around my arm. “Same to you, Mr. Avery. Do you mind if I steal Aylee away for a while? As I’m sure you can guess, I’d rather claw my eyes out than talk to some of the women here, but unfortunately, I have to play nice. It’d be good to have a woman around I know I can get along with.”
Jason’s jaw muscles ticked, but I glared a warning at him. “Of course,” he replied, keeping his gaze on mine. “I’ll just take a look around.”
Diane pointed down the large hallway. “If you go down that way, William will be in there with some of his friends. They’re drinking brandy and getting ready for the game tonight. I’m pretty sure they’ll invite you to play.”
“If he does, can I watch?” I asked excitedly.
“Of course, my dear. I always watch the games. But I have to warn you, it’s not the same as you’d see in the casinos. They play a little different.”
Jason snorted. “I’m sure it’s nothing I can’t handle.” He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “Have fun and I’ll see you later.” I nodded in reply and watched him as he took off through the crowd.
“Are you falling for him?” she asked, her voice amused.
I turned abruptly and chuckled halfheartedly. “I sure as hell hope not.”
She smiled wide. “Well, if you aren’t, I can definitely tell he’s harboring feelings for you. He must be a good lover. Most girls in your situation can’t wait to be away from their clients.”
I shrugged. “I guess I just got lucky.”
“Not many girls can say that. Hold onto him as long as you can. The majority of women in your business do this in hopes of snagging a rich man. Some achieve it, but a lot don’t. Hopefully, Mr. Avery will offer you a lot more than just his money.”
“How do you know so much about what I do? Were you one before you met Mr. Randall?”
She put a hand to her mouth to hold in her laugh. “Oh, darling, no. Believe me, I’ve been accused of being one since I have ties to that industry, but I’ve never dabbled.”