The Proposition (Hush Hush Duet #2.5)

Chapter 3

Three

I skim the intimate room crowded with white-collar men just getting off work. There’s a low chatter in the air and a chilly breeze from the front door that wafts through the room every time someone walks in. James sent a text about a half hour ago that he was leaving the office and was on his way to join me and his daughter for happy hour.

I reach for a fried dill pickle and pop it into my mouth. Natalie couldn’t have visited at a better time. She only trusts New York doctors and came to the city for Botox and physical exams she has done yearly. She flies back to Italy tomorrow night. I always rearrange my schedule to accommodate her.

My dilemma with becoming Valentina has been consuming my mind. I thought spending time in my beauty room with Lucy would help sort my messy thoughts, but what I really need is my best friend to talk to about this whole thing. Knowing Natalie, she’ll probably tell me to go for it. She’s been there through every major situation in my life.

“We need a girls’ trip so we can really catch up. I miss hanging with you. Somewhere hot, where all we have to wear is a bathing suit.”

Her eyes brighten as she sits taller against the high-back barstool. “I completely agree. Where should we go?”

I think for a moment. “What about Greece?”

Natalie shakes her head. “Too close to Italy. I want to make it hard for Luca to get to me. What about Brazil?”

“Ooo,” I say in agreement. “You want to go across the ocean. I see what you’re doing. The food is supposed to be outstanding.”

“The men too,” she adds, waggling her manicured brows. “Let’s go there.”

Shaking my head, I can’t help but laugh. Natalie is a maneater. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear that she and her husband are having marital problems. They’re not. Natalie would’ve told me. She’s secretly attracted to her husband chasing her. Natalie loves playing hard to get, and Luca likes the hunt.

The waiter deposits two Manhattans on the bar where we’re sitting. I thank him, and before he dashes away, I order a cognac for James. Natalie and I reminisce about playing Betty and Mary all those years ago on my first visit to New York City.

“I forgot how good these are,” she says. “And dangerous too.”

I giggle and eat another fried pickle, savoring the saltiness. We ordered vegan appetizers so Natalie can munch too. “I could eat the whole basket.”

“We should order pickleback shots,” Natalie suggests.

My nose scrunches. “My palate cannot handle pickle juice and bourbon together,” I tell her. “My gag reflex would activate. That’s disgusting.”

“You said you were craving pickles,” she states casually with a shrug. “Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.”

A stranger in a rumpled shirt stumbles past us and accidentally elbows me. My boobs are tender, and the slightest touch hurts. I wince in pain and grab my breast over my black mesh blouse, not caring that I’m sitting in a bar and people can see. My last shred of modesty danced away when I gave Madame Christine an orgasm at my audition for Sanctuary Cove. And any dignity? That vanished with the client with the Silence of the Lambs fetish.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, her gaze where my hand is.

“My boobs are aching, and his meaty elbow didn’t help. My period must be around the corner. Speaking of boobs, how did your appointment go?”

“Not as I hoped. My gynecologist tried shoving some plastic, bendy ring inside me as a form of birth control. I told him I’m vegan and to get it away from me,” Natalie says across from me.

I almost choke as I laugh. “What does being a vegan and birth control have to do with each other?”

“I consider my body a temple. Plastic is terrible for you. I’m not allowing that thing to marinate inside me. Also, it doesn’t seem very reliable. It’s like a hula-hoop I’m supposed to bend in half and shove inside. My doctor wants me to finger myself every month to make sure it stays in place.” She pauses as she brings the pickle midway to her mouth and says, “Then he tells me it could fall out or get stuck inside. Why the hell would anyone use that?”

“Those methods are equivalent to pull out and pray in my opinion. You’re just asking to get knocked up,” I say then eat another pickle. “You look so insulted.”

“I am,” Natalie exclaims, eyes wide. “After I refused, he suggested I rub some topical cream on the back of my thighs.”

I frown.

“I looked up the medicine and found out he was trying to give me menopause cream.”

“And this is the doctor you fly around the world to see?” I say, questioning her seriously.

She scoffs with an eye roll, and I chuckle at her annoyance. “I didn’t even see him. My regular doctor was called into the hospital for an emergency delivery, so I had to see the nurse practitioner instead.” Natalie takes a long pull on her drink. “I can’t stand kids. If I got pregnant, I think I’d cry. Then I’d sue. Sorry, but I won’t be making you a grandma in this lifetime.”

“Fine by me because I don’t intend to make you a big sister.”

We both laugh. I respect that. Her body, her choice. Natalie is extremely careful and never has sex without a condom on top of her contraceptive. She never even wanted to date a man with a kid. Too much baggage, she said.

“I refuse to have sex with Luca until I get on a new birth control. A condom is not enough for me. He’s old-school Italian and would love nothing more than for me to be barefoot and in the kitchen. What do you use?” she asks.

A huff of annoyance rolls out of me. “I’m actually in between pills. My old ones got pulled from the shelf because of some lawsuit, and these new ones are the worst. My body is still adjusting. Probably why the elbow jab hurt.”

Natalie takes a bite of a stuffed mushroom. “I’ve been meaning to tell you that I won’t be visiting for the holidays,” she says. “This is probably the last time we’ll see each other until next year. Luca wants to go to Sicily. He’s building a house there. More like a castle. He’s probably going to lock me away in a tower to keep me from jet setting around the world. I told him I want no part of going to Sicily, but he’s forcing me to go.”

I highly doubt he, or anyone, can force Natalie to do anything she doesn’t want.

“You act like you hate him,” I say.

“I do!”

“You’re such a liar,” I say, smiling. She forgets that I can read her like a book.

Natalie lets out a fake sigh and reaches for another mushroom. “I hate him, but I love his dick. I don’t know what that says about me.”

“Sounds like you’re dickmatized.”

Her eyes glisten with truth. “I am. God, I hate it. I wish I wasn’t, but he’s just so good at sex. Of all the guys I’ve slept with, none of them compare to him. He makes it his mission for me to crave him. I swear, Italian men are only good for three things—food, fucking, and fighting.”

“Your three favorite Fs,” I say. “At least he knows how to cook.”

“Luca hates that I’m vegan. I refuse to try a meatball, and it infuriates him because he spends hours cooking them. I told him he’s lucky the only meat I eat is his.” We share a laugh. “He isn’t wrong.”

“I bet he’s a really good cook,” I say.

Her expression makes me chuckle. This is what I miss most about Natalie living in another country—how much we laugh when we’re together. Nothing is off limits. Just how best friends should be.

“There’s a whole ocean between us, and that man still has the ability to get under my skin with just a thought.”

“That man, meaning your husband?”

“Shhh,” she says, using her hand to brush the comment away. “I don’t give him the satisfaction of calling him my husband. The only time I say that horrible word is when he’s giving me orgasms. He makes me say it or else he doesn’t let me finish. He literally pulled out and walked away right in the middle of fucking me. I almost killed him for that. Have you ever had a man work you up so good you’ll basically crawl to him for his dick? That’s Luca. And he knows it. Anyway, enough about my love life. Tell me something new.”

I place my glass on the bar top and stare at the round base. It’s been two days since James dropped the bomb that he wants a threesome with Reece.

“What aren’t you telling me?” she asks, her eyes narrowing my way.

I don’t like lying to my husband or breaking his trust. He’ll never know if I tell her. I shoot a quick glance over my shoulder to make sure James isn’t behind me. “What I’m about to tell you must stay between us. You can’t tell James I told you.”

“I knew it. What are you keeping from me?”

“Do you remember when I was working at Sanctuary Cove and your dad tricked me by having his friend Reece set up a date with me?”

Natalie nods and waves her hand to hurry me up with the gossip. I trust her with my life and know that what we discuss will stay between us.

“The other night, he told me he wants to share Valentina with Reece again.”

Natalie’s jaw drops and her blue eyes light up. She stares in shock at first then does a happy dance in her seat. I relay the entire conversation I had with James, not leaving out a single detail. Once I’m done, the pressing weight on my chest is lighter, despite the antsy butterflies in my stomach.

“He wants a redo,” she says, her voice airy from surprise.

“James has rules.” I lean in and meet Natalie halfway. “I can’t orgasm unless it’s with him, and Reece can’t call me Aubrey,” I whisper.

Her face twists up, and I let out a laugh.

Natalie pulls back. “Make it a competition. Who can make you come harder, or bet’s off.”

“James would win any day. He’s not going to let another man bring me more pleasure than him.”

She chuckles and then pauses, seeming disturbed. “Sometimes I forget we’re talking about my dad.”

I laugh. “Me too.”

“You lucky bitch. Two guys get to nail you. When and where?” she asks.

“One night in Belize. He wants to take me there for New Year’s Eve, so we won’t be here for the holidays either.”

“Are you excited? I already know you said yes.” Natalie sets her glass down. “Didn’t you? You said yes, right?”

My lips flatten and I shake my head. “I’m torn. A part of me feels wrong for wanting it, but at the same time, I’m not sure if I really do? I like when I get to be Valentina, but we haven’t shared her since we got married, and we didn’t intend to. He changed his mind.”

“It’s okay if people change their minds,” she says gently. “You still love him just the same, don’t you?”

“Don’t ask me a dumb question like that. Of course I do.” Maybe even more that he was comfortable enough to ask this of me.

“Then what’s holding you back?” she asks.

I hesitate. “That fact that I want to have sex with a man who is not my husband?”

“Why? This is exactly what he wants.” She leans in close and eyes me. “He wants you hot for his friend so he can remind you who you belong to.”

“He’d be watching us,” I tell her.

“That’s so hot,” she says with a smirk.

“It is. I think that’s what I’m most eager for. But Reece sucks at kissing. He’s like a dog slobbering on my mouth, but he gives good dick rides.” I swirl the tiny black straw around the ice in my cocktail. “Do you think I should be concerned about anything? Like maybe the spark died down and James is trying to bring it back? Maybe he’s bored with our sex life?”

She shakes her head, vehemently disagreeing. “Not at all. As much as I love my mom, I’ve never seen him with her the way he is with you. You walk on water in his eyes. Consider what he wants as role play. Some guys get off on watching their wife get railed by another dude. Luca would never allow it, but different strokes for different folks.” She pauses, her brows furrowing. “I think Luca would kill the other guy. Maybe that’ll finally get me divorced.”

“Why can’t you just walk away?”

“We made a deal. Italians take that shit serious. I’m not Italian, but we understand loyalty the same. I gave my word. I don’t like to go back on it. Plus, it’s not that bad.”

I gasp in mock horror. “Did you just admit to enjoying your marriage?”

“Don’t try and change the subject,” she counters. “I think I know the issue,” she says. “Aubrey doesn’t want this. Val does.”

Taking a sip, I swallow the bitter cool drink, musing over her words. “I hadn’t thought of it like that.”

“It’s easy to mix up emotions and identity when you’re juggling more than one. Lines get crossed.”

“James told me there’s room for me to negotiate, given the proposition.”

Her eyes light up with mischief. “What would you ask for? You should take advantage of that.”

“I’m not sure,” I say, but it’s a lie.

I already know what I’m going to ask James. If I’m agreeing to be Valentina, then he can do something big for me in return, like visit Natalie in Italy where she lives with Luca. This would go a long way for patching up the relationship between Luca and James. They haven’t been around each other since our wedding when we found out Natalie and Luca got married. James is a bit old-fashioned. He’s still bothered Luca didn’t ask for permission to marry his daughter. It’s why we haven’t visited them in Italy.

Everyone deserves a second chance. I should remind James of that. After all, Natalie gave us one.

From the corner of my eye, I see James enter the building. A massive smile splits across my face as he strides up over to us. My husband is the most handsome man on the planet.

“Hey, baby,” I say and reach for his lips with mine. The faintest hint of his peppery cologne fills my senses.

James greets Natalie with a kiss on her cheek then says he needs to go wash his hands. He walks away just as the same stranger from earlier who bumped into me stumbles over. He’s holding a drink in his hand that’s about to spill over the edge. His clothes are as disheveled as his hair and there’s a foul odor radiating off him. He stops in front of us.

“I haven’t seen you in a while,” the drunk stranger says. He’s only looking at Natalie.

“Do I know you?” Natalie says.

The stranger rears back, insulted. “You don’t remember me?”

Natalie shakes her head.

“You’re Natalia.” He pauses then lifts his arm with the glass. The ice sloshes around as he says, “Yeah. Yeah, you’re Natalia.”

Natalia. My heart sinks. That’s a dead giveaway. This guy must be a former John of hers.

James still doesn’t know that Natalie also worked for Madame Christine at Sanctuary Cove, and we plan to keep it that way. If this guy spills the beans, James is going to be devastated. Some secrets are not meant to see light. No parent wants to hear his daughter sold her body for money, even if it was her choice. Luca doesn’t allow her to work there anymore, but it doesn’t mean her past is erased.

“You got me kicked out of Bliss. I’m not allowed back there,” he states like he’s just remembering, his tone turning to anger. “And I still had to pay for you. That bitch wouldn’t give me my money back.” The line between his brows deepen. He steps closer. “You owe me.”

“I don’t owe you a single penny,” Natalie says. “I didn’t take your money. You got yourself kicked out for being too intoxicated. You couldn’t keep your hands to yourself and got reported by multiple women. Not my fault you’re a fucking creep.”

Fury ignites in his eyes. Leave it to my Natalie to say what she really feels. A shade of red colors his cheeks. I sit up taller and look for James, bracing for whatever comes our way. This stranger is making me uneasy.

“You cunt bag slut bitch?—”

Natalie waves her hand back and forth, unimpressed. “At least be a bit more creative if you’re going to insult me.”

The former client’s eyes fill with rage. He begins mouthing off obscenities, this time loud enough to turn a few heads our way.

James reappears, catching a few of the harsh words. His eyes narrow at the stranger, and then he inserts himself next to Natalie. “Don’t talk to a woman like that. Get the fuck out of here. Leave, and there won’t be a scene.”

“Yeah? What are you going to do about it?” the man slurs, eyeing James up and down. “You want to take it outside?”

I cringe. I’m embarrassed for this guy. James is a lover not a fighter, but he’ll do whatever it takes to protect his daughter.

“At the rate you’re going, you’re going to be banned here too,” Natalie adds, and it’s like fuel to the fire.

“You fucked me over, bitch,” the drunk yells. “You cost me three thousand dollars. I want my money back.”

“Sounds like you did it to yourself,” James says. He reaches into his back pocket and removes the billfold to reveal a stack of one-hundred-dollar bills. “I’ve got eighteen hundred on me. Take it and don’t ever fucking bother her again. Consider your bar tab paid in full too.”

He scoffs but swipes it anyway. “What are you? Her dad?”

James ignores him. “Don’t come back here either.”

“Skank,” he mutters under his breath.

“So is your mom,” Natalie says, but I don’t think he heard her because he stumbles away.

James looks at his daughter as he sits on the barstool. I hand him his drink, and he thanks me. I pat the top of his spread thigh.

He takes a long pull and says, “Don’t tell me you dated that guy.”

Natalie shakes her head. “God, no. I met him on a dating app. He catfished me,” she says, the lie smoothly rolling off her lips. “Thanks for that. I’ll pay you back.” Natalie’s phone dings, and she picks it up. She scans the screen then rises from her seat. “Duty calls,” she says then slides it into her purse.

“Where are you going? I just got here,” James says.

“Business. My husband is calling. You know how that goes. Have fun in the sun. Just don’t come back pregnant. The heat makes people do crazy things.”

I almost choke on my Manhattan. She said so much without saying anything at all.

“Can we meet for lunch tomorrow? I’ll take you to the airport after,” James suggests.

Natalie fixes her pencil skirt and gives James a kiss on her cheek. “I’d love that,” she says then gives me a hug. “I’ll call you later.”

Once she’s out of the restaurant, James turns my way. He gives me a glare like he already knows the truth, even though we both know I’m going to lie.

“I only told her that we’re going to Belize.”

I bring the drink to my lips. His unblinking stare sends a flutter of heat to my cheeks. I try not to grin, but I’m a terrible liar when I’m put under the spotlight.

“I didn’t ask,” he says nonchalantly.

My heart is pumping fast. The corners of his blue eyes crease. Then he smiles, and I melt inside. I know he’s screwing with me.

“Don’t pretend like Reece doesn’t know about our sex life. You tell your best friend, I tell mine. This is what happens when you marry your daughter’s best friend.”

It’s rare that James blushes, but when he does, it’s the cutest thing in the world.