‘Women don’t say no to me, do you know how long it’s been since one turned me down?’

Dax didn’t want to be the one to point out that most of the women in Trystan’s life either wanted to use him for his family connections, or were paid to enjoy Trystan’s company, so of course they weren’t going to say no to him.

‘You should think about settling down,’ Dax said, though it was the furthest thing from his own mind and he was a year older than Trystan.

Trystan snorted, and collapsed into the wingback chair opposite Dax’s. ‘You sound like Mauri, he was saying the same thing to me last night.’

‘It’s not a bad plan,’ Dax said. ‘You get yourself hitched then you’ve got a woman who’ll never say no to you, or disrespect you.’

‘Yeah right, a wife would probably be worse!’

‘Not if you get the right one,’ Dax said, allowing a smile to twist one corner of his lips. ‘And train her right.’

Trystan swirled the liquid then took a long gulp. ‘The only woman I’ll marry is one who’ll let me keep partying.’

‘Who will let you screw around and sample the Stark family product? I’m sure there are plenty of women out there who would put up with that to get a taste of the high life that you can offer.’

‘I don’t want a cheap whore,’ Trystan objected. ‘She’d have to be faithful and obedient. I don’t want some whiny bitch who is on me all the time. She would have to keep her mouth shut while I treat her like shit, but serve me and put out when I’m on a come down.’

He wasn’t asking too much, Dax tried not to shake his head or roll his eyes. ‘Your father would be able to hook you up.’

‘An arranged marriage? I don’t think so,’ Trystan said. ‘But it would get the old man off my back for a while if I knocked up some girl and left her at home to bring up the kids. Dad thinks that kids will straighten me out.’

It was difficult to imagine Trystan with children; he didn’t have much wise, worldly wisdom to pass on. ‘Maybe it will, Maurice has a way of knowing how to solve a problem.’

‘Think I’m a problem?’ Trystan asked, Dax recognised the teasing and when Trystan gazed out of the window, Dax could tell that he was cooking up a scheme.

‘What are you planning?’

‘Maybe I can kill two birds with one stone,’ Trystan said, knocking back the rest of the liquor and standing up. ‘Wait here, I’m going to talk to Mauri, then we’re going to hit the clubs.’

Great. Trystan left the room and Dax closed his eyes. He couldn’t actually be bothered with nightclubs tonight. He’d hoped to have a night to himself so he could pursue his own interests, but Trystan had a way of sensing when Dax was getting fed up with him, and that was usually when he pushed to have Dax spend more time in his company. The guy just couldn’t take the hint, and to say he held a grudge was a massive understatement. Making others unhappy for his own benefit was Trystan’s greatest pleasure and achievement.

Ivy had done the rounds in the town and she got the usual offer of jobs, which was in the strip joints. This was a town that attracted young, beautiful women as though this was the place all of them belonged. The airport and bus station spawned new hopefuls every day. In this world famous city there was no shortage of spritely females in need of money, and that meant there weren’t always enough to go around.

Strip joints could offer her good money, but she hadn’t worked in one for years, because there was no chance of progression. Being there was as good as admitting that you were only as good as the breasts on your body and she didn’t want to simply be employed because god had graced her with a generous pair.

Trudi was harping on about rent because Ivy had used the last of her savings to cover the money that was due now. If she didn’t find some form of employment this week then she would never be able to cover bills next week.

Poring over the newspaper, which was laid out on the coffee table, she circled possibilities and would trek to the payphone on the corner when it was time to begin phoning. Those that she could visit on foot she would, the last thing she was afraid of was a bit of exercise.

Trudi burst into the apartment waving a flyer, which she threw at Ivy, sending it fluttering onto the newspaper she’d been reading. ‘What’s this?’ Ivy asked, picking up the piece of yellow paper and reading an advert for a swingers club. ‘Uh, there’s no way—‘

‘Not that, on the back,’ Trudi said, sitting on the couch at Ivy’s back to tug off her boots. On the back of the flyer was an address, phone number, and another number beneath it.

‘What is this?’

‘I had a client last night and—‘

‘I’m not interested in hooking, Trud—‘

‘I know,’ Trudi tutted. ‘But his boss is looking for a live-in housekeeper, it’s the real deal. I mean I could never put up with that kind of crap, the “yes, sir, no, sir,” stuff. But you could and look at the starting salary!’

‘I don’t know,’ Ivy said, reading the number at the bottom, the salary was attractive. ‘What kind of place is it? Maybe they’ll expect extras, you know? If his employees use your services…’

‘Please,’ Trudi scoffed. ‘Have you ever met a guy in Vegas who doesn’t use sex services? I don’t think so. This is just perfect for you and I would think you should be more grateful that I thought of you.’

Ivy knew that she and Trudi hadn’t seen eye-to-eye much, especially recently, but she didn’t think the woman was so eager to have her out. ‘I guess I could call and see what it’s about. The address isn’t too far so I’d still be in Vegas.’

‘Right,’ Trudi said, standing to begin shedding her clothes as she headed for the bathroom. ‘And Carlos says I could start seeing clients here at home and that would help with the rent. I mean there’s only one bedroom, so it would be cool to live alone, right?’

Trudi didn’t wait for an answer, she went into the bathroom and the shower came on in the next minute. Reading the newspaper adverts again and then the back of the flyer Trudi had brought in, she considered both. Deciding that there was no harm in calling and finding out what was expected of her in the housekeeping role, she gathered up everything she would need and headed out to use the payphone.

Getting a job and more importantly, getting paid, was the only priority right now. The truth was that unless it was linked to something sinister she’d happily take a job where she got paid and got somewhere to live into the bargain. But if it was as good a deal as Trudi thought then there would be several applicants. Hopefully Trudi had given Ivy a bit of an inside edge on the others, she had a personal connection, and got this tip before others knew the job was available.

In the blazing heat, she picked up her pace down the sidewalk determining that the housekeeper call would be the first one she made. She’d have a conversation and do everything that she could to prove she was a hard worker then if all parties were happy she’d get to work. Feeling more optimistic, Ivy felt like she’d caught a bit of a break for the first time in a long time.

Not long after his conversation with Mauri, Trystan had announced that he was taking an extended vacation to Europe. For around two months he would be off this continent, and on hearing the news Dax had sighed in relief. Trystan didn’t pack his own suitcases, there was no need for him to because there was plenty of staff for that, just like there was plenty of money for him to spend as much time overseas as he wanted.

Vegas hadn’t provided Trystan the rest and recuperation he felt that he deserved. Trystan valued his vacation time, so he wouldn’t have it snatched from him because of an altercation with ungrateful Vegas hotel staff. So two weeks after Vegas, a week after their conversation in Trystan’s room, the playboy was on a plane over the Atlantic on his way to party his way across another land mass.