For the next half hour, I gave Zane a tour of the club, explaining the inner workings, and how we were able to get away with having such a club in the city. Thanks to my connections, we flew under the radar. Zane grew more and more interested with each passing moment, leading me to believe we were going to have a deal by the end of the night, a deal that would clinch everything I’d been striving for.

I took a look at my watch and realized the gala started an hour ago and the girls were going to be coming out soon. So, I took Zane back to the main room and introduced him to a couple of the men that would be sticking around.

“Unfortunately, I have another event I have to attend, or else I would stay longer.”

“Oh, please don’t let me hold you back,” Zane said with a grin. “I’m sure I’ll be plenty entertained.”

From what I had seen Goldie put together over the last week, I knew he would be very much entertained.

“Shall I call you in the morning to arrange contracts?” I asked, while holding my breath.

The light music in the main room cut and the lights dimmed, pointing to the opening where the girls first showed themselves. Mercy’s honey colored hair arrived first, as she strutted out onto the stage. She was a show stopper, no doubt about it.

Looking back up at me after seeing Mercy, Zane nodded his head and placed one of his business cards in my hand. “We’ll be in touch.”

I shook the man’s hand with a new-found excitement brewing inside of me.

Taking one last look at the club, I acknowledged my accomplishment, and went back to my town car, in which I would be taken back to my house to pick up Goldie. I was quite excited to see how the dress I picked out for her fit, and I was even more excited to see the look on Jett Colby’s face when I walked into the gala with her on my arm.

This was just the beginning of the end for the man. You should always tread carefully when dealing with such powerful men, because you never knew who they might know and what they might do to stay on top. Unfortunately for Jett, his time was coming to an end.

13

“No One’s Gonna Love You”

Jett

“I can’t get over how beautiful it is in here,” Keylee cooed as she held onto my arm a little too tight for my liking.

To say I was annoyed with the little tart hanging all over me was an understatement. Goldie was right in not liking the girl; she very much had an end goal of becoming a Jett Girl, and she didn’t hide it one bit.

Once again, she was wearing a purple dress, this one a little sluttier than others I’ve seen her wear. This one was decorated with a full slit up to her hip and her breasts spilling out the top. Men around the event gawked and women judged. I wondered if she hurt me more than helped me when going to these events. She gave the illusion that there was something between us, since she accompanied me, but by the way she dressed, it made it look like I enjoyed such a woman, when there really was only one woman who caught my eye, and she wasn’t even in attendance like I thought she would be.

A little piece of me was annoyed about the fact that she wasn’t here. I wanted to see her, my soul needed to see her, to just catch a glimpse of her beautiful face, her smart mouth, and perfect body. I craved her like a drug, and no matter what I did, I couldn’t tamp down the feelings.

I didn’t just need to see her because it would settle the craving I was fighting, but because I needed to see how she reacted around Rex; I needed to see if my heart was still being held tightly in her hands, or if she really had let me go. Did I still matter to her? Was she really still thinking about me?

Many sleepless nights had greeted me from such thoughts. It killed me not knowing where we stood, whether she was meant to be in my life.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me out of my thoughts. Ignoring Keylee’s blabbering, I pulled it out of my jacket pocket and looked at the message from Zane.

Zane Black: Got everything. Will see you in the morning for delivery. You’re home free, man.

The faintest of smiles crossed my lips at Zane’s news. I wanted to celebrate; I wanted to run to Rex’s house and steal Goldie for myself, but I knew I couldn’t react until I had the evidence in my hand. I couldn’t divulge any secrets until I knew for certain that what Zane gathered was enough to take down my father and Rex.

“What a pleasure to see you here,” came a voice from behind me.

Speak of the devil.

Turning slowly and dragging the ever annoying Keylee with me, I came face to face with my father.

“Dad,” I nodded. “You remember Miss Keylee Zinc, don’t you?”

He wasn’t supposed to be here tonight; he wasn’t on the list of attendees, but leave it to my father to change his mind and make an appearance.

“How could I forget such a gorgeous face?” he said, while taking her hand and kissing it, all the while staring at her breasts. He most likely did so to make me mad, but he could stare all he wanted. I could care less. “Why is such a beautiful woman as you hanging out with a boy when you could be wrapped up with a real man?”

Keylee giggled and pushed him away gently, while I gritted my teeth. The man never passed up an opportunity to put me down.

“Mr. Colby, your flattery doesn’t escape me. If only I ran into you first,” she winked at me. It took every muscle in my body not to roll my eyes at her. Little did she know, I would gladly hand her over.

“It’s never too late to upgrade, my dear.”

Giggling some more, she covered her mouth and shook her head. “You’re terrible.”

My father bit down on his lower lip and took her in one last time before pulling his gaze back to my annoyed one. I wasn’t annoyed that my father was blatantly flirting with my date, no, I was annoyed that I was related to such an embarrassing human.

“Tell me, Jett, are you worried about the interviews next week?”

“Not in the slightest,” I replied with confidence.

“Word on the street is your bid isn’t the one being considered.”

Not wanting to talk about Lot 17 in front of Keylee, I said, “It’s improper to talk about business at a social event with a female present. It would be rude.”

Anger crossed my father’s face as I threw his words back at him, the same words he would say to me all the time when growing up.

Straightening his tie and clearing his throat, he glanced at Keylee and said, “I do apologize, Miss Zinc, for being so improper; will you forgive me?”

“Of course,” she replied, looking a little uncomfortable from the tension rising between my father and me.

“I just don’t know if that apology will do; let me make it up to you. Will you do me the honor of joining me on the dance floor?”

Keylee looked up at me, and I just nodded, letting her know it was fine.

With a bright smile, she took my father’s arm and he led her out to the dance floor, but not without turning around to look at me. The look on his face was one of victory, but what he didn’t know was, he already lost.

Scanning the room, I watched members of the elite of New Orleans milling about, introducing themselves to one another, mingling and forming new partnerships. Women held onto their men’s arms and the men held small tumblers in their hands, gradually sipping on the contents.

Being part of such a society was always boggling to me. New Orleans was full of old money and traditions. These galas weren’t really for charity. Yes, the money was to benefit a cause for that week, but mainly they were for the powerful to conduct business out from behind their desks. To make deals in public without anyone knowing. It was shady, it was political, and I hated that I lived in such a world. I wanted to do good, I wanted to offer opportunities to those less fortunate, but in order for me to do so, I had to be a part of such a community.