Hooker by J. L. Perry Page B

look to see who it is. That annoying voice gives it away.
    ‘Fuckoff, Clarissa. I’m not in the mood for your bullshit tonight.’ I hear her gasp beside me and a satisfied smirk forms on my lips. I’m not usually this harsh with her, but she picked the wrong night to be a bitch.
    ‘What’s up your arse?’ she says, taking the stool beside me. I choose to ignore her. ‘Looks like someone isn’t getting enough. If that’s the case, you know I’d be more than happy to help you out.’
    Her hand comes to rest on my crotch, but I instantly remove it. That’s one place my cock will never go.
    ‘Thanks, but no thanks.’ I grab my drink off the bar and walk away.
    I’m sure my dry spell is partly responsible for my rotten mood. I’ve never gone this long without sex before. That’s only a very small part of my problem, though. A certain green-eyed brunette who ran from me just when I was getting to know her is the real reason. And I can’t seem to wrap my head around it.
    I make my way towards our table. My mother is sitting there on her own. Figures. My father’s probably casing the room, looking for his next lay. My heart goes out to her, because although I hate the weak person he’s turned her into, she’s my mother and I love her regardless. She’s been to hell and back, being married to that prick. Why she puts up with his shit and continues to stand by him, I’ll never know. Maybe that saying, love is blind, has a ring of truth to it.
    ‘Brock,’ she says. Her face lights up when I bend down and kiss her cheek.
    ‘Mother. How are you?’ I barely have anything to do with her nowadays. Ever since Josh came to live with me, things have been strained. I’m not comfortable with oursituation, but my parents’ actions towards my brother were inexcusable.
    ‘I’m good, sweetheart. How’s your brother?’
    The question instantly gets my back up. It’s the first thing she always asks me. I usually say, ‘He’s doing really well,’ but tonight I’m in no mood for this bullshit.
    ‘Why don’t you ask him yourself?’ I try to hide the venom in my voice, but fail miserably. She bows her head and doesn’t reply. It’s obvious she still cares for Josh, so why she lets my father dictate to her confuses me. I wish she’d stand up to him. This whole mess is tearing both Josh and our mother apart. Our father, on the other hand, is too wrapped up in himself to care.
    I sigh before downing my drink in one gulp. Everyone seems to be getting on my nerves tonight. I think I might fake a headache and blow this godforsaken joint.

CHAPTER ELEVEN
    JADE
    Yes
.I do an inner fist pump when I receive my working schedule for the next few days. My lucky streak continues. Through some grace of God, in the three weeks since returning from New York, I’ve been fortunate enough to only be assigned to those of my clients who don’t expect sex. I’ve given a few blowjobs, but that’s it. I know it can’t last, but every day that passes where I don’t have to give my body unwillingly to a stranger is a blessing in my eyes.
    I still belonged to Mr Weston—for the interim at least.
    I’ve struggled since returning, but I’ve been trying my best to put Brock out of my mind. Do I miss him? Hell yes. Do I regret walking away from him? Of course I do. But I learnt at a very young age there’s no point wishing for something you know you can never have. Memories are forever, though, and I’ll treasure the time we shared. Nothing and nobody can take them from me.
    Sadly, a memory is all it will ever be. If M were to find out what I’ve done, there’s no telling what she’d do. She already suspects something’s up—she made Rupert take me straight to the house the day I flew home from New York. Of courseshe wasn’t concerned that I’d cut my vacation short because I was ill, she just wanted to make sure it wasn’t going to affect my ability to work.
    I was physically and emotionally exhausted when we landed, but