Quicksilver Passion by Georgina Gentry - Colorado 01 - Quicksilver Passion Page B

her.
    Al came into the room and set the bottle and glasses next to Brett’s chair. The small blonde sat across from him, twisting her hands together nervously.Really, Mr. Brett, you’re being awfully nice to a hired girl.”
    Brett laughed and poured two drinks.Oh, I’m very democratic. After all, Miss Jones, you’re going to be like a member of the family the way all my employes are!”
    Al sneaked a look at her face. He saw the loneliness there, the eagerness to be loved and accepted. The way Brett looked at her betrayed the fact that he was smitten by her charms. Al had seen it happen before. In a week or two, the boss would tire of her, and she’d be available to any wealthy man who felt his manhood harden when he looked over the merchandise.Is that all, boss?”
    Sure, Al. You can go. Miss Jones and I are going to have a drink and discuss her duties. See that we’re not disturbed.”
    The girl held up a hand in protest as Brett offered the goblet.Oh, but I’ve never—”
    Then you should try it,” Brett said smoothly and smiled as he put the glass in her hand.It’s a vintage year. I’d be insulted if you don’t join me.”
    She hesitated, but she took it, looking up at Al uncertainly. He ignored her look and busied himself around the room.
    Al, I said you could go,” Brett said a little more pointedly.
    Al shrugged and went out. He paused in the hall and heard Brett get up, come to the door, and lock it. Then he heard the girl’s voice, slightly nervous and protesting. Brett told her to finish her drink and he didn’t sound polite this time.
    Al went down to the grandiose parlor where a few gentlemen were beginning to arrive. As always, he looked after all the details, saw to it that the gentlemen had cigars, and took their money. Brett trusted Al with every detail.
    Where’s Brett?” one of the girls asked.
    Busy,” Al said,like you should be, making a little money for him.”
    A gorgeous redhead laughed.Good old loyal Al! I wonder if Brett knows what a treasure you are.”
    I owe him,” Al snapped, but his mind was imagining what must be happening upstairs. Brett was a big man—a lusty man—and the girl was small and probably as innocent as she looked. For a long moment, he had a terrible urge to save the girl—to run back up those stairs, bang on the door, and stop Brett.
    Al went about his duties mechanically for the rest of the evening. Pity was a new emotion to him. Ugly as he was, even the sisters at the orphanage had not given him the love and warmth he needed. From the age of twelve, he was on his own on the mean streets, doing whatever it took to survive. If Brett hadn’t given him a job . . .
    To take his mind off the girl, when the place closed down and he’d put the money in the safe and locked up, Al chose a girl at random. Maybe it was only a coincidence that she was blond.
    Aw, Al,” the whore complained,you know how many guys I already had tonight?”
    So what’s one more?” He took her by the arm, led her to her room, and used her. She didn’t dare complain—not with him being Brett’s right-hand man. But he didn’t get any pleasure out of it. All he could think of was the young innocent being raped repeatedly tonight.
    On the way back to his own room, Al stopped to listen at Brett’s door. He heard Brett’s snoring and the girl’s soft weeping.
    Hell, in a few days, she’d get used to the idea and the soft life. There were thousands of overworked factory and farm girls who’d jump at this chance if they had the looks for it.
    The next morning, Brett looked up at him thoughtfully from his coffeecup when Al came into the office. There were scratches down his handsome face. Brett was probably madder than hell at the little spitfire.
    Al said,With the holiday season, boss, we have a big convention of cattle brokers in town. One of them specifically asked for a big-breasted blonde if we have one. Should I set him up with that new girl?”
    No,” Brett said, reaching up to