Chapter 22

Keavy~

W hile there'd been plenty of times when I'd felt a bit out of my element, I'd never felt uncomfortable in my own skin before, but I was feeling like that now. With the help of a couple of beauty tutorials, my hair was pinned to the top of my head in what was supposed to be a classy bun, some of the strands hung loosely around my face, my makeup was more prominent than usual, and my dress was no more than a silk napkin draped over my body, barely covering anything.

The only thing that I hadn't been able to pull off were the heels. While they would have gone a long way to sell the look, I didn't know how to walk in tall heels, and I would have looked like a newborn lamb on untried legs if I had tried to walk in them. The point was to look sexy and tempting, not like I was White-girl wasted.

So, I'd chosen a pair of black kitten heels to go with my black dress, the entire ensemble making me feel like I was naked to every pair of eyes in here. While it was expected that The Wooden Table would be filled with men, the number of them still felt a bit daunting. For every woman that was showcasing her wares in here, there were at least five men that outnumbered her, and if prostitution wasn't one of the most dangerous professions out there, then I didn't know what was.

Sitting at the bar, I was pretending to nervously sip my drink, going for the first-timer look. After Declan had finished with me last night, we'd ended up coming up with a compromise to get Cooper Donaldson and to free me from that damn basement. After all, no matter what pretty declarations that Declan had made in bed, I deserved better than a man that would ever put me at risk for business reasons. Hell, for any reason, truth be told.

At any rate, we had agreed that I would play like this was my first time, and that I was only doing it because I had a sick sister that I needed to care for. Since my body was pretty fit and lacked stretch marks, we'd gone against doing it for a child since I didn't look like I'd ever given birth before. Plus, pretending to be a first timer would play well with me changing my mind once we got to the room.

Now, while The Wooden Table boasted of expensive and tasteful décor, thanks to Declan's reign of the underworld, I knew that the place had no cameras after you went upstairs. The Wooden Table was a brothel disguised as a gentlemen's club, and above the bar and lobby were two floors of available rooms for whatever the men paid for. The only cameras in the place were positioned around the building, in the office, and over the bar, all simply to avoid theft because money was always more important than someone's wellbeing.

Luckily, the lack of cameras worked for what Declan wanted, and as long as Cooper and I didn't walk up the flight of stairs together, then no one could prove that I'd been with him tonight. The rooms were rented at the bar, and no IDs were needed when handing over the key. Now, knowing that Cooper would probably have his own room, Declan had given me cash to rent one for myself, ensuring that there'd be no guarantee of whose room would be used. At the end of the day, all that was needed for those twelve people was reasonable doubt.

Unfortunately, no one was approaching me, and while not all the women that entertained themselves here were prostitutes, I had no experience on how to broadcast that I could be bought. Despite Declan's insistence that this plan was going to work, it wasn't like he'd given me a handbook for beginners. I was winging it here, and I wasn't doing a very good job.

Wondering if I should just give up, my thoughts were interrupted when I felt the warmth of body heat cradle my left side, and with the nothing of a dress that I was wearing, the feeling actually felt comforting. The temperature was enough to keep nipples peaked and the need for physical activity inviting. Honestly, I could only imagine how much money this place made in one night.

"A new face." I turned to see Cooper Donaldson's amber-colored eyes studying me intently. "A very beautiful face, at that."

Eyeing him this close up, there was no denying that the man was aging handsomely. He still stood tall at about six-foot-one or so, his dark brown hair was peppered with some grey, but it made him look distinguished and powerful, not weak or wilting. His dark lashes made his golden-colored eyes glow beautifully, and looking at him, you'd never suspect that he liked to abuse women. Granted, I only had Declan's word for that, but I couldn't imagine the O'Briens going after someone as prominent as Cooper Donaldson if the rumors didn't have some truth to them.

"Thank you," I returned politely. "That's very kind of you to say."

"Not if it's the truth," he countered.

I grinned, willing for my cheeks to blush. "Well, thank you nonetheless."

"I haven't seen you in here before," he remarked. "Granted, I'm not in the area often, but when I am, I'm a very loyal patron here."

There it was.

I fidgeted nervously with my glass. "I'm…uhm, this is my first…uhm, first night…enjoying myself here," I stammered coyly.

"And what brings you to The Wooden Table?" he asked warmly, our conversation happening between the lines.

I swallowed as I let out a deep breath. "I have some…some things going on, and I…I thought that a night out might…I thought that I needed to relax, maybe."

"That's unfortunate," he replied evenly. "Stress can be a debilitating hardship for some."

I started fiddling with my glass some more. "My…my sister's sick," I continued. "She's sick, and neither of us have…have the medical insurance that…" I shook my head, waving away my fake problems. "You don't want to hear about my life's difficulties.

"On the contrary," he said graciously. "If it's a matter of money, I think that we might be able to help each other out, Ms…?"

"Mary Rice," I said, providing him with a fake name.

"Ms. Rice," he echoed. "I'm Cooper Donaldson."

Because the entire nation knew who this man was, acting like I didn't know who he was would be a giant red flag. So, lowering my lashes, I said, "I…I know who you are, Mr. Donaldson."

"Please, call me Cooper, Ms. Rice."

I looked back up into his handsome face as I said, "Then you may call me Mary."

He arched a brow arrogantly. "You enjoy giving men permission to act?"

"I guess it depends on what they're asking permission for," I replied, hoping that he was buying this bullshit.

"I'm offering a mutually beneficial business transaction, Mary," he said, ignoring my coyness. "The pleasure of your company in exchange for helping you out with your financial troubles."

My eyes shot back towards my glass, then I downed the contents, hoping to look like a nervous wreck. I needed him to believe that this was my first time and that I was struggling with my conscience. I needed him to believe that I didn't want to do this, but that I had no choice.

After licking my lips, I looked back over at him. "I don't…" I closed my eyes, letting out another deep breath.

I felt his breath close on my face as he whispered, "Just say what you need to say, Mary. I promise that it'll stay just between us."

I opened my eyes again, then said, "I don't…I don't know what…what the fair exchange would be. I don't know what you want or what I should…"

Leaning in closer to make sure that no one could hear him, he said, "How does ten-thousand dollars for access to every part of your body sound?"

My head reared back in faux surprise, but it was suddenly clear why those women would let him rough them up. While ten-thousand dollars felt like ten cents to this man, it could feel like ten-million dollars to a family that was really struggling. If he offered more, I could only imagine what these women allowed him to do to them.

"I…I…" I placed my hand on my chest. "That's…that's a lot of money, Cooper."

"Not in the face of your beauty," he replied smoothly. "And there's plenty more where that will come from if we decide that we suit one another."

I forced my lips to tremble a bit. "I…I could meet you…" I cleared my throat as I straightened in my seat. "Her…my sister's treatment is ongoing until…until they can find a cure."

Cooper gave me an understanding nod, and I let him believe it was cancer because most everyone was sympathetic to that particular disease. Cancer didn't discriminate, and everyone knew it. It went after anyone that got in its way, and no one was exempt if it decided to go after you.

"Well, luckily for you, I visit Maryland a few times a year," he said. "Perhaps an arrangement can be made, Mary."

I pretended to let out a relieved sigh. "I…I have a room upstairs."

Cooper winked at me. "Coincidentally, so do I."

I smiled, and when he smiled back, that's when I knew that I had him.