Page 14 of His Little Secret in Discretion
She sighed, voice trembling. “Mr. Vaughn found… a new use for me.”
I kept my face neutral, even as anger burned in my chest.
“For months I stayed clear of him. Bartending, serving… I-I could manage that. But customers kept asking for me specifically. And since he knows I work part-time at a dance studio, he decided it was the perfect fit.” Her fingers trembled as she wiped away more tears.
“The way he demeaned me… I knew he was terrible. I didn’t think he wasthatbad. But you never really know who people are.”
I pulled her close, tucking her head against my chest, her eyes filling with more tears.
“He said… he… I’m not some cheap whore,” she said hoarsely, and the words gutted me.
No… you could be my little whore—
Blaine, no. Clean thoughts. Helpful thoughts. Happy thoughts.
…But fuck, those are happy thoughts.
“Don’t let his bullshit words get to you.” I stroked her shoulder, my voice low and steady to ground her. “Is there any way you can leave? You can’t be treated like this.”
She shook her head. “I need this job, Blaine…” she whispered, and I groaned internally. Every instinct in me wanted her the fuck out of here, immediately.
Thinking fast, I bit my lip, then pulled back enough to look into her tearful eyes. My hand cupped her cheek.
“Go get your things,” I said.
Her mouth opened, but before she could argue, I cut her off. “Sunshine. Go get your things. All of them. The guard’s going to escort you to my car. Wait there for me.”
Her fingers twisted nervously in her lap. “I need the money, Blaine… and what about Mr. Vaughn? If I leave, he’ll never take me back—”
“You aren’t coming back,Sunshine. Don’t worry about the money. Don’t worry about your boss. No more questions, no more concerns. You are not working here anymore if I have anything to do with it. Understood?”
She faltered, then nodded. “Thank you, Blaine,” she whispered.
I stood, fighting not to drown in those damn doe eyes of hers. Taking off my suit jacket, I draped it over her shoulders, then bent to press a soft kiss to her lips.
A blush touched her cheeks when I pulled away, and fuck if it didn’t make me want to burn the entire world down just to keep that smile safe.
“I’ll be out soon,” I promised.
She nodded, heading toward the back hall. As the door clicked shut behind her, I motioned to the guard. “Vaughn’s office. Now.”
He led me to it, knocking then opening the door for me.
“Mr. Porter… what a surprise,” Vaughn said, masking shock with a thin smile.
“You’re done,” I stated flatly, stepping inside and closing the door behind me.
His brows furrowed. “I’m sorry?”
“Maybe I didn’t say it clearly enough. You are fucking done. Pack your shit and leave. I’m having a full investigation launched into what you’re doing here, into what you’re forcing these women into.”
“You’ve got to be joking,” he scoffed.
I shook my head. “I may be a jokester, but I’m no clown.”
Christ, Sunshine, that cannot be my catchphrase.
“You can’t do that,” he said, panic edging into his voice.
