And if Tony and I are getting a ride with Benjamin, I get a reprieve from Eric. I just have to decide if I can stand the rest of the week in his company. Is the money worth it? Is Tony?
CHAPTER THIRTY
It’s worth it, I decide.
But then I step out of the ladies’ room and walk right into Eric.
“I bet you feel really lucky,” he says.
The hall leading to the restrooms is narrow, and I get the sinking feeling that if I try to walk around him, he’s going to grope me again.
I don’t say anything, hoping he’ll get tired of talking to me.
“You see all those waitresses throwing themselves at us?” Eric goes on. “But you and Sierra are the lucky ladies that are going home with us. You notice how jealous the waitresses were of you two?”
One of the waitresses had rudely taken my salad plate before I was done. The others mostly ignored me and Sierra.
Since I think Eric’s question is rhetorical, I remain silent. Eric takes a step toward me, and I think about ducking into the ladies’ room again, but his arm shoots out, blocking my path and caging me against the wall.
“So how about a game of pool—excuse me, snookers—tonight?” he breathes on me. “I can snooker you real good.”
I’m floored. Did he not pick up on the vibes I was sending in the kitchen? Or does he not care? Is he so full of himself that he can’t imagine a woman not wanting to be with him?
His other hand grabs my ass. I push his hand away. He puts it back. I swat it away.
“Stop it,” I tell him.
He leans in even closer to me. “Playing hard to get, babe?”
I can smell the beer on his breath. He presses his body into mine.
Just then a waitress enters the hallway en route to the ladies’ room.
“Oh, is there anything else I can get you, Mr. Drumm?” she asks, batting long fake lashes at him.
Eric grins in response, and I take that moment to scurry away. Once out of the hallway, I gulp in air as if I had been suffocating. I was mostly angry at myself over what happened in the kitchen. Now I’m mostly angry at Eric.
As I sit down at the table, I am aware of Tony’s gaze keenly on me. I feel like a deer being watched by a wolf. I’m glad for the buzz of my cellphone, indicating a text has come in. It’s from James regarding our planned study session. I don’t know what to reply. I had considered texting him to say that I wasn’t going to be available this weekend, but now I’m not so sure.
I avoid looking at Eric when he returns. I can’t stay at his place, I decide. He makes my skin crawl, he makes me feel ashamed of myself. And I don’t want to have to put up with him.
But twenty thousand dollars...
I’ve already lost three days of work. All that I’ve done would be for nothing.
Well, not quite nothing. If money wasn’t even on the table and I had the option to give up my virginity to someone like Tony, I’d probably go for it anyway.
Still, why did Eric have to screw things up for me? Why did he have to ruin it all? He gives billionaires a bad rap. Or maybe they’re all like him. Maybe having a shitload of money makes you feel grossly entitled, like you own the world and the people in it.
I’m glad when it’s time to go.
“You don’t look well,” Tony says to me as we walk to the SUV.
The man named Bataar gets in the driver’s seat. Tony holds the back door open for me.
“The salad’s not sitting well,” I lie. “Probably should have had them hold the blue cheese.”
I stare out the window as Bataar pulls out of the parking lot and heads toward Highway 5. As if he knows we’re basically just escorts, Benjamin has barely said anything to me or Sierra. Which suits me because I don’t feel that talkative.