“That’s what slaves do,” Jake replied as he poured himself more bourbon. “Whatever I tell them to do.”
“Why is one of them naked?”
“Oh, that was her preference.”
From the corner of his eye, he saw the young woman stiffen.
“What about the one from UCLA?” Ben asked. “Coach saw him at an exhibition game and likes the way he plays.”
“You’ll have to pay good money for Tyrell Jenkins. He could have been a second-round draft pick if he didn’t have that sprain late last year.”
They talked about the merits of the different players and the salary each was likely to command. The discussion went slowly because Jake had had three shots and wasn’t too focused on business.
“Give Tyrell a call,” Ben said.
“I don’t know that he’d consider going off to live in China.”
“Have you asked him?”
“No.”
“Then feel him out.”
“Okay, I’ll feel him out.”
Ben waited.
Jake stared back. “What? Now?”
“Now.”
Jake’s whole body seemed to curl. “Fine. Since you sound like you’re in a hurry, Benji.”
Ben gave him a hard look. “Only people with pussies call me Benji. You got a pussy, Jake?”
“Chill. I just forgot.”
After Jake pulled out his cellphone and wandered back to the bar to add ice to his glass, Ben sauntered over to the women. The blond looked really young. Like she was barely legal.
“How long have you been kneeling here?” he inquired.
The blond didn’t answer and continued to stare at the rug that probably didn’t provide much cushioning from the shiny hardwood floor. The other woman glanced over to Jake before answering, “Three hours.”
Three hours. Jake was a bigger asshole than he’d thought. Ben played around with heavy BDSM, but he had never made a woman kneel for three hours straight.
“You got a name?”
Again, the blond remained silent.
“Apparently, we’re Slut #1 and Slut #2,” replied the naked one.
She said it as if it was his fault she had a name she obviously didn’t like. She didn’t like him, either. Ben sensed that right away. A porcupine was less prickly than her.
“Tyrell didn’t pick up, but I left him a message,” Jake said as he walked over with his shot glass refilled. “No use talking to my slaves. They’re not supposed to talk without my say so.”
Ben raised his brows. “And they signed up for this?”
Jake rolled his eyes. “They’re getting compensated a shitload of money for their time. Plus, they get to live out their Fifty Shades of Grey fantasies.”