“They’re going to kill you, you stupid woman.”

“How are they going to get their money out of a dead body? I’ll figure something out. I always do. But until then, I don’t want them to know where I am, so I’m visiting for a while. Okay?”

No, it wasn’t okay, but what could she do? This was her mother—her ridiculous, stupid, exasperating mother. If she didn’t love her so much, she’d strangle her.

And then she had that little problem of Jace coming over that evening. How was Aggie going to hide him from the nosy woman? The last person on earth she wanted to introduce him to was her mother.

Chapter 7

Jace rang Aggie’s doorbell precisely at five. He stuffed his guilt trip to the back of his mind. He should be visiting Trey in the hospital, not seeking hot, all-encompassing sex from the most desirable woman on the planet. Trey had woken a few hours ago, but he wasn’t back to normal just yet. He’d lost much of the mobility in both hands. Jace wasn’t sure how to deal with that. He just needed to get Aggie out of his system one more time, and he’d be fine. With her help, he could concentrate on something other than the ache in his soul that was already building again. The matching ache in his groin was only a minor consideration.

The middle-aged, red-headed woman who answered the door looked him up and down suspiciously.

“What do you want with me?” she growled. Her eyes were the same cerulean blue as Aggie’s, but this tough-looking broad was no Aggie.

“Uh…” Thrown off his guard, Jace had lost his tongue.

“I ain’t got it yet, Maynard. Keep your dick in your pants.”

She slammed the door in his face.

Jace scratched his head. Checked the house number to assure himself this was Aggie’s house.

Who?

What?

The door opened again. Lovely Aggie appeared wearing her leather dominatrix costume. The embroidered design on the corset was different. Last night it had been red roses. Today it had mint green humming birds.

Aggie rolled her eyes at Jace. “Sorry about that. My mother is visiting. Unexpectedly. Against my will. And better judgment.”

That half hard-on he’d been sporting most of the day shriveled. “Your mother?”

“You’re just a client.” She gave him a stern look.

Just a client. So that incredible intimacy they’d shared the night before, that connection he’d never experienced with anyone, hadn’t meant anything to her? Why did that thought cut into his heart? It wasn’t as if he gave a shit. He didn’t. He didn’t give a shit about anything but his music. It was the only thing in his life that never let him down.

Aggie took his hand and led him toward the soundproof room where she’d whipped him so spectacularly the night before. And drawn blood. He shuddered at the memory.

“You know him?” Aggie’s mother stood in the foyer with her arms crossed over her chest, watching her daughter with disapproval.

“I told you I had a five o’clock appointment. Go back into the house.”

“I don’t trust him, Agatha. He looks suspicious. Like a member of the Mafia.”

Mafia? Probably the leather jacket. Jace hurried into the room where Aggie served her clients.

“He’s not Mafia. Go away, Mother.” Aggie slid the sanctum’s door closed behind her and bolted it. She turned to face Jace. “Sorry about that. She has… issues.” She fluttered a hand.

Jace shrugged and looked at the floor. He wanted to leave. He couldn’t do this with her mother in the house, especially not after the woman had told him to keep his dick in his pants. The sole reason he was here was to put his dick in her daughter. Repeatedly and in excess.

“I should go,” he said quietly.

Aggie moved to stand directly in front of him. Her large, succulent br**sts entered his line of sight. He licked his lips. His c**k stirred in his pants. This woman was positively luscious and chased every thought from his head. She cupped his face in both hands and eased his gaze up to hers. “What’s the matter?”

“Trey…”

“The guitarist in the hospital?”

He nodded. “I should go visit him.”

“How’s he doing?”

“He made it through surgery, and he’s awake now. I should be with him.”

“So he’s okay then?”

Jace shook his head slightly. “He can’t move his fingers right, or something.”

“You can go see him later. He’s probably resting.”

“Yeah.” Jace lowered his eyes to her full, ruby red lips. “Resting.” He stared at her lips, mesmerized by their sensuality. “Can I kiss you?” His hands moved to rest on the flare of her hips. He shifted her closer.

“Are you staying for a while?”

He nodded. Even if he was just her customer today, he still wanted to be with her.

“Then, yes. Kiss me, Jace.” She said his name like a gentle caress. It made his heart ache.

Don’t pretend you care. Just don’t.

He brushed his lips over hers. Her lips were soft. Yielding. He kissed her again. More deeply. He leaned away and looked into her eyes.

“I thought about you a lot today,” she murmured, wiping at the corner of his mouth with her thumb. He was probably wearing half her lipstick now.

He smiled. It felt natural to smile when he was with her. He never felt that way with anyone. He always felt on guard, but not with her. With her he felt… safe? Comfortable? Understood? Something. “Oh, yeah?”

She nodded. “Did you think of me?”

“Constantly.”

She tugged his shirt over his head and bent to press her lips to his collarbone.

“I’m afraid to look at your back. Are you sore?” Her fingers trailed gently over his skin.

He’d had a hard time crawling out of bed that afternoon, but he was ready for more now. “Not really. You’re not going to take it easy on me, are you?”

“Whatever you want, baby. You’ll do the same for me, won’t you?”

She wouldn’t ask him to hit her, would she? He didn’t have it in him.

“What did you have in mind?” he asked.

“Whatever you want to do to me—I trust you.”

Jace’s heart stumbled over a beat. She’d give him the freedom to do whatever he wanted to her? He needed to get her to the tour bus. His suitcase of pleasure-inducing implements was stored in a closet there. He’d been collecting things to inflict pleasure on a deserving lover for years. And every woman he’d tried to initiate had ultimately disappointed him.