Read Online The Arrangement 14 by H. M. Ward - Free Book Online Page A

 
    For a second, I think she’s bluffing, but she turns the volume up on her phone and I hear my voice mid-rapture. I lunge, trying to take the phone from her, but she’s already passed it to someone else. Amber gives me a satisfied smile. “Who’s the real whore here, Avery? At least I didn’t take money from him.”  
    She knows. Holy shit, she knows what I’ve done.  
    Amber giggles and shouts at the crowd, “Make sure you have a good look. You can get that kind of action too, and from what I hear, she doesn’t cost much.” Amber turns back to me and winks. She walks to our room, cackling.  
    My hands are clenched by my sides and my entire body is shaking. If I go after the phone, they’ll play keep-away. I start shaking. Gnashing my teeth together, I hiss, “I hope she dies. She’s a horrible excuse for a human being. You goddamn skank!” I scream at her, but Amber is long gone.  
    Marty’s hands are on my shoulders, “Come on, Avery. Walk away.”  
    Tears are streaking down my face. “They’re going to share it. That video will be everywhere.”  
    “Knowing Amber, it already is. Walk away. Come on.” He tugs my good arm and pulls me down the stairwell. I don’t focus on anything until we’re in front of the restaurant.  
    Marty is sitting across from me and I’m slumped back into the seat, hating myself. “This is why I don’t think you should take the madam job. If this happened to Black--”  
    “This wouldn’t have happened to Black.”  
    “My point exactly. Sex is power, Avery. Everyone knows that. It’s not like Amber got into your private life. If you’re going to do this you need to be fearsome. You’re not.”  
    I groan, okay, it’s more like a whine. “I don’t know how.”  
    “Yes, you do. You fight back, and I could tell you wanted to claw her face off. Dial that down a notch so it’s not clear how you’ll hurt her, but so that she knows it’s coming. Then own it. If you fucked half of Manhattan, own it. Be proud. You chose this life.”  
    Those last three words do something to me. I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but I feel something combust within me. I’m sick of fighting with people and I crave the respect that Miss Black demands. Maybe I won’t be like my mother and make the best meatballs, but who cares when no one respects me?  
    My gaze drifts up to Marty’s. “I did, and I will. No more hiding. No more half-assed Avery.”  
    “Bring it.”  
    “I will, and I won’t get even with Amber, I’ll own her.” A smile snakes across my lips.  
    “Now, there’s my girl.”  
     
     
     

CHAPTER 12
     
    Marty and I are the only one’s ordering ice cream. It isn’t even lunchtime yet. I have forbidden chocolate ice cream with peanut butter sauce and hot fudge. Five scoops. Marty is sitting across from me, trying to show me that he can swallow an entire banana.  
    “And that would impress a woman, because?” I laugh at him when he chokes. “Give me that.” I take the other banana half from his ice cream and slip it between my lips until all but the very tip disappears.  
    “Overachiever.”  
    The way he says it makes me laugh and I start choking. Half the banana goes down and the other half gets chomped off, falls from my mouth, and rolls across the table. Marty’s eyes go wide. “That was truly frightening. My junk just jumped up into my body and I doubt it’ll come down again for weeks.”  
    I’m laughing and choking. I grab my glass of milk and wash it down. “Your boys need some attention.”  
    “Not from you. Dear God! You chopped it off!”  
    We’re both giggling so much that we can’t really speak. When I catch my breath, I manage, “Seriously, Marty. You need to get some action. Date someone. Have a one-nighter.”  
    He offers me a classic Marty look, with the corner of his mouth tugged up into an Elvis-like smile. “Oh, do you have someone in mind? And what are you charging, Miss Thang? Is that going