Three for Julie (Blissful Bets #4) Read online

  THREE FOR JULIE

  Blissful Bets, book 4

  Alaska Angelini

  (previously written as Jennifer Salaiz)

  THREE FOR JULIE

  Copyright © 2019 by Alaska Angelini

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  Chapter 1

  “Can I buy you a drink?”

  Julie looked up into a pair of hazel eyes. The stranger was extremely good looking. His suit was expensive, and he smelled of cologne. A year ago, Julie would have jumped at the opportunity of snagging him as a bet, but things had changed. She had changed.

  “I have one. Thanks.” Julie lifted her glass and took a drink. She immediately dismissed him and focused on pulling down the length of her dress. Today had been a rough one. The last thing she wanted to worry about was adding to her stress.

  “How about a dance?”

  A sigh escaped. Julie looked back up and searched for something nice to say. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind. “Sorry, but I’m just here for the drinks. Thank you, though.”

  The noise was through the roof tonight. Aside from the blaring music, chatter was buzzing through the small, downtown bar. Julie scanned the room trying to ignore the fact that the man was still standing next to her. He’d obviously just gotten off of work from one of the nearby buildings and was looking for a quick lay before he returned home. Maybe if she continued to ignore him, he’d go away.

  The song ended and loud laughter overpowered the congested space. A dull pounding hammered away at the inside of Julie’s head. One more drink and she was out of here. She looked down at her watch. It was only ten, but she had to work in the morning. It was something she definitely wasn’t looking forward to. Her current client’s file was clean. The case was all but won. But the personality of the woman drove her insane. Maybe it was because Kathleen Ortega reminded Julie of her mother. Well, almost. At least this woman really was a mom to her kids. It was more than she could say about her own.

  Julie finished off her drink. Before she could set down the glass, the stranger next to her was leaning forward. “I’ve got this one.” He motioned at the bartender. “Can she get another?”

  “Make that a double, buddy.” Julie looked up to see her lover wedging himself between the two of them. She held in her laugh and looked over at the man in the suit. He nodded at the bartender, laid some cash on the bar, and walked away. Only then did Julie start laughing. She gave Taylor a look and he shrugged.

  “What? Can’t fault a guy for trying to get a free drink. Nice man, there. You get his name?”

  Julie raised one of her eyebrows. “Nope. I wasn’t interested. Why do you ask? Are you jealous?” She picked up the new glass and took a drink.

  Taylor pulled the barstool closer and sat down. The kiss he placed on her cheek was so light that she hardly felt it. “I’m not allowed to be jealous, remember? Your rules.”

  “Ah, I see.” Julie took another drink. As she sucked down a quarter of the vodka, she thought about the signs Taylor was throwing her way lately. She could tell he was looking to become serious, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. The last thing she wanted to do was end things with him, but if Taylor was looking to settle down, she was a horrible choice for a partner.

  “What do you say we get out of here and go back to my place?” Taylor gave her a smile and Julie felt her stress fade.

  “My place.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “I don’t see why you never want to go to mine. We’ve been together for months now, Jules. You should come to my apartment.”

  “Together?”

  He groaned. “You know what I mean. Friends with benefits. Lovers.” He wagged his eyebrows. “Or my favorite name you’ve given me, your boy toy.”

  “I’ll go if you stop doing that, but just for tonight.”

  “Whoo!” Taylor stood and grabbed her hand. “I think I just won the lottery. Do you know how many times I’ve asked you?”

  “Countless.” Julie laughed. “Now let’s get going. My mind is already beginning to change.”

  “You got it, sweetheart.”

  They weaved through the growing crowd. People were piling in through the doors, and Julie was glad they had decided to leave when they did. As they stepped through the exit, the salty sea air hit her hard. The effects of the alcohol kicked in full force.

  “So, your car or mine?” Taylor pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her shoulder. It took Julie a few seconds to process his question.

  “Yours. I came in a cab.”

  “Very smart of you.” He paused and looked down into her face. “I didn’t ruin your plans, did I? I mean, were you planning on finding another ride home?”

  Julie knew exactly what he was referring to. “I didn’t have any plans on picking up a man. I quit Bets a long time ago.”

  “Well, Bets, yeah, because there’s no one here to bet you, Julie. You can still take a man home without having to bet someone.”

  She pulled him toward his truck. “You know what I meant, Taylor. A bet is a man to me, if that even makes sense. Plus, I’m perfectly content with you. I don’t need anyone else.”

  “Yeah?” He smiled and placed her back against the side of his truck. Warmth penetrated her clothes as he molded his body to hers. “I think I like the sound of that. I guess I better keep it up then. I wouldn’t want you replacing me with a younger version of myself, now would I?”

  Julie cupped his cheeks and pulled his face down to hers. As their lips connected, she fought back the tears. If he only knew how long she had wanted him to be with her. It made her heart ache to think that things wouldn’t work between them.

  “God, I love the way you kiss.” Taylor slid his hand up the back of her exposed thigh and pinned her between him and the truck. The pressure of his hip against her pussy caused Julie to moan and tighten her grip around his neck. “I could fuck you right here, Jules, and no one would know. It’s pretty dark.” He shifted his stance, changing the direction of his hip. The friction made her cry out and pull him impossibly closer.

  Taylor traced across her lace panties. With the way he had her positioned against the truck, she was completely exposed. “So what about it? You want me?” His finger lifted the lace off her hip.

  “I do, but aren’t you worried you might never get me to your apartment?”

  He twisted his mouth and looked up to the sky as if he were in deep thought. “Hmm, well I doubt you want to see a half-empty apartment anyway. Unless you prefer to go. Just say the word and your wish is my command.”

  Taylor’s finger caressed its way down until he was teasing the outside of her entrance. “Mmm, you’re so smooth.” He pushed his finger deep inside of her. She wiggled against him as heat intensified across her skin. The tightening in her core had her needing more.

  “I don’t want to wait. Fuck me here.” Darkness filled her vision as Julie closed her eyes and buried her face in Taylor’s neck. His smell had become so familiar. Like comfort and home. The cologne he wore was so subtle, it was perfect.

  The sound of fabric tearing had Julie getting wetter. Her body jerked slightly forward as Taylor ripped the other side of her panties and they fell to the ground.

  “You’re a very naughty girl, Julie. I’ve always loved that about you.”

  Taylor unbuttoned his jeans and traced the tip of his cock against her pussy. Her gasp filled
the air as he eased inside of her.

  “Fuck, you’re so tight.”

  Her wetness enveloped his length as he stretched her and surged deeper. Taylor’s hand lifted her face. “Don’t close yourself off from where you are, Julie. Open your eyes and look at me. Look at where we are.”

  The order was one she obeyed. With Taylor she always catered to his dominant side. Julie opened her heavy lids and took in the dimly lit lot. Music and voices could be heard in the distance, and the recognition heightened her senses. She connected with Taylor’s stare and her heart skipped a beat.

  “Good girl. Now don’t take your eyes off me.”

  Laughter sounded from not far away. Julie went to look in the direction of the building, but Taylor moved his head to meet her inquiring gaze. “Me, Jules. Not them. Me.” He lifted her leg higher into the crook of his arm and thrust harder. Tightness grew heavy in the pit of her stomach. The faster his cock thrust, the less Julie cared if anyone happened across them.

  “Taylor?” Julie pleaded with her eyes. She was on the verge of having an orgasm and she knew there was no way she was going to be able to control her volume. A wicked smile came to his face and Julie felt his hand travel from her thigh to the wetness where they were joined. Her eyes grew big at what she knew he was going to do.

  “I want you to be loud. Scream at the top of your lungs if that’s how good it feels.” Taylor’s touch made its way to the entrance of her ass and she gripped onto his hair tight. “That’s right. You know you want this.”

  The spasms hit Julie hard as Taylor’s finger slid deep inside of her. Whether she was screaming out in pleasure or not, she had no idea, nor did she really care. All she could feel was the increasing thrusts and Taylor’s cock swelling inside of her. She could hardly see straight as Taylor pulled out of her pussy.

  “Oh shit.” Julie tried to catch her breath while her feet were lowered to the ground. As she pulled her dress back down, Taylor kissed her forehead.

  “You never cease to amaze me. That was phenomenal.”

  “Yeah it was.” Julie smiled and looked around at all of the parked cars. “I can’t believe we just did that. What if someone saw?”

  Taylor laughed. “Then they had one hell of a show.” He walked her around and helped her into the truck. “So, where would my lady like to go? The night is still early. We can catch a late movie, go down to the beach and lay under the stars….”

  “Home?” Julie smiled apologetically. Sadness took over as she watched his face fall. “I’m sorry, Taylor, but I have a busy day tomorrow. Work is crazy right now. Not to mention, I think I had too much to drink. I’m not feeling so well.”

  “Oh. Well, no problem, then. Let’s get you home and tucked into bed.”

  Julie sat quietly as Taylor went down the back roads to her apartment. She wasn’t sure what to do about him. The chemistry was definitely there. They got along amazingly. But guilt ate at her. She knew they’d never be more than lovers unless she addressed her problem and got treatment. Would he understand though? Embarrassment over the thought of telling him her secret turned her stomach. She couldn’t put him through having to have a girlfriend in rehab.

  Country music played softly on the radio, but she didn’t recognize the song. Too many thoughts were going through her head. She was so confused about what to do. Everything felt like it was crashing down on her and the only person she had to lean on was the man sitting next to her.

  Julie glanced at Taylor. A huge smile was lighting his face. He looked so happy. It was enough to make her smile. She was caught off guard when he suddenly turned to her. “I can crash at your place tonight, right?”

  Her laugh filled the interior of the truck. “You have to ask? Taylor, I think everything you own is at my apartment. That’s probably why you say yours is so bare.”

  “Probably.” He got quiet, glancing back to her. “Does that bother you? I can take some stuff back to my place if you want. I just truly never thought about it. I’ve been staying with you at least three to five days a week now for months.”

  “It’s okay with me.” And that was the truth. She didn’t mind one bit that his clothes were hanging on the other side of her closet. Or that his sandals were placed by her front door. A part of her loved it. But how was she going to get better if every time she tried to stop her drinking, Taylor was going to be there to witness the sickness that followed? It was the million-dollar question, and she didn’t have the answer.

  Chapter 2

  The humidity was suffocating as Julie made her way across the parking lot to the law office where she worked. Spring was coming to an end, and she could have sworn it was already mid-summer. And to think, she had months left to endure this stifling weather. The thought made her head ache ten million times worse.

  Corpus Christi was known for the heat. It was the reason her parents had moved her to South Texas as a child. They were tired of the snow. Well, that, and the fact that her nanny was originally from the area. Since they were spending more and more time away, Rosa had wanted to be closer to her family.

  Her parents didn’t hesitate at the nanny’s request. She’d practically raised Julie, and they didn’t want to risk losing her. Damn, she missed Rosa. Her nanny was more of a mother to Julie than her own, and she’d been gone now for almost two years. The fact that her case was still unsolved was enough to make Julie sick. Robberies weren’t overly abundant in the city, but Rosa had just been at the wrong place at the wrong time.

  Julie pulled the door open and was greeted with a cold gust of air. Corinne, the receptionist, was dead set against the heat too, and even though the thermostat was probably set at seventy, she also had the ceiling fan circulating on high.

  “It’s going to be another scorcher.” Julie shut the door, trying to block out the bell that was dinging. Her head was throbbing, and it wasn’t even ten in the morning yet. Since Taylor had stayed the night, she hadn’t had the time to sit and enjoy her morning glass of vodka. It wasn’t like she needed it anyway. If there was a good day to start cutting back, today was it.

  “I can’t stand this place. I swear, a few more months and I’m out of here.”

  Julie laughed. “You said that three months ago.”

  “And I mean it. Mark my words, come this time next month, I’ll be gone. When I don’t show up to work, don’t come looking for me.”

  The phone started ringing and Corinne rolled her eyes. “It’s been nonstop since I got here. Your messages are on your desk.”

  Julie nodded as she headed for the end of the hallway. Her office was in the last room to the right, which made it impossible to get past her new boss. Mr. Jenkins had joined the firm a few months back, and it was a surprise when her old boss said he was retiring and handing everything over to the arrogant Mr. Asshole.

  “You’re late, Jules.” The deep sound of Mr. Jenkins’s voice made Julie’s skin crawl. And who the hell did he think he was, calling her Jules? Only her closest friends did that. He’d heard it once from Evelyn, and from that moment on he’d addressed her by that name.

  “It’s Julie. And I’m not late. I’m actually”—Julie looked down at her watch—“eight minutes early. It’s nine fifty-two.”

  “Your hours are nine to five, unless you’re at court. I thought we settled this last week.”

  Julie clenched her jaw. “I’ve never had set hours. I thought when we had our conversation, I mentioned that. I do my job, and I’m good at it. That’s probably why they say I’m the best damn family practice lawyer in this city.” She didn’t even wait for his response. Julie opened the door to her office and closed it as fast as she could. It was way too early to go rounds with Jerry, especially sober and with withdrawals looming in the background of her mind.

  Julie set her purse down on top of the desk and sighed when she saw the stack of messages sitting next to her phone. The job she had was never-ending. If her clients weren’t bombarding the office with telephone calls, her cell phone was ringing off the ho
ok. She had no idea how they even managed to get her number, but they always seemed to find a way.

  The miniatures of vodka called Julie’s name. All she had to do was reach down and take one out of her purse and she would feel so much better. No one would know. The words kept going through her head.

  Julie shook it almost violently. No, she couldn’t. She had way too much work to do, and if she was ever going to break free from addiction, she was going to have to be strong.

  An aching deep in her gut made the all-too-common nausea return. It was one of the worst symptoms. Queasiness always appeared whenever she had a craving for alcohol. To get her mind off of it she grabbed the messages.

  “Mr. Cortez, Ms. Richmond…” Julie had flipped through three more papers when a knock sounded at the door.

  “Come in.” She didn’t even look up as the barrier opened. She knew that knock. It consisted of a rhythm of three, and then a loud final bang.

  Corinne cleared her throat. “A package came in for you. If you ask me, it looks like the others.”

  Julie slowly looked up. Her stomach did a flip-flop at the large manila envelope. “Does it say who it’s from?”

  “Hmm. Let me see.” Corinne inspected the front and flipped it over. Her face was full of sarcasm as she raised both of her eyebrows. Nope. Just like the others, it was completely blank except for the large black lettering on the front that said, Julie, the Whore.

  “Whore! That one’s new. I think I liked bitch better.” Julie tried not to shudder, but she couldn’t hold in the shaking all the way. Her body was trembling with anger and fear. The two emotions were completely different, yet they went together, hand in hand.

  She took the envelope and stared at it. For the last few weeks she’d received multiple packages from the same anonymous source containing threats and surveillance pictures of her. The only reason she didn’t call the cops was because of the explicit photos she didn’t want leaked to anyone. They were embarrassing, capturing moments in time when she was drunk and did things she’d rather not remember.