Page 113 of Savage Ambition

The furrow of his brow deepened. “What are you talking about?”

“Back in high school, Jace heard that rumor about you and Mike,” I explained, watching recognition dawn in his eyes.

Shaw huffed. “It was a stupid rumor that started because someone saw us alone in a classroom together. Nothing even happened between us.”

“That didn’t stop Jace’s homophobia from rearing its ugly head when he set you up on a blind date with Belinda to help prove to the school you were straight. When you refused to go, he had a huge meltdown in the cafeteria. Everyone gossiped about it for weeks.”

Shaw’s face flushed with the memory. “Why would you care about that?”

“Because I knew you were gay and how much his selfish attempts at ‘helping you’ hurt.” My voice hardened. “He deserved payback for making you miserable.”

Shaw stared at me, stunned. “How did you know I was gay back then? The only people I told were Trent and my uncle.”

I gave him a pointed look. “Did you think your crush on me was subtle?”

A deep blush spread across his cheeks. “I didn’t think anyone noticed.”

“I notice everything about you,” I admitted, the words slipping out before I could stop them. “I always have.”

He rubbed his forehead as he tried to make sense of it all. “Are you saying you slept with Melissa to get back at Jace for me?”

“I couldn’t defend you publicly because of Jace, so I did the second-best thing by hurting him where he was most vulnerable. He worships that girl in a deeply disturbing way. If he wasn’t so obsessed with hating me, I’d think he was in love with her. Taking her virginity and then walking away crushed him in a way nothing else could have.”

“Jace is an asshole, but Melissa didn’t deserve that,” Shaw said quietly, disappointment etched into his expression.

I shrugged, unwilling to apologize for a decision I’d made years ago. “She was collateral damage. Besides, she isn’t as innocent as Jace thinks. She practically threw herself at me the second I paid attention to her. She knew exactly what she was doing when she invited me to her bedroom. Plus, I gave her the best fuck of her life, so she got the better end of the deal.”

Shaw studied me. “Did you enjoy it?”

“Do you mean enjoy having sex with Melissa specifically or with a woman?”

“Both,” he clarified, his voice strained.

I paused, calculating my response. “My real satisfaction came from the payback, from knowing I’d taken something Jace valued above all else.”

Shaw frowned. “That doesn’t make me feel better.”

I ignored his comment and moved on to the other point. “At the brothel, it’s my job to have sex with anyone who can afford me. Gender is irrelevant.”

“What would have been your choice if you had been allowed to choose for yourself?”

“I’m bisexual, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Shaw sat back with a stunned expression, creating distance between us.

“Does that bother you?” I asked, genuinely curious. It seemed an odd sticking point for someone who’d been paying to have sex with me.

“No,” he said quickly, then paused. “I guess I never considered it. I always assumed you were only into men.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s stupid, I know. It shouldn’t matter.”

“But it does. Why?”

He struggled to articulate his thoughts, his face a study in conflicted emotions. “I can’t help but wonder with all the options you have, why would you ever choose to be with someone like me? Someone who complicates your life and puts you at risk?”

“Being bisexual doesn’t mean I’m indiscriminate. While my attraction isn’t limited by gender, who I want most is specific to the person.” I brushed my fingers against his cheek. “And right now, the only person I want is you.”

He didn’t look entirely convinced, but some of the tension left his shoulders. After a long pause, he asked in a small voice, “Do you enjoy working at the brothel?”

“Does it make it better or worse for you to know I enjoy some of my clients or hate everyone I’m forced to service?” I asked.