Late next morning Jaylen rocked up at Leon’s house and was let in. Jaylen empty her pockets with rolled up money and left over bags of cocaine
Leon pushed the money to Tony “count it” Leon looks at the bags returned “I thought you said you could move this all.”
“I know... I can, it got hot... the stuff and I was getting too much attention” stuttered Jaylen. Remembering the night how she was run off her feet, mainly due to the extra perks in her drinks.
Hailey walked in “hi Jaylen, looks like you had a good night”
“Shut up Hailey” ordered Leon
Hailey stopped
“There are 3 bars at the club, I ended up with more customers than I could handle. It was only a matter of time before my boss figured it out. I stopped dealing, I can move the rest Leon I promise.”
Tony bent down and whispered in Leon’s ear. Leon took some of the money and gave it to her. Jaylen counted it and groaned sitting back “900 bucks, fuck sake” hisses Jaylen. All her work and risk paying nothing more than pittances
Leon laughed “you have to work harder, come up with some other way to spread the heat. Maybe involve some of your other work colleagues, share the wealth”
“ no way, one person deal”
Leon got up and threw a few smalls bags of coke to her “a little something for your trouble”
Jaylen pushed them away “I told you, I don’t take the stuff.”
Tony laughs “cmon girl, you know you want it... all drug addicts are a lost cause”
“Takes one to know one Tony” spat Jaylen
“Oh fuck baby you really want it don’t you” growls Tony
“oh yeh, but you carry the wrong tackle” baits Jaylen
“huh” grunts Tony
Hailey laughs “she means Tony, it’s because you carry tackle dickhead”
Jaylen hears a slap and a scream and turns to see Hailey holding side of her face and Leon’s face red. “You mind your place.”
Leon looks at Jaylen “do what you want with the bags, sell the fucking rest and bring back the money.”
Jaylen looked at Hailey concerned, her lip was bleeding “Jaylen I’m talking to you”
“yes Leon, I will do that..”
“well... I have a party to prepare for so if you will all excuse me. Hailey... come with me”
Jaylen shook her head “wait... a party... I can help” thinking this could be her chance to get to know Hailey a little better
Hailey nodded “she’s a cook”
“Chef” growled Jaylen
Hailey smirked and winked “she could help cater Leon, free up some time for you.”
Leon looks at Jaylen “you’re a chef... well your hired.” He pulls out some money “2 grand be enough”
Jaylen nodded and looks to Hailey “umm I will need help, ideas on what to cater.”
Leon looks at Tony “I’ll help you Jaylen, let the boys play by themselves” quickly offers Hailey
"fine fine, do whatever" growls Leon
Jaylen agreed to meet Hailey at the open market the next morning
Next morning Jaylen dressed usual old clothes, tied back her hair and put on her favourite baseball cap. She threw her bag over her shoulder and opened the door
“morning Jaylen” came a cheery voice
Jaylen jumped “jeezus... don’t be doing that”
Jaylen closed the door before Hailey could go inside “How did you know where I lived”
“Tony”
“He knows... crap”
“Some advice Jaylen, don’t bait Tony... he will hurt you”
Jaylen touched side of Hailey’s face, faint sign of a bruise “I don’t fear Tony, but I do worry for you.”
“you’re so sweet, come on let’s go shopping” Hailey walked off.
Jaylen watched the woman in a tight dress. She soon hurried after the gorgeous woman.
They strolled about the open air market, Jaylen pointing and explaining foods. They subtly flirted with each other when Hailey grabbed her and took off her baseball cap.
“Why do you hide that good-looking face under that cap” Hailey could see the tiredness and slight ageing of Jaylen, wondering how old she really was.
Jaylen blushes from Hailey’s touch “dunno, so nobody can see me I guess”
Hailey still holding Jaylen’s hand “come on let get some lunch”
They sit down at a cafe and continue to get to know each other
Hailey looked into Jaylen's eyes “how long have you been clean”
Jaylen took mouthful of her orange juice “2 years, 4 month and I don’t count the days anymore”
“Why”
“Why what” Jaylen puzzled at Hailey’s interest
“Why are you getting back in?”
“I’m not using, I just want money... I’m entitled”
“Why are you entitled?”
Jaylen paused not sure if she wanted Hailey to know about her past, but she felt she could trust Hailey, felt comfortable around her. “I was put away for my addiction. The government stole nearly 2 years from me. What I needed was help to beat my addiction, not incarceration.”
“They put you in gaol for your first offence?”
“It was the government’s new zero tolerance towards drugs. They threw me in gaol so I could learn my lesson. What I experience was absolute debauchery. I was repeatedly raped by women in the prison. Whatever they could get their hands on was shoved up my vag and arse. A hair brush handle was my cell-mate’s favourite.”
Hailey listen in horror
“and then if it was a slow day there was the prison officers, male or female it didn’t fucking matter. I won’t even tell you their sexual toy of choice.”
Hailey reached across and grabbed Jaylen hand unexpectedly and squeezing it. “I’m sorry, it was stupid legislation and thank god it is no longer valid”
“yeh well I have my dream that I want to make happen.”
“and yet you risking all that just to sell drugs, with a better chance of doing time, and a lot longer. You want to go back into that again”
Jaylen looked at Hailey strangely “well it’s not like I can get money any other way. Banks won’t lend me money, I’m a bad risk. My current job only makes me enough to pay my rent and I even get to eat some nights.”
Hailey sensed she was pushing Jaylen to hard “so tell me more about this dream”
Jaylen smiles “it’s silly”
“cmon”
“I want to own a cafe, by the seaside. I want to design my own recipes. I already have heaps of ideas written down. I just need to find the right venue... and the money. Oh who am I kidding it never will happen” groans Jaylen, drops her head in defeat
Hailey taps her hand “hey you have ideas and plans, your method of acquiring funds is a little risky. If you get caught, you will go back to gaol, you should reconsider...”
Jaylen took her hand back “I won’t get caught” said Jaylen confidently
Hailey remained silent
“Anyway while I’m working for your boy friend, you get to wear fantastic, sexy clothes. Have fabulous parties, best of all I get to hang out with his lovely girl friend. It has its perks”
Hailey encouraged further. “It’s not too late to change this career”
“Not until I get what’s owed to me. Now can we talk about something more interesting Hailey?”
Hailey eats her salad “hmmm like what”
“Well what is a beautiful woman doing with a creep like Leon”
Hailey smiled “because he’s amazing, generous and”
Jaylen grins “good in bed”
Hailey blushes and wipes her face with a napkin and shrugs “maybe, I bet that’s something you and he would have in common” Hailey gets up “c’mon let finish off.”
Jaylen was besotted with Hailey’s interest, especially now at a sexual level.
Jaylen helped bring all the food inside and semi prepared. Jaylen cut some strawberries and held one over Hailey’s mouth. She went to bite but Jaylen held it back
“Are you teasing me?” asked Hailey
“Have you been flirting with me?”
Hailey went to say something when they were disturbed
“Did you get all you need Jaylen” asked Leon
“yes... thanks. I was just”
“yeh yeh.. come on Hailey, come and help me relax a little hunny”
Hailey nodded “I’ll be right in”
Jaylen eyes gave away her worry and slight jealously. “you don’t have to be with him”
Hailey smiled “and you don’t have to sell drugs, but yet here we are, both doing the things we know we shouldn’t” she left Jaylen
Back at home Jaylen showered and dressed. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her face a little sunken, eyes dark. She looked at her clothes and touched her shirt. It had been over 2 years since she wore this shirt. She did up the buttons, grabbed her cap and left.
Hailey left the bedroom and glanced at herself in the mirror. She wore a tight black dress that just covered her behind. She smelt something nice and followed it to the kitchen. She watched the person bustling around, organising the appetizers. She turned around
“Wow Jaylen, you weren’t kidding about being a chef”
Jaylen laughed and opened her arms. Hailey looked at her white shirt with black buttons, white pants and
“Where’s the white hat”
Jaylen shrugged “hey I prefer to wear a black baseball cap than a white poofy hat.”
“You look fantastic” Hailey’s continued to admire Jaylen. “ohh I umm have to go and mingle.”
“Oh well I need to get some wine, Leon said he has a cellar”
She pointed
Jaylen went down few steps and looked along the rows of wines. She pulled out one and looked it over
“So tell me, what does a chef wears under her uniform”
Jaylen looked at Hailey and smirked “nothing”
Hailey smiles and walked towards her “I don’t believe you”
Jaylen put the bottle down and pulled at the top press stud button, followed by the next until the last. She then immodestly opened her top wide displaying herself
Hailey stopped just inches away from Jaylen, hey eyes giving away her surprise. Hailey wanted to touch Jaylen’s bare chest, but that was taken from her when Jaylen grabbed her hand and held it to her, just above her breast.
“My heart beats so fast when you are near me Hailey. I don’t know what spell you have over me but it’s intoxicating. You’re more addictive than anything I’ve taken.” Confess to Hailey.
Hailey closed in on Jaylen was quickly aborted
“Hey honey are you down here” called Leon, coming down the stairs
Hailey pulled her hand back quickly “I’m coming” and rushed off leaving Jaylen to re-button her top smiling. She was pretty convinced that Hailey was just as interested in her.
Jaylen returned to her kitchen only to find Tony waiting.
“Where you been?” he barked
Jaylen ignored him and went about her business when he grabbed her wrist, twisting it.
“I’m talking to you bitch”
She struggled “let me go”
“Someone needs to teach you your place” slapping Jaylen in the face. He pushed her hard against the bench and tried to reach inside her pants.
Jaylen struggled and reached around “someone needs to teach you not to attack a chef in her kitchen” she pushes at his throat
Tony stops and eyes the large bladed knife
“It would give me nothing but pleasure to bleed and gut you like a pig” she hissed
“Jaylen... Tony”
Tony stepped back to meet Hailey’s gaze “what’s going on” seeing the knife in Jaylen’s hand
“Hey I was wondering where my streak is” lightly smacks Jaylen’s face “I want my steak well done...” blows a kiss and leaves
Jaylen drops the knife to the floor and leans back catching her breath. Hailey holds her “are you alright... Jaylen” concerned at her sudden paleness
“I’m good... you should go.” Jaylen takes her cap off and flushes water over her face.
“I told you not to take Tony on.”
“So I should just let him rape me, just lie down and accept it. I learnt a long ago when you get pushed, you bloody-well shove right back. Giving in might be your thing but not mine.” Jaylen insulted
Hailey facial expression spoke without words and she went to leave
“Wait Hailey, I’m sorry... I panicked, he was all over me. I felt trapped please.”
Hailey nodded “I’ll see that he’s kept out your way.”
Jaylen went back to cooking the main. Jaylen served out the meals and before she took Tony’s sniffed back hard and spat on his steak. She placed it down in front and looked at the small gathered group.
“bon appetito everyone” in a rusty French accent
The party eventually finished and Jaylen finished cleaning up
“You did a fabulous job tonight Jaylen” commended Leon. He then threw her an envelope “there’s a grand in there, and make sure you sell rest of my stuff.”
Jaylen smiled “thanks Leon, night”
Jaylen was about to leave when she heard yelling and breaking glass. She heads out by the pool in time to see Leon slap Hailey to the ground.
“you fucking bitch...” he spat
Hailey crying and held her face “I’m sorry Leon...”
“I’m going to bed, clean yourself up bitch and you better be a little more accommodating to me tonight”
Leon left Hailey on the ground crying, holding her face. Jaylen quietly bent down touching Hailey
She jumped “shhhhh Hailey, cmon” she helps her up
Jaylen lifts Hailey to sit on the bench next to the sink. She wets a cloth dabbing her face of blood from split lip. Jaylen winces at the sight “Hailey...”
“It’s ok, it’s been worse.” She grimaces
Jaylen gets some ice and wraps it up putting side her cheek “you don’t deserve this, he should treat you better.” Jaylen looked at her “I would.”
Hailey touches Jaylen’s face appreciative of her sentiment “you should go...”
“I don’t want to leave you here, not like this, not with him.” Jaylen body stiffened, she looked over at the knife block. Hailey followed her gaze and got off the bench grabbing both her hands
“No... Jaylen... don’t even think about it. I will not let you.”
Jaylen shaking tried to move but Hailey was stronger than she looked “no Jaylen, I can handle myself. He would be asleep by now. He was very drunk, I won’t have any more trouble from .”
Jaylen took some breaths and nodded. Hailey kissed Jaylen’s cheek “goodnight Jaylen”
“Hailey... wait”
“go now... shoo” pushes Hailey “I’m going to be fine”