The Debt 2 Read Free Page B

slow her down.   She spent nearly an hour just trying on various combinations of outfits, finally settling on a black Fendi sheath dress with pieced black organza flutter cap sleeves.
    Jake had also left a large jewelry box on her dresser, and upon looking inside, Raven found absolutely stunning necklaces and earrings of differing styles and varieties.
    She decided on a white gold and diamond encrusted collar necklace as the compliment to her dress.   Raven had no idea how much the necklace cost, but she was guessing something north of fifty thousand dollars was possible.
    For heels, she wore a pair of crystal-covered Christian Louboutin’s, and then she selected a Saint Laurent bag from an assortment of purses that had been left in a large leather case in the corner of her bedroom.
    When Raven was finally dressed, she looked at herself in the mirror and was stunned at the change in her own appearance.
    I look like one of them .
    It practically took her breath away. She decided that maybe the biggest difference between a “normal girl” and one of those intimidating women that Jake Novak would be interested in dating was simply how much money those women had.   If you had enough money, you could get the style and the beauty along with it.
    Raven wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not, but she had to admit that she liked seeing herself in this new way.
    Smoothing her hair, she took a deep breath and then left her bedroom and went into the suite.
    Jake was already there, talking on his cell phone and looking out the picture window at the Boston skyline.   “Yeah, leaving in a minute,” Jake said into his cell phone.   “Meet you in the lobby, have the car ready.”
    He was wearing a flashy leather jacket with a t-shirt on underneath, and a pair of sharp blue jeans.   He looked absolutely fantastic, as if she’d inadvertently caught him during the middle of a Vogue fashion shoot.
    But there was nobody else in the room—no stylists, no wardrobe people, nobody to make him look this good.   Jake simply was that good looking, and he was that stunning in or out of the clothes he had on.
    Jake turned around as she came into the room, his eyes widening momentarily as he caught sight of her in the new outfit she’d put on.   “Kurt—I have to go now.   See you in a minute.”   He hung up his phone, still staring at her.
    “Hey,” she said, smiling shyly.   The way he was staring at her was making her wonder if she’d chosen the wrong outfit.
    “Hey,” he replied walking towards her.   “You look…” he shook his head.
    “Did I do it wrong?”
    He shook his head again. “I think I’m at a loss for words.”
    “That seems rare,” Raven said, feeling her cheeks flush.
    “It is rare,” he replied.  
    There was a silent moment of them both just looking at one another, and although it should have felt awkward, somehow it didn’t.
    But then, after some time, Raven couldn’t look at him anymore.   He was actually too handsome, and his eyes were too piercing, making her feel naked and vulnerable.    
    She wanted to please him so badly, and it didn’t make sense, because this was purely a business arrangement.   And not even one that she’d asked to be in.
    “Are we leaving now?” she said, clearing her throat and trying to sound businesslike and professional.   She was in charge of his fake social media, after all.  
    “You seem anxious to go,” Jake replied, watching her closely.   “Is it so bad being here alone with me for a minute or two?”
    “No, it’s not that,” she said, her breath leaving as he came nearer.
    “What is it, then?   Tell me, Raven.”
    “Something about the way you say my name, I don’t know if I like it.”  
    “You don’t like how I say your name?”
    “It’s like…like you think you know me.”   She turned her head, and now Jake stepped closer still, his breath hot on her neck as he looked at her, and she could feel the need coming from