The Toy Maker

When I regained the ability to stand without shaking, I left the stage to find something to drink.

"It's about time!" Jade cheered for me when I found them in the crowd of Cherries with wandering stares. Sarah jumped behind me and wrapped her arms around my neck, "That was the hottest thing I've ever seen." Kitty handed me a silk robe, "I think it was the hottest thing a lot of us have ever seen." My cheeks were hot.

"Oh, now you're embarrassed?" Jade teased and mimicked my moaning. Kitty and Sarah joined in with a chorus of cringe-inducing moans. "Shut up," I said with a grin. They were drawing too much attention.

The giggling stopped and I turned around to see what stole their attention. The noise in the room diminished when a man walked over to the front of the stage, to us.

My heart strained to remain calm as I looked at him, my eyes went rogue and scanned him against my will; a pale green shirt hung over his broad shoulders and matched with his eyes. I blinked in surprise; those couldn't be real. Black hair draped over his forehead and made his ivory skin look lighter, eye-catching even. He looked like the lead male character in a Young Adult novel, and I couldn't pry my eyes away.

Before I processed the stream of dirty thoughts scrolling through my head like a weather alert, he was in front of me. My head played static instead of full thoughts.

"This is the new Cherry?" He looked right past me to Kitty. She wrapped her arm over my shoulder and gave him a cocky smile.

"This is our girl." I glanced at her serious face; I was officially one of them.

His unnatural eyes roamed over me, "Hm."

Hm? I was just 'Hm'?

"Don't act like she didn't just make you imagine fucking her ten ways till Sunday, Jason," Kitty said with so much authority I almost believed her. She spoke so cavalierly about fucking me. Jason's mouth twitched, "I've seen better."

Oh. Out of all the rumors, not one of them prepared me to face a massive dick. Not the good kind at least. "Bullshit."

Jade stifled a laugh beside me. For the first time, Jason looked me in the eyes; his attitude didn't prevent my legs from feeling weak.

"What?" He dared me to repeat myself.

"I think you heard me." I ironed out the nerves in my voice but the knot in my stomach remained.

His expression stayed blank as he searched for holes in my composure. After seconds of stiff tension, he blinked. The stubbornness drained out of his eyes and I could almost see a smile forming on his face, but it only took a moment to go back to the same stoney resolve.

"Next time run all your hires past me." He said to Kitty without breaking eye contact with me. It sounded like a threat but the grin made it clear I amused him.

Before we could try to respond he strolled off to the back of the building where his workshop waited for him.

"Well, Shit," Jade spoke up first.

"Bullshit," I could tell by Sarah's tone that she enjoyed the spectacle, "Bullshit!"

I bit the inside of my cheek, "I probably shouldn't have said that. It just came out."

Jade grabbed my shoulder, "Don't be sorry for it, that was awesome."

"Yeah, he usually just looks at us and leaves but that," Sarah put her hand over her heart, "Did you see his eyes?"

Jade scoffed, "They looked so blue before." It didn't matter what color they were, I was still recovering from him being so close.

"Kind of a dick though," I said more to myself than them.

"Guess you just bring out the best in him," Kitty nudged me.

I rolled my eyes, "I'm sure that's it."

Kitty laughed, "At least you don't have to see him every night." All of us stared at her, "Not like that. For closing."

"Sure," Jade teased, "We all know you're nailing the guy."

"Gross." Kitty scrunched her nose in disgust.

"Dick or not a dick," Jade said, "Almost every Cherry in this building wants to jump him and he knows it."

Sarah nodded, "It'd be like screwing a mythical creature."

"I highly doubt that," I said, trying to convince myself. He couldn't be that good.

"Maybe one day you'll find out," Jaded wiggled her eyebrows and I laughed at the idea.

"I think we should go out tonight," Kitty said, "To celebrate the hoe who stole our hearts."

"I think I should change first," I glanced down at the robe barely covering my thighs.

Sarah grabbed my hand, "I have something perfect for you."

I agreed to go back to Sarah and Jade's apartment after work to change. Once Kitty left to handle a Cherry meltdown, Jade continued talking about The Toy Maker. "Seriously, I haven't seen him in months. I don't know how he runs a business without being in it."

"That's cause Kitty does it for him," Sarah added.

I walked with them to the backroom, "Yeah, they seem to know each other pretty well." My comment went unresponded to, I assumed they didn't have a response.

My line of questioning was cut short when another Cherry handed me my phone and claimed it rang at least five times. The unknown number left no voicemail but I knew what they wanted. I used the exit hidden underneath posters of naked men, so I could call back. The alley outside of Pink Cherry reminded me of a place where women and children disappear without a trace, so I propped the door open.

When no one answered, I sent a text and hoped I would get a response.