Revenge for Hire (The Get Even Agency) Read online

  REVENGE FOR HIRE

  Janice Lynn

  Rules for The Get Even Agency

  1. Protect your identity at all costs.

  2. Never meet any client face-to-face that they know you’re TGEA.

  3. Never give a client or target your real name or any personal information.

  4. Always achieve desired level of revenge

  5. Never get emotionally involved with any target.

  6. Never allow a target to undermine your efforts.

  7. Never allow guilt to enter the picture.

  The golden rule: Never fall in love.

  All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

  All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in any information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the author.

  REVENGE FOR HIRE copyright 2012 Janice Lynn

  This book is dedicated to every woman who has ever been cheated on, lied to, or done dirty. Hope you enjoy my foray into naughty girl revenge.

  Revenge for Hire

  Jude Layman grinned at his buddy and motioned to the two women who’d just entered the downtown Manhattan pub. Both were bleached blond and stacked. “That looks like you and me, bro.”

  Marcus, Jude’s best friend since they’d roomed together their freshman year at Princeton, barely raised his gloomy head from the longneck he slumped over. “Nah. Not interested. You go ahead, though.”

  “Both?” Jude’s dark blond brow rose, trying to get a reaction from his friend.

  A slight smile lifted his friend’s mouth. “Wouldn’t be the first time, now would it?”

  Jude quasi-shrugged. “That was years ago.”

  “Years? What about those high-falootin twins you dated a while back?”

  Glad Marcus’ shoulders no longer sagged, Jude grinned. “Who am I to kiss and tell?”

  “Nah, you never have been one to tell.” Marcus took another sip of his longneck, stared at a speck on the bar, and got lost in thought again.

  Jude hated seeing his friend so down in the dumps. Marcus’ wife had taken off for greener pastures and left her husband to pick up the broken pieces of their shared life. Credit cards had been maxed out, bills had gone unpaid, and his friend discovered Joy had slept with more than one of his coworkers.

  The real doozey was that Marcus would take the witch back in a heartbeat. Take her back and somehow find a way to blame himself for all the crappy things she’d done.

  Love. Jude didn’t understand the insane emotion and was grateful he didn’t.

  He liked women. Their company, their scent, their soft bodies, but when it came down to it, there wasn’t one alive who held his interest for more than a month. He remained friends with the majority of the women he’d dated, all except the ones who tried to tie a gold-banded noose around his neck.

  Jude planned to never marry. He once-overed his best friend with disgust. Just look at what matrimony got a man. Depressed as all hell and sitting in a bar drinking lukewarm beer and not giving a damn about life.

  Marriage was not in the cards for this self-proclaimed permanent bachelor.

  Besides, being single rocked. Why would any man ever willingly give that up?

  “She’s not coming back, is she?” Marcus sounded so dejected that Jude was tempted to track his friend’s cheating ex-wife down and choke her with his bare hands.

  “Joy?” Hell, he hoped she wasn’t coming back. The woman hadn’t deserved Marcus. Eventually, his friend would realize that. “You should move on. You’re a great guy. Loyal.” Too loyal. “Hardworking.” Although Joy’s betrayal was affecting his work. “Talented.” Hadn’t they brought their fraternity to its first ever intra-mural sports championship? “Good-looking, smart.” Except for when it came to his ex-wife. “Any woman in this bar would be glad to have you.”

  A hot redhead walked in. Immediately, she caught Jude’s eye because she was alone. It wasn’t often a woman who looked like her entered a bar without a man or a group of friends. Which meant one of two things: she was on the prowl or was meeting someone.

  She met his eyes and winked. On the prowl.

  Jude grinned. She was a looker in her low cut blue sweater and jeans. There was a sexy confidence about her that appealed. She’d take as good as she got.

  “For instance,” Jude nudged his friend’s arm, “that chick heading toward us with a sassy shake of her hips. My bet is some guy did her wrong and she’s here looking to settle the score.”

  Marcus barely glanced her way, proving marriage had made him go blind.

  “I also bet that you’re just the guy who could help her.” Determined to get his best friend back on track, Jude waggled his brows. “Maybe she could help you, too.”

  Red sidled up to the bar and plopped her tight jeans-covered bottom onto a stool. Lucky stool.

  “I’ll have a Jack and Coke,” she said, then slowly spun her seat to face Marcus and Jude. Her eyes shined with invitation. Definitely on the prowl.

  If Jude were interested in getting laid, he’d take her home. No doubt about it. Tonight getting laid wasn’t on the agenda. Helping his best friend was. He’d do just about anything to get Marcus out of this funk.

  “I think she’s looking at you.”

  Marcus glanced up. “Not me. You.”

  Jude glimpsed her way again. Sure enough, her rich brown eyes met his and she smiled. Not a happy smile. A come-and-get-me one.

  Damn.

  If anyone other than Marcus sat here he would take her up on the invitation in her eyes. But it was Marcus, and Jude had never met a woman he couldn’t resist.

  “Not interested,” Jude denied, pretending not to be impressed. “You go for it.”

  This caught Marcus’ attention fast. “What?”

  “I’m not interested.” Jude motioned to the bartender. “My buddy here wants to pay for the lady’s Jack and Coke. Put her drink on my tab, and he and I will settle up later.”

  He didn’t want to run up more bills for Marcus. Joy had already done a fine job of that. Actually, he’d been trying to convince Marcus to do some consulting for Playhouse Magazine. Marcus was legal brilliance.

  Playhouse was growing by leaps and bounds. Had ever since Jude had taken over and turned the trashy, floundering publication into an upscale magazine for men. Yes, it still contained nudity, but it also had great articles about sports, money, politics, health, even religion.

  Jude wanted to ensure that growing trend continued.

  “I’m not interested in other women.” Marcus’ sad state attested to this. “I love my wife.”

  “As of yesterday afternoon, you don’t have a wife,” Jude reminded. “She screwed you over, screwed half your office, left, filed for divorce, and you didn’t contest it. You’re a free man, and Red is definitely your color.”

  “Joy didn’t want me to contest the divorce,” Marcus half-mumbled as if talking to himself. “She wanted it over without a lot of mess.”

  Jude bet she had. The witch had left Marcus with all their debt and nothing more.

  “At least be polite,” he encouraged. “Turn around and talk to her.”

  Marcus expression grew panicked. “What do I say?”

  Was this really the same guy he’d roomed with in college? What had Joy d
one with Marcus’ balls? His adventurous spirit?

  “Man,” Jude scowled. “It’s time for you to suck it up and grow a new set of family jewels. The best way to do that is with a pretty lady.”

  Marcus sighed. “Fine, but I think she’s more interested in you.”

  “Only because you insist upon looking like the world is about to crash upon your head.” Jude picked up his longneck and drained it. “Try smiling when you talk to her.”

  Jude pretended to watch a Knicks game while he listened to Marcus strike up a conversation with Red. He grimaced. Was there a Reintroduction to the Dating Scene 101 course somewhere he could enroll his pal in?

  This was pathetic.

  No doubt about it. His buddy needed laid. Unless Joy had put out after leaving, Marcus hadn’t had sex in six months. Too long without a woman could make a man go cross-eyed. Maybe that explained why his buddy wasn’t seeing straight these days.

  Getting Marcus laid was going to be Jude’s top priority. Hell, he’d commit to it to the point he wouldn’t have a woman himself until he got his friend hooked up.

  Nothing like a little motivation to speed things along.

  “Hey, Jude,” Marcus cut into his thoughts. “Patrice would like to meet you.”

  Jude glanced toward his friend. Marcus didn’t look one bit attracted to the redhead. Damn it. This moping around was getting old.

  “Why would she want to do that when she’s talking to the hottest lawyer in Manhattan?”

  The redhead didn’t even glance at Marcus, just kept her gaze on Jude. Which pissed him off. He didn’t want her to be interested in him. Tonight was about Marcus. Marcus was the man.

  She stuck her hand out. “Patrice Miller.”

  He scowled and ignored her. “Did Marcus tell you that he once scored the winning touchdown in our college intramural football game?”

  Her forehead scrunched in confusion. “No, he failed to mention that.”

  She still didn’t spare his friend another glance. Nor did she sound impressed.

  “Did he tell you that he works for one of the fastest growing law firms in Manhattan, it’s mostly to do with his ingenious courtroom techniques?”

  She swirled the remaining liquid in her glass and shot him a sultry smile. “He failed to mention that, too.”

  “Just what did he tell you?”

  “That if I were looking for a good time, you were the man for me.” She lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip. “Hello, Good Time.”

  Under normal circumstances, Jude would have been impressed by how her lips caressed the glass rim, how she made taking the drink look like an erotic act, how she didn’t play games about what she wanted. These weren’t normal circumstances. He’d just vowed to not have sex until Marcus got laid.

  These were desperate times.

  “He lied. I’m a total bore.”

  Her gaze raked over him. Slow and suggestive. “Uhm, guess I’ll have to do a thorough search to find whatever it is that’s boring because I’m not seeing it.”

  “Take my word, I’d bore you to tears, but Marcus knows how to show a lady a good time.”

  An odd look crossed her face, as if she couldn’t believe he was dissing her. Hell, he couldn’t believe it. A gorgeous woman wanting him to show her a good time, but at the moment, he didn’t want sex. He wanted his best friend to get his act together and start acting like a man again.

  Marcus looked back and forth, then he shook his head before sliding off his stool. “I’m outta here. You two have fun.”

  “No!” Jude stood.

  The redhead’s eyes widened.

  “Look, I’m just not into this.” Marcus put his hand up when Jude started to argue. “You stay, have a great time, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Damn it.” Jude pulled out his wallet and threw a couple of twenties onto the bar to generously cover his tab and tip. “You’re not leaving.”

  Marcus frowned. “Yes, Jude, I am. I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I’m not interested, and neither is she. Not in me. Go have fun.”

  “Maybe you didn’t hear, I said I wasn’t interested. However, you should be because it’s damn time you got laid.”

  “Who says I want laid?” Marcus countered.

  The woman squirmed on her bar stool.

  “I do. Every man wants laid. It’s part of our natural chemical make-up. Our DNA is programmed for us to want to go out and spread our seed. Okay, not to some woman you pick up in a bar, and not without a condom, but come on, Marcus. It’s time you started dating or at least show some interest in the opposite sex.”

  “Well, be my guest, oh great seed sower, but I’m not interested in anyone except my wife, and I’m going home.”

  * * *

  Downing her drink and enjoying the burn, Randi stared at the two arguing men and couldn’t believe they both ignored that she was sitting right there. Even more, she couldn’t believe she’d just been dissed. Not just once, but twice. First by the mark, Jude Layman, and second by his melancholy friend.

  Randi didn’t get dissed by men. Not ever.

  Unfortunately, her mark and his friend were halfway across the bar, still arguing with each other, and she was totally forgotten. Dissed.

  It would be useless to go after them. The one guy was caught up in his ex and the mark, although having shown an initial attraction, it hadn’t been enough to hold his attention.

  Randi motioned for the bartender, ordered herself another drink, and felt nausea rising from the pit of her stomach.

  She’d struck out.

  Chapter Two

  “He walked away? Just like that?” Avery stared incredulously at Randi. When Randi came back to their Manhattan apartment much earlier than expected, the other three girls almost fainted. Randi never came back before midnight.

  Still looking disgusted, Randi nodded.

  Wow. Avery had a whole new respect for Jude Layman. He’d resisted the sexiest of the Get Even Agency girls.

  “I don’t believe it,” she muttered out loud.

  “Believe. I struck out.” Randi dipped the spoon into her Chunky Monkey ice cream and dug out a big bite. “Jude Layman seemed impervious to my charms.” She wrapped her mouth around the metal and sucked off the chocolate confection. Then she shook the spoon at her friends. “If I didn’t know better I’d think he was gay.”

  “Maybe he is and the string of women are just a front or an attempt to convince the world otherwise,” Cassidy suggested. She’d been on assignment earlier. Some deserving guy would be bald after his next shampoo.

  “His friend, too?” Avery leaned back against the fluffy white cushion on the sofa. Because of so frequently needing a cover and a place to stay in New York, they owned the apartment through a bogus firm Randi set up on-line. They did a lot of work in the city.

  “Maybe they’re secretly in love with each other,” Cassidy giggled.

  “What have we found out about the friend?”

  “Not gay.” Randi waved her spoon. “Married until this week when his divorce became final. His wife left his sorry butt and moved on to make a new life for herself.”

  “Anything else?”

  “He roomed with Jude in college. They’ve been close since.”

  “You’re sure they’re not gay and into each other?”

  “With the way they were arguing when they left anything’s possible, but,” Randi grimaced and dug back into the Chunky Monkey, “I’d bet money they’re both straight.”

  Randi had been broke most of her life, up until the agency became such a huge success. She didn’t make bets lightly.

  Jude Layman and his friend were straight.

  “Now what?” Courtney asked, doodling on a pad of paper, something she did whenever she was thinking things over. “We’ve taken on the assignment, Mandy Sims has paid us quite handsomely, and, for the first time ever, Randi struck out.”

  “We come up with a new plan,” Avery said matter-of-factly. She’d known this job
was going to be different. But a man dissing Randi? Even she hadn’t seen that one coming. Different didn’t begin to cover it. “One that doesn’t involve seducing the guy.”

  “Guess that would call for your expertise, because if I have to be around him I’m going to want to lose my clothes,” Courtney admitted, wiggling her plucked-to-a-fine-line brows.

  “Be careful,” Avery warned, smiling slightly at the woman she loved like a sister. She loved all three of her TGEA partners. “The man does run a porn mag.”

  “Take off my clothes and let someone take my picture?”

  Avery didn’t like the light in Courtney’s eyes. The light that said she was considering it and not in a not-in-your-life kind of way.

  Avery snapped her fingers in front of her friend’s face. “Hello. There is no way you can be a centerfold for a porn rag. The publicity would ruin your career at TGEA. Men would recognize you. You’d never be able to go undercover again.”

  “You’re right, but can you imagine the rush?” Courtney’s eyes lit up like a fourth of July fireworks display. “How easy it would be to get guys?”

  “Like you’ve ever had any problems with that?”

  Courtney’s body was one lithe muscle and she had a face any supermodel would be proud of. She wore her hair in a spiky bleach blond cut that Avery didn’t particularly care for, but Courtney didn’t get caught up in vanity and preferred the no-nonsense style. Regardless, getting men was not a problem for the ex-Hollywood stunt girl.

  “No, but neither has Randi and look what happened to her. Two guys walked on her in the same night.” Courtney frowned. “Do you think we’re losing our touch?”

  All four women got quiet.

  Avery couldn’t stand the deafening silence.

  “Are you serious? Of course, we aren’t losing our touch. So the latest mark is a bit craftier than the others we’ve come up against. Randi herself said how smart he was. Apparently smart enough not to be led around by his dumbstick. We’ll just have to come up with a more unique punishment for Jude Layman. One befitting his treatment of Mandy Sims.” Avery flashed her soul sisters a conspiratorial smile. She wouldn’t let Jude Layman, or anyone for that matter, mess with the closest thing to a family she’d ever had. “One befitting his treatment of a TGEA girl.”