The next day, Adam was working the night shift and not long after he had been working, Mark showed up.
"What's up? " Mark asked, as he sat down at the bar.
"You're a son of a bitch, you know that? " He said quietly.
"What the hell did I do? " Mark asked. " Look man, if you and Jesse are having problems, don't say I didn't warn you. "
"Yes, and what exactly were you warning me of? "
"Oh, I get it now. She turned you down too! " Mark laughed.
"What's the real story on her, Mark? " Adam asked, seriously.
"Actually, considering you work here, you should know even more. "
"What does my working here have to do with her? " Adam asked, confused.
"Damn! You really don't know do you? " Mark chuckled and drank down his beer. Adam poured him another one. " I hate to be the one to piss you off, but Jesse is not only your landlady, but also your boss. Gerald Borg is Jesse's stepfather, but don't ever call him that. She barely acknowledges he exists, let alone that he is her stepfather. I'm not sure why, but because her mother married Gerald, he is the one that is controlling things. "
"I didn't know he had a step daughter. I only knew he had a daughter, Renee Taylor? "
"Renee Jessica Taylor and Jesse are the same. Everyone refers to Jesse as his daughter. I told you, the woman has money! And get this; she isn't even thirty years old yet, at least not for several more months. Kind of blows your mind, doesn't it? " Mark was laughing.
"Shit! That explains why she doesn't like Gerald. He slapped her pretty hard the night I saw them together. Although from what I saw, she isn't afraid of him. She didn't back down and she threw her drink at him. "
"They fight a lot and Gerald has a nasty temper, but no, Jesse isn't afraid of him, which has gotten her in some pretty good scrapes with him. Gerald is trying to run her company without allowing her any say so. She in turn, gets mad and does things without his say so. By the way, she also happens to be divorced from one of Gerald's pals. "
"She was married? Damn! Why didn't you tell me all this before? " He asked, more surprised about this than anything.
"Because I thought you knew. You do work here after all. She's been divorced for over three years. In fact the marriage didn't last for more than a few years. You've probably seen him in here too. He is a lot older than Jesse, around 45 or so. His name is Reese Martin. Reese isn't much different than Gerald when it comes to nasty tempers either; the big difference being, Gerald is much smarter than Reese will ever be. "
"Hell, why doesn't she do something about it? If nothing else, she shouldn't let them get away with treating her like that. Have you ever talked to her about it? "
"I wouldn't even try, and I suggest you don't either. Jesse is no angel either; this seems to be a war between Jesse and Gerald. Between their money and connections I'm not sure who will win, but I think I'll just stay out of it. "
"You say that almost as if you don't care. I find that difficult to believe, otherwise you wouldn't have warned her not long ago like you did. " Adam said seriously.
"I do care, but we are talking about very wealthy and very smart people, unlike myself. She knows I'm there if she needs me, until then, I have found it is best just to let her do what she wants to and not say anything. She's going to anyway. Look, I got to get going. Hey, did you find out what it was she wanted? " Mark laughed now.
"Yeah, come to think of it I did. " Adam joked, not wanting to explain any more. Mark laughed and after finishing his beer, left.
What Mark said, gave Adam more of an insight to Jesse, but still didn't help explain her interest in him. The more he learned about her and was around her, the more he seemed to be drawn to her, wanting to know more about her. Adam hated to admit it, but he was also beginning to feel something he hadn't felt in a very long time and although he was on a short break from his job, he would be leaving soon. Because of that, he wasn't sure how involved he wanted their relationship go.
As the evening became busier, he didn't have much time to notice anyone. When he finally had a chance to take a break, he saw that Jesse and several of her friends were out for the night. Jesse was dancing with a man about the same age as himself, but one Adam hadn't seen before. She was wearing a very sexy black dress with black sheer neckline and sleeves, short as usual, and she had diamond jewelry on, making her look stunningly beautiful, he thought. He did notice she had put very high black heels on.
"Mr. Gorgeous, can I get a drink? " She asked smiling at him as she approached the bar.
"And what does the lady desire? " Adam asked flirting with her.
"Besides you? " Jesse asked, with arousing intent.
"Be careful, your date might get the wrong idea, darlin. " He poured her a glass of wine, already accustomed to what she liked.
"That's not my problem. Besides, I didn't come here with him and I really don't know how I'll be getting home. "
"Well, just make sure you won't be driving. " Adam said, and got back to work. She went back to her friends, smiling at him as she did. Not long after he noticed a familiar man from another table walk over to where Jesse was sitting. Her friends were dancing so she was alone. He didn't know what the man said to her, but she stood up and was obviously angry.
"It's my money! " Jesse said, angrily.
"Why do you do this? You know how angry it makes him? Have you even looked at what you've spent in the last month? You could have at least tried to make money on the deal. " The man said rather loudly. He stood about 6'3" and around 195lbs or so. He had dark brown hair cut short and he was wearing a dark brown business suit with a white shirt. Adam had seen him before with Gerald many times.
"That doesn't happen to be Reese Martin, does it? " Adam asked Jason, another bartender.
"Sure does, and shit, she is really pissed. I knew this would happen. " Jason stated. " Anytime you see the two of them in here together, you can believe there will be trouble. "
They watched as Jesse had turned around and was poking Reese in the chest with her finger. " Don't talk to me about money, anymore. I'm getting real sick of this shit! In fact, I'm getting real fucking tired of you too! "
"Someone should talk to you about money. In fact it wouldn't hurt you to work once in awhile and make some. Hell at least charge for sex, oh wait I forgot, you don't have sex! No one touches you! " Reese said impudently.
"At least I would get paid, you son of a bitch! If you were charging they would be asking for a refund afterwards, plus some. " Jesse spit back at him, and walked to the bar. Reese followed her.
"Adam, sweetheart, would you please get me another drink? " She asked after sitting down on the barstool.
"Are you okay? " Adam asked her, now very concerned.
"As long as you're here. " Jesse said, her tone suddenly softer as she flirted with him. She surprised Adam by standing on the ridge of the bar stool, leaning over and quickly pulled him to her, kissing him hard on his lips, letting him go just a quickly.
"Dammit Jesse, why didn't you just let Gerald have the property? He at least makes money, which is more than I can say for you. He really isn't as bad as you make out, at least not in business anyway. " Reese said, trying to ignore Jesse's actions, but Adam could tell Reese wasn't happy about what she did.
" How dare you! " Jesse said and slapped him. " You stand there and defend him after everything he has done to me. " She went to slap him again, but Reese quickly grabbed both arms.
" Enough. Things could be different if you at least tried to work with him. But you keep screwing it up. " Reese said, holding her wrists tightly.
" Let her go. " Adam said leaning over the bar and was now tightly grasping Reese's arm.
"Stay out of this, it's none of your business. " Reese said angrily.
"I think it is, now let her go." Adam said boldly, applying more pressure to Reese's arm.
"Fine. " Reese dropped Jesse's wrists as if they had burned him. " Jesse, you have to quit this. I'll not have you interfering anymore. Is that clear? "
"Don't you dare tell me what I can and can't do. You didn't have that kind of control over me before and you sure as hell, don't have it now. " Jesse said staring at Reese with defiance and anger in her eyes.
"Someone should control you. Should I assume the bartender is another amusement for the ice goddess? " Reese laughed.
"You can assume anything you like. " Jesse turned slightly and winked at Adam.
"Surely he can't be your lover; you would have to let him touch you for that. " Reese laughed boldly.
"Only men with balls are allowed to touch me, you never had those, Reese. You also have to know how to fuck, which in fact Adam does, and get this, after being with him now, you might as well start wearing dresses because you sure as hell aren't a man. "
"Why you bitch! " Reese went to hit her but Jesse held out the wine glass still in her hand. Reese's hand struck the glass, breaking and cutting them both, sending fragments of glass everywhere. " Shit! You're crazy! Fucking crazy! " Reese yelled.
Adam immediately grabbed a towel and was on the other side of the bar wrapping it around her hand. Steve, the bouncer grabbed Reese, escorting him out of the bar.
"Calm down, tiger. " Adam said to Jesse. " Let's get that hand under cold water and have a look at it. " He took her behind the bar and in the back to the sink. Everyone else in the bar finally calmed down and went back to what they were doing.
"That son of a bitch! I can't believe this. " Jesse was swearing.
"Just stand still long enough for me to see if you need stitches. "
"Stitches my ass. " She said and pulling her hand away, she reached underneath the sink and got several towels. She splashed some alcohol on it. He saw her wince, but she didn't cry out. " There, now just wrap the towel around it and tie it. It'll be fine. "
"Fine, I guess it's not as bad as it looks. " He said rather surprised by her actions. " I take it he is one of the nasty men you deal with? Also known as your ex-husband. "
"He's nice compared to others. " She laughed. " By the way, thanks for all your help. "
"Anytime. " He laughed. " He let you go, didn't he? I figured if you wanted me to do something else, you would have said so. "
"Oh really, and I suppose you thought I would faint too! " She said and both of them burst out laughing.
"You actually were doing pretty good. " Adam said.
"Yeah, with no help from you. " Jesse smiled.
" What do you mean, no help? I thought I was the one that had balls enough to fuck you. And pretty damn good I might add. Such words from a lady. " He smiled boldly unable to contain himself. " You know what I'm going to have to do now, don't you? I don't want anyone calling you a liar. "
