by Hadley Knox
“Look,” Adam said. “We can talk about this until we’re blue in the face. The main thing is that you are protected now and don’t have to worry about the murder any longer. Can we just enjoy one evening together?”
Of course, he was right. I didn’t want to admit it, because I wasn’t done beating him over the head with all of this. I had more questions than answers, and I was convinced that he wasn’t telling me most of what he knew about the murder. But in some way, my trust in him had not wavered. I felt safe with him and knew that he would never hurt me. If he were keeping information from me, then there must be a good explanation.
I tried to suppress my anger and frustration and enjoy the fact that my boyfriend was here with me.
He knew exactly how to get my mind off all the crap in my life. He stood up and then reached over and took my arm. As he guided me to my feet, he wrapped his arms around my back.
I wanted to ask him another question, tell him again how running away wasn’t the best way to handle this, but it was too late. His lips connected with mine, and all of that nonsense just evaporated from my brain.
One of his hands gripped the back of my neck while he kissed me. The other hand was at my waist and working its way up my back under the shirt. I could feel the insatiable, animalistic passion that he felt. He had never been this aggressive.
He must have been waiting for some signal from me that this was okay, because the second that I started kissing him back, he let loose.
Simultaneously, his right hand had unsnapped by bra and his left hand was bringing my shirt up over my head. We stopped kissing briefly as he pulled both of them over my head and discarded them on the patio surface.
I grabbed the hem of his shirt and lifted it over his head, revealing his massive chest muscles and symmetrical mounds of his abs. His skin was smooth and tanned to a golden brown. Normally, I would run my fingers along his body, exploring it with my hand and my eyes, but we hadn’t seen each other in a few days.
Instead of leisurely, sensual exploration, I reached out and with a flick of my fingers, unsnapped his belt buckle, and shoved his pants down. He was tearing at my skirt as we started kissing again.
Our garments were still around our legs, just at the knee as he grabbed me and set me down firmly on the chaise. My skirt kept getting in the way of our joining, so he gripped it with his right hand and practically tore it off my legs. I thought I heard fabric rip.
I thought his arms around me would be enough to feel comfort, but when he entered me, I realized I was wrong before. The feeling of our bodies joined together was what brought me security.
He began thrusting against me, our bodies slapping against each other. My head fell back and he began kissing my neck, his lips covering every inch of skin under my jaw. I felt those wonderful tingles all over my body and my back arched unconsciously. His lips found one of my breasts and a hand found the other.
When I heard a growl escape his lips, I knew one thing: my prince was back.
Chapter Fourteen
The next day was like the old ones. We got up that morning and made love before we did anything else. The hunger we had felt the night before hadn’t really dissipated that much, so it was quick but satisfying. We took a shower and made love again.
After we showered, we got dressed and went into the kitchen to start breakfast. The kids came down just in time to eat their eggs, bacon, and biscuits. Adam rode with me to drop them off, which delighted Jake more than anyone.
When we returned to the house, we made love again. Twice.
It was wonderful to have him back in my life. Despite the murder and the creepy way he had been acting, I enjoyed every second with my prince.
We spent the morning together, just talking about random stuff, and didn’t once bring up the business with Hugh. He asked me how my own business was going, and I told him about the most recent development with Derrick. Being the progressive man that he was, Adam wasn’t surprised nor did he think it was that odd. I guessed that working in the stripping industry, he was more accustomed to all different walks of life.
Pearl took the headset off long enough to enjoy lunch with us. After we ate, Adam said that he had errands to run and then he had to work, but he promised me that he would call once he left the club.
It was sad to see him leave. But worse, after he left, all of the original feelings of frustration started coming back to me. Adam may be acting more normal, but that didn’t mean that I was any closer to getting to the bottom of what happened to Hugh.
At some point that afternoon, it dawned on me that technically the murder wasn’t any of my business. I had no proof that Adam was involved or knew anything about it, and there was still the distinct possibility that it was someone unaffiliated with the business or me. For all I know, it could have been some neighbor or a woman who had been stalking him at the club.
Why was I obsessed with this? I realized that I was obsessed because deep down, I knew for a fact that the murder had something to do with my business. Or at the very least, me. I would certainly be related to the whole ordeal indirectly, and it frightened me that I couldn’t figure it out.
I also realized that my feelings for Adam were growing stronger every day. Our sex had been incredible from that first time, but now I was developing real feelings, accompanied by thoughts and ideas of the two of us spending our futures together.
But I couldn’t proceed forward with him with the murder hanging over us. This was something that we had to handle and conclude before we could go any further.
At some point late in the afternoon, an idea started developing. I didn’t ask Pearl about it because I knew that she would tell me that I was a complete idiot. And I knew that I was an idiot for even considering it, but I was convinced it was something that needed to be done.
Timing was everything. Late in the evening, I told the kids that I was going out and would be home in an hour or so. I didn’t think it would take much longer than that. Luckily, both of them had plans for the evening and ended up staying at friends’ houses, so I was good to go.
When I pulled up to the Steel Hammer, I made sure to park in the very back of the parking lot. I wouldn’t have had much of a choice anyway, but I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t seen by anyone who knew me.
If my guess was correct, Adam would be backstage by now, or at the very worst, on the stage. As I entered the club, I stole one look in the direction of the stage, and was relieved to see that he was not on there. I tried to be inconspicuous and hurry to my destination, but the dancer up there stopped me in my tracks.
It was Braden in the middle of his farmer routine. Actually, once I realized the full state of his undress, I guess it must have been the end. His overalls were down around his ankles and he wasn’t wearing any underwear. He had a small hand towel draped over his junk and was thrusting forward.
I gasped when I saw the size of it. The women were going absolutely ballistic. It hung nearly halfway down to his knees.
I had to actually shake my head and clear my thoughts. I had gone there for a reason. The bartender was a different one than the one who had helped me before, and for that, I was grateful. I didn’t want there to be any trace that I was here.
Several women ran in front of me, and one of them nearly sloshed her drink on me. I stopped and waited on them to pass before continuing towards the bar. The sound of the screams around the stage hurt my ear.
I reached the bar and leaned over to the shirtless man pouring some shots. He gave me a strange, suspicious look.
“I need to talk to Lucas.”
“He’s a little busy,” the bartender said. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“I need to talk to him and only him.”
The bartender smirked. “Let me guess. One of the dancers didn’t call you back? Honey, get in line.”
“I’m serious,” I said flatly. “I’m here to talk to him about Hugh.”
The smirk disappeared. The bartender studi
ed me for a moment and nearly overflowed one of the glasses.
“Let me get him,” the young man said. He handed out the shots, rang up the order, and then reached for the phone on the wall.
I stood patiently on the side, trying to stay out of view of the stage on the off chance that Adam came out to perform his routine. A part of me wanted to stick around and watch him perform, but I realized that nothing good could come of it. I could get my own private show back home that was much better than anything I would get from the back of the bar.
Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder. A pit settled in my stomach and I turned around, expecting to see Adam. But the person that was staring back at me was far worse.
My brother Ryan was gaping at me.
“Lana,” he screamed over the shouting.
“Ryan.” I didn’t know what to say.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“What are you doing here?” I asked back.
“I’m here for a friend’s bachelorette party,” he said. “I never thought I’d see you here.”
What the hell was I going to say? Ever since I had entered this seedy world of gigolos and strippers, I decided that the absolute worst thing in the world would be my kids or one of my family members discovering it. How would I explain being at the Steel Hammer? I couldn’t say that I was here with friends, because, well he knew all my friends and none of them were here. Unless you counted my friends and boyfriend who were dancing on stage.
Then another thought occurred to me. If Ryan was here, then he would see Adam when he came out for his solo show and the big group number at the end. Even if I could lie about my purpose for being here, he would know that my boyfriend was a stripper by the end of the night.
But I knew that I could trust Ryan. Of all my family members, he was the most understanding and the least judgmental.
“I can’t really talk right now,” I said finally. “I’ll explain later.”
“But why are you here then?” he asked.
“I’m meeting someone,” I said.
“Who?”
“Hey lady,” the bartender called to me. “Lucas is ready for you. Go right through that door.” He indicated a door next to the bar.
Ryan looked at me. “Lucas? As in the owner of this place?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you meeting with the owner of this bar?”
“I can’t talk right now, Ryan.”
“Hey, lady,” the bartender called again. “I said that Lucas is waiting for you. Don’t keep him waiting.”
Ryan wouldn’t let my arm go. “I know you, sis. I can tell that something is wrong.”
“It’s nothing. I promise.”
“I’m coming with you,” Ryan said. “This isn’t the type of place that a woman needs to go walking around in the back rooms alone.”
“I’ll be okay.”
“I’m not budging on this. I’m going with you.”
He was as stubborn as every other member of my family. But he had a point. I wouldn’t have expected less from him.
“Okay, but one condition,” I said. “I’m going to be talking to him about stuff that you won’t understand. Don’t interrupt us and don’t ask me questions while we are in front of him.”
“What’s going on, Lana?”
“I’m serious. Don’t ask a single question and try to hide the look of shock on your face. When we’re done with the meeting, I’ll explain everything to you.”
“Oh god, Lana. What’s going on?”
“Come on,” I said. I pulled out of his grip and started for the door. I didn’t turn to see if he was following, but I knew that he would be.
Pushing the door open, I stepped into a hallway. I half expected dim lighting and tacky wallpaper, but instead, I saw that the back rooms of the Steel Hammer were quite nice. The walls were painted a neutral tan and the crown molding was stark white.
The bartender hadn’t told me where Lucas’s office was, so I just continued down the hall. Ryan was behind me and I could hear his breathing, but he wasn’t talking. I assumed that he was still in shock at having learned that his younger, sweeter sister was up to some shady stuff.
I didn’t have to search. A dozen feet down the hall, a door opened and Lucas stepped out into the hall.
“Hello, Lana,” he said. “I did not expect to see you here.”
“Hello, Lucas.”
“Who is this?” Lucas asked me, indicating my brother.
“This is Ryan, my brother.”
“And what may I help you two with?”
“Can we go in your office?” I asked.
“Certainly,” he nodded.
I followed him inside his office. I didn’t know what to expect, but what I saw took me by surprise. It was furnished very Old World, with thick, sturdy furniture and a large desk in the center. Only a stack of papers and a laptop were on the desk. He had a bookshelf, of which I didn’t have a chance to look at the titles, but the rest of the office was clean and smelled rather nice.
Lucas sat down in the lush chair behind the desk and beckoned for Ryan and me to take a seat on one of the simple blue chairs in front of his desk.
“So, what can I do for you?” he asked again.
A lump caught in my throat, and I had no idea how to respond to the creepy club owner sitting in front of me.
Chapter Fifteen
I thought for a moment about how to respond. I was so set on getting to the Steel Hammer and confronting Lucas that I hadn’t even considered how I was going to bring it up. Should I just outright accuse him and see how he reacted or should I go for the simple approach and see what details I could glean from the conversation?
“I need to talk to you about Hugh,” I said finally.
“What about him?”
“I need to know what happened to him,” I said.
“Well, he was murdered.”
“I know that. I want to know who murdered him.”
“I don’t know,” Lucas said. “What makes you think that I would know this?”
“Because you were his employer.”
“So were you,” he fired back right away.
“And that’s the reason I came to talk to you. Did it bother you that he worked for me also?”
“Why would it bother me? I want what is best for my guys, and I’m sure you do, too. If he could make a better life for himself working here at the Hammer and turning tricks for you, why would I care?”
I didn’t look at my brother, but I knew that he was screaming inside his head.
“Did you know that he was overheard telling another one of my employees that he was considering the Madam full time?”
“I was aware of that,” Lucas said. “He talked to me about that.”
“What was your reaction?”
“What do you expect me to say here, Lana? That he told me he was quitting, and then I followed him to his apartment and beat him over the head with a lead pipe?”
The man’s words were callous, but his tone was cool and calm.
“No,” I shook my head. “I just need help getting to the bottom of this.”
“Why?”
“Because I need to know.”
“Because of the phone?”
“You know about that?”
“Of course. Adam told me. I think it’s great that the phone was secretly returned to you so that you can now rest easy and stop concerning yourself with this matter.”
“But I still need to know.”
“Does Adam know you’re here?”
He knew the answer to that question when I didn’t answer immediately.
“What would he think if he knew you were here?”
“Are you threatening me? You think that will make me get up and leave?”
“No, I really want to know what you think will happen when he finds out you came to see me behind his back.”
“He’ll be upset.”
“So now I’m going to give you a mild little thr
eat. Get up and leave my office right now. Drop this whole business, and I won’t say a word to him.”
“So you won’t tell me anything?”
“What is there to tell?”
“Was anyone else here at the Steel Hammer upset with him? Did anyone feel abandoned by Hugh’s departure?”
“Not to my knowledge.”
“Who was he closest to, out of the other dancers?”
“He was very good friends with Kirk, who I believe you know.”
“Yeah, he’s been over to our pool parties a few times.”
Lucas smiled. “Ah, yes. The famous pool parties you have on Sunday with all of your gigolos and now my strippers. It pains me that I don’t ever get an invite.”
Was he being serious? I couldn’t tell because every word he spoke was dripping in sarcasm.
“You want an invite?” I asked. “Great. Come this week.”
“I will have to check my planner,” he said.
“So he was friends with Kirk?” I asked, repeating his last serious statement about the matter. “Do you think Kirk was upset with him about the Madam thing?”
“Of course not,” Lucas said. “I’ve had guys leave me before to pursue other professions. In this line of work, and even the line of work your guys are involved in, there is a shelf life. Guys have to be smart with their money, because when the looks and bodies fade, so does their star power.”
“That makes sense.”
“You know that your Greg worked for me for some time, right?”
“Yeah, he told me that.”
“And I wasn’t upset with him when he left.”
“He tells it a little different.”
“I’m sure he does. There are always two sides to every story.”
“Do you know if the police have any suspects?”
“I’m not on the city’s payroll, so I wouldn’t know.” He put both hands down on his desk. “Now, there is nothing else that you and I should discuss. You are asking me questions about this murder investigation, and I don’t know any more than you do. I have a busy night ahead of me, and I really need to get some work done.”