She missed her grandmother. Colon cancer had stolen her away when Alyssa was only twelve—when she needed her most. Katherine declared Alyssa old enough to see to herself and left her alone most of the time. Sometimes, she’d be gone for days with a boyfriend, and Alyssa had to fend for herself. Paul never knew about those times. He would have found a way to have someone stay with her or come down himself. She didn’t want to put him out. He and his wife had done so much for her, she didn’t want to interject into their lives any more than she already had. She owed him a huge debt for all the times he provided for her when her mother couldn’t…or wouldn’t.
Each of the women at the table conveyed comfortable happiness. She also had picked up a vibe from both Kendrick and Royce that made her watch them more closely. They seemed to be as comfortable as Alex about being in control. Nothing big, and not anything most people would even pick up on. But she noticed the small shake of Royce’s head when Jessica went to order another beer, then quickly changed her order to a soda. Kelly started to make plans with Erin to go on a shopping trip, and Kendrick gave her hand a quick squeeze, stilling her argument when Erin started to make excuses as to why she couldn’t make it. She wondered if Alex had seen the signs, if he knew his friends would most likely be very open to his business and lifestyle. Considering how close they all seemed, it made no sense for him to keep it a secret from them.
It was easy to sit with this group. They all seemed to open their arms to her. She leaned back in her chair, listening to the humorous banter between Kelly and Jessica, and felt Alex’s arm on her chair. He didn’t move it when she bumped him. Instead, he casually played with strands of her hair as the conversation continued. A forward move, something she would have pulled away from normally, but it felt so natural, she simply allowed herself to enjoy it.
“I’m tired,” Erin suddenly announced. “How about we call it a night?” She began to gather her purse. Jonathan stared at her with an odd expression. Surprise? Shock? Irritation?
“Sure. Fine.” Jonathan stood from the table. The others seemed to be just as confused as Alyssa as the couple began to scooch their way out of the corner and say their goodbyes. Erin glared down at Jonathan, who shrugged and waved her toward the exit.
“That was weird, even for Erin,” Kelly remarked once the couple was gone.
Jessica looked over at Alex and Alyssa. “Did she say anything to you?” she asked Alex, who shook his head in response.
“I barely spoke to her this week. She texted me about the restaurant, but that was it.” Alex removed his hand from behind Alyssa and straightened in his chair. “She’s usually pretty stiff, proper,” he said by way of explanation. “It’s odd for her to up and leave before dessert, or at least the mention of dessert.”
“I hope I didn’t make her uncomfortable…being a stranger and all.”
“No. Erin loves new blood.” Kelly reached for her wine glass. “She and Jonathan are probably having a little tiff. She’ll be fine in a day or so.”
“Jonathan did seem a bit more quiet than usual. Like a pissed off kind of quiet,” Kendrick mused out loud. “Probably just the wedding plans.”
“Which is why I wanted to get her out shopping, away from all those decisions and arguments. But no, you won’t let me—”
“That’s enough,” Kendrick silenced her by sliding a grape tomato between her lips. Alyssa looked to Alex. Surely he noticed that exchange.
No reaction. “Be back,” Alex said, pushing away from the table. Alyssa watched him make his way through the tables toward the restrooms, putting her center stage.
“It’s nice to see him so relaxed.” Jessica smiled across the table. What did that mean?
“Yeah, it’s about time,” Kelly agreed.
Kendrick must have noticed the panic on her face because he chimed in. “Let’s not get carried away.”
“Don’t mind these two hens,” Royce piped in as he motioned for a waitress to request the check.
“Your bill has already been taken care of,” the waitress told Royce.
He barked out a laugh. “It was my turn. That bastard knew it.” Royce shook his head and looked behind him, searching the room.
Alyssa spotted Alex standing by the front door with his phone to his ear, his brows pinched and lips thin. When he clicked off the call, he shoved the phone into the back pocket of his jeans and took a deep breath. Then another. His expression relaxed, and he returned to the table with a grin. “Sorry. Work.” He stood beside Alyssa.
“Tonight?” Royce looked at his watch. “The Finelli account?” he asked, but Alyssa knew right away it was not his day job that caused the irritation she witnessed.
“Do you need to take care of it now?” She pushed away from the table. “I can make my way back to the hotel with no trouble. You should go if you need to.” She placed her hand on his forearm as she spoke in a hushed tone. His eyes met hers, and she swallowed hard.
“No. No, it’s okay. I’ll walk you back. Not a big deal.” He looked over at his friends staring up at them wide-eyed. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow for the game, right?” Royce and Kendrick both nodded in silence.
“What game? Since when do you watch sports?” Jessica asked Alex.
“I got tickets from work, a client. Not a big deal, Jess.” Alex moved his chair to give Alyssa more room to walk. She took the hint.
“It was really nice meeting all of you,” she said with a polite smile.
“Wait!” Kelly waved a hand in the air and reached into her purse. After scrambling for a few moments, she pulled out a business card. “Here.” She thrust it up at Alyssa. “If you feel like getting out of that hotel room or want to get some lunch or something, just give me a call.”
“Thanks.” Alyssa tucked the card into her small purse before being ushered out of the restaurant with Alex’s hand on her back.
The streets were packed with cars and cabs all trying to inch their way to the next intersection. Honking and hollering filled the space between Alyssa and Alex as they made their way down the street.
“Alex.” She stopped walking, forcing him to do the same. He turned to her, and his brows shot up in surprise. “What’s wrong?” she demanded.
“Work. It’s nothing.” He shook his head, then blinked when she folded her arms over her chest and tapped her foot. She would stand there all night if need be; she wasn’t going to let him walk away all pouty.
“Work? Which work?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.
He stepped up to her, the toes of his loafers touching the tips of her sandals. She didn’t back away. He lowered his head until their noses were near to touching. “I had a girlfriend once who liked to stand like you are now.” She forced herself to remain neutral. “Do you know what I did to her? When she crossed her arms like this, demanded things, and tapped her toe at me?” His hot breath kissed her cheeks.
“No. What?” she asked in a hushed tone. A little push, although she was unclear what she was pushing for.
He looked at her, his jaw set. After a moment of her remaining where she stood, staring the way she stared, he cursed and stepped back. “It doesn’t matter.” He turned to continue walking.
She didn't know what was eating at him…or what he’d been about to say. What sort of punishment had he dealt out to his bratty girlfriend? Part of her really wanted to find out.
Chapter 5
Alex internally chastised himself for getting irritated with Alyssa. What was wrong with him? Having only met her hours before, he couldn't explain why he felt the way he did. Her actions were bold, true. But his were just as much so, if not more.
Playing with her hair at the table? Once he realized he was doing it, he didn’t want to pull away. It was like she simply clicked into the scene with him. She’d been so open and friendly with his friends, which wasn’t hard to do given their personalities, but she hadn’t shied away. Not even when he stepped up to her. She hadn’t look frightened or worried. She simply let him blow off his steam. She
even pushed him a bit—something he would never tolerate if she were under his protection.
She’s an employee! he tried to remind himself. And a friend of your fathers!
Alyssa put her hand on his arm, pulling him to a stop.
“Hey, what is it? Did I do something? I didn’t mean to, whatever it was.” She readjusted her purse strap on her shoulder.
Hell, he was a dick.
“No, no. You were fine. Perfect. I just need to get to the club. Two waitresses called out and Travis and John showed up with their entourage. They are two of the owners. Whenever they’re in the club, they take up more staff than we can spare—especially tonight.”
“Oh.” Her eyes crinkled at the corners. “Is that all? Not a problem. Let me just make a wardrobe change and grab a cab.” She turned from him, leaving him staring at her back.
“No, you don’t have to do that.” He caught up to her. She gave him a shrug and sped up her pace. “Alyssa.” He lowered his voice, and just as he’d hoped, she caught the message in his tone. Pausing, she turned to him. “You’ve been drinking,” he pointed out.
“A glass of wine hardly constitutes as drinking.” She laughed and regained her step.
Why not let her step in for the night? They needed another waitress with John and Travis there. They liked to think of the club as their own little playhouse and not the business it was. Once she punched in, though, she would be his true employee, and he would have to stop thinking about kissing her. About touching her hair more. About how he’d like to take her over his knee the next time she tried crossing her arms over her chest.
He stepped into the lobby of her hotel and informed her he would take her to the club. He needed to be there anyway, so it only made sense that he escort her home after she finished. She hadn’t argued, but had rolled her eyes as she pushed the elevator button. A nice long spanking, bare assed, with a hard kiss of his belt would cure that eyeroll. Again, he chastised himself.
“Are you coming up, or should I meet you back down here?” She held the door to the elevator. He took a deep breath and stepped on.
“Fine, you can work tonight.” He folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the back wall.
She laughed. “Why, thank you.”
The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. She glided out before he could give a retort. A long, hard, spanking. Yes. Definitely.
The line to get into the club wrapped around the corner. Alex scooted out of the cab first, offering his hand to Alyssa to help her step onto the curb. Her outfit for her first shift at Top Floor turned a few heads as she tugged at the hem of her leather skirt. There was no set uniform other than black and gold. So long as the waitstaff appeared graceful and professional, they could wear what they wished.
Alex had immediately noticed the thick curve of her thigh when she’d put one foot outside of the cab. He focused on paying the driver while she righted her black blouse. The top two buttons were merely for decoration, leaving her chest bared to the public. It had taken every ounce of self-control he possessed not to peer down the opening on the ride over. More than once, the thought of dipping his finger between the swells of her breasts had captured his attention.
Walking to the front of the line, he nodded to Karl, the bouncer for the evening, and paused to allow Alyssa to walk ahead of him. His eyes narrowed and his jaw set when a young shit toward the front of the line called out to Alyssa, remarking on what he’d like to do to that firm ass of hers. “He doesn’t get in,” Alex muttered to Karl, who gave a smirk and a short nod. The pup would be standing in line all night without ever seeing the inside of the club.
“I have my card.” Alyssa gave him a poised smile as they approached the elevator. She pulled the card from her bag that resembled more of a backpack than a purse and held it up for the sensor to read. Each employee was given a security card instead of passcodes to use. If an employee left the club, the card was deactivated.
“Nervous?” he asked as the elevator doors closed, shutting out the loud music.
“About work? No.” She tucked the card back in her bag.
“This isn’t like the usual bars you’ve worked in before.” He didn’t want to make her anxious, but he wasn’t exactly sure of her history. Since he hadn’t known she was the girl he was to meet for dinner, he hadn’t asked Bradley for any specifics.
She squared her shoulders and raised her chin. “I’m sure it will be fine.”
Although he didn’t know much about her, he got the impression she could hold her own given any situation.
The doors slid open before he could reply, and she walked ahead of him into the club. Alex caught up as Brandon, the night manager, walked up to her with relief written all over his face. “So glad you came in!” He quickly ushered her away before Alex could give any instructions on her training or even say hello.
The scrambling of the waitresses on the floor was enough explanation. Travis and John were definitely here. Alex left Alyssa with Brandon and headed toward the private room. They would be holding their party there.
Several women stood in the room, each naked and standing to the right of the man who escorted them to the party. John and Travis sat among their circle of friends and looked to be having an extremely enjoyable evening. Travis’s wife knelt under the table, sucking his dick while he sipped his brandy and spoke with his friends.
Alex never fully understood men like Travis. In his lifestyle there were many different ways for a dynamic to work within a relationship. He even subscribed to the idea that there was no real right way. So long as it worked for the couple, it was fine with him. Travis was the first man to ever make Alex rethink his logic. He wasn’t kind to his wife. Hell, Travis barely acknowledged his wife unless he was ordering a blow job from her. Alex had seen her mouth full of her husband’s hard cock more often than he’d seen her any other way. It wasn’t for play; it was for show. He liked to show his dominance, display his power for others to see. It never appeared like a give and take between them. Admittedly, he didn't know Travis very well outside of the club, but from what he saw while he was there, he didn’t think very highly of him.
“Ahhh, fuck.” Travis paused a moment and threw his head back, taking a moment to enjoy his wife’s mouth.
“Alex!” John called from across the table, tipping his glass toward him. “Thought you were out for the evening.”
“I was. Just stopped in to say hi.” Alex forced levity into his tone. Arguing with two owners about abusing the resources of the club wouldn’t get him anywhere, and they never cared to listen to reason anyway. Alex was going to have to find another way to get around the two men who seemed hell bent on ruining the one good thing going in Alex’s life.
“Damn, baby.” Travis put his glass down and his hand disappeared beneath the table, gripping his wife’s long blonde hair in a fist. “Fuck…almost.” He tossed his head back as he grunted out carnal noises. Alex walked to John, forcing himself to ignore the blow job happening at the end of the table.
Watching another submissive sexually satisfy her Dominant excited him, he wouldn’t deny that, but he saw nothing erotic in using a submissive for the status ego. That was Travis. He liked the idea of being Dominant and used the label as a way to excuse his selfishness. He was a partner, though, and his wife willingly submitted to his public displays. Maybe she got off on it. Alex didn’t know, and unless he saw something that looked abusive, he wasn’t going to inquire.
“I hear we have a new staff member.” John sipped his beer. “Bradley said she’s fucking hot.”
“John.” Alex gave a warning tone that was quickly laughed off.
“I know. I know. I’m just telling you what he said. Alex didn’t like the comment for two reasons. She was an employee and shouldn’t be talked about that way by her employers. The other reason was personal. He tried to write off his protective inclination as a brotherly thing. She was friends with his father, so he should protect her. Unfortunately, the things his mind c
onjured up to do with her in private spoke of anything but brotherly affection.
“Anyway, Sharon would scratch my eyes out if I even looked at another woman.” John waved his hand to his wife, who stood in the corner of the room, her nose pressed against the wall, her recently spanked ass facing the table. Sharon was only sent to the corner when she needed a break. Either the spanking had taken a toll on her, or she was recovering from a very hot scene Alex had missed. “She’s fine,” John responded to the concern on Alex’s face. “We haven’t played with the paddle in a while. I think it was more than she remembered. She’ll be okay in a few minutes.” Although John was just as bad at overindulgence of the club’s resources as the rest of the men, he took special care of his wife. Alex wished Travis would take a few pointers from John in that regard.
The doors to the room flew open, and Alyssa sauntered in with two other waitresses. Each carried a tray of appetizers and drinks. Alyssa smiled gracefully as she maneuvered around the men and women to place the stuffed mushrooms on the table.
Alex watched her every move. She walked in the same manner as a ballerina danced. Although it was her first night, she seemed to know exactly what she was doing. She even knew the names of the owners and greeted them with a warm smile.
“Bradley just hired you.” Travis finished zipping his pants up and reached for a mushroom. Alyssa’s eyes breezed over his wife, now crawling to his side, and Alex noticed a quick flash of emotion cross her eyes. Was she angry? Curious? He couldn’t quite tell.
“Yes. Tonight’s my first night,” she answered as she placed a few of the dirty glasses onto her tray. “Is there anything I can get for you?” She balanced her tray on her left hand.
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