by Mia Knight
Angel dropped his hand. She was too far away to decipher his expression, but she didn’t fucking care. She could do whatever she wanted. His opinion didn’t enter into the equation. She climbed the pole and let muscle memory take over. She hugged the pole with her legs and twirled slowly. Time passed, and her muscles protested, but she blocked it out. She hadn’t felt this empowered in years.
She was twirling upside down with only one leg holding her weight when she caught sight of Angel again. This time, he sat in front of the stage, hands steepled as he watched her with laser focus. She straightened and revolved slowly until she reached the stage, which was littered with money. She landed on her knees and rotated her hips as she faced Angel. Men jockeyed for position on either side of him.
Angel rose and took two steps to reach the stage. He held out a hand. When a guard tried to push him back, Angel said something that made the man back off. What the hell? She considered ignoring him, but she had a feeling he was seconds away from leaping on stage to fetch her. She slipped on her dress. Before she could decide how she’d get off stage, Angel grabbed her arm and yanked her off, along with a handful of bills. Instead of setting her on the ground, he carried her to the bar with her clamped to his side. He set her on a stool and faced the crowd of men.
“Get lost,” he said.
Some of the men dispersed, but a respectably large group remained. She could practically hear them panting for a chance to taste or touch. She had been the best dancer for a reason. Most girls didn’t want to be on the main stage since they didn’t make as much tips. The largest money was dropped in the VIP lounge or from lap dances. Carmen had excelled on stage, the ultimate fantasy come to life. Despite the precarious situation, she was fucking giddy. Her arms and legs felt like jelly, but she was so fucking jazzed. She still had it.
Two men sidled up beside Angel. She recognized them from Gavin’s security team. The trio knocked some sense into the last of the lust-dazed men. The thwarted men backed off and shouted for lap dances.
She grabbed a twenty-dollar bill clinging to her leg and slapped it on the bar. “Drinks?”
She took the chilled water bottle the bartender slipped her and took long gulps. When she lowered it, she found all three men staring at her.
Angel grabbed her wrist and yanked her off the stool. “I need to talk to you in private.”
“About what?”
He didn’t answer as he dragged her toward the gold staircase. Three men tried to waylay them. They didn’t seem to register Angel’s presence. Angel seemed to take offense to this and punched a guy in his path and nearly dislocated another man’s knee when he lashed out with his shiny shoes. The third man stepped aside.
“What the fuck?” she snapped.
Angel faced off with the bouncers monitoring access to the second level and flashed a card with the Red Diamond logo on it.
“You paid for VIP access?” she asked.
He shot her a hooded glance. “I want the whole experience.”
“What does that mean?”
He pulled her into a VIP room. She hoped it was occupied and was disappointed to find it empty. He slammed the door behind them. When he released her, she put her hands on hips.
“What the hell is your problem?”
“I don’t believe in coincidence,” he said.
She blinked. “What?”
“If you’d been the nanny, this would have been easier. Now you’re the nanny, the informer, and the stripper?” He shook his head in mock regret. “You can’t expect me not to make a play.”
A mixture of alarm and excitement coursed through her. “Angel.”
He approached slowly. She resisted the urge to run since that would only spur him on. He wasn’t playing the indulgent, laid back host he had been in his home. His body was rigid with tension—a tension he thought he could work out right here, right now. Her inner slut screamed at her to go for it. The same euphoric feeling she got while dancing, she could get from Angel… and then some.
“Does Gavin know about this?” he asked as he stopped in front of her, so close she could feel his body heat.
She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “You know, I’ve never felt the need to tell Gavin what my plans are every night… and I doubt he would care.”
“He’d care.”
There wasn’t a shred of doubt in his voice.
“Gavin knows I can handle myself,” she said.
“You were about to cause a riot.”
“I wasn’t the only one dancing.”
“No, but you were the only one doing it right.”
“Excuse me?”
“You were born for the stage.” He ran a hand through her tangled hair as if he had every right to. “You dance because you love it while the others are there for the money. Men can tell the difference.”
Their eyes locked, and her breath seized. His thumb stroked over her fluttering pulse and her nipples tightened.
“You abandon yourself on stage. All any man can think about is how you’ll be in bed.”
His voice was low with the promise of sex. When he leaned forward and licked her sweaty collarbone, she shuddered. His hands slid down her sides and stopped on her hips.
“You were created to give yourself to a man so he can lavish you with pleasure.” He sucked on her neck, and she bit back a moan. “You know you’re the ideal woman for me, don’t you?”
“I’m not,” she whispered and fought the urge to let her eyes shut.
“I recognize another wild soul when I see one. I wouldn’t try to tame you. I’d unleash you, Carmen. It would be glorious.”
He kissed her. She was swamped with his taste—dark, elusive, barbaric. He picked her up and pinned her on the couch beneath him. He licked her neck as he ground himself against her. His bulge was right there… When she bucked her hips, he swore.
“This fucking dress,” he growled as he grasped a handful of silk. His hot hand slipped beneath the fabric and splayed over her quivering belly. “You knew what you were doing up there. You were hoping it would end like this, right? That’s not the only place you can get a high, baby.”
Her demons were shrieking at her to take what he offered. She was lost in the intoxicating weight pinning her, his words, and the hand stroking her. It wasn’t until she heard the hiss of his zipper that she came back to herself.
She had sex with Marcus yesterday. Even though they weren’t in a relationship, she’d never slept with two different men a day apart. Angel would be a great fuck (phenomenal, probably), but she would regret it. She knew it as surely as she knew the sun would rise in a couple of hours. Angel tried to hide behind a cool demeanor, but she saw fleeting glimpses of his true nature—lust, greed, possessiveness. Nope. Men like Angel and Gavin wouldn’t be able to handle her. She needed to be free to be herself, and they wouldn’t allow it. Vinny didn’t force her to stop dancing. She quit on her own when she realized the high came from him, not strangers. Dominant men like Angel would enjoy her wild side for a while and then try to snuff it out when they couldn’t control her.
She covered his hand with hers and felt his cock through the thin material of his underwear. She swallowed hard.
“No,” she said hoarsely.
His eyes were narrow slits of lust. “What?”
She pressed both hands on his chest, but he didn’t budge. She was on her back, legs splayed on either side of him, and he was in a position to penetrate. Belatedly, she remembered the cameras and hoped Kiki wasn’t watching.
“We’re not going to have sex,” she said.
When she tried to sit up, his hand clamped on her thigh to keep her in place.
“Why?”
She glared at him. “Because I said so.”
She wasn’t prepared for his hand to probe between her legs. She shrieked and clamped her thighs together, but it was too late.
He licked his lips. “You’re wet.”
“It’s sweat.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
His fingers stroked, and she jerked.
“Angel, stop!”
His head dipped, and she heard him inhale. She went rigid when she realized he was trying to smell her arousal. She smacked his head. For a second, he looked stunned and then he roared with laughter. He dropped his face to her chest and nuzzled.
“I can’t remember the last time a woman hit me.”
“You deserve it. You’re so sure of yourself.” She hissed when he searched for her nipple. She grabbed a handful of hair and jerked his head up. “No.”
“Come on, Carmen. We both want it.”
His fingers curled again, and she bit back a curse. She grabbed his thick wrist and forcibly yanked his fingers from between her legs. His head dropped to her groin. She had to use both hands to keep him away from her pussy, which was begging to be licked. She was amused and turned on and didn’t know what to do with him.
“No,” she said as her inner slut begged to be fucked.
“What the hell? You want this. It’s not like you’re with someone.”
“You don’t know that.”
He cocked his head. “You’re with someone?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“I don’t need a fuck.”
He jerked his head at her vagina. “Apparently you do. She’s hungry for dick, baby.”
She shoved, and this time he rocked back. She gained her feet and yanked her dress down. When she turned to confront Angel, she saw that he had his fingers in his mouth. Words dried up in her throat. He withdrew his fingers and cursed.
“Fuck. I didn’t go deep enough. I can’t taste you.”
Her legs wobbled. She wagged her finger at him. “We’re family.”
“By marriage.”
“Same thing.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“You’re inappropriate.”
“You’re the one dancing at a strip club.”
“Gentlemen’s club.”
“Same thing.”
That pricked her professional pride. “No, it isn’t.”
He got to his feet and zipped his pants. His erection was painfully obvious. She wanted nothing more than to kneel and blow him, but that wasn’t happening. She waved a hand in front of her face in a vain attempt to disperse the sexual tension.
“This isn’t happening,” she said.
“Then I need someone to take care of what you started.”
“I can arrange that,” she said.
She had her hand on the doorknob when he called her name. She hesitated before she looked back. Her control quaked as she took him in. He was virile, attractive, and dangerous. His eye contact made her feel as if she was the only woman in the world, but she knew his type. Angel would fuck her mindless and then turn to the next woman without hesitation. No, this was better for both of them.
“I don’t want you dancing without backup,” he said.
It took her a moment to register what he said. “There’s security everywhere.”
“It would only take a moment for one of them to hurt you.”
“I can handle myself.”
“I don’t care. How’d you end up on stage anyway?”
She gave him a one-shoulder shrug. “They played Guns N’ Roses.”
He grinned. “Is that the song that makes you drop your panties? I’ll remember that for next time.”
She gave him the middle finger as she walked out. Gavin’s guards waited in the hallway and tried to hide their smirks. She glared at them as she passed. She caught the elevator to the first floor, nodded to Phil and walked out the back door. When she collapsed in her car, she called Kiki.
“You forget to tell me something about you and the new crime lord?” Kiki asked.
“It’s nothing. Send someone to take care of him.”
“No problem.”
“I’ll see you later.” She hung up and dropped her head on the steering wheel. Her harsh breaths filled the silent interior of the Aston. Her legs were shaking, and her underwear was soaked. “Fucking Angel.”
11
Tires screeched as Carmen pulled up to the Pyre fortress. She stepped out of the Aston and tossed the keys to the nearest guard before she ran up the steps and slammed the front door.
It had been three days of house hunting, one of her favorite pastimes, and she hadn’t liked any of the properties they visited. She was a fucking millionaire, so money wasn’t an issue. All she had to do was pick a place and it was hers. The massive estates were ridiculous since she had no one to share it with, not even a goldfish. She didn’t want an apartment because it was too small, and she didn’t want to share walls with anyone. She sounded like fucking Goldilocks—too big, too small, not enough light, not enough space, too much space… Charisse was beyond frustrated, and so was she. It wasn’t supposed to be this hard! Years ago, she knew exactly what she wanted. Now, she had no idea, and it was driving her crazy. She decided to take a break from house hunting. Charisse couldn’t hide her relief. She went on a short shopping spree, which made her feel marginally better. She was in love with her new black and white snakeskin stilettos, which paired well with her black leather wrap skirt and thin black sweater.
“Lyla!” she yelled.
Gavin would have to take one for the team if they were fucking. She was restless and manic and needed girl time.
Blade appeared at the top of the stairs. “What’s going on?”
“I need Lyla. Where is she?”
“Backyard.”
She marched in that direction and saw Lyla sitting in the sunken cabana in the middle of the pool with Nora on her lap. She relaxed a little as she watched Lyla bounce Nora on the cushions with Beau nearby.
“What’s your problem?” Blade asked.
She turned to the fridge. “What do we have to eat?”
She was hungry as fuck. She stopped at two fast food joints and a Greek place she used to love, but nothing was hitting the spot. She fumbled through the fridge and sniffed some of the meals. Rosemary chicken, enchiladas, and ravioli. She scooped a little of each on a plate and tossed it in the microwave before she located her stash of marshmallows in the cupboard. She popped a few into her mouth, grimaced, and spotted a jar of peanut butter. She scooped out a spoonful, swallowed, and then grabbed chocolate syrup and squeezed a dollop on. That didn’t work for her so she grabbed honey and put an amber drop on the peanut butter. Better, but still not what she was looking for. The microwave dinged, and she grabbed the plate, took a forkful of ravioli, and blew on it before she put it in her mouth. She burned her mouth, but that didn’t stop her from trying the chicken and enchiladas as well. After one bite, she was over it. She couldn’t find anything that would satisfy her craving.
“What drugs are you on?”
She turned and found Blade watching her suspiciously. She held the steaming plate out to him. “You want this? I just took a bite.”
“I saw what you did. What are you on?”
“I’m not on anything. I’m just hungry.” She tossed the spoon in the sink and poured herself a glass of root beer.
His lip curled in disgust. “You have to be on something to mix those foods together.”
Her taste buds clamored for flavor. Was she acting a bit crazy? Maybe. So what if she ordered thirty dollars’ worth of food at Burger King and took a bite of everything before she handed it off to some homeless teenagers on the side of the road. They asked for a ride, so she gave them one to the nearest shelter. She could be psycho and helpful at the same time. She was having a manic episode. That’s what Mom always called it when she got like this. No big deal. She hadn’t had an episode while she had imitated the walking dead, but now she was awake and with that came her impulses and restless cravings. Her thoughts raced a million miles a minute, and she obsessed over strange, inconsequential things like painting her tiny bedroom in her parents’ house gold or redecorating the RV with a leopard theme. Neither of those things were relevant
or helpful, but she couldn’t stop thinking about them. Sleep had been nearly impossible the past couple of days, and her frustration increased with every property fail. Her mind couldn’t articulate why the homes weren’t right, but she knew they wouldn’t do. Once she found the right place, she could settle… She just had to figure out what she wanted.
She poured herself a glass of grapefruit juice and swished the bitter drink in her mouth and rolled her eyes when she saw Blade hadn’t moved. She decided to give him a show and arched her back to elongate her body and licked her lips after she swallowed. His gaze didn’t waver. He was too much of a pro to be distracted by sex, which intrigued her.
“When’s the last time you had sex?”
He didn’t react to her question.
She pursed her lips. “Like, you’re always here. Do you ever take a day off?”
“No.”
“So, you haven’t had sex in months.” She cast her eyes over his rockin’ body. “Years? Is that why you work out so much?”
“I like to be in control.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“I heard you were dancing at the Red Diamond the other night. You want to explain that to me?”
She gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Just visiting my roots.”
“You’re asking for trouble.”
“Worried about me, Blade?”
“Lyla needs you. She can’t take another loss.”
She gave him an over bright smile to cover the yawning feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wouldn’t survive another loss either. “Nothing’s going to happen to me.”