by Sam Crescent
“What are you doing, Emily?” he asked.
“I brought her here for you. She’s more than ready, you know. For whatever you have in store for her.” Emily leaned back, crossing her legs.
He wasn’t interested in her flirting.
“You know you could have any woman, West. Any woman would be willing to do whatever it is your heart desires.”
“Your job is to give her a friend that doesn’t abandon her, and you leave her alone in my nightclub, going against my rules.” He stood up and moved around his desk. “You think I don’t know what is going on here, Emily? You think I don’t see past the little games that you play?” He reached out, wrapping his fingers around her neck and tightening his hold. “You need to remember your place in this world. You’re nothing but a dirty whore who likes to fuck around with heroin just as much as you love to suck on cock. I remember where you came from. You’re not what I want. You’ll never be the kind of woman I want.” He squeezed her neck, cutting off her air supply.
He saw the flash of fear in her eyes, and he loved that.
Relished it.
She was a fucking bitch.
Nothing more than a whore and he didn’t want to put his dick anywhere near her.
“If you put Hannah in danger I will make you pray for death long before you get it. Do you understand me?”
He released her neck long enough for her to speak.
“Yes, sir.” Her voice came out on a gasp and a croak.
“Good.” He leaned in close. “Remember that.”
He let her go, grabbed her arm, and hauled her out of his office. “Now do your fucking job.”
Slamming the door closed, he walked back to his desk, brought up the camera, and watched her.
She made her way back toward the dance floor where Hannah was still fucking waiting at the bar.
If Emily said one thing out of place he would fucking end her. He was growing tired of her games. They were not welcome.
She put on her best fake smile as she approached Hannah. He waited as they both started laughing together. They did look like good friends.
There were times he wondered if it was all an act for Emily. If she just had feelings for him, or if it was the power. Emily may like Hannah right now, but that was because he’d not made his move just yet. Once he did and she was in her rightful place at his side, he wondered how Emily’s friendship would fare then. When she realized without a doubt that he meant to keep Hannah all to himself.
He already had a plan in mind to get rid of Emily, if necessary.
She was addicted to money, and as soon as he had Hannah distracted, Emily was out of the picture. Getting rid of Emily right now wouldn’t work. Hannah adored her. Emily leaving or disappearing would hurt her.
Everything had to be carefully organized and work exactly how he planned.
Running a hand down his face, he felt that need to go and speak to her. To touch her. To remember that she was real to him. That he’d touched her before, five years ago. When she’d been in his arms, telling him all of her secrets, making his realize just what a sweet woman she was, and how she needed protecting.
Emily pulled Hannah onto the dance floor. Clicking away again, he brought up another camera that showed them having a good time. He saw his men watching, keeping an eye to make sure she was safe.
If anyone ever discovered who she was and what she meant to him, her life would be in danger. It was why he’d been so careful not to let anyone but his closest and most loyal men near her. He trusted them with his own life. Hannah’s life was more important than his. It was why he needed to deal with Lawrence. If he decided to reach out to any potential rival—and West did have them—all it would take was her name being mentioned and she’d be used against him.
Emily continued to dance with her, and he was happy once again. He didn’t like for Hannah to be alone. With her parents dead, there was no other relative to take care of her or to look out for her.
Finishing up his work, he found himself watching her. This was what he’d struggled with. The amount of time he was just happy to sit back and watch her. She wasn’t like other women that he’d met.
She was sweet. Kind. Caring.
Not a nasty bone in her body.
Growing up, she’d do sponsored walks to help charities, and on her weekends, she’d help out at local animal shelters. There had been so many pictures of her in newspapers, not as the main focal piece but someone in the background. Her love of life, animals, and just everything in general fascinated him.
Her need to make a career in finance was also selfless. Her parents had been ill-advised with their money, and so toward their later years—they’d had Hannah late in life—they couldn’t afford to send her to college, and with their illnesses, they had mountains of debt.
He’d taken care of all of that.
Hannah’s special scholarship was paid out of his own pocket through a shell company. She didn’t ask many questions as to why she had been given certain things, and that made it a lot easier.
Staring at the screen, he saw a couple of men were near Hannah and Emily. He didn’t have a problem with Emily screwing whomever she wanted. What he had a problem with was when that interfered with Hannah.
Would it really hurt for him to go and spend some time with her? To talk to her? To dance with her?
He’d kept his distance this long, but he was growing tired of waiting. He wanted her.
Was desperate for her.
He ached to be with her.
No other woman would ever do, so he’d not been with anyone else since that second meeting with her.
She was his everything, and she didn’t even realize he existed. Getting to his feet, he made a decision. It wouldn’t be long now, so bringing forward this introduction wouldn’t be a problem.
Everything had gone to plan so far.
He’d waited all this time.
He didn’t see a problem with finally taking what belonged to him.
****
Emily tried to hide it, but Hannah saw something was bugging her friend. The music was so loud and the noise so addictive she couldn’t help but ignore that niggling feeling that she was being watched.
She tried to distract her friend from whatever had bugged her. Ever since they moved out of their dorm to their new apartment and started their own jobs, Emily had been acting strangely. Whenever she asked her friend what was wrong, she’d tell her the same thing. Nothing was bugging her or wrong.
Her friend was lying to her, and it annoyed her.
Ever since Emily had joined her in the dorms, she’d felt an instant friendship that had blossomed over the years that they’d been together. Study buddies, friends, keepers of each other’s secrets. She adored Emily’s family as well. She’d gone to stay with them over festive breaks and shared so much with them. Emily was the sister she’d never had.
“Hello, sexy,” a man said, moving up behind her.
He wrapped an arm around her waist, and she gasped. His hard cock pressed against her ass, and it startled her a lot. She wasn’t used to this kind of attention, or any kind actually.
“I think I’d like to take you home.”
She gave his hand a shove. “No, thank you.”
No, thank you?
Who said “no, thank you” to a guy that was pawing at her?
“Come on, baby. Don’t be like that. Everyone knows women here just want to party.”
“Hey, let her go,” Emily said, coming forward.
“I’ll party with you after I get done with this one.”
Emily did no more than grab the man’s fingers and yank them back. He dropped to the floor, and Emily let him go.
Within seconds they were back at the bar, and the man wasn’t following them.
“Wow, you’re going to have to show me your moves,” Hannah said, laughing. “I had no idea what to do.”
“It’s nothing. Just some safety moves I’ve been taught. Anyone can do them.” Emily
looked toward the dance floor. “It’s all good now. He’s gone.”
Hannah glanced in the direction, and sure enough, men were moving him off the dance floor. “Wow, that security is tight.”
“Yeah. This place doesn’t like that kind of thing. You know?”
“Can I get a drink for my friend here?” Hannah said, calling to the bartender.
He gave her a nod and finished serving another couple.
“Are you having fun?” Hannah asked, wanting to find out what was wrong with her friend.
“Yeah, I was having fun. You okay if I go and finish my dance before he finds someone else?”
“Oh, yeah, sure. Go right ahead. I’m so sorry—”
Emily was already gone, so pressing her lips together, Hannah leaned against the bar, watching everything going on around her.
Something was bugging her friend, but what scared her the most was that she actually believed it was herself that was the problem. If Emily didn’t want to be friends anymore, then she needed to know what to do to either fix it, or to ask Emily what they ought to do. They lived together.
This was not a complication that she’d foreseen.
Tapping her fingers on the back of the bar, she watched as Emily smiled at the man who wrapped an arm around her, his hand splayed across her stomach.
Not for the first time, she wondered what that would be like. To have a man hold her so possessively as if he couldn’t get enough of touching her.
Forcing herself to look away, she stood at the bar and wondered what the hell she was doing here. She could be at home looking for a new job, cleaning, or reading.
She still hadn’t gotten rid of those books that she promised herself she would.
Pushing some hair off her face, she wondered if she should get it cut. The long locks were starting to irritate her once again.
“Hey,” a guy said, coming to stand beside her.
At first, she didn’t think he was talking to her, but then he gave her shoulder a nudge.
Glancing to her right, she saw a man. He was older than she was, but she didn’t know by how much.
“Hey,” she said. She always found it rude to ignore people.
“You’re looking a little lost. You okay?”
She frowned before smiling. “I’m fine. Thank you. I’m just trying to think of a few things.”
There was something vaguely familiar about him, but she didn’t have a clue. Instead of asking though, she just stood there, wondering what she was going to do about her apartment, about Emily.
There’s no way she’d beg her friend to stick around. She’d never begged anyone for anything.
“What can I get you, sir?” the barman asked.
“A scotch, neat, and whatever this young woman is having?”
“Oh, thank you, you don’t have to do that.”
“My treat.”
“I can pay for it myself.” She didn’t want him to think she was waiting around for someone to buy her a drink.
“It’s my treat. Don’t worry. I won’t expect anything from you.”
That was weird, because she didn’t think for a second that he would.
“I’ll just take a bottled water.”
“You’re not drinking?”
“Me and drink don’t go together. I can usually handle one glass but after that, nope.” She pressed her lips together. Emily told her she was an over-sharer.
“That’s rather charming.”
In the lights shining around the bar, she noticed he had really light blond hair. The kind that women would love to run their fingers through. It wasn’t messy, but she wanted to make it messy. Ignoring the impulse to touch him, she was struck by his intense blue eyes. They were bright and clear, like the ocean. Beautiful and deadly at the same time. She felt a shiver work up her spine and quickly looked away. No man had ever made her feel that way and that quickly in such a short space of time.
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him reach for the bottled water. He opened the cap and placed it in front of her. The jacket he wore pulled back, revealing some ink around his wrists. She couldn’t figure out what it was, but then she realized he was a businessman.
Out of all the men here, there were only a few that wore business suits. Everyone else was in pants or jeans, dressed to party. Not him.
Pushing some hair off her face, she picked up the bottle and took a generous sip. Spinning around, she rested her back against the bar and watched as Emily continued to have her body touched all over right there on the dance floor.
Men couldn’t seem to help themselves around her. It was like she wore a neon sign to touch or something like that.
“How do you like the club?” he asked, drawing her attention away from the yearning she felt for her friend.
“I’m sorry?”
“The club? How are you finding it?”
“Oh, it’s amazing. Thank you. You?”
He smiled. “I love it, but then, I own it.”
“You own this?”
“Yes, I do.”
She frowned trying to recall what Emily had said to her. “Wait, you’re Emily’s boss?”
“Emily?”
“Oh, my friend. She’s out on the dance floor.” He went to look, but she grabbed his arm. If he didn’t like his employees coming to his clubs to party or picking up guys, she didn’t want to get her friend in trouble. “I don’t know if you know her. She works in one of your offices downtown. She overlooks the…” She came to a complete stop. Emily had never really told her what she did. “She sings your praises a lot. Says how you’ve worked your way up in the world.”
“She talks about me?”
“Yes.” Right that second, she couldn’t remember his name, and that was starting to bug her. “West.”
“That’s me. West Gallo.” He held his hand out, and she took it.
She went to shake his hand, but he drew hers up to his lips and pressed a kiss to her wrist.
“I’m at a disadvantage.”
Hannah didn’t like how much that small kiss affected her. It’s not like she hadn’t had men kiss her wrist before, but there was something about that kiss that not only seemed familiar but it was like she’d lived it before.
“Disadvantage?”
“You know my name, but I don’t know yours.”
“Oh, right. I’m so sorry. It’s Hannah. Hannah Ray.” She tilted her head to the side and smiled. He was her best friend’s boss. “So, a nightclub owner.”
“I have many other ventures, believe me.”
“I know. Emily says you’ve got nightclubs and a casino, and I’m so sorry. She mentioned a couple of other things, but I can’t seem to remember what they were. Would you like me to get her for you?”
“No, that’s all right. I’m quite happy to stay here talking with you.”
She struggled not to blush, not that she had any control over what her face actually did.
“So, Hannah Ray, do you have a boyfriend lurking around?”
“No. No boyfriend. I came here with my friend.”
“And she left you here?”
“She wanted to dance. I’m happy to be here.” She didn’t want Emily to get in trouble, which seemed ridiculous. She wasn’t being paid to babysit her or anything.
She took a sip of her water, and she wished talking to guys came naturally to her. When they were at work, she could talk all day long and it was not a problem. Right now, though, she didn’t have the first clue what to say.
Turning back to face the bar, she glanced at him in the mirror across the bar behind all the bottles of drinks.
He was looking at her, and when she turned her head toward him, sure enough, his gaze was on her.
When she stared into his eyes, she couldn’t look away. Trapped within his gaze, she felt her entire body heat up.
She’d never known a heat like this or the feelings that were filling her up. Her tits felt heavy and her pussy slick.
No man had ever looked
at her like this, as if he could really see her. It was somewhat hypnotic.
This gaze her a taste of what it would be like to have a man want her.
To be hungry just for her.
“Excuse me, handsome,” a woman said, tapping West on the shoulder.
Their gazes broke, and as Hannah pulled away just a little, she was able to give herself a shake. She didn’t know what the hell was going on, just that she didn’t want to pull away.
Get a grip, Hannah.
“I was wondering if you’d like to buy me a drink,” the woman said.
“I find you incredibly rude. Leave.”
She looked up to see the shock on the woman’s face. Whoever she was, she clearly didn’t expect to be treated like that.
“Are you kidding me right now? Seriously? I come over here after you’ve been eye-fucking me and this is what I get?”
“Miss, we’re going to have to ask you to leave.” A security guard came up to the bar.
Hannah couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“This is horseshit. I can’t believe this is happening. Do you know who I am?”
“This is my club, and I don’t take kindly to being spoken to that way. Get her out of here,” West said.
Hannah watched as the two men, the security guards patrolling the building, removed the woman from the building.
“I have to apologize for that. Sometimes people don’t know any respect.”
“No, it’s fine. If you wanted to go and dance with her or something, I wouldn’t have minded.”
“Hannah, I’m trying to get you onto the dance floor. Not that woman.”
“You are?”
“Yes. I don’t know how to ask, but would you like to dance with me?” He held his hand out to her, and she couldn’t help but think of the devil as he did. It was so stupid to think of such a thing.
Every single part of her mind was screaming at her not to take this man’s hand. That it was dangerous but she didn’t know why. Nothing made any sense to her. Her body lit up like a Christmas tree when he looked at her. The intense need that consumed her frightened her a little.
Against all those warnings going off inside her head, she took his hand and followed him onto the dance floor.