Vincent smiled wickedly before he let her go. “Why does it bother you so much?”
She went to sit down at the table, deciding to only answer him in her head. Because you’re perfect, and it kills me to look at you. That’s why.
She watched him set the food on the table along with the plates. Then he opened the ridiculously full refrigerator and poured them some orange juice. She scrutinized him when he started loading up his plate. He seems different.
He took a bite out of a slice of bacon. “Baby, as much as I enjoy you staring at me, you need to eat.”
Lake told her body to ignore the fact that she liked it when he called her that then wrinkled her nose at him. “Why do you seem so happy?”
“What, I can’t be fucking happy for once?”
She shook her head. “You’re never happy when I’m about to go to work, and you’ve made my favorite foods. I don’t know ... It just seems like you’re celebrating.”
He shrugged. “Well, it’s been a month since you started working. Just thought you deserved something special.”
Damn it. She somehow always made herself look like a jerk.
She began loading her plate with some tasty goodness. “Thank you. That was really nice of you.”
“I know how you can really thank me.” Vincent winked at her.
Lake laughed. “You don’t give up, do you?”
“Never.”
Lake smiled at him as she began eating her food. It had been a long, hard month at first, and she didn’t think she would have survived without him. She still hadn’t seen her father since that day in Dante’s office, but Vincent had made sure he was okay. If she was honest, he had fixed a lot of problems for her and she only had herself to blame, really. .
Every day she worked in the casino, not wanting a day off, and every day he took her to and from work. He made sure the fridge was full, and she ate regularly. Vincent completely babied her all the way down to her feet. Literally.
Since the first night, he had managed to heal her blistered feet and kept them that way, per Maria’s instructions. Moreover, she had been shocked the next day to find her work heels had some type of gel padding put into them.
She had figured Vincent out really quickly after that first day, knowing how to handle him to a T. He wanted to come off as hard but the moment she became upset, he couldn’t be more opposite to her.
He didn’t like to see her hurt in the slightest, and she was sure that was ultimately why he hadn’t tried to go after her mother or John. It had been a month free of Evil Vincent, and she was more than thankful for that.
They didn’t spend much time apart, especially since Vincent always refused to leave her bed. Then again, she had to admit she didn’t fight him very hard to make him leave. Lake was sure that after a month she should feel smothered, yet she didn’t.
Vincent had truly become her friend. Even if it is hard to freaking look at him or be so close and not want to…
Lake snapped her eyes away from Vincent’s abs and got up from the table. “I need to get ready for work.”
He reached out and grabbed her hand as she passed, dragging her down onto his lap. “Aren’t you going to really thank me?”
Lake stared at his lips, remembering how he had tasted the first and last time they had kissed. Her lips edged closer to his until they were merely an inch apart.
“Go put a shirt on,” she whispered before she jumped out of his lap.
“That was just fucking cruel,” he told her before she disappeared into her bedroom.
She squeezed her eyes shut as she rested the back of her head on the closed door. It was cruel for me, too.
A whole month of seeing and sleeping beside a shirtless god was becoming downright painful. I don’t know how much longer I can last.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Today Is My Motherfucking Birthday
“Sadie, are you being freaking serious?” Lake looked at the black panties instead of her regular booty shorts.
Sadie arched her brow. “Well, when I told you to wear them like I did five seconds ago, that was me being serious.”
But … but! “But, why? You’ve never made me wear them before.”
“Is an inch or two more of your ass being shown really that big of a deal?” She put her hand on her hip, making her tits pop out like they always did.
Lake furiously nodded. “Yes, yes, to them it is.”
“And that’s exactly why you are going to wear them, honey. Now, hurry up and get dressed. I can’t wait to see fucking playbo…” Sadie’s voice trailed off as she practically skipped to go get dressed herself.
Is getting away with murder hard? I’m sure Vincent would cover it up. Maybe he will even help me…
Lake got dressed in a lace, hot-pink corset, which was semi see-through until it got to the cups of the boobs. Thank God. Putting on the panties and her black stockings trimmed in lace, she then looked in the mirror. She didn’t think she looked very innocent right then. There were no bows or ruffles, only sexy lace making her feel as self-conscious as she had the very first day she had worked there.
She was getting confused. I thought Sadie wanted me to look innocent. That was her whole thing, right?
Sadie gave her ass a love tap when she was about to head out of the dressing room. “I’m strictly dickly, but I would totally switch teams for you.”
That’s comforting.
“Please, don’t make me do it.” Lake wasn’t above begging.
“Um, let me think.” Sadie tapped her chin. “Nope.”
All the air popped out of her like a balloon. “I will never forgive you for this.”
Sadie laughed at her. “Oh, honey, you will.”
Is it a full moon? Everyone is acting weird. Lake bit her lip when Sadie pushed her past the curtain.
Nothing is different. You’re only revealing another inch, that’s all.
She headed toward her first table, which unfortunately had creepy David sitting there, waiting for her arrival.
David’s eyes scanned her body while he held out his card. “I want the top shelf only tonight, and don’t make me wait for that ass long.”
Lake forced a smile as she took the card and quickly got the other men’s orders. Running to the bar, she gave the bartender the request along with David’s card. Something about the man made her nervous. She didn’t like the way David’s eyes had looked.
Taking the drinks to the table, she poured his glass full of the best scotch.
He gave her a hundred dollar bill. “This is just the start.”
She took the money from his hands and did her little dance as she put it in her corset. This is going to be a long night.
Going to her other tables when she managed to escape, she took all their orders before heading back to the bar when her hand was grabbed as she passed the restrooms. She was pulled inside before the door was closed behind her. She found herself pressed against the wall, staring at a man whose eyes wouldn’t quit rolling over her body.
She pushed at his chest. “Jesus Christ, Vincent! Are you trying to get me in trouble?”
He caught her fighting hands and put them behind her back, capturing her wrists within his strong grip. “You’re already in trouble, baby.”
Heat rose in her body as he managed to make her arch her back perfectly to display her mounds. She pressed her thighs together as the tingles traveled past the tops of her legs.
“I-I d-didn’t do anything.”
“You did when you decided to wear this.” His free hand ran up her body to rest over her throat, placing his thumb over her pulse.
She squeezed her eyes shut to match the pressure she had forced on her thighs. “Sadie made me wear—” Opening her eyes after she took a breath, she finished her explanation. “She’s going to kill me if I don’t get back out there.”
“I’m debating whether I should let you go back out there.”
She licked her dry lips. “Please?”
H
e never refused her when she asked nicely.
Vincent let his hand travel down from her neck and over her breasts before he let her go. “Remind me to thank Sadie after I kill her.”
Lake nervously laughed as she went to leave the bathroom. “I’d like to help.”
Taking a deep breath as she left, she saw Nero and Amo guarding the bathroom with a smirk on their faces.
“I will pay you two psychos back one day,” she told them as she passed.
They enjoy watching him take advantage of me too much.
Successfully making it to the bar that time, she ducked out of view and tried to calm her body. Dammit, I hate him so fucking much.
The tension between them had risen every day they had spent together. I’m no scientist, but I’m pretty sure it’s almost at a boiling point. Vincent never made an attempt to hide his feelings, whereas Lake fought tooth and nail to mask hers, all up until he did that freaking pulse thing. Then she lost it every time.
She didn’t want to like Vincent. Hell, she should hate his freaking guts. He was a whore, an asshole, and a killer, she was sure. But damn if the past month hadn’t changed her opinion of him. She never once caught him looking at another girl even when half-naked ones were constantly in his view. She didn’t think he could have had the time to fuck any of them, either, with him constantly keeping tabs on her twenty-four-seven. Sure, he might still be an asshole, but he wasn’t to her. At least, not anymore. As for the killing thing… well, she didn’t think he’d had a whole bunch of time to do that, either.
Oh, my gosh. What is wrong with me?
* * *
Vincent was about to break his nose by squeezing it so hard. He couldn’t believe he had let her walk out of the bathroom like that, especially without a fucking consolation. The only reason he hadn’t kissed her was because it hadn’t been the time or place. He knew once he kissed her again, there wasn’t going to be any stopping, as he was damn sure he was going to bring it home.
He had gone a month without fucking while staring at her perfect ass and body in so many different fucking sexy outfits. Then, that day of all days, she had come out with her ass barely covered in nothing but lace. Her usual look of sexy but sweet was gone. The only thing on his mind was how the hell he planned to fuck her without hurting her.
Three days used to be too long without fucking, but a month? His dick was in constant hard mode, and he didn’t exactly know how he was going to last thirty seconds in her. I’m going to fucking hurt myself before I hurt her.
Vincent left the bathroom once he had told his dark half to go back into hiding like he had every day for the past month.
“Do you know what the fuck she just said to us?” Amo told him when the bathroom door came open.
“What on Earth did she say to you now?” Vincent asked him, who constantly hated the many things Lake said to him.
“She just walked by without even looking at us and said, ‘I will pay you two psychos back one day.’” Amo tried to mimic her voice, making Vincent and Nero both crack up in laughter at his poor attempt.
“Don’t take her so fucking seriously, Amo,” Nero told him through his laughter.
Amo crossed his arms. “Yeah, right. I wouldn’t put anything past her. If she has enough fucking balls to face Dante and call us psychos, she has enough balls to do something to us. Today’s the last day, right? I can’t keep working every fucking day of my life just so you get to be the one to fuck her.”
Vincent didn’t want to tell them that Amo was right about Lake.
“Yes, today is the last day these fuckers get to look at her dressed like that, and you, too, motherfucker,” he growled at Amo.
Amo knew better than to remark about how he was going to miss that one part about her.
“Please tell me you finally fucking kissed her in there?” When Vincent didn’t reply, Amo shook his head. “Fuck, man, that’s just not healthy.”
“I’m going to have to agree at this point,” Nero added.
He looked over at Lake’s legs and ass while she leaned over the bar as she picked up her drinks. “Don’t worry; she’s on her last few hours of being a virgin after she walked out looking like that.”
“I’m fucking shocked you’re letting her work like that,” Nero said.
“You two let your women run all over you.” Amo looked over at him. “Don’t you see it, man? Lake’s got you wrapped around her fucking finger.”
He might admit—only in his head—that he had been letting her get off easy, but Lake was special and worth trying to win over, no matter how blue his balls became.
“I’m gonna fucking remind you of that one day,” Nero spat at Amo.
“I will, too,” Vincent threw at him, as well.
Looking at a gloating Sadie across the room, his blood started to boil. “Excuse me. I need to go see the little bitch who thought it would be funny to put Lake in that outfit.”
“That bitch is crazy and will pimp-slap the shit out of you.” Amo finally got to laugh with Nero that time.
“What are you going to do?” Nero snickered.
“As far as you two know, it’s my fucking birthday,” Vincent said, walking away.
It was time to pull his daddy card on that bitch. Today is my motherfucking birthday.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
It Was Over When I Saw That Ninja Hand Of Yours Crawl Up Her Snatch
Lake was setting drinks down on the table when she noticed Sadie getting on the stage. Jeez, I have to watch another grope session. There were two birthdays just the day before, and she was pretty sure the pole dancers were getting tired of it.
“We’ve got a birthday boy. Come on up.” Sadie didn’t put much enthusiasm and sexiness in it like she usually did.
Lake practically shit a brick when Vincent got up on the stage.
Oh, fuck no. Oh, fuck no. Oh, fuck no. Oh, fuck no. Oh, fuck no. Oh, fuck no.
Sadie took his arm and nearly slammed him in the chair then practically bit her tongue while she talked. “Okay, honey, who’s it gonna be?”
She watched him scan the room until his eyes landed on her. Oh, fuck no.
Vincent nodded toward her.
Lake stood frozen in time. Fuck me.
Sadie came back over the microphone. “Lake, honey, come on up here.”
She could tell Sadie wasn’t any happier than her at the moment. Trying to remember to walk, she headed toward the stage but when she got to the step to enter it, she was sure she would faint.
Shit, I can’t do this! Sadie had taught her a few tricks in case she was ever picked. But I was never supposed to be picked!
“Let me help you, doll.” Amo grabbed her arm and pushed her up the stairs then onto the stage.
She looked back at his fucking smug face and gave him the look of death, promising him so much pain in the hopefully near future.
Slowly walking toward the chair, she wondered if it would be childish to refuse, but then she figured she would get fired and death would soon follow, anyway.
As she stood over Vincent, his eyes were full of hunger as he took her body in.
Sadie covered the microphone before she hastily whispered to him, “Keep those fucking hands to yourself, playboy.” Leaving the stage, she yelled, “Hit it!”
The room went pitch-black before a spotlight came on and music started pumping through the room.
Lake licked her dry lips, realizing it was show time whether she wanted it to be or not. She turned around to the dark room, unable to face his thirsty eyes until she hopefully grew more comfortable.
She tried to focus on the basic dance routine Sadie had showed her instead of the fact that everyone was watching her, and she was about to grind on Vincent.
The thought, it’s just dancing, and I love to dance, was how she managed to get her hips to move.
Shaking them, she started to slowly bend over until her ass was perfectly positioned in his face. Coming back up, she sat on his lap, rolling her hips over him
as she leaned her back on his chest. She turned her head to the side so she could look at him then brought her arm back to run down the side of his face.
When Vincent’s more-than-pleased expression inched closer to her lips, Lake danced off his lap, feeling more confident. I’m going to at least make this painful for him.
She turned to face him and sashayed down to a squat with her face between his knees. Smiling up through her lashes at him, she placed her hands on his thighs and ran them up his body until she sat back on his lap, facing him that time.
She could feel how hard he was as she let her ass dance against his dick. Her body wanted to burst into flames at feeling and seeing how badly he wanted her. The burning in her skin began to irritate her; she was supposed to be killing him, not her.
“It’s not your birthday,” she whispered in his ear.
He gradually moved one of his hands from the side of the chair and lightly placed it on her bare thigh, away from the view of the audience. “No, but it is now.”
Her breath caught in her throat as he moved his hand up her inner thigh. She found herself dancing her ass into him harder. She could see how badly he wanted her through his baby-blues, and she could definitely feel how badly.
His fingertips grazed her thigh, an inch away from her sex, making a flow of wetness escape her. Looking at his very close lips, she forgot about the world and edged closer, wanting, needing to taste him again…
The lights suddenly flew back on.
Lake jumped back up, coming out of her daze. She couldn’t get off the stage fast enough. Holy freaking hell! Her body was on fire.
“The song wasn’t fucking over yet,” Vincent hissed behind her as she started to pass Sadie.
“It was over when I saw that ninja hand of yours crawl up her snatch.” Sadie grabbed Lake’s hand, making her stay.
“So fucking what? No one else could see it!” He grabbed Lake’s other hand and tried to walk away with her.
“No way, playboy. You ain’t going anywhere with her. Lake’s shift isn’t over and if I let her go with you, she’ll be giving away her virginity against the bathroom stall.”
Vincent (Made Men Book 2) Page 18