by Izzy Sweet
Nodding my head, I say to him, “Yes.”
“Need a ring?”
Frowning at him, I tell him, “I can do that on my own.”
Nodding his head, he shoots out of the club. I am mystified on how the fuck he didn’t have that information but I am sure he will get it soon.
He better, because right now we look like idiots.
17
Lily
I can’t believe I’m sitting here, listening in on some kind of mob deal going down. How did my life get to this? Is this my fault? Is this the consequence of all my bad decisions?
The fact that Marshall’s name is brought up doesn’t surprise me in the least. Now I know what he’s been up to all these years. It wasn’t just his mistresses in every city, these kind of under the table deals are how he made his money.
I’ve been so oblivious, so damn willfully blind, I know deep down inside I have no one to blame but myself for this.
Tonight started off on such a high note, but now I feel deflated, like someone let all the air out of me.
I feel like an absolute idiot for thinking Lucifer was taking me out on a date. I spent all day getting ready for a nice night out, some time away from the children. Just me and him, getting to know each other…
And he brings me to a freaking strip club.
I was so angry at him when we walked in I could of spit, but worst of all I was angry at myself. Of course he would bring me to a strip club. That’s the kind of man he is, and I shouldn’t have let myself forget it.
What did I think, that we were dating or something? It’s just sex. I’m just his possession.
Gah, I probably deserve this, especially since I didn’t turn on my heel and walk out right away. And especially when I didn’t smack that slutty red-head.
Lucifer stopped me from walking out, but to be honest I let him stop me. It wasn’t his kisses that subdued me but the words he let slip. He did it deliberately, I know it now, but still my curiosity got the best of me.
He made it sound like I have a stake in all of this.
He called this club our business, said this is our life, and those guests waiting at the table we’re our guests, like I have something to lose or gain out of all of this.
Do I own part of this club, is that what he’s suggesting? Am I a part of this business deal that’s about to go down?
Probably not, I sigh and sink down in my seat. Tipping my drink back, I peer up at him through my lashes while he and the men we’re sitting across from talk about things I don’t understand.
Lucifer has a way with words, a way with people, and I’m just one of many in a long string of his victims.
Watching him, I’m starting to get it. It’s not just his stunning looks that draw people in, it’s the way he carries himself, the way he talks. The way he moves his hands. Manipulation just comes natural to him.
I’m not even sure he’s aware he’s doing it, but he probably is. Who needs a gun or a knife when your words are a weapon?
But it’s not just the words, is it? It’s how he speaks them.
Lifting my drink to my lips, I turn my eyes to the dark-haired man he is currently engaged in conversation with. It’s not just the women that are weak to Lucifer—seriously, just about every pair of female eyes in the club tonight keep sneaking peeks in our direction—it’s also these men.
The men were stiff when we approached, the smiles on their lips there out of pretense, but now the smiles are very real and they’re very relaxed.
And all after a few words with Lucifer. It’s like everyone is best of friends.
He talks to them so easily, and the way he talks too just makes you want to listen. To give him your full attention.
I’m too busy, though, keeping track of my nemesis—the red-headed stripper that greeted us when we first walked in.
Why do I even care? I keep asking myself. I’m having all these sudden revelations about Lucifer and the kind of man he is yet that woman is making me feel insanely jealous.
It doesn’t make any damn sense.
I don’t like the way she looks at him, and I definitely don’t like the way she keeps finding a way to touch him.
I swear to God he smelled her when she dropped our drinks off and I just about stood up and scratched her eyes out right then and there.
Reminding myself that I don’t like Lucifer, he’s not mine, and she can have him if she wants him, was the only thing that brought me back to my senses.
Seriously, I don’t want him. He’s up for grabs…
Yet, something about her wanting him makes me want him.
It’s driving me to distraction.
Vaguely, I’m aware that business is being wrapped up. My attention though is on Cherry, the red-head, as she saunters over with a sly glint in her eyes and a smirk curling at the corners of her lips.
“She’s my wife,” Lucifer says and looks at me.
My blood goes cold and all the color drains from my face. Who is?
“Congratulations, Lucifer!” the dark-haired man lifts his glass towards us.
Us? As in me?
Did I get married and not remember it? Wouldn’t I have to get divorced first? I know I’m not a widow, Marshall is still kicking and breathing. They were just talking about him…
Lucifer smiles at me and gives me that look he likes to give. The one that he gave me earlier when he warned me not to fuck this up for him or there will be dire consequences.
Why did he just lie to them about us married? What purpose does that serve? Is this just another way to keep me trapped with him?
I throw the rest of my drink back, I’m so done with this shit.
Cherry and a bunch of other girls pull the guys up from their seats and lead them into the back. Simon approaches and bends over Lucifer’s ear. He and Lucifer have a super-secret whisper conversation.
Glass empty, I set it down on the table and stand from my chair.
I walk around the table and Lucifer’s hand snatches out, grabbing my hand.
“Where are you going?” he asks, his eyes full of suspicion as he tugs me closer to him.
“I need to use the ladies room,” I snap. “I’m sorry, should I have asked your permission?”
He stares hard at me, his icy eyes bright and piercing. Spine stiffening, I hold his gaze and give as good as I get.
With a sigh, his grip loosens and he nods his head as if giving me permission. “The ladies room is next to the bar. Do you want me to go with you?”
“No,” I grit between my teeth and yank my hand back.
Chin lifting into the air, I head towards the bar and hear Lucifer snapping his fingers behind my back. A moment later, James peels away from the shadows and follows behind me.
“For shit’s sake, am I not even allowed to use the restroom by myself?” I mutter.
James chuckles and I shoot an angry glare over my shoulder. He’s lucky I don’t have a glass to throw at his head.
“Wait here,” he tells me when we reach the bathroom and uses his thick arm as a bar to block me from walking in.
“Is this really necessary?” I ask.
He doesn’t even look at me as he answers, “Yes.”
Damn. If there’s a worry that I could be taken out in the ladies’ room, my life has seriously gone in the wrong direction.
With a huff, I take a step back, cross my arms over my chest and wait for him to finish his inspection.
“You’ve got five minutes,” he tells me when he’s finished. He plants himself in front of the swinging door, blocking anyone else from coming in.
“Make it ten,” I call out as I hustle in. “I need to touch up my makeup.”
“Eight, and you’re pushing it.”
I flip him the bird and hear him mutter, “Little hellcat,” under his breath.
I take care of my business in under a minute, wash my hands and check my makeup. With fives minute to spare, I walk over to the lone window in the room and try to shove it open.
Shit.
Head tipping back, I peek up at the ceiling. It’s completely solid. There has to be a way out of this place…
“You can’t go in,” I hear James tell somebody.
“It’s just me, you know I won’t try anything,” I hear Cherry purr.
“It’s not up to me, take it up with the boss.”
“Okay, I’ll go get him…”
“You do that.”
I hear Cherry snort and then her heels are tapping away.
Shaking my head, I put her out of my mind and check the other stalls for an escape option.
“Two minutes!” James calls out.
“I’m almost done,” I call back.
I swear, this crap makes me feel like a little kid.
There are no other ways out, only the window. Walking back up to it, I push and shove with all my might but it won’t budge. I check the seal; it’s been nailed shut.
Dammit.
I don’t even know what I would do if I could get it open, I just want to get out of here. I feel the need to at least try to get myself out of this mess, even if it’s hopeless.
He has my kids locked up in his compound. Even if I did manage to somehow to get away, there’s no way I could leave without them.
“Everything alright?” James asks, his head popping in.
Leaning against the sink, I wipe at my eyes and nod my head.
“Shit,” James curses and takes a step back out, looking very uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. Take as long as you like…”
Shaking my head, I push away from the sink. Tearing off a paper towel, I use it to dab at the corners of my eyes and blow my nose. “I’m sorry, I just needed a minute but I’m ready now. Do I look okay?”
James swallows and looks me up and down. “You look beautiful,” he says gruffly and turns away.
“Thanks,” I say to his back and follow him out into the club.
The first thing I see as we walk back into the main room is Cherry leaning over Lucifer’s chair, the two of them laughing and talking. Her fake breasts are all up in his face and her ass is sticking up in the air, inches away from his hand. She’s freaking shameless, but he doesn’t seem to be bothered by her behavior.
The way he’s looking at her, the way he lets her get so familiar with him is like a knife to my heart. My feet just stop. I can’t keep walking.
James notices immediately and turns towards me with a worried look.
Tearing my gaze away from the two lovebirds, I plead to James. “Take me home, please.”
James casts his worried look towards Lucifer then back to me. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that…”
Finally, Lucifer looks up from Cherry, noticing me. Cherry casts a little glance over her shoulder and then straightens away from him.
More words are exchanged between them. James shifts uncomfortably. I know I’m putting him in a bad position. With a nod and a smirk on her lips, Cherry saunters away from Lucifer, wiggling her ass as she heads for the back.
Looking towards me, Lucifer motions for me to approach him.
“Come on,” James says more firmly. “You don’t want to make a scene. You know it won’t end well if you do.”
I cast one last, hopeless glance around the club. He’s right. I don’t have any friends here. What choice do I have?
I concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. It helps a little that the stage lights up and the music starts pumping. Reaching Lucifer’s table, I try to walk back to my chair but he grabs me by the hand and yanks me down to his lap.
“Everything all right?” he asks.
I turn my eyes to the stage, avoiding the question.
“Lilith,” Lucifer growls and grabs me by the chin. He turns my face back, forcing me to look at him.
His eyes search my face. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
What’s wrong? Is he serious? There’s so much wrong with this, all of this, I can’t even begin to explain it.
Willing my bottom lip not to tremble, I say softly, carefully, “I want to go home.”
“We can’t leave yet. We’ve got at least a couple more hours before Marco and his men are done in the back.”
I shake my head and then take a deep, steadying breath. “I want to go to my home. I can’t do this. Please.”
“What the fuck happened?” he asks more forcefully, his grip tightening.
My eyes blur with tears but I blink them away. I will not cry, dammit. “Nothing happened. I just want to go.”
He shakes his head but his grip loosens. “We’ve already had this discussion, Lilith.”
“Why?” I ask, almost choking on my desperation.
“Why, what?” he repeats, reaching around me to pick up his glass.
I hate this, and I hate him. Can’t he see that? Being kept in his house, disconnected from everything in that safe little bubble he created, made it so much easier to accept. But being out here, in the real world, makes me aware again of how sick it is.
“Why do you want to keep me? You have an entire club full of women that want you.”
And I’m sure that there are many more out there that want him.
He takes a deep drink from his glass, his eyes assessing me above the rim before he asks, “Don’t you want me, Lily?”
“No,” is my knee-jerk response.
He tips his head back and laughs. “Liar.”
Setting my jaw, I turn my face away to look at the stage again. Needing a break from this madness.
“Lily,” he purrs and his fingers are gentle this time as they turn my head back to him. “I want you. I don’t want them.”
“Why?” I ask, feeling a rogue tear slip down my cheek.
“Because you’re beautiful.”
I snort softly at that and his grip tightens. “Because you’re fucking sexy.”
“This entire room is full of beautiful, half-naked women that are sexier than me,” I argue weakly.
He leans close to me, his lips a hair away from kissing me. “Because you’re mine. You were made for me.”
I open my mouth to argue with him and he presses his advantage. His lips crush against my lips as his hand grips me, keeping me from escaping the kiss.
By the time he pulls away, I’m struggling to catch my breath. His grip around my jaw loosens and his thumb strokes along my bottom lip.
“You drive me fucking crazy,” he growls. “Can’t you feel what you’re doing to me?”
My brain is so fuzzy from the kiss it takes me a moment to remember what I wanted to say. Beneath me, I can feel him growing hard and poking me uncomfortably. Regardless of how angry with him I am, I can feel my body responding.
My core tightening.
“Any woman here would probably be thrilled to be yours,” I argue and try to pull away. “Why keep me? Why force me? Just go have your way with Cherry.”
Lucifer scowls at me and shakes his head. “I should have known bringing you here would bring out your insecurities.”
“My what?” I sputter at him as he leans back and lifts his glass to his lips. Tipping his head back, he drains the rest of his drink.
“I’m not insecure,” I go on. “I could care less. I just want you to let me go...”
Glass empty, Lucifer lowers it and his eyes flash with mischief as he grins at me. I hate that grin. If I was braver I’d smack it off his face.
“It’s alright, kitten. I know what you need.”
Leaning forward, he rests his empty glass on the table and then grabs me by the hips, lifting me. Planting me on my feet, he grabs my hand, stopping me before I can walk away. Rising from the chair behind me, he straightens to his full height.
18
Lily
Tugging me by the hand, Lucifer leads me forward, towards the back of the club, and my heart pounds wildly.
What does he mean to do to me? What does he think I need?
I should have just kept my big mouth shut. Tonight my
stupid is really showing.
We pass through an open doorway and the light dims, the music softens. He leads me down a long, red carpeted hallway.
There are a few open doorways, the only door being at the end. A bouncer is standing up against the wall ahead of us. His beefy arms are crossed in front of his chest and he has a bored expression on his face.
I can hear moans, giggles, and the sound of flesh slapping.
The bouncer glances towards us and nods at Lucifer. “Evening, boss.”
Lucifer smiles easily and comes to a stop, pausing in front of the doorway. “Good evening, Bruce. How’s it going?”
The three of us turn our attention to the open room. I get an eyeful of a saggy ass thrusting into a moaning Cherry and immediately turn away.
Fuck, I really wish I didn’t just see that.
Bruce shrugs his shoulders. “It’s going.”
Lucifer chuckles and gives him a slap on the shoulder. “Alright. I’ll be in my office. Don’t let anyone disturb me unless it’s an emergency.”
Bruce nods and Lucifer is tugging me forward once more. I’m so anxious to get away from the scene I just glimpsed I almost run ahead of him.
Pushing the door at the end of the hallway open, Lucifer pushes me inside. Stumbling ahead, I nearly fall on my face as he slams the door behind me.
The loud click of the lock registers in my brain. I’d take in the room but it’s so dark I can’t see.
“Lucifer?” I ask, my voice trembling. He isn’t locking me in here, is he?
“Don’t worry, I’m right here, Lily,” he says from behind me.
There’s a pause and then the light flickers on.
Lucifer is standing in front of the door, his eyes bright as he stares at me.
I take a step back and look at my surroundings. There’s no window, no other doors or means of escape. Just a large mahogany desk, a few chairs and a filing cabinet.
Shedding his coat and hanging it up on the rack beside him, he tells me to, “Remove your dress.”
I take a step back. “Why?”
Loosening the tie at his neck, he grins wickedly. “Because I told you to.”
He takes a step forward and I take another step back. I know there’s no possible way for me to escape but the way he’s looking at me, the pure hunger that’s openly displayed on his face, is frightening me.