Baby decided this wasn’t the time for their banter. They’d both be insane after the foreplay.
“Thanks for getting the door fixed. Mickey’s in a decent mood tonight.” Baby tilted her chin toward the DJ booth.
“Yeah, I didn’t want to deal with his bullshit either. Besides, I enjoyed lunch.”
Baby tried not to blush, but his undertones made the blood soar, turning her caramel-colored cheeks pink. “Ma’Linn thought you looked like you were enjoying it too.”
Lucky gave his lopsided grin, the one that made her body stand at attention, and did his best to play innocent. “Hell, I probably traumatized the poor woman!”
“Oh please, Ma’Linn hasn’t been traumatized a day in her life. Nothing surprises her. Besides, she thinks I was enjoying it too.”
Lucky turned to place his body in front of hers. “Was she right?”
“I think you know the answer to that,” Baby whispered, pinned to the wall. “She thinks I need to, um … well, enjoy myself more often.”
“Damn, I think Ma’Linn might have become my new best friend!”
“Yeah, the stubborn old woman is a wealth of wisdom.” Baby rolled her eyes and smirked.
She heard the end of Coral’s music and got up to get ready for her set. “I have to go. Try to keep yourself out of trouble.” She shot a glance toward the bar where Jewella and Barbie sat, conniving no doubt. She had no idea what they were talking about, but the two were always up to something. “They’re up to no good. Watch yourself.”
“Don’t you worry about me. I know what I’m gonna be watching.” Lucky wagged his eyebrows and let his gaze roam from one end of the leather to the other. It was different when he did it compared to when other men sneered at her. She wanted to vomit when Mickey ogled her. But when Lucky did it, it made her feel like she was in one of those static machines, with every part of her standing at attention, alive.
Baby stood behind the drapes as Coral made her exit. Her intro music started and Mickey made his usual introduction. She heard cheers coming from the crowd, followed by snide remarks and snickering from Jewella and Barbie.
She closed her eyes and tuned out everything but the music, including Lucky, although he proved to be much more of a challenge. Marilyn Manson’s version of “Sweet Dreams” filled the room and her heart thumped to the beat. The only way she would make it through the next six minutes was to surrender every part of herself to the dance. Baby stepped onto the stage, one hand on her hip, and the other swinging at her side as she sauntered toward the pole. She set her sights on the customers who looked like they had money to burn and worked her magic. The big spenders were easy to spot. They had money to blow and wanted everyone to know it.
Her performance was flawless, as usual. The leather was a big hit by looking at all the tips scattered across the stage. Men were still tossing bills in her direction as she collected the tiny pieces of fabric. She threw a few kisses toward the crowd that had gathered, and headed backstage.
She ran downstairs to slip back into her costume. After making sure everything was in its proper place, Baby touched up her lipstick and grabbed a water from her dressing table. The askew bottom drawer caught her attention. She opened the drawer and found her canvas tote bag in disarray. Her throat tightened at the thought of someone digging through her belongings.
She fumbled through the bag and was surprised to find her wallet still inside. Her money and cards were still where they were supposed to be. Nothing had been taken. That only meant one thing. Baby dumped the contents onto the top of the table until she found what she was looking for.
A small manila envelope with her name penciled across the front sat on top of the pile. A note on the back read, for old time’s sake. Her gut told her not to open it, but Baby couldn’t resist. Unclasping the brad, she popped open the envelope to find a small baggie inside. The blood pounded in her head as she held the familiar bag of cocaine.
She glanced over her shoulder to make sure the room was empty. Her trembling hands were sweating. After months of being clean, it was becoming harder rather than easier to fight the urge, and Slade knew it. She used to find his little presents around the club. He’d go so far as to leave stuff in her apartment. He knew firsthand how Baby Jade operated, like clockwork. It was only a matter of time before she caved.
But not today. Baby Jade headed to flush the tiny baggie down the toilet. As she stepped closer, a voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Oh, yeah. Like that. Don’t stop.”
The deep groans coming from behind the closed bathroom door belonged to Slade. She shuddered at the sound, one she knew all too well. She couldn’t make out the woman by the throaty moans, but she definitely knew what they were doing.
“Shit! Oh, shit!”
The raspy moaning became rhythmic, leading to the gasping sounds of an orgasm.
Baby froze in place, still holding the coke in her hand, listening to the commotion coming from the bathroom. As soon as she heard the female voice cry out in a combination of pain and elation, she knew instantly it belonged to Lolli. The sound was familiar. Slade had a consuming case of little man syndrome and attempted to compensate by using force. He was full of aggression and loved to unleash it in the bedroom or bathroom. Actually, anywhere he felt the urge—public or not.
“Oh, shit—Fuck me” Slam “Harder” Slam “Harder” Slam
By the sounds of it, Lolli had figured out how to appease Slade. The only thing he loved more than flexing his muscle was for one of his concubines to beg. She envisioned how he had Lolli bent over the same nasty sink she had once sprawled herself across. A fistful of her hair entwined around his left hand, yanking and pulling while he used his right to squeeze her breasts or slap her ass.
Her stomach churned. She swallowed back the vomit in her throat, and tucked the baggie of coke back in the envelope and tossed it into her bag. She tried to compose herself enough to head back up to the club, not wanting Lucky to ask questions.
Jewella and Barbie were still sitting up at the bar, only now they had a small gathering of hungry tourists. Good. Maybe that’ll keep them out of my hair. Lucky leaned against the wall with arms folded across his chest and legs crossed at the ankles.
He nodded to a couple of men as they walked in. They nodded in return. Having him on as a bouncer seemed to be working out well for the club. He had a presence about him, and he was a master when it came to reading people. He had somehow managed to strip away her every inhibition. Baby Jade still didn’t know how she felt about that special character trait of his.
Once he spotted her, Lucky stood upright. A smile crept across his face as she drew closer. His perfect lips upturned, revealing his deep dimples. Baby could nibble that plump bottom lip for hours. She loved the way he ran his hands over his beard when he didn’t know what to do with himself. She liked that she had that effect on him.
“What’d you think of the set?” Baby Jade asked, her chin quivering as she still tried to control her emotions.
He ran his fingers through his beard, rubbing his chin. “I haven’t been able to focus on anything since. You’re too good to be in this shithole.”
“Yeah, well, obviously fate doesn’t agree.” Baby edged her way closer to Lucky. The magnetism between them drove her insane, rushing blood through her veins. She couldn’t be close enough. Her body longed to find out how close they would have to be to satisfy the ache.
Lucky reached out one hand and ran his index finger from the hem of leather rimming her firm breasts down her smooth stomach before settling at the knotted straps holding on her boy shorts. Goose bumps covered her flesh causing Lucky to smirk; his eyes were hungry for her. She knew it.
Chapter Ten
Lucky
It was obvious she was hiding something. Before Baby said a single word, he knew she was hard as stone. However, right now, she looked like she was falling apart at the seams. Something must have happened to rattle her. He could see the cracks forming in her roc
k hard shell, and all he wanted to do was be there to piece her back together.
Damn. This girl is seriously fucking with my head.
Baby Jade completely consumed him. From the moment he laid eyes on her, Lucky hadn’t been able to think of anyone or anything else. No one had ever gotten under his skin the way she did. Every time she walked into a room, he felt like he’d been sucker punched in the gut, and left gasping for air.
His body reacted to her in ways he wasn’t used to, involuntarily responding to her movement, her voice, her smell, and the most agonizing, her touch.
The way the two of them talked and opened up to one another about their painful pasts had blindsided Lucky. He told Baby Jade things he never told anyone before. He’d never opened up about the abortion to anyone. Carrie had wounded him. He swore he would never open his heart up to another woman, but damn if she hadn’t coaxed her way in, and now it was as if she was holding him hostage.
This day was one for the record books. He had been up all night worried about Baby after the run in with the jackass from the club, Slade. He woke up early with plans of heading over to make sure she was safe when his mother called. She had called a few times since he’d been back in town. He didn’t answer, letting it go to voicemail. He had no doubts it would sound exactly like the others, “James, this is your mother. Call me. We can discuss the upcoming meeting.” The board meeting that he was in town for was still a few days away. The thought of crossing the river made him want to punch something. He had nothing to say to any of the Gauthiers. He was going to cast his vote and walk away like he always did.
He tracked down Baby Jade’s address from a guy at Rodney’s who said he had delivered her pizza on his old route. When he found the place, he was shocked to see how run down it was. He would never tell her that though. She reminded him of himself, pity would only piss her off. She wasn’t looking for a handout or charity.
He beat on the door for what felt like an eternity before he heard her scream. His instincts kicked in and he knocked down the door to find that Baby had stubbed her toe on the bookshelf. He saved her from a fucking bookshelf.
Lucky stood in the middle of her living room red-faced and embarrassed while Baby ripped him a new one. Of course, it turned out to be one of the best mistakes he had ever made. He could still taste the sweet wine she had drank right before he licked her lips and explored her mouth with his tongue. When he touched her smooth skin, it left him feeling as if his fingertips were on fire.
The feelings were all coming to a head, leaving Lucky ready to combust. The heat and sexual tension. The confusion from the unexpected feelings. The anger and dread of having to see his parents again. The apprehension of the strip club scene.
As Baby stood in front of him looking good enough to eat, Lucky knew he was in trouble. He was spinning out of control. She had knocked him on his ass and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Chapter Eleven
Baby Jade
Baby all but panted while Lucky’s fingers dipped past the leather waist of her shorts. With every rise and fall of her chest, she became increasingly aware of the disappearing space between the two. She pressed her palms to his chest, closing the gap. Her lips remained parted as her heavy breaths landed on his neck. His fingers continued to delve deeper beyond her waistline.
And almost as quickly as it started, it stopped.
Lucky’s hands fell and his body went rigid. She looked up to find his face hard and lips pursed into a hard line. His narrowed eyes focused above her head. She followed his gaze across the room and landed on Slade, his broad shoulders filling the doorframe to the basement staircase. His lips curled into a sneer as he finished buckling his belt.
Lolli squeezed past him and planted a kiss on his neck, always playing right into his hands. The poor girl was his number one pawn and she had no idea. On the other hand, maybe she did and simply didn’t care. Too bad Lolli didn’t know what the price would be when he no longer needed her to play his game.
The way Slade fixated his stare on Baby, it was clear he wanted her to see the entire pathetic display. He traipsed across the room, and with his long legs, it didn’t take long. He smoothed his hair back and wrapped it with a hair tie. His Under Armour shirt looked three sizes too small. It was pulled snug across his chest and tucked into his tight jeans, the brand that Baby Jade unkindly referred to as “bedazzled.” She wanted to tell him how ridiculous he looked, but it was pointless. The more the girls fawned over him, the more it fed his ego.
“My girl. I was worried I wouldn’t see you tonight before I got a chance to ask if you received my gift,” Slade said, ignoring Lucky. His firm palms caressed her arms. Baby froze, unable to move as he looked down toward her face. It was happening exactly the way it had a dozen times before. “Baby. Look at me.” His words were short and gentle, yet full of command.
Powerless, she lifted her head until her green eyes met his cold blue ones, forgetting about Lucky standing directly behind her.
“I’ve missed you.” His hands still making their way up and down her arms, digging into her flesh as they reach the top, each time a little harder. “I know you’ve missed me too.”
His touch paralyzed Baby. All the tiny hairs on her arms stood on end. Her throat tightened and she couldn’t speak. Everything seemed to be playing out in slow motion.
“I hope you liked your present. You know I’ll always take care of my girl, right?”
“What a crock of shit. You can’t be taking this asshole seriously?” Lucky moved to her side. Slade didn’t budge. It was his greatest weapon, treating others as if they were nobodies. Insignificant.
He leaned in with his hand on the back of her neck and whispered into Baby’s ear, causing her stomach to visibly lurch as she tried not to vomit. “I won’t wait long before I take matters into my own hands, love.” His hand slid from her neck around to the front and grazed the top of her leather corset, discreetly tucking another baggie of coke in between her breasts. His lips brushed her cheek, but before he had a chance to stand upright, Lucky shoved him in the shoulder.
For the first time, Slade eyeballed Lucky, laughing. He was almost twice his size. Looking at the two side by side, Slade oozed slime ball, all the way down to the oil he used to slick back his hair. There was no way he would be ok with someone as fuckable as Lucky working in the club.
“Son, you have lost your fucking mind. Who the hell are you to touch me?” Slade spewed in Lucky’s direction.
“I don’t give a shit who you are. Don’t touch the girls!” Lucky never cowered. He stood with legs planted shoulder width apart, balling his fists. His stance implied he wouldn’t be the first to back down. A couple of Slade’s goons from the crowd stepped forward, but he shot up his hand signaling for them to stop.
His lips turned up into an evil grin. “You must be the new lackey I’ve heard about. Bucky, is it?”
Lucky didn’t answer.
“You think you’re a badass, huh?” Slade chuckled. “Unfortunately for you, that kinda attitude can get you killed around here.”
“Bring it on, asswipe.” Lucky’s gaze was hard and his jaw clenched.
The words must have been too much for Slade because his eyes glazed over and he lunged for Lucky. The uproar brought Baby Jade out of the trance like state she had been in and she jumped between the two men.
“Stop!” she yelled. She surveyed the room hoping for some kind of backup. Mickey came barreling out of his office. Jewella and Barbie were both doubled over from laughter. Coral was giving a half-ass performance because the crowd had lost interest, something that happened often when Slade walked into the room. Lolli stood off to the side, doe-eyed. Her already pale face was extra ashen and wet from the recent tears.
“Please, stop. Both of you.” Baby tried to break up the clusterfuck before it got out of hand.
Mickey wasn’t quick to jump in since Slade wasn’t a customer. He was more like Mickey’s lifeline. “What’s going on here? The new gu
y causing a problem?”
Lucky probably would have knocked Mickey on his ass, but Baby knew he wasn’t going to be the one to break the staring contest. A few seconds passed before Slade let out a small snicker and slapped Lucky on the shoulder. “Naw, man. We’re all good here. Isn’t that right, podna?”
Lucky’s gritted his teeth.
Mickey stepped between both men. Facing Lucky, he forced him to take a step backward. Baby stepped toward him and snaked her arm through his. The brazen move shut Jewella up. As soon as she quit laughing, Barbie did too, like a good little mockingbird. Mickey’s eyes narrowed and he turned away, clearly pissed at her gesture.
Lucky’s body was stiff, and his knuckles were stark white from his clenched fists. The veins in his arms strained against his skin. She squeezed his arm tighter, tugging it toward her chest. He eased a little, but still didn’t move.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. All right, Baby get your ass back to work. You’re on next.” Mickey stepped to the side. “We good here? You need anything, man?” he asked Slade, turning his back to Lucky.
Slade ran his hand over his own chest, his top lipped curled up as if he smelled something foul. “Hmm, I was getting ready to head out, but I think I’ll stay for the show. Get me my bottle.” He walked away and sent one of his goons to fetch a spare chair, which he used to belly up to the center of the catwalk—directly in front of the pole.
The bartender slid a bottle of Maker’s Mark across the countertop to Barbie. She took that as her cue to flaunt herself over to Slade, click-clacking her fluorescent heels the whole way. She perched herself on the arm of his velvet chair. Her teased hair made her easy to spot. Baby watched her wrap her suntanned hands around the bottle, her ridiculously long, fire-red nails trailing down Slade’s back.
Mickey had slithered his way over to Jewella, and they were groping each other, tongue, and all. It was scary to think of the things that turned those two on. Lolli mingled with a group of tables by the jukebox, leaving Baby and Lucky alone. He quickly snatched his arm from hers and stepped aside.
Gutter Princess Page 8