Secrets, Lies & Imperfections

by Pamela L. Todd

  “Should I get you a key?”

  “Maybe,” Cassidy said. “So. What were you doing before I so rudely interrupted?”

  I let out a groan and led her through the club into the service areas, toward my office. “Slogging through a pile of bullshit.”

  Cassidy’s eyes widened as she took in the mess that was my desk. It was covered in receipts and spreadsheets as I tried in vain to get to the source of the problem. I rubbed the back of my neck and grimaced. This was the part of the job I hated—not because it was hard work, but because it was monotonous and a pain in the ass.

  “You look stressed,” Cassidy said, curling her fingers around my biceps.

  I grunted. “I’m fine. Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “Can I help?”

  With a smile, I stroked her lower back. “You’re here. You are helping.”

  Cassidy trailed her finger down my arm and moved to stand in front of me. “You know, I did have an ulterior motive for coming here.”

  My eyebrows shot up. “Oh?”

  She nodded. “At work last night my mind started wandering. It went to very interesting places. And one of them was surprising you at work, pushing you up against your desk and dropping to my knees.”

  The useless muscle in my chest stuttered. Almost flat out stopped. Holy fuck.

  Cassidy poked her index finger to my abdomen and pushed me back a few steps until my thighs hit the edge of my desk. She unbuttoned my jeans and inched them down, slowly, as if she wanted to drive me crazy.

  She cupped my now-throbbing erection through my boxer briefs and looked me dead in the eye. “And once I was on my knees, I’d take that big, beautiful dick of yours and slide my tongue around the head, tasting you, loving how turned on I’d made you.”

  I dropped my head back as she tucked her fingers into the waistband of my boxers and started to move them down. “Jesus Christ,” I mumbled.

  “It was very distracting, having those kinds of thoughts while I was supposed to be caring for poor, injured patients. So I decided I’d have to put into reality what I was fantasizing about.” She pushed my boxers down my thighs and slowly lowered herself to her knees. Cassidy peered up at me through her thick, dark eyelashes, her pale-blue eyes scorching with heat. She’d worn a light sleeveless blouse that, at this angle, allowed me a fucking perfect view of her tits encased in a lacy white bra.

  Fuck me, she didn’t need to use her mouth. I was ready to blow and she hadn’t even touched me.

  Cassidy squeezed the root of my dick with her hand and she didn’t take her eyes off me as she slowly moved down to wrap her lips around the head.

  My cock pulsed and I gripped the edge of my desk so hard I thought it would splinter.

  She stroked up the length of my erection with one fingertip as she swirled her tongue, lapping up the bead of moisture. She worked me into a slow, smooth frenzy with her hot mouth before she took all of me inside her, hollowing her cheeks as she sucked.

  I barked out a groan and knotted my hands in her hair as she slid her sweet mouth up and down my length. She fisted the root again, working me with her hand and her mouth in a combination that made me want to explode.

  Cassidy moaned, the sound vibrating along my dick. I gritted my teeth and gently thrust my hips, wanting, seeking more.

  “Fuck, Cass, I’m going to come,” I said through clenched teeth. This was the moment most girls pulled away as though an actual explosion would go off in their face. Cassidy’s reaction was to moan again and suck me harder. She cupped my balls with her free hand, rolling them until I thought I’d black out.

  I thrust my hips again and she squeezed my balls a fraction tighter. It sent me over the edge and I came with a bellow, filling her mouth. She took it all, still working me as though she wanted every last drop.

  I slumped against the desk, my heart hammering as I fought for breath. Cassidy pulled my boxers and jeans back up and fastened the buttons.

  “I’m glad that was good as I’d imagined,” she practically purred.

  I cupped her face and kissed her, plunging my tongue into her mouth. I could taste myself on her tongue and she awed me again. This girl…fuck me, this girl was one in a million. I was never letting her go. “Baby, that wasn’t good. That was fucking incredible.”

  She giggled. “Good. Are you going to add it to your own spank bank for future use?”

  Laughing, I kissed her again. “The rate you’re using my body, what makes you think I’d have any energy for taking matters into my own hand? Besides, every time I come now, I want it to be in you.”

  “I can live with that.” She patted my chest. “Well, I guess my work here is done, so I’d better leave you to your…whatever all that shit is on your desk.”

  “Thank you for making my day more bearable.”

  Cassidy smiled, teasing and flirty. “Thank you for letting me use you for my own nefarious plan.”

  I grinned. “Anytime.”

  * * * *

  One week after Cassidy’s surprise visit to the club, I couldn’t ignore what was in front of me any longer. It was a Sunday afternoon, and after going over the numbers from the busy night before, it was more obvious than ever that something was up.

  I called every staff member and arranged a meeting for the next morning at ten a.m. Anyone who valued their job had better show up or not bother coming back.

  Needless to say, I was on edge that night. It was meant to be my night off, and the painful irony was that Cassidy was also free. But I wanted to spend it working, trying to see if I could find any irregularities. Just like all the other times I’d attempted the same thing, I couldn’t spot anything noticeably amiss. Either I was missing something, or whoever was screwing the place over was smart enough not to try it while the boss was lurking nearby.

  Instead of going home after closing, I took a restless nap on the couch in my office. Once I gave up on sleep, I started pulling bottles of liquor from the stockroom and placing them in the center of the club. When I had everything I needed, I had pulled a load of stools from different areas of the club and positioned them around the booze.

  I was replying to emails when there was a knock on my office door. The door opened before I had a chance to call the person in. Really, I shouldn’t have been surprised when Ashley strolled into the room and slid her narrow ass onto my desk.

  Biting back a groan of annoyance, I minimized the email client before she could not-so-subtly have a gander. “What can I do for you, Ashley?”

  She laughed. “Now there’s the million-dollar question.”

  I gave her a look and didn’t respond. It was like she knew how deep I was getting with Cass and was determined to make a liar out of me. I’d noticed the jeans she wore were getting tighter every week, or the shorts she swapped them for that could barely pass for underwear. If she was out to prove she could have anyone she wanted, whether they were free or not, she wasn’t about to succeed with me.

  “Man, you’re so uptight these days,” Ashley murmured. “Does it have anything to do with the setup you’ve got going on out there?”

  “You’ll find out at the meeting, Ashley, just like everyone else.” This girl really knew how to piss me off. Sometimes I wished she would do it when I had Cassidy around. She’d knock her on her ass in two seconds flat with that smart mouth of hers.

  I glanced at the time on my computer screen. It was only nine-thirty. Great. I was stuck with her for at least thirty minutes. I fished in my pockets and pulled out a ten-dollar bill. “Do me a favor and grab me a coffee, would you? Get yourself something too.”

  “Sure thing, boss,” Ashley said, sliding off my desk and pushing her tits in my face as she did so. “I wondered how long it would take to get you on a coffee date.”

  She was gone before I could correct her.

  Great. Just. Fucking. Great.

  I didn’t believe in luck, but if I did, I would have said it was changing. Ashley didn’t make it back until right before the meeting
, and everyone else showed up for it. I accepted the coffee from Ashley without comment, and took my spot in the center of the ring I’d created.

  “I appreciate everyone making it down today. I know a lot of you were working last night and it means you’ve hardly had any sleep. It hasn’t gone unnoticed, and whoever did work last night, now has a paid night off to use whenever they want—provided it doesn’t clash with prior arrangements in the schedule.”

  The group tittered at that, the ones who now had a paid night off smiling, and those who didn’t sulking like the big babies that they were.

  “And to keep it fair, every single person here can have three free drinks when they come in off duty. To be served by me, and me only, so don’t be getting any ideas.”

  Most of them laughed, but I saw a few looks exchanged that said I wasn’t wrong that they’d try their luck to snag extra free drinks. Chancers.

  “I’m not going to beat around the bush today. There’s been something going on and I want it on the record that it ends now.” I circled the booze laid out on the floor. “What you see here represents what I’m missing in stock.”

  A chilled silence swept over the previously upbeat group.

  “All that alcohol is missing?” Becky, one of the newer girls, exclaimed, her eyebrows disappearing under her bangs.

  “Yup.” When you saw it laid out in front of you, it was hard to believe. Even I had been shocked, and I already knew the numbers. But that was what I was going for. I wanted the motherfucker responsible to be shocked. “Every single thing you see right now is missing—down to the limes. I could put it down to a couple of things— newbies who haven’t been trained how to input information into the register properly, getting huge orders and a few drinks are forgotten, being so busy things start to slide. Or, someone, maybe more than one someone, is stealing.”

  You could have heard a pin drop.

  No one moved. I don’t think anyone even fucking breathed.

  Good. They needed to realize how serious this was.

  “I’m willing to give every single person here the benefit of the doubt. This missing stock can be explained with legitimate, however fucking stupid, reasons. I’m giving everyone a clean slate. I have no judgments, no curiosities as to who is responsible. The only catch is that it ends here.” I looked around them all, and was pleased to see a few ashen faces. “If you aren’t sure you’re doing your job right, see me. If you even suspect you could be doing something wrong, see me. Because if you don’t, and this happens again, people are losing their jobs. Am I clear?”

  There was a pause before the group started nodding.

  Maybe I could do this after all. It was a shitty part of the job, but it was my job, and I sure as shit wasn’t going to do it half-assed. A few of them looked like they would piss their pants. I must have more Anthony Hamilton running through my veins than I thought.

  “Good. Now clear out. I’ll see any of you who are working tonight.”

  The sounds of stools scraping against the floor filled the empty club as people got to their feet and shuffled out. Only Ashley remained, sitting on her stool and sipping her coffee.

  “Way to stick it to them, boss,” she said, slowly getting to her feet. “I never knew you had it in you. I have to say, I like it.”

  “I have to say, I don’t give a shit if you do or not, Ashley,” I said, in no mood for her flirting, or her games.

  She either didn’t pick up the warning in my tone, or just didn’t care, as she brushed past me on her way out, trailing her fingers down my arm. “How did you know I like my men dominating? See you tonight.”

  Balls.

  * * * *

  My mood was foul. After cleaning up the club and carting all the alcohol back into the stockroom, I locked up and drove home. I needed sleep.

  Actually, I needed Cass. I wanted to crawl into her bed and screw us into oblivion so I could find some peace of mind and finally rest. But she was working days this week and unavailable for screwing. Maybe if I napped now, then I’d be refreshed enough when her shift finished and I could squeeze in some quality Cass time before going back to the club. I could make us dinner.

  Jesus, what a douche I was becoming.

  Blake’s SUV was parked out front when I got home, which was weird for him. He was always at his office by this time. It was a little before noon and I couldn’t think what would be important enough to drag my dedicated brother away from his beloved business.

  I jumped up the steps and let myself in through the front door. Blake wasn’t in the kitchen, though there were two empty coffee mugs on the island. I checked the living room next, and froze when I reached the doorway.

  Blake was lying on top of some woman. They were wrapped around each other as though they needed the other to survive. Hands tugged at clothing, breathy moans filled the air.

  “What the fuck, Blake?” I cried out, louder, and angrier, than I intended. But fuck me, they were seconds away from banging on the couch—in the middle of the goddamn day. While Marley was…fuck me. “What are you doing? Jesus, do you realize that poor fucking girl is broken over you? And you’re—you’re about to screw some cheap whore on the couch you used to sit on with her!”

  Blake and his lady friend jerked upright. Blake panted, his face flushed and chest rising and falling in quick succession. “Seth, what—”

  “I can’t believe I looked at you for approval. What a fucking joke.” I shook my head and felt my lip curl in disgust. “Enjoy your quick dip, brother. Just know you’re throwing away a life with that girl—who is perfect for you, by the way—over a cheap slut.”

  “You know, I wasn’t this judgy when I walked in on you with your girl, jerk-face,” she said.

  “That was totally different and you—” Wait a minute. I knew that voice. I slid my eyes over to Blake’s chick and realized I knew that chick. Knew that chick pretty fucking well. Relief poured over me and I grinned. “So, uh, sorry about the whole slut and whore thing, Marley.”

  Marley rolled her eyes and flopped back onto the couch cushions. “You’re forgiven. If you get the hell out right this second.”

  “I’m gone. Hell, I love you guys, but I don’t love you enough to sit through that sort of performance.”

  Blake groaned. “Seth.”

  I laughed. “I’m going. I’m going!” Turning to leave the room, I heard Marley giggle. The sound was cut off and replaced by a whole other sort of noise. I rushed back to the couch before they got going. “And, I’ll stay away for a few days, give you guys some space. So, you know…go nuts or whatever.”

  “Seth!” They both cried.

  Another laugh rose in my throat. “Okay, okay, I’m out. See you both later. Much later. Days later.”

  It wasn’t until I was back in my car that I realized I might have just inadvertently made myself homeless. Supposing my dreams came true and Cass agreed to let me stay with her for a few days like I was praying she would. I remembered Jimmy and Hank’s place… It wasn’t the place you dwelled unless you wanted to get pregnant from sitting on the couch. What would come after that? There would be no going back for Blake and Marley now…and thank Christ for that. But giving them space, even for a few days, could make them realize that they didn’t want an asshole little brother lurking around their house, getting in the way and generally being a little asshole.

  What if, now I’d left for a while, I’d have to leave for good?

  As crazy as we made each other, I liked staying with Blake. If I asked Cassidy, she’d tell me it was because I craved some sense of familial togetherness—that I wanted to share a home with my big brother because I rarely got to see him growing up.

  Whatever. Maybe I just liked his big-ass house.

  Only, the old blasé Seth would have said that, maybe even believed it. The new one saw clean through that bullshit.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Cassidy replied to my text asking if I could cook her dinner at her place when her shift ended with a dozen m
anically grinning emoticons. I took it as a yes. So I enjoyed a neck-breakingly uncomfortable nap in my office at the club for a few hours before getting up and heading to the grocery store. I picked up a filet of pork, sweet potatoes, broccoli and some crème fraiche to make a sauce.

  “Where did you learn to cook?” Cassidy asked later, as she sat at the kitchen table and watched me prepare our meal.

  I smiled at her over my shoulder. “You make it sound like I’m a pro. I assure you, there is plenty I don’t know about cooking.”

  Cassidy rolled her eyes. “Just tell me, smart-ass.”

  “I don’t know. I guess I’m self-taught. My parents were out in the evenings a lot. I’d get bored and end up talking to the housekeeper as she made my dinner, helping where she’d let me. And when I moved out, I always cooked myself decent meals. I hate microwave shit.”

  “Well, I’m glad in any case. You have my permission to cook for me at any available opportunity.”

  I snorted a laugh. “How generous of you.”

  When dinner was ready and I placed her plate under her nose, Cassidy closed her eyes and sighed. “This smells heavenly.”

  “Good. Keep that in mind while I ask you a favor.”

  Her eyes sprang open. “What kind of favor?”

  “Blake and Marley made up…all over the couch.”

  Cassidy blinked, then laughed so loud she clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle the sounds. “God, did you walk in on them?”

  I nodded with a grimace as I remembered just how close I’d come to seeing parts of my brother I could quite happily never see. “Anyway, I left pretty damn quick. And not before promising I’d stay out of their way for a few days.”

  She chuckled. “I can see where this is going. How long are we talking?”

  “How long can you give me?”

  Cassidy seemed to ponder this. “Next Monday okay?”

  Next Monday…that meant a full week. A full week of nothing but Cass. And, okay, work and shit, but still. Jesus, a full week of Cass. Six nights of her bed, of her body, of her. “You can stand me for that long? What about your roommates?”