“Thanks,” I said as I got in the passenger’s seat. “Let’s make progress today.”
“Always,” he said as he hit the gas.
We sped off.
I headed out of the house with a light step. It had taken me most of the afternoon going back and forth with myself over whether I was going to see Sky that night, but finally, my weakness won out. I was never the kind of guy to frequent the strip club in the past, but there I was, going again.
She’d given me her schedule. She worked Tuesday through Saturday, ensuring she’d be there for the busiest nights of the week. Being a Wednesday, I knew I’d catch her. I hadn’t told her I was dropping by, and I wasn’t sure how things would go if I saw Rocco, but I wanted to see her anyway.
I’d act like I didn’t know who she was, but I’d be sure to get a lap dance from her. Hell, I’d be happy with anything she’d give me. I had enough money to throw her way, though I felt like the luckiest man alive for the night before.
I pulled into the parking lot and looked at myself in the mirror for a second.
What the fuck has gotten into you? Since when do you care about how you look this much? Welsh would fall over laughing if he could see you now. Satisfied, I got out of the car and headed for the door. But the bouncer put his arm across my path.
“Sorry, can’t let you in,” he said.
“What?” I asked, looking at him in surprise. “You’ve got to be kidding, I’m a paying customer.”
“Don’t matter,” he said. “Boss’s orders.”
“You’ve got to be shitting me, right?” I looked at him with a set jaw, clearly challenging him. The man stepped all the way in my path, crossing his arms and looking at me.
“Look buddy. I do what I’m told, and the boss made it clear you aren’t allowed here. I don’t know what you did or who you pissed off, but that’s the way things are. If you’re not happy about it, take it up with him.”
“Don’t worry, I will,” I snapped. I turned on my heel and stormed back to the car, seeing red the entire way. Of course, I wasn’t going to call Rocco, but I had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Why the hell would he ban me from the club unless he knew something?
Something had to be up. Rocco clearly didn’t want me anywhere near the place. A storm was brewing, that was for sure. I could feel it in my bones, and I was ready to put him down once and for all.
I couldn’t shake the feeling of uneasiness that had settled in the pit of my stomach.
More than anything, I hoped Sky was alright.
14
Sky
I swung around the pole, leaning my head back and letting my hair fall free. The lights were spinning, and the men were throwing money at me by the fistful. Ruby and Candy were both busy with their own customers, and the newest girl, Diamond, was in the back getting ready. Destiny was crawling around on the stage, and Cinnamon was in the back laying on a table, letting a group of guys do shots off her body.
As I swung another circle, I saw Chyna and Chardonnay chatting it up with a couple of rich looking businessmen in suits, and I closed my eyes. I had been assigned to show Diamond some of the ropes when she came out on stage, and I was waiting for her.
With my eyes closed, I couldn’t make eye contact with any of the men who were ogling me. It made it nearly impossible for them to ask for a lap dance or other favors, and that was exactly what I wanted. If Diamond would hurry up, we could get her on the pole.
But she was taking the job far more seriously than any of the other girls working, and she’d been in the back for nearly half an hour putting on makeup. I normally would have told her to hurry up and complained to Rocco about it, but now, I didn’t really care. She could fuck up all she wanted, it didn’t matter one bit to me. I had no pride or personal stake in the club. Although we were careful about giving out our real names to anyone, we all knew each other’s. We tried to stick together and watch one another’s backs while we were there. Diamond, however, didn’t feel the need to talk to any of us.
She kept herself removed, telling us the job was merely the job, and she chose to keep her private life to herself. I wanted to tell her not to worry, I never wanted to hang out with any of the girls I worked with, but I kept my mouth shut.
My mind was on other things, anyway. I would much rather daydream about Jack and what he was doing than think about work. Hell, I had taken to imagining that he was the man I was dancing for. Whether it was a lap dance or a pole routine, I imagined he was the only one in the room. It made it easier to get through a shift.
He was the only one I wanted to touch me now. I thought back to the way his hands felt on my body, how he felt fully sheathed inside me, how his mouth tasted on my lips.
The impulse to sleep with him had been taken me by surprise, but I’d just wanted to forget my life for a while and feel good. And Jack had made me feel very good. I just hoped he wasn’t regretting it today.
“Okay, I’m ready!” Diamond said as she emerged. “What do I do?”
“Be less obvious you’re a rookie for starters,” I said dryly. “Grab onto the pole, and spin. Wrap one of your legs around.”
She tried it as I made a bit more of a show for the men watching. They were going wild for both of us, which made it a lot easier to teach her. I knew that her story was not like mine and that made me even sadder for some reason. She was on stage because she wanted to be. She wasn’t struggling to make ends meet or put herself through college. She simply wanted to dance.
I would have given my right arm to get to go to school, but here was a girl who was merely rebelling against her parents. She didn’t like being told what to do, and she was making a point of that fact. Though we weren’t that far apart in age, I felt years ahead of her in wisdom. Luckily for me, she got a hang of things pretty quickly which meant I wouldn’t have to babysit her too much longer. “You’re a natural,” I told her.
“I know,” she said with a smirk. “I’ve been practicing on a pole in my room since I was fifteen.”
“Good for you,” I replied dryly. “Keep doing what you’re doing, I’m going to give you the stage for a minute.”
She was more than happy to follow my direction, and I set off to see what tips I could make over at the bar. There were times when we’d serve drinks to the customers alongside the regular bartenders. It was a great way to boost the money that was thrown in the tip jar.
As much as I tried not to, I found myself scanning the faces in the dark room often. It quickly became habit throughout the night, and I wished I wasn’t doing it. But there wasn’t any denying the fact, I was looking for Jack.
I hoped he’d come in, and I hoped Rocco would be too occupied with his guests when it happened. I knew I was playing a dangerous game. If Rocco found out what I was doing with a cop, he’d be furious, and it only took one of his tirades and I’d been in a lot of trouble.
Still, it didn’t stop me from wanting to be with Jack. It felt good to feel wanted and accepted. I felt Jack saw me for me. He didn’t look at me with anything but kindness and caring, and he wanted help me out of my situation.
It would be a bonus just to think that he might be able to put Rocco away for a long time. I smiled to myself at the thought and see Rocco step out from his office.
“Sky! What the fuck are you doing behind the bar? The lobby is packed! Get out here and get busy!” Rocco shouted from across the room.
Everyone in the lobby turned and looked at the bar as he shouted my name, and I sighed. I had been trying to keep myself out of the spotlight for a bit and he had just blown my cover. Most likely on purpose. I knew I was a favorite among the customers in the bar, and now I was going to have a very busy night.
I wandered back out into the lobby and started for the stage. I was going to check on Diamond, but Rocco was already heading in my direction. He grabbed my arm, not too hard in front of all of the customers, but hard enough that I knew he was pissed.
“Don’t think I don’t know what y
ou’re doing,” he hissed in my ear. “Your little boyfriend won’t be coming in here anymore. I made sure of that. I told you what would happen if I found out you were fucking him.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even though my heart was hammering in my chest. How could he know?
“Don’t play stupid with me, bitch,” he snapped. His mouth was right against my ear, the room too dark for anyone to read his lips. He then laughed and stood tall, putting his arm around me as though we were friends. I wanted to walk out the door right then, but I didn’t dare.
There were several other men there – men I knew were associates of his And I knew what that meant. They were dangerous men with no moral compass. “Come with me, babe. We’re going to see some friends of mine. They all want a lap dance tonight. You’re going to earn your money tonight sweetheart.”
I cringed. I didn’t want to touch any of them, but Rocco was punishing me. He didn’t care how much he humiliated me, that was for sure. He would happily do it again and again until he broke my spirit. And he nearly had. I was fighting so hard to keep it together and get the hell out of there, but he was going to make it nearly impossible.
Hearing that he had Jack banned made me sick. He had to know something was going on. I didn’t know how it was possible, or how much he knew, but he had to at least be suspicious. Jack wasn’t my boyfriend, but Rocco didn’t want me having anything to do with the guy. Rocco knew Jack was a cop, and that was enough to keep him spooked. I thought back to his threat to kill both Jack and me and I nearly shuddered. But I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of letting him know he scared me.
Because once he knew I was scared for my life and for Jack’s, Rocco would hold all the power. And there was no way in hell I was going to let that happen.
I walked up the steps to my apartment complex. I had been careful on the way home. With Rocco’s associates in town, something had to be happening, and I was scared it had to do with Jack.
Clearly, Rocco didn’t like him, and he felt the two of us were getting too close. He must have someone following me. If I was going to keep seeing Jack, even just to help him take Rocco down, I was going to have to be more careful.
I checked my phone but didn’t have any messages from him, and that worried me, too. Maybe he really did regret what had happened between us the night before. Or maybe he thought I had put Rocco up to banning him from the club. I tried to keep my mind from going to the darkest places, but it was hard.
Until I rounded the corner to my door and I stopped dead in my tracks.
There, right outside my door, was a large vase of flowers. I didn’t have to even look to know who it was from. With a racing heart, I hurried over and scooped it up in my arms, fondling the flowers as I did. There was a small note in the center, addressed to me.
Susie,
I’m sorry I missed you today. I just wanted you to know that I’ve been thinking about you. Last night was amazing and I hope to see you again very soon.
Jack
I grinned bigger than I had in a long time. The man knew how to make a woman feel good, and he chose me to be the apple of his eye. I didn’t know what I’d done to deserve such a thing, but I was happy.
Burying my nose in the bouquet, I fished my key out of my pocket with my other hand and put it in the lock. These were going to liven up my apartment more than any cat ever could.
I didn’t know what we were doing, or what it really meant, but I knew that Jack made me feel on top of the world, and I wanted to do the same for him. Someday, some way, I would pay him back for all of it. I would get through this and be free of Rocco’s reign of terror.
As I locked the door behind me, an idea suddenly came to my mind. I knew how I could repay Jack and hopefully break free of Rocco in the process.
It was a risk, but with the way things were escalating at the club, it was a risk worth taking.
15
Jack
The flowers are beautiful, and they made my day. Thank you
It was a simple text, but since it came from Sky, it made me feel incredible. She wasn’t the first girl I’d sent flowers to in my life, but she was the only one who made me feel that good by telling me she liked them. I was glad it made her day better.
She deserved to come home to something nice after having to put up with grabby assholes all night at work. I set my phone down, thinking. I wanted to see her, but I didn’t want to go over to her place again. Considering what happened at the club that afternoon, I had a feeling she was being watched.
As though she could read my thoughts, her name popped up as my phone buzzed once more.
It was a rough day at work, and I think there are a couple things we need to talk about. I don’t think it’s safe for you to come here, but can I come to you?
It was exactly what I wanted to hear. If she could get out of her apartment and make it to my place without being in danger, I would love to see her. But, I still worried. I texted her back immediately.
Is there a way you can get out of your place without being noticed? I think you might be being watched
I didn’t even have time to set my phone down before she sent a reply.
That’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about. I can get there if you send me the address. Don’t worry. I was once a master at sneaking out without being caught.
She sent me a winking emoji and I laughed out loud. The more I knew of her, the more I liked her. I couldn’t get enough of her, and I could only imagine a younger version of herself getting out of the house and getting into some trouble when she was a teenager.
I sent her my address and immediately headed to the bathroom. I made sure I was presentable, then I cleaned up the apartment as quickly as I could. I lived a bachelor’s life, and my apartment reflected that. I shoved the clothes I had in the closet and straightened up a few things before grabbing a bottle of wine and pouring two glasses. I hesitated just a moment, trying to settle my thoughts.
I was a cop who was trying to take down a powerful mob figure and Sky was my key to doing that. But I was also trying my damndest to get her out of her situation. I was falling for the woman. It was such a conflict of interests. I cringed. Never before had I dabbled in such a grey area in my career.
Work was usually work and life was usually life. But right then, work and life were intersecting in a way that made me both nervous and excited. What if my feelings for Sky clouded my judgement and I screwed up the investigation? Someone could end up getting hurt and Rocco could get off scot-free once again.
And what about Sky herself? What if she was attracted to me because I was playing the hero? What if when the dust settled and she was free of Rocco, she decided she didn’t need me anymore? Where would that leave me?
I tried to shake the thoughts from my brain. I just needed to concentrate on the moment and keep a clear head. I took a deep breath and told myself to chill the fuck out. There was a knock at the door, and I glanced in the mirror, smoothing my hair before I headed over and opened it.
“Hey,” she said. “I don’t think anyone followed me.”
I glanced out in the hall. “Good. But I want you to be extra vigilant. I’m pretty sure you’re under surveillance.”
“What happened today?” she asked me as she followed me into the apartment. “Rocco said during my shift he had you thrown out and you weren’t going to be allowed back, but he didn’t say what happened.”
“I stopped in to check on you, but the bouncer stopped me at the door and told me I wasn’t allowed in. When I asked him why, he said boss’ orders.”
She shook her head. “It just doesn’t make any sense why he’d do that.”
“That’s why I think we’ve been followed. Clearly, someone is watching either you personally, or staking out your place. If they saw me come over the other day, then Rocco probably knows that you are involved with me, at least to some extent,” I told her.
She looked uncomfortable as she
sat in the chair, so I continued. “Men like Rocco are all about power and control. When he feels like something is his, he’ll do whatever he has to keep it under his thumb. Unfortunately, right now, that appears to be you.”
Sky nodded, but there were tears in her eyes. I handed her a glass of wine. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s just that, I’m sorry,” she said. She broke down in tears right there in the chair, and I knelt down and took her into my arms gently.
“What are you sorry for? It’s my job to protect anyone who needs it, and quite honestly, even if it wasn’t, I’d do what I could for you,” I said in a comforting tone.
“You wouldn’t be anywhere near this mess if it wasn’t for me. I don’t know what he’s going to do,” she sobbed. “There were other men at the club tonight, and I’m afraid of what they are going to do. I know they are bad men, some probably even worse that Rocco.”
“Really?” I asked excitedly. “That’s nothing to be upset about, Sky. That means he’s getting nervous, and we’re getting close to being able to nail him.”
“But,” she sobbed, hardly able to get the words off her lips. “What if they are here to do something to you? Rocco threatened to kill you if he found out we were involved.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got this under control,” I assured her. “I’m not scared of Rocco or his thug friends. But I am worried about you. Why don’t you come stay here with me for a while? I don’t like the idea of you going home to an empty apartment at night.”
She looked at me in surprise, and I was quick to clarify my meaning. “You would be welcome to the guest room if you felt more comfortable.”
Sky shook her head. She looked back at her hands and sighed. “I don’t think he’s fixing to have me killed. Not yet anyway. I’m sure he’s playing some game of his own. I mean, if he’s having me followed and he threw you out of the club, then there’s got to be something in the works.”
Men in Charge: A Contemporary Romance Box Set Page 67