by Jenika Snow
Leo: Of course, baby.
“Kiki?” Her friend’s eyes were closed.
“What?” She sounded so forlorn that it pulled at Tatum’s heart.
“Where do you want to get drunk?”
Kiki squealed right before she jumped off the couch. After she told Tatum where she wanted to go, she sent a text to Leo, and then headed into her bedroom to get ready for a night of trying to help her friend forget her problems.
20
Leo sat at his desk, his gaze on the papers strewn across the top. His mind was on other things than work, more important things. He couldn’t help but think about Tatum and everything she had told him.
Since they spoke a week ago, things had been going better than he could have ever imagined. The fact that she had accepted his lineage astounded him beyond comprehension. He had expected her to run away from him, to see him as the animal he truly was. She had opened her arms to him, and he had eagerly fallen into them. He was putty in her hands, whether she realized that or not.
A knock on his door had him lifting his head and putting the thought of Tatum in the farthest part of his mind. Whoever was coming to him would not taint the image or thought of her.
“Yeah?” He unlocked the door by a simple press of a button under his desk. The lock unlatched, and Tryck, one of his bouncers, stepped inside and shut the door behind him.
“Slade’s here. Peaches took him to the champagne room. He’s got three girls in there now and two of his men hanging back.”
Shit.
Leo didn’t know what was going on with Slade, but the shifter had been sniffing around his house, and Leo wasn’t feeling it. Whatever the hell Slade had up his sleeve couldn’t be good. He had known the asshole since he first moved to Vegas. Ever since their altercation five years back, they had kept their distance from each other. The town was big enough for both of them, but Slade didn’t see it that way. The lion wanted full reign of the land, but there was no way Leo would back down.
After a lot of bloodshed, Slade had walked away, but Leo wasn’t fool enough to think the psychotic shifter would let it be. It might have taken five years, but Slade kept coming back to his club for a reason, and Leo had a feeling it wasn’t for anything good.
He stood and made his way to the champagne room. The steady, low bump of music surrounded him, and the closer he got to the closed door of the VIP room, the more the bass intensified. Without knocking, because really, it was his fucking club, Leo pushed the door open. Slade sat on the black leather couch situated in the center of the room. Two girls in nothing but a G-string and their tits hanging out danced seductively to music.
Slade looked the relaxed part as his arms were thrown over the back of the couch and his legs were parted. One of the girls moved between his legs and turned around, showing her ass. She did a little shake before popping her ass out in Slade’s face.
The lion’s expression appeared almost bored as he watched.
“Candy, Pepper, and Macie, get the fuck out of here.” The girls hurried out of the room at Leo’s menacing tone. He was beyond pissed that Slade was here, and the fact that the fucker had a smug grin on his face had his blood roaring in his ears.
Once the girls were out, Tryck took a step closer. Slade’s men followed suit, their hands at their waists. Leo didn’t doubt there were guns hidden under their suit jackets, but Leo was beyond that gangster shit. If things were going to get ugly with Slade, they were going to do it lion to lion. No guns, no backup. Just the two of them, and may the best shifter win.
“Why are you here, Slade?” Leo didn’t bother to keep the growl out of his voice. He had been disappointed to get the text from Tatum cancelling, but now he was glad she wasn’t coming down. If shit got bad with Slade, Leo sure as hell didn’t want her anywhere near the sick fuck. Leo had seen what Slade had done to girls he “cared about.” He liked sick shit, shit that left scars and broke hearts, literally.
“I enjoyed myself so much last time that I wanted to come back. Is that so wrong?” Slade lifted a brow in question.
“You’re not welcome here, and you fucking know it. The deal was you stay to your side of town, and I’ll do the same. The fact that you are here leads me to believe you are up to no good, and I’m not about that, Slade.” Especially not now that he found Tatum, but he wasn’t going there.
The grin Slade gave him was feral and filled with a lot more than he said. “I hoped to see that sweet piece of pussy you got at the door, but to my disappointment, she’s not here.” Slade’s grin was downright disgusting. Leo could only imagine the vile things he had swirling around in that fucked-up head of his.
Gritting his teeth, Leo breathed out his anger. What he really wanted to do was fuck Slade up for even thinking about Tatum, but he knew if he gave any indication of what Tatum meant to him, Slade would use it against him. Leo opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. Slade’s grin widened.
“Cat got your tongue, brother?”
“You are not my brother.” The words were forced past Leo’s teeth.
Before he could say anything further to piss Leo off, Slade’s phone rang. Nothing was said, but Slade kept his cold eyes locked on Leo. He tucked his phone back in his pocket when the call ended and stood.
“Well, looks like I’m needed elsewhere.” Slade walked past Leo, but right before he exited, he stopped and turned his head so they looked in each other’s eyes. “I like what you’ve got going on here, Leo. Makes me want to change things in my own life.”
Leo turned on him and bared his teeth. “You better watch it, asshole.”
Slade’s two men took a step forward, but Slade held up his hand to stop them. For several long moments, they just stared at each other. The tension was heavy, and the aggression and testosterone pulsed between them. Leo was on the verge of shifting, and he could tell Slade was right there with him.
Slade winked and turned to leave.
Leo stood there, catching his breath and calming his beast. His blood boiled as a plethora of violent acts he’d like to do to Slade passed through his mind. Things between them were a lot tenser, and Leo knew sooner than later the explosion between them would crush cities and destroy lives.
21
The bodies crushed on either side of Tatum as Kiki kept a firm grip on her hand and led her through the club. At the last minute, Kiki decided to change where they were going. Now, they were practically nose-to-nose with half-dressed people at Stripped.
The dance club was the newest addition to the strip and was decked out in mellow colors and modern décor. It seemed sophisticated, but the majority of the people crammed in were young. Tatum felt overdressed in her linen shorts and poppy blouse. She had thought she spiced things up by wearing heels, but she felt like a granny compared to the girls who grinded with the overly muscled men.
Kiki pushed a few girls away from the bar, which in turn got them some nasty glares. Drinks in hand after about a ten-minute wait, Kiki led the way to one of the few available tables. Luckily, everyone was out practically having sex on the dance floor or they’d be standing around.
Kiki grabbed her shot and downed it, chasing it with her fruity, bright-orange drink.
“You want to talk about Beau?” Tatum had to yell over the deep bass of music.
Kiki shook her head vehemently and sucked back the rest of her drink. Looked like Tatum was going to be carrying a very sloshed Kiki home tonight. “Let’s dance.”
Kiki stood before Tatum could respond. She held her hand out, and Tatum shook her head.
“You know I’m a horrible dancer.”
“I can’t hear you, Tater. Come on.”
Tatum knew damn well Kiki heard what she said, but Kiki was in her zone and wouldn’t have taken no for an answer no matter how much Tatum complained.
Picking up her drink, Tatum gulped down half of it. Kiki gave her a smile and wink and dragged her to the center of the dance floor. The heat was intense as the bodies gyrated all around her. Kiki
started swaying to the music, throwing her hands in the air and closing her eyes.
She looked free at that moment, and Tatum wished she wasn’t going through shit, although she felt in her heart that Beau would never do anything to hurt her. He loved Kiki too much.
Tatum didn’t drink much, so the alcohol she had all but guzzled rushed through her veins and had warmth spreading through her. Closing her eyes as well, she let herself feel free. Her life was starting to go in the right direction, and for once, she felt happy.
The music washed through her, and she swayed, not caring that beads of sweat dotted her flesh or that arms and legs bumped into hers. When she opened her eyes, she saw Kiki bumping and grinding with a blond-haired man.
She couldn’t see his face, but the view from the back was impressive. Kiki opened her eyes and caught Tatum’s. Her smile seemed slow and a little hazy. She was already buzzed, and if Tatum didn’t intervene, Kiki would do something she regretted.
She took a step toward them, but the man pushed them through the bodies and farther away from Tatum.
Kiki stared up at the man, and Tatum watched as he dipped his head and whispered something in her ear. She shook her head and continued to sway. Before Tatum could move another step, strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back toward a thick, hard chest.
She tensed, ready to spin around and rip into the asshole who thought groping her was okay, when a deep voice she remembered whispered in her ear.
“The way you move can make any man putty in your hands.” She was spun around until she looked into green eyes. Slade grinned down at her, his straight, white teeth looking feral. She wondered if he was the same as Leo, more animal than man.
They hadn’t spoken about Slade or their altercation at the club, but now that Tatum was this close to him, she could sense some kind of animal magnetism pouring from Slade.
Yeah, no doubt the man who had his arms around her was deadly.
“Let me go.” Her instincts told her being this close to him, whether Leo was here or not, was not a good idea. Slade used his strength to pull her closer to his body. She could feel every hill of muscle beneath his expensive suit.
“I just want to talk to you.” His warm breath whipped across her cheek, and she fought the wince of disgust. Having him touch her felt abhorrent. It was nothing like Leo’s touch. This just felt wrong on so many levels.
“Please, let me go.” She pushed at his chest, but he wouldn’t release her until he was ready to. He lifted his head and motioned to someone behind her. Tatum glanced over her shoulder and saw the blond man Kiki had been dancing with face them. He had both arms around Kiki’s waist. Her friend looked a bit shell-shocked.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Slade grinned down at her and lifted his hand to push her hair off her shoulder. She refrained from flinching and stared straight into his cold eyes.
“I’m playing the game, Tatum.” He spun her around so fast her head spun. Before she knew what was happening, he pushed her through the crowd and into a room off of a long, darkened hallway. Fortunately, Kiki was right there with her. As soon as the door shut behind them, Tatum grabbed Kiki’s hand and pulled her close to her side.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She looked between Slade and the blond man. Tatum had seen him before, when Slade had come to The Lion and the Lamb. He had kept in the background, but she had seen the way his eyes scanned everything, not missing a thing.
Slade moved behind a desk, and it was then that Tatum realized they were in an office. Everything was masculine, with dark, rich colors and leather furniture. There were several pictures on the walls, some showing scantily clad women, others with famous individuals. The one main thing in all of them was Slade.
She realized with horrifying clarity they had quite literally stumbled into the lion’s den, and he awaited them with his mouth wide and his teeth sharpened.
“This is your club?” Tatum asked, astonished and outraged. Why she was pissed over that, she wasn’t quite sure, but clearly the reason they were brought to his back office couldn’t be good.
He didn’t respond right away, just moved behind his desk and took a seat. The blond man produced a lighter for the cigar Slade slipped between his lips. His green eyes stayed on Tatum, and she had the disgusting feeling of being undressed.
He took several deep pulls, smoke billowing around him, further adding to the sinister air that followed him. He flicked his hand toward the man beside him. Blondie moved until he stood behind Tatum and Kiki, blocking the only exit.
“Do you know why I brought you here?”
Tatum tightened her hand on Kiki’s. “No, but I do know I want to get the hell out of here.”
22
Slade’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Why don’t you have a seat?” Tatum shook her head. He slammed his fist on the desktop and stood. His chair slammed back against the wall. “Take a fucking seat.” He didn’t raise his voice, but his low, even words were like a slap to her face.
Her heart slammed against her chest, and she moved to the couch with Kiki beside her. Whatever this psycho wanted was beyond Tatum. She had nothing, but she wasn’t a fool. Doing what he said was clearly the smart thing to do.
He smiled, but it was far from sweet. “There now, that wasn’t so hard.” He sat down behind his desk again and went back to puffing away on his cigar. “Now, about the reason I have you here.” He tapped his ash out and took another long drag, holding the smoke in his mouth before blowing it out. “Would you say your relationship with Leo Castill is strong, Ms. Weatherton?”
Tatum felt her brows pull down. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” She flicked her eyes at Blondie. “I assure you Collin won’t be any assistance to you.” Collin’s blue eyes stared at her, unflinching and unsympathetic.
“I don’t really see how that matters.”
He chuckled, but it sounded humorless. “I assure you, Ms. Weatherton, it is very relevant to my intentions.”
Tatum wanted to tell him that, yes, things were very serious between her and Leo, but the protective part of her didn’t want to give this man any ammunition. Whatever his plans were, they clearly concerned Leo.
“I…” She looked at Kiki, whose expression was one of worry and fear. Tatum felt the same way. “No, there isn’t anything serious going on between the two of us.” Saying those words hurt her, and she felt an ache settle in the center of her chest.
For several long moments, Slade stared at her, not speaking, just puffing away on that damn, smelly-ass cigar. “I want you to work for me.”
What? “All of this is because you want me to work for you?”
When he leaned back in his chair, the leather creaked from his weight. “Yeah, somethin’ like that.”
The feel of Slade’s stare was powerful, but for the life of her, Tatum couldn’t bring herself to look away from him. For whatever reason, Slade looked so damn smug, like he knew she would jump at the idea to work for him.
“I work for Leo.”
Collin shifted, and Tatum looked over at him. His blue eyes were trained on her, and she felt herself wish he’d look away. All these eyes on her made her feel like she was under a microscope.
“You said yourself there isn’t anything serious between the two of you. I’d pay you better than him. You don’t have anything to lose and everything to gain.”
If this wasn’t the weirdest thing she had ever come across. “I don’t understand why you’re offering the job to me when I’m sure you could find someone else who actually wants it.” For several moments, he watched her. The cloying scent of tobacco filled the room, and she wished he had a damn window in the office to open.
“I don’t want anyone else working in my club.”
Despite the fact that she had no intentions of leaving her employment, she was curious as to why a man like Slade wanted her. Could this be some kind of pissing contest? Did Slade just want her because she worked for L
eo and they hated each other? “But why me?”
He set his cigar in an ashtray and rested his elbows on his desk, leaning forward. “I can see why you’re curious, but does it really matter?” He steepled his fingers in front of his mouth; he looked every bit the cunning asshole she met at the club.
“Yes, it does.” Straightening her shoulders, she was not about to be intimidated by him. The corner of his mouth kicked up, and he shook his head and started laughing, as if this was the funniest thing he’d ever heard.
“I don’t get a lot of people questioning me.” He sobered instantly. “I’m answering your questions because I’m being courteous, but don’t mistake my politeness for patience. Now, Ms. Weatherton, would you like to work for me?” He leaned back again in his seat and regarded her.
Tatum looked between Kiki, Collin, and Slade. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to respectfully decline your offer.”
He picked up his cigar and puffed on it. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am.” Tatum wanted to get the hell out of there, like an hour ago. This whole situation was weirder than hell, and the back of her neck itched with uneasiness.
Slade’s smile looked anything but pleasant. Tilting his head, he said, “Collin will see you out. Have a good evening.” The way he said those parting words had Tatum’s skin tightening.
She stood, still with Kiki’s hand in hers, and followed Collin out of the office. She had never been more thankful for the thickening heat and crush of bodies around her than she was at that moment. Collin stopped right before the exit and stared at her. The way his eyes bored into hers made Tatum feel uncomfortable. They hustled out of the club and toward Kiki’s car.
“What in the fuck was that about?”
Tatum shook her head, not knowing where to even begin.
“Obviously, that creep wanted a hell of a lot more than just you working for him. Did you see the way he watched you?” They stopped in front of Kiki’s car.