Don't Lie To Me

A Dark Mafia Reverse Harem Romance

Alicia Darke

Copyright ©2025 by Alicia Darke

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in either electronic, paper hard copy, photocopying, recorded, or any other form of reproduction without the written permission of the author. No part of this book either in part or whole may be reproduced into or stored in a retrieval system or distributed without the written permission of the author.

This book is a work of fiction. Characters, names, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, locations, or persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

The author acknowledges the trademark status and owners of products referred to in this fiction which have been used without permission. The publication and use of these trademarks is not authorised, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Published by Alicia Darke

Edited by Contagious Edits

Cover Design by Alicia Jones

Contents

About The Book

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Also by Alicia Darke

Acknowledgments

About the Author

About The Book

My life is perfect—except for one thing… I need to get laid. Fast.

I’m Sloane Stryker, youngest sibling of the infamous Iron Strykers MC and the queen of Ravens Hollow’s most elite sex club. In this town, respect is built on fear, and I own every damn inch of it.

Except I have a secret—yeah, being a twenty-four-year-old virgin isn’t exactly the reputation I’m going for. And if anyone found out, I’d die.

So, I made a decision. One night. No attachments. Just pure, filthy pleasure.

Only… I chose the wrong damn man.

And just like that, my perfect world starts unraveling. Turns out, my life is built on a tangled web of lies and deadly secrets. Now, I’m trapped in the middle of the lie, with three men—each more dangerous than the last.

Onyx Cross, the forbidden bodyguard who’s older, off-limits, and ready to break every one of his rules for me.

Reef Wilder, the ruthless detective hunting my secrets—but desperate to claim my body.

Romeo Moretti, the mafia boss who’s obsessed with owning every damn part of me.

They say power is an illusion, but I’ve spent my whole life making people believe I hold it. Now, I don’t know who to trust. Who to run from. Or who to f**king beg for more.

One reckless night of passion started this mess… but it might just be the thing that destroys me.

*Content warning

Violence (including graphic depictions of physical fights, shootings, and blood)

Emotional/Psychological Abuse

Manipulation and Gaslighting

Death

Murder/Assassination

Graphic Sex Scenes

Depression or Mental Health Issues

Power Imbalance (between characters)

Criminal Activity

Stalking

A scene of sexual assault, with off-page rape of a secondary character as well as attempted rape of the main character who is a minor at the time.

Chapter 1

Nest of Sin, the sleaziest strip club in Ravens Hollow, reeks of stale beer, cheap perfume, and despair. Every night desperate girls dance long hours, in the dimly lit club, for shit money and no protection from the owner, Sydney Stryker. The slimiest piece of shit you could ever meet. Unfortunately for me, that man is also my father, or sperm donor as I would prefer to name him. And this place, my home. That part I don’t hate as much as the man himself.

I’m perched on the edge of the makeup counter in the dressing room. The scent of stale cigarettes thick in the air. My mom sits patiently as our makeup artist, Jenna, delicately applies her makeup. She's the best dancer in the club; the way she moves to the music is mesmerizing, a perfect blend of grace and power. Men watch her every move and woman want to be her. I’m not supposed to, but sometimes I sneak out and watch her on the stage. She’s so beautiful. Her long blonde hair, styled in perfect Hollywood curls, frames a porcelain face with the bluest eyes imaginable, each sparkling like sapphires. Her skin, flawless, glows in the dim light. I want to be just like her when I grow up. Adored by all.

“Do you want your makeup done when I’m finished with your mom?” Jenna asks.

I beam back at Jenna, so excited. I would kill to be all dolled up like my mom is every night.

“You know the rules, Jenna, not until she’s sixteen,” Mom chastises, her voice not totally serious.

I throw her a look of silent desperation, my eyes wide and pleading. “It’s like three days away, Mom.”

She smiles back at me, her glossy red lips looking so damn glamorous, her eyes kind. “Maybe just a little mascara and lip gloss.”

“Thank you.” I clap my hands. Jenna moves over to me with a stick of blue-black mascara.

“Look up,” she instructs me, and I do as I’m told, excited to see what my brown eyes look like with dark lashes instead of the blonde I’m used to. When she is done brushing the mascara onto each eye, she takes out a peachy-colored lip gloss and applies it to my lips. “Press your lips together,” she tells me, and I do, the sticky gloss coating my lips, it tastes sweeter than I expected. “Gorgeous, you look just like your mom.” She winks at me playfully. She’s the best of fun, and I would know with how much time I spend with her in this dressing room. Girls come and go all night, and she touches up their makeup while keeping an eye on me.

I jump off the counter so I can check myself out in the mirror, blinking a few times under the weight of the mascara. I’m never leaving the house without this stuff on again. My eyes pop in a way they never have before. I look so pretty. So grown up. And man, do I want to be a grown-up already, just like the other stunning women I spend my evenings with.

During the day I have to go to school, Mom says my education is important, but I don’t see why, when all I really want to do is be a dancer just like her. Most afternoons I come here and hang out with the other girls until I’m exhausted and one of my brothers drags me to bed. Usually Jagger, he’s the oldest and the biggest pain in my ass. My parents work well into the early hours of the morning. That’s what life is like when your dad runs a strip club and your mom is the best dancer he has.

Mom’s hand grasps mine. Looking over my shoulder, our eyes meeting in the mirror. “You look beautiful, Sloane,” she gushes, making me feel all kinds of special; her opinion is so important to me.

I grin back to her. “Not as beautiful as you.”

“More.” Her smile is so wide and bright, it’s impossible not to believe her.

I turn back toward her. “When can I learn how to dance like you?”

“Never, baby, you’re far too smart to end up like me.” Her hand cups my chin delicately. “You get a good education and make something of yourself. You could be anyone. Please, Sloane, I want you to dream big, take over the world.”

I nod, wishing I could see myself the way she does. I know I’m smart, but doesn’t she understand this club and the women in it are everything to me? This is my whole life. Why dream big when you already have everything you want? “Good luck out there tonight,” I tell her, knowing she doesn’t need luck ever.

“Stay in here, Jenna will keep you company till Jagger gets back for you.”

With a questioning look, I arch a skeptical eyebrow, curiosity getting the better of me. “Where are the boys tonight?”

She looks at Jenna, and I know she doesn’t want to answer my question. My life is all hushed conversations and subtle looks from the adults that I’m not supposed to understand. But I know what’s going on. I know I’m not like the other kids my age. It’s why none of them will talk to me at school and my only friends are strippers and prostitutes, aside from my four older brothers, anyway. Her father’s the leader of the Iron Strykers and a pimp, they say. Her mother shakes her tits for cheap tips, others taunt me with. I don’t care, their words don’t hurt me anymore. But what I hate more than anything is being left in the dark when all my brothers seem to be part of the family business. I’m dying to be involved. I’m smarter than them all, and I know I could help in some way.

“Don’t you worry about what your brothers are up to.” She removes her robe and blows me a kiss.

I return it, grinning at her because even though I’m slightly pissed that I’m being left out of all the action again, when even my twin Cruz gets to be involved, I love her more than anything on this planet. I have the best mother a girl could hope for. And she has to be to make up for my piece-of-shit father Syd, who acts as though I’m an utter inconvenience in his life. Just another mouth to feed. If I were a boy, things would be different, but I was born with the wrong anatomy, so he hates me or just pretends I don’t exist at all. I’m not sure which is worse.

She’s out the door in a flash of lace and brightly colored sequins, and I’m left with Jenna.

“So, kiddo, what’s the plan for tonight? UNO? I don’t think I can go another round of monopoly with you, you’re just too good for me now.” Her chocolate-brown bob bounces as she lets out a lighthearted chuckle.

I laugh, knowing she’s right. I smashed her last time. “I’m up for UNO,” I add, still a little distracted wondering what my brothers are up to. Something dodgy, I’m sure of it. I overheard Asher telling Malachi they had the product and they would meet with the Moretti brothers sometime this week. Anything with the name Moretti in it can’t be good. And product. Yeah, like I said, they think I’m an innocent girl, but I know they’re dealing some sort of drugs for the Morettis. They’re the biggest underworld syndicate this side of Texas.

She pulls out the cards and shuffles them like a pro, dealing them out on the coffee table in front of us. We play four rounds, but curiosity gets the better of me, and I want to snoop around and see what my brothers are doing tonight. One of the girls, Sharda, drops in needing a touch-up, and I take it as my opportunity to escape.

“I’m just going to use the bathroom; I’ll be back in a sec,” I tell Jenna.

“Don’t get lost on your way back like last time,” she warns over her shoulder, her eyes serious.

“I won’t,” I say with an extra-cheeky smile. She knows I can’t help myself. As soon as I open the door, the rhythmic beat of dance music from the center stage pulsates in my ears. I bop along to it as I move down the back hallway quickly, unlocking the door to our home, if you can call it that. It’s a dingy space attached to the club that holds four bedrooms, a bathroom, and a small hardly functioning kitchen.

I move into the room I share with my twin, Cruz, and find my phone, the one none of them know about. I open the screen and look for the tracker I have on Cruz, and his location pops up at a warehouse downtown, one I know is run by the Morettis. I knew it. What I can’t believe is that my four brothers are that dumb. Everyone knows getting involved with that family only means trouble. I hate it when their father, Enzo, comes into this place; his cold calculating eyes send shivers down my spine. I have heard rumors, whispers from the girls. They all say not to trust him, or you will end up dead or worse. I’m not sure what could be worse than dead, but I don’t want to find out. That’s why I make a point of never going anywhere near him.

“What are you up to, trouble?” I hear Onyx’s deep voice from behind me, a rumble that sends shivers down my spine, making me jump and spin around, my phone hidden hastily behind my back. Onyx is the last person I want to find me. He works for Syd.

“Nothing.” I force a smile, swallowing down the lump in my throat.

He takes a step closer to me. His dark eyes watching me with keen unwavering interest. His large frame casts a shadow over me. He’s a lot older than me, but that doesn’t mean he’s not the sexiest man I have ever seen. All dark and broody, with a shaved head and more ink than blank skin. I blink my long lashes back at him, wondering if he can see the change in me. If I look more grown up to him tonight? “Isn’t Jenna supposed to be babysitting you tonight?”

I roll my eyes, irritation crawling under my skin. “Newsflash, Onyx, I don’t need babysitting. I’m nearly sixteen.”

He lets out a low chuckle that sounds way too good on him. “Still a baby.” He reaches behind me and snatches the phone I was holding.

“Hey, give it back,” I snap at him, jumping to try and grab it back. That phone is my only way of spying on my brothers and what they’re up to.

He holds it above his head, way too high for me to take back off him and looks over the screen. “Why are you tracking your brother?” His voice is filled what curiosity, not anger, and that surprises me. If Syd knew I was tracking them I would be in deep shit.

I purse my lips, staring back at him, wondering if I should tell him the truth or not. Onyx has always come across as the type I could trust, but he does work for Syd. I sigh heavily. “Promise you won’t tell Syd.”

He crosses his heart.

“Because I’m never allowed to be part of the fun my brothers get to have, no one tells me shit. This way I know.” While he is distracted listening to my story, I jump up and steal my phone back.

His face hardens. “You don’t want to know what they’re doing. It’s not a world for a little girl like you.” His hand comes to my wrist, wrapping around it. Disappointment fills me. I thought if anyone would understand, it would be him, but he’s just like the rest of them.

“What are you doing?” I snap. He might be hot, but he’s pissing me off tonight.

“Taking you back to Jenna where you belong. It’s not safe for you to be wandering around out here alone.” He drags me to the door of my bedroom.

“This is my house.” I dig my bare feet into the matted carpet, refusing to go easily.

He gives me a sideways glance, and I can tell I’m getting on his last nerve. “One that’s attached to your dad’s club. I know you’re smart enough to understand how dangerous this place is. Anyone could wander down here and find you.”

“Anyone did,” I sass.

“Come on, trouble, let me do my job,” he pleads with me. And I know he’s not as harsh as he’s trying to be, he’s just under Syd’s thumb.

My eyes find his. “I can find my own way back; I don’t need you escorting me.”

He stares me down, something coming over him that looks awful scary. “I don’t have time to argue with you. You’re coming with me and that’s final.”

I don’t know why I stop fighting him. Maybe it’s the dark look in his eyes or the fact I already did what I wanted to anyway, but I cease struggling against him and let him slam our front door closed and drag me along with him.

As we get halfway back down the hall, a loud bang like a gun going off echoes through the club. I freeze instantly.

Women scream and a flurry of movement takes off in front of us. Onyx pulls me into his strong body so tight I feel like I can’t breathe. From the other end of the hall where the dressing room is, I see a body lying lifeless. My eyes go wide. “Jenna.” My cry is a soft, breathy whisper, barely audible and muffled by Onyx’s chest.

“Stay quiet, trouble,” he whispers in my ear as he moves us behind the stage area. From behind his back, he draws a gun and holds it in front of me protectively. My heart races out of my chest. I have never been so scared in my life. What the hell is happening?

More shots go off, making my stomach churn. A scared whimper tries to escape, but I clamp my mouth shut tight, not letting it.

“Get her,” male voices yell, their accents thick. “That one, that’s Syd’s missus.”

My mom. I try to squirm free of Onyx’s grip, but he’s too strong for me and presses my body into the brick wall behind us, the rough surface scratching my arms as I thrash against his strength.

Her scream, raw and full of agony, slices through the building’s quiet, a sound that makes my blood turn cold.

“We have to help her,” I whimper. There are so many voices. There must be at least five men, and I know alone she has no hope against them. Where the fuck is Syd?

Onyx’s eyes show a warmth I know they shouldn’t. He cares about all of us. He’s been with my family since I was born. And right now, he has to make a choice, me or my mom, and I know his choice is made.

“Find the girl, the daughter,” another voice shouts.

Goosebumps break out all over my skin. They’re looking for me as well.

Onyx shakes his head, telling me to keep quiet. I’m safe with him, and he won’t let them find me. But I don’t care about me, I’ll fucking fight them, I just want him to help her.

“See what happens when you don’t follow the rules, Syd. You took something from me, and now I’m going to take something from you. An eye for an eye if you will.

“Screw the slut, while he watches, then slit her throat,” I hear the same voice announce.

“No,” I cry. Onyx’s hand comes over my mouth to muffle the scream of pure terror that rips through me.

“I’ll give you anything you want,” Syd sniffles, trying to plead with them.

“Where’s the girl, the one you promised?”

“She was supposed to be in the dressing room,” I hear Syd stutter out. The piece of shit left me for whoever these men are to find.

Mom screams again as Onyx drags me to the other side of the stage, trying to get me away from them. I fight him, but he’s so much stronger than me. He drags me into the hallway, one hand over my mouth, the other wrapped so tightly around my waist I can’t escape and get back to help her. Tears stream down my cheeks, and I keep struggling. Once back in the house, he closes the door and flicks the lock, bracing it with a chair under the handle.

He finally releases me. “Onyx, we have to do something,” I cry, needing to get back to her.

“I made a promise to your mother. I’m getting you out of here,” is his only response. He takes my hand again and rushes with me to the window in my bedroom, shoving it open, but it’s too late. The front door swings open, banging into the drywall with a crash. The chair flies across the room in pieces.

I can’t make my feet move any faster as two men appear, their faces concealed in black ski masks. “Found the daughter,” one of them calls, his beady eyes gleaming in the low light.

Onyx shields me with his body and shoots toward them, but they are right on us. One of them gets his meaty hands on me. I try to shove him off, doing everything I can to kick him in the junk or anywhere that will connect.

I hear the thud of Onyx’s gun as it falls to the floor, and from the corner of my eye, I see him wrestling with the other guy. The dude in the mask pulls a knife and slashes at Onyx viciously.

I scream as the other guy lifts me, and my body crashes down on my bed. “This is going to be fun.” A cruel smirk stretches across his face, his eyes glinting with menace as he peers through his mask at me. A sharp, distinct angel tattoo is etched cleanly across his neck. From what I can tell he looks young, maybe Jagger’s age at the most, but his eyes hold a chilling malevolence that sends shivers rocking down my spine, urging me to escape his barbaric hold on me.

Onyx is doing all he can fighting off the other guy. There is blood already trickling from his face. An overwhelming sickness fills me. They have the advantage. As much as I want to believe I’m a badass, I have no strength compared to this guy’s bulging muscles.

His fingers dig into my forearms as he tries to pin me down. My heart races out of control, and my eyes blur with tears. But I don’t give up. I will keep fighting until he takes my life. I manage to bring my elbow up, connecting with his chin, and he loosens his grip for just a second. I scramble up the bed, but he’s far too quick for me. My face burns as his palm comes down across my face, then he pins me with his large hand holding both of mine above my head. His body comes over mine as his knees knock mine out wide.

“Get off me, you motherfucker,” I cry, doing everything I can to fight him off.

He chuckles darkly; this is some sort of fucked-up fun for him. His dark menacing eyes lock with mine.

I get one of my legs free and bring my knee up, getting him right where I want to, right in his fucking balls.

He winces in pain, but it only angers him more. “You’re going to regret that, little girl.” He gets his hand right up under my skirt and rips my panties from my body.

My terrified scream tears from my throat as I fight with all my might to push him away.

A loud bang rings in my ears, once then twice. His body crashes down over me, a heavy, suffocating weight, the warmth of his blood spreading across my clothes. Before I know it, Onyx is right there with me, his hands pulling me out from under the thug. He drags me with him as my eyes blur with tears and my heart races out of my chest.

He grabs my shoulders, his grip firm, and shakes me roughly. “Pull it together, trouble. I have to get you out of here, and I can’t when you’re falling apart.” His dark eyes meet mine, and I feel the power in them. He’s right. Like this I’m useless. He’s in as much trouble as me if whoever they are catch up with us. He just killed two of them. He also looks like he needs medical help, his face and arm bleeding quite heavily.

With a determined nod, I suck in a deep breath, my tears drying up. I’m not dying here tonight. The rough wood of the window frame scratches against my skin as Onyx helps me out onto the street. He takes my hand in his, and the two of us run into the dark of night, as far away from my dad’s club as we can. My life as I know it will never be the same again.

Chapter 2

Nine years later

The bitter taste of the two little white pills in my mouth is barely noticeable before the strong, smoky whiskey hits my tongue. I’ll stop taking them tomorrow, but tonight, I need the pick-me-up.

I toss my phone down on the jade-green velvet sofa in my office. I’m out of options. I called every girl I have on rotation, and no one is available to cover for my bar manager, Sally, who’s just called in sick. I’m going to be stuck behind the bar tonight. Not that I mind, I like the conversation with the regulars, but I have a million and one other tasks I should be doing. Like organizing our VIP event for next weekend or making sure the new strippers know their roster and have their dance classes booked in with our dance coach, Paige.

I spend my life in this place, rushing about making sure it runs like a well-oiled machine, but I’m sure no one actually knows what I do to keep it running. The pressure I feel every day to keep a smile on my face while I balance the books so we all have a job to come to, while keeping my staff happy and safe. The Raven’s Nest, my exclusive club, is more than a way of making an income for me. It’s my whole life. This place and the women in it raised me, and I owe it to them to make sure they have the best work environment possible. That means keeping the cops at bay and the creepers out on the streets where they belong.

I inhale deeply, the relaxing scent of vanilla filling my nostrils from the candle I have just snuffed out. My office is my home away from home since I spend most of my life here. I’ve made my office feel like a cozy bedroom, complete with everything I need, rather than a stuffy, old-fashioned workspace the previous owner, Syd, had. I tug off the white sheath dress I arrived here in this morning and move to my closet, pulling out a simple black dress that hugs my petite figure and accentuates my perky tits. It’s also way more suitable for working behind the bar. I rush into my personal bathroom and check my makeup, touching up my peach-colored lipstick. I also brush my long platinum-blonde hair up into a high ponytail so I look like the other staff. As the owner, I don’t have to wear the dress code, but I think it looks more professional, and I’m all about professionalism.

Before I leave, I nod to the beautiful women whose portraits line my office walls. They are why I do this day in and day out. Someone has to keep the women of Ravens Hollow safe, and I decided long ago I would be the one to do it. As I step out of my office for the night, the hushed quiet of the hallway, lined with flocked wallpaper, is broken only by the gentle tap-tap-tap of my heels. Onyx, my broody, badass bodyguard waits patiently for me at the end. His eyes hold mine for just a second before he pushes open the door for me. He’s been doing that lately, making my heart flutter with just a look of his dark and dangerous eyes. It makes my pussy throb with a desperate need for him. One that doesn’t seem to be getting any better no matter how much I tell it to fuck off. Yes, I will admit it. I have it bad for my bodyguard, a man who is out of bounds in so many ways it’s not even funny. But my horny little body won’t get with the fucking program.

“I get you as my desk buddy tonight, girl?” Myriah smirks as I join her behind the bar. She’s busy wiping down glasses and lining them up on the marble countertop.

“Looks that way. Is there something on in Ravens Hollow tonight I don’t know about?” I ask her, assessing the rather empty club before me. Where are all my regulars?

“Girl, you know everything that happens in this town.”

“Why is this place dead and all my usual staff busy then?” I click my fingers, remembering. “Jagger, he has that event on at the Precinct tonight.”

“Damn big bro, stealing your clientele.” She laughs, knowing I could give two shits about what Jagger is up to. His establishment is on the other side of town, and where my club is classy, in moody blacks and silvers, with hanging chandeliers, fresh flowers, and girls who charge upward of one thousand by the hour, his dive bar is more what you would expect from an emblem-wearing biker-gang leader. Dingy and rough around the edges. Because that is exactly what my big brother is.

“What can I get for you, honey?” I ask the handsome specimen sitting alone at the bar. He must have just come in. I can’t help but check him out, my eyes leisurely roaming over his face and body—well, what I can see from this side of the bar, anyway. The sun has kissed his skin to a deep tan, and his sandy-blond hair styled longer on one side gives him a surfer vibe, strange for round these parts since we have no surf.

“A Bud Light, thanks.” He smiles, a charming smile that reaches his dimples, crinkling the corners of his eyes. Piercing green eyes that suck me into the depths of his soul. Who the fuck is this guy? I need to know.

I return his grin. “Coming right up,” I say all flirty, then cringe as I turn around to open the fridge. Christ, I sound like Myriah, the most massive flirt you have ever met. I need to get laid and fast, the number twenty-five lighting up in my head like a fucking neon sign. What kind of a sex club owner is still a virgin at that age? The extremely sad, horny kind, that’s who. And I need to do something about it desperately, because that number is haunting me and I’m running out of time fast. My birthday is in three days!

I crack open the frosty beer and slide it smoothly across the bar top to him, watching as he takes the first swig. “Are you new in town? I haven’t seen you in here before,” I ask, knowing I sound corny as hell, but it’s the truth, and Jagger would kill me if I didn’t keep a good eye on who walks through my door. You can never be too careful in this line of business.

“Moved here yesterday.” A happy chuckle punctuates his reply, making it clear he’s up for a friendly conversation.

“From California?” I ask when he doesn’t give me anything else to go off.

“From New York.” His brow rises, and his green eyes twinkle like sparkling gemstones. “Originally from California.”

I slap the cool smooth surface of my stone bar top. “I knew it.” My grin widens. I love to be right, but who doesn’t. “Why of all the places on this planet would you choose to visit Ravens Hollow? I love this town, but it’s a shithole.”

He chuckles, and I think it’s the best sound I have ever heard. This guy is something else. “My gran is quite ill and needs help, so I’ve come to take care of her for a couple of months.”

I gush even more; this guy is just adorable. “How kind of you. Your next drink is on me.”

He slowly scans my face, and I can see I intrigue him. “Thanks. Do you own this place?”

“Sure do.” I do enjoy the surprise in people’s faces when they find out this place is mine. No one expects it. They think my brothers run it and I work for them. But the truth is I’m more successful than all of them, and they couldn’t run this place if their lives depended on it. I adore my brothers, but they are more about having a good time, less about responsibility.

“And you choose to work behind the bar?” he asks, surprised.

“My manager is sick tonight, and I didn’t have a replacement at short notice, so here I am. I can’t say I’m disappointed. It’s not every day I get to meet someone new.” I would like to say someone so damn fine, but I keep that last bit to myself. I feel like a bitch in heat right now, and I’m sure he can tell.

“You’re not the only one. I’m glad I stumbled on this place tonight.” His gaze holds mine, and it’s like the rest of the room fades out. I’m captivated by the intensity in his eyes, a swirling vortex I want to get lost in. “With you working here, I’m sure men are drawn to your club like moths to a flame.”

The way he says it makes me wonder what he’s trying to get at. He might be new in town, but has someone told him what we do here and he’s looking for a quick fuck? Or is it something more sinister? “Thank you for the compliment, but most nights I’m hunched over my desk, the glow of the computer screen illuminating the late-night paperwork and the ever-growing pile of staffing issues. It’s not all glamorous running a club.”

“I bet it’s long days, filled with the constant pressure of looming deadlines and stressful situations most of the time.” He leans forward, and I prop my elbows on the bar so we’re a little closer. Man, am I glad we’re not busy tonight. “And the threat of constant danger present.” I know that he is implying the table of bikers behind us is getting rowdier.

My lips curve into a smile as our eyes meet, the air crackling between us, as the rest of the bar seems to fade away. I don’t know his name, but there’s a palpable energy about him, a quiet intensity, like he’s silently promising to be my knight in shining armor. Swooping in and saving me. I know what this life would look like to an outsider, but to me, it’s normal, and if anything I want to corrupt him, lure him into the dark side with me. “It is a chaotic life, but it’s my life, and honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“I admire the hustle, but don’t you ever wonder if there’s an easier way? Something a little more fun. Maybe letting someone sweep you off your feet and take care of you instead?” His eyes meet mine, causing my heart to kick up a beat.

I gaze back at him. I knew this was where our conversation was going, I could see it in his charming eyes. He’s too pure to be in this place, too genuine and kind. I sigh heavily; he wants to save me when I don’t need saving.

He takes a swig of his drink as the silence hangs in the air between us. It’s not uncomfortable. Not at all, in fact. “I think it would be more fun if I corrupted you.” I smirk cheekily. “I’m not all work and no play.”

He chuckles light-heartedly. “You’re a wildcat.”

“I can be whatever you want me to be,” I say, knowing right now I am Myriah. I have heard her use that exact line before. And I’m so fucking grateful no one is around to hear me since she is currently clearing tables.

His touch, light as a feather yet intense as a flame, sends thrills through my body as he reaches out and traces the side of my face. “I bet you could.” The way he says it, I know that’s exactly what he’s imagining. Me being wild just for him. I know it’s where my mind is at.

Out of my periphery I spot Asher, one of my older brothers, striding through my club like he owns the place. He spots Myriah chatting to a table of patrons in Iron Strykers’ jackets and kisses her cheek on his way toward me. Shit! Of course, one of my brothers is here to ruin my flirting. It’s like they have a fucking Sloane-fun radar, and as soon as I’m talking to a dude I’m actually interested in, they appear to spoil it. I glance over my shoulder at my bodyguard, Onyx, and know he’s behind this. They team up on me. He would have texted Asher for sure. I take a step back from the bar as he gets up in my space, kissing my cheek. “Hey, little sis, what you doing behind that bar? Where’s Sally?”

“She’s sick. Don’t you have another sibling to bother tonight? I’m busy covering her shift.”

His grin widens, showcasing his cheeky-as-fuck dimples. “It’s your lucky day. I’m free as a bird, might stick around and give you a hand.”

I glare at him to make it obvious he’s cramping my style. “Fuck off, Ash,” I snap when he doesn’t take the hint. “You know I don’t need your help. All you’re going to do is chat up Myriah and make her all flustered. I need her focused tonight.”

He looks at my new friend at the bar, his brow raised in his direction. “You see how mean my little sister is? Here I am trying to be her hero, and she talks to me like the shit she just scraped off the bottom of her shoes. What would you do if that was your sister?” he asks him, and I fucking know what he’s doing. Making sure this very attractive dude knows who I belong to—the Strykers. And that means he can’t touch me. Or he can, but he might just lose his hands for trying.

I sigh heavily, so over this protective macho bullshit. “You don’t have to answer him. He’s just being a dick.”

“Looks like he wants to help you. I wouldn’t know what that was like, I’m an only child.”

“Oh my God, you’re so lucky.” As I say it, I hear myself and cringe. What the hell is wrong with me tonight? Why do I sound like a high school cheerleader trying to chat up the football captain? Even Asher gives me a funny look.

“Sloane here has four big brothers.” He turns around so the guy can see his jacket. “Iron Strykers,” he says, just in case it wasn’t already fucking obvious.

The dude tilts his head toward me. “You’re a lucky girl.” He polishes off his drink and hands me the bottle. “How about that second drink.” His lips curl up at the side, and I smirk back. He knows what my brother is doing as well, and he doesn’t give a fuck.

I like this guy. He’s either brave or stupid. I hope it’s the first option; he won’t survive around here otherwise. He stands and holds his hand out for my brother to shake. “Reef Wilder,” he introduces himself. But I’m stuck on how tall he is. He must be six four at least, just a smidge taller than Asher. He’s also built, the muscles in his arms bulging as he shakes my brother’s hand. I almost have to wipe the drool from the side of my lips. This guy keeps getting better and better.

“Asher Stryker,” my brother says with a warning in his tone. “You must be new in town.”

“Just moved here to take care of his gran, how sweet is that, Asher.”

Asher’s eyes run over him. “Real sweet. You might want to get home to her and leave my little sister to do her job, she’s very busy.”

I roll my eyes. We have now lost the ability to be subtle and he’s just plain being an asshole. Fucking awesome. I hand Reef his second beer. Fuck, even his name is hot. Then I take my brother by his bicep, making sure to dig my long-manicured nails right into his flesh as I drag him with me to the other end of the bar. “You need to fuck off. I know what you’re doing, and I’m fucking sick of it.”

“What am I doing, Sloane, offering to help you? That’s all I see here. A big brother who loves his little sister so much, he can’t stand to see her drop her panties for some surfer boy.”

My death glare intensifies, and I slap him across his arm as hard as I can.

His face scrunches up into a scowl. “That fucking hurt. Why are you being such a bitch tonight?”

I stomp my foot, so fucking frustrated. “Because you won’t let me be a normal person. Striding in here and introducing yourself as my brother, a fucking Stryker.” I roll my eyes. “I’m so sick of you and your double standards. You come in here and hook up with my staff and customers on the regular, but God help me if I’m chatting to one nice guy. Nope, that’s not possible. You get Onyx to message you so you can come on in and make a scene, hoping to scare him off.”

His expression turns more serious, and I see how much he really cares. “No one is good enough for you,” he growls.

“I’m going to be single forever.” I’m going to die a fucking virgin. It’s actually going to happen.

From the other end of the bar, I see Reef stand and polish off his drink. He offers me a wave, and my heart sinks. He might be new in town, but even he knows I’m not worth the hassle when I have four big brothers and a bodyguard ready to chop him up just for chatting to me. I offer a wave back, knowing that will be the last time I ever see him in here.

Asher waves as well while he watches him leave and has a little chuckle to himself because he knows he’s won.

“I hate you,” I bark at him, taking a bottle of top shelf whiskey down and pouring myself a drink.

“You love me.” He kisses my forehead. “What needs doing around here? Onyx says you’re stressed and have too much on your plate. I wasn’t kidding, I’m yours for the night, put me to work.”

I glance over at Onyx, knowing deep down he messages my brothers because he cares, but man, it would be nice to have a little freedom. His eyes, dark and intense, lock with mine, and I quickly look away, feeling a blush creep up my neck. Him watching every move I make is wearing, especially now when I can’t get him out of my mind as well.

He has been my bodyguard since I turned eighteen and took over this place, but he has been in my life forever. I wish I knew what had changed between us lately, but maybe it’s always been this way and I just hadn’t noticed he was looking back when I gazed at him with puppy-dog eyes. What started out as a little crush a few years ago has now turned into more of an obsession. I think about him all the time. When he’s close to me, I’m desperate for him to touch me in any way. When I’m alone late at night, I get off to the thought of him. I know he’s off limits, for so many reasons, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting him so badly it hurts. Maybe that’s why I was so excited to have a hot distraction tonight. For the whole time I was talking to Reef, I wasn’t thinking about Onyx.

I close my eyes and massage my temple, trying to stop the spinny feeling that’s happening again. I have been feeling so off this week, lightheaded and just plain weird. I know it’s just stress, and the truth is I really can’t afford to turn Asher’s offer of help away, no matter how much he just pissed me off.

I turn back to him. “Can you work the bar for a couple of hours so I can catch up?” I polish off my drink. “Or maybe I will just off myself since I have a life sentence of being alone ahead of me,” I can’t help but add, needing him to know how truly angry I am about him causing a scene.

“You’re going to trust me and Myriah together on the bar?” He cocks a cheeky brow.

I inhale deeply, wishing for some sort of patience so I can deal with my life. “I’m going to trust you to do the right thing because you’re a mature adult who knows how to make good choices. Maybe you, Jagger, Cruz, and Malachi can award me the same honor since I’m about to turn twenty-fucking-five,” I snap back at him before stalking off in the direction of my office.

I’m grateful for his help tonight, but fuck, I’m so disappointed. I was having fun talking to Reef Wilder, the cute surfy boy originally from California. I sigh heavily as I swipe my card to let me through to the back room. Looks like it will be me and my hand again tonight. At least I will have a new hot face to imagine as I get myself off.

Chapter 3

Twenty-five is just a number, Sloane, it doesn’t define you in any way. I repeat the words swirling through my head as I pace back and forth over the Persian rug in my office.

I’m hiding out, away from the gathering of my friends and family who have booked out my club for the night to celebrate with me and Cruz. Except with the overwhelming dread that’s filling me all the way to my Prada heels, I know twenty-five is more than just a number to me. It’s a number that feels like a weight I can’t shake, a constant reminder that I’m living a lie in my own world. I’m the motherfucking owner of the best elite sex club and day spa in all of Ravens Hollow. A successful businesswoman, respected and feared by all. But I have just one little problem. I’m a fucking fraud. And if anyone found out the truth, my reputation would turn to shit in an instant. I would quite literally be the laughingstock of the town and my club, I’m sure of it.

A heavy knock comes at the door. “Sloane, everyone is waiting,” comes Onyx’s low voice, sending another wave of anxiety through me. Of course he’s right there waiting.

“I know,” I snip back. Rushing to my sleek marble desk, I pull open the top drawer to find the bottle of pills I’m looking for, and with a flick, I pop a couple of little white pills in my mouth and swallow them down with a swig of my whiskey. I just need something to take the edge off to get through tonight. I’ll stop tomorrow when I’m officially twenty-five. I move over to the mirror and straighten my shoulders while I re-apply my peach lipstick, ready to face the party. I look like a million bucks in my powder-blue, off-the-shoulder party dress. My makeup was painted to perfection by the girls from my day spa next door, Nestled Serenity Spa. They pampered me today, giving me the full treatment for my birthday, and I left feeling ready to party. But as soon as my family and friends started to arrive, it all got too much for me.

As I reach the heavy black door, my head spins, and I feel like all breath has been sucked from my lungs. I can’t do this. My head rests on the solid door of my office. Deep breaths, Sloane. It’s just a fucking birthday party. Smile, dance, drink, and pretend you want to be here, because you do, you love these people. It’s simple. I shake off the awful feeling, standing up straight and turning the door handle. I can do this because I’m Sloane Stryker and I can fucking do anything.

I smile tightly when Onyx, falls into line beside me. He was waiting by the door for me. Like he always is. My dark shadow.

His hand brushes my back, the contact barely there. “Everything alright, trouble?”

I broaden my smile. “Of course, why wouldn’t it be? It’s my birthday, and I’m ready to celebrate.” I have been faking it so long it comes naturally.

He moves in front of me, blocking my path. His dark eyes lock with mine in a way that makes my heart race a little faster. Man, he’s beautiful. Dark and broody, rough around the edges, but so damn beautiful it makes my heart hurt. Mostly because I know it doesn’t matter how much he makes my heart race, he will never feel the same way about me. I’m a job for him. A reason to stay working under my brother and part of the Iron Strykers gang. I’m his meal ticket, that’s all. I quickly avert my gaze, my heart pounding with fear of what I might do if I look at him any longer. I’m feeling reckless tonight, and I might just go through with the fantasy of kissing him.

As I try to pull away, his hand closes over mine, his touch warm and insistent, pulling me back. “Sloane.” He looks me over, his forehead creasing in that way that makes him look every bit his thirty-eight years. Another reason my silly infatuation will never be anything more. He’s more than thirteen years older than me and has been in my life since he was sixteen, when he started working with my family.

“If you have something to say, then say it, Onyx.”

His eyes rake over me, taking every bit of me in. The way they do makes me feel all warm inside. When he still doesn’t say anything, I pull out of his hold and shove past him, pushing through the doors to my club. He’s been doing this for weeks. Making me feel like something more is going on when I know it’s not.

As I enter the main club, Asher calls my name, his voice a powerful roar of celebration that cuts through the pulsing music. He’s standing on the bar, a bottle of violently shaken champagne in his hands, spraying the cheering crowd of his adoring fans below, like he’s a fucking rock star or some shit.

Meanwhile, Jagger and Cruz have taken it upon themselves to clear one of the tables and look to be playing some sort of card game with a stack of cash piled up in the center of the table. Jagger spots me and nods in my direction. Cruz grins, his lips twisted up at the sides in that menacing way that tells me he’s up to no good. It is his birthday as well after all, and the game was most likely his idea and he’s about to cheat Jagger out of thousands. That’s on Jagger, he should know better by now.

With a hesitant step, Sally, my manager and close friend, comes to my side, her face wearing a guilty expression, even though she’s dressed to party in a white cocktail dress that shows off her long, tanned legs. She might be in her mid-thirties, but Sally is a stunner. Her long, chocolate-brown hair frames her face, and her dark, smoky eye makeup gives her a mysterious vibe tonight. I have no idea how the girl is still single.

“Looking good, baby,” I compliment her.

She smiles cheekily back. “Not so bad yourself. You should wear color more often.”

“Harley talked me into it. Guess she was right.” I shrug. “Nice to see the party started without me,” I huff, not at all surprised. I was in my office trying to get my shit together for well over a half-hour.

“I tried to stop them, but you know your brothers.” She rolls her eyes dramatically. After years of dealing with them, I’m sure they have given her more reasons to quit than stay working with me, but something keeps her around.

“That I do.” She joins me behind the bar where we find Myriah pouring shots. “You’re not working tonight,” I say over her shoulder, letting her know she’s off the hook.

“Hey, girl. This one’s for you.” She hands me a Fireball Whiskey shot, beaming with excitement like the party girl she is. She looks adorable in a cute little silver sequined number that shimmers under the low light of the chandeliers, her caramel-colored hair out and deadly straight. It’s a good look on her.

I throw the shot back and slam the shot glass down on the marble counter. “Give me another.” I grin slyly, suddenly getting in the party mood.

“Yesss! Sloane’s going to let loose for once. I knew it was a genius idea to shut the place down for the night.” Myriah smiles smugly at Sally.

“I never said it wasn’t a good idea.” Sally throws back a shot of her own. These two are the best staff a girl could hope for. I have had them by my side for years, and I know they have my back in every situation possible.

As I take my second shot and throw it back, I see Harley and the Moretti boys arrive through the main doors. Harley completes our girl gang. I haven’t known her as long as these two, but since she got into a little trouble last year, the two of us have been inseparable. She’s my sister from another mister, and I wouldn’t admit it out loud, but I love her to bits. Even if she has an entourage of her men always buzzing protectively around her.

Myriah leans in closer, bumping my shoulder with hers. “I still can’t quite understand how Harley dates them all. Four is a lot.” She emphasizes the lot, coming across a little tipsy already.

“It is,” I agree. Wonder how I would juggle it. Then I laugh to myself. Fat chance I will ever have to worry about it.

Sally eyes me curiously. “Could you do it, Sloane? Date more than one guy at a time?”

I stare right back at Sally, looking at her like she might have just lost her mind. “I would give my left tit to date just one dude, but you both know that’s never going to happen.”

I give an indirect tilt of the head toward Onyx, who is not-so-subtly leaning against the bar just out of ear shot, and my brothers making sure they’re having plenty of fun of their own. They just won’t let their little sister partake in anything remotely enjoyable. Well, I have had just about enough of their overprotectiveness. When I was younger, I got it. I didn’t have parents to bring me up, so they stepped in. But enough is enough.

I watch Harley with Ricky and Maddox at her side. Ricky is obsessed with her, his hands permanently attached. Maddox looks at her like she is his entire world, and Geovani is a step ahead like he is scoping out the place to make sure it’s safe to enter. Alex, her husband, walks behind them all with another dude I don’t know.

My eyes get stuck on him. There aren’t many guys in Ravens Hollow I don’t know. A shit ton of them have memberships here, and every new sign-up is personally vetted by me. But this guy’s face is new to me. His eyes lock with mine from across the room, and his lips turn up at the sides in a cheeky greeting. That tells me, I might not know who he is, but he knows me.

“Who the fuck is that with Alex?” Sally’s eyes go wide with worry. “He wasn’t on the guest list. I checked that thing like five times.” She pulls the list from behind the bar and starts scanning over it.

We are extra cautious about security these days. You can’t be too careful when you run an empire like I do. But something tells me this guy isn’t anyone to worry about. “You know Alex, he doesn’t follow the rules.” And for once I’m not pissed about it. The dude by his side is an Italian god. Olive skin, thick dark hair with a little wave to it, worn longer on top, chiseled jawline, expensive suit tailored to fit his body just right. I could go on listing his positive qualities all night long. My head tilts as I take him in, and his eyes come back to me again as he chuckles at something Alex says. I feel a flutter in my heart, and I take hold of the bar for support. Is this what swooning over a guy feels like? Or am I just decently buzzed already, because my head is spinning.

“Geez, Sloane, close your mouth, you’re drooling.” Myriah giggles playfully.

I snap my mouth shut and glare at Myriah. “I am not. I just want to know how the fuck he’s crashing my party.” I push off the spot where I was leaning against the bar and stride across the room toward my newest guests. What kind of a host would I be if I didn’t introduce myself.

Seeing me, Harley wriggles free from Ricky’s hold, her eyes locking on mine as she crosses the dance floor. “Happy birthday,” she calls, her face lighting up. She’s adorable tonight in a little black dress that shows off her tiny baby bump, her long auburn curls flowing over her shoulders.

“Did you bring me a present in the shape of an Italian god?” I smirk, keeping my voice hushed. Harley is the only one who knows my secret. I told her in a moment of weakness, and she’s been a doll and kept her mouth shut about it. But every now and then she gives me this look, like she’s trying to find me the perfect guy to help fix my situation. She’s doing it right now.

“Alex’s cousin, Romeo, he’s hot, right?”

Alex’s cousin, interesting. “Gorgeous,” I gush then catch myself. What the fuck is wrong with me. I don’t carry on like this over men. Well, maybe I do, this week I’m out of control.

“He’s very single. Just like you.” She wiggles her brows for emphasis. “Come on, I’ll introduce you,” she says, hooking her arm with mine.

Suddenly, I’m nervous. Not just because he’s sexy as all hell, but because I know Onyx is watching my every move. And all four of my brothers are also in this room and will be ready to cock block me any chance they get.

“Happy birthday, Sloane!” Ricky chimes in as we approach.

“Thank you,” I murmur with a half-smile, but my attention is drawn toward Romeo. I can’t take my eyes off him. And when he smiles at me like he knows I can’t, my cheeks glow with heat.

“Romeo, this is Sloane.” Harley kind of pushes me toward him, and it’s as if time stands still. I’m lost in his dark mysterious eyes, pulled into his overwhelming vortex.

I suck in a breath, trying to find my normally cool composure. I hold out my hand. “Sloane Stryker. What the fuck do you think you’re doing crashing my birthday party?” I cringe. Way to go, Sloane, it won’t be Onyx or your brothers cock blocking you tonight; you’re going to do a good enough job of that shit yourself, if you can’t get your mouth under control.

Instead of being offended, a low, rumbling chuckle escapes him as he gently takes my hand, bringing it to his lips for a soft, lingering kiss on the back of it. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Stryker.” His accent is thick, but his English is decent, and it only makes him sound even more alluring. “I’m Romeo Moretti. I hope you forgive my intrusion on your birthday party. I’m new in town, and Alex thought this might be a good opportunity for me to meet some of the more influential people.”

My hand is still in his, and it feels like the two of us are the only ones in the room as he explains himself. I can’t look away from him or move. I’m mesmerized by everything Romeo.

His eyes meet mine. “I can leave if you want me to,” he says, but as he does, his lips morph into a cheeky smile that tells me he has no intention of leaving.

I pull out of his grip on me as if he’s burned me, realization of how ridiculous I must look swooning over him coming over me. “You can stay. Cause any trouble, though, and I will deal with you myself,” I add more seriously.

“I hope so.” He smirks, all charming. This dude is flirting with me.

I look over to my side for Harley or one of the boys, but I realize they have all moved on and found a table together. It’s just the two of us.

“How about a drink to offer my sincerest apologies,” he offers.

I blink back at him, not sure what to say. My body is screaming at me, hell yes. But my head says be careful, we don’t know this guy and you know we can’t trust anyone. “I should really get back to my friends.” I glance over at the bar, but the girls are gone as well. I find them watching Cruz and Jagger’s game.

His head drops a little closer. “But you would prefer to get to know me.” His voice is low and slides over me like a fine whiskey, all smooth and enticing.

God, this guy is charming, and he knows he has me. I feel like I should be fanning my face with the heat radiating off me. Instead, I smile back a little too giddy. Get a fucking grip, Sloane. “Okay, just the one.”

His hand comes to the small of my back and he directs me toward the bar as I offer Harley a small apologetic wave. She gives me a thumbs-up and smirks like a bloody Cheshire cat, so I don’t think she’s worried about me not catching up with her. I’m sure as normal she has her hands full anyway.

“Since you have been nothing but polite, I feel I should warn you. All four of my brothers are here tonight, as well as my extremely overprotective bodyguard. If you touch me for too long, you’re liable to have your hand detached from your body,” I offer a friendly warning, wishing with every fiber of my being I didn’t have to. But the truth is, I have been in this very situation before, and it didn’t end well.

He grins, all charming, but I can see there is an edge to him. He wouldn’t be a Moretti if there wasn’t. I know what being part of the Italian mafia involves. “Your brothers’ threats have no effect on me, doll face. As long as you’re happy to have my hands on you.” Smooth, this guy is so damn smooth.

I almost laugh. Doll face, is he for real? But I can see he one hundred percent is. Of course I want his hands on me. I feel alive for the first time in so long. We stop when we come to the bar, and I signal to one of the staff to get us two drinks. While we wait, I turn back toward him leaning against the bar so I can see my club before me. I can see Cruz has noticed us, his pierced brow raised as if to say what the fuck, Sis. But he hasn’t moved, and when Jagger says something to him, his attention snaps back to the game the two of them are playing. Asher is making out with not one, but two girls at a booth in the front. If I’m being honest, it looks like he’s doing more than just making out, but I don’t need to look close enough to know what. And Malachi is sitting in a booth with one of Harley’s friends, Dani; the two of them have gotten very close lately.

My attention returns to the man I can feel gazing at me. “Every man in this town fears my brothers,” I snip, knowing it doesn’t matter who he is or how far away he’s from, he knows my brothers’ reputation.

He runs a finger down one side of my face, the crazy electric pull I have toward him intensifying even more. “Not me.” He grins a flash of something chaotic in his eyes.

“What brings you to dreary Ravens Hollow? It’s a far cry from the inviting charm of Italy,” I ask, needing to keep the conversation going so I don’t just jump on him right here in the middle of my bar.

One eyebrow arches in question. “Have you traveled there?”

“I’ve never left Ravens Hollow; had no reason to. But I could imagine.”

His hand slides down my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. “I’ll take you one day.”

A skeptical half-laugh escapes my lips; I doubt his sincerity. “Truth is, I work around the clock. This club is my life.”

“Maybe one day you will have time to explore this beautiful world. It would enrich your mind in ways you can’t even imagine.”

I’m lost in his eyes again, something in them taking me further into the fantasy of me traveling to Italy with him. Why does every guy I meet think I want saving or time away from my work? “You didn’t answer my question. Is that why you’re here, to enrich your mind? Trust me, you won’t do much of that here.”

“I’m here for business.”

“With your cousin? I hear his media business is doing quite well for him,” I ask, trying to get whatever information out of him I can.

“I have no interest in what Alessandro is working on.” His eyes lock in on mine, something in them making me swallow hard. I get the impression he is here for me, but that can’t be right.

A wild energy surges through me, an erratic impulse to do something crazy. I’m so sick of being trapped in this life. I just want to throw caution to the wind and be the young woman I am for once. His hand settles in my long platinum hair, and he tilts my head just a little, moistening his lips as he scans every last inch of my face. Even though he has hardly touched me, this feels way too intimate for someone I have just met. But I don’t want him to stop whatever it is he’s doing either.

I’m acutely aware Onyx will be watching me from some shadowy hiding place; he always is. And maybe that’s why I say what I do. “Kiss me.” I breathe the words, not even sounding like myself. I just want his lips on mine.

He doesn’t skip a beat. His face lowers to mine, our lips locking for the first time, sending an electric thrill all the way through my body. He kisses like a demon, and I’m right here for it. My hand moves to the back of his neck, and I pull him in closer as our kiss intensifies. Tingles run right through my body in a way I have never experienced before. Every part of me lights up.

I wait, my heart racing like crazy for someone to come rushing across the room and violently tear us apart. But it doesn’t happen, so I melt a little further into him, our kiss deepening. Oh God, I could do this all night. This man is perfection.

“Your drinks, Sloane,” the young woman I have manning the bar says quietly as she slides them onto the bar beside us.

I pull away. I had almost forgotten where we were, too busy lost in everything Romeo. I need a moment to clear my head. That was intense. I fix the corner of my lipstick, still caught up in his eyes. “Sorry, I’m not sure what came over me,” I whisper, taking my tumbler and sipping on the smooth whiskey. I quickly glance across the room at my brothers, but they are all still busy. Not one of them seems even a bit interested in us. Strange.

I can feel the tension in the air—a prickling sensation on my skin, a tightening in my chest. And before I know it, Onyx is closing in on us. Oh, they have left the babysitting to him tonight. “Sloane, a word alone,” is all he says, his voice tight with barely controlled rage, anger radiating off him in waves.

“Sorry, Romeo. Just give me a sec.” I offer a half smile to apologize for the oversized bodyguard protecting me, but he doesn’t look bothered at all. If anything, he looks amused as he motions for me to take my time.

I move in behind the bar with Onyx so my new friend doesn’t have to hear. “I’m going to be alone forever if you won’t even let men talk to me,” I grumble, wishing for just one night off from all the overprotective shit I have to endure every fucking day.

“Good. You will live a long life. And he wasn’t just talking to you,” he mutters dryly, but his attention isn’t on me, it’s on the guy I was with, his eyes narrowed in a way that tells me something more is going on here.

“What the fuck is going on, Onyx?” He’s pissing me off tonight. Even more so than usual.

“Do you know who you were just mauling in the center of your club?” This time his eyes travel to me, a look of utter disgust on his face.

“Yes, I do. Romeo Moretti. He’s Alex’s cousin,” I sass. What the fuck is his problem?

“He’s also extremely dangerous, with heavy ties to the mafia.”

“News flash, big boy, most of the men in this place are. It’s kind of normal around here. I’m not worried.”

He steps in closer, so close I can feel the anger radiating off him. “Watch your mouth,” he snaps. “He’s not a man I want you messed up with.”

I take a step away from him, looking him over, confused. “You’re not my father, remember? Just my bodyguard. You don’t get to tell me what to do.” I don’t know why I say it, but something inside of me just snaps, and I can’t deal with the domineering shit anymore. Not tonight when I need an escape so badly.

Before I can walk away from him, he takes my hand in his, gripping it tightly. His eyes lock on mine, unwavering and intense.

“What is it, Onyx?” I almost plead with him. “For once in my life, I have a guy willing to ignore who my family are and actually pay me some attention. Please don’t ruin this for me. Just let me be normal for once. It’s my birthday.”

His eyes gleam, reflecting a sudden, sharp flash of emotion. Hurt? No, jealousy. Is the big dude bitter because I was kissing some other guy? No, he couldn’t be.

“Unless you want to have some fun with me instead?” I throw out there. I’m buzzed enough that now seems like as good a time as any to just say what I really think. The darkness of his pupils seems to intensify even more.

“You’re playing with fire, trouble,” he spits back at me, before letting my hand go.

I shrug. “Better that than sitting alone in my office.” Onyx knows I’m spiraling. I have been for some time, and even though he’s never once said anything to me, I see the way he looks at me when I take my pills. He knows I’m not in a good place. This life is taking its toll.

Get your shit together, Sloane, I tell myself as I round the bar. The last thing I need is Romeo seeing how fragile I really am. I plaster a sexy-as-fuck smile on my lips and return to him. Onyx’s bossy attitude just gave me the balls to go through with this. Romeo has enjoyed most of his top-shelf whiskey while I have been busy and looks relaxed. I take his tie in my fingers and run the silky fabric through them, needing to get closer. “Now where were we?” I purr seductively. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I have seen this shit done around this place enough, I’m sure I can work it out. And the last thing I want is him to work out how inexperienced I am.

“I think you were about to take me somewhere a little more private, like your office,” he suggests playfully.

Now it’s my turn to laugh. “I must look stupid tonight. I don’t take strangers back there.”

In a flash, he swoops in, his lips brushing against mine a second time, a rush of warmth spreading through me. This time it’s a crazy toe-curling kiss. I melt into him, letting him take full control of my body as he plunges his tongue deep inside my mouth. When he pulls back from me this time, I’m a panting mess, my panties drenched and my knees ready to buckle. Oh, dear God, who is this man and thank you for sending him to me. This is what I need tonight, something to snap me out of my funk and bring me back to life. This gorgeous man will certainly be able to do that for me.

“We’re no longer strangers when my tongue has been inside your mouth.” He smirks, before his lips drop down my neck and he places hurried kisses all down my neck, grabbing a handful of my ass as he goes. He’s going to do what he wants right here.

I moan out loud but catch myself. Get a grip, Sloane, he’s just kissing your neck. But my body is coiled so tight a slight kiss could literally make me combust. From across the bar, I catch Onyx’s line of sight. His eyes are fixed on me in a dark, scary, don’t-push-me kind of way. I tilt my head, giving Romeo better access.

“There is one thing you need to know about me, doll face. I always get what I want, and right now, I want you.”

My heart races a little faster as butterflies take flight throughout my body. “This party is for me, I can’t leave,” I whisper, not really wanting to fight him on it. I want him every bit as much as he wants me. More. Because unlike him who would have been fucking around since he was an adolescent, I have never had the chance, and I know if I leave with him there will be no question. He’s going to fuck my brains out, just like I want him to. I offer one more challenge to Onyx, raising my brow. Telling him he could have had me. He knows it. But like the stubborn ox he is, he doesn’t flinch; he’s not playing my game tonight. His loss, because I’m sick of waiting for him to actually notice me. Not for the girl he is paid to protect, but for the woman who is desperate for him to claim her. It’s never going to happen, and I need to get over it and move on.

I drop my gaze back to Romeo. His hungry eyes meet mine. “You’re new in town, right? So, you have never been in my club before?”

“Never.” His answer vibrates down my neck as his lips brush over my earlobe.

I find his hand with mine, lacing our fingers together. “Come have a look around with me.” I grin at him, ready for wherever this is about to go. I’m done with being me, the uptight business owner who always has to look over her shoulder and make smart moves. For tonight, my last night as a twenty-four-year-old, I want to be reckless and live a little.

Chapter 4

Romeo's arm, warm and strong, circles my shoulder as we bypass the bouncer and enter the dimly lit second space of my club, music pulsating. This part of the club is still fully functional tonight, with lingerie-wearing dancers up on the stage shaking their asses and men and women throwing back expensive liquor as they watch. We have a couple of VIP events with a stag party and a large group of businessmen who booked out half my private rooms for the night. The strippers earn every cent they have tossed their way; they deserve it. I overinflate the booze prices, helping me keep this section lucrative—something Syd was never willing to do. He made his staff work for practically nothing, reaping the rewards and watching as they suffered. It was disgusting, but he was a repugnant kind of man.

“You want a lap dance?” I wiggle my eyebrows, a playful smirk crossing my lips. “My girls are the best around.”

He dips his head, his eyes meeting mine, a spark igniting in their depths. “The only girl I want shaking her ass on my crotch is you.”

I laugh nervously. Why his words send an excited thrill through me, I don’t understand, but I get an image of the two of us together. Me skimpily dressed and him just waiting for me to blow his mind. “Persistent.” I smirk back at him, not giving in just yet. If he really wants me, he can wait like a good boy. “You into watching people fuck? I have a couple in room seven who love to be viewed by others as they get it on. It’s my one-way-glass room, they wouldn’t even know we were there.”

He considers me, his eyes running down my body. “Is that what you’re into, Sloane?”

I shrug, thinking it could be. It could also buy me a little time to get to know him better, but I can tell from the cynical look on his handsome face he doesn’t look keen. “How about another drink?” I ask, hoping to ease the crazy tension now swirling through the air between us.

“If you’re going to continue to play hard to get.” He gives a curt nod in the direction of the bar, but his voice holds an amused edge like he’s trying to work me out.

“I’m not playing anything. You say you always get what you want, Romeo, well, so do I, and right now I don’t know enough about you to show you the last part of my tour. So, you either stay and have another drink with me or you run along. I’m easy either way.” Fuck, I’m not, but I’m calling his bluff and just hoping it works out for me.

He leans in close, his breath warm on my ear as he shifts my hair over my shoulder, his lips brushing my earlobe. “You’re sexy as fuck when you get all bossy. I’ll have that drink. You can ask me whatever it is you need to, I’m an open book. Then you will show me what’s back there.” He motions with his eyes to my private rooms. He knows exactly what’s back there, his cunning smile says as much.

Down the far side of the room stands this space’s bar, a gleaming black stone countertop with silver trim that stretches the length of the wall, its polished surface reflecting the soft light of the chandeliers hanging above. Approaching it, I gesture to Erica, our bartender, for two drinks before guiding Romeo to a quieter table. This table is nearly always vacant as the view of the dancers isn’t great from here, but it’s a personal favorite of mine. The lighting is low, and in a world where I feel like I’m always stuck in the spotlight, I can escape for a moment and catch my breath here. I move into the red velvet booth, and instead of sitting opposite me, Romeo moves in beside me, the fabric of his suit brushing against my exposed leg because he’s so close.

Our drinks are placed in front of us, and I smile at Erica and offer her a thanks. She nods and leaves us alone, but not before giving me a look, one that says I hope you know what you’re doing, boss.

Collecting my glass, I glance his way as I think on what he just said. He’s an open book. We will see about that. “Alright. You want to go back there with me, I want to know what you’re really doing in my club tonight. It’s pretty clear you have no interest in getting to know anyone other than me. I’m going to ask you ten questions, and if I think you have answered them honestly, I will finish my tour.”

“If you don’t?” He raises a brow.

I purse my lips, thinking on it. “It will be time for you to leave my club.”

He nods. “That sounds fair.” He picks up his tumbler and takes a large swig. “Shoot.”

“Are you a cop?” I ask quickly, waiting for his reaction.

He nearly chokes on his second mouthful of whiskey. “Fuck no. Do I look like a fucking cop?” He looks insulted.

I shrug, a silly smirk painting my face. “I guess not. But it was fun to see your reaction when I asked you.”

“Do you get cops sniffing around this place?” he asks more seriously, his eyes scanning the room.

“Not really. Things have been a little different since the new squad came in from New York, but it’s nothing my brothers and I can’t handle.”

He doesn’t look convinced, but what does he care? I guess all of his family hate the cops just like mine. “What’s your second question, doll face?”

“Why are you calling me that?” I can feel the blush on my cheeks as I question him. It’s not what I was going to ask, but I’m intrigued.

He takes my hand in his and kisses the back of my fingers. “Your exquisite features are flawless, your skin like porcelain. Don’t tell me it’s the first time anyone has noticed.”

I can’t help but smirk back at him; he’s just too charming. “That was a wasted question.”

“Eight left, better make the most of them,” he says, and I know he agrees with me.

I raise a challenging brow, knowing he’s not going to enjoy the rest of my quiz as much. “What is your intention in spending time with me tonight? You don’t strike me as someone who does anything without a good reason.”

With a lingering touch, his hand moves from mine, sliding down my leg and then delicately caressing my thigh, right where the hem of my dress sits. My skin tingles with anticipation where his fingers trailed. A strange intensity in his gaze makes my breath catch and a nervous flutter ignite in my chest. He knows what he’s doing to me, turning me the hell on. “You’re right, I came here tonight for you.” He grins devilishly.

“Why?” I splutter out, my heart kicking up a beat at the possessiveness in his honesty.

“Is that question four?” He smirks, a sly glint in his eyes.

Shit! “It wasn’t, but it is now,” I demand, needing to know the answer.

His grin twists, and I know this is half his game, to make me so flustered I can’t think straight. “I wanted to meet the fierce biker chick they all talk about. You have to know your name is whispered in awe and fear, even back home where I’m from. I heard what you did to Valentina Moretti. Maybe I was curious, maybe it was more than that.” The way his eyes meet with mine and look straight into my soul as he responds makes me feel all warm inside. He wants to know the real me. No one wants to know the real me, most people are too afraid to get close to me.

My teeth sink into my bottom lip, nibbling as I try to work out what to ask him next. He’s so damn smooth, and I’m running out of questions. “I’m not all bad.” I sigh heavily, feeling the weight of my life’s choices bearing down on my shoulders.

“I’m sure.” His hand slips a little higher up my leg, causing a scattering of goosebumps to cover me like a blanket.

I suck in a deep breath, trying to get my racing heart under control so I can think straight around him. Dear God, save me, Romeo’s touch has such a crazy effect on me I’m already giddy.

The way he watches me, he knows his power. He’s enjoying watching me squirm way too much. “Wouldn’t matter to me if you were. I’m no saint myself, sweetheart.”

“That surprises me.” I chuckle sarcastically. It’s damn obvious he’s on the wrong side of the law. They all are around here. My question is, would he fuck me over if he had the chance? But if I ask it like that, I’m the one who will come off like a bitch. I run my eyes over him, checking out every little detail. From his expensive suit to the Rolex on his wrist, he exudes wealth, but that is just a façade. I want to know what really makes him tick. “You’ve got this whole ‘dark and mysterious’ thing down. Does it work on every girl, or just the ones you’re trying to manipulate into bed?” I bat my lashes playfully, knowing that question could really sting if his intentions are dodgy.

A dark chuckle rumbles out of him, and I think he’s impressed. “I’m not trying to manipulate you, doll face. We both know from the second our eyes locked I was going to make you mine, and I have been very forward at making my intentions clear.” His hand slips a little higher, this time parting my legs, as he runs a hand over my silky thong, touching me right there. Right where I want him to. “Maybe it’s you who is trying to seduce me with your sexy-as-fuck little body and pretty face. I could ask you that same question. What do you want from me?” His gaze is heated in a way that intensifies the electricity already bouncing between us.

I shake my head, suddenly lost for words. I want only one thing, but I can’t ask him for it. How would that even go? I need you to rid me of my virginity so I don’t have to go on being a fraud anymore.

“You want me, Sloane. Your needy cunt is begging for me to take you. Your panties are drenched.” His fingers slide between my legs again, feeling over my wetness. And damn, I know he’s right. I’m almost desperate for him to really touch me there.

“We still have five questions,” I whisper, getting stuck in his dark eyes.

“If you’re not satisfied yet.” His finger slips under my panties, teasing me as it runs over my clit before sinking deep inside of me, and I already know this man wrote the book on how to turn women on.

Oh, dear Lord. My eyes roll back in my head. I have imagined what it would feel like to have another person’s finger inside of my pussy every damn time I got myself off, but I never could have pictured how it would make my whole body come alive.

From the corner of my eyes, I think I see movement, and it snaps me back to reality. Onyx is here watching me. I can’t see him, but I feel his presence. There is no way he would have let me come into this part of the club without him. I should feel guilty for letting some other dude touch me, but I don’t. If anything, knowing he’s here only makes me want to hook up with Romeo more. Show Onyx what he’s missing out on. I lean back into the booth seat, my eyes closing as Romeo’s lips meet with mine and he kisses me savagely as he leisurely pumps his finger in and out of me, under the privacy of the table.

Eventually he slowly pulls back from me and my eyes flutter open, staring directly into his in a way that makes my heart flutter. “What’s your next question?” He pushes in a second digit.

I whimper out a small cry. It feels so damn good, but his fingers are so much larger than mine, and even though it’s only two, I feel the burn of him stretching me.

He slows his movement, his eyes running over my face, watching me. “Next question,” he breathes, and I get the impression his patience is wavering.

“If I asked you point blank about your work, would you be honest?” I get out even though my mind is anywhere but here caring what his profession is. He could tell me he was a lion tamer at this point, and I would believe him.

“You’re a smart girl, Sloane, you know if I told you what I did for a living I would have to kill you.” His words are light and playful, but I hear his warning.

I take hold of the booth seat, trying to get a little space. I’m overheating, my head spinning a little from the way he makes me feel. He’s so intense, and the way his fingers are bringing me undone is all too much and not enough at the same time.

“Satisfied yet?”

“Four more,” I get out, trying to regain my composure. I’m a woman of my word, and right now I might want him to carry me over his shoulder caveman style to one of my rooms, but I won’t do it until I have finished my line of questioning. “Tell me, what’s the most interesting thing about you?”

He raises a brow. “I know how to make people feel safe—even if I’m the last person they should trust.” He stares me down, and I’m not exactly sure if I like that answer. It’s like he’s testing me, asking me if I’m willing to trust him, and I’m not sure I should. “Do you feel safe with me, Sloane?”

My heart races a little faster. “Right now? Right now, your fingers are inside me, and I can’t think at all,” I admit, being far more honest with him than I want to.

He does this delicious twisting thing, and I moan on cue. Fuck, it’s like he already knows my weak spots and how to use them to his advantage. He leans in closer. “You should trust me tonight, Sloane, I will give you a night you will never forget.”

Heat flares within me, and I stare up at him, hoping to God it’s true. “You’ve got this look like you know all my secrets. It scares the shit out of me.”

“I do know all your secrets, sweetheart. I can feel the weight of them pressing down on you. But that shouldn’t scare you. I’m here to take care of you, Sloane, you just have to let me.” His thumb rubs over my clit, back and forth, making my pussy clench.

I stare back at him, this moment way more intimate than I was prepared for. “Oh fuck,” I murmur as my body shudders. My last two questions gone from my mind. I don’t even care about this game anymore. He holds me close, so damn close as his fingers toy with me till I’m a quivering mess in his big strong arms. I bury my head in his shoulder and cry out my release as my pussy convulses and tightens around his two thick fingers. I’m a panting mess, struggling to get enough air, my body alive for what feels like the first time ever.

I run a hand through my hair, trying to get my pulse under control. “No man has ever…” The words leave my lips before I can stop them. I jump back from him in a rush, my heart racing in fear this time. I said too much. He made me weak and I just nearly told him something I can never admit out loud.

He pulls his fingers free, staring back at me with an intensity that sends fear flooding through my veins.

“You need to go,” I snap, needing distance before I really do something stupid.

He closes the gap between us. “I’m not going anywhere until you finish what you were about to say.” There is a warning in his voice that tells me not to mess with him.

“I can’t,” I whisper, dropping my head so his eyes can’t meet with mine. My face thrums with the beat of the music, a burning heat coming off it.

One of his hands rests on my leg, stopping me from taking off like I want to, the other he brings to his lips, sucking my juices from the two fingers that were just inside of me. My eyes go wide. Oh fuck, what is he doing. “No man has ever touched you before, has he?” Romeo asks, as if he can tell by just tasting me.

My heart races like crazy. I don’t know what to say, I can’t admit the truth to him. He’s probably some sex god, and me being a twenty-four-year-old virgin is all kinds of embarrassing.

The hand pressing into my thigh digs in a little harder. “Answer me. I played your game and responded to all eight of the questions you asked honestly. You want two more, go for it. I want only one answer. Am I the first man to touch your sweet little cunt?”

The words get caught in my throat but something in his eyes tells me it’s safe to tell him the truth. He’s not going to use it against me. “Yes,” I whisper.

For a second his eyes close, and he inhales deeply like he’s trying to get control. “You’re so damn perfect. How does the owner of a sex club remain a virgin?”

“Keep your fucking voice down,” I snap back at him, even though his voice was hushed. “I run the place; I don’t work here,” I respond like it’s obvious the two things are not the same.

His eyes lock with mine, so dark and intense that they almost scare me. But it’s not because I’m afraid of him, more I’m afraid of what I will do when I’m around him. With just a look he seems to have some sort of control over me. My body is begging for more of what he has to offer, and that is dangerous. “Did I answer your questions to your liking? Or do you need the final two,” he asks.

I blink back at him. “I guess I’m done,” I murmur, not able to look away from him. I’m sucked into his magnetic vortex and everything about him is driving me crazy.

His lips curl into a subtle, wry twist. “We had a deal, Sloane, now you have to take me back there and finish the tour.”

I swallow hard. “You still want to come back there with me?” I ask, slightly baffled. Shouldn’t he be majorly turned off right now, wondering what the heck is wrong with me?

He grasps my hand, a reassuring pressure, helping me to my feet. My legs are shakier than I expect them to be, and I wobble a little on my extra-high heels, but he catches me. His arm snakes around my waist as he pulls me close, his intoxicating scent filling my senses. It’s all spice and whiskey, with a hint of danger.

As we walk closer to the third section of my club, the VIP rooms, I go all clammy and start to feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience. Am I really going to go through with this? I just let him finger-fuck me. But actually having sex with him is next level, and even though I’m glad my brothers have backed off for once, I’m not sure how to act because of it. I have never had this kind of freedom before. Am I making the right choice, or is my slightly inebriated brain just thinking with her needy pussy? I don’t have time to answer my question, because we arrive at the bouncer guarding my rooms. Leigh, a man I know well; he has been working for me for two years. He’s one of the best bouncers I have, which is why he mans this area of the club.

“Sloane. Who’s your friend?” he questions me, surveying the situation in front of him with sharp interest. I know how out of place this must look. I have never—and I mean never—even come close to doing something like this before.

“Romeo Moretti.”

He looks over him cautiously, a slight frown furrowing his brow as he takes in Romeo’s size. “Does he have clearance? I haven’t seen his face on the VIP list.”

I glance back to Romeo, hoping I’m not making the biggest mistake of my life. “He’s with me. We can trust him,” I respond with certainty.

Leigh gives a nod and opens the door for us with a flick of his security badge.

I suck in a deep breath, knowing there is no going back now. I’m going through with this. I move to a control panel on the wall and check over tonight’s bookings, trying to see what rooms are free. There is only one, room six. With a flutter of excitement, I type my name in and enter my security code, booking the room out for the rest of the night.

“Security is tight down this end,” Romeo comments, watching me with keen interest. I can see he’s the kind of man who notices every damn detail.

With butterflies dancing in my stomach, I move toward room six and enter the PIN code to let us in. The door pops open, the lights instantly turning on to reveal a moody room all in charcoal and golds. I turn back toward him, watching as he takes in the opulence of one of my beautiful rooms. “Has to be. People pay a lot of money to use this part of the club. I have to protect the men’s identities and the women’s safety.”

When he walks through the door after me, I press the keypad again, locking the door. I know Onyx will be out there fuming, but I don’t want him barging in and ruining this for me. He had his chance, and he fucked up. Now he gets to sit in his bad choice knowing exactly what me being in this room with another man means.

“You take your job very seriously.”

I watch Romeo taking off his jacket, placing it over a high-back chair before he wanders around the room a little, already looking comfortable in his new surroundings. I can’t take my eyes off him, studying his dark wavy hair hanging over his eyes just a little now, adding to that mysterious allure he has going on. Do I really trust him? Fuck no. But I trust he will make good on his promise to give me a night I won’t forget, and right now, that’s exactly what I need.

“What’s the point in doing a job half-assed? I hold lives in my hands, and I don’t take that lightly. The women who work for me are all important parts of my family. I would protect them with my life.” I take a step closer to him.

He watches me closely. “I believe it.”

I lock eyes with him, needing him to know how deadly serious I am right now. He knows my secret. “You should, Romeo. My reputation isn’t fictional, made up to instill fear in people. It’s fucking true, and if you screw me over, I will see to it you pay. Do you understand?”

He doesn’t shy away from my intensity; instead, he reaches out for me, pulling me in close. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, doll face.” His lips come to mine, and he devours me, shoving his tongue inside my mouth possessively. I should hate the dominance, fight it even, but I don’t. If anything, I’m craving it. I want this dark, mysterious, powerful man to claim me, to show me what it feels like to be a woman.

Chapter 5

Romeo slides my zipper down my back, shoving the straps over my arms so it pools on the floor below me, leaving me in just my panties and bra. I should feel exposed, but I want his eyes on me.

“Beautiful.” He compliments me in a way that makes me feel comfortable under his spotlight. His hand moves to my chin, and he tilts my head so I’m gazing up at him. “Your body was made for me and mine for you.”

His words are corny as fuck, but something in the way he holds me, the way he gazes at me, makes me feel special. Not able to help myself, I reach for him, unbuttoning his shirt so I can get my hands on his chest. My fingertips find solid muscles with a scattering of hair, and I don’t stop exploring until I’m low enough to find his belt buckle. I may not have a lot of experience, but I know what I want. I want to taste him.

He kisses me as his hands roam over my body, feeling every part of me, cupping my tits in a way that makes me moan into his open mouth before he slides over my stomach, taking a handful of my ass as he shoves me into the solid wall behind us.

As our tongues battle it out, I unbuckle his pants and unzip his fly, slipping my hand inside. My breath hitches as I feel the size of his length. He’s fucking huge. I pull away from his kiss, panting like crazy. “I want to taste you.”

“On your knees then, sweetheart.” He stares down at me, heat and desire radiating off him. I tug his briefs off and his cock springs free. It’s impossibly hard, and I waste no time wrapping my fingers around his shaft so I can really feel him. He lets out a hiss of approval, his dark eyes watching me, waiting for what I’m going to do next. “Have you sucked a cock before?”

I stare up at the sexy-as-hell man in front of me, his chiseled chest scattered with intricate ink designs. His posture is strong and commanding. He’s so confident I don’t want to answer. So instead, I act on instinct and open my mouth, licking the tip of his cock before sucking the length in as far as I can. I might not have done it before, but I have seen others perform the act enough times to know what to do.

He smirks down at me, his fist wrapping around my hair before he pulls me off him. “Answer my question, Sloane.”

“Yes. I have,” I say with more confidence than I should have when I’m lying right to his face.

“Right now.” He chuckles darkly as if he can read my mind.

I roll my eyes. “What does it matter anyway?” I snip, taking hold of his cock again, stroking him back and forth, watching as his pupils dilate and enjoying the way I can already bring him undone. “I know what I’m doing.”

His hand comes to my chin, tilting it so I’m forced to look directly up at him. “Out there I know you have to be all confident, put on a tough act, but you can cut that bullshit with me. In here I’m in charge, and if you let me take care of you, I will help you explore this new side of your sexuality.”

His words are kind, sweet even, and they throw me off guard. I don’t want him to be kind to me, it’s one of the reasons I’m so mortified he knows my secret. “No special treatment. No being kind and soft and gentle. Forget what you know about me. I want you to treat me like you would if you didn’t know my secret.”

I take his cock in my mouth again, sucking him in as far as he will go.

His hand tightens at the back of my head. He bunches up my hair, using the leverage to control the pace I’m taking him with. “I was never going to go easy on you, doll face. I just wanted you to know you are safe with me. Because I will push your limits till you think you can’t take any more, but I can promise you, I’m going to make tonight so fucking good, you will be begging me for more.”

His dirty words send a thrill right through me, fresh moisture dripping from my pussy. My panties are soaked. I smirk around his cock, because with the pace he is moving, I don’t have time to say the smart-ass comment I want to. He just set me a challenge; it’s him who will be wanting to come back for more.

He controls the pace as I suck his cock, taking him all the way down the back of my throat, and when he eases off the pressure, I use my tongue to lick around his shaft.

He groans before filling my mouth again. “That’s it, sweetheart, take all of me. You’re doing so damn well.”

My eyes start to water as he picks up the pace, fucking my mouth with more force. It’s so fucking hot that my pussy throbs with a desperate need to have his massive cock inside of her. My nipples pebble so hard in my bra, begging for him to touch them and ease the ache.

Like he knows, he reaches his free hand down and toys with me, shoving the delicate lace of my bra down so my nipples are free. He plucks at them, one after the other, forcing me to moan around his cock.

When he’s satisfied that we have both been worked into a frenzy, he tugs me off him and back up to standing by my hair. I stare back at him, panting like a crazed person, my entire body alight with desire. “Take off your panties, sweetheart. Get on the bed and spread your legs for me, I need to see your perfect little cunt.”

I go to open my mouth and tell him I don’t take instructions from anyone, but he silences me with his finger pressed to my lips.

“This is as much for you, Sloane. Show me what you like,” he says, his eyes hooded with deep desire.

I swallow nervously. This is what you wanted, Sloane. You can’t back out now. I take a couple of steps away from him. Hooking my fingers in the sides of my panties, I slide them down my legs tentatively.

He holds out a hand, a brow raised.

I blink back at him. “I’m not giving you my panties.”

He takes a step closer to me, his lips dropping to the side of my neck and his hand cupping one of my breasts. “You will give me whatever I ask for, like a good little girl.” He tweaks the nipple, sending a thrill through me.

I suck in a breath, his authority doing something to my insides that makes me release my panties. They fall into his hand, and he smugly slides them into his pocket.

“Now on the bed. Show me how you like to be touched.”

With his eyes locked on mine, I back up slowly till my legs hit the bed behind me. Then I crawl backwards up and onto the bed. The only thing keeping me moving is the encouragement in his eyes. I might act tough, but right now, I feel like a trembling mess. I position myself in the center of the bed, blinking back at him, not sure if I can do what he wants me to next. No one has seen me there before, and the lighting in this room might be low, but I know I can still see every hot detail of his gorgeous body, so he will be able to see me. All of me.

Like he knows I’m anxious, he shrugs off his shirt and strips his pants down his legs, followed by his briefs. My mouth goes dry. He’s standing before me in all his naked glory. He’s a fucking god, chiseled from stone. Covered in ink, like his arms, chest, and legs, it’s a mighty fine look on him. I get the sudden urge to run my tongue over every inch of his body, traveling over the intricate designs. “Don’t keep me waiting, Sloane. I’m not a very patient man, but for you, I’m trying.”

I swallow the lump in my throat and part my legs slightly.

“Wider,” he demands, a filthy gleam in his eyes. The no-shit tone of his voice tells me he’s not waiting anymore.

Fuck, my cheeks flush with embarrassment, but I do as he instructs, forcing my legs out wide so he can see all of me.

“Good girl.” He strokes his cock, back and forth. “Now touch yourself for me.”

My hand runs over my stomach then over the small strip of pubic hair, silently thanking myself for visiting my day spa today.

“Go on.”

My heart races and I don’t even understand why. I have done this a million times to myself before. It’s just with his dark eyes watching me, I feel almost frozen to the spot. I find my slit and slip my hand between my legs, my fingers sliding through my arousal easily. Sliding over my clit, I rub the way that brings me undone every time.

Romeo watches me, and with his tongue darting out, he moistens his bottom lip. “You like playing with your clit?”

I concentrate on my clit, rubbing slow circles like I do when I’m alone. Except this time it feels different, way more intense because I know he’s watching me. “Yes,” I whisper, edging my way down further and sinking a finger deep inside my pussy. My back arches off the bed.

“That’s it,” he encourages me, stroking himself more aggressively. “Now taste yourself.”

Oh, dear Lord, this is so hot. I pull my finger free and slip it in my mouth, licking my juices off as he smirks back at me.

The bed dips as he moves onto it, settling between my legs. “Now it’s my turn.” He takes my thighs and pushes them out even further, his eyes running over very damn inch of my pussy, before he drops his mouth to my center. He licks and nips right through my folds, dipping his tongue inside me.

I pull my hand away as my back starts to arch off the bed greedily to meet his hungry mouth.

Then it’s gone and his eyes are back on me. “Keep playing with yourself,” he tells me, waiting for me to comply before he makes another move.

My hand moves back to where it was, rolling my slippery arousal over my clit, so desperate for him to keep doing what he was.

Pleased, he continues to eat me. His mouth on me is so good it must be sinful. I move my hips off the bed, needing more, and he rewards me by pushing a finger inside of me. The sensation coupled with me playing with my clit is all too much to take, and I cry out as a fresh orgasm takes over, rolling over me in waves that make my pussy clench around his finger. When I finally stop riding his hand and open my eyes, I find him watching me. His eyes are dark with crazy desire and something else. Fascination maybe? He was watching me come undone.

“What?” I demand, feeling awkward under his attention. “Was I not supposed to cum? Because there was no way of stopping that.”

He moves up the bed so we’re face to face. “You’re so fucking perfect,” he growls before kissing me again. He tastes like me, my juices all over his lips and tongue. Something about it turns me on even more, and I lace my hands around his neck as I pull him closer to me. I have never been this close to anyone before, and even though I’m nervous, I want more of him.

I wrap my legs around his body and feel his cock pressing into me. So damn hard and ready to fuck. But he doesn’t rush me. He keeps kissing me, holding me close as we roll around together, our lips locked. Our sweaty bodies slide over each other as our hands explore and our tongues keep battling. This is what people pay so much money for, I get it now. It feels so fucking good to be this close to someone else. Or maybe that’s just because I’m so attracted to him. Because I am. From the first moment I saw him, I knew I wanted him just like this.

Eventually we pull back from each other just a little, his eyes boring into mine. “I thought you wouldn’t hold back,” I say smugly, knowing he’s waiting for me to be ready. But I’m not sure I ever will be. The longer we wait the more my stomach knots up. I need him to impale me with his massive cock so it’s done.

His lips turn up at the sides. “You’re going to regret that comment.” He moves off me, and I miss the heat of his body immediately. I watch him as he moves to his suit pants, finds a foil packet, rips open the packet with his teeth, then rolls it over his cock. Like he’s done exactly that a million times before.

Anxiety settles like a fucking concrete block in my chest, but I try to shove it away. I want this. I need it, and I’m not waiting any longer.

He moves back over me, pinning me beneath his massive frame. I can feel his unrelenting power. He would be a force to be reckoned with in every aspect of his life. “It’s going to hurt, tell me if you need me to stop.”

My stomach clenches, and I feel my whole body tense as the tip of his cock meets my entrance. I close my eyes up tight.

He pushes in just a little and he’s fucking right, it stings like a motherfucker. This is nothing like his fingers or mine. My heart races in fear, and I grip the sheets, my mind going somewhere it promised me it never would again. I hear her cries. Her sobs of pain.

“Sloane, what’s wrong?” His deep caring voice breaks me out of my trance.

“Nothing,” I whisper, keeping my eyes shut up tight as I try to block out the horrific vision now taking over.

“Open your eyes, gorgeous, I need to see you,” he says quietly.

My heart races like wild, but I blink my eyes open, wishing he wasn’t seeing me like this. His hand brushes the hair off the side of my sweaty face. “What are you waiting for?” I push the words past my clenched teeth, needing him not to know how messed up I really am. “Fuck me,” I spit angrily, my breath coming in short sharp gulps that makes my head spin. I’m on the verge of a panic attack, I just know it. But that can’t happen tonight. Not here, not now with him.

His eyes narrow, really taking me in, and I see a flash of something. Hurt maybe. “Not until you tell me why you’re freaking the fuck out right now.”

I can’t tell him. I shove him in the chest as aggressively as I can, and he takes the hint, rolling off me. In a rush I get to my feet, not sure what I’m going to do but needing to get away from him. Anger radiates through me. Why couldn’t he just fucking do it? Rid me of this feeling, this fear. What kind of fucked-up twenty-four-year-old is scared of having sex. Especially not a fucking sex club owner.

As I make it to my dress lying in a crumpled heap on the floor, he’s right behind me. His hands come to my biceps. He stops me from going any further, instead spinning me so I’m forced to face him again. “Fuck off, Romeo,” I lash out.

“Sloane, what the fuck?” He stares at me, worry covering his handsome features.

I suck in deep breaths, trying to get my racing heart under control. With fresh determination, I straighten my shoulders and meet his gaze head on. “I needed you to fuck me. But if it’s all too hard, don’t worry about it. I will find someone else to get the job done tonight.”

“Like hell you will,” he spits back at me, an edge of danger to his voice as his fingers press into my arms a little tighter. “Come back to bed now,” he insists, a determination in his eyes that tells me to stop fucking around.

I glance toward the bed, not sure what to do, my insides feeling like they are filled with acid. Firmly his hands slide down my side, taking my hands in his possessively. He tugs me closer so our lips are touching.

Chapter 6

With a swipe of his tongue, I fall back under his spell, all the fear melting away. I’m not sure how long the two of us stay like this, but I can’t pull away from him. Eventually he releases me. “Let me take away your fear,” he says quietly into my lips. “Come back to bed with me, Sloane,” he encourages me, his hands maneuvering me across the room, looking at me like I’m a skittish horse about to bolt.

I let him guide me, something in his authority freeing me from the panic. You can do this, Sloane, stop freaking the fuck out and focus on him, I tell myself, knowing how badly I need this. He lies down, not taking his eyes or hands off me for a second. Helping me on top of him, he positions my legs on either side of his massive body. His rock-hard cock throbbing against my pussy brings me right back into the moment.

His hand dusts down the side of my face tenderly, like there is more going on here than just fucking. He trails his finger over my bottom lip then pushes it inside of my mouth, forcing me to suck on it. “This is the only time I will ever say this to you, so make the most of it. You have all the control here, beautiful. Fuck me like I know you want to.”

Rocking my pussy over his cock, my slickness coats him as I go. I’m still drenched, my body is ready for this, it’s just my messed-up head that won’t get with the program. I lift my hips just a little so I can hold his cock in my hand and stroke him. He’s handed the control over to me. He’s not going to hurt me, I’m safe. I position the tip of his cock at my entrance and suck in a sharp breath when I feel his size trying to stretch me. My body tenses again.

“Sloane, look at me,” Romeo insists, his deep, commanding voice drawing my attention back to him instantly.

My head is swirling with thoughts. Thoughts that make my head spin and my vision blur, but I see him through it. His handsome face staring up at me like I’m his whole world.

“Focus on me and stay here with me.” His hand comes to my hip, and he touches me so lightly it sends a shiver through me. This big strong man is being soft and gentle for me. He told me to trust him, that he would take care of me, and for the first time, I believe him. I’m safe.

With that thought, I focus on his devilishly beautiful dark eyes and rock my hips just a little so I slide down further onto his cock.

“That’s it,” he coaches me, his lips twisting up at the sides.

I keep moving, and I feel my body opening up for him. I want him like crazy, more than the fear embedded deep in my soul. Before I know it, I’ve taken all of him, my tight pussy stretching to accommodate his size. I collapse onto his chest, and he pulls me in closer, kissing my lips again. Why is he being so caring? This was supposed to be a quick fuck for him, wasn’t it? But he is acting like it’s so much more. He’s making me believe it’s so much more.

As he kisses me, I start to move my hips, letting his cock stretch me more and more with every thrust. My fear disappears as the pleasure takes over. And then all I can see is Romeo, all I can feel is Romeo. He moves with me as I rock over him, our bodies working together like they are made for each other. He’s so big, but my body adjusts for him, the initial pain turning into unbelievable pleasure as we take each other to new heights. My body clenches around him, and before I know it, I’m seeing stars, cumming so hard my body shakes as I lose control.

“Fuck, Sloane,” he curses, and I know he’s right there with me, tipping over the edge. He pumps into me another couple of times, holding me so close as he does, it’s almost like we’re moving as one.

I stare down at him, my pussy still throbbing and my heart hammering. A silent sob wracks through my chest, I’m so overwhelmed. This is too much. I wince as I move off him and come to lie by his side. Losing my virginity was absolutely nothing like I thought it would be, but it was everything I needed.

He stares over at me, watching me closely, his hands still connected with me in any way they can. He brushes my long hair over my shoulder. “Are you alright?” he asks.

I nod, not ready to find words to explain how I am. I feel so strange. So happy but sad at the same time. Completely fulfilled but as though I could never get enough of what we just did.

“Do these rooms have a bathroom attached?” he asks after some time, breaking me from my thoughts.

“They’re just like luxury hotel rooms, so yeah,” I offer.

I feel his body shift off the bed, and I know he’s gone in search of it.

Right now, I just need to get my erratic heart under control. My eyes fall shut because I need to block all of this out. That was insane. I can’t actually believe I went through with it. I wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for Romeo. He was the perfect man to lose my virginity to. Caring when I needed him to be, even if he doesn’t know why I am so messed up. I’m not sure what greater being sent him to me, but I’m eternally grateful. I know it was just a one-night stand, men like him don’t stick around, but it was the best one-night stand I could have hoped for. He’s rid me of my secret, even if I have just missed my entire birthday party. As my euphoria disappears, reality settles in. What now? I can’t go back out to my party, but I can’t stay here with him either.

My sleepy eyes pop open when I hear a bath running. What the hell is he doing? I don’t have to wonder for long, because before I know it, strong arms scoop me up and transport me into the bathroom. “What are you doing?”

“We’re going to take a bath together,” he says like it’s damn obvious. He lets me down to standing before placing a kiss to my lips.

“Are we?” I ask, more skeptical. “I’m not a bath kind of person.”

Ignoring my comment, he checks the water temperature with his hand, then squirts in some of the lavender-and-chamomile scented bath wash that was on the side of the bath. Watching as bubbles fill the oversized tub, he steps into the water, holding a hand out for me. “You are now.” He smirks cheekily.

I let him pull me into the tub with him, and I settle down between his legs with my head resting on his solid chest. The water is the perfect temperature, and I won’t admit it to him, but fuck, it feels so good on my sore, tired body.

He kisses my forehead softly, his hands trailing up and over my arms, washing me. “I answered all your questions tonight, Sloane. Now I need you to answer a few of mine,” he says more seriously.

My body grows tense instantly, and I go to move away from him, but a heavy arm comes down over my stomach, stopping me from moving. “You got your reward for answering my questions,” I snip back, not in a mood to play games anymore.

“I think we both know you got as much out of that little arrangement as I did. What I want to know is what happened to you back there. Who the fuck hurt you?” I feel the way his muscles go rigid around me.

“Nothing happened to me. I was just nervous.” I try to brush it off, not ready to tell him my fucked-up life story. I have already shared enough with him tonight.

“Don’t lie to me.” His growl vibrates through my body.

I flinch at his anger, not expecting it. “Romeo, I only just met you, you don’t know me.”

“I know everything I need to. Someone hurt you, and I want to know who the fuck it is so I can deal with him.”

I close my eyes and inhale deeply. It makes it easier that I can’t see him right now. It’s bad enough I can feel his rage toward the unknown person he thinks hurt me.

“We’re not leaving this bath until you talk to me about it,” he says after some time, with utter determination.

“Why the hell do you care? I’m just some girl you fucked on your vacation. You will go back to Italy, and I will become a distant memory, that’s all.”

“You have no idea who you are to me. Don’t make assumptions.” He twists so I’m forced to look at him. “Tell me.”

Who I am to him? My heart races. What is he talking about? “I can’t,” I whisper. Part of me wishes I would talk to someone about the trauma I still carry around with me, but I know it’s impossible. Even with my brothers. It’s better if I keep it all locked up in the past.

“You can, you’re just being stubborn,” he snips, and I know he’s not going to let it go easily.

His last comment has me seeing red. Fuck him, he can’t just keep me hostage here in this bath with him, demanding I tell him about my past when I fucking don’t want to. I try to get out of his grip, holding on to the side of the bath for leverage, but it’s no use. He fights me, pinning me under his strong arms so I can’t move, sending waves of water sloshing over the sides of the bath. I’m stuck in here, he’s way too strong for me.

“I don’t talk about what happened to my mom,” I snap back at him furiously.

I feel him flinch, and then he loosens his grip on me. “I’m sorry, Sloane. I thought I could help.”

I get out of the bath, water drenching the bathmat and tiles below. “No, you thought, just like every other male in my life, that you could be a fucking hero. Go and take care of the asshole who wronged me. Well, you can’t because the fucker is already dead, so let it go.” Hanging onto a railing, I find a plush towel and wrap it around my body, hugging my arms closer around myself as I head back into the room. I need to get the hell out of here.

I hear him get out of the bath, water spattering over the tiles as he follows me. “Where are you going?”

“Back to my birthday party,” I throw over my shoulder, not bothering to turn around. I can’t even look at him right now.

His hands come to my waist, and he pulls me in close to him so I can’t escape. “I shouldn’t have pushed you.” He kisses my hair, inhaling deeply. “Stay with me tonight.”

“What?” I snap, bitchy as hell. Is he serious?

“You heard me, doll face, I want to spend the night with you.” His hand trails down my side landing on my waist, and he draws me even closer to him like he can’t stand to have our bodies even an inch apart.

“Why?” I ask, a little more confused than anything else. Didn’t he get what he wanted already? Even if it was probably a monumental fuck-up of a screw, from what he would be used to. “I’m not a good lay, you would be better off going back to that party and finding some other chick to pleasure you,” I mutter.

He spins me so our eyes are locked. “Do you always use your bitchy attitude to push people away when you’re feeling insecure?”

My heart races like crazy again. “Fuck you.”

“This time I’m going to fuck you.” His lips morph into a grin as he says it.

I’m not sure if it’s because he is pushing my buttons or because of the way he’s looking at me, still with so much heat in his eyes, but he just makes me feel so erratic and so turned on. Instead of running like my body is telling me to, I reach up on my toes and kiss him again. This time though, it’s on my terms completely. Forcing him back until he hits the bed, I come back down on top of him.

He shoves our towels out of the way so our bodies are touching. I can feel he is already hard again. Christ, I’m not going to survive the night. He rolls us so he’s on top of me. “I’ll take that as a yes.” His lips turn up at the sides, looking way too powerful and sexy as hell.

Chapter 7

Hoping to sneak out of the room before Romeo wakes up, I go to step out of bed, but as I do, I feel thick fingers wrap tightly around my wrist. With one quick tug he has me back by his side, then he rolls on top of me, peering down in all his sleepy, sex-mussed perfection. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” He smirks devilishly. “It’s your birthday, I need to give you your gift.”

My birthday. I cringe, wishing I could just bypass the day all together. “I have a club to run, I can’t lie in bed all day,” I throw back at him.

He checks his watch. “It’s only eight a.m. I think your nightclub will survive a little longer without you overseeing it.” He stares me down, and I know he’s serious. He’s so intense. He has been all night. We would drift off to sleep in each other’s arms, then I would wake to his lips on me again. We didn’t have penetrative sex again, but we did everything else, until I eventually passed out from exhaustion. The man is insatiable, and I reckon we would have gone all damn night if I could have kept up with him.

“Part of me is starting to think you have plans to keep me in this room with you forever.”

His eyes light up. “Seems like a good idea to me.”

A small flash of fear comes over me from the seriousness of his tone. “Romeo,” I warn him.

His lips twitch up at the sides in a playful smile. “I’m kidding. Stay with me one more hour, then I will let you get on with your day.” I feel his hard cock at my entrance, and he pushes the tip in just a little, teasing me. I’m wet as fuck all ready, knowing this might just be that last chance I have to screw him properly. Last night was special, but I know I’m not going to leave a lasting impression on him of the best fuck ever.

“Condom,” I snap in a panic, feeling how close he is to actually pushing inside of me.

I don’t know where it comes from, but he produces a foil packet and rolls the condom on over his massive cock. A wicked gleam in his eyes tells me he was ready for me well before I woke up this morning. Once suited up, he teases me, sliding his cock between my legs again, getting it all slippery with my arousal. I’m so damn turned on by him. I already know this time is going to be so different. He pushes inside of me in one move, and I let out a cry, trying to adjust to his size.

“Are you sore?”

“A little,” I admit. He did use my pussy like his own personal instrument all night long, so it’s not surprising. But it also doesn’t mean I want him to stop. I need to feel him inside of me again.

“We can go slow,” he tells me.

I lock eyes with him, a fierce determination coming over me. “No, I want you to fuck me like you normally do. Don’t go easy on me.”

His lips twist into a menacing smirk, and he pulls back from me, thrusting inside of me deeper than before.

“Oh God,” I cry out, not able to help it. It hurts like hell but also feels so damn good it makes my head spin.

Over and over again he punishes me, making sure I can feel every slight movement, and my body shivers all over as my orgasm builds. “That’s it, Sloane, let me in. Let me fuck your sweet, tight, little cunt.”

My eyes roll back in my head. Fuck this man. I knew he was totally holding back on me last night, but now in the light of day, I see him very clearly and he’s a fucking god. Or god of fucking, and I’m here for it. I concentrate on every deep pump inside of me, keeping my eyes locked with his as he coaches me through it.

He knows I’m still on edge, but he keeps me right here in the moment with him. “I’m going to lift your legs so you can feel me deeper. Tell me if it’s too much.”

All I can do is nod as he moves me so my legs are rolled up high, my knees close to my chest.

He pushes inside me again, and I cry out, feeling him so deep.

Wickedly he grins down at me as he builds the momentum again. His hand coming to my clit, he plays with me just like I did myself last night. The sensations are all too much, tipping me over the edge into bliss as my pussy clenches so tight around him. Waves crash over me, but he doesn’t stop. He fucks me right through my orgasm until he finds his own release.

“You’re so fucking perfect. I’m never letting you go,” he says as he fills me up. At least I think that’s what he says. Even through my euphoric haze my eyes pop open, and I stare up at him, wondering if he was for real or if that is just something he says to girls in the moment. Because I have only known him for one night, but I kind of hope he’s serious. And I know that makes me sound like a stage-five clinger, but right now, I don’t give a flying fuck.

An hour later he kisses me goodbye as I try to get out the door of the room we stayed in. I hope to God that the rest of my club is empty. We aren’t open at nine in the morning, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t people around. “Do you want me to let you out the back so you can get to your car?” I ask, not sure how this is supposed to work.

“I’ll walk through the front like a normal person,” he says with an edge of disappointment in his voice. Fixing his tie back in place, he’s the epitome of male perfection. It’s hard to believe he’s in last night’s suit.

I bite my lip, not so sure about walking him through. Last night I didn’t care what anyone thought about me, but in the light of day, I’m not so sure I want my night of fun to be public news around this place.

“What, Sloane?”

“It kind of feels like the walk of shame. What if my brothers are still out there?”

“What if they are?”

I sigh heavily, knowing I’m not going to win this battle. He’s just as stubborn as I am when he’s made his mind up about something. I fix my dress, making sure I don’t look as much of a mess as I feel with no make-up on, and pray to whoever will listen that the building is empty.

I open the door with Romeo right behind me, his hand lingering on my side, and flinch when I find Onyx staring back at me from across the hall, his arms crossed over his chest. Oh, dear God, I don’t have it in me for this conversation this morning. I step out into the hall. “Did you stay here all night?” I ask him, concerned as much as anything. What the hell, he must be exhausted.

“My job is to make sure you get home safely each day,” he seethes with a bitterness to his tone I don’t appreciate. It’s not my fault my brothers pay him to watch over me constantly.

“You must pay him well,” Romeo comments.

I don’t have anything to say back to him, so I keep moving down the hall. I can feel the heat already radiating off my face, and I just want to get this over with. Make it to my office before I have to see anyone else so I can fix my make-up before I start work for the day.

Romeo walks alongside me, but for once he’s keeping his hands to himself, and I feel Onyx right behind us. I open the door with a PIN code and walk into the strip club. I hear my dance instructor, Paige, calling instructions as she takes a dance class on the main stage and keep my head facing forward and move a little faster so I don’t catch anyone’s line of sight. I forgot she was teaching the new girls this morning.

I shove open the door to the main part of the club. It’s unlocked and un-manned due to the early hour, but the sight I find on the other side of the door stops me dead in my tracks. Holy shit! The place is trashed. What was a classy establishment is now littered with empty bottles, discarded clothing, and sleeping bodies that look half dead.

“Looks like the party got a little out of hand once we left,” Romeo mutters from my side. But that is an understatement. My pulse races. What the fuck? I have one night off to have a little fun and this is the shit I have to walk in on. I spot Jagger passed out on the floor by the bar and storm over to him, kicking him in the side. When he doesn’t budge, I go behind the bar and grab a bucket full of ice water. I haul it back over to where he’s comatose and dump it over his head.

From behind me I hear Romeo snicker a laugh.

I throw my head back to glare at him. “Don’t you dare, this is all your fault,” I snap.

Jagger groans out a protest and sits up in a rush, coughing and spluttering, his sleepy eyes finding mine. “What the fuck, Sloane.”

I glare daggers at my brother. This is the last time I ever leave him in charge of this place. Taking his hand, I haul him up to standing. “What the fuck is right. Who the hell let this happen to my club? You said you had it all under control.”

He runs a hand through his hair, his eyes shifting around the place, widening as he takes in all the mess. “Well, shit.”

“Is that all you have to say for yourself?” I slap him across the arm as hard as I can. “You and the other numbnuts who caused this mess better have it fucking sorted by the time I get out of my office to start the day or there will be hell to pay.”

Asher appears, his head popping up from behind a booth seat. “Hey, Sloane’s back,” he calls, obviously still trashed. “With her boyfriend.” He smirks cheekily seeing Romeo at my side, and I want the earth to swallow me up.

What the actual hell kind of world have I woken up in this morning? I glare at him and stomp my foot. “You can find your own way out, Romeo,” I toss over my shoulder before taking off for my office. I have had enough of all men for today.

Once inside, I lock the door and go straight for my desk drawer, pulling out my bottle of pills. I pop two in my mouth and swallow them down with a bottle of water from my bar fridge. My head is heavy and foggy. I need some clarity if I’m going to make it through the day.

On my desk sits a massive vase of red roses. I’m not even surprised. Every year since my mother was killed, they arrive on my birthday. I spy a little card attached and open up the envelope. Inside is a bright red heart with a note that says Happy birthday, enjoy these in my absence. They’re almost as beautiful as you.

I have no idea why, but the words send a chill over me. Every year it’s the same, and every year it kind of freaks me out because I have no idea who sends them. Everyone in my life knows I only like white roses.

Not having time to dwell on the unwelcome gift, I go right for my private bathroom and splash water on my face, drying it off with a cloth, before pulling open the drawer with my stash of emergency make-up in it. I take my time perfecting every detail just the way I like it. Dark eyes, peachy lips, flawless skin. Then I fix my hair in a high ponytail and look at myself again. Much better. I take a deep breath, the control starting to fall back into place.

In my office, I open the cupboard and find a white sheath dress, left just in case I ever needed a fast change of clothes. I strip off my cocktail dress from last night and pull it on, fixing the zipper in place down my back. Then I switch my strappy heels to white pumps, and I’m done. Back to normal. In control and ready to face the mess outside. Fuck, my brothers are immature assholes sometimes. I know when I get out there, I will still have to deal with the mess. They are in no condition to do anything. I shake my head as I open my door to leave my office. Lucky I know how to turn the constant shitstorm they throw at me into gold. This family would be truly fucked if it wasn’t for me.

Onyx is waiting for me just outside the door. He still looks mighty pissed, and I roll my eyes in his direction. This is his fault. If he hadn’t rejected me yesterday, I wouldn’t have felt the need to play up with Romeo. Or maybe I would have. I was a ticking time bomb, but his rejection definitely tipped me over the edge.

“Sloane, before you go out there,” he says, surprising me. I was expecting cold, distant, and broody like he normally is.

“What?” I snap, spinning back around toward him.

His eyes burn into mine, so intense it feels like he’s peeling away every one of my defenses.

He closes the gap between us, and before I know what’s happening, his hands are on me and I’m being pushed into the solid flocked-wallpapered wall behind us. He cages me in with one hand flat against the wall beside me, and the other on my waist. His jaw is tight, his chest heaving, his face so close to mine I can smell him. And fuck, he smells divine.

“What, Onyx?” I say, softer this time, searching his face. Is he going to finally give me what I want and kiss me? I’m almost desperate for it. I lick my lips involuntarily. I have wanted Onyx for so long, it is actually starting to hurt being around him every day.

He leans in, our faces just an inch apart, his breath warm against my cheek. His eyes drop down to my lips for a split second before jumping back to my eyes. Slowly, deliberately, he tugs a fallen strand of my hair behind my ear, his fingers trailing over my cheek, the crazy pull between us electric and all-consuming. And I know it’s no longer just in my head.

“Are you trying to make me jealous?” he growls, his voice thick with restrained emotion.

I blink back at him. Part of me wanted to make him jealous as hell, but the other part just wanted to live for once. Either way, I can’t answer his question. “Are you jealous?” I ask instead, placing a hand to his chest to feel his pounding heart. I want so desperately to be close to him.

He doesn’t answer me. Instead, he lingers, a silent, suffocating presence, his nearness both thrilling and intensely intimate.

When he finally steps back, I’m breathless and panting, my heart racing out of control, my eyes locked with him in question. “Onyx. What the hell?”

A shadow crosses his face as his expression turns serious, his mouth tightening into a thin line. “Did he hurt you?”

I stare back at him, the intensity of his gaze making my heart pound. “Only in all the ways I wanted him to.” My voice is barely above a breath, the words escaping my lips weaker than I’d intended. If he wants me to make him jealous, I’m going to do every fucking thing possible to do it.

I see the flash of hurt, and he pushes away from me. “You have started something you won’t be able to stop, trouble.” He produces a small black box and hands it to me before he strides down the hallway, waiting for me with the door open to the club.

And just like last night and a million times before, I’m left with my breath hitched in my chest as I fight to control my pounding heart. What the hell was that? He saw me with Romeo and now he wants me as well? The whiplash is so bad, I can’t even find something smart to come back at him with. I stare at the little velvet box then pop the lid. It’s a heart charm bracelet, delicate and beautiful.

“For your birthday,” he mutters when I keep staring at the gorgeous piece of jewelry. He’s never gotten me a gift before, nothing like this anyway.

I take the fine bracelet and place it around my wrist, a flutter in my chest. “It’s stunning, thank you.”

He offers a nod, and I pass him the empty box for him to deal with. I wish things were different between us. I would give just about anything to reach up and kiss his edible lips for giving me such a thoughtful gift.

Instead, I straighten my shoulders, lift my chin, and waltz into my club, faking an air of confidence to mask the churning nausea threatening to send me running to the bathroom. I’m the perfect actress, I have been since I was a little girl and I worked out it was the only way to survive this world. Don’t show any of them how you really feel. Don’t show any sign of weakness at all. Last night was a momentary slip-up. One I will never let happen again.

I don’t know where my brothers pulled the cleaning crew from at such short notice, but what was a total shitshow before I left the room is now back to resembling my classy establishment. They even went so far as to have a bouquet of fresh white roses left on the bar for me, their subtle sweet scent wafting my way.

Myriah holds a fresh cup of coffee up in front of my face as she greets me with a sly smile.

“You look like shit,” I tell her, looking her over.

“Didn’t have time to go home and change,” she admits, her head dropped, and I know there is a good story behind her guilty expression.

I look her over properly, taking a sip of my long black as I do. She’s still in last night’s dress, her hair is in a neat ponytail, but her make-up is a little smudged. “Did you stay here last night as well?”

She nibbles her lip. “Most of us did. After you left, things got hectic.” Her cheeks glow with heat as she makes eye contact with Asher.

She didn’t! I don’t want to know if she and my brother hooked up. It’s been brewing for a while, and knowing Asher, he would have taken the chance to make a move, but I don’t need to hear about it. “Hmm. Go home and get yourself fixed up. Your shift doesn’t start until midday.”

“Thank you, Sloane,” she mutters. “And happy birthday.”

“Can’t have you walking round here looking like that, now can we.” I offer her a half smile so she knows I’m kidding and I actually love her to bits.

She throws me a kiss before taking off for the door. I will deal with the fallout from whatever that was later.

What the hell did I miss out on last night? I throw a look to my brothers who have gathered at a table in the middle of the room with fresh coffee mugs of their own. Irritation crawls under my skin when I realize Romeo is still here, and he’s sitting with them looking all too relaxed. What, has he been accepted into the family just like that? Something fishy is going on here.

I march over to the table. “I thought I told you to get lost,” I snap at him. It’s not really what I want, but I can’t deal with his come-fuck-me eyes right now. I have to sort out my brothers and my club. Also, my head feels all kinds of weird. I have a swig of my coffee, hoping that will help.

“Quick costume change.” Romeo smirks smugly at me in a way that tells me he knows all my dirty secrets, and right now, he’s imagining how quickly he could remove this dress and have me on my back for him.

I take a step back from the table, losing my edge. Why are my brothers all looking at me like that? All four of them are here at this table. Jagger and Malachi sit down one side with Asher and Cruz on the other and Romeo at the head. “What the fuck is going on?” I spit, not liking the look of this at all.

“Why don’t you take a seat, Sis, we need to talk to you about something,” Ash says calmly. He looks like he’s sobered up a hell of a lot in the last half-hour.

Jagger has also changed out of his wet clothes and has his emblemed jacket on over his bare chest.

“I would prefer to stand,” I mutter, eyeing them all suspiciously. I feel like I’m about to need the upper hand here. Cruz won’t make eye contact with me, and Malachi looks guilty as hell.

“I’m glad you and Romeo are getting along so well, because from now on, you will be working together,” Jagger announces.

I blink back at him, trying to process what he just said. Romeo and me working together from now on? No, those words don’t make any sense together at all. “Excuse me?” I snap back at him, glancing toward Romeo as I do.

Romeo stands and moves around to where I’m standing, his hand trailing up my arm. I feel the energy shift, and I see Cruz’s fists ball under the table; he’s about to lose his shit and get all protective twin brother on Romeo like he always does. And right now, I’m not sure I would stop him. My heart races like crazy and the room spins around me so much it blurs. Romeo’s touch is the only thing I can focus on, light but very deliberate.

“What Jagger is trying to explain is that I now own a rather large share of your club, so from today, the two of us will be business partners.” His grin widens as if I should be elated to hear this information.

My glare turns icy, Romeo’s face blurring as my insides churn with a tempest of anger, betrayal, and hate. The pain in my chest is a searing, burning agony, a terrible weight coupled with suffocating fear. My head spins, a dizzying black washes over me, the room before me clouding, and then a bone-jarring thud as I slam onto the hard concrete floor, the sound of all my fears echoing in my ears.

Chapter 8

A cool, damp cloth rests on my forehead as I blink my eyes open to find Onyx’s concerned face above me, his embrace a haven of warmth and comfort. He scoops me up in his arms and takes me to a booth seat, resting me down.

“What the hell, Onyx? What happened,” I ask him, confused as fuck.

He looks me over as if he’s checking for signs of damage. “You passed out, trouble.”

Rubbing my head, I can feel a dull ache on the side where I must have hit it during the fall.

“I’m calling Ricky to take a look at you.”

“No, don’t bother him. I’m fine.” Trying to prove my point, I force a smile even though I’m not feeling it.

“Sloane, you hit your head with force.” The look in his eyes tells me it’s more than that. He’s really worried about me. This isn’t the first time I have passed out lately. It happened last week as well.

“I already called him,” I hear Jagger tell Onyx as he approaches us.

Fucking great, just what I need today. Ricky asking way too many questions.

Cruz places an icy cold water on the table in front of me and slides in beside me. “Drink it,” he demands.

He’s such a bossy shit. “Just because you were born a couple of minutes before me doesn’t make you my boss,” I snip as I take the water and drink it down.

“She’s fine,” he tells Jagger. “Bitchy as ever.” He smirks at me playfully, trying to get me to smile back. “Happy birthday, little sis.”

“Happy birthday.” I offer a half smile, as much as I can muster. “Cruz, don’t bullshit me. What the hell is going on with Romeo owning part of my business?”

His head drops, and I know it’s true. Romeo is about to take over a chunk of my business.

“How can this happen?” I whisper, my head going into overdrive with all the possibilities.

His arm comes around my shoulder and he pulls me into him. “You need to talk to him about it.”

I glance back at him. “I want to talk to you about it.”

“I don’t know the details, Sis. Jagger knows more, but he won’t say anything until you’ve had it out with Romeo. If it were up to me, he wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near you, but this shit goes back generations. Jagger says I can’t fix it with my fists.”

Sickness fills me, and I stare back at my brother, feeling helpless and out of control. “If Romeo fucking Moretti thinks he can march in here and take over my club, he has another thing coming.” Bitterness drips off my every word I’m so damn angry.

“That’s the attitude,” Cruz agrees with me, hugging me a little tighter.

But he doesn’t know the half of this situation. Romeo tricked me, used his charm to find out my secrets then get me into bed. I’m an idiot. I’m supposed to be smarter than this. I went nearly twenty-five years without letting a man corrupt me. One moment of weakness and now what. Oh God, I can’t even think about it. Dizziness consumes me as my head begins to spin once more. I grip hold of the table.

“Sloane, you okay?” Cruz takes hold of me, pulling me into his chest. “Hey, you’re okay,” he tells me.

But I’m not. Yesterday I fucked up, and today, staring down the barrel of my bad choices isn’t pretty. How did I let this happen?

“Can someone get her some food or some shit? She’s about to pass out again,” Cruz calls to the rest of them.

While my brothers wait for Ricky to arrive, I slowly snack on the California Crunch wrap they brought me, listening to their hushed conversations while they think I’m not paying attention. But I am. I can hear every damn word they say, and I don’t like any of it.

Romeo has left, but he expects me to have some fucking fancy dinner with him tonight to discuss the details of our joint ownership. Joint ownership! It doesn’t make any sense, how can he be making a claim on the club I built from the shithole it was when Syd died? This club was nothing back then, a seedy brothel and strip club where their women were treated like shit and all the profits went into his drinking habit. I won’t let Romeo take it from me.

“Sloane.” I hear Ricky’s voice and glance up to see him smiling down at me. “You want to go to your office so I can take a look at you?” he asks kindly.

I push off my seat to standing, and Onyx comes to help me. “I can walk on my own,” I snap. He backs off, and I walk with Ricky through to my office, not missing the way they all look at each other as I do.

It’s just Sloane being bitchy again, I’m sure one of my brothers is about to say. But what they don’t get is I have to be like this just to survive alongside them. You’re born a dude and you walk into a room, people pay you respect just because you have a dick and balls. Me, I had to fucking earn my balls through blood and sweat and making sure every fucker around knew if they messed with me, they would be dead. Yeah, I have a lot of blood on my hands. Maybe even more than my brothers. But this is the life I was born into, and I’m not giving it up because some asshole wants to control me.

When I’m settled on the sofa in my office, Ricky closes the door and comes to sit beside me. “Are you okay if I listen to your heart?” he asks.

“Sure.” I shrug, not caring either way. “My brothers are fussing over nothing. You know how they are.”

He chuckles lightly, and I know he agrees with me. “Better to be safe than sorry.” He pulls out his stethoscope and places it on my chest, listening.

“Oh God, do you know how old you sound when you say shit like that?” I smile at him so he knows I’m teasing, anything to distract me from this awkwardness.

He moves to my back, checking there as well. “I am old. And so are you today. Twenty-five. Happy birthday, sorry we didn’t get to celebrate much with you last night.” I don’t miss the way his brow raises in question as he says the words. I know what he’s asking: what did I get up to with his cousin? I bet Harley told him to ask me, she must be dying to know.

“Thanks. Some birthday, passing out and hitting my head.” I rub the spot that is still sore.

He looks me over, concerned. “Yeah, after I check your blood pressure, I will take a look at that.” He shows me the arm cuff he needs to put on my arm to check my blood pressure, and I nod, agreeing. He slips it on and pumps up the pressure thingy, making a sound I don’t like. An uhmm. What the fuck does that mean?

Waiting for him to enlighten me, I shoot him a piercing glare, but he just takes off the cuff and places it back in his bag. “Show me where you hit your head.”

I lift my hair so he can take a better look at the side of my head.

He feels around. “Are you still feeling lightheaded?”

“Not right now.”

“That’s good.” He pulls out a little flashlight. “Can you look at the light for me? I just want to check a couple more things.”

I nod, and he instructs me on where to look, flashing the bright light into my eyes.

“Are you on any prescription medication at the moment?”

“Nope,” I say a little too quickly.

Ricky looks me over. “Are you taking medication that wasn’t prescribed to you?” he asks a little more slyly.

I sigh heavily. Lying to a doctor is probably bad karma or something, but I don’t want him talking shit about me to my brothers. “Can you swear whatever I tell you will stay between us? You can’t even tell Harley.”

“Doctor-patient privilege, your secrets are safe with me.”

I stand up and walk over to my desk drawer, retrieving the bottle of Xanax one of my staff had stolen for me, and hand it to him.

He scans the bottle, his face growing more concerned as he reads. “How many of these are you taking, Sloane?”

I twirl a long strand of hair through my fingers, trying not to meet his piercing gaze. From the tone of his voice alone I know he’s not happy with me. “Just the odd one when I’m feeling extra stressed.”

Rising to his feet, he moves until he stands directly in front of me so I can’t look away from him this time, his eyes intense. “How many did you take this morning?” he demands.

I glare back, the unspoken truth hanging in the air.

“How many, Sloane?” He raises his voice to a scary tone I haven’t heard from Ricky before.

“I had a stressful morning, alright? I took a couple,” I admit, knowing I sound stupid, but he doesn’t know the shit I have to deal with on the daily.

He looks unimpressed, a slight frown furrowing his brow. He rummages through his bag before pulling out a crumpled prescription form. “This is the wrong dose for you. Especially if you take two or more at a time. You have low blood pressure, and that could be caused by the medication, but I would like to monitor you for the next few weeks just to see. In the meantime, go and get this filled. It’s the correct dose for you to start on. We can up it if you really need to, but let’s start you off and see how you’re feeling.” He takes the other bottle and places it in his bag.

I glance over the prescription for Lexapro, wishing it was that easy. “Ricky,” I call him back.

He turns back to me, his eyes narrowed in thought.

“Thanks, but I can’t go get that filled.”

“Why?”

“My life is so public; I do anything, the whole fucking world knows about it. My bodyguard, my brothers, you get it, right? I can’t be the crazy bitch who has to be medicated. It’s a fucking sign of weakness to them.”

He stares back at me, and I can see him thinking it over. He knows I’m right. “I’ll get it sorted for you.”

“Thank you.” I offer him a half smile, really appreciating his help with this.

“You’re lucky I owe you a favor for looking after Harley when she needed it.” He smirks, and it makes it all the way to his boyish dimples. We both know he would have done it for me either way. He’s one of the good Morettis.

“Ricky, can I ask you something?” I nibble my lip, wondering if this is a terrible idea or not, but I have to know what I’m up against, and he’s his cousin, so he must know something about him.

“Anything.”

“What is the go with Romeo?”

“You got a thing for my cousin?” He chuckles playfully.

“No,” I snap in disgust. I may have had a thing for him a couple of hours ago, but that thing dried the fuck up the moment he tried to mess with what is mine. “He’s trying to fuck me over. I want to know what I’m up against.”

His face grows more serious, and I know he knew nothing about it until this very moment. “Fuck you over how?”

“That’s what I want to know. You boys brought him here last night, you must have known he had an agenda.”

He runs a hand through his long hair. “I’m sorry, Sloane, I really didn’t. He’s staying at the Moretti mansion while he’s in town. He said he had some business debts to follow up for his papa. He didn’t mention anything about you. We all just assumed you took an instant liking to each other last night.”

“Okay. Thanks then.”

“How bad is it?”

“I don’t know yet.” I sigh, wishing I had more details.

“Drop by our apartment on your way home and I’ll have that bottle of pills for you. I’ll see if the others know anything about Romeo as well. But if he gives you shit, you come to us, and we will deal with him. He might be our cousin, but we don’t know him all that well, and you’re Harley’s girl, so we will back you all the way.”

“Thanks.” I smile, so grateful. Knowing I might just need to take him up on that offer; he and his brothers have a lot of sway around here. “I’ll see you later.”

He offers a wave as he walks out the door, closing it behind him.

I slump down in my office chair feeling lost, knowing my pills are no longer in my drawer. I pour myself a whiskey from the decanter and turn on my computer. The first thing that flashes up on the screen is the camera footage for room six of my private rooms. The room I was staying in with Romeo last night. That motherfucker! Onyx is the only one with the key to my office, so he must have been here last night watching us via the security footage. I could fucking kill him. Happy birthday, Sloane. Your bodyguard stayed up all night watching you with your one-night stand, and your fucking one-night stand has turned out to be the lay from hell who wants to steal the business you have spent your entire life building.

Twenty-five is going to be one hell of a year.

Chapter 9

As I walk through the front door of Casa Moretti, with my shoulders back and my head held high, the aroma of garlic and tomatoes instantly fills the air. This is one of the finest Italian restaurants in Ravens Hollow and as good a place as any to get this over with. I’m not letting this motherfucker get to me. He might have manipulated me into bed, but I’m Sloane Stryker, and he’s about to find out what that really means.

Ricky was kind enough to have my new meds all sorted for me when I dropped in to see him and Harley this afternoon. Their apartment is just two doors up from mine. He wasn’t, however, able to enlighten me any further about what exactly Romeo wants with my club. Jagger says I have to meet with him tonight to sort it out before his demands get out of hand. After last night, it’s the last thing I want to do. Negotiate with the man who stole my virginity, knowing all too well he was about to screw me over. What did he think, we would fuck then he would tell me we were business partners, and we ride happily off into the sunset together? I’m not going to stand by and let him take over what I have worked so hard to build either.

Romeo had demanded I meet him at the Moretti boys’ mansion, but fat fucking chance I’m going to do anything he says, so here we are at the Moretti boys’ family restaurant instead. Me in killer heels and a red velvet mini dress with long sleeves, my hair in a high ponytail and my make-up painted to perfection. And him waiting for me at a table in the center of the room, in an expensive navy-blue suit that makes him look like an Italian catalog model. His wavy hair is tousled just so, in a way that makes my fresh hatred toward him melt a little. Shit. Tonight is going to be tougher than I had imagined.

He stands as I approach the table. “You’re late,” he comments, unimpressed.

“And you’re an asshole, so I guess we’re even.” I smirk, as bitchy as I can be. Fuck him. I’m late because I had to find the most torturous outfit possible. I need him to be squirming in his seat tonight if I’m going to walk out of here with my business in one piece.

He leans in and kisses my cheek, his lips brushing my earlobe in a way that sends a shiver down my spine and butterflies taking off inside my stomach at the same time. “Don’t make a habit of keeping me waiting, doll face. You won’t like the consequences.”

I take a step back from him, my heart already racing erratically. “See, that’s where you’re wrong. I don’t give a fuck about your consequences. I don’t answer to manipulative motherfuckers like you in any way. I do what I want, when I want, and that won’t change for some cocky asshole in an expensive suit.”

His grin broadens, and he takes me in with a fresh twinkle in his eyes. “I’m going to have so much fun proving you wrong.”

“Waste your time with some other girl who wants to play your fucked-up games. I’m not interested,” I snap back, my voice sharp, his infuriating attitude pushing me to the edge.

“Take a seat, Miss Stryker, we have a lot to discuss,” he says a little more seriously, but there is still a stupid grin on his face that tells me he thinks this is all some big joke. He pulls my seat out for me like the perfect gentleman we both know he’s not.

Reluctantly I sit, knowing I can’t storm out of here yet. Not until I know exactly what he wants. On the table is a bottle of red, a glass in front of me already filled. I collect the glass and take a sip. The rich aromatic flavor warms my insides.

“I took the liberty of ordering for you, as you were fashionably late.”

I have a little more of my wine, trying not to bite back. It’s what he wants. He’s trying to prove he has some control over me. “Thank you,” I say instead, my fake-ass smile not reaching my eyes. They burn with flames of fury directed at him.

“Are you feeling better?” he asks, some concern in his voice that actually sounds genuine. It shouldn’t when he’s the one who caused me to pass out from shock.

“Just perfect.” I smile tightly.

“You looked very unwell this morning. I hope my cousin was able to help get to the bottom of what is going on with you.”

“My medical concerns are none of your business.” I glare back at him. Is he actually kidding me?

A server arrives with our meals, placing the eggplant parmigiana down in front of me and a porter house steak in front of him. The smell of fresh basil and parmesan fills my nostrils and makes my stomach grumble.

I thank him and glance back to Romeo, wondering why he picked this for me. I didn’t tell him I was a vegetarian last night, and since he got himself the steak, I feel like this was done on purpose.

“Something wrong with your meal, doll face?” He wastes no time in slicing into his steak.

“How did you know I was a vegetarian?” I snap, thrown off balance.

He shrugs. “Just a hunch.” His eyes roam over me like it’s obvious, but we both know it’s not.

Bullshit. Something in the way he looks at me as he says it makes me really uneasy. I feel like he’s playing me. Like he knows way too much about me, when I know very little about him, and I don’t like it. “Why am I here?” I growl.

“Eat your meal, Sloane, we can discuss the details later.”

“I want to know what the fuck is going on now. No more messing around. Last night you tricked me, manipulated me into sleeping with you.” I say the last part more quietly so the couple next to us can’t hear me. “I want to know what exactly you want from me.”

He leans forward, watching me with interest. “Eat your meal. You already fainted once today. I don’t want it to happen again when we start discussing business.”

Oh, the fucker. I want to toss the knife I’m holding across the table at him. God, it would feel good to knock that smug-as-shit smile off his face. I grip it tightly in my hand, stroking my thumb over the shiny handle.

“Stop having evil thoughts about what you want to do to me with your knife, Sloane, and eat up. The sooner you do, the sooner we can get down to business.”

I pick up my fork, sinking it into the roasted eggplant, slicing my knife through its flesh. The parmigiana’s smoky aroma fills my nostrils as I lift a generous portion to my mouth. Chewing, it’s delicious, and I wish I could enjoy it more, but the man watching me from the opposite side of the table has left such a bitter taste in my mouth, I just can’t.

“How about we place a wager on this evening.” He smirks cheekily.

“I’m not playing games, I already told you.”

“You give me what I want without any fuss, and I will let you come home with me tonight,” he continues as if I didn’t speak.

The cocky asshole. I blink back at him in total shock. Who the hell does he think I am? I place my knife and fork on my plate and collect my glass of wine, polishing off the remainder of the glass. “What in my attitude toward you makes you believe I want to come home with you ever?”

His eyes light up, and I feel like I just took the bait he was dangling for me. “Everything about you.” His shoe brushes up against the inside of my foot, in a deliberate move to touch me, sending a trail of goosebumps in its wake. He swiftly knocks my leg out to the side, followed by the other one so he can run his shoe up the inside of my leg.

I sit up a little straighter, trying to close my legs, crossing one ankle over the other to force him out. Fuck him for thinking I would let him toy with me again.

“We might have only had one night together, but I can read you like a book, Sloane. Every little desperate inhale as you try to get your racing heart under control. Every subtle glance my way. Every time you moisten your lips, I know you’re imagining what it felt like to have my mouth on yours. Even the way you smell, I know I turn you the fuck on. One night wasn’t enough for you.”

My heart races, knowing how true his words are, even if I don’t want them to be. I thought last night was something different to what it was, and my needy body got her first taste of how good sex can be. I want more, but I won’t let him in like that again, not now that I know he has an agenda. Once was a mistake, twice… twice isn’t an option. “You’re wrong,” I whisper, the words getting caught in my throat.

“I’m not. I have studied you for long enough to know every little detail about you.”

I stare back at him, the silence heavy between us. Does he mean last night? The sinking feeling in my stomach tells me he doesn’t. He was watching me before yesterday. Last night was all some elaborate set-up. I straighten my shoulders, feeling a surge of confidence. “You have five minutes to tell me exactly what you want with me or I’m leaving.”

“I want to offer you a partnership deal.”

My eyes lock with his. “Excuse me?”

“I will allow you to run The Raven’s Nest alongside me.”

“Alongside you? What in the fresh hell are you on about? I own that club, I have since Syd left this planet. I run it alone. It’s mine, and you won’t take any of it from me.”

He runs a hand through his stubble, assessing me. “Your father secretly used your club as collateral to pay off his rather large debt to my papa. Unlike yours, his club was a piece of shit that my family didn’t see as worth anything until earlier this year when I was tasked with cleaning up all of his acquisitions. The impressive growth of your club is evident in the significant profits you’ve made in recent years, a testament to your hard work and shrewd management. Your success also means I now have an interest in what I’m entitled to. I will be claiming part ownership. Our parents’ deal was forty percent your way, sixty mine.”

I stand in a rush, my heart feeling like it’s going to pound right out of my chest. He has to be kidding me. “Even if this bullshit is true, you were entitled to sixty percent of the shithole the club used to be when Syd owned it, not sixty percent of what it is now,” I shriek.

“Sit down, Sloane, so we can talk about this without causing a scene.” He nods toward the older couple to my side, making it look like I’m the one being unreasonable here, when really it’s him. He can’t just come in here and demand this from me. I have spent years building that club up to be what it is now.

“Fucking Alex,” I snap. He must have known something about this, it’s why he let him into my party.

“Alex wasn’t privy to this information, none of the Moretti brothers were. Enzo did a real number on the family and all ties were severed with Italy. If you want anyone to blame, you need to look closer to home.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you wonder why your beloved brothers let me get close enough to go off with you at your party?”

I had wondered why after years of their overprotectiveness they let this one slide. But I didn’t consider what it really meant. I had just hoped all my years of persistent nagging at them to trust me to take care of myself had finally paid off. Turns out they would have been right anyway. Romeo was just trying to use me. And I fell straight into his trap.

My heart races like crazy as I try to consider what to do. My body tells me to run, but my brain says I have to stay and fight for what is mine. My head spins, and I take hold of the table for support. My eyes are all splotchy, and I feel like I’m about to go down again like I did earlier today.

Strong hands come to my arms, stabilizing me. “You need to sit down; I’ll get you some water.” Romeo’s voice comes over me like a warm blanket. He actually sounds like he gives a shit, and for a second, I let my mind drift back to last night, the man I thought he was, so sweet and caring. But it was all a lie.

I suck in deep breaths and find my balance, taking a step away from him. I don’t want his treacherous hands on me.

Before I know it, Onyx appears silently by my side. His dark eyes, intense and questioning, bore into mine, asking if I’m alright before he glares at Romeo to back the hell off.

Romeo watches us together. “I have this under control,” he tells Onyx, his tone unimpressed.

I shake my head in Onyx’s direction, a wave of dizziness washing over me. Onyx wraps an arm around my waist, his touch warm and reassuring, protectively shielding me from the truth I can’t tolerate.

“You will hear from my lawyer,” I throw over my shoulder at Romeo as I let Onyx guide me out of the restaurant and toward my Porshe. Once I’m safely inside, he slams the car into drive, the engine roaring as we speed up the road. My hands shake uncontrollably as I stare down at them, a cold sweat slicking my palms. Everything I worked so fucking hard for and he’s going to own it. All because of my fucking stupid sperm donor.

“What the fuck did you know about all of this?” I yell at the top of my lungs as I stride into the apartment I share with Jagger, my body vibrating with pent-up anger and adrenaline. I have had the entire car ride to get more and more worked up.

Onyx follows closely behind me, locking the door. He moves into the kitchen, pouring a couple of drinks, one for himself, the other for me. To my disappointment, he hands me a glass of water. I take a sip then place it down on the coffee table when I see Jagger strolling into the room.

He looks half asleep in just some low-slung sweatpants, his hair going in every direction. I hope I woke him up. He must be tired as shit after last night. That’s what he gets for spending the night on the floor of my club, too drunk to move. “I take it the date didn’t go so well.” He checks his watch for the time.

My hands move to my hips to stop from finding anything around to throw at him, because right now, I want to hurt someone, and he might just be it. “It wasn’t a fucking date, and you know it. That asshole is demanding I work alongside him, he says he owns sixty percent of my club. We both know that can’t be true, you signed it over to me after you dealt with Syd.”

My brother moves closer to me cautiously, one hand resting on my shoulder as his eyes meet mine. “Sloane, we both know Syd was a slimy cunt. Who knows what kind of dodgy deals he had going with the Morettis, and any other fucker for that matter.”

“What I want to know is what you knew about this. Don’t use your words to manipulate me like you do every other dumb person around, Jagger Stryker, I know you too well. Tell me the damn truth, it’s what I deserve.”

He runs a hand through his hair, stress lines appearing on his forehead, and I know I’m not going to want to hear what he has to say. “Syd got into a bit of trouble with the Italian Morettis, and he was going to lose the club. Like they were about to burn the fucking place to the ground with him inside. Romeo’s papa and Syd were tight. He made him a deal to keep the place running, but it meant Syd had to sell him a larger share, so technically, the Morettis owned the club. After Syd was eliminated, nothing was ever said of the deal again, so we all assumed it was forgotten about. Not important enough for Romeo’s papa to try and claim his part. The club was a piece of shit no respectable businessman would want to admit being involved in.”

“Until I turned it around.”

He nods sadly. “Romeo contacted me last week and said he wanted to talk about what you had created. That was the first I knew he was even interested in making a claim. I swear, Sloane. I didn’t think this would come back on you.”

I shake my head, a fresh wave of anger coursing through me. “That’s just it, isn’t it. You never think, and it’s me who is left to clean up the shitstorm you all create for me.”

“I’m sorry, Sis, I know what that place means to you.” His voice, thick with unspoken grief, holds a heaviness that reflects the weight in my own heart, and I know this is killing him. He’s been my rock, always beside me, his unwavering support a constant presence all throughout my life. I have this club because of him. Despite being furious, I can’t shake the feeling that he would never have willingly assisted Romeo.

“Why didn’t you come to me last week, so I was prepared? You all let me go off with him last night, and you knew who he was and what he was trying to do.” I can’t admit to my brother how stupid I was, but I’m sure he can imagine.

His head drops and he stares at his feet. “He said he needed time to talk to you alone. I was hoping the two of you could work out an arrangement to make this all work. He’s a shrewd businessman worth millions. This is what he does.” He takes my hand in his, looking down at me. “Sloane, I’ve already contacted our lawyer. Their agreement was tight. There is nothing you or I can do about this. Romeo Moretti owns more than half of your business, and you will either have to sell him your share or work out how to get along and run that club with him. It’s a fucked-up mess, but there is nothing I can do this time.”

I pull my hair out of the ponytail it’s in and massage my scalp, not sure what to do next. “Fucking Syd is still screwing me over, even from the grave.”

“You knew that cunt wouldn’t just lie down and die.”

I glance back at my brother. We both hated the man equally. I’m sure it was him who killed him in the end, but no one has ever admitted as much to me.

“Romeo’s not so bad, Sloane, and he seems to genuinely have a hard-on for you. Use it to your advantage.”

I stop massaging my scalp and stare back at him in shock. Is he saying what I think he is? “All my life you have been the one out there protecting me, making sure the scum of the earth doesn’t come anywhere near your precious little sister, and now what, you think I should just pimp myself out to make this arrangement a smooth one? What the fuck, Jagger!”

His face contorts in anger. “Don’t twist my words because you’re pissed about this. All I’m saying is it wouldn’t hurt to get along with him. The two of you are going to be working closely together whether you like it or not, so make it easy on yourself.” He looks me over, and I see his protective big-brother instincts are still there. “Maybe it’s time we all accept that you’re not a little girl anymore and you’re more than capable of taking care of yourself.”

I have fought so fiercely for my independence over the years, I can hardly believe the words coming from his mouth. In fact, I don’t believe them. “What did he offer you? When he called you last week to discuss my business, what the fuck did he offer you so he could have access to me?” I spit back at him, my anger flaring up again. How dumb does he think I am?

He rolls his lips, and I know I’m on to something. “He’s a dangerous man, Sloane. He and his family hold an awful lot of power, and he’s come prepared. He’s spent months researching everything there is to know about our family and you. And he’s not afraid to use the information to get what he wants.”

I glance at Onyx, wondering what the hell he’s making of this shit. His face doesn’t give a lot away, but I know he’s taking in every detail and has an opinion. “The motherfucker is blackmailing you? How the fuck did that go? Give me access to your sister without her bodyguard around and I won’t rat you and your brothers out to the authorities for all the shit you’re involved in? That sounds like some primary school shit right there.”

“You hit the nail on the head, though. He wanted one night with you, in exchange for his silence. You know I had no choice, Sloane.”

That fucker. Irritation slithers down my spine. What the hell does he want with me? My club and my body? It doesn’t make sense. “You had a choice. You could have come to me and I would have worked this out. I wouldn’t have…” I stare back at my brother, the man who practically raised me, knowing there is no way in hell I’m going to admit how badly I actually let Romeo manipulate me. I feel so stupid. So dirty. He was just using me. I still don’t understand why he needed to fuck me. He already had his share sorted out and enough intel on my family to fuck us over if he needed to. Why spend the night with me at all? He could have just come down here and demanded we give him what he wanted, and we would have had no choice.

“We’re doing everything we can. Malachi is searching for any information he can on Romeo and his family. But I think he wants more than just the club when it comes to you, Sloane,” Jagger says as if he has just read my thoughts.

“Why?” He’s the guy who could have any girl he wanted. He’s wealthy as hell, good-looking, smart. None of those things I would admit to him out loud, but they are all true. Why blackmail my brothers for a night with me? Why spend months researching my family just so he can do it?

“That you will have to ask him.”

I’m suddenly so exhausted I can’t see straight anymore. Jagger is no help. If anything, he’s just made this situation worse because he’s confirmed my suspicion that Romeo has been spying on me like a damn creeper and that’s why he knows so much about me. It’s unnerving. “Any information he finds come straight to me. Don’t keep shit from me again.”

He glares back at me, matching my intensity. He knows I’m serious. “I will fix this,” he says, but we both know he can’t now.

I stalk from the room, slamming my bedroom door for emphasis. In a huff, I shimmy out of my dress, folding it over the armchair in the corner of my room. I take my silk pajamas and slip them on, then climb into bed and turn off the light. I try to close my eyes, but even through my exhaustion, thoughts keep stabbing at my brain. How long was he watching my family for? What exactly does he have on us, and how does he intend to use the information? Why charm me into bed only to fuck me over the next morning? None of it makes any sense.

When I have tossed and turned for what feels like forever, I hear my door slowly creak open and then closed. Onyx’s shadowy figure moves across the room and comes to lie at my side like he has done a million times before when he knows I’m upset. He pulls me into his big strong arms, cradling me carefully, as if he might break me.

I inhale his masculine scent. He feels like home to me. And why wouldn’t he? I have known him forever. I snuggle into him and close my eyes, playing with the delicate bracelet he gave me earlier today.

“Sleep now, my beautiful girl,” he whispers so quietly I nearly don’t hear him.

A silent sob wracks through me. The control I desperately need over every aspect of my life is slipping away. No, scrap that, some asshole is trying to steal it from me. Last night was the biggest mistake of my life, and I’m going to pay dearly for it. Is this what Onyx was talking about when he said I had started something I wasn’t going to be able to stop? Initially, I thought he was referring to us, but now I'm afraid he was actually talking about Romeo.

Chapter 10

My phone dances across the kitchen counter, and I collect it, answering immediately when I see who it is. “Sloane, you need to get down here,” Sally’s voice comes down the line, and I don’t miss the hint of panic. I’m up for the day and having breakfast after running ten miles on my treadmill, while Onyx took his aggression out on a punching bag. I was feeling energetic and ready to take on the day, but the tone of her voice has me wanting to crawl back into bed and hide away from the world.

“What’s wrong, Sally?”

“The cops are here,” she mutters, trying to keep her voice calm.

I stand in a rush, grabbing my bag. “For fuck’s sake. Keep them in the front bar until I get there.” I give Onyx a look, and he grabs his leather jacket and the car keys and the two of us are out the door and heading for the elevator. “Actually, keep me on the phone. Put it in your pocket, I want to hear what’s going on until I get there.”

“Alright,” she says, and I hear the rustling of fabric as her phone is slid into her pocket. “The owner is on her way. I can’t give you access to any other areas until she arrives,” she tells them, and I thank God at least my manager is sharp as a tack.

“We can wait,” comes a man’s deep voice. One I recognize from someplace but can’t quite place.

We hop into my Porshe, and Onyx takes off up the road in the direction of The Raven’s Nest. This isn’t the first time we have had the cops sniffing around since the new team took over from the corrupt pigs who were controlling this town. That’s why I have it all set up as a legitimate business. Workers aren’t technically employees but independent contractors, which shields me from legal liability for what happens in the VIP rooms. We wipe all security tapes off the server every twenty-four hours; the only copies being held in an offshore server that Malachi set up for me. As that thought runs through my tired brain, my skin suddenly goes all prickly, with sweat running down my spine. “Fuck.” I cover my phone with my hand so I can’t be heard by Sally.

“What?” Onyx glances my way concerned.

“I didn’t wipe the server yesterday.” I fan my face, feeling like I’m going to be sick. If the cops see what I did with Romeo. Worse, the party. Shit! My stomach rolls.

Onyx’s hand comes to my thigh. “Sloane, stop panicking, I took care of it.”

I meet his dark eyes, my heart starting to settle. “Thank you. I never forget.”

His brow raises, and I know he knows I’m right, but yesterday got out of hand.

“One bad day and I could have fucked up everything.”

“You had a lot on your plate yesterday.”

“Onyx, what happened between me and Romeo...” I start, not sure how to approach it but knowing we can’t keep skirting around what I did with him. Especially if Romeo is going to be hanging around the club more.

“We don’t have to talk about it,” he cuts me off, his face hardening, and I see how furious he still is about it.

I give him a sideways glance, telling him we both know we do. “I know you watched us,” I tell him, wondering what he has to say for himself.

His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t give me a response. He just stares out the front windshield as he tears into the parking lot of The Raven’s Nest. I guess I didn’t really expect him to admit he watched me screw some other dude. But I needed him to know I knew. He can’t get away with shit like that without me finding out about it.

“Did you get off on it?” I ask, my heart pounding with a newfound bravery.

His fists grip the steering wheel with white-knuckle force, and I know I’m pushing him. I wait for him to snap at me, but nothing.

“Did you like it?” I push, still watching him, waiting for him to crack and finally come clean with me.

“I have a job to protect you,” he growls.

“We both know that was going way too far. You watched us because you wanted to.”

He gets out of the car and comes around to my side, yanking open the door with more force than necessary. Yeah, he’s pissed I know his dirty little secret.

I step out of the car, keeping my eyes locked with his. “Answer me, Onyx. You watched me fucking some other guy because you wanted to.”

He moves in closer, his large frame caging me in, his head dropping closer to mine. His breathing is ragged, and I know he’s about to lose control. “You know I want you. You taunted me all fucking night. And then you let him fuck you because you knew I couldn’t. Yeah, I watched you. I watched you and I imagined it was me making you come apart. Tasting your sweet little cunt, stretching you for the first time. It should have been me.”

Oh fuck. A thrill runs right through me. I stare back at him, my heart racing out of control. That was the answer I wanted. I pushed him for it. But now what do I do with the truth? He wants me as much as I want him but nothing else has changed.

Another car pulls into the lot, a matte-black Maserati GranTurismo, and I remember why I’m here. Fuck, the cops. Onyx steps back from me, and I storm toward the back door, swiping us in with my all-access pass. But as I do, Romeo arrives at my side. “What the hell are you doing here?” I snap at him. It’s too damn early to deal with a Moretti.

“Heard the cops are sniffing around, thought I better come and help.” He smiles confidently like some kind of hero. Not my hero.

“You can help by staying out of my damn way,” I throw back at him as I move inside.

He follows right behind me, and both Onyx and I know there is nothing we can do to stop him. But he is the least of my problems right now. I need to get rid of the cops before the media gets wind of this and my clients think my club isn’t safe anymore.

I shove open the back door, the smell of bleach hitting my nostrils. Thank the Lord the cleaning crew have already been through this morning. I find two plainclothes police officers—a man and a woman—and a flustered Sally in the main bar area. With a determined stride, I march right over to them, flinching a little when I recognize one of them and realize why I know his voice.

“What seems to be the problem?” I ask with an air of confidence I don’t have right now. What the fuck did I say to this dude the other night? I try to recall our conversation. I know he made me all hot and bothered, but the actual conversation is fuzzier. Jagger makes a point of us knowing every cop in every role from the local precinct. It’s the only way we can make sure some unknown doesn’t come in here and start sniffing around without us knowing about it. But this guy isn’t on any list of their current employees, Malachi would have found him if he was.

“Are you the owner of The Raven’s Nest?” he asks, trying not to show we have already met. He is breathtakingly handsome, every bit as good as I remember him, with perfectly tousled sandy-blond hair, his voice a low sexy rumble. And I realize exactly why Police Commissioner Sedgwick sent him—eye candy. She’s smart. I met her a few months ago and instantly liked her. Even if she is on the wrong side of the law.

“Yes,” I respond at the same time Romeo does. I direct a pointed glare in his direction, telling him to politely fuck off. This is my club.

“Sloane Stryker,” I offer, holding out my hand for him to shake. His fingers meet mine right as I look up into his piercing green eyes. This guy, with his sun-kissed skin and laid-back attire, looks more like he belongs on a beach with a surfboard than on the beat with a badge. Something in the way he assesses me makes me smirk. I would love to push this guy’s buttons. We had a fun chat while he was sitting at my bar. I’m disappointed to find he’s a cop. We could have had so much fun together.

Romeo’s shirt brushes my arm as he moves in beside me, breaking my contact with the charismatic officer. “Romeo Moretti. Sloane and I co-own this club,” Romeo introduces himself, way too cocky for my liking.

Sally’s eyes come back to me with concern, and I know what she’s thinking. Who the fuck does this guy think he is? But one problem at a time.

“I’m Detective Wilder.” He didn’t even give me a fake name. I’m even more intrigued by him. “This is my colleague Detective Scout.” He motions to the young female officer who looks me over with interest piqued.

She looks strangely fascinated with me, like you would expect a young fan to look at her favorite pop star, but we all know I’m a far cry from that. “We have a warrant to search the premises for signs of illegal prostitution, Miss Stryker,” she says, the tremble in her voice giving away her fear.

I suppress the urge to roll my eyes. Not this shit again. “A warrant? It’s starting to feel like a monthly ritual. Last time it was Detective Hachette, wasn’t it? A real charmer.” I arch an eyebrow toward Wilder as he’s clearly the one in charge of this witch hunt. “As I told him—the club operates on a private-party-only basis. Our luxurious rooms are spaces for private entertainment, nothing more. Every patron signs agreements acknowledging that our staff are entertainers and consenting adults. It’s pretty simple stuff, no need for a monthly visit.”

Detective Wilder doesn’t flinch like his partner. He meets me eye to eye and the strangest sensation comes over me, much like it did when I met him the other night. A familiarity I don’t understand. “We’ll need access to all security cameras, financial records, and client lists, Miss Stryker.”

I straighten my shoulders, trying to get out of my fantasy of who this guy was; I know who he is now. My glare intensifies to ice queen, fists clenched, ready to boot him and his partner off my property. I don’t care how hot he is.

“Of course. We wouldn’t want to obstruct the law, would we, Sloane?” Romeo smiles at me, all charm. “However, as I’m sure you’re aware, accessing client lists without evidence of wrongdoing will require more than just a fishing expedition. But the cameras and financials? Knock yourselves out. You’ll find everything in order—just like last time,” Romeo adds, his eyes meeting mine in a way that says cool it or you’re going to fuck us both over.

Irritation slithers down my spine. Who the hell does he think he is, acting like he knows what’s going on here. He knows nothing about this place. Truth is, it would serve him right if he got arrested on day one of owning this place. It would be his fault for involving himself where he shouldn’t, now wouldn’t it.

“I want to see the rooms as well,” the detective adds, his gaze coming back to me.

I plaster on my fakest smile and huff out a laugh. “Of course. I’ll take you through to the rooms now while my manager Sally walks your colleague through the books. Follow me.”

Onyx meets my gaze as I go to walk away, and I know what he’s thinking. He warned me about talking to strangers, and here I was flirting with this dude unashamedly the other night. Now he turns out to be a cop.

I feel all three men behind me as I sway my way through the empty tables on my way to the back door. Glad I chose a pencil skirt to wear this morning, knowing I have all three of them watching my every move.

After we take the stairs, I use my keycard to swipe us through, and we enter the strip club. Just like yesterday a couple of the new girls are having dance lessons on the center stage, with upbeat music blaring through the speakers. They look my way, and I wave at them to keep going. We head right on through to the back, and I swipe us through again. Once the door is closed, it’s quiet through the dimly lit hallway. At this time of the day, it’s empty, and every one of us in this space right now, including our new detective friend, knows if they wanted to see the real action, they would come during opening hours. This is a formality. His boss probably needs it ticked off her list to prove she’s doing her due diligence as the new commissioner, but she’s not really after me.

I enter a PIN code and the door to room one flings open. Detective Wilder enters the room, the air growing heavy with tension, and I see his breath catch in his chest. His eyes find mine in the floor-to-ceiling black mirrored wall. My rooms are opulent and sexy as fuck. He’s turned on just imagining the dark and dirty things people get up to in here. How could he not be.

“Looks like a brothel to me.” His gaze burns into mine, a tangible heat in the intensity of his stare. He might be doing his job, but he has a thing for me, it’s damn obvious.

My lips turn up at the sides into a sassy smile. This guy takes his job so seriously. I know the type, and right now he’s trying to keep his composure and look professional. I bet he’s never done anything fun in his life. I could have been so good for him. “Or does it look like a luxurious hotel room that is booked out by the hour?” I step in closer to him. He is so near that the invigorating smell of clean skin and mint fills my senses. “People meet at places like my club and decide they want to spend a little more time together. It’s innocent really, Detective, we’re all about helping people find their match and fall in love at my club.” I run a hand up his arm, enjoying the way his breath hitches when I touch him. “What goes on behind closed doors is up to the couple themselves. If you’re free sometime soon, you should drop by the place and have a go for yourself. I’m sure being a detective on the streets of Ravens Hollow is an inherently lonely job.”

His bushy brows rise. “Are you saying your services are on offer?” he asks, his voice a low murmur, but I know right now he’s trying to trap me into saying something I shouldn’t. How dumb does he think I am?

“Like fuck they are,” I hear Romeo grumble from behind me.

Reef looks him over with fresh eyes, and I can see he’s trying to work out who this guy is. If he’s done his job correctly, he’s researched me and my club, and he wouldn’t have found anything about Romeo in that. His attention comes back to me, his eyes roaming up my body all the way from my six-inch pumps to my tight knee-length pencil skirt and fitted blouse that shows off a little too much cleavage.

I raise a questioning brow, and I know I have his attention captivated. He’s fascinated by me, trying to work me out. And that is exactly where I want him. “Not at all, sir. I run this place, I don’t have time to party.”

I hear Romeo snicker from behind me, and I choose to ignore him, as much as I want to slap him across his handsome face. All my attention is on the detective. He knows I know he’s the guy I had such a nice chat with the other night. It was clearly all fake, as he was here undercover. Must be the week for assholes who want to lie to me and screw me over.

I tilt my head to the side. “Have you seen enough yet or would you like a private tour of every room?” My voice is way too suggestive, and I know I’m probably pushing this a little too far, but I don’t miss the way his pupils dilate. He wants me.

“I think I’ve seen enough.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a business card, handing it to me. “In case you find yourself in more trouble than you can handle, Miss Stryker,” he says, glancing ever so slightly toward Onyx and Romeo, implying I might just be in trouble already. He still thinks he can save me from my life, how adorable.

I take his card and slip it under my button down-shirt and inside my bra as he watches me. “Thank you, Detective. I assume I can call you any time of the day or night?” I smile slyly, hoping to appeal to his imagination. He’s certainly going to be more fun to mess with than the other old dude who visited the last couple of times.

His eyes meet mine with an intensity I don’t miss. “If that is what you need.”

Romeo holds out his hand for Reef to shake. “She’s messing with you.” He snickers, but there is a hint of jealousy in his tone that I quite enjoy. “I’m sure we won’t need to be seeing you around here again. As you can see, everything is above board.”

Reef offers a quick sharp shake of his hand. “I’ll be the judge of that. What did you say your name was again?”

“Romeo Moretti,” Romeo says so smoothly, his accent sounding sexy as hell.

“Hmm.” He takes another card. “I’m head of sex crimes in Ravens Hollow. If either of you hears of or sees anything I should be made aware of, I’m sure I can trust you to contact me.” With that, he walks toward the door.

I move in front of them all, swiping our way back through the building. When we make it to the main bar, we find Sally and the other detective.

“All done?” he asks his colleague.

“Nothing much to see. The tapes have been wiped, and the books look squeaky clean.”

I grin at him like I told you so. “Don’t be a stranger. If you want to take me up on that offer, I’m sure we can find a nice girl to keep you warm at night, Detective.”

I hear Onyx growl out a warning, and I know I need to shut the fuck up. But I just can’t. This asshole was in here scoping out the place, and I’m not going to let him get away with it.

His gaze comes back to me, a little too much heat in it. “Next time I’m back it will be with a warrant to shut this place down, Miss Stryker. You and your team might be good at hiding what is really going on here, but I can see right through the charade. Be very careful and know we are watching.”

That last line just gets me the wrong way, and I can’t hold my tongue. “You’re not the only one with eyes, Detective. You’re new around here so I will give you a day to adjust, but just know if you come for me, you will regret it.”

His sidekick’s bottom lip trembles, and I know I have her shaking in her boots. But his glare intensifies.

“Sloane,” Romeo mutters, his hand grabbing my wrist as he pulls me back toward him in warning.

“What my colleague means to say is have a nice day, detectives, thanks for stopping by,” Romeo talks for me.

Reef takes one last look between the two of us then walks out the front door with his associate closely behind him.

Romeo spins me to face him, his fingers still digging into my arm. “What the fuck was that, Sloane?”

“That asshole was in here chatting me up the other night.”

“You’re so pissed because he tried to play you, you’re trying to risk our business?”

“This is my business, not yours. And I have been just fine dealing with things my way for a very fucking long time. I don’t need you coming in here and telling me how I should run things or deal with the cops.”

He breaks into an over-the-top smile. “That is exactly what I’m here to do.” He looks at Sally and Onyx. “Everything changes today,” he announces to the room, his voice booming off the walls in its empty state.

My blood boils, from his barbaric hold on me and from his tone. Fuck him for thinking he’s going to come in here and change things. He has another thing coming if he thinks I will just lie down and take it.

Chapter 11

Romeo releases my hand, his eyes narrowing in on me. “Think it’s time you show me your office.”

I glare back at him as if he has to be kidding me, but what other choice do I have. According to Jagger, he owns a bigger percentage of this place than I do.

I meet my manager’s eyes, and she looks back at me, worried. “Sally, can you get started for the day? I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

She nods tentatively, and I know I’m going to have a lot of explaining to do when I get back.

I don’t give him another second of my attention, instead striding across the room, expecting him to follow along with me.

He falls into step beside me. I can feel his smug-as-shit smirk from here, but I’m not looking his way. I can’t give him the satisfaction.

I swipe us through to the back hallway, feeling completely out of control. Letting him into my personal space is the last thing I want to do, but I know this conversation can’t be had in the common spaces where staff can hear. I inhale deeply as I swipe us in, looking back toward Onyx, wondering if I should let him in for this meeting as well. If things go south, I might need him. But it’s also another complication I’m not sure I can deal with. I know he’s insanely jealous of Romeo.

On a whim, I give him a nod, and he enters the room silently, moving in behind me protectively. I need him right now.

“Please take a seat.” I smile tightly at Romeo.

He ignores my suggestion and remains standing, walking around my office with his hands in his pockets. “You know, Sloane, this doesn’t have to be difficult. We both proved the other night we can get along very well.”

Onyx is standing so close to me I feel him stiffen.

“I can’t see how it’s going to be simple for you. You think you have some right to take what I have worked on for years, this amazing empire I have built from the pile of rubble Syd left it in. You think you’re going to take it from right under me. How fucking dare you. You know what this business means to me.” Anger radiates through my body. I want to lash out at him, I want to fucking hurt him the way he’s hurting me right now. It actually would be less painful if he tore my beating heart out of my chest while I was still alive. Having to run this club alongside of him will kill me.

“It’s not personal, doll face. It’s business. Don’t look at me like I’m the asshole trying to destroy your life. More a partner in crime.” His lips twist up cheekily, and I know he doesn’t get it. How could he, he hasn’t lived this life. He didn’t grow up here, he’s not a female in a male-dominated world. He doesn’t understand the fight.

I move across the room, closing the gap between us, getting up in his face. “You don’t know the first thing about running a club like this,” I spit back at him, bitterness dripping off my every word. The women who work here depend on me to take care of them, I can’t let them down. “This isn’t just about me. I have over fifty staff who work here because they know they will return home to their families at the end of the night. They have placed their trust in me, their lives in my hands. This isn’t just a way of making money.” My body shakes all over I’m so fuming mad.

He watches me, his face an uncaring mask. His kindness the other night was all a lie. He didn’t really care about me. Without warning, his hands land on my shoulders and he stares right back into my eyes.

I hear Onyx move across the room as well. “Take your hands off her.”

Something washes over Romeo, and I feel him suck in a breath. “Your staff will continue to be safe. I don’t know what kind of monster you think I am. Now they will just have two people looking out for their best interests,” he says more softly, like he’s trying to appeal to my nurturing side. But I don’t trust him.

Onyx moves into view, his eyes dark and scary as fuck. I see the anger radiating off him. “Get your hands off her,” he says again.

Romeo raises a brow toward him but moves his hands back to his pockets, taking a step away from me. He moves across the room to my wall of photographs. He studies them, lingering longer on one in particular, my mother. “Who are these?”

“None of your business,” I snap, collapsing down into one of the soft velvet armchairs feeling lightheaded again. Onyx is right there handing me a bottle of water from the bar fridge. I crack open the top and have a sip, still not feeling any better.

Romeo moves to sit opposite me. “I’m here to help you, Sloane, take some weight off your shoulders. I know how hard you have to work to keep this place running.”

My eyes narrow in on him, remembering what my brother said about him spending months researching everything there is to know about all of us. “Because you have been watching me.”

His eyes meet mine, and I know it’s true. The fucker has been spying on me somehow. “Because no one could run a place this massive alone.”

“Bullshit.”

“Enough of the tantrum, Sloane, we have work to do.” His tone is harsher now, I have just pushed him too far. He can’t even admit to me what he’s been up to. At least now he knows I’m on to him. He gets out his phone and types something into it, then slides it back into his pocket. “I have just sent you my plans for the next six months. Please read them over and get back to me with your thoughts. You have created an incredible blueprint with this club, one I think we can replicate and make a lot of money in the process.” His eyes meet mine again, this time though, the warmth is gone, replaced with fierce determination. “Your support is appreciated and will make the process easier for us both, but I'm doing this regardless of your decision to comply, so the only one missing out will be you.” He stands, still looking me over, I think waiting for me to reply. But I have nothing left to say to him. He nods and turns to leave. “One more thing. I’ll need one of these all-access security cards by end of day.” He opens my door then closes it behind him.

I grab the first thing I can find, a vase of white roses sitting on my coffee table. I hurl it across the room in the direction of the door he just walked out of. It shatters into tiny pieces, just like my fucking dreams, water and white rose petals littering my rug. My body is more tense than I have ever felt it. I feel like I’m going to snap. I stand and march to my computer, flicking it on and pulling up my emails. Sure enough, there sits an email from the devil himself, Romeo Moretti. The title: The Raven’s Nest Partnership and Proposal.

My skin goes all clammy. I glance back to Onyx who is reading over my shoulder. “I can’t do this with him. I’ll kill him.”

“There has to be something we can do to stop him. Has Malachi come up with anything on his family yet?”

“Onyx, I think we’re fucked.” I look back at the screen, trying to read over the details.

“There will be an uproar, people won’t stand for an outsider coming in and changing things.”

“They will leave, but where do they go? It’s not safe out there on the streets for them.”

Effective immediately, all aspects of The Raven’s Nest—operations, management, and finances—will report directly to Romeo Moretti. While I appreciate the meticulous detail and hard work poured into building this establishment in the past seven years, I envision a future far exceeding its capabilities under the current management.

Through my direction, The Raven’s Nest will become a high-profit, diverse business, with multiple revenue streams, a strong brand presence, and a loyal customer base, resulting in exceptional financial growth. The changes outlined below are essential for achieving this vision. Your cooperation is anticipated and non-negotiable.

Fucking bossy asshole is all I can think. “Your cooperation is anticipated and non-negotiable.” I read it out loud, shaking my head as I do.

I’ll expect your confirmation of receipt and a commitment to this plan by five p.m. today.

All breath is sucked from my lungs, and the computer screen in front of me blurs. There is a list of points, but I only make some of them out, it’s all too much for me to take in.

My role will shift to more operational control when needed, is a line that stands out to me. Operational control? What the fuck.

I also see points about him taking all the earning control back from the working girls and the strippers. So, he will control all profits. But he can’t do that. It won’t work for anyone except him.

There is also another point about additional revenue streams. This includes private VIP lounges, targeted memberships, and event packages, some of which we already do. There is an asterisk next to that one, with a point that reads talk to Sloane about her idea for finding true love VIP event.

What the fuck? Is he talking about the shit I just spun in the VIP room to Detective Wilder? I was talking out my ass, that wasn’t an idea.

In a matter of months, he’s going to destroy the safe environment I have worked so hard to create for my girls. The images of the beautiful women I have lost stare back at me from my wall, telling me I can’t let this happen. Their horrific sacrifices can’t be for nothing, I won’t let them be.

Onyx’s strong arms tug me up and out of my chair and into his embrace. He holds me so close that for a split second I feel safe. “He doesn’t know how this place works, Sloane. You have to show him. Tell him what happened to you and your mom. I saw what he was like with you when the two of you were alone, he cares about you. This contract is bullshit, him trying to take control because you’re pushing him away. He’s just trying to get your attention.”

“The other night was all a lie, Onyx. To trick me.”

His eyes meet mine. “Why would he bother? He already had the ability to take what he wanted. That night was about you. Jagger is right, he wants more than just your business. You need to talk to him properly, tell him what this place really is. I think he might listen to you if you give him a chance.”

I pull back from him just a little so I can see his face. He knows me better than anyone else, probably better than I know myself. I shake my head. “He got enough of me already. I’m not… I can’t.”

“It’s probably the only way to save what you have created. If you can’t do it for yourself, do it for the girls.” His dark eyes meet mine, and I know he’s right.

“I have until five,” I say with a little more determination, my mind starting to race with the possibilities of what that could mean. I’m not going to roll over and let him take over my life, or let him in on why this place is so important to me, not yet, when there is still time.

As I run out the back door heading for my Porche, I dial Sally’s number.

She picks up on the first ring. “What the fuck is going on, Sloane?” Her voice is hushed.

“I’m so sorry, Sal, Syd is fucking us over from the grave,” I cry as Onyx and I get in my car and he starts up the engine.

“I don’t know what that means, but can you please try and explain in English? The staff are getting anxious.”

“Is Romeo still there?”

“He’s making himself at home, set up his laptop at a booth table and all. Please tell me what he said to the cops isn’t true, he doesn’t own this place alongside you.”

“If I can’t stop him by five today, then unfortunately yes. But keep that to yourself. I’m going to try and stop him, but I need you to cover for me.”

“Okay,” she says tentatively. “Where are you going?”

“Moretti Media,” I say with a sly smirk. There is only one person I know who can help me now.

“Good luck with that.”

I glance at Onyx, and I know even he thinks I have lost my mind this morning. “Thanks, I think I’m going to need it.”

Chapter 12

I march into Alex’s office on a mission. There is only one way to deal with this infuriating man, and that’s meet fire with fire.

He glares up from his computer, his brow furrowing. “Sloane Stryker, what can I do for you?” he asks, surprised to see me. It’s no secret I’m not his favorite person and he’s not mine, but we tolerate each other for Harley. He offers a nod to Onyx as he moves in to close his office door and stands by it. The last thing we need is anyone in Moretti Media getting wind of this conversation.

I stare him down. “You can force your cousin out of town.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen. From what he’s told me, Romeo intends to stay in Ravens Hollow indefinitely. He has a thing for the women here. Are you two having a lovers’ quarrel? You looked pretty cozy at your party.”

My glare intensifies, anger radiating off me. I couldn’t just sneak off and fuck a man. No, I had to do it so damn publicly everyone knows about it, even Alex Moretti. “Well, you better fucking do something, or all of our hard work is going to be for nothing.”

Now I know I have his attention. He straightens, his playful expression turning serious. “What the fuck are you talking about, Sloane?”

“Check your emails. I just forwarded you the bullshit that was sent to me this morning. That asshole thinks he’s going to take over my club and destroy every good part of it. The girls are going to freak the fuck out, Alex. Girls you and I have both saved. I might not be your favorite person, but you and I both know how important what I’m doing is to this town and its people.”

He brings up his email, and I watch as he reads over the bullshit email Romeo sent me as I pace back and forth, not able to settle into a seat. I have all this erratic energy buzzing through me. I feel so out of control. Just knowing he is there in my space while I’m out trying to fix this problem makes me feel icky. I don’t know how yet, but he has to go.

While I wait for Alex to read over the document, I pull the business card I stashed in my top out. I had forgotten it was there. I study it. Detective Reef Wilder. His name has such a ring to it. Maybe I could call my new detective friend and see how willing he really is to help me. But that would be a last resort. I’m sure when Alex sees exactly how bad what Romeo intends to do is, he will help me. He has to.

“For fuck’s sake,” I hear him curse as he runs a hand through his hair, the vein in his neck looking like it’s going to burst. Then his furious eyes are back on me. “This won’t work.”

My eyes lock with his. “No shit. We have until five p.m. today. You have got to dig some dirt up on him or some shit so I can stop him.”

“What do you want me to find?” Alex asks, and even he looks perplexed as to what he can do.

“I don’t give a shit what it is, Alex, just find something good. You have better resources than any of us. I need leverage. He thinks he has shit on my family and a claim because of what Syd did, selling his papa a massive share of the business. It has to be good enough I can use it to stop him. With a family like his, there are some skeletons in the closet, there has to be.”

Something flashes in his eyes, something dark, and I know there is. Alex already knows more than he is saying. He stands, moving around to lean on his desk as he watches me. “I can’t be seen to be involved in this.”

I nod, understanding his predicament. He has to look loyal to the family, I get how it works. I also know deep down Alex is one of the good ones; he wouldn’t have saved all those girls from his papa if he wasn’t. “But you will help me. I took in your girls when you needed me to, and this is going to affect them as well.”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to help you. I just can’t be seen to be. Anything I find didn’t come from me. Got it?” His eyes lock with mine, and I know how serious this is.

“Yep.”

He moves toward the door, ready to kick us out. “Alright. You will have what you need by five.”

“Thank you.” I glance back at him. I’m not a hugger, and for the most part I can’t stand this man, but if he can actually help me, he will earn a new tier of respect from me.

Onyx and I take the elevator down to the ground floor. I inhale a deep breath, my head spinning a little as the car takes us down the ten floors. I can feel his eyes on me the whole way. “What?” I eventually snap.

“I’m worried about you, trouble.”

My eyes meet his. “I’m fine.” I sigh, feeling anything but. The lack of control is causing a mental fog that makes it hard to focus and think clearly. I’m not sure how I’ll survive till five p.m.

“You’re not. What did Ricky say when he checked you out?”

“It’s just low blood pressure. I’m fine, really. I would be better if I didn’t have to deal with assholes like Romeo Moretti trying to take over my life, but there is no need for you to worry.”

The elevator doors ping open, and we walk out into the foyer of the fancy building where Alex’s office resides. I falter, just for a second, catching myself as my head spins. Onyx doesn’t skip a beat. Gripping my elbow, he directs me to a quiet corner of the lobby.

He stares down at me, worry lines forming on his forehead. “You’re not okay. When is the last time you ate anything?”

I try to think through the fog. “Last night at the restaurant. I was about to have breakfast when Sally called me this morning, and I haven’t had time to even think about food since.”

He shakes his head. “But you took your pills and chased them with some whiskey,” I hear the disappointment in his voice.

I inhale deeply. “Okay, so I need some food.” I roll my eyes. I spot a café just outside the building. “We can grab something there before we head back to the club. Happy?”

His hand trails down my arm. “I will be when I see you eat.”

“Come on then.” I push out from under him and stride across the empty foyer, heading for the little café. Once inside, I line up in the queue, searching the chalkboard above the counter for something I feel like eating. Quinoa and halloumi salad should hit the spot. “What are you having?” I ask Onyx, knowing he wouldn’t have eaten since breakfast, he’s been too busy with me.

“The beef burger. What about you, some rabbit food salad that won’t fill you up?”

I roll my eyes in his direction and offer a half smirk. He knows me all too well. “I’ll have you know my choice is high in protein, iron, and fiber. A balanced diet is important.”

“You need something more substantial, some meat.” The way he says it makes me think he’s not talking about the burger, but him. Or that could just be my mind. Since he admitted to me this morning he is into me as well, I can’t look at him without my mind going to the gutter. I think the stress of the situation I’m in is making it even worse. I want him to whisk me away.

We place our order and find a table that looks out over the street while we wait for our food to arrive.

“Sloane, what I said this morning, I was way out of line.”

My heart sinks. I thought I was finally getting somewhere with him.

“You pushed me, and I said something I shouldn’t have. I apologize.”

I blink back at him. “I don’t want you to apologize. Don’t you get it yet? I taunt you because…” I suddenly feel shy and unsure how I’m supposed to say this. I stare out the window, watching the traffic drive by, because I can’t look at him. “Because I want you.”

“We both know that is a really big problem. Nothing can ever happen between us. Do you understand?”

I stare back at him, disappointed and hurt. “Why?” I know the reasons, but they’re all bullshit.

“You know the reasons.”

“I want you to tell me why two consenting adults can’t act on their feelings.”

His head drops. “I’m nearly twice your age.”

“Thirteen years isn’t even close,” I snap back.

“I work for your family; my main job is to keep you safe. Your life is more important to me than anything. If we got involved, it would compromise everything,” I hear the heaviness in his voice, the emotion.

“What about what I want?”

“Keeping you safe is more important than what you want,” he answers with a determination that kills me.

My eyes narrow in on him. How can he be serious? He’s going to ignore his feelings for me all because he thinks he won’t be able to protect me if we’re involved. Today just keeps getting better. I nod. “Okay then,” is all I can come back with. He’s made up his mind. That’s how it’s going to be then. I’ll just shove my feelings back inside and pretend they don’t exist, like I have for fucking forever.

Our food arrives and the two of us eat in silence. Normally we can be together in silence for hours and it’s comfortable, feels like home even, but right now the tension is so thick you could carve it. His rejection cut me deep.

When we are both finished, I stand to leave, knowing I have to face Romeo and my staff back at The Raven’s Nest. Onyx is right, I feel better after eating, even if I don’t want to face the rest of today.

“Trouble.” He stops me with a hand to my side. “Things won’t be weird between us now?”

“Nope, why would they be? You made it clear where we stand. I’m a job for you, that’s all.”

“You’re infuriating.”

“So are you,” I throw back at him. Yeah, things will be normal between us, but that is the last thing I want.

He releases me, and I walk away from him. Heading through the door of the café, a sadness settling over me. I’m so distracted I don’t even notice the man right in front of me and run straight into a brick wall of a human.

“Sorry,” I splutter, glancing up to see a familiar face. For fuck’s sake, is today messing with me? How am I quite literally bumping into Detective Wilder again?

His hand rests on my shoulder, stopping me from going over. His eyes settle on mine. “Are you okay?” comes his deep voice. It washes over me like a blanket, all warm and comforting.

“Yeah, I just wasn’t watching where I was going. Sorry again.” I offer a tight smile, pulling out of his grip on me.

Onyx stands beside me, muscles tense, and I feel his burning glare on Reef as the two of them assess each other, the air crackling with tension.

Reef’s eyes linger on him for a beat longer then come to me, a half-smile tugging at his lips. “I’m actually glad we ran into each other.”

“You are? Why?”

“This morning got out of hand; I was out of line.”

“Okay,” I say sarcastically, not sure what he wants me to do with that.

His green eyes sparkle, and his lips twist into a hot-as-fuck smile. This dude might be a cop, but he’s gorgeous. “Let me make it up to you with dinner tonight?”

“What?” I snap, confused.

Again, he looks at Onyx then his eyes come back to me. “I want to take you out for a meal to make up for my behavior.” He spells it out for me, I’m sure because I’m staring back at him confused as hell.

“You were just doing your job. And we both know I can’t be seen having a meal with a cop.”

“So, it’s not a no.”

I can’t help but smirk back at him, my cheeks coloring. “It’s a this is a really bad idea for both of us.”

“I’ll pick you up at seven then. From the club?” he pushes, his smile way too charming.

I laugh. Is this guy for real? “I can’t go to dinner with you.” I go to walk away.

“See you at seven, wildcat. Be ready for me.”

Fuck, something in the way he says his nickname for me makes my insides light up. I look back over my shoulder, not able to help the smile that crosses my face when our eyes meet. “I’m not going out with you, Detective.”

“We’ll see,” he says with way too much confidence for a man in his position. He is the enemy; he and his friends would destroy my business given half a chance. But I already know, if he turns up, I’ll leave with him because I’m so fascinated.

“Don’t even think about it, trouble,” Onyx grumbles when he sees my stupid grin.

I glance back at Onyx as we walk toward the car. “Why not? You going to stop me?” I ask, already knowing the answer. He won’t, but he might tell my brothers.

His glare turns deadly.

“Then I guess we will just have to see what kind of mood I’m in when he shows up at the club tonight. I could do with a proper date, with a nice guy.” I smile happily to myself. Detective Wilder’s timing couldn’t be better. Onyx turns me down and he’s right there to show him what he’s missing out on.

A growl comes from his lips. “He would fuck you over given half a chance and you know it.”

“As long as he fucks me first then, I’m good,” I snap back just to irritate him.

“Sloane,” Onyx warns as he opens my car door for me.

Yeah, I know I sound like a brat. But fuck him. He doesn’t want me, and I’m not hanging around the club pining for him. By seven tonight, that club might not even be in my control anymore, and I might just need a fucking distraction with a sexy smile to take away my pain.

Chapter 13

It’s four forty-five, and I’m back to pacing the Persian rug in my office, freaking the actual fuck out. I avoided Romeo the rest of the day, working in other sections of the club so I didn’t have to deal with him. But now I’m running out of time. “Why haven’t I heard anything from Alex yet?” I ask Sally and Onyx.

“He’s a man of his word, you will hear from him in time,” Sally says nervously, and I’m not sure she even believes her words, but she’s trying to keep me calm.

“I hope so, for all of our sakes.”

“Is Romeo going to sit out there all day? It’s awkward trying to manage the place around him. He keeps watching me.”

“He’s probably waiting for his moment of glory where he gets to come in here and take over my office.”

I hear an email notification ping on my phone, and I move quickly to check my computer, praying to anyone who will listen that it’s from Alex and not Romeo. Sure enough, there is something from Alex. I open the attachment, with both Onyx and Sally reading over my shoulder.

Attached is a contract between Emilio Moretti and Syd Stryker, outlining that Syd has transferred sixty percent of ownership of his business Nest of Sin to Emilio Moretti. Evidence it’s actually true. Emilio must be Romeo’s papa. My blood boils with irritation as I close the attachment and open the next one.

The next is a hit contract, signed by Emilio Moretti, approving the hit on Katrina Stryker. The date is two days before my mother was raped and killed. My skin goes all prickly, and I have to take hold of my desk so I don’t go over. What the actual fuck. Romeo’s papa was the one who ordered the hit on my mother? This is fucking awful, but it’s also exactly what I need to have something over him. I have no idea how Alex got his hands on this contract, but I’m thankful. I hit print and wait, feeling like steam is ready to pour from my ears.

As soon as the document prints, I delete the email from Alex so there is no paper trail. Then I march out into the bar and find the table where Romeo is sitting typing away at his laptop. “Did you fucking know?” I snap, my voice filled with venom. How could he have known and still come to my party, charming me? Spending the night with me? His papa ordered my mom dead.

He raises a curious brow, looking way too pleased to see me. “Know what, doll face?”

With shaky hands, I forcefully place the piece of paper in front of him.

He picks it up and runs his eyes over it. I see the creases form at the corner of his eyes as he takes in what is in front of him. “Where did you get this?” he demands, his voice hardening as his expression darkens. And I know I did good, he’s furious.

“Answer me,” I seethe, not giving anything away.

He pushes out of his seat, towering above me all powerful and domineering. Taking my hand in his, he forcefully pulls me along with him in the direction of my office. I try to snap my hand back, I don’t want him to touch me, but I can’t. He’s so damn strong when he’s pissed. And right now, I may have just pushed him too far. Well, good, because I have reached my limit, and this shit needs to end tonight. Hopefully with him leaving with his tail between his legs.

Onyx appears at my side. “Take your hands off her.”

“It’s okay, Onyx,” I say, not needing him to step in. I’m not scared of Romeo, not one little bit. He should be scared of me, right now.

“Swipe us in,” Romeo demands. “Don’t push me, Sloane. You and I both know we can’t discuss this out here.”

I know he’s right, the club is starting to fill up with the regulars. With a flick of my free hand, I swipe us in, with Onyx following closely behind. This time, though, I don’t let him in my office with us. I give him a look, and he knows he has to stay outside, as much as I know it will kill him when he’s already feeling overprotective of me around Romeo. But right now, I need to have it out with Romeo alone.

As soon as the door is closed, Romeo pounces on me. “What the fuck are you playing at shoving this in my face?”

I point to my chest, my eyes going wide. “Me? What the fuck are you playing at? You came in here the night of my party with one thing on your mind only, fucking me over. After you fucked me. You knew everything about me.” My voice trembles, I’m so fucking fuming. “Including what happened to me that night, what I lost. You tried to act all fucking sweet and caring, when really you were just manipulating me into spending the night with you, all along knowing the damage your fucking papa had caused my family. What he did to my mom.” Tears choke up my throat, but I won’t let them free. I don’t fucking cry over anyone, and I won’t cry over this asshole.

He meets my intensity. “The only one to blame for what happened to your mom is your father.”

“I don’t have a fucking father,” I screech back at him, knowing how crazy I sound, but right now, I don’t give a fuck.

He moves toward me, caging me in so my back is up against the door and his large frame is everywhere. My heart races out of control. “Syd Stryker fucked over the Morettis; your mother lost her life because of what he did.” His voice is harsher now, a bitterness that carries pain and hate with it.

I glare daggers up at him, not letting him have any power over me, even if he’s so much bigger. “If what he had done was so terrible, why kill an innocent woman? Why not kill the piece of shit who did it?” That question has been in my head for nine years. Why did she have to pay for his sins? She was a beautiful, innocent woman who never would have hurt a fly.

“He needed to pay off his fucking debt. Trust me when I tell you this, what happened to your mother that night is nothing compared to what would have happened if my papa took her back home with him. Your father might have been a slimy piece of shit, but my papa is pure evil.”

I stare back at him, my heart racing out of control, my breathing ragged. I can’t believe I ever had a thing for him. I can’t believe I let him spend the night with me. “Either you back the fuck off and let me run my business as I see fit or I will expose you and your family for the criminals they are,” I bite back, having no idea how I will really do it, but I’m sure I can work it out. If Alex could come up with this in just a few hours, imagine what else they are hiding.

“What, with this bit of evidence?” He shakes the paper. “You’re going to need more than that to bring down my family. Besides, my papa isn’t even in the country. All of this rests on his shoulders, not mine.”

“But you are in this country, and right now, you’re the one in here demanding I let you take over what I have created. I won’t stop until I have everything I need on you. If you push me, I will make you pay.” I glare back at him with determination. I’m not like other women he would have come across. I’m bitter and twisted as fuck, and I will do whatever it takes to destroy him.

He scowls back at me, just as furious, neither of us backing down. “I’m not walking away from this opportunity,” he finally says. “Your father signed this business over to us; you know I have you there.”

I know he’s right, but there has to be a compromise that works better for me. I rack my angry brain, trying to work out how I get around all of this.

“I’m not walking away, Sloane. You try and fuck me over, I will come back at you just as hard. I have things on your brothers that could destroy their lives. And we both know what they mean to you.” I don’t flinch. I keep staring back at him, ice in my eyes. “Or is it Onyx who is your weak spot?” His head tilts to the side as he takes me in. “Yeah, that’s the one. Your bodyguard holds a special place in your heart, doesn’t he?” His hand trails along the side of my face, and I recoil from him, not wanting his hands on me. “I know what he did for you that night. The two men he killed to save you. You never should have gotten out of here alive, should you, but Onyx made sure you did. I guess you owe him your life. Wouldn’t want to fuck him over just to keep me out of this place now, would we, doll face.”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I hate this man right now with everything in my being, but I know he’s right. I will never do anything to fuck over Onyx. He means too much to me. “Compromise,” I say the word with a strength I don’t have right now.

Now I have his interest piqued. “What kind of compromise?”

I purse my lips together, trying to think it over. “You let me keep running this place just like I am, but I will help you to expand, help you set up other clubs like this and show you what I have been doing and how I make it profitable for me and the staff who work for me. You said you like my blueprint, so let me help you have some clubs of your own.”

His eyes flash with something, intrigue maybe. “I want sixty percent of all the profits made here as well.”

My stomach sinks. I have no fucking clue how I’m going to swing it myself, when my profit margin was already tight, just making sure everyone else got paid before me, but it’s better than him taking a cut from the girls. I’ll go without so they don’t have to. “Done. But next door, Nestled Serenity Spa, is out of the deal. I set that business up alone, it has nothing to do with the club.” I glare back at him.

“I have no interest in your day spa.”

“Then we have an agreement as long as you remain a silent partner here, letting me make the big decisions and looking after my staff.”

His lips twist up at the sides but it’s not in a smile; he’s trying to contain his frustration toward me. “I want to be involved in the decisions, Sloane. I have new ideas I want to implement, ones that will see you also benefiting.” His hand trails down along my side, sending a shiver down my spine. “We can make a lot of money together; I want you to benefit from this partnership as well.” The way he says it makes me think he wants more than a business partnership from me. He’s trying to stay involved here because he wants to work closely with me.

“I don’t care about the money. I have the final say.” Knowing I can’t work alongside him every day, it will be impossible with the tension between us.

A flash of surprise comes over him. He’s probably never had anyone in his life who didn’t care about the money as a top priority. His face softens, and I feel his hand settle on my waist. “I can work with that compromise on one condition. You go on a date with me tonight.”

I blink back at him, so shocked I don’t know what to say. He has to be kidding me after the fucking stunt he pulled. After me finding out about the monster he’s related to. But either way, he is trying desperately to get some control over me. “Not if you were the last man on earth,” I seethe back, a bitter smile etching onto my face.

His lips twitch up at the sides in a cruel smirk. “Then I guess I will have the final say.” His other hand comes to the other side of my waist, his fingers digging into my flesh as he holds me in place against the door, a blatant assertion of power.

“Why are you trying to control me? What do you really want with me?”

“Everything.” His eyes run over my face in a psychotic way that for the first time scares me. Not because I think he would harm me, but because I know how serious he is. He collects a piece of my hair that’s fallen and feels the silky strands, tucking it behind my ear when he’s done. “I’m obsessed with you. From the first moment I laid my eyes on you, I knew I had to make you mine.”

My heart kicks up a beat, staring back at him, knowing it’s true. “You know how crazy that sounds, right?”

He chuckles darkly. “You’re starting to work me out.”

I purse my lips, my heart thumping a frantic rhythm against my ribs, knowing this is a mistake but paralyzed by a lack of alternatives. I won’t let him have all the control around here, there are too many people relying on me to keep them safe. But I know he’s not going to walk away easily either. “I can’t tonight, I’m busy. But tomorrow I’m all yours.” I sigh heavily, knowing it’s a mistake already. But how bad can one night alone with him be?

“Tomorrow it is.” His face breaks out into an all-out smile, like he just won big, and it makes him look even more crazy.

“Dinner, that’s it,” I add, making sure we are being perfectly clear on my intentions going forward. I hold out my hand for him to shake on it. He gently removes his hand from my waist, then takes mine in his, our fingers intertwining as we shake. He brings my hand to his mouth, the soft pressure of his lips a tender caress on the back of my hand. His eyes meet mine in a way that makes a flutter run through me. Oh, dear God, what is wrong with me?

“Dinner, then we will see where the night takes us. You will come to the Moretti mansion, where I’m staying.” His expression is way too smug for my liking. He doesn’t know me half as well as he thinks he does. I surprised him today by doing my own research. And I will surprise him again tomorrow, leaving him right after we finish our meal.

“Dinner,” I reiterate.

“Dinner,” he agrees, but his eyes tell me he wants so much more. “What are you doing tonight?”

Now it’s my turn to smile smugly. I wasn’t so sure if I was going to go or not, I’m dog tired, but now I have an excellent reason. One that’s even better than the man being extremely hot to look at. “I have a date with the charming Detective Reef Wilder.”

“Like fuck you do.” His eyes flare with fresh anger.

But I don’t give a shit. I push out of his tight grip on me and move around to the other side of my desk, pouring myself a drink, trying to take a little control back.

“Sloane, I’m serious. I forbid you from seeing him,” he says, his voice rising.

I sigh heavily, having a nice big swig of my whiskey. “Lucky for me you have no say in what I do in my personal life, Romeo. And if you want this very fresh business deal to run smoothly, you will remember that.”

Chapter 14

As I had assumed would happen, right at seven, Jagger and Asher arrive at The Raven’s Nest. Apparently, this situation calls for not one, but two big brothers. I can hear their booming voices before I actually see them, turning to spot them strutting through the place, heading right for me. Onyx ratted me out again. My pointed look in his direction, sharp and cutting, is met with a careless shrug, his eyes filled with amusement.

“Bit late, boys, I have averted both crises without you.”

Asher kisses my cheek in greeting. “What crisis? We’re here to stop you going out with detective surfer boy.”

I toss my hair over my shoulder. “I had assumed as much, but you’re out of luck tonight. I don’t give a fuck what either of you thinks, I’m leaving here with Reef, and if you interfere in any way, I can promise you, you’re going to regret it.”

“Feisty tonight, Sloane.” Asher chuckles.

“Settle down, Sis, I’m not going to stop you from going out with him. What I said last night still stands. You’re a big girl, you have proven you can take care of yourself. And it might not be a bad idea to have the detective on our side with the new commissioner breathing down our necks.”

“I thought…” Asher says, glancing between us, confused. Even he didn’t expect Jagger to let me leave here with the detective.

My eyes narrow in on him. “If you’re cool with it, why are you here?”

“I said I would let you go out with him, but I didn’t say I wasn’t going to have a friendly chat with the boy first.” His grin twists.

“Boy? He’s a man, probably your age.” I smirk, watching as Reef walks through the door. Yeah, he’s either brave or stupid. I guess tonight I’m about to find out which one. I leave my brothers’ sides and move across the room, feeling like I’m being pulled toward him with magnetic force. I don’t know what it is about him, but I want to know more.

His face lights up, and he tosses his hand through his long hair. “You look ready for a date. Stunning as ever,” he compliments me.

I can’t help but return his warmth. “You must have a death wish.”

“Nah,” he says, a smirk playing on his lips, “I just think you’re worth the risk.”

“Good answer. Let’s get out of here.” I hook my arm through his, hoping to make a hasty exit.

But before we make it to the door, Jagger cuts off our path, his hand directed toward Reef. “Jagger Stryker,” is all he says, his face deathly serious.

I roll my eyes. Here we go.

Reef shakes his hand. “Reef Wilder. Nice to meet you, Jagger.”

“Hurt my little sister in any way and I will end you,” Jagger growls out in warning, sounding every bit the scary motherfucker he is.

“Got it.” Reef tilts his head to the side, my arm still hooked with his, and I can feel the warmth of his body and smell his fresh, clean scent. I lean into him a little closer, enjoying the feel of his body so close to mine. “I have no intention of hurting your sister, but somehow I get the impression Sloane’s not one who needs her big brother looking out for her.”

I grin at him, feeling like he already gets me and kind of loving that he respects me when it feels as though the other numbnuts around here don’t. I find Romeo’s eyes from across the bar, where he has poured himself a drink. He’s watching me, his gaze intense and unwavering, like a hawk focusing on its prey. “I think we’re good, Jagger. Don’t wait up, I might be late.”

Jagger gives Reef one last look then bends to kiss my cheek. “Don’t have too much fun,” he says mischievously, and I know he wants me to make friends with the nice cop so we can have one of them on our side again.

With one last glance in Romeo’s direction, I pray to whoever will listen that leaving tonight won’t give Romeo some advantage I haven’t thought through. For now, he doesn’t have access to any other section other than the front bar, and I have Myriah watching over him. She promised to call if she needs me. Reef and I make it out the front, and he directs me toward an Army-style Jeep.

I know I need to address the elephant out here on the street. I turn to Reef. “If you want me to have a meal with you, there’s one little hitch.”

His brow kicks up. “What’s that, wildcat?” He eyes Onyx who has left the club sneakily behind us, intensely watching us. I can almost hear the low growl coming from his lips. He’s on edge tonight, more so than usual.

I nibble my bottom lip, wishing I didn’t have to have this conversation with some guy I have just met; it kind of dents my badass reputation. “My bodyguard, Onyx, comes everywhere with me, it’s not negotiable.”

I see his shrewd eyes assessing Onyx in more detail. I’m sure he was wondering who the hell the dude following us around was this morning. “Why do you need a bodyguard?”

I force a tight smile, my shoulders stiffening as I avoid the painful details. “My brothers are a little overprotective,” I go with instead. That’s as much as I want him to know about my life.

“Is it really necessary? You know I’m a cop, right? I can take care of you.” The way he says it makes me feel all warm inside. He doesn’t even know me and already I know he’s a man of his word and he really would take care of me.

“I can take care of myself. But yeah, it’s necessary. Onyx comes with me everywhere I go. You’ll get used to him. He can drive us in my Porche.” I redirect him to where Onyx has parked my car.

“Fancy,” he says, impressed by my wheels. “I was expecting a bike.”

“I’m a fancy kind of girl. Can’t really ride a bike in this.” I motion to my fitted dress. It’s also hard for Onyx to protect me, though the truth is, my brothers never let me learn how to ride. They said it wasn’t safe for me. Just another thing I hold against them.

Onyx goes to walk by us, and I halt him with a hand to his arm. “Reef, this is Onyx, the best bodyguard in the business.” I don’t know why I stop and introduce them, but it feels important tonight, so I do. It’s also the truth; Onyx means everything to me, and what Romeo said in my office this afternoon is one hundred percent accurate. I owe him my life. I need to stop being such a bitch to him because he won’t give me what I want. He’s trying to protect me, though from what exactly I’m not sure even I understand these days.

“Nice to meet you, Onyx,” Reef offers. He’s so polite even if this situation is awkward for all involved.

Onyx gives a nod and a grunt of acknowledgment. Then he moves around to the driver’s side, hopping in.

Reef opens the back door for me, and I slide on over as he moves in beside me. I can’t help smiling at him, and I don’t even know why. He pissed me off this morning with his uppity attitude about searching my club, but like this, he’s charming and very likable. I think I’ll give him a second chance.

“Where are you taking me?”

“I don’t know Ravens Hollow all that well just yet, but one of the girls at work said I should take you to Casa Moretti.”

Onyx snickers from the front, probably because of my terrible business meeting there last night.

“No?” Reef asks, worried he’s done something wrong.

I place a reassuring hand on his thigh, meeting Onyx’s gaze in the rearview mirror in warning. He’s supposed to be invisible. “Sounds perfect, their food is to die for.” I smile at Reef.

The car falls silent as we drive through the busy city streets of Ravens Hollow. The sound of a siren punctuates the air. Reef glances out the window, taking it all in, and I can’t help but watch him. He’s easy to watch, a calming presence when my life feels so chaotic at the moment. And this would all be new to him, if the story he told me the other night was even true. But I know he’s new in town, we would have heard about him earlier if he wasn’t.

He looks back at me, catching me checking him out. He doesn’t seem to care, and if anything, the twinkle in his green eyes tells me he quite enjoys my eyes on him. “Are your brothers like that with every guy you date?”

My cheeks heat, not sure how much I want to admit to him. I know I have to be super careful. “I don’t normally date, Reef. I’m pretty positive my brothers have no idea what to make of this. But you can be sure they don’t like the fact you’re a cop.”

“I’m okay with that.”

“Good. If you’re going to hang out with me, you will need to be okay with a lot when it comes to my brothers.” I study him carefully, wondering what exactly his angle is here with me. The way he looks at me, he seems genuinely to like me. But we both know what happened this morning. He takes his job very seriously, and he’s likely still investigating my club. I need to tread carefully.

“Am I just a job to you, Reef?” I ask, just putting it out there, knowing he won’t be able to answer me truthfully even if I am. But I’m hoping to see the truth in his actions. I’m normally pretty good at reading people, though I’m doubting my ability more of late after my bad decision with Romeo, but he is a master manipulator. So maybe I shouldn’t be so harsh on myself.

“When I stumbled into your club a few nights ago for a drink, I had no idea who you were. Or who the Iron Strykers are. I was there for a relaxing drink after a stressful day of moving, sitting there wondering if I had made the biggest mistake of my life, and then there you were, all pretty and confident. I thought all my luck had changed.” His eyes meet mine, warm and comfortable, the same buzzing of electricity I felt the first time we met. “I didn’t start with Ravens Hollow Police Department until today. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw your club was the first job on my list.” Is it really all some messed up coincidence?

“You shocked the shit out of me when I saw it was you as well.” I laugh, not able to help it. How does this shit happen to me?

His hand trails up my thigh, feeling the fabric of my dress. “I wanted to see you again, it just wasn’t the way I was expecting.” He smiles at me in a way that makes my cheeks heat and my body thrum with excitement. He’s so gorgeous when he smiles.

“So, the story you gave me was real?”

“One hundred percent. Did you think I was undercover?”

“I had wondered, it seemed too much of a coincidence. How’s your gran?” I ask, remembering his reason for moving here.

“She has her ups and downs. Today was a good day.”

He’s a regular Mr. Nice Guy, the complete opposite of every other man in my life. And way too sweet for me. But somehow, I find myself imagining just what it would feel like to have his full lips on mine. Explosive, I decide. Like fire and ice, pain and pleasure, light and dark. My complete opposite.

Onyx pulls up out the front of Casa Moretti and kills the engine, bringing me out of my daydream and back into the present. Reef opens the door and hops out, thanking Onyx for the safe driving. He’s so polite.

Onyx’s eyes come to me for a second before I get out of the car, his hand capturing mine. “Be careful, trouble. I will be right here if you need me.”

I offer him half a smile and nod, sad for him. He has to watch me date some other dude right in front of him. But he could have me and he won’t. I’m not going to be alone forever because I can’t have him in the way I want. Not that I’m saying I’m actually going to date the detective. That seems like a stupid thing to do, unless I could corrupt him. Now that could be more fun.

Reef holds a hand out to help me out of the car. I’m grateful, as my little black dress is tight around my hips and not easy to get out of my car with it on. “You’re smoking hot in this dress, wildcat.” Reef’s hand wraps around my back, settling at my waist gently.

I look him over in his crisp white button-up and slacks. “You don’t look so bad yourself, Detective Hot Stuff.”

He chuckles, a warm, friendly sound, and we walk into the restaurant, the atmosphere feeling effortlessly comfortable between us. Once inside, we’re shown to a table that looks out over the street, and I can’t help but wonder if Onyx had the booking changed so he could keep an eye on us. His eyes meet mine, and I know he did. Something in the dark way he looks at me lights me up inside. It’s so sick how badly I want his eyes on me. How desperate I am to make him jealous. If I keep pushing him, he might just tip over the edge and finally give me what I crave so desperately: him.

We order our food and sip on wine as we wait for our meal to arrive. The atmosphere is so different from last night. So comfortable. Where Romeo had me on edge wondering what he would do next, Reef makes me feel at home and relaxed for the first time in days.

When my eyes don’t leave his face, he smiles at me warmly. “I don’t want to talk shop, but I’m so intrigued by you. How did you end up running that club?”

I raise a brow, wondering if he did have an ulterior motive for this date. “Do you mean because I’m a chick?”

“I guess, it’s not what I expected.”

I shrug it off, knowing it’s not what anyone expects. “The previous owner died suddenly, and I was the best person for the job. That club has been in the family for generations, I grew up in it. And as much as I love my brothers, they couldn’t run an establishment of that size if their lives depended on it. So, I took charge.”

Reef can’t hide the horror from his face. “You grew up in a gentlemen’s club? There is more to your story, I can tell.”

I sigh heavily, knowing what it must look like to an outsider. “Sure there is, but if I told you the rest, I would have to kill you.” My eyes meet his again, my lips twitching up at the sides into a cruel smirk. Just so he knows I’m half serious.

He chuckles as if I’m joking. I’m not. But I smirk back at him anyway. “I read your case file, but it was surprisingly empty when you and I both know that what the Iron Strykers are involved in isn’t legal. How have you all covered it up so long?”

My back straightens. “Did you ask me on a date to get the scoop on me and my brothers, take some intel back to your boss, earn the new kid a pat on the back?” I snap back, knowing how bitchy I sound.

He reaches across the table, taking my hand in his, instantly soothing me. “I asked you on a date because I’m utterly fascinated by you and was from the moment I saw you behind your bar.” He stares back at me, and I see the lust in his eyes. I feel it, swirling between us. I can’t explain what it is with him. I shouldn’t trust him, I shouldn’t even be here with him. But I can’t walk away either.

“Anything you can get on me will help build your case though, right? Sorry, honey, tonight is purely pleasure for me, no business talk.”

“No business talk, got it.” He smirks back. His foot brushes the side of mine, a strange thrill running right through me. I know he feels it too.

Our meals arrive. I ordered the eggplant parmigiana as it’s my favorite, and I didn’t get to enjoy it last night. I’m hoping tonight will be different. And Reef is having the steak just like Romeo did; there is something a little creepy about that. They couldn’t be more opposite, so is it a coincidence or does he know we came here and had these exact meals? We both start on our food, the silence comfortable as we eat, but my mind is spinning, trying to work this guy out. I’m insanely attracted to him, but there are warning bells constantly going off in my head as well.

I enjoy every mouthful of my meal, feeling like I haven’t eaten properly in days.

“You didn’t like that at all,” he comments.

“It’s my favorite.”

“You a vegetarian?” he asks, cutting into his steak and placing another piece in his mouth.

“Yeah, from the moment I found out animals were the same things we had on our plates as food, I just couldn’t do it. Syd was an asshole about it, but my mother was more supportive.” I collect my glass of wine, swirling the liquid in the glass before taking a large gulp.

“Now I feel bad for ordering the steak.” He chuckles, having a drink as well. “Who’s Syd?”

“The asshole I took over the club from.” If he’s done his research on me, he knows who Sydney Stryker is. Every cop in this town did when he was alive. If you weren’t on his payroll, you stayed the fuck out of his way if you didn’t want to end up a dead piggy. That’s what he used to say, anyway. I have come to learn he was more talk than anything, full of shit and hot air.

“Your dad?” he asks.

“I wouldn’t call him that. You have to acknowledge your kid and be present in their life to be a dad. Syd found out I wasn’t a boy and that was it. I was no use to him.” I say the words without a hint of sadness. My life was better without him in it. I still have no idea what my mother saw in him or why she stayed with him for so long, but maybe it was more complicated than that. Maybe she was trapped there, with her five kids.

He looks disgusted on my behalf. “He would be surprised to see the incredible woman you have become then, the business you have created.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere, Detective. But no, he would be rolling over in his grave. He really couldn’t stand me. If he wasn’t already dead, it would kill him to know what I did to his shit-heap of a business.” I see the way Reef studies me. I have said too much, and I need to shut the fuck up before I actually tell him something I shouldn’t. Is this how he gets info out of the criminals he’s interrogating? Makes them feel all comfortable with his charismatic charm then slowly they open up to him. “What about your family?” I ask, trying to shift the subject off me.

“Not much to report. I haven’t seen my parents in years.” He brushes me off, but I see the hurt he’s trying to mask.

“Since you moved from California to New York?” I push, needing to know more.

I see him shut down on me. He wants me to share, but he’s not so willing. What is he hiding? “I didn’t have the best upbringing, Sloane. My parents aren’t a part of my life I want to revisit.”

I nod, understanding, but curiosity has me wanting to know everything about him. “Why did you become a cop?”

“I thought I could make a change.”

“I’m sure you do.” I grin at him, and he returns my warmth. I realize his hand is still in mine. This is all too normal, and the most bizarre part is how much I like chatting to him when I know I shouldn’t.

The server approaches us with a white envelope in his hands. “This is for you, Miss Stryker,” he says, handing me the envelope. The front is blank, so I open it. Two photos slip out, both of Reef and me arriving at Casa Moretti. They look like they were taken from across the street. I turn the image over. The first one has a note scrawled across the back in what looks like blood. Enjoy your freedom while you can, it reads, and I sit up a little taller, looking over the street again. Like father like daughter, playing both sides. We both know what that gets you… dead.

The second photo also has a note, one that sends a shiver down my spine. I’m coming for you, mia ragazza. I’m not sure what the last part says but my hands start to tremble as I stare at the words. Glancing out the window, I can’t make anyone else out. Onyx waits in my car, still watching us, and now he looks concerned. Other than him, no one is around.

“Sloane, what’s wrong? What was in the envelope?” Reef asks softly, breaking me from my sudden panic.

“Nothing.” I shove the images back inside the white envelope, trying to keep my voice light. I don’t need Reef to see them. If this is Romeo’s idea of a fucking joke, because I came out tonight with a cop when he told me not to, it’s not funny, and I will deal with him tomorrow.

Reef snatches the envelope from me, the images falling out onto the table in front of him. He stares at them, then his attention comes back to me. “Is someone threatening you?” His face grows more serious.

“I’m sure it’s a stupid joke.” I try to force a smile, wishing I was sure. But would Romeo really do something like this just to mess with me?

“This looks like blood, Sloane. It’s no joke, it’s creepy as fuck, and you need to report it.”

“To who, Reef, the cops? Sorry that I have little faith in your profession, but your buddies in blue haven’t ever helped me in the past. I’m not sure if you know this yet, but most of the Ravens Hollow precinct was corrupt until last year, all working for underground rulers with more money than sense. I’ll deal with this myself,” I snap, suddenly feeling like we really do live on two different planets. He has no idea what it’s like to be me. But whoever sent this thinks I’m like Syd, and that thought is horrifying. I’m nothing like him.

He looks me over, stress lines forming on his forehead. “You can’t take the law into your own hands, Sloane.”

I roll my lips, trying not to lash out at him when I know he’s just trying to help. “I do what I must to protect myself and the women who work for me. It’s the way things have always been done. I know you’re new in this town, so you don’t get it yet, but you will.” My eyes meet his. “I learned very early on not to believe in fairytales. Some hero was never going to swoop in and save me from the life I was born into. I had to be my own savior.” I don’t say the words because I want him to save me. I really do have this shit under control myself, and the last thing I need is him getting in my way. I’ll deal with Romeo or whoever this is.

“I don’t really know what kind of life you’ve had, Sloane. But this shit, this is a direct threat, and now that I’m in town I’m going to make sure you and the people who work for you don’t have to feel threatened or scared.”

I stare back at him, wondering if he really could be different. “How? What will you do to stop the scum of the earth?”

“Leave this with me. I will find who did it and make sure it won’t happen again.”

I stand in a rush and snatch the photos back, shoving them into the envelope before folding them and putting them in my purse. “I appreciate your enthusiasm, but these people are smart. If they don’t want to be found, they won’t be.” I’m also one hundred percent sure this is Romeo messing with me. I’m sure the last part is Italian. He must have done it to give himself away.

He hops up, taking my hands and lacing our fingers together, standing with me. My ragged breathing calms, and my heart settles down just being close to him. I stare back at him, wondering how he can have this effect over me. I don’t even know him, but it’s like my body does, and she trusts him. “Don’t push me away, I want to help you. I know what you’re involved in is dangerous. It’s why you have the big guy following you around. You could use a friend like me to look after you as well.”

I blink back at him, getting lost in his kind eyes. “Only if you don’t plan on screwing me over,” I whisper.

His eyes meet mine, a deadly seriousness washing over them. “I take my job very seriously, Sloane, but I already know it doesn’t matter what you’re messed up in, I could never screw you over.” The way he says it with so much conviction, I want to believe him, but I have been burned in the past, and really, I know so little about him. I’m not placing all my trust in him after one night, no matter what his pretty green eyes tell me.

Chapter 15

We pull up to The Raven’s Nest ready to drop Reef back to his car, and I get the weirdest feeling like I’m not ready to say goodbye yet. But I know it’s time; I can’t go home with him tonight no matter how badly I want to. When we hop out of the car, I see Romeo leaning up against the building, one knee bent up, a smoke in hand. He’s watching me keenly with a dark possessiveness he has no right to hold. I do my best to ignore him and take Reef’s hand as we walk to his Jeep. “Thank you for a nice dinner.”

He presses me into his car, and with a hand moving into my hair, he strokes it off my face. “Can we do it again sometime soon?” he asks, hopeful.

“I’d like that.” I smile up at him, knowing I really would. It was nice to have a distraction from all the craziness of this week. Even if fucking Romeo tried to ruin it with his childish threats.

“Give me your phone,” he asks, holding out a hand for it.

I unlock my phone and hand it to him. He enters in a number then gives me a strange look. “My number is already in here.” He grins, way too pleased about it.

“You gave me your number today, remember? Said I can call you anytime of the day or night.”

His smile broadens, I think impressed I already saved it. “And you can.” He fiddles around with my phone, then his phone rings in his pocket. “Now I can call you as well.”

“That was a little tricky, Detective.” I smirk, not all that pissed about it. So what if he has my number.

He hands the phone back to me, his hand staying with mine. He tugs me a little closer to him, one hand resting just above my ass. “I need it to call you for that next date.” Over his shoulder I see Romeo watching us in a way that makes my heart race a little faster. I glance back toward the car, and sure enough, Onyx is watching my every move as well. I can’t have a normal date. They make it impossible.

My eyes drop to Reef’s lips, knowing exactly what I want and wondering if he’s going to kiss me. Then they quickly flick back up to his eyes. “Make it soon.”

His eyes scan over my face in a way that makes my heart race like crazy, the air crackling around us as his hand trails down my arm. Then he dips his head and presses his lips to mine. My hands roam over his shoulders and lace behind his neck, pulling him closer to me. My body lights up instantly, desperate to have his hands everywhere, his lips everywhere. But then as quickly as he kissed me, he pulls back from me, and I’m left disappointed.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” he says with a cheeky smile before glancing over his shoulder. He’s acutely aware of our audience. He knew Romeo was there watching us. Now fucking Romeo is cock-blocking me as well.

“Okay,” I whisper, really wanting to ask him to come home with me. But I know this is for the best, no matter how desperate I am to see where this could go.

He pulls back from me and gets in his car, taking one last glance in Romeo’s direction.

I throw Romeo a death glare as I walk back toward my car. He and his fucking creepy threat tonight can go fuck themselves. I’m not shaking in my boots at being compared to my so-called father, just because I dared to have one date with a cop. I know I’m nothing like him. I will deal with Romeo’s childishness tomorrow. I hop in the front passenger side of my car, with Onyx still in the driver’s seat.

Reef offers a friendly wave as he drives off into the night.

“Hang back, then I want you to follow him,” I tell Onyx.

Onyx nods, his lips twisting up at the side. He loves it when we go on a little adventure together.

While we follow along behind Reef discreetly, I dial Malachi’s number. “Hey, Bro, can you do me a solid?”

“What’s up, Sloane?”

I smile down the line. “I had a nice meal with Detective Reef Wilder tonight.”

“Good for you. I’m surprised Jagger approved that.” I hear the chuckle in his voice.

“So am I. I need you to find everything you can on him. And I mean everything. I’ll have his address for you shortly, but I want it all, everything back to whatever the fuck his mother was wearing when she conceived him.”

“Right. Give me a couple of days, I will see what I can do,” he says a little more seriously. “Are we concerned or inquisitive because we have a crush on the detective, Sloane?” he asks, a little more concern in his tone.

“Both,” I answer honestly. “I have been fucked over once this week already. I would like to be prepared with this one.”

Reef’s car pulls into a driveway, and we park up across the street behind a sedan. Onyx shuts off the headlights, helping us to hide in the shadows.

“I’m texting you his address now. Do your thing.”

“Anything for you, little sis.”

“You know you’re my favorite.” I smirk down the line.

“I know. Talk soon.” He disconnects the call.

Onyx and I watch from the shadows as Reef gets out of his Jeep and moves into a two-story brick house. Even though it’s a little older, probably built in the eighties, it sits on a delightful street in the decent part of town. He flicks on a couple of lights, illuminating what looks like the living space. I text my brother the address, hoping he can get started on his search as soon as possible. I need to know what I’m up against, if this charming man has any skeletons in his closet. Or if he really is too good to be true.

“Are we going to sit and watch him all night or have you got what you came for?”

“I’m not sure.” I chew my bottom lip, still watching the house. Something has me rooted to the spot, unable to go home without him. It’s the strangest feeling.

Onyx rests his hand on my thigh, and I glance back to him. “Trouble, this is a little crazy.”

“I know. I just… why did he just randomly show up at my club the other day, then this morning, him hunting through the club with that warrant. I just feel like I’m missing something, and it worries me.”

“Because you have a thing for him?” Onyx asks a little more seriously.

My guilty eyes meet his. I can’t lie to him. “Maybe.”

A text pops into my phone. And I glance at Onyx, my eyes wide. I check the screen and see the name Detective Hot Stuff light it up. I stifle a laugh because right now he’s the last person I need texting me. But it’s funny as shit, he changed his name in my phone to my nickname from earlier.

DETECTIVE HOT STUFF: If you wanted to come home with me, all you had to do was ask.

“Whoops. Don’t think we were as discreet as we thought.” I snicker, not giving two shits that he found me.

“What did you expect, Sloane, he’s a cop. He probably left a tracker in your car or some shit like that.”

I hadn’t considered that. But the whole time the two of us were in here together, I was watching him, so I don’t think it’s a possibility. I glance back over to his place, wondering how I reply. I see him standing in the open window looking out into the night, his phone in his hand. Has he really seen us or is it just a lucky guess?

SLOANE: I have no idea what you’re talking about, Detective Hot Stuff.

DETECTIVE HOT STUFF: Keep lying to me, wildcat, and I will come out there, throw you over my shoulder, and drag you back here with me. Then I can finish the night how I really wanted to.

I hear an angry growl come from Onyx, and I know he’s seen the message as well.

Oh shit, a pool of moisture coats my panties. That sounds like way too much fun. I’m a little surprised the detective has it in him. But I knew he wanted more when he kissed me. I wouldn’t have picked him to be one for dirty texting, or maybe I should take that as more of a threat.

My eyes rise to meet Onyx, and I see the flare of heat in his dark gaze. He’s not just angry, he’s turned on imagining what Reef wants to do to me. “Time to go home,” I tell Onyx, my voice coming out all breathy. It doesn’t matter how badly I want Reef to make good on his threat to carry me into his place and do whatever dirty things he has in mind. I know it’s a bad idea on so many levels. And right now, I have another beast to tame.

SLOANE: Another time maybe, hot stuff.

I offer a wave as we drive past, not all that bothered he worked out I was here. He should know I will do everything I can to protect myself and what I have built. That means knowing everything there is to know about him, and since he didn’t want to share, I’m quite happy to investigate.

The drive back to my apartment is deathly silent. Every traffic light, I see Onyx looking over me like he wants to say something, or eat me alive, but he keeps his lips shut. The tension is so damn thick I could carve it. Since I woke in his arms this morning, so much has happened, and it’s making things damn awkward between us. He wants me, and I can’t forget it.

I don’t know why I do it, but I glance down at his package and see he is sporting a hard-on. Fuck, he’s just as turned on right now as I am. My hand finds his thigh, and I run my fingers up and over his jeans, hearing him hiss out a breath as I get higher. But he doesn’t stop me. I stop myself before I take it where I really want to. I like teasing him, but I’m also acutely aware of how many times he has already rejected me.

When we get back to my apartment, Onyx helps me out of the car, and his hand lingers in mine as he walks me up like he does every night. Tonight it’s different though, the tension between us thick and all-consuming, and even though he hasn’t said as much, I know seeing me kiss Reef has him all hot and bothered. I know he said today everything would be normal between us, but it’s not. Everything has changed, and I’m not sure how to handle it. My body craves him like crazy, my nipples pebbled so hard in my lacy bra it almost hurts. Or maybe that’s just the ache of my body begging for him to touch me.

We arrive at the door, and I turn into him. “Do you want to come in?” I ask, not sure what to do. He often comes in, he and Jagger might play a video game while I get ready for bed or just sit and have a quiet drink. He likes hanging out here with us. He’s been part of the family for so long, it just feels natural. Sometimes if Jagger isn’t home, he sits and watches movies with me till I fall asleep, stroking my hair so tenderly it’s hard to believe the big dude has that kind of softness in him, but I have seen it, and when I wake in the morning, I’m all tucked into bed and he’s gone.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he snips back, throwing me off guard a little as he steps back from me.

I feel the loss of his warmth instantly as he lets go of my hand. “So much for stuff staying the same between us,” I snap back at him.

I see his eyes darken as he cracks his neck. “I just had to watch you go on a fucking date with a cop. Excuse me for not being okay with it.”

“Jealousy doesn’t look good on you, Onyx.” I stare back at him, making sure to meet his heated eyes. He’s not jealous, he’s hot for me. “If you want me, all you have to do is say the word and I’m yours.” My breath hitches as I say it, knowing I’m walking a fine line. One he obliterated when he told me he wanted me as well. I can’t unhear it, and as much as I have been trying to pretend it didn’t happen, I know it did, and now I’m craving him more than ever. I run my tongue over my bottom lip, teasing him.

Then as if his resolve snaps, he pounces, pinning me against the door, his hands to both sides of my head. He cages me in, his nostrils flaring as his eyes lock on mine. Time stands still. I suck in a ragged breath, my heart pounding like mad in my chest.

“You are nothing but trouble,” he says, as if he’s still trying to resist this crazy pull we have to each other. Then his lips crush mine as he devours me in a hurried kiss. My breath is stolen, but I don’t give a fuck. All I need is him.

My hands tangle into his shirt, and I pull him in closer.

Fucking finally.

He lifts me, pressing my back into the door, and I wrap my legs around his thick waist. As our kiss deepens, he thrusts his tongue inside my mouth possessively, and fuck, it’s everything I dreamed it would be and more.

I grind my hips against him, seeking more friction, needing to be naked with him.

Eventually I pull back from him, both of our breathing ragged and out of control. “Come inside with me,” I plead, needing him more than I have ever needed anything in my life.

His head drops and he inhales, like he is taking in my scent. “You know I can’t, trouble.”

I place a hand to his solid chest, shoving at him. “No, fuck that. No more excuses. Carry me inside and screw me like we both know you want to,” I demand, too far gone in my lust-filled haze for him to refuse me this time.

“Trouble,” he growls in warning, and I know he’s trying to control himself. But what is the point? We both know what we want, each other, so why fight it?

I run a hand down the side of his face, over his stubbly jaw, finishing on his full lips. On instinct, he sucks my finger into his mouth, sending a fresh wave of arousal to my pussy. “Jagger’s not home, I already checked.”

His eyes flare, and I know he’s considering it. His rock-hard cock pressed into my center is also a pretty fucking good indication.

I blink back at him. “Please, Onyx, I need you.”

A gleam of desire flashes in his eyes, and I know I have him. “One night, Sloane. We get this out of our system, then we go back to normal.”

“One night it is,” I agree.

“Where are your fucking keys?”

Chapter 16

I hand the keys to him, and he opens the door, letting us in while he’s still holding me. I wrap my hands around his neck as he carries me through my apartment, leaving the lights off. He shoves open my bedroom door, and my lips find his again, kissing him hungrily as he carries me to my bed.

He tosses me down, his eyes not leaving mine for a second. He’s trying to hold himself back, I can tell. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t.” I stare back up at him, my heart racing like crazy.

“I fuck rough, Sloane. I will hurt you.”

A delicious shiver runs through me at his dirty words. I get what he’s saying, he knows my trauma. But he doesn’t know how badly I need this. “I trust you, Onyx. Do your worst.”

His eyes flash with something dangerous. “Get your dress off,” he rasps, his voice tight with barely controlled lust.

I sit up a little so I can pull my dress over my head, revealing my lacy black thong and bra. My cheeks flush with heat, so desperate for him to like what he sees. His eyes eat me up, running down the length of my body. “You’re fucking flawless, trouble.” He tugs his T-shirt over his head and unbuckles his black jeans, kicking them off to the side so he’s just in his boxer briefs. It’s his scar I notice first, the one he got while saving me. But I can’t dwell on the past tonight. Instead, my eyes roam down further and find his massive erection straining against his briefs.

I flick out my tongue and lick my lips. “I want to taste you,” I tell him, knowing how needy I sound but not giving two shits. I’ve dreamed about being alone and naked in my room with him for years.

“Not before I taste your sweet cunt.” He takes hold of my ankles and drags me to the end of the bed. His fingers digging into my panties, he tears them to shreds in his hands, exposing me. “You’re so fucking wet for me, aren’t you, trouble?” He shoves my legs out wide, then his face is buried deep between my legs, tasting me. The warmth of his tongue sends waves of pleasure tumbling over me.

“Yes,” I murmur, my body lit up all over. My hands tangle into the comforter of my bed, needing something to hold on to as I thrust underneath him, raising my hips off the bed to meet the hungry lashings of his tongue.

One of his hands comes to my stomach, holding me in place as he laps me up. The other moves up my thigh. Settling between my legs, he explores my folds and toys with my clit. Then he pushes two thick fingers inside of me, and I cry out.

He pulls back in warning. His body language tells me I can’t handle him. But I can, I just wasn’t prepared for the stretch of his thick fingers so soon. “Keep going,” I encourage him.

A serious expression settles on his face, his brows furrowed and jaw tightening. “If I fucking hurt you, Sloane…”

My eyes narrow in on him so he knows I’m deadly serious. “Keep fucking going.”

He drops his head to suck at my clit as he thrusts his fingers inside of me again. This time his eyes don’t leave mine. And damn, he’s one sexy motherfucker like this.

I reach for him, running my fingers over his shaved head, digging my long nails into his scalp. It only makes him finger-fuck me with more force. His teeth nip at me, the combination sending me over the edge. I scream his name as my orgasm takes over, causing my muscles to spasm and what feels like a rush of fluid to coat his fingers. He continues to pump them in and out of me, the sound of my arousal filling the room. When my quivering calms, he pulls back from me. Taking his fingers, he brings them to my lips. “Taste yourself,” he instructs just like Romeo did the night we were together.

I can’t help but smirk at him as I sit up a little and do as I’m told, curling my tongue around his fingers, licking my juices from them. This is so hot, he is so hot. I move to fully sitting on the edge of the bed so I can take hold of his cock, so desperate to get my mouth on him as well. I shove his briefs down his legs, his massive erection jumping free. He’s so damn hard, long and thick with pre-cum already beading at the tip.

I bend a little so I can take him in my mouth, licking over the tip of his cock, tasting his arousal. I can’t help the grin that twists on my lips. I have Onyx’s cock in my mouth, I can hardly believe it.

His hands run into my hair, massaging my scalp as I adjust to his size, trying to work out how I take all of him. The girls at The Raven’s Nest make deep throating look so damn easy. I bob back and forth. He grips my hair into a ponytail, pulling me further onto him, so far it hits my gag reflex, and I have to pull away. “Try again,” he coaches me.

Fuck, the dark and dangerous look in his eyes. I try to take him all the way down my throat again. This was easier the other night when I was decently buzzed, or maybe it’s just the angle. He assists me, his grip a little tighter this time. So tight it makes my eyes water, but that doesn’t deter me. This time I take all of him, loving the hiss of appreciation that leaves his lips. I glance up at him, enjoying the pure pleasure all over his face. He’s gorgeous like this, letting me do something for him for once.

I continue to suck back and forth, perfecting my moves, knowing every time I take him all the way in my mouth it brings him undone even more. Saliva dribbles down my chin and my eyes blur, but I keep going, wanting him to cum right down my throat. I’m desperate for it.

He has other ideas. Sharply he pulls my head back from him, staring down at me. “You’re so fucking perfect like this, trouble.”

“I was thinking the same about you, big dude.” I grin up at him, feeling like a crazy person, and I’m sure I look like one as well. “You going to let me finish?”

He shakes his head. “I need to feel your tight cunt around my dick milking the cum right from me.”

Oh God, this man has a dirty mouth. My pussy clenches in anticipation; that’s what she wants as well.

He pulls me up to standing with him, his lips back on mine, his hands running over my body. He grabs a handful of my ass then moves up my sides to my bra. In one fast move, it’s unhooked, and his hands are on my bare tits. He fondles them roughly, plucking, and my nipples harden, loving every second of his sweet torture. His callused hands feel so damn good on my skin. I dig my nails into his back, kissing him as fiercely as he is me. The two of us crash into my dressing table so hard I know it’s going to bruise, but I don’t care.

I stare up at him, panting, as I try and get my racing heart under control.

The room blurs as he spins me quickly, the dizzying motion making the tall dressing table seem to tilt as I lean forward on it, my elbows bracing against the hard surface. His dark eyes find mine in the mirror. “Stay here, I want to watch as you fall apart,” he growls, then leaves my side. Moving back over to his discarded jeans, he pulls his wallet free and produces a foil packet. I watch in the mirror as he rips open the packet and rolls the condom on.

I’m so turned on by him I can feel my juices running down my legs. Standing here watching him is torture. I’m so wet imagining him inside of me and how damn good this is going to be after all these years of wanting him.

With a stealthy step, he moves back in behind me, his breath ghosting on my neck. One hand snaking its way around my front, he roams over my breasts again, pulling me into his body closer, so close I can hear his uneven breathing and feel his racing heart.

I find his eyes in the mirror, their intensity making my heart race even harder. We’re really about to do this. His hard cock nudges at my entrance. He’s so damn big I have no idea how he’s going to fit inside of me. “Are you ready?” he checks in with me.

“I have been ready for years. Fuck me already, Onyx.” My voice is desperate and breathy, a plea for him to give me what I have craved for the longest time.

That answer seems to satisfy him, and in one move, he controls my body, adjusting me so he can push deep inside of me. I cry out, not able to help it. The sensation of him filling me up is almost more than I can handle.

As he thrusts in and out of me, he watches me, waiting until I adjust to his size. Thrills run over me with every pump, and my nails dig into the hard wood of the dresser trying to get a grip on something. His hand slides up my body, cupping my tits before he continues on to my throat. His eyes finding mine in the reflection, I nod, giving him the go-ahead to do whatever he needs to. I fucking love him like this, all dominant and controlling. My body begs for more as his fingers compress around my throat. He moves inside of me, plunging deeper, harder. Over and over again he pumps into me, my pussy pulsing around him.

My head spins, and all I can do is take what he is giving me. Take it and fucking love every second of it. It’s so tight like this, our bodies so close that I can feel every intentional move.

His lips brush against my earlobe, a feather-light touch that makes my breath catch. “Cum for me, trouble,” he says in a low dark rumble that rolls over me.

Right on cue, I convulse around his cock, a euphoric haze of pleasure and pain and everything in between. My breathing comes in short, ragged breaths, and I see stars.

He pumps inside of me a few more times. It’s everything he promised it would be, rough and delicious and all him. Then I feel him jerk forward, and he releases his grip on me so I can breathe properly again.

Collapsing on the dresser, I suck in ragged breaths, massaging life back into my neck where he had me held so tightly. That was insane but so damn good. I know I’m already addicted to him. One night is going to be impossible.

Before I have time to catch my breath, he spins me round, his lips finding mine, and next thing I know, I’m being transported back to my bed. He discards the condom and moves under the covers with me, his hands wrapping around me tenderly, ever so lightly stroking my hair. He’s so different to the man who just fucked the life right out of me. He holds me close like he’s afraid to let me go, and I let him, needing his body so close to mine as well. That was a lot. Something tells me one night with him is never going to be enough. But that was the deal we made. Get this out of our system so he can do his job properly.

His lips find my shoulder and he places kisses up my neck, moving my hair out of the way as he goes. Sleepily my eyes roll closed, and I hug his arms tighter around me.

Right as I feel myself drifting off to sleep, his teeth dig into my earlobe. “I’m not done with you yet, trouble. I said one night only, and I intend to make the most of it.”

Goosebumps erupt over my skin as a flurry of excitement runs through me. His other hand moves over my ass before pushing between my legs, his fingers forcing their way back inside my pussy.

My eyes roll back in my head. Oh, dear God. I press my ass back into him, needing more.

He groans as he slips in a second finger, like this is somehow giving him pleasure and not me. I can feel how hard he is all over again, his cock pressing into my ass.

I moan at the sensation. He could literally do anything to me right now and I would enjoy it. He has me so turned on. “Do it, Onyx,” I tell him, wanting him there as well, wanting him to claim every part of me he can.

He groans out a curse as his fingers slip from my pussy, spreading my juices over my puckered hole. His finger lightly presses at my asshole, toying with me just a little.

At first no matter how badly I want him to, my body fights against the intrusion. Eventually he eases his way in, all the way to his knuckle. It feels dirty but in a good way, in a way I know I could get used to. The feeling is so different from when he’s fingering my pussy, but something about it is a little addictive as well. “When you’re ready I’m going to fuck you here as well.” His words vibrate over my shoulder, where his lips are still nipping at me.

Our bodies are so close all I can do is focus on him and what he’s doing to me with his finger, slowly pumping in and out of me, stretching me. On the next stroke, he pushes in a second digit.

I cry out again, this time feeling the burn more. I want this, but I’m not sure I can handle it.

He pulls his hand free and moves off the bed, disappearing into my ensuite. He flicks on the light, and I hear him rummaging around in my stuff. “What are you doing?” I call to him.

Without turning the light off, he returns with a bottle of lube in his hands. For a beat he just stands in the doorway looking over me, the room lit up from the bathroom. “What did you have a bottle of lube in your cupboard for?” he asks, surprised but not disappointed.

I shrug. “I knew eventually you would give me what I wanted.” I smirk playfully. Truth is, I get sent free samples of all sorts of products and it was one of those. But when I placed it in my cupboard, I was most definitely thinking of him.

He moves in closer to me, like I’m his prey and he’s stalking me. “That’s where you’re wrong, trouble. You’re going to give me everything I want tonight.”

“What do you want?” I whisper, getting lost in his dark eyes, a hand running through his stubbly jaw.

“I’m going to fuck you so good, you won’t ever want anyone else to.”

“You can’t say stuff like that to me when all you’re promising is one night.”

His hand trails over my body, over my breast and my hip, then back over my ass. He opens the lube and squirts the liquid over his fingers, rubbing them over my ass, massaging before slipping down lower. He spreads my ass cheeks before pushing his two thick fingers back inside of me.

“Fuck, Onyx,” I cry out at the sensation. It’s different this time, easier, but my body still resists.

“Open up for me, trouble,” he demands, his voice raspy and desperate. “I need my cock to have been everywhere.”

I let out a moan. I can’t talk back. All I can do is focus on what he’s doing to me, the way he’s pumping his fingers in and out of me. That’s what I want as well, him branding me with his cock. Then they’re gone and I hear him squirting more lube then rubbing it over his cock. Fuck, I’m not going to survive this.

His body moves in close with mine again, and he lifts my leg so it’s bent over his. “I want to fuck your ass bare, Sloane. I’m clean, and I know you are, but if you don’t want me to, I can stop.”

I glance over my shoulder at him. I trust Onyx, it’s not a question of that, but it’s more how intimate this feels. We will be skin on skin completely.

“I wasn’t expecting to come into your place tonight, I only had one condom on me.”

“I trust you, Onyx.” I swallow the lump in my throat, stopping myself from saying anything more. I feel so close to him right now. This is what I have wished for, and now that it’s happening, I want everything with him. I don’t care if he’s bare.

I feel the tip of his cock at my entrance, and my body stiffens, not knowing what to make of the intrusion. He’s too big, and I shut up tight. One of his hands comes to my clit, massaging slow deliberate circles over my most sensitive spot. “Do you want me to fuck your ass, trouble?”

“Yes,” I whisper, a moan.

“You have to let me in. Just relax, let me take care of you. It won’t hurt for long.”

His lips meet mine and he kisses me so passionately I melt into him more. Letting go of all my fears, I give his body full control of mine. He moves slowly, easing inside of me, and I put all my focus on him, my body eventually stretching to accommodate his size. When his lips leave mine, I can’t move. My heart races out of control, and I feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience. He doesn’t move either, just places feather-light kisses down my neck and tells me how well I’m doing, opening up for him.

His words are so encouraging, and being this close to him is everything. When I’m ready, I push back into him. “Fuck me, Onyx.” I give him the go-ahead.

That was what he was waiting for. He starts to move inside of me, slowly at first, then he picks up the pace, thrusting inside of me deeper. I cry incoherent moans into the room, my body shaking all over as pain and pleasure collide.

Right as I’m about to tip over the edge, I hear the front door open and what sounds like Jagger’s heavy boots enter the apartment.

“Oh, dear God,” I cry, mortified. Why is he home so early?

Onyx’s hand comes to my mouth, covering it. “Shh. Unless you want him to catch us in the act, your door isn’t locked.”

“Sloane, you home?” my brother calls out, but the two of us ignore him, staying quiet.

My heart races like crazy. He can’t catch Onyx in here with me, who knows what he will do.

“Night,” he calls again, obviously assuming I’m already in bed. Then his door closes and he’s gone, hopefully to bed for the night.

I glance over my shoulder at Onyx, my eyes wide, saying what the fuck do we do now. I’m too far gone to stop. His hand still covering my mouth, he rolls me onto my stomach and positions a pillow under my head. “You need to cry out my name, do it into this,” he says a little more seriously.

Then he’s moving again, fucking me relentlessly this time. And I’m grateful for the pillow because I couldn’t be quiet if I tried. My body convulses around his, cumming in a rush. He pumps inside of me a few more times, and I hear him growl out his release as well, filling up my ass with his cum. He’s right, I’m never going to recover from that. My body is spent, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want more.

Eventually he pulls out of me and goes to roll away, grabbing for his jeans.

“Stay with me,” I whisper, reaching for him. That was a lot to take, and I need him now more than ever.

His eyes meet mine in warning. “Trouble. You know I shouldn’t.”

“You stay with me all the time,” I snap back.

“When you’re upset and need me. Not like this.” His guilty eyes meet mine. He was fine screwing me until Jagger got home, and now he’s not. Now he’s shutting me out again. I guess the guilt is too much for him.

“Please,” I beg him, feeling way too clingy, but he can’t just walk out of here after what we just shared.

He moves in closer and places a kiss on my lips. “Sorry, Sloane. We both know this was a slip-up that can never happen again. I need to get out of here before I make it worse.”

Hurt washes over me like a tidal wave, his sudden rejection too much to take in my fragile state. Keeping my brothers happy is more important than me. I get it, I should have known better. I roll over away from him and wait till I hear the slight click of the door before I get out of bed. I knew what that was, but I’m still crushed.

Eventually I drag my sorry body to the shower, washing away what we just did, feeling a hollowness inside of me I never expected. I thought getting what I wanted would leave me on a high, but I’m emptier than ever before. How can I go from such euphoria to the lowest of lows in a matter of minutes?

When I’m all washed off, I go to the cabinet and take out my sleeping pills. Popping two in my mouth, I swallow them down with a handful of water from the tap.

Catching sight of my frightful reflection in the mirror, I see the evidence of Onyx everywhere. From my tangled hair to the bite marks on my shoulders and neck. All I have left to remind me of how fucking awesome the two of us are together. Tomorrow is going to sting like a bitch. Having him was everything I ever wanted, but maybe not knowing how good it could be was better than one night of heaven, to now live a lifetime without him.

Chapter 17

Fuck my life. After an uncomfortably silent drive into the club, tension so damn thick I could cut it, I arrive to find Romeo already here. I can’t deal with him today. The sleeping pills I took last night to knock me out have left me drowsy and out of it. Not how I want to be when I have to verbally spar with the asshole trying to take over my life. I also woke up to a text message from Reef saying he wants to see me again. Today for lunch if possible. I haven’t texted back, I couldn’t. Even I don’t know how on earth to navigate this situation. The cop, the bodyguard, and the mafia boss. How the hell did I get all messed up with the three of them?

Ignoring Romeo’s amused greeting of good morning, I stalk past him and straight into my office, slamming the door behind me just because I can. I pick up my phone and call the only person I know who can help me right now. “Harley, sis, I need your help.”

“Everything alright, Sloane? You sound strange,” her sweet voice comes down the line, making me feel slightly better already.

“I feel strange,” I admit. The tension in my jaw makes me feel like I’m about to break a tooth.

“Do you need me to call Ricky? He’s setting up the clinic today, but I’m sure he could drop in and check on you.”

I sigh heavily, feeling the weight of my decisions of the last week bearing down on me. “No, this isn’t a medical kind of strange. I can’t tell you over the phone. Can you do lunch today?”

“For you girl, anything. It’s about time you filled me in on all your shenanigans.” I hear her smirk through the phone.

“Thank you, I’ll see you here at noon.”

“Perfect, see you then.” She disconnects the call.

I breathe a sigh of relief. If anyone will get what I’m going through, it’ll be her.

The sudden click of my office door opening makes me jump in surprise. Quickly I spin around to see Romeo’s suited silhouette in the entrance. With a cocky grin, he saunters in, the click of the lock sealing the two of us in here together. “My access card has arrived,” he tells me, a cheeky-as-fuck grin on his face.

A rush of heat comes over me, and I glare in his direction. “So, you thought you would just let yourself into my office when I clearly want to be left alone this morning?”

“We have business to discuss, doll face. And since you spent the night out playing with the new detective, we have a lot to catch up on, don’t we.” He moves toward me, his presence filling my personal space with an overwhelming sense of closeness. He smells like expensive cologne and sin, an intoxicating combination for my senses. His expression tells me he’s not just talking about business. He wants to know what I got up to last night. Wasn’t he spying on me anyway?

I straighten my shoulders and tilt my gaze up at him. I might be a hell of a lot shorter, but I won’t let his size intimidate me. “This is still my office. If you want your own space to work from, I’m sure I can find you a janitor’s closet or something down at the other end of the building.”

He chuckles lightheartedly. “You’re funny today, Sloane.” His hand finds my arm, trailing up it delicately. “Here I was thinking we could just share.” He moves in closer, sending my heart into overdrive. “Since I know how much you like my body close to yours.” He roughly grabs my ponytail, the sudden jerk making my head snap back, then wraps it around his fist, forcing my gaze upward.

“Get your fucking hands off me,” I snap, not sure why his brutal hold on me has my panties damp and my stomach clenching with anticipation at the same time. I don’t know why he makes me so nervous, but there is just something in his dark gaze that slightly terrifies and excites me.

His lips twist up at the sides, and he tilts his head, looking over every little detail of my face. “A little hot for a high neckline today, isn’t it, doll face?” With his free hand, he reefs the turtleneck of my top down my neck, revealing the bite marks Onyx left on me last night. His eyes flare and his jaw grows tight. “Did the cop do this to you?” he seethes, his grip tightening on me.

I’ve had enough of this shit, so I clench my fist and bring it into his gut, grinning to myself when he releases me with a pained groan. I move away from him quickly, getting my desk in between us. I desperately need space, a second to think and breathe.

He glares back at me, and I can see he is jealous as hell, but he has no right to be. He ruined whatever we started when he tried to take over my business.

“Just because we have a business arrangement doesn’t mean you own me.” I reach for my purse, pulling the images free and throwing them across my desk in his direction. “You pull a fucking stunt like that again and I will make sure you regret it. Don’t mess with me, Moretti. This is your only warning.”

He stares at me like a raging bull with his nostrils flaring. I half expect to see steam coming from his ears, but that really is a little dramatic, even for him. “You are the most infuriating woman I have ever met,” he spits, collecting up the images, studying them more closely. “What the fuck is this?”

I narrow my eyes on him. “Don’t bullshit me, I know you sent them last night while I was having dinner with Detective Wilder.”

“Mia ragazza,” he says the words scribbled in Italian, sounding confused. Then his eyes meet mine, a look of fear flashing in them. “I didn’t do this. Ask Myriah, I was here until we closed last night working.”

I cross my arms across my chest, not ready to back down just yet. I don’t trust this man as far as I could throw him. “Well, you had some goon who works for you do it then. I know it was you.”

His face grows more serious. “I swear, Sloane, I didn’t do this. Sure, I wanted to knock his head off when he kissed you right in front of me, but I’m not into creepy shit like this. I handle my problems like a man.”

I stare back at him, a knot tightening in my chest, wishing he was lying. But unfortunately, I don’t think he is. He did genuinely look shocked when he saw the images and what they said on the back, so unless he’s an excellent actor, this was someone else. “W… What, does it say, it’s Italian, right?”

“My girl. I’m coming for you, my girl.” He reads the back of the image.

A cold shiver slithers down my spine. If it wasn’t him, who?

He leans into my desk with a thoughtful expression on his face. “Don’t tell me you’ve never received stalker mail before. In your job you must get shit like this all the time. It’s why you have Onyx following you around, isn’t it?”

My foggy brain can’t process this shit today. My heart starts to race as panic takes over. “Stalker mail, no. We vet our VIPs very carefully. If anyone pulled shit like that on me or my girls, they wouldn’t get back in this place. Enzo used to threaten me with all sorts of shit, but we both know this isn’t him.”

“Well, someone has taken a liking to you. Someone other than Detective Wilder, your bodyguard, and me.” His lips twist at the sides.

I stare back at him, trying to process what he is saying. Firstly, that he’s admitting to liking me. Secondly, he knows about Onyx? What the fuck does he know! “Are you spying on me?” I snap back, ready to have it out with him all over again. This man is infuriating in so many ways.

He not so subtly checks his watch. “We really should start discussing what’s on the agenda for today,” he says, changing the subject.

“Answer me, Romeo. You know way too much about me. What, have you got hidden cameras in my damn apartment or something?” I fire back at him, needing to know.

He circles my desk, like a predator stalking its prey. His movements are slow and deliberate as I scurry to the opposite side, the desk a solid barrier between us, my heart racing a little faster. “I told you, Sloane, I’m very perceptive. I pick up on cues people give, and you’re too easy to read.” His eyes lock with mine, like he’s trying to read into the depths of my soul. I don’t like it. “We both know those marks weren’t from the detective, he went home alone, but you… You had company, didn’t you? Onyx walked you in safely, doing his job like a good boy. Until he decided to stick his dick in you. I wonder what your brothers would think about that betrayal of their trust?”

I match his intensity, giving zero away. “Nothing because nothing happened,” I snap.

From across the table he lunges, snatching up my wrist, forcing papers to go flying across my desk as I’m pulled toward him. “Don’t lie to me, doll face. I see right through you.” His other hand comes to my face, cupping my chin as he stares at me with a longing that scares me. He licks his bottom lip slowly as if he’s imagining the way I taste.

I swallow the lump in my throat, remembering what it was like to have his lips on mine, his body controlling mine, and his dick buried so damn deep inside of me. Oh fuck, I’m so damn screwed when it comes to him.

“I won’t tell your secrets, Sloane. We’re business partners, I want you to trust me.” He finally lets me go and walks toward the velvet sofa, taking a seat as if that altercation never happened.

I’m left rubbing my wrist and trying to get my racing pulse under control before I have a fucking heart attack.

“I’ll give you five minutes to collect yourself, then we start for the day.” He pulls out a laptop that I didn’t see him come in here with. The fucker has been in my office without me. I want to bite out at him again but today has already gotten too far out of control. This isn’t about me. This is about keeping my girls safe, and in order to do that, I have to find a way to work with him. Even if I hate it.

I slink into my attached bathroom, pacing, not sure what to do about all of this. I wish I could leave for lunch with Harley right now. Because by myself for the first time in my life, I have nothing to go off, no answers of how to get myself out of this predicament. I’m not that girl, the one who lets men have any power over her, but Romeo has something over me, so does Onyx, and if my response to the detective last night is anything to go off, he has an unexplainable hold on me as well. I don’t know what is wrong with me, but I need to swallow some concrete and harden the hell back up. Start thinking with my head and not my flustering heart—or is it my needy pussy. One taste of cock and she’s willing to throw away years of my hard work. Nope, it’s not going to happen.

In the top drawer, I find my bottle of pills and pop two in my mouth, swallowing them down with a sip of water from the sink. Calmly, I reapply my lipstick and fix my ponytail. You can do this because you are Sloane fucking Stryker and you can do anything, I tell myself, making sure to straighten my shoulders and lift my head up high. Deal with one issue at a time, Sloane, and don’t let Romeo rattle you. Just because I screwed him doesn’t mean he’s got something over me. I hold all the power here because I know for a fact he wants me again.

With that knowledge up my sleeve, I stride back into the room, collect a notepad from my desk and a pen, then take the seat opposite a smirking Romeo. “Where do you want to start?” I ask with more confidence than I have right now. But I’m nothing if not a good actress, so here goes.

His fingers fly across his keyboard, a rhythmic tapping filling the silence before he glances up at me like I was somehow interrupting him. “This VIP event you’re hosting next weekend, how does it work?”

“It’s a masquerade event held in the VIP section of the strip club, with anonymity being the key, allowing some of our more high-profile VIPs to indulge in their darkest desires without fear of recognition. The men will mingle with a selection of our best girls, and by the end of the night, all of our private rooms will be booked out. We have run similar events before and they always prove to be very lucrative for all involved.”

“Interesting, can anyone who is a VIP attend?” The way he looks at me, his eyes running down my body, makes me want to slap him.

“You are not a VIP,” I snap back at him, knowing exactly what he is implying. He wants me back in one of the private rooms with him. He never gives up.

“I’m sure I could afford the membership.”

I purse my lips, a thin line of disapproval forming across my face. “I’m sure you could as well, but there is no way anyone who runs this place is attending the event. It’s unprofessional.”

“There is always an exception, though, isn’t there, Sloane?” He smirks, and I know he’s talking about my slip-up. The biggest mistake of my life and I’m going to pay for it forever.

I sit up straighter. “This event is one of the highest money makers for the girls all year, it’s extremely important to the club, and everything has to run smoothly.”

“Money makers for the girls?” he asks, and I see I have just wiped the cheeky smirk off his face.

“Yes, they keep whatever offer they have placed on them.”

This time his eyes narrow in on me. “How do we make money out of this event, Sloane?” he asks, a little more seriously.

“We sign up new clients who pay through the nose for their yearly membership privileges. After being vetted, VIPs receive a black card that allows them access to the VIP section where the dancers work. Invitations to all the events and parties we host and access to booking out the private rooms when needed. It’s win-win.”

His fingers dance across his keyboard once more. “How much are you charging for these privileges?”

“A hundred and fifty grand a year.”

He runs a hand thoughtfully along his jaw, mulling over what I just told him, I’m sure working out that for him that means a whopping ninety thousand on every VIP that signs up for a new membership. But it’s not all profit. It takes a hell of a lot to run this place, and most of the money I make goes back into the business, that’s the way I have always run it.

“Could we offer different tiers? It’s a great idea to host these events, and I’m sure it helps to keep your girls happy if they make all the money they earn. But we need to be making bank as well. What if we introduced some tiers to your VIP card system? Say black is the bottom at one-fifty, then we could have gold at two hundred and platinum at three hundred. At the top level, the VIPs could receive their own hostess for the night, who will cater to their every need. Private lounge access, where only gold and above can enter, exclusive performances, possibly even a secret menu with special services, something more provocative. Platinum could be priority picks of dances, personal fantasy nights, no-limits-experience VIP treatment with no restrictions.” He shrugs, a little too pleased with himself. “Just a few ideas I have been working on.

I stare back at him, thinking over everything he just said. It’s not the worst idea I ever heard, and now that he’s going to be significantly cutting my profits, I’m going to need something to help make up the difference. But we will need to be careful how we word it, and we might need extra security measures to make sure the girls are safe. “It could work. Where are we going to find this extra room? For the more exclusive parties or shows?”

His smile broadens. “You like one of my ideas?” he asks cheekily, looking way too pleased about it.

My head drops, and I fiddle with the hem of my skirt. “I didn’t say I liked it. I just said I would consider it.”

His chuckle fills the room, and I glance back at him, wondering why this is so amusing. “The extra space is easy, sweetheart. I have purchased the entire building to the right of us. There is more than adequate room to have a few areas that cater to different needs and party sizes. I’ll email you the particulars. But I think you’re going to like what I have come up with. It’s going to mean more cash for both of us and your girls don’t have to take the hit. The wealthy bastards who want to sample their goodies do.”

I nod, indicating he can send me the details. “Do you have the keys? I want to see this space.”

He types something into his laptop, and I assume it’s him sending me the email. Then he closes it, stands, and walks toward me, taking a key out of his pocket. He dangles the thing in front of my face, and I snatch it up.

“Look at you getting all excited by my changes. Maybe we can work together after all.” He winks playfully.

I want to wipe the smug-as-shit grin off his face, but he just might be right. I have been doing this alone for so long, I was stuck in a rut. I hadn’t considered expanding further. And as much as I will never admit it to him, this might actually work.

Chapter 18

Romeo unlocks the door onto a vast empty concrete space. It runs the length of my entire club, but it’s narrower. Onyx follows us in and stands in the doorway, guarding it as we both walk in further. He looks unimpressed, but that seems to be his face today. Anything to avoid what we did last night and the real feelings it might have brought up, for me anyway. I return my full attention to Romeo, wishing I could forget everything we did.

“It’s a blank canvas, we can do whatever we want with it,” Romeo says when I haven’t uttered a word.

I wander, picturing the cool smoothness of marble and the deep, luxurious texture of velvet and leather, transforming this space. Elaborate chandeliers dripping with crystals down the center of the room and a more intimate bar off to one side. It could work.

“I was thinking two spaces, maybe the VIP party room at the front, then at the back more intimate spaces. We can keep the color scheme the same, so it blends seamlessly with next door. And have the entry through the middle of the club so they have already gone through the existing space for security reasons, and also, so the cops don’t get wind this place even exists. From the street it will still look like a vacant building.” His hands come to my waist from behind, and I know he’s desperate to hear what I think of all his grand ideas. His mouth dips to my ear, his warm breath ghosting across my skin. “It will be Ravens Hollow’s best-kept secret,” he says, in a way that makes goosebumps erupt over my skin, because he makes it all sound so enticing.

I turn back to face him, his eyes dancing with delight. He’s like a kid in a candy store, so damn excited about his idea. “How long have you been working on this?”

“Six months.”

I stare back at him, my mouth nearly dropping open. I knew this wasn’t all some overnight idea. But fuck, six months is kind of insane. “You have been watching me and researching this place for six months?”

He drops eye contact; even he knows how messed up that sounds. What the hell is his obsession with me and this place?

My heart kicks up a beat. “What was your plan? Come in here on my birthday and seduce me so I would fall for your charm and give you everything you wanted? Don’t bullshit me, Romeo, I think it’s about time you offer me the courtesy of the truth. Exactly what did you expect to happen, because I don’t get it. With the share you own, you could have just done what you wanted, but you felt the need to screw me first. What did you get out of our hook-up.”

A shiver runs down my spine as his hand moves up my arm, then his fingers brush lightly against my cheek, a feather-light touch tracing my lips. “I got you,” he responds with more determination. “I don’t just want to run this place alongside you. When it comes to you, Sloane, I want it all.”

Oh, dear God, the way he looks at me, I feel like my heart might just combust. I take a step back from him as if he just burned me. Because in a way, it feels like he did. What the hell does he mean he wants it all when it comes to me? He barely even knows me. “You can make a start on this. Keep me in the loop.” My voice trembles slightly. He’s rattled me, and I know I need to get away from him immediately. I stride back toward the door, where Onyx is waiting for me, and my cheeks break into an all-out blush of heat, the sight of him making my pussy clench in memory. Oh my God, I need to get away from him as well. “I’ll be out for a few hours,” I tell Romeo over my shoulder.

“Don’t forget we have dinner tonight at the Moretti boys’ mansion,” Romeo calls back to me, stopping me dead in my tracks.

My eyes meet with Onyx’s, and he looks as unimpressed as I feel. Damn it. I had forgotten about that little arrangement he forced me into. “You know I’m a woman of my word. I will be there,” I throw over my shoulder, not wanting to turn around to see him again. I can’t. He has this hold over me, and even I don’t know what I will do when he’s around.

“Where are we going, trouble?” Onyx grumbles as he falls into line with me.

“I’m going for lunch with Harley, you can have the morning off,” I tell him as I walk from the entrance of the vacant space. I spot Ricky’s Jeep pull up to the curb out front of the day spa. I should have known they wouldn’t let her come alone. There is always at least one of them hanging around her. It would drive me crazy. I glance at Onyx and see he’s watching me, his eyes filled with something that looks an awful lot like longing. One fuck wasn’t enough for either of us, and now we’re stuck together, the erratic tension swirling through the air. What the hell am I saying? It would drive Harley crazy, and I’m no better off. My situation is driving me to the point of insanity, I’m sure of it.

Maddox hops out of the car and opens the door for Harley. She has a hand on her growing belly and looks awkward as she steps out of the car. Ricky isn’t far behind her, the three of them approaching us. She mouths I’m sorry, and I know it’s because of her entourage. I offer her a half smile back, understanding.

“Look at you, sis, positively glowing.” I beam at her, able to fake it for my friend.

“I don’t feel like I’m glowing. I feel like these two are practicing their kickboxing skills on my stomach.” She laughs lightheartedly.

“They take after their dad.” Maddox smirks, and Ricky chuckles.

“Can you stomach lunch?” I ask her more seriously. I couldn’t give a shit about food, I just need her to snap some sense into me.

“Maybe.” She smiles softly, and I know the answer is no.

“What do you feel like? We can go wherever you like,” I offer.

Her eyes light up. “Something greasy.”

“Yeah, good idea, baby doll, I could go a burger and fries,” Ricky agrees, wrapping an arm around her.

“Who said you were invited?” I smirk at Ricky playfully.

“Me.” He winks in my direction, and I know he couldn’t care less. “There is a burger joint just up the street,” he offers, trying to be useful.

Romeo has locked up the vacant space and moves toward us with way too much confidence. “I could go for a burger, I think I will join you.”

I give him a sharp, sideways look, a wave of irritation washing over me, settling like concrete in my stomach. “You weren’t invited,” I snap, bitchy as all hell.

His eyes light up at the challenge. “Didn’t think I needed an invitation to hang out with my cousins.” He pats Ricky on the back, and Ricky chuckles.

Swallowing down my irritation with a grumble, I turn away from him and wrap my arm around Harley, the two of us starting to walk down the street away from them. They will do whatever the fuck they want anyway.

“You okay?” she asks softly, glancing back over her shoulder.

My head drops, the weight of the past week settling heavily on my shoulders. “Nope.”

“I’m sorry the boys are here, they’re all overprotective because of the babies. I can’t go anywhere without at least one of them tagging along.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I sigh heavily.

Her eyes meet mine. “Shit, Sloane, how bad is it?”

“When we get to the burger joint we’re sitting alone. I’m going crazy over here. If I don’t get it out, I’m going to explode, and I won’t be held accountable for my actions if I do.”

She laughs and hugs me a little closer to her. “I can’t wait to hear all the juicy gossip. Don’t worry, the boys have strict instructions to leave us alone while we eat.”

We push open the glass door, the cool air hitting me in the face instantly and making me realize just how hot my cheeks are. I’m so worked up it’s like there is fire burning inside of me. The two of us walk straight through to a vacant table in the back with only two chairs and take a seat. I watch as the boys all follow us. Maddox looks our way before moving into a booth seat at the front of the little burger joint. The others follow him. Even Onyx takes a seat beside Ricky. Fucking Romeo smirks at me like he’s won something. I have no idea what, I’m not eating lunch with him.

A server arrives at our table, interrupting my death glare in Romeo’s direction. I force a smile at the blonde teen. “What can I get you?” She chews on a stick of gum as she asks.

“Beef burger, double cheese, with fries and a strawberry milkshake, please,” Harley says.

I glance at my friend. I thought she didn’t feel like food. “I’ll have the quinoa and kale burger with fries and a Coke, thanks.”

Harley stops the waitress with a hand to her arm. “Can you charge all our food to the table of men at the front there?” She winks in my direction, and I can’t help but smirk back at her. “It’s their fault for gatecrashing our lunch date.”

“Um, sure,” the server says with a snicker, leaving us to it.

“Tell me, what the hell is going on with you and Romeo? He can’t keep his eyes off you. But you don’t like him?” she asks, confused.

“He’s trying to take over my business, sis. I’m not his biggest fan, no.”

“But you have a thing for him? Come on, spill, I know you two disappeared together at your party. What the hell happened?” Her eyes twinkle with mischief.

I shake my head, not even able to think about what we got up to. “It was a lot, and I feel like my brain has been scrambled ever since.”

She tilts her head, her nose scrunching up. “So, he fixed your problem, now you hate him?”

I lean over the table a little closer. “Sis, he screwed me then tried to screw me over.”

Her eyes go wide.

“We had the most incredible night together, then I find him chatting to my brothers, and he announces that he owns a sixty percent share of my club. The one I built from the pile of shit it was when Syd died. Syd is still fucking me over even from the grave, and now I have this asshole permanently in my life.”

She looks disgusted on my behalf. “That sly bastard. What the fuck are you going to do about it then. You’re Sloane Stryker, you don’t take shit from anyone. There must be a way to get rid of him.”

“I’ve seen the contract, this shit is legit. Syd traded a massive share of his club to pay off some debt to Romeo’s papa, and now I have to work with him. He’s everywhere, Harley, I can’t escape him. It’s driving me crazy.”

“Because you’re still hot for him.”

We have a silent stare-off. She knows I’m not going to admit to anything of the sort. But it’s also impossible to deny.

Just when I think this lunch couldn’t get any more uncomfortable, Detective Reef Wilder walks through the front door. I blink a couple of times, not able to actually believe it’s him. “Oh my God, hide me.” I grab her shoulders, but it’s too late, he’s spotted me and makes his way over to our table.

“You really are stalking me. Lunch yesterday, my house, now you’re here as well?” he asks, smiling cheekily with way too much charm. He tosses a hand through his long blond hair, his eyes lighting up as he takes me in.

I can’t help but smile back at him, feeling like a schoolgirl with a stupid crush. “You came in here after me,” I mutter, trying to get my brain to kick into gear so I can function like a normal person.

“Hi, I’m Reef.” He introduces himself to Harley with a broad smile that makes it all the way to his dimples as he holds out a hand for her to take.

She grins back at him, mischief dancing in her eyes as she shakes his hand. “Nice to meet you, Reef, I’m Harley. How do you know my girl Sloane?”

His eyes come to mine, so much warmth in them it melts my insides and sends butterflies taking off throughout my body. “Uh… Reef…” I start, but I can’t explain this one.

“We went on a date last night,” he tells her, sounding way too happy about it.

“Oh, really.” She looks to me like I have been holding out on her.

I force a tight smile. “Reef is the newest detective under Commissioner Sedgwick, just arrived from New York,” I explain like it tells her why I went on a date with him. If anything, it makes the whole situation more ridiculous, and I know that is exactly what she’s thinking by the way she looks at me. I shift the focus off me. “Harley is someone important for you to know. She and her boyfriends have set up this amazing clinic, with doctors and psychologists and all sorts of classes to help women who find themselves in trouble.”

He nods, taking my friend in with fresh eyes. “I have heard about you. I’m impressed by your initiative.”

“You’ll have to come and check it out. We have our opening day this weekend. Sloane will be there, won’t you, Sloane.”

I nod reluctantly, not needing another place the charming detective can find me.

“I might just do that.” He looks between us, his forehead creasing. “You two seem like an unlikely pair.”

“I don’t see how. Sloane has dedicated her life to helping the women of this town, it’s how we connected,” Harley snips, I think insulted for me.

Reef looks me over, and I see his curiosity. I can also see over his shoulder that Romeo is about to come over here, and that is the last thing I need. I stand in a rush. “Give me a sec, Harley,” I say quickly, taking Reef’s arm and moving around the corner near the bathroom with him.

He doesn’t wait, moving in closer to me, taking my hand in his. “Was I going to hear back from you?” His eyes lock with mine, and I see how desperate he was to see me again. The silly thing is I feel the same.

“You came looking for me because I didn’t text you back?” I sass back, not ready to tell him he has the same effect over me. I don’t know how to deal with him, that’s why I didn’t write back to his message. At least not until Malachi gets the dirt on him.

He glances over his shoulder then back to me. “Not quite. I dropped into the club to give you the heads up, I’ve been told to raid the place tonight. We have a warrant, and this time my boss isn’t messing round.”

“Shit, Reef. You shouldn’t be telling me that.” I don’t know why but knowing he’s betraying the rules of his job to help me makes me worry for him. My pulse also goes into overdrive knowing I have some damage control to do at the club to make sure we’re squeaky clean for tonight.

With a light touch, his hand skates up my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. The way he touches me is too light but not enough, and it makes me crave more of him. “I don’t know you all that well just yet, wildcat, but I’m a go-with-my-gut kind of guy, and something tells me you’re one of the good ones, even if you act like a badass. Don’t prove me wrong.” His eyes land on mine, searching my soul for answers I can’t give him. I have done things so terrible I know he would never be able to forgive me if he found out. I did them to protect the people I care about, never without an extremely good reason. But I like the way he looks at me like I’m not pure evil, it makes me want to be the girl he thinks I am.

I tug him in a little closer, inhaling his scent. He smells so damn good that I just can’t help myself. I rise onto my toes and press my lips to his quickly. My heart races out of my chest knowing I shouldn’t be crossing this line with him again, but I needed a quick taste. When I pull away, he deepens the kiss, drawing me closer. The taste of him lingers as our lips meet again. It’s one intoxicating combination.

Pressed against the wall under the weight of his body, I feel his urgency just as much as his tongue exploring my mouth. My fingers curl into his shirt, and I cling to him as his hands roam up and down my body, touching me right where I want him to and igniting a fire within me.

When we eventually pull back from each other, I’m a panting mess. My hand rests on his chest, and I can feel his heart hammering out of control. This is insane. “Don't risk your neck or reputation for me again. I’m not worth losing your career.”

“I think you are.” He cups my chin, pressing his lips to mine again and making me melt into him. He’s an escape from my reality, a little ray of sunshine in my darkness, and I want more.

“Detective Wilder. I thought that was you,” comes Romeo’s voice from behind us.

Quickly the two of us pull back from each other. Sucking in a deep breath, I glance at Romeo, trying to work out how on earth I deal with this situation. Of course he followed us back here.

Reef withdraws from me and turns toward Romeo. “Mr. Moretti.” He holds his hand out in his direction. As they shake hands, I feel the tension reach a new level of fucked up. “I’ll be on my way, Sloane, leaving you to finish your lunch. Think about what I said.”

I give him a nod, my lips turning up at the sides, just because I enjoy the way he looks at me. “See you soon, Detective Hot Stuff.”

He chuckles as he shakes his head, passing by Romeo on his way out. Romeo’s eyes narrow in on me.

I fix the corners of my lipstick, making sure I don’t have any smudges. Fuck him for following us back here and watching us like a creeper. I go to pass him, but he captures my arm, stopping me.

“What the hell was that, Sloane? Last night was a bit of fun to get back at me, I get it. But you can’t be seen to be dating a cop for real.”

My hands fly to my waist. “Who the hell do you think you are telling me who I can and can’t date.”

“If you’re not careful, he has the ability to fuck us over and close down our club given half a chance.” His voice vibrates with frustration, and I know this is over more than just our club.

I glare up at him. He doesn’t know anything about Reef. “That’s where you’re wrong. He was here to warn us. They will be raiding the club tonight; they have a warrant to search everything this time.”

His eyes go wide. “Are you fucking serious?”

“Deadly,” I snip back.

He drops his grip on my arm, running a hand through his hair. I can see the worry lines on his forehead. He actually gives a fuck about The Raven’s Nest. Good to know.

“Don’t sweat it, Romeo, this isn’t the first time I’ve dealt with shit like this. We have time, it’s easy. We cancel all VIP bookings for tonight, get a cleaning crew in to do a deep clean, and make sure the rest of the place is in order. I’ll put some extra security on the door. They won’t get anything on us.”

“Do you think you can trust him?”

I shrug. “I’m not sure yet. But right now, I would trust him over you. He hasn’t lied to me yet.”

His face grows more serious. “Sloane, I didn’t lie to you.”

“No, you just withheld very important information from me so you could get into my pants. To me, it’s the same thing.” I pat him on the chest, signaling we’re done. “I have a lunch with my friend to get back to. You going to handle the club or should I call Sally?”

His eyes narrow, and I know I’m pissing him off. “I’ll handle it,” he snaps, taking off in a huff.

I follow him, moving back toward our table where Harley is still sitting. She now has Ricky feeding her fries, sitting in my chair, but that’s on me for taking so long.

“Beat it, Ricky, you two are going to make me sick.”

The sound of Harley’s laughter fills the air, a warm and comforting noise that I have missed.

Ricky stands, his grin revealing a hint of mischief as he looks at me. “Just keeping your chair warm. How are you feeling?” he asks more genuinely.

“Better than ever,” I lie. I’m better than I was when I saw him last, but I know I’m still not right.

He looks me over skeptically. “Romeo still giving you trouble?”

“Sure is.” I roll my eyes. “But it’s nothing I can’t handle,” I’m quick to add so he knows I don’t need him and his brothers getting involved.

“Looks like the detective wanted to give you something as well, Sloane. He was so hot for you I could feel the sexual tension from over here.” Harley fans her face dramatically. “What the fuck, girl?”

“Detective?” Ricky asks, his brow raised in question.

“Fuck off back to your table, Ricky,” I tell him, not wanting to get into it with him. I know how much the Morettis hate the cops, but this is none of his business.

He chuckles but does as I said and leaves us alone, rejoining the other boys.

Onyx glances my way, and I sigh heavily. He’s just another problem I need to sort out. And I can tell he knows I was up to no good with the detective.

“What the hell, Sloane?” Harley smirks, a playful sparkle in her pretty eyes. She’s loving this drama way too much.

With a groan, I bury my head in my hands, my temples throbbing. “I don’t even know where to start. This week has gotten so out of hand so damn quickly.”

“You have a cop and a mafia boss lusting after you, that is one interesting predicament.”

I glance back up at her. She doesn’t know the half of it. I’m dying to tell her about Onyx as well, but I can’t, not when I know the shit it could get him in with my brothers. “You of all people should know the hell I’m going through. Help me, don’t laugh at my pain.” I slump back into my chair, tossing a fry in my mouth and chewing even though I can’t taste it.

She pats my leg softly, but I can feel the rumble of laughter going through her at the same time. “Sounds like your life is about to heat up.”

“Not funny.” I glare at her.

Her features have more sympathy now. “I know, girl, I get it. What does Onyx think of it all? I always thought the big guy had a thing for you.”

“Why would you say that?” I gasp, my heart kicking up a beat. She is the first person to point it out today, and now I’m worried it’s obvious to everyone around us.

She looks his way, and he’s still watching me unashamedly. “No reason.” A slow smirk stretches across her lips as she glances back at me.

All I can do is shake my head and shove my burger in my mouth to avoid talking anymore. I have no words to say. None. My life is one big fucking mess. And she’s no help.

Chapter 19

It is precisely one o'clock in the morning when the front door crashes open, hinges screaming, as the SWAT team floods the main bar, a wave of heavy boots and weapons.

With a deep breath, I stand, ready to face them head-on, feeling the adrenaline surge. Bring it on, fuckers, I have nothing to hide here tonight.

Romeo stands beside me, as Onyx steps before me, his hand a shield against whatever might threaten.

“Police! We have a search warrant! Hands where we can see them!” one of the officers calls over the music as they rush toward us. They fill the room quickly with their guns drawn and their Kevlar on.

Sally and Myriah both move out from behind the bar and raise their hands. Me and the boys follow. There are a few jacket-wearing patrons who stand in a rush. With guns trained on us, we are forced to line up against the far wall as they shine flashlights in our eyes and over our bodies. Looking for concealed weapons I’m sure, but no one who is working for me tonight would be stupid enough to turn a weapon on them. We all know if we comply, this will be over quickly and without too much hassle.

Detective Wilder enters the club, with his coworker by his side. I can’t remember what her name is. Her eyes fix in on me as he approaches, a very obvious warrant in his hand. He looks over the men at my sides, Onyx and Romeo, with a new distaste I don’t quite understand. Then his eyes rake over me. He eats up every inch of me, his eyes eventually landing on my face. He’s enjoying his newfound power. “I didn’t want to do it like this, but my hands are tied, Sloane. This is a court-ordered warrant, and I need to do my job.”

I nod, understanding and giving him the go-ahead to proceed. Thank fuck he gave me the heads-up and I was able to clear the space before they got here.

“We have reason to believe someone by the name of Ava Kingsley is being held hostage on these premises. We need to take a look around. Don’t fight me on this or I will have to arrest you.”

I blink back at him, not sure who the fuck he’s going on about. “To my knowledge, no one by that name is working here or being held against their will here tonight, but you’re welcome to check ID badges and search the place. Knock yourselves out.”

I glance at Romeo, but he looks just as confused as I am. “We’re happy to comply in any way you need,” he adds.

My bouncer guarding the door to the VIP room stands aside, watching as one of the cops repeatedly slams against the solid oak door of the strip club, unable to force it open. “You want my card to get through? I have nothing to hide, Detective.” I feel the smirk stretching across my lips as I challenge him with my gaze. We both know this is bullshit. “It’s around my neck.”

He reaches over my head taking my security card, passing it off to another officer who proceeds to open the door. They move on through to the next room, and even though the girls had been warned, squeals of panic still echo through the room. My girls are nothing if not a bit dramatic.

Detective Wilder doesn’t move, though. He stays here with us, his eyes locked onto mine with unwavering determination, a seriousness in his expression that doesn’t suit his gorgeous face. “It will be easier for everyone if you just turn her over, Sloane,” he says softer, as if he thinks I know who that girl is.

“I have no idea who you’re talking about,” I snap back, getting irritated.

He closes the gap between us. “I think you do.”

“What?” I glance at Onyx, wondering what the fuck is going on. His piercing eyes are fixated on Reef in a threatening way that makes me think there really is more going on here. “I’ve never heard that name before in my life.”

“How about you show me your ID so we can tick you off the list of suspects.”

I feel Onyx stiffen beside me, his muscles taut, and I glance his way, a knot of worry tightening in my stomach. Does he just feel out of control, or does he know something I don’t?

I push down the panic, knowing now’s not the time to crumble. I don’t know anything about this girl. What’s the worst that could happen if I show him my ID? “Happily, I have nothing to hide. It’s in my office.”

“Lead the way.” His piercing gaze fixes on Onyx. “Alone. With your hands still above your head,” he demands, and fuck if his dominance doesn’t turn me on just a little.

“I… I need a swipe card,” I stutter, losing my edge. The way he’s looking at me is unnerving.

“You can take mine.” Romeo shows him he’s reaching into his pocket for the card. He hands it to me cooly, not at all flustered under the threat of this situation. Reef watches him, scanning his face in a way that confuses me.

I step out of the line and walk toward my office, with Reef closely behind me. Swiping us through, we walk down the long corridor to my office. The silence between us is almost deafening. Once I swipe us through to my office, I flick on the light and turn back toward him. “If you wanted to get me alone, all you had to do is ask. You really didn’t need to go to so much trouble.” I grin at him playfully, trying to lighten the somber mood he has created.

But his serious expression, set like stone, doesn’t change even once we’re alone, and I get a sinking feeling.

“Reef, you’re scaring me,” I whisper, not sure what to make of this. Was every interaction we had in the past a lie and he’s really been getting to know me so he can somehow fuck me over for his job? If that was the case, why would he have warned me they were coming tonight?

His kind eyes meet mine, softening a little. “I didn’t want to do this out there in front of your staff and the rest of my crew.”

“Do what?”

From his pocket, he produces a piece of paper, a birth certificate. My birth certificate according to the name printed on it. “This is a fake, Sloane.”

I take a step back from him, my heart kicking up a beat. “What are you talking about?” When he doesn’t answer, I snatch the paper from him, looking it over. It appears perfectly normal to me. “I got my license with this. No one ever said it wasn’t real before, this is legit,” I snap back, panic filling my voice.

I see a flash of sympathy in his eyes, then pity. “You really don’t know?” he asks, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise as his eyes search my face for answers.

My heart hammers out of control in my chest, trying to process what he’s saying or not saying.

“You’re the missing girl, Ava Kingsley. It’s you, Sloane.” His voice holds a deathly serious edge, one that sends a shiver down my spine.

My eyes meet his, and I stumble back, hitting my desk with a thud. “W… what?” I stutter out, confusion swirling through my brain.

He produces more papers, laying them down on my desk in front of me. You’re a missing person; you have been since you were four. I have been following your case for years. It was a big deal at the time when you were taken, because of the high-profile position your father held. When the vice president is assassinated in his home and his child kidnapped, the story doesn’t die even after twenty-one years. Just today this intel came across my desk, Sloane. My boss wants this case solved, and I knew I had to intervene. This is you, I’m sure of it.”

I collect up the image, an artist impression of a girl who looks an awful lot like me. Then a photo of a little girl she couldn’t be any older than four. She has wispy white-blonde hair in pigtails and a sweet little pink dress on. She’s held in the arms of a woman who looks like she could be my identical twin. I drop the image like it just burned me. I can’t be that girl. The missing daughter of the vice president.

“Sir, we have searched the premises, no sign of the girl,” comes through his radio transmission. “All rooms are empty. I will gather the team and head on out.”

“Copy that,” Reef says back to him through the radio. Then his attention comes back to me. “I’m not sure why yet, but Commissioner Sedgwick has poured a lot of her resources into this case. She wants the missing girl found as a matter of urgency. And for whatever reason, she believes this club has something to do with her disappearance. She ordered the search tonight, she’s seen this image. Sloane, I could lose my job for coming to you and covering up what I have found. But fuck, that girl is you, isn’t it?”

I stare back at him, not wanting to give away that I’m actually freaking the fuck out right now. “It’s just a witch hunt. We don’t know anything,” I reply, my voice uneasy.

“Look over the papers, I think you will see what I did. A DNA test would prove it.” His hand comes to my waist, his eyes filled with sadness for me. “I’m sorry you had to find out like this. But if you are that girl, you could be in danger. I needed you to know before anyone else worked it out.”

I swallow the lump in my throat, not sure if I can look at those papers again. What he is saying is too much to process. I can’t be this girl they are searching for. I’m Sloane Stryker. I grew up here, this is my home. I have four big brothers, a twin. I looked like my mom, well, we had similar features anyway. “I’m not her,” I whisper, forcing the words out through clenched teeth.

“I think we both know you are.” He watches me, his hand tangling into mine. “If you need me, I’m here for you. Your secret is safe with me, but the longer it takes you to come to terms with this, the more danger you could be in. If our squad is already getting close, someone else could work it out as well.”

I pull my hand free, his kindness not what I need. “I don’t need your help,” I seethe, stalking away from him, my gaze dark and dangerous warning him to stay the fuck away from me. “You have a job to do, do it.”

“Sloane,” he calls after me, but I’m already halfway down the hall.

Shoving my way back into the main bar, Reef slinks past me, glancing back over his shoulder just once before he rejoins his SWAT crew. I don’t wait for them to leave before I take a bottle of whiskey from the top shelf and pour myself a glass. My hands shake uncontrollably as the liquid fills the tumbler. Help me. Fuck him, he never wanted to help me. He wants to be some big hero for his new boss, bring in the missing girl they’re all searching for. Well, I’m not her.

They leave via the front door, his eyes meeting mine for a split second just before he disappears out the door. I glare in his direction as I throw back the entirety of my drink. The burn down the back of my throat is just what I need to take away the pain he just left lodged in my chest.

Onyx and Romeo are at the bar within seconds of them leaving. “What the fuck was that, Sloane? I thought they were searching for signs of illegal prostitution or sex trafficking or drugs, not some missing girl,” Romeo asks, his voice filled with concern and confusion.

My head spins, and I take hold of the edge of the counter to keep myself upright. Fuck, I need another drink. I fill my tumbler again and throw it back until I feel strong hands on mine, stopping me.

“What are you doing? You think you can drink this shit away? Bet you’re about to pop some more fucking pills as well. We need to deal with this new crisis together. Not hide behind booze and pills,” Romeo tells me.

I pull out of Romeo’s hold on me. Fuck him for trying to tell me what to do, he has no idea what I’m going through right now. “What I put in my body is none of your fucking business.”

I quickly glance at Onyx—the silence between us heavy with unspoken words—and I know he understands we need to talk immediately. His expression is a stark reflection of my own dread. My soul hurts already, knowing he’s about to rip my heart to shreds with the truth.

“Give her some space,” I hear Onyx grumble at Romeo as I take off for my office. When did they start communicating?

As the door to my office clicks shut behind Onyx, a chill runs down my spine, making me turn to face him with a fresh wave of determination. “You knew all along, didn’t you.” I stare at Onyx in disbelief. I trust him more than anyone else in my life, even my brothers. But if this is true and he knew about it, he’s been lying to me forever.

“I promised your mom I would protect you at all costs.”

My chest heaves, each breath a ragged gasp for air as pain radiates through me. “Answer me honestly. Am I this missing girl?”

His head drops, and I feel the weight he’s carrying. “Yes,” he murmurs, his deep voice barely audible.

My legs give way, trembling with exhaustion so much I drop to my knees. Every moment of my existence has been a carefully constructed lie.

He reaches for me, but I pull away. “Sloane, you have to understand, we did it for you. To protect you.”

“To protect me? I grew up in a fucking brothel! With a dad who was dealing drugs and running a biker gang. Whatever you were protecting me from couldn’t have been worse than the life I lived.”

His eyes darken to scary, and I know it was.

“What?” I mutter, needing to know it all.

With a soft thud, he drops to his knees beside me, his breath catching in his throat. “Your birth mother was scared for your life. There had been constant threats on all their lives, and they knew they were running out of time. Your father wouldn’t listen. He thought he had the situation under control, but your mother knew better. All I know is in a chance encounter, she ran into Katrina Stryker, and she promised to take you and protect you as if you were one of her own. You know what your mother was like, Sloane, she had a heart of gold.” His thumbs gently caress my cheeks as his eyes bore into mine, a heartbreaking gaze that shatters me all over again. “One week after you came to live with us, your entire family was assassinated in their home.”

A crushing pain overwhelms me, constricting my chest and making it hard to breathe. “My birth parents?” I whisper, imagining the horror.

“Yes. Your mother saved your life by giving you up to us. This club and Ravens Hollow might not have been the lap of luxury you would have grown up in with your vice president father. But Katrina loved you with everything she had, and she protected you until the day she died like she promised your mother she would.”

My bottom lip trembles, but I won’t let the tears that threaten fall. “She died because of me, didn’t she?” A silent sob escapes me, and my heart aches so badly I can barely breathe. All this time I had blamed Syd, but that night they were after me as well. They said something had been stolen from them and Syd and Katrina had to pay because of it. I remember it clearly, their cruel words etched into my brain.

“All I know is when you were fifteen, your mother hired me to watch over you behind Syd’s back. I had been working for him for years at that point and had no idea who you were. Katrina must have known they were getting closer to you. She came to me one night frantic, said I needed to promise her I would never let anything happen to you. She told me all that she knew, and I swore to her you would be safe with me.”

“They were after me that night, that’s why you made us run away instead of staying to help her, because you knew.” My tortured eyes meet his. They are just as haunted, remembering what happened the night we lost her, the night I was nearly raped and killed as well. If it wasn’t for Onyx, I would have been.

“I had to save you, Sloane.” He pulls me onto his lap, his strong arms encircling me, the warmth of his body close to mine as he hugs me.

“After Syd died, why didn’t you tell me the truth?” I eventually ask him, still not pulling away. I need him close, I need him to take this pain away.

“We couldn’t. I was scared if you knew the truth, then whoever was after you would work it out as well and come after you. As Sloane Stryker, you should have been safe.”

“Why did they stop? When they didn’t get me that night, why didn’t they come back?” I ask, needing to know what I’m up against.

“Jagger said he took care of it.”

I stare at him. “What the hell does that mean?”

“Shit went down that night, Sloane, people died, and it shifted the power of the underworld. Finding the lost girl was less important.”

“Until Reef worked it out. He knows, Onyx, and the commissioner is looking for me. It’s just lucky it was him she gave my case to. I think he set this whole thing up to clear my name and get her off our case. I think he’s going to lie for me. But how long do you think he can get away with that?”

“He won’t tell her.”

“He’s risking his job to keep this secret. I don’t know him all that well, and I know his job is important to him. How do you know we can trust him? If push comes to shove, what if he gives me up?”

His eyes come back to me with more determination. “You make sure he doesn’t. I saw the way he looked at you last night, you can manipulate him easily to do whatever you want. Use your charm to keep him on side with us.”

I blink back at him, I think in shock. Is he actually telling me to date the cop just so we can keep this a secret? “How the fuck am I supposed to continue on like nothing in my life has changed, when everything has?”

“You’re the strongest person I know, trouble. You will find a way.”

A bang sounds at the door. “Sloane, let me in,” comes Romeo’s booming voice, his patience obviously worn thin being kept in the dark.

I sigh heavily, not wanting to deal with his shit anymore tonight. He’s probably here to demand the date that he didn’t get to have because we were waiting for the police to arrive. I pull myself up to standing using my desk, and Onyx joins me. His arms wrap around me as he hugs me into his solid chest. The two of us stand together in silence as he holds me tightly, giving me everything I need right now, comfort only he can provide.

Romeo bangs again. “Sloane,” he calls, more desperate.

I huff out a breath then move out of Onyx’s hold on me, opening the door for Romeo.

He barrels through, looking like a raging bull on steroids. He collects his swipe card from my desk and pockets it. His dark eyes come to mine. “Time to tell me what the fuck is going on, doll face.”

Chapter 20

I stare him down, my eyes burning into his, feeling the tension between us thicken with each passing second. “Nothing for you to worry about, boss.” I sidestep him and move into my bathroom, throwing some water on my face. My head is foggy, and I feel like I’m about to hit the floor, but I’m not ready to go home. Tonight has been traumatic for all involved, and I know I need to go check on my girls and make sure everyone is okay.

I reapply my lipstick and fix my eye make-up then straighten my ponytail, catching my reflection in the mirror. I’m still the same girl I was this morning. But why do I feel so different now? So out of place in this club that has been my home for as long as I can remember.

From the doorway I catch sight of Romeo watching me. I turn back to face him, straightening my shoulders. “We should do the rounds, make sure things are in order,” I suggest.

“Good idea. Are you okay to walk on your own or do I need to assist you?” He raises a brow, his expression still serious.

“Fuck off, Romeo. I’m totally fine.”

“Keep lying to yourself, Sloane.” His eyes scan over me skeptically, but he doesn’t push it anymore. “Once we have done the rounds, the two of us are coming back in here and you’re going to tell me what you know about this missing girl.”

I roll my lips, not ready to tell him anything. Without a response, I stalk past him, and he follows me. The two of us walk back into the main bar with Onyx closely behind.

Myriah runs toward me dramatically, her arms outstretched as she embraces me tightly. “Are you alright? What the hell was all that about, girl?”

“They were looking for a girl who is clearly not here. Just our new commissioner throwing her dick around, nothing to worry about. Can you and Sally clean up the bar and get ready to close? I’m going to check on the girls next door.”

“Done.” She smiles at me, but her normal happiness doesn’t reach her eyes. Tonight has rattled her. It’s rattled all of us.

Across the now empty room, I catch sight of Sally. She offers a subtle nod of acknowledgment, her eyes meeting mine briefly. I know she’s tough, and she’ll handle looking after Myriah and pack up for me tonight with no problem.

Onyx, Romeo, and I move through to the VIP room, where two girls are back up on the stage dancing, but the place is dead thanks to the cops. Only a couple of the tough-as-nails guys who are on Jagger’s payroll were keen to hang around. Understandably.

Romeo turns back to me, a slight frown etched onto his face when he sees the dismal, empty room in front of us. “Do we call it a night and lock up early?”

“Maybe.” I massage my temples, trying to think on it as I walk toward the bar. “The girls okay in here?” I ask Erica as she’s wiping over the bar.

She leans into the bar, tossing the cleaning cloth that was in her hands into the sink. “Totally fine. The assholes lined us up and checked all our IDs then left. What the fuck were they looking for?”

“Guess they were just making sure no underage girls were here,” I lie with a tight smile.

With a shake of her head and a roll of her eyes, her unimpressed expression is clear. “How stupid do they think we are?” She huffs out a laugh, taking up a fresh tea towel, moving to the dishwasher. Steam pours out of it as she flings it open. “Girls will be down on tips,” she tuts, and I’m not surprised. If anyone is going to give it to me straight, it will be her. She might be behind the bar, but I know she takes her job seriously and she has a sense of motherly ownership over the dancers. It’s why she’s been employed with me so long; I always know with her around, there is another set of eyes keeping watch over this place.

“I’ll make sure they are reimbursed.”

“I knew you would.” She nods, pleased with my response.

An idea comes to me, and I spin back toward the boys. “Or do you want to test out one of your ideas, Romeo? Invite some of the guys who would be considered top tier to come and play.”

He checks his watch. “It’s nearly two in the morning.”

“This place should just be getting started then.” I pull out my phone and text Sally to send me a list of the guys she knows that might be up for some fun at this hour.

Romeo’s hand comes to my shoulder, like a weight pressing down on me. “Sloane, stop. You need to go home to bed. It’s been one hell of a night, and even though you’re trying to pretend you’re okay, you’re clearly not. I’m not sure what happened between you and Detective Wilder, but what I do know is I’m not letting you continue to trash yourself for this business.” Romeo looks at Onyx, his eyes narrowing. “I know you agree with me,” he says in his direction.

I feel Onyx’s hand on my back gently. I turn toward him knowing he can’t be siding with Romeo over me. “Why don’t you let Romeo and Sally close up the front, and I’m sure Erica has this place handled. I’ll take you home.”

I flick my eyes back to him angrily. “What the fuck, Onyx, are you two teaming up on me now?”

For a split second, pain flickers across his face, a grimace that vanishes as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual stony expression. “He has good reason to be worried about you, trouble.”

Irritation crawls under my skin. Have they been talking about me, having secret Sloane meetings when I’m not paying attention? What the hell! I thought they couldn’t stand each other. “I don’t need either of you oversized assholes’ pity, concern, or whatever the fuck this is. What I need is to do my job. My girls all missed out on income tonight because of me. I need to make sure they don’t go home empty-handed.”

Romeo’s hand trails down my arm. “We have a massive event next weekend. You and I both know it will make up for whatever they lost today.” His eyes narrow in on me like the bossy motherfucker he is. He thinks he’s in charge of me. “Go home with Onyx or I will march you out of here over my shoulder and take you back to the Moretti mansion with me.” It’s a threat, one I can see he is more than happy to make good on. In fact, by his expression, I think that’s exactly what his sick mind wants.

“Like hell you…” I stop talking when all the power goes out and I’m left in pitch black. A couple of girls shriek in fright, and I hear Erica curse out a string of profanities from the other side of the bar. My already-on-edge heart leaps into my throat. I feel Onyx and Romeo’s hands on me immediately. One at the front, the other at my back, caging me in between them protectively.

“Bill, can you check the meter box out back?” comes Onyx’s voice, as he connects with our security guard on the front door.

Romeo flicks on the flashlight on his phone, shining it at me. “You okay, doll face? You’re awfully pale,” he asks, and I hear the worry in his voice.

But I can’t think about him. I feel strange. I’m shaking my head from side to side as panic takes over, and everything I have found out tonight comes crashing down on me like a pile of bricks. The night my mom was taken from me, the sacrifice she made to keep me alive when I wasn’t even her own child. Being in this room in the pitch black brings it all back. I can hear her screams, feel my fear like it was yesterday.

Romeo wraps an arm around me, pulling me in tight, and I let him. “You’re alright. Don’t tell me the big bad Sloane Stryker is afraid of the dark.” He huffs out a laugh, and I can tell he’s trying his best to snap me out of it.

Overwhelmed by a wave of fear, I can only manage to shake my head again, a useless gesture against the rising tide of panic.

I can hear Onyx talking to our security crew from right behind me, his hand still on my waist as he dishes out orders. Something about the electrical box.

I should be the one taking charge, but my head spins, and I grip onto Romeo to stop from falling flat on my face. The next thing I know, Romeo’s lips are on mine as he kisses me passionately. His lips are so soft the kiss almost doesn’t feel real.

Or am I just so out of it and panicked that everything feels odd.

His hand, warm and strong, encircles the back of my neck, a comforting pressure that strangely calms me, so I allow him to continue. I even kiss him back, clinging to him like my life depends on him and his lips. Because right now, it feels like it does.

The lights flash on then back off again a couple of times. Then a whirl of energy is thrust into the room as all the electricity comes back on, including the lights. I pull back from Romeo immediately, my back hitting Onyx.

That might have been one hell of a kiss, but it’s the last thing I should have been doing. “What did you do that for?” I snap at him.

His lips twitch up at the sides into a cunning smile. “Thought it might break you out of whatever fucked-up place you went to.”

I glare back at him, but the room blurs around me, my eyes going all blotchy. Right before I hit the floor, Onyx’s strong arms scoop me up into his solid protective body.

He pulls me close to him, so close I can feel his erratic heart. “When are you going to start listening to me,” he snips, and I hear the disappointment in his tone.

“Take her into one of the rooms,” Romeo says, sounding bossy as hell.

Onyx mumbles an agreement, carrying me toward the private rooms.

I close my eyes, letting him, for once. I’m too out of it to argue with the two of them. I think they’re right, I need to lie down, at least until this spinning stops and I feel normal again.

They scan me through to room one, and Onyx lays me down on the luxurious bed so carefully it’s as if he thinks I’m made of glass and he’s about to crush me. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to stop this awful spinning feeling. Onyx doesn’t skip a beat, hopping onto the bed beside me he pulls me in close, his lips brushing my earlobe. “Just breathe, trouble, you’re okay,” he tells me on repeat. He knows it too, I’m having a panic attack, forced to relive the night that still haunts me. I try to push the thoughts away and focus on my breathing like he’s telling me.

I keep seeing her face that night right before she went onto the stage. She was so beautiful, so loving toward me. I don’t understand why she would be so selfless. Why protect me, knowing it could put her and her family in danger? I get it now, why Syd hated me so much; I was a massive inconvenience to him. But he went along with it as well, so he must have been getting something out of having me here. I wish I had more answers, but right now all I have is a massive list of questions and a hole in my heart where my family used to be.

Eventually my breathing starts to calm, and when I let my eyes flutter open, I find Romeo watching the two of us from the doorway. “Should I call Ricky?” he asks, concern etched into his handsome features.

I shake my head. I don’t need to be told off by Doctor Ricky for taking too many pills and chasing it with an obscene amount of alcohol. And if he comes down here, that’s exactly what will happen.

Romeo moves in closer, his eyes locked with mine. “How many of those pills did you take tonight?” he asks me more seriously.

“I only saw her take two,” Onyx replies for me.

Romeo’s eyes scan my face, unimpressed. “I saw her take at least four. Two right before she ate dinner and again when we got word the cops were on their way.”

I groan, my head thumping with their judgy words. I massage my temples, trying to stop the constant drumbeat playing in there. Why are they watching my every move?

“Trouble, Ricky said no more than two a day,” Onyx grumbles over my shoulder, rolling me onto my back so he can glare down at me.

I want to reel away from their judgmental gazes, but I have Onyx on one side and Romeo staring me down on the other. There is no escaping the two of them. “Yeah, well, today was no ordinary fucking day, was it. And now instead of you two letting me rest in peace, I have you ganging up on me.”

Onyx’s phone rings in his pocket, and he answers, still leering at me. “Speak.”

“We have a situation,” I hear the person on the other end of the phone say. Sounds like one of our security guys. “Can you come out front?”

“Fuck.” Onyx disconnects the call and sits back, running a hand through his stubble, his attention moving to Romeo. “Stay here with her. Don’t let her out of your sight,” he demands, an air of authority and a no-shit tone to his voice.

Romeo agrees, a twinkle in his eyes I don’t like the look of.

But what I don’t get is why does Onyx all of a sudden trust Romeo?

He leaves in a rush, and Romeo moves over to me. I shuffle up the bed, needing to still keep some distance between us. “Why did you kiss me?” I ask him, feeling awkward as hell about it now.

“What did I tell you the first night we met?”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t know, that you were a lying asshole and I shouldn’t trust you?” I sass just to piss him off. “I don’t need a babysitter, you can go on with your night.” I shoo him off with my hands, trying to make it clear I don’t want him anywhere near me.

“I think it went something more like, I always get what I want. And right now, I want you, and I’m not going to stop until you’re mine.” The dark and dangerous look in his eyes makes me believe him. This man is used to getting what he wants, and he is awfully persistent.

His expression and his possessive words also make my panties wet and butterflies take off throughout my body. Not because I want him, but because I remember how good the night we shared was. And as much as I don’t want to admit it to him, my greedy pussy wouldn’t mind another go. I sit up a little, needing the height advantage, with him towering over me looking way too powerful. “Then you will be trying until the day you die, because after the stunt you pulled, you will never get your hands on this again.” I motion to my body just so we’re clear.

He throws his head back, his chuckle filling the room. “You’re a beautiful actress, but I see right through your performance, doll face.”

“This isn’t an act,” I snap back at him.

He crosses one arm over the other, puffing out his chest. “Prove it.”

“What?” I blink back at him, not so sure what he means.

He cocks his head to one side, a slight smile playing on his lips. “Prove it.” He takes a step closer to the bed. “If I come over there and slip my finger inside your panties and they’re dry, I guess I will believe you.”

Fuck, this man is dirty. How did we go from you need to rest from your bad choices, to I’m going to finger-fuck you just to prove a point? “If they’re not?” I swallow the lump in my throat, already knowing the answer.

His knee drops to the bed, his eyes taking in every inch of me. “Then I guess we both know you want me.” His hand lands on my thigh, and I jump, so on edge even the slightest movement amplifies my senses. His hand trails up my bare thigh, and I know I should stop him. Tell him to get his filthy hands off me, but I can’t. I want him to touch me there again. It doesn’t matter how much I hate him. “What’s it going to be, Sloane?” His hand slides under the hem of my skirt, and I suck in a breath, already knowing what he’s about to feel. As he makes it to my silk panties, his grin broadens. “So, fucking wet for me, aren’t you, doll face.” He doesn’t wait for a response from me. In one move, he’s shoved my panties out of the way, pushing his finger deep inside of me, a filthy fucking expression on his face because he knows he has me.

“Romeo,” his name is supposed to come out as a warning, but it’s more of a breathy plea for more.

“That’s it, doll face, you want more of me, don’t you?”

I shake my head no, but my knees widen, giving him better access to me. My body is betraying me. The sexual tension between us has been insane all week, and now that he’s this close, I can’t deny it anymore.

He moves his finger in and out of me leisurely. “See how good we are together?”

My back arches off the bed as my fingers curl into the comforter, pleasure rocketing through my body. With his free hand, he bunches my skirt up around my hips and pulls my panties all the way down my legs and over my shoes, pocketing them when he’s done. He watches with hooded eyes as he fingers me slowly, a look of pure satisfaction on his face. “I have been dreaming about the way you taste for days.” He dips his head, his tongue flicking out to lick me, skimming over my clit, before he sucks it into his mouth.

My eyes roll back in pleasure. “Fuck, Romeo,” I call into the room, not able to help it.

He adds a second digit, curling his fingers up inside of me, licking me, sucking me, nipping me at the same time, and my pussy clenches around his fingers. My cheeks heat and my breathing catches in my throat, my orgasm taking over so quickly it surprises me. I ride his hand shamelessly as he eats me up, devouring every last drop of my pleasure.

I cry out his name on repeat, my body shuddering.

The door suddenly swings open without warning, a loud creak echoing in the near silence. I jump in fright, flicking my gaze to find Onyx standing there, his presence filling the doorway. A low growl escapes him when he sees the two of us together, and I feel like my heart might just leap out of my chest.

Fuck.

Romeo lifts his head from my pussy, a devilish smirk on his face, his lips glistening with my arousal. He knows there is something going on between me and Onyx, and he couldn’t give a fuck. If anything, this is a major turn-on for him. Oh, dear God, if they want to tear each other apart, I won’t be able to stop them.

I go to scramble away from Romeo and cover myself up, pissed at myself that I let it get so out of hand with him. But his fingers are still deep inside of me, and he makes it clear with the hand clinging to my hip that he has no intention of letting me go anywhere. “Didn’t take my eyes off her for a second,” he comments to Onyx way too cheekily, like the two of them are friends, when I know that’s not true.

The tension in the room intensifies to boiling point, but Onyx doesn’t move. His eyes travel down my body to where Romeo’s fingers are inside of me, and I see how fucking hard he is. He’s not furious like I expected him to be, he’s turned on. I get a fresh flutter of excitement. Is he into this? Some other dude pleasuring me. Why do I want him to be? It’s kind of fucked up. But he won’t touch me himself anymore, he already told me that.

He steps inside and closes the door behind him, with a click, making it clear he has no intention of leaving us alone again.

“What was the issue?” I ask, not sure what else to do.

“It’s sorted,” he grumbles, not giving me any details.

Romeo moves his fingers inside of me again, the sound of my arousal echoing through the quiet room, making it damn obvious how fucking wet I am. “It’s sorted, Sloane, just relax and let me play with you.”

My heart races, not sure what to do. “Onyx.” I glance back to him. Is he really going to stay for this?

“I’m not worried about your bodyguard, doll face. I want to hear you scream again. I reckon he might like that as well.”

“Oh, fuck,” I murmur, covering my eyes as he pushes me back to the comforter. Is he for real? But as I peer up at him from under my hands, I know he is. He’s quite happy to fuck me in front of Onyx.

“Get your top off,” he demands as he moves under me, unzipping my skirt and tugging it down my legs.

I have no idea why, but I comply, wiggling out of my high-neck top and revealing the bite marks Onyx left on me last night and a black lace bra. Romeo’s hands move to my neck, his thick fingers running over the marks possessively. Like he’s imagining making fresh marks of his own. Then his face dips and he places kisses from my ear down my neck and over my breasts, every one with intention.

I glance back at Onyx. He’s leaning into the door, his hand palming his cock through his jeans. It’s one hot-as-sin sight. I lick my lips, remembering what it was like to have his cock in my mouth. But he doesn’t move to come and play with us. He just watches.

Romeo takes a nipple into his mouth, sucking it through the thin fabric of my bra, his rough touch sending goosebumps dancing over my skin. He pushes the cups out of the way, exposing my skin to the cooler air. Taking turns sucking each hardened nipple into his mouth, he uses his tongue to toy with them. It feels so fucking good.

I reach for him, rubbing his length through his pants, needing more, needing him, but fuck if I’m going to admit it to him. I feel his chuckle vibrate through me. He pulls back, shaking his head. “You needy little thing.” He removes his belt, followed by unzipping his trousers, his massive cock springing free. “Is this what you want?” He palms himself, stroking his length for me.

“Yes,” I whisper greedily, hating myself for it but also needing him more than I need to breathe right now. I help him unbutton his shirt so I can see his chest as well, the light scattering of dark hair over chiseled perfection and ink. He’s one gorgeous man.

Romeo watches me as he rolls on a condom.

My hands roam over his ink, finding scars, the kind that could have only been left from a knife. I wish for the first time I knew more about him. For the most part, this man is still a mystery to me. He knows my secrets but keeps his own locked up tight.

He takes my hands, removing them from his chest. “Keep your hands above your head,” he instructs as he shoves my legs out wide. With a menacing look on his face, he thrusts himself inside of me, balls deep in one move.

I cry out as all air is knocked from my lungs at the sudden intrusion. All I can do is stare up at him and take it. His lips drop to mine, and he kisses me again passionately, with every stroke of his tongue helping me to relax and take all of him. He moves slowly at first, leisurely pumping in and out of me as he continues to devour me with kisses. I melt into him, letting his body take control of mine. I shouldn’t like this, like him being so damn domineering over me, but I do.

When he pulls back, the way he looks at me sends tingles over my skin. I might not be very experienced in fucking, but this feels like more than sex. He looks at me like he was a starving beast desperate for his next meal, and now that he’s having it, he’s going to make sure he never goes hungry again.

My attention moves to Onyx watching us, not able to stand the way he’s looking at me anymore. His hand is now fully inside his pants stroking back and forth. The look he gives me when he sees me watching him is the same. I know he’s desperate to come over here, but he’s stopping himself.

Romeo pulls out of me, and I miss his throbbing cock instantly. My attention comes back to him. “Roll over, hands on the headboard. I need to be deeper.”

My pussy clenches, wanting that as well. I turn over onto my stomach, and he adjusts me so I’m exactly where he wants me, up on my knees holding on to the headboard. A hand stroking down my back and over my ass, he palms my ass cheeks, spreading them wide, then he’s back inside of me.

I try to grip on to the headboard, but it’s no use. This time he’s driving in and out of me like a man possessed. His hand comes to my clit, and he toys with me, sending shivers over my whole body.

I start to rock and shudder, taking every deep thrust he has for me but knowing I’m on the edge.

His lips lower to my neck and he sucks and nips. It feels like he is everywhere, his body completely controlling mine. I’m seeing stars, my body trembling all over.

“Scream my name, doll face.” His words wash over me.

I glance back at Onyx, and I know he’s close as well. I keep my eyes on him as I let my body tip over the edge, feeling everything Romeo is doing to me. The rough way he controls my body. “Romeo!” I call his name as my pussy tightens and waves of euphoria take over my body. Onyx is right there with me, and I watch as he shudders, obviously cumming in his hand with a grunt, his eyes locked onto mine as he does. I lick my lips, wishing I could taste him again.

Romeo keeps pumping into me, his teeth sinking into my neck as he rides out his own release. Eventually he stills so deep inside of me, but he doesn’t pull away. He holds me close, pulling us back down onto the bed together, his arms wrapped tightly around me as if he’s afraid to let me go.

My heart races out of my chest, because that was a lot. I know I shouldn’t have gone there. Hell, I know I should have put a stop to this craziness as soon as Onyx was back in the room. But the vixen in me is sitting up and taking notice of the power I hold over these two men. It’s slightly addictive. Romeo is obsessed, and Onyx is in big trouble. Me, I’m truly fucked because I know no matter how much Romeo gets under my skin and Onyx is forbidden, I have started something I’m not going to be able to stop. I want more. Of both of them.

Chapter 21

When I wake up, the room is light, and I find Onyx by my side, his warm body pressed close into mine.

“Morning, trouble,” he grumbles, scrubbing a hand over his face.

My eyes dart around the room; the charcoal walls and sleek black furniture are nothing like my own, confirming I’m not waking up in my apartment. Last night got out of hand in the best way possible. Now, though, in the light of day, I’m not sure how to handle what I did with Romeo. “What time is it?” I ask, sitting up in a rush and regretting it immediately when I realize I’m naked. As my head spins, I scramble for the sheets, trying to cover myself up. With a groan, I bury my face in my hands, sucking in ragged breaths that do nothing to kill the overwhelming dizziness. I overdid it yesterday, and I know I’m going to pay for it today, big time.

“It’s just past eight. Are you alright?”

“Yes,” I murmur, feeling anything but. Things are weird between us, and I know we need to discuss how messy our relationship has gotten. Like why he fucked off and left me alone after what we shared the other night and why he stayed last night when I was screwing Romeo. I feel like there is a big fat elephant in the room, and until we get it all out in the open, both of us will be stuck in this strange limbo. “Where’s Romeo?”

“Shower.”

It’s then I realize the shower in the adjoining bathroom is running. “Did you both stay here with me last night?”

He slides out of bed and pulls on his T-shirt; his jeans were still on, like a physical barrier between us, even though I woke with my head on his bare chest. “I wasn’t leaving you alone with him, trouble.”

Where did he sleep? I passed out after the third orgasm, my body giving up on me. “And he wasn’t going to leave either,” I whisper almost to myself.

“Nope.”

I glance back toward my fearless bodyguard, my eyes meeting his as I tangle the sheets around my body, slinking my legs over the edge of the bed. I can’t stand the way things are between us right now. I want to fix it, but I don’t know how. “Onyx, what was that last night?” I finally ask, knowing we don’t have a lot of time to talk before Romeo gets out of the shower. “That was more than you protecting me, and we both know it. You were in here wishing it was you fucking me, weren’t you?”

“I already told you, trouble, one night was all we can have. It’s my job to protect you, and I have no intention of breaking my own rules. Again.” His voice holds a serious edge, and I watch as he takes his gun from under the pillow and slides it into the back of his jeans, so unaffected by my obvious infatuation with him.

Irritation crawls under my skin at his dismissiveness. We both know it’s more than that or he wouldn’t have stayed in here. “So, you’re just going to watch me fuck other dudes?” I snap, wanting him to be just as aggravated about all of this as I am. How can he just act so cool about it, when I feel like everything has changed for me since we finally gave into our desire for each other. I can’t be around him without wanting his hands on my body, it’s impossible. Not only that, but I’m craving his lips like crazy. Even now, I’m looking at them wishing he would just kiss me again.

His eyes lock with mine, a low growl coming from him that makes me flinch. Maybe he’s not so cool about it. “If that’s what it takes to make sure you’re safe while you’re getting what you need,” he bites back.

My eyes widen, and I stare back at him, utterly speechless. I’m not sure if it’s creepy as fuck or kind of endearing that he’s so committed to protecting me that he is willing to watch me with another man. The truth is, I know he was fucking turned on. He got himself off watching us. How is that any different from actually being involved? He wasn’t thinking about protecting me when his hand was wrapped around his cock. I bite into my lip, considering if I should keep pushing or not. The shower shuts off, and I know I’m running out of time. “What if I want you to join us next time? What if I want two cocks at once, are you telling me you will deny me that pleasure?” I blink back at him, waiting for his response.

He cracks his neck, and I know I’m pushing him. “We both know one night was all it could be. I’m not the guy for you, trouble, so stop looking at me like I am. I won’t lose this job or put you in harm’s way to get my dick wet.” His eyes plead with me to understand, but I don’t. It all feels like convenient excuses for him to keep his distance from me. I know how he operates. He never gets too close to anyone. It’s why I have never seen him with a girlfriend before. Hell, it’s why he spends his entire life following me around, I’m sure of it.

I stand and move toward him, the sheets draped around my body just concealing my tits.

His eyes drop down, hungrily taking in every sheet-clad inch of me.

“It’s too late, Onyx, we started something I’m not willing to let go of so easily. I’m a grown woman, and my brothers—” I huff out a laugh, realizing they’re not even my brothers at all. Pain radiates through my chest at everything I lost finding out the truth yesterday. I try to hold my composure, not wanting Onyx to see my pain. “My so-called brothers have no say in my relationships anymore. They can’t control you either, and if they try, I will make sure they regret it.”

His hand laces into my hair, and he tugs me closer into him so our faces are barely an inch apart. “We both know it doesn’t matter how badly we want this. I’m wrong for you in every damn way possible. I’m not worried about who your brothers are, trouble. You don’t really know me, and you wouldn’t want to know the real me. It’s best for everyone if we keep our hands to ourselves and you let me do my job. Now more than ever you need me to protect you. If you can’t keep detective lover boy in check, they will come for you. The people who killed your family.”

My heart races in my chest because I know what he is saying is right. He thinks there is some threat out there that will come after me if they work out who I really am. I’m not as convinced. What happened to my real family took place so long ago that my identity wouldn’t even be relevant now. And if they were after my dad, they killed him already, so what good would I be to them?

“You’re just scared that if you let me get close to you, you might actually have to admit there is something more here between us. This isn’t about getting your dick wet, this is more…” I can’t finish what I want to say, it’s too much to admit if he doesn’t feel the same. I’m sick of chasing after him. It doesn’t matter how badly I want him, his loyalty to Jagger and the boys is way too strong. With a heavy sigh, I shake my head, knowing I’m never going to get anywhere. “If that’s what you want, one night is all it was then.” I take a step back from him, my heart racing like crazy because this fucking hurts so much.

The bathroom door opens with a click, and Romeo stands in the doorway, scrubbing the towel through his wet hair. His shirt is off, and he’s just in last night’s suit pants, his gorgeous chest on full display, beads of water dripping over toned muscle and ink. Steam follows him out. It’s like some underwear commercial or something. The sight of him makes me want to lick my lips. He smirks at me like he can read my mind.

Jesus, what the hell is wrong with me? I pull the sheet a little closer around my body, my nipples hardening. “I’m going to take a shower, and when I get out, I expect the two of you to be gone,” I spit out as I pass him. Onyx has just pissed me off again, and Romeo, even though he is one sexy motherfucker who screws like a demon, I will never forgive him for lying to me when we first met.

I slam the door for emphasis and flick on the shower to scorching, then dropping my sheet, I step under the spray, letting the water cascade over my body and hair. I don’t know how to step back into my club the same woman I was yesterday. There is part of me that now feels broken or missing. It’s the strangest feeling, and last night, I may have dealt with it by drinking too much and taking way too many pills, but in the light of day, I know I need to wrap my head around my new reality. I’m not Sloane Stryker at all. I have no clue who I am.

When I’m done washing off my poor choices from last night, I shut off the water and take the spare plush towel, wrapping it around me. I catch sight of my reflection in the mirror. I still look like the same person I was before I found out the truth, but there is an emptiness inside of me that’s all-consuming. I have so many questions. Why did my brothers keep this secret from me? Who is my real family and why would someone murder them? Why is the new police commissioner searching for me? I know who will answer some of those questions, but the thing is, do I want to see him again after the stunt he pulled last night? Can I even trust him or is the handsome detective trying to manipulate me for his own gain, just like every other man in my life?

I take my time drying my hair then step back into the bedroom. Both men are gone just like I asked them to be. I breathe a sigh of relief. Finding my skirt, top, and bra from last night, I slip them back on. My underwear, however, I’m pretty sure is in Romeo’s pocket. So, for now, I’m bare, and there is nothing I can do about it. That worries me less than the lack of make-up on my face.

I take a deep breath, trying to prepare myself to face whatever awaits me on the other side of the door, then turn the handle. As I expected, Onyx is waiting across the hall, one leg propped up on the wall, knee bent. His eyes don’t even find mine, his steely expression back firmly in place. With a huff, I ignore him and stride down the hall, swiping myself back into the VIP section. Doing the walk of shame once was bad enough, but twice is utterly disgraceful. I don’t make eye contact with the girls already in the room doing dance classes. I just stride through like this is normal. I’m in charge, and there is nothing out of the ordinary to see.

When I push open the door to the main bar, I’m met with folded arms and the dark expression of Jagger. He and Romeo stand close in deep discussion. Jagger’s eyes follow me across the room, but I’m not ready to deal with him today. I’m not ready to deal with anyone. I want to lock myself away from the world and pretend yesterday didn’t happen. Pretend I don’t know the truth.

“Sloane,” Jagger’s voice booms across the room, an angry edge to it that would scare most other people in this town.

I keep walking. Fuck him if he thinks he can lie to me my entire life and I’ll come running when he calls my name. Not going to happen, asshole. I push open the door to the back hallway and head for my office. The only place I can escape them.

Locking the door once I’m inside, I locate a black striped pencil skirt and a white high-neck top to change into. Then I fix my face back in place, delicately painting on my make-up. Lastly, I slide open the drawer where I keep my pills, looking for the smallest taste of sanity, anything to calm the anxiety churning up my insides. But my heart kicks up a beat when I find the drawer is empty. What the fuck? I pull the drawer out and turn it upside down like that will make them magically appear. Then I pull open all three other drawers in the vanity. Fuck, they’re not anywhere. My chest tightens. I can’t do today unmedicated.

“You looking for these, little sis?” Jagger snarls from the doorway.

I flick my angry glare toward him. “How the fuck did you get in here?” I snap back, not wanting to play his dumb fucking games today.

He steps inside the bathroom. “What the fuck are you thinking, popping these things like a fucking junkie?” He holds up the half-empty bottle, shaking it for emphasis.

“They’re prescription.” Anger boils inside me as my hands involuntarily curl into fists. If he wants a fight, he’s about to get one.

“But you’re not taking the dose you should be, are you?” the smug asshole says, stalking around me, making his overbearing presence known.

I huff out a laugh. “And which asshole went and ratted me out? The bodyguard or the motherfucker trying to take over my life?”

His dark eyes flicker with barely contained rage. “That’s not important.” His hand comes to my arm, and he looks at me with way too much disappointment.

“Yes, it is. I need to know who around me I can trust, and right now, it’s looking like not one of you fuckers is really in my corner.” My breath catches in my throat, that last realization hitting me like a sucker punch to the gut.

His face softens a little. “Sis, that’s where you’re wrong. You have all of us only wanting what’s best for you. Both Onyx and Romeo are concerned about you, rightfully so. And after what happened with detective lover boy last night, I think I have cause to be monitoring this situation more closely as well.”

I pull out of his grip on me. “Fuck off, Jagger, I don’t need your concern. I have this situation under control.”

His lips tighten into a thin line, a furrow in his brow adding to the scowl that makes his gaze feel like a cold weight on me. “I don’t believe that for a second, but even if I did, I’m your brother. It’s my job to take care of you, Sloane.”

I stare back at him, so close to tears it’s not funny. I bite the inside of my lip to stop the waterworks from breaking free. I don’t fucking cry, not over anything. But knowing Jagger isn’t really my big brother cuts so deep, it threatens to open old wounds I buried so long ago when I lost my mother. He’s been my constant for so long, and even though he’s the president of the Iron Strykers, he’s always taken really good care of me, even when he was pretty much still a kid himself.

“Sloane, what is it? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Onyx said we have to keep it to ourselves, to keep me safe, but I can’t. I won’t look at him, knowing the truth, and pretend. “You’re not my brother.” My bottom lip trembles as the words spill out, a fresh wave of pain radiating through me like little tiny knives stabbing at my soul.

His eyes burn with something dark and unhinged. “What the fuck are you going on about?”

I knew he wouldn’t come clean with me. I shove past him and into my office, heading right for where I put the papers I was given last night. He storms into the room right behind me, his heavy boots stomping as he follows me.

I collect the papers Reef gave me and shove them in his face. “Don’t fucking lie to me,” I yell, not able to keep the pain inside anymore.

I see the moment he realizes what he’s holding. He drops it, his tanned face paling. “Wh… who gave this to you?” he stutters out. My big bad brother is shaken by something after all. The truth fucking hurts.

“That’s not important.”

“You could be in real danger, Sloane. Tell me who gave this to you.”

“That’s not even my name,” I say sadly. “Who the fuck is Ava Kingsley? Please, Jagger, you have to tell me what you know.”

Chapter 22

With a heavy sigh, Jagger sinks into one of the jade-green velvet chairs, as he runs a hand through his hair. Stress lines on his forehead make him look every bit his thirty-one years. “All I know is when Ma brought you home to us, she was petrified something terrible was going to happen to you. You were so little and scared. So fragile. She made the four of us promise to protect you no matter what. From that day, I have loved you as if you were our flesh and blood. What you found out yesterday doesn’t change anything for us. You are our sister, an Iron Stryker, and you always will be.”

I see the love he holds for me; he’s not the kind of guy to admit his feelings, but he really cares about me, and I love him for it. It doesn’t change the fact that I wasn’t born here, though. “But who am I?”

“The daughter of some high-up politician who got messed up in some bad shit with the wrong people. I don’t know the full story, only snippets of what I overheard Syd rambling about at the time. But Sloane, no one except for our immediate family can know about this. If word gets out, then the same scumbags who killed your family could track you down as well. It puts a massive target on your back.”

“Reef was the one who gave me all this. I think he’s trying to protect me. He was tasked with finding the girl by the commissioner who believed she has been hidden on my premises,” I say, knowing she’s the one on a witch hunt. She’s a tenacious woman, and I know she’s not going to give up so easily.

His lips turn up at the sides into a menacing smirk. “I’ll deal with her, if you can get your detective friend to keep his trap shut.”

I nod, agreeing. I’m not quite sure how I’ll do it yet, but last night he did say my secret was safe with him. He seems eager to bend the rules for me. Exactly why I haven’t worked out yet, but I’m happy to use it to my advantage for now. “If I didn’t find out on my own, would you have ever told me the truth?”

“No. You were safer kept in the dark. Us four brothers and Onyx are the only ones who know. You have been here so long, and Ma always treated you just like one of the kids, anyone else just accepted it.”

“Syd didn’t though, did he.” My pained eyes meet his. He knows the torment Syd put me through as a kid growing up in this place. That man hated me with a fucking passion, and I guess now it makes sense.

His eyes flash with a knowing darkness. “Syd got what he deserved,” he growls. There is no one in this world that hates that man more than me, except maybe Jagger.

A frantic, pounding knock echoes through the room. “Sloane, we have a situation I think you need to see,” comes Romeo’s voice.

“What now?” I groan to myself. Jagger is up and out the door before me, his boots clomping along the concrete floor. I follow behind him to find both Onyx and Romeo waiting for me on the other side of the door. I look between the two of them, their faces sending a fresh wave of panic flooding through my veins. “What?”

“You need to see this for yourself,” Romeo mutters, taking off up the hall.

The four of us head back through the club and to room number six. Onyx steps in front of me protectively so he enters the room first. There, in the center of the room on one of my luxurious beds, lies a young woman’s body, lifeless, her long platinum-blonde hair cascading over her shoulders in a matted bloody mess, her heart ripped out of her body and left on her chest.

I stagger back, nearly falling to the flaw when I bump into Romeo. My chest constricts, sickness washing over me for the poor girl.

“What the actual fuck,” mutters Jagger from my side.

I glance back at him, my heart pounding, a cold sweat prickling my skin as I feel the color drain from my face. How the hell did this happen in my club? My mind bounces through the possibilities. “These rooms weren’t even booked last night because of the raid,” I say out loud, but mostly to myself. Hesitantly I step forward, my heart in my throat. I’m not sure I can deal with this today, not another innocent girl taken on my watch. They are supposed to be safe here, protected. I take a quick glance at her face. She’s young, in her early twenties, her skin pale like porcelain. But her face isn’t familiar to me.

“She looks like you, Sloane,” Romeo’s voice breaks the silence, saying exactly what I was thinking. She looks just like me. “Do you know her? Does she work for us?” he asks, throwing questions at me faster than I have time to respond.

“I’ve never seen her before. How the hell did she get in here?” I wonder out loud.

Onyx’s shirt brushes my arm as he joins me, his hand to my lower back. “You need to see the bathroom.”

I glance over my shoulder at him, wondering what fresh hell is waiting for me in there. Tentatively I move past the poor girl and into the adjoining bathroom. There scrawled on the mirror in deep crimson is a message. I’m coming for you, mia ragazza. I stumble back into Jagger’s brick wall of a body.

His strong hands catch me, his eyes wide in shock and fear. “What the fuck is this shit?” He glares back at Romeo and Onyx like it’s their fault. Like they should have stopped this shit from happening.

“The blackout last night,” Onyx tries to explain. “All the wires to the electrical box were cut. We got the power back online using the generator until the electrician could fix the box.”

“But someone could have slipped into the building while everything was down,” I whisper, piecing it all together. That blackout wasn’t a coincidence, it was set up on purpose. If I wasn’t so fucked up last night, I would have seen this shit coming. I could have done something. They’re all right. I need to pull myself together and stop being so selfish.

“What does it say?” Jagger demands, staring directly at Romeo.

“I’m coming for you, my girl. It’s the same as the images Sloane received while on her date with the detective,” Romeo answers him. But his eyes are on me, and I see the worry there. An image with a fucked-up note was nothing, but this… this is sadistic as hell.

“What images?” Jagger’s attention flicks back to me, his eyes narrowing. I don’t normally keep stuff from him, but the truth is I have been preoccupied this week, and I have hardly seen him.

“I thought it was Romeo messing with me,” I admit. “When I was out with Reef the other night, the server handed me an envelope with a couple of photos and a creepy message in it.”

Romeo’s hand brushes my arm. “You know it wasn’t me now. I was with you all of last night.”

I blink back at him, knowing what he’s saying is true. I may have been asleep for most of the night, but I know Onyx would have been watching. I glance toward him, silently asking him the question.

“He didn’t leave the room,” Onyx agrees.

Jagger runs a hand through his hair, tugging on the ends, his fists balling. He looks like he’s about to lose it and fuck some poor asshole up. “Fuck, Sloane, I told you once the truth got out you would be in trouble. Some asshole is already hunting you down.”

Romeo’s hand comes to mine, forcing my attention back to him. “What shit got out, doll face?”

I snatch my hand back, not wanting him or anyone else to touch me right now. “Nothing you need to worry about, Romeo.”

“Don’t lie to me, Sloane. If it has something to do with the business, you have to tell me,” he demands, his voice holding a threatening edge to it.

“It’s personal,” I seethe through clenched teeth. “Nothing to do with this place.”

“Then why are you being targeted here? This looks like a pretty big threat upon you and this place.”

My hands fly to my hips. What the fuck is he trying to imply? “Why don’t you answer me that question? These fucking threats didn’t start until you showed up, and being written half in Italian is a pretty big giveaway. I reckon you know more than you’re saying.”

A stony expression settles on his face, his lips pressed into a thin, grim line that tells me I have pushed him too far. He closes the gap between us, forcing me to back up into the counter. He puts a hand on either side of me as he stares me down, his nostrils flaring. “Both times this shit has happened you know where I was. Why would I need to do something so vicious to get your attention when I already own you?”

My heart races erratically. He doesn’t even care that my bodyguard and my big brother are in the same room as us. He thinks he has some claim to me, not my club, but me directly. And neither of them stops him.

“You don’t own me, and you never will,” I spit back, glaring daggers at him. Why did I let him touch me again last night? All the progress I have made to get some power back over him this week, gone in a moment of lust. It wasn’t worth it. Or maybe it was; my needy body betrays me, still begging for more of his hands on me. What in the ever-loving God is wrong with me. I stare him down, tension burning in the air between us so strong I can feel the power he has over me. It doesn’t matter what I say, we can both feel this. And the way he twists his lips up at the side tells me he knows it as well as I do. “Fuck you.”

With a grunt, Jagger shoves roughly in between us, separating our furious bodies. “Cut this lovers’ quarrel shit out, we need to clean up this mess before staff and patrons start to arrive.” His piercing gaze comes to me. “Call your cop friend.”

“What?” I snap. “That’s the worst idea you’ve ever had. There is no way he needs to know about this. I’m calling Asher, his crew can take care of it.”

His hands come to both my shoulders, and he peers down at me all big brotherly. “Not this time, Sloane. This is a direct threat against you, and we both know if we’re going to protect you, we need a contact on the force. We have nothing to hide, but covering this up could put you in more danger. You think you can trust the detective, so use it to your advantage.”

I stare back at Jagger, knowing he’s right. Before I have a chance to think too much on it, I dial Reef Wilder’s number and wait.

“Wildcat?” he answers a little too happily since we left things terribly last night.

Jagger watches me, searching my face in a way I don’t appreciate.

“I need your help. Come down to the club alone.” I disconnect the call before he has a chance to respond, looking back to the three of them who are all now watching me in a way I don’t like. “Done.” I shrug like it’s no big deal when the truth is we all know it is. This is bad, all of it. Me hopping into bed with Romeo and kissing the detective a couple of times, the tension between Onyx and me, and now my brother is getting involved. I feel like a ticking time bomb about to explode, not sure which way to turn or who to even trust right now.

Twenty minutes later, Romeo shows Reef through to room six where I’m waiting for him. His eyes find mine first, and I see the worry immediately. “Wildcat, are you okay?”

With a shake of my head, I glance over at the body lying lifeless on the bed.

His eyes follow mine, cautiously. “Jesus Christ. What the hell happened here?” he says, taking a step back, before moving in closer.

I gesture subtly to the other boys, silently urging them to leave us alone. And to my surprise, they comply, leaving the room and closing the door with a click.

“We don’t know. Last night after you and your team left, we had a brief electrical blackout before the generator kicked in. I didn’t think much of it until this morning when the boys found her.”

His forehead creases as he surveys the scene before him, walking around one side of the bed before the other. “Is she one of the girls who work for you?” he asks, studying her.

“I have no idea who she is, Reef, I have never seen her before.” I wring my hands, not wanting to show him the next part, because after the other night, I already know what his response is going to be. He’s going to get all protective and shit just like the other two. “There’s more.” I lead him into the bathroom to show him the mirror, a heaviness sitting on my chest as I wait for his response.

He follows closely behind me, and I see in the mirror the way he flinches when he reads what’s written in blood. His eyes dart back to me immediately, his body tense. “It’s the same threat you were given the other night,” he growls, leaving no room for error. He’s genuinely concerned for me.

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Yeah. Jagger thinks maybe someone is targeting me in relation to what you told me last night about my identity. That’s why I called you.”

His gaze comes over me like a warm blanket, filled with concern as he closes the gap between us, his hand moving to my arm softly. “Sloane, you’re trembling.”

I shake my head. “I’m not. It takes more than a fucking threat to scare me,” I snap back, but my voice quivers, betraying me.

His warm hand rubs up and down my arms, the gentle pressure soothing my spiraling thoughts. We stay like this for some time, and I know by the way he’s looking at me he wants to say more, but he’s waiting for me to calm down before he does. He pulls me into his solid body, hugging me. I close my eyes and breathe him in, fresh and clean and something so distinctly him. How can a man I hardly know feel so comforting to me? I have no idea, but he does. I wrap an arm around his waist and hold him close, needing this moment of silence in all the chaos that is my life at the moment.

While still holding me close, his eyes find mine. “I have to bring a team in to investigate,” he tells me quietly. “I will catch whoever is doing this.”

“I understand.” I bite into my lip, trying to work out the best way to go around this. “Can you try keep it on the down low? I don’t want this getting out. Whoever this poor girl is, she deserves better. I have no idea why someone is targeting me, but this is sadistic as hell. No one deserves to die like this. And… and I don’t want some asshole thinking his disturbing-ass prank worked. I won’t cower to anyone.”

His hand moves up my arm, cupping my face as he brushes my hair out of my eyes. “I won’t let anything happen to you, wildcat. I’m going to catch this asshole and make sure he pays for ever thinking he can mess with you. But first, you need to come down to the station with me for some questions. We need to do this right, make it look by the book. Also, have someone clean up this shit. I don’t want this,” he motions to the mirror, “coming back on you in any way. Jagger is right, someone else knows who you really are.”

I stare back at him, seeing the truth in the depths of his green eyes. I get the impression he plays dirty when it comes to protecting people who are important to him, and for whatever reason, he has put me on that list. He’s not some soft-cock cop. Maybe Jagger was right about him; there is so much more to the detective than meets the eye. Just for good measure and because I truly can’t resist him when he’s all protective of me like this, I pop up on my toes and press my lips to his.

His hand snakes into my hair, and he pulls me into him, devouring me hungrily. I pull him close and kiss him with everything I have. Right now, this man is the only thing making me feel normal. I need to hang on to this moment for as long as he will let me.

Eventually he pulls back with a playful smirk on his lips. “Does the idea of me interrogating you turn you on, wildcat?”

I blink back at him, all flirty. “I had hoped you might consider taking my statement here. Say, next door, perhaps?”

He chuckles playfully. His eyes roam over me a little mischievously, and I think I might just be distracting him enough. “Have you had time to come to terms with who you really are?”

Fuck, the way he looks at me like he could be my hero. He has no idea about this life, none at all.

“Reef, for now I think it’s best if we all pretend like last night didn’t happen. I need your help with this as well. If Commissioner Sedgwick drops anything else on your desk about me, make it disappear. I know it’s a lot to ask of you, and really you don’t know me all that well, but I’m relying on you to keep me safe here. You’re right, if this information gets into the wrong hands, I’m in big trouble.”

“But you believe me about it?”

I nod, not able to admit in words that it’s true just yet. “I appreciate you coming to me with the information you found.”

“Your secret is safe with me, Sloane. But you have to know one more thing about the case, do with it what you want. From what I can find, the Strykers kidnapped you then murdered your family. The police didn’t have enough evidence to convict anyone at the time, but the man who raised you, Sydney Stryker, is linked to this case. Shame he just disappeared a few years back, so we don’t have any definitive evidence to pin on him.”

Now it’s my turn to stare back at him, confused. What the hell is he on about? “Syd was a piece of shit, but he didn’t have the balls to do something like this.”

“The payday must have been worth the risk. It’s his face on the video surveillance breaking into the mansion where your family lived. I have seen it for myself.”

A cold shiver runs down my spine, knowing what he’s saying could be as much a possibility as what Jagger and Onyx have told me. “Are you positive?”

“Yeah.”

“Why wasn’t there enough evidence at the time?” I ask.

He lets out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping, and I know he’s hiding something from me.

“Please, Reef, I need to know what happened in my past to lead me here. Ever since you dropped that bomb on me, I have been confused as hell. My life has been one big lie, and now I have no idea who I really am.”

His hand falls to my waist, and he pulls me closer to him. He knows he shouldn’t give too much away, but he can’t resist me. “You are going to be big trouble for me.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be, I just need the truth,” I reply, way too flirty. I would like to say it’s an act to get him to comply, but fuck, I can’t help but flirt with him. Especially when he’s so close to me.

He sighs heavily, and I know I have won him over. “We can’t pin the murder on the man who blanked out the cameras. He wasn’t working alone. For a job of that size, there was a team of them, he was just the only one who was stupid enough to get caught on camera. He was questioned at the time, gave some phony story about being the camera repair guy.”

My head drops, and a flash of memories flood my brain. “Syd’s Audio-Visual Repairs. Yeah, I remember the bogus van.”

His eyes light up, and I know I have said more than I should. But so has he. “The murders didn’t happen until over an hour later, making it difficult without any more evidence to pin it on him.” His eyes meet mine. “There is so much more to this story, I’m sure of it. Until we work out exactly what’s going on, I think you should come stay with me.”

I take a step back from him, his hand falling away, the silence heavy between us. “Excuse me?” I blink back at him in shock. Stay with him?

He closes the gap again, his presence suffocating, not giving me the space I need. My back hits the counter as I stare back up at him. Something about his posture is way too powerful in this moment. “Let me keep you safe. You don’t belong here, Sloane. In this life with these people.”

He wants to save me, but he’s wrong, I do belong here. I huff out a laugh. “That’s a real sweet offer, Detective, but I have a bodyguard. I don’t need to uproot my life to stay with some guy I hardly know.”

He takes my hands again. “I’m sorry if you think I overstepped asking you to stay with me. I just… there is something here between us, and every time I walk away from you, I have this fear I will never see you again. It’s messing me up.”

“You’re so intense.” My fingers find his soft hair, running through its strands, less irritated than I should be. Because for some unknown reason, I feel this connection between us as well. It’s why I want to know every damn thing about him. “You just need to realize I’m a big girl and I can take care of myself, Detective. You don’t need to worry about me.”

He glances toward the mirror like he knows he does.

“Maybe just find the asshole who’s doing this so we can both sleep a little more easily at night and do what you can to keep the commissioner off my back.”

Something shifts in his demeanor, and his face becomes more serious. “I plan on it, but first, you will need to accompany me down to the station while I have a forensic crew come through the place. We need to do this by the book. Sedgwick is riding my ass after I let you slip through our fingers last night.”

I inhale a deep breath, trying to keep my shit together. A trip to the station is the last thing I need this morning, but I need to keep Reef on our side and the commissioner off both of our backs.

Chapter 23

Less than two hours later, I’m sitting in the interview room at the Ravens Hollow precinct with Detective Wilder and his trusty partner Detective Scout. The forensics team have been through the club and done their thing.

“We have a positive ID on the girl who was found in your club,” Reef says, a heaviness to his voice.

“A Miss Tamika Donalson, she’s a local working girl. Known to us quite well. What were you doing between the hours of two a.m. and nine a.m. today, Miss Stryker?” asks the young female detective, no real accusation to her voice.

I glance at Reef, knowing he’s not going to enjoy this answer. “We had an electrical blackout at my club, The Raven’s Nest, so I decided to stay for the night and make sure there wasn’t any more trouble. I was asleep all night in room one.”

Reef’s brow rises, but he doesn’t let on to his co-worker or me what he’s really thinking. “Is there anyone who can verify your whereabouts?”

I groan internally, knowing how bad this is going to look to him. I probably should have mentioned it before we were in an interrogation room and I couldn’t explain, not that I know how to explain this anyway. “My bodyguard and my business partner stayed with me to keep an eye on the place as well.”

Reef’s eyes flare with annoyance, but he doesn’t let it reach his face. “You all stayed together in separate rooms?” he snaps.

I meet his gaze head on. I have nothing to hide, even if this is a little awkward. “Yes, but in the same room. Do you need the play-by-play or is knowing the three of us were locked up together all night enough of an alibi for you?” I know I sound way sassier than I should when I’m trying to keep him on our side, but I meet his eyes head-on, and my lips turn up at the sides playfully, still trying to keep him in my corner.

His eyes scan over my body, and I wish I could read his mind because I can’t tell if he’s pissed about it or not. But the warmth he holds for me is still there and a twinkle of something else as well.

“We will have to confirm your alibi with the other two, but that should be all we need to know,” Detective Scout answers for him, as it seems Reef is at a loss for words.

“Look, Detectives, I need you to find the monster who did this to that poor girl, as much as you want to catch them.”

The woman looks to Reef then turns off the recorder. “Look, Miss Stryker, we’re not out to get you. I was born in this town, and I grew up watching you turn that club from a seedy brothel to what it is today. I have seen firsthand how you have changed the lives of the women who work for you.” Her eyes meet mine, and she stares right into the depths of my soul. “My mother being one of them.” I see the emotion all over her face. This is why she was looking at me like some kind of rockstar when we first met. “You are the reason I was able to get a good education and follow my dreams,” she says proudly.

Reef looks her over differently. That was a little fact even he didn’t know about his colleague.

“But you have to give us more if you want us to catch the person responsible,” she continues, flicking the recorder button on again. “Is there any more information you can give us to assist in our investigation?”

I stare back at her, her story reminding me of why I started this fight in the first place. It was never about money or my family and what they wanted. From the youngest age, I had a sense of right and wrong, and I knew the fight I had on my hands where I grew up. But I didn’t care because there were people who needed me to be strong for them, and that was all that mattered. The night I lost my mother, I made a decision to spend my life trying to keep those women safe. Katrina Stryker was the same. She might not have been my birth mother, but I learned everything I now know from her, and no matter how terrible a human Syd was, I know she did whatever she could to help keep me safe, no matter how I came to be in her possession. It was the only way she knew.

“All I know is someone cut all the electrical wires to my club not long after you guys left last night. We lost power for about five minutes. It could have been long enough for someone to get the body inside and do what they did. All our security systems would have been down during that time. But whoever it was, they had to have known the club layout to do it so quickly.”

She sits forward, tilting her head toward Reef. “You think it’s an inside job?”

I consider her question. It wasn’t what I was getting at, only that there wasn’t a lot of time and my club’s layout is complicated. “Why would anyone who works for me do something so awful?”

“Your line of business is dangerous. Maybe this girl had an abusive ex or she did something to piss off one of the men who paid for her services.”

“I don’t know what you’re implying, Detective, but this girl didn’t work for me. I have never seen her before in my life.”

Getting more agitated by the second, Reef slams his fists on the desk, but it’s not out of anger, it’s out of frustration. He can’t stand the fact that someone is doing this to me, I can see it in his eyes. And us having to dance around the truth must be making his job even harder. “Who then, Sloane, a disgruntled client, an ex-employee? Someone has targeted your club on purpose and left a working girl’s body in there. Why would they do that?”

I stare back at him, my heart racing in my chest. I’m not scared of whoever this is, but fuck, he’s right. It could literally be anyone, and they’re smart too, smart enough to think to shut off the electrical supply to the club. They could have done so much more damage, but instead, they left a threat for me. This is personal.

I push back my chair. “I think we’re done here. You have all you need from me. If you come up with anything more substantial to help bring the asshole responsible to justice, please let me know.” I offer Detective Scout a nod of acknowledgment. I remember her mother, she was a beautiful woman, one of the first I helped with my new payment scheme. She retired early and sent all of her three children to college on the money she was making. I know Reef looks at me like some innocent who needs to be plucked out of my life and saved, but he’s wrong. I’m the one saving them, and they need me. If I end up with a stalker in the process, so fucking be it. We will deal with whoever the fuck he is. My brothers and me.

She shuts off the recording and moves to open the door for me. Reef stops her. “Give us a second,” he asks her quietly, and she complies with a nod, her eyes flicking from him to me. She’s not silly, she can see there is more going on here, but I can already tell she doesn’t care.

She slips out the door, and he closes it behind her, standing in my way, leaning against it so I can’t get through.

“What is it, Reef? I have a PR nightmare to fix back at my club.”

“I’m not sure what you’re playing at, wildcat, but knowing you’re screwing your bodyguard and business partner won’t turn me off. If anything, it only makes me want you more.”

My lady parts sit up and take notice all of a sudden. He should be running for it, but instead, he’s all in. “I didn’t say I was screwing anyone, only that we spent the night together. Do you like the chase, Detective, is that what this is? You enjoy competing with other men for my attention? Or is it something more?”

“Something much more, wildcat.” His lips twist up at the sides playfully.

My heart hammers in my chest as I feel my cheeks heat. I’m not sure exactly what he’s implying, but I want to know more. I take his tie in my fingers, running through the length of it. “You should drop by the club when you’re off duty next.” I drop my lips to his ear. “We can explore what exactly something more is.” I place a kiss on his cheek. Finding the door handle, I pop open the door as I pull back, and he moves out of my way.

“I would enjoy that.” He grins playfully, making me wonder if what he was saying in the interview was all for show.

“I’m sure you would, Detective.” I smile back slyly. I know I’m starting something I’m not going to be able to stop, but at this point, who cares. I went nearly twenty-five years without sex. I deserve to make up for it now.

As I walk out the front of the station. I hear Jagger’s bike roar to life. He glances back my way and offers a little salute before taking off up the road. I didn’t realize he followed me down here. Of course he did. Apparently, he’s still my protective big brother no matter what my name actually is.

I feel the light brush of someone’s arm against mine and glance to my side to find Police Commissioner Sedgwick. “I’m not sure what you Strykers are up to, but I’m going to get to the bottom of it. There is only one person who runs this town, and it’s not your brother like he thinks.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Try telling him that. He’s the bossiest asshole around.”

“I’m learning that,” she huffs, but it’s not in an arrogant way like I was expecting, it’s more friendly. It’s then I realize she’s out here to watch him take off up the street. My brother said he had her handled. Did he mean he’s fucking her? She’s a good-looking woman in her early thirties with long dark almost-black hair and the prettiest almond-shaped eyes I have ever seen. She looks me over with curiosity, her red lips forming a thin line. “I’m keeping an eye on you, Sloane. One step out of line and my new detective will take you down.”

“I should hope so, Commissioner.” I offer her a wave and go meet Onyx in my car. He takes off up the road, with the commissioner still watching over us.

“Making friends?” he huffs.

“Always, you know me.” I dial Alex’s number, needing to deal with the next spot fire quickly before this shit gets out of hand.

He answers almost immediately. “Sloane, I would like to ask to what do I owe the pleasure of a call from you, but the story that’s just landed on my desk might give me a few clues.” His chuckle is a low, rumbling sound, both dark and lighthearted at the same time.

“Fuck! You need to kill the story, Alex.” I tap my thigh nervously.

“Your list of free favors is running very low, Sloane,” he warns me. And I know he doesn’t owe me anything, and he could go right ahead and run this story, and my business would take the hit. It’s well within his rights.

“This looks bad for your cousin as well. Don’t forget it’s his business now too, with your family name attached,” I caution back, trying to keep my voice playful. I hate that I need his help. He’s got way too much power now that he’s running his media empire, and I just fucking knew he would have a man on the force feeding him stories, it’s the only way he’s already got this piece.

“My journalist isn’t going to be happy about this.”

“I’m sure your new women’s health clinic opening will keep them busy this week. Run some change-of-life stories, people love that shit, it makes them feel good. My story is just depressing.”

“Sounds to me like you have a sick and twisted stalker leaving you gifts. People also love a good mystery,” he challenges, and fuck, if I was there in person, I would slap him right now. He knows he’s pushing my buttons.

“Alex,” I growl out his name, my temper getting the better of me.

“I’m joking, Sloane, I already destroyed it.”

“Not funny, Moretti.”

He chuckles, and I wonder what has him in such a good fucking mood today. “You lot need to be more careful. Do you need extra security hanging around the club? I know a few guys if you do.”

“Couldn’t hurt. Send them in and I’ll find them a job.”

“Will do. Before you go, Harley says you haven’t RSVPed to this weekend’s event yet. Are you coming?”

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Should I put you down for two tickets or is it three? Or four? I hear you’re dating my cousin and the new detective.”

“I don’t know what your assistant put in your coffee this morning to make you so fucking chatty and happy, but this little catch-up is over. Tell Harley I’ll be there with Onyx.” I disconnect the call before he has time to say anything else, but not before I have time to hear his laugh. What the fuck was that? Are his little spies watching me as well? Probably, knowing him. He’s in his office living his best life while I’m down here on the streets being sent dead bodies.

Chapter 24

We have The Precinct, Jagger’s club, to ourselves for our family meeting. Cruz takes the next shot, sinking the cue ball, and Asher bursts into laughter, high-fiving Malachi. I’m sitting on the bar nursing a double shot whiskey, lost in their antics. Hanging out with my brothers feels so normal. This is what I need right now, to pretend nothing has changed.

Onyx is keeping his distance from me, guarding the front door with his life, arms crossed tightly across his chest as he leans into the exposed-brick wall. I’m not sure why he’s bothering. This place is locked up tight, no one is crashing our meeting. Every now and then he glances my way, but only for a second. Not long enough for one of the other boys to notice, but I do, because every time he does, I feel like a teenager with a silly crush. Butterflies take off throughout my stomach, and I’m taken back to our night together. Is that what he’s thinking as well? Or was it really only a one-time thing for him, and now that he’s had what he wanted, he can keep his distance happily? Nope, you know that’s not the case, Sloane. He jerked off to you getting fucked by Romeo. He wants more. He’s just stubborn.

Jagger strides back in from his office, running his fingers through his hair as he types out messages with his free hand. He called this meeting, knowing things are getting out of hand, and after his encounter with our new commissioner, I’m sure she put him even more on edge.

Pissed that he just lost out on a bet, Cruz steals my drink and takes a massive swig of it before I can stop him.

“Hey, get your own.” I swipe it back. “What did you get on Detective Wilder, Malachi?” I ask when his and Ash’s laughter simmers down.

His attention comes to me, and he leans into the bar beside me, while Asher and Cruz start another game, Ash breaking this time.

His face becomes more serious. “Shit, you probably don’t want to know.”

I raise a brow, wondering if he knows anything about me at all. “I want to know it all, brother.”

“Sloane, his childhood was more fucked up than ours, and we both know that’s saying something. His mother was a single parent and a massive junkie. She sold her body to get her next fix and keep them from living on the streets. That didn’t always work. From what my sources could find, he spent half his childhood living in cars or sleeping on the beach. When he was eight, she was found dead in a cheap motel room, and he was put into a group home. From what I can see, that’s what turned his life around. He worked hard and got an education, graduating as a cop at just twenty-one. He started out working with his local precinct in California and was later promoted to detective then moved across the country to New York where he worked for three years before getting his transfer here.”

Pride swells in my chest for him. It takes a lot to rise out of that kind of shitty start to make something of yourself. But Malachi isn’t matching my expression. “Why do you look so worried?”

He moves around the bar behind me, reaching into the fridge and grabbing out a cold beer before leaning back into the counter. “Before he came to Ravens Hollow, he disappeared for six months. His transfer was put on hold, and he just vanished off the face of the earth.”

I have no idea why, but the way Malachi says it makes my skin prickle.

“Dude probably went on a vacation to Thailand or some shit.” Asher chuckles. “You know, get some cheap pussy.”

I let out a heavy sigh, pressing my fingers into my temples, trying to ease the tension. Why does he have to be such an immature shit? The look I throw him—a mixture of frustration and disbelief—says as much, but he and Cruz couldn't care less, their snickers bouncing off the walls.

“He didn’t get on a plane. Wherever he was, he was still in the country, but he was off the grid. Didn’t pay for a thing on his credit cards, didn’t use his car. He was invisible.” Malachi’s eyes meet with mine. “Then he showed up here in your bar, Sloane.”

“You don’t think that was a coincidence, do you?” I ask, my stomach churning. I knew he was too good to be true, but for once, couldn’t I just have something good without having to pay for it?

“No fucking way it was,” agrees Jagger, joining us as he slips his phone into his back pocket.

“Sloane, I don’t know what the fuck is going on between the two of you, but you need to be careful. We can’t trust him. He could be the one leaving you these threats for all we fucking know. He was with you at the restaurant when you got the first one. He had only just left your club when the electrical wires were cut. You have no idea what kind of psycho this guy really is.”

“They’re in Italian,” I snap back at him, giving him the side-eye. I really don’t appreciate him telling me what to do with my life. I don’t disagree with him, but I can make that choice for myself. “And you were the one encouraging me to go for it so we can have another cop on side.”

“Anyone can Google that shit if they want to make it look like it’s coming from someone else. The detective is smart, he knows Romeo is new in town and after your business, so why not set him up, get rid of him so he can move in closer to you?” Asher says as he takes his next shot, two balls flying into their pockets.

“I’m not saying cut him from your life. He could be useful, but just watch him more closely.” Jagger observes me, his face turning serious. “We have a bigger problem than Sloane’s stalker. You going to fill them in or should I?”

I motion for him to go ahead. I can’t.

“Sloane’s detective friend has been dropping truth bombs, trying to earn her trust. Last night he and a SWAT team raided her club looking for Ava Kingsley.”

Asher gasps, his eyes flicking to me, all signs of humor and playfulness now gone. “You know?” He places the cue down on the table and moves toward me, Cruz does the same.

I look between them. “I do now, no thanks to you assholes for keeping this life-changing shit from me my whole life.”

Cruz’s hand clamps around mine. “You’re still my little sister,” he mutters, his voice low and filled with pain. When growing up, the two of us were inseparable. This would have cut him just as deep as it did me.

I blink up at him, my heart constricting.

“What now?” Cruz asks Jagger.

“We get a man on detective lover boy, make sure he’s not the one after Sloane. Asher, you can sort that out, right?”

“Already done.” He smirks, proud of himself for being one step ahead of his big brother.

Jagger nods, pleased. “Since I can’t always be there with you, Onyx has also agreed to stay at our apartment with you until we track this motherfucker down.”

I glance toward Onyx. Did he now? He gives me nothing, just that cold distant expression that sits on his face when my brothers are around. Can’t make it obvious there is something going on between us. But he can offer to stay with me permanently? For fuck’s sake.

“Romeo will be by your side while you’re at the club. We will make sure you’re never alone.”

Fucking great, just what I need, extra babysitting. “I don’t trust Romeo,” I snap back, making sure Jagger knows I’m not on board with his plan. “What is he blackmailing you with this time?”

His unimpressed eyes meet mine. “Romeo only wants what’s best for you, Sloane,” Jagger huffs.

I jump off the bar. “Bullshit. Romeo wants what’s best for Romeo, end of story.” I walk around the other side of the bar and top up my drink.

“If that was true, he wouldn’t be letting you have so much control at the club. We both know he has a soft spot for you. Let’s keep him on our side, Sloane.” Jagger’s voice is strained, his patience with me wearing thin. Everything to him is a business deal, a way of keeping the control over his portion of this town he so desperately craves. But this is my life, and it’s not as simple as he’s making it out to be.

I roll my eyes, taking a big swig of my drink as I lean my elbow on the bar. “What if it’s a VIP member or a disgruntled ex-staff member?” I ask, just throwing it out there. They have it in for Reef, but I’m not so sure he’s a real option. I saw the look on his face when he spotted the body and the message for me, he can’t be that good of an actor. The point he made this morning was also valid. This could be any motherfucker I have pissed off over the years, and there are a lot of them around. “There was that dude I had to cancel his membership after he tried to assault one of my girls. Remember? It was like a year ago, but maybe he’s still stewing on it.” I click my fingers, trying to remember his name. I knew at the time I should have taken care of him properly. “Tony someone, you remember him, Asher? You were there when we kicked him out.”

“Yeah, that dude was fucking crazy,” Asher agrees.

“Do you still have his details on file? I’ll look into him,” Malachi says, nodding in agreement, rapidly typing details into his phone, his fingers flying across the screen.

Cruz watches me, his brow furrowed in concern. “Do you have any disgruntled ex-staff?”

“Not that I can think of.” I shrug. My relationship with my staff is good. They make more money with me than they can anywhere else, and they have the best working conditions around. What is there to be upset about?

“It wouldn’t be a bad idea if we made our presence around The Raven’s Nest more known, make sure any fucker who thinks he can mess with our sister knows he will come up against an army of Strykers,” Asher tells Jagger with a wink in my direction. “I’m happy to offer my assistance in any way needed.”

“I’m sure you are.” I roll my eyes, knowing he has an ulterior motive in wanting to help.

“Got to keep myself busy while protecting you, Sis.” He kisses my cheek, making all this feel so damn normal. And I know for them at least, nothing has changed. I’m still their little sister, and they are still my overprotective big brothers.

My phone rings a jarring, insistent buzz across the bar, and I glance at the screen to see a private number flashing up.

“Who is it?” Jagger quizzes me.

My brow furrows. “Not sure,” I answer, curiosity getting the better of me.

Asher slips it from my hand and places the call on speaker so they can all listen in.

I snap my phone back, throwing him a filthy look. “Hello,” I answer cautiously.

At first, it’s just heavy breathing, then a low dark chuckle floods the line. “Did you receive my gift?” comes a male voice with a thick Italian accent.

I feel like a bucket of ice has been dumped over my head, and I drop my phone on the bar as if it’s just bitten me.

My brothers all watch me, and I blink back at them, not sure what to do. “Keep him on the line,” mouths Malachi.

“Who is this?” I murmur, knowing I sound vapid as hell, but what the fuck else do you say to the man stalking you?

“Don’t be scared, baby. I can hear the tremble in your voice, but I won’t hurt you. Not while you’re so useful to me.”

I feel the color drain from my face. “Listen here, asshole, stay the fuck away from me or I will come for you and make sure you end up in a much worse condition than that poor girl was left in.”

His deep chuckle vibrates through the phone, a cruel edge to it. “You’re so fun when you get angry, just like your mother. Keep it up, it will make the hunt so much more fun for both of us, and me finally capturing you much sweeter.”

With a shaky hand, I go to disconnect the call, but Malachi shakes his head. He mustn’t have a trace on him yet. My insides churn, I can’t take much more of this. “Go to hell, you piece of shit. You will never catch me,” I throw back at him, I’m not some weak bitch he can hunt.

“That’s it, my girl, keep fighting me. I’m closing in on you, getting closer every day. I own you, girl, and it’s only a matter of time before you’re mine again.”

My eyes find Onyx from across the room, and I see the way his fists ball. I want to run to him, have him wrap me in his protective arms and tell me this is all some messed-up joke. But it’s not. This motherfucker is after me.

Malachi gives me the thumbs up, and I disconnect the call, feeling like I’m about to vomit all over the bar.

I swallow it down, trying to compose myself. “Please tell me you know his location and we can fucking track him down and eliminate him,” I get out finally.

“I got it. Asher, Cruz, let’s go.” The three of them take off for the door, the roar of their bikes coming to life out the front of Jagger’s bar, vibrating through the now-quiet room.

Jagger’s arm wraps around my shoulders. “He’s as good as dead already, Sloane. Don’t let him get in your head, that’s what he wants.”

I lean into him, my whole body trembling. The man’s cruel chuckle is stuck in my head. “I really hope so, Jagger. I don’t want to end up like that poor girl we found this morning.”

Chapter 25

Disconnecting the call from Malachi, I turn back to Sally who’s just left me another drink on the table in front of me. “They didn’t find him.” I try to keep the disappointment from my voice. But fuck, knowing that deprived psycho is out there somewhere hunting me down is starting to mess with my head. It doesn’t help that Jagger is now rationing out my pills and I have only been allowed the normal dose today. I’m on edge, and I need something to take this out-of-control feeling away before I crack.

“Your brothers will catch him, it’s only a matter of time, babe. Don’t let it get you down.” She drops the paperwork for this weekend’s VIP event in front of me. “Let me distract you with a little good news.”

“Give it to me, God knows I need it.”

“We have three new clients!” She beams with excitement. “Highfliers, all willing to start at your new top platinum tier.”

“Shit, maybe Romeo was on to something.” I steal a quick glance his way and find him already watching me, my heart kicking up a beat. Quickly, I redirect my attention to Sally, wanting to avoid him.

“I know he irritates the shit out of you, girl, but he’s smart, and the girls will be happy about making more money, as I’m sure you will be.”

“I never said he wasn't a savvy businessman,” I mutter under my breath, not wanting to give him a compliment.

She moves her hand to her hip, her gaze more pointed. “Why do you glare in his direction every time he walks past? I never did get to ask you what happened between the two of you at your party, and last night for that matter. You all just disappeared.”

I sigh heavily, kind of wishing I could confide in her, but he’s her boss now as well. It doesn’t feel right. “There are not enough hours in the day to go into the details of why that man gets under my skin.”

She smirks devilishly, like she can read my mind. “In more ways than one, hey.”

I close my eyes, massaging my temples, not even able to deny it. “You have no idea, Sally. What the fuck am I supposed to do about it? Working this closely with him is going to drive me to insanity.”

“Honestly, I don’t know what your problem is. For years I have seen you sulking around this place, working like a maniac because you were lonely as hell and had nothing better to do with your life.”

I throw her a filthy look. “I never sulked.”

“I’m the one telling this story.” She gives me a shut-the-hell-up-and-listen look. “For years you have been dying to have a guy to play with. Now you have three. Make the most of it, girl. Seriously, I know I would be.”

“What do you mean three?” I ask her, knowing what I mean when I think of the guys in my life, but is it really that obvious to everyone else as well?

“Romeo, mafia god and totally obsessed with you.” She counts one on her hand. “Detective Wilder, hot as sin and has a hard-on every time you’re in the room together.” She counts out two. “The forbidden, older bodyguard. It’s romantic as hell, girl. Please tell me you’re hitting that hunk of a man.” She tilts her head in Onyx’s direction as she counts out three. He’s at another table with Romeo and Jagger, the three of them deep in discussion. I have been trying to ignore them, but they have been chatting since Jagger arrived here this afternoon.

I slap her arm playfully. “Keep your voice down,” I say, even though she was talking quietly. “Do you think everyone knows?” I whisper.

Her eyes sparkle with mischief. “That the boss is finally having a little fun of her own? No offence, they’re too busy to care. But I’m happy for you. You deserve to fall in love and live happily ever after,” she says dreamily.

I sit up a little straighter, adjusting my shirt because my body all of a sudden feels uncomfortable. “Fuck no. I don’t want to fall in love. I want to screw around a little, live, not be tied down to one man for better or for worse. I couldn’t think of anything more punishing.”

She bursts out laughing. “Why did I assume anything different?” After checking her watch, she slides out of the booth seat. “Whatever it is you want, babe, I hope you get it. You spend your life trying to help the rest of us, and it’s time you got a little good karma sent you way. I’ll leave you with these new applications to approve.”

I take her hand to stop her from leaving just yet. “Sal, thanks. I know you’ve been working a shit ton of overtime lately. I appreciate what you’re doing for me and this place.”

“I know, I saw the bonus you paid me this week.”

She moves away from the table. That’s all we need to say. We’re not cuddly mushy types, but I hope she knows what she really means to me. I couldn’t do this business day in and out without her.

I pick up the first application and run my eyes over it. He’s a nice-looking man, a bit of a silver fox, working in property development. Must be high up to afford the yearly membership we’re charging at this tier. I screenshot his details and send them to Malachi for his background search.

The air around me crackles with electricity, and I know he’s approaching me. Romeo slides in beside me, a stupid smile on his face as if he’s so damn happy to see me. Even though we have been sitting in the same bar just a few yards away from each other for hours.

“I’m working, Romeo,” I mutter, only briefly glancing up from the next application. My body is now alight with sexual tension just knowing he’s close to me. Focus, Sloane, don’t let him distract you. I run my eyes over the next application. The next guy is younger, not much of a looker, but he’s an investment banker, so what he looks like means shit.

Romeo’s hand brushes my thigh, running all the way up to my hemline, leaving a trail of goosebumps skating over my body.

My eyes rise to meet his, a brow raised in question. “Did you need something?”

“Are you alright?” he asks softly, with way too much concern in his voice, his dark eyes looking deep into mine. It’s like he’s trying to search my soul. For what I don’t know, but I don’t like it.

I roll my eyes. “Fucking Jagger told you about the call.”

“Sloane, stop pushing me away. I just want to help you.”

I place my hand on his, picking it up and removing it from my thigh. “You can help me by letting me get on with my job. I have never been so interrupted with distractions in my life.”

The next thing I know, both his hands come to the side of my face and his lips are on mine. He kisses me so passionately it makes my toes curl. For just a second I let him, kissing him back because it’s exactly what I need, a distraction from the constant turmoil I’m feeling.

Until I remember I’m right here in the middle of my club, with my brother and bodyguard sitting at the table just beside us. I pull back from him in a rush, panting far too much for such a short kiss, but he does things to me he shouldn’t, like turning me into a melted pile on the floor. “What did you do that for?”

“I wanted to,” he says, way too smugly. He knows he has a stupid amount of power over me.

My glare intensifies to icy. “You can’t just keep kissing me whenever the fuck you want to,” I snap back, trying desperately to get my racing heart under control. He can’t, because every time he does, I fall a little further under his spell, and while my heart might race for him, my head is smarter and knows this man is deadly for me.

“Why the fuck not, doll face, I think I proved my point last night. Maybe it’s time to give in to your attraction to me and stop fighting with me over everything.” He stares me down with just as much intensity, and I can’t find anything to come back at him with.

I don’t know what is wrong with me, but Sally’s words keep rattling around in my head. Have fun, you deserve it.

His lips tilt up at the sides cheekily. “Finish up whatever it is you’re doing, then you’re coming with me. You’re taking the night off, we have all decided.” He motions in the direction of the table he was sitting at, where Jagger and Onyx are still deep in conversation, but Onyx’s eyes find mine. They always find mine. Is he really okay with Romeo taking me back to his place for the night? Why on earth are they getting along so well? It’s kind of disturbing.

“You three assholes don’t get to decide anything on my behalf.” I flick my glare back at him.

He considers me carefully, and he should be careful. The way I’m feeling right now, I’m liable to stab him for the fun of it. “You owe me a date, we had a deal, remember.”

I want to get up and storm into my office, but the asshole has me trapped in this booth with him. Probably his plan all along. What I don’t get is why this date is so damn important to him. He sees me every day, he’s constantly in my face annoying the shit out of me. Why does he need a date with me? I lean in closer so my brother can’t hear the next part. “And what, I suppose Onyx is accompanying us as well? Have you two been conspiring behind my back and got some fucked-up orgy planned?”

His eyes run down my body like he’s imagining just that. “Nice to know where your dirty mind went, doll face.” He laughs lightheartedly, standing up. “We leave as soon as you’re done with the paperwork.” He turns and walks back to the table with my brother and Onyx, a smug-as-shit grin on his face like he just won something.

He thinks he has so much power over me. Fuck him. He’s about to learn I didn’t get my reputation by being a good little girl and doing whatever the fuck assholes like him tell me to. I do what I want, when I want. I finish up assessing the last application quickly then send it off to Malachi. As soon as I’m done, I stand in a rush and move through to my office, finding the keys to my car, the car I haven’t driven in years because Onyx drives me everywhere. But tonight, I’m getting out of this place alone. God knows I need a break from the misogynistic world I live in. I slip on my jacket and pop the keys inside. Find my gun and pocket it on the other side.

I walk out of my office, ready to make a run for it, and flinch when I find Onyx is standing in the hallway right outside waiting for me. Fuck. I know after all this time I should expect it, but today he surprised me. In my head I was out of here, tearing up the highway with the wind in my hair.

He puts out his cigarette, his gaze shifting over me. “What are you up to, trouble?”

My hand rests on my hip defensively. “What makes you think I’m up to anything?”

“I heard that altercation with Romeo, and I saw the look of determination on your face as you marched back into your office. I know you better than you know yourself, Sloane. You’re up to no good.”

I close the gap between us, getting right up in his face. “Did the boys club all have a little meeting about it? Discuss what you’re going to do to keep the poor damsel in distress safe from the big bad wolves?”

His brow rises, surprised by my sarcastic tone. “You pissed?”

“You think?” I sass, furious.

“We just want what is best for you, Sloane.”

I huff out a laugh. “Really? If that was true, you would give me what I really want.” I pause as I go to run a finger over his lips. I promised myself I wouldn’t throw myself at him anymore. But man, he messes with my head. “Did you tell my brother how you really feel about me, how you screwed me the other night? How you want to do it again and how you got off watching Romeo make me scream his name last night? Did you talk about that as well or was it all just how to control me.”

“Trouble,” he growls, the word a guttural warning that hangs heavy in the air.

I shake my head, disappointed. “Thought so. I got this, Onyx. I don’t need you assholes protecting me. Take a night off for once, I can’t be near you right now. I have everything I need to protect myself if this psycho comes for me.” I pat my gun at my side.

In one swift move with an enraged snarl, his hands grip my wrists, forcing them above my head. He flips us so I’m shoved into the wall, his face a mask of deadly anger. “You don’t leave this place without me, I don’t care how pissed you are.”

My jaw tightens. “Get your hands off me.”

“No.” He stares me down with just as much determination. “I care about you too much to let you walk out of here unprotected all because you’re annoyed.”

I shove at him, wanting him off me. “I’m not that helpless little girl anymore.”

“And this guy isn’t playing games. You want to know where he called you from this morning? Your fucking apartment, Sloane.”

A cold shiver runs down my spine. “What?” I blink back at him, confused as to why this is the first I’m hearing about it. “He couldn’t have, that place has the best security system in the country.”

“He disabled it. Your room is totaled, another message left for you. That was where Malachi tracked him to. The phone he used to call you was right there on your bed. Jagger is raging about it, blaming himself for not being there, but he spent the night at his bar.”

My chest heaves. Nowhere is safe from him. “That’s what you three were all talking about without me?”

“We were trying to work out a plan to tackle this. Find somewhere safe for you to go until we track him down.”

They don’t trust me. It hurts more than it should because right now, I don’t trust them very much either. They have all been keeping shit from me, and now they have decided to blatantly leave me out of the decision-making in my own life. I fix my stare on Onyx. “If you won’t leave me alone like I want you to, take me to my apartment. I want to see the damage. I’m not hiding out. If this guy wants me, let him come for me and I will deal with him.”

“Sloane…” Onyx growls in warning.

“Onyx,” I cut him off. “I have a right to see my own place.”

“Come on then.” He releases my arms but not before taking the keys out of my pocket.

I stride off in front of him, heading for the back exit to avoid bumping into Romeo who thinks I’m leaving here with him. For a date! My body is so tight with tension it feels like something is going to snap. How fucking dare they discuss my life without me. I should have been the first to know about all of this, and when I see my brothers next, I’ll be having words with all of them.

A disturbing thought occurs to me; the power I believed I had all this time is all an illusion carefully crafted by my brothers. And now that my secret’s out, I’m starting to see the sad reality. I only hold as much power as they will let me have. That’s why I have a man watching my every move. I shake my head as I push open the back door and head out into the cold of the night. It can’t be true, can it?

Chapter 26

As we drive through the streets of Ravens Hollow, I stare out the windshield, trying to get my spiraling thoughts under control. Onyx is broody. I know this is fucking him up just as much as it is me. He takes immense pride in knowing he is doing everything he can to keep me safe, but now he has lost just as much control as I have.

He flicks on his turn signal, and I sit up a little straighter, suddenly paying more attention to where he is driving. “Onyx, what the fuck? This isn’t the way to my apartment.”

He keeps staring out the windshield, his eyes fixated on the gloomy road out of town. The combination of the rain pouring down and the darkness at this time of night blurs out what’s in front of us.

I squint, trying to make out the scenery, wishing I wasn’t so trapped in my own thoughts and that I was actually paying attention. I’m not sure where we are now. I don’t know what possesses me to do it, but I try to open the door handle—it doesn’t budge. Just like I thought, I’m kid locked in the car. A flash of red-hot rage courses through my body. “Where the fuck are you taking me?” I demand, my voice filled with poison, my eyes narrowed in on him in a way they never have been before. He’s crossed a line with me tonight.

Still ignoring me, he checks over his shoulder before he makes the next turn, the tires screeching as he rounds the corner. Oversized shipping containers line both sides of the street, and the air fills with the scent of salt, nostalgia hitting me like a fucking freight train. My heart leaps into my throat. Why is history haunting me? I know exactly where we are, the docks. Jagger owns half of this land, using it to move whatever product he and my brothers are dealing. He also has a number of rental apartments down here. But I haven’t visited in years, not since the night my mom died.

Onyx abruptly takes a left then a quick right, and before I know it, the car is being swallowed by a massive garage door lowering down right in front of us, stealing the night sky and the rain and trapping us in the large, dark space. He kills the engine, tension heightening between us.

“Onyx, start talking,” I demand, but still nothing.

As he opens his door, lights flicker on to show the industrial garage space that surrounds us. Two other cars line the garage spaces beside us; my brother must be storing his car collection at this place now as well, or I guess they could also be for the other apartments in this lot.

Onyx gets out on his side then moves around to mine, opening my door for me, as I was locked in. With a stony face, he offers me his hand, not even a hint of remorse hitting his features.

Angrily I decline his gesture, stepping out and shoving past him with a deliberate elbow to the ribs. As I wander around the space, he pops the trunk and takes out two well-stuffed overnight bags. “Don’t have to be a genius to work out who they’re for,” I mutter mostly to myself; he’s not communicating with me anyway. Fucking Jagger must be behind this shit. He’s packed up my stuff and shipped me off, knowing I would refuse to go to a safe house. And yet again, Onyx sided with him and followed his rules like a good boy. That’s why he can’t even talk to me. He knows going behind my back like this is a fucking betrayal.

He moves over to an elevator and presses the button to go up. When the doors open, he dumps our bags inside and turns back to me, with a look that says hurry the hell up. “If I have to, I’ll carry you,” he growls like he’s pissed off with me.

“You’re already on my shit list. I wouldn’t fucking try it,” I spit back at him. He knows how I feel about this place and how much I don’t want to go up there. Up there is where I fell apart at the lowest point of my life. I swore to myself I would never be that pathetic girl again. Then I built myself a protective suit of armor, metaphorically of course, and hardened the fuck up. Now look at me. I’m back here because they think I need protection.

He presses one of the buttons on the elevator then stalks toward me, his face contorting in anger. What the hell has he got to be so pissed about? I’m the one being lied to and dragged out of the city against my will. I straighten my shoulders, ready for another fight. But he doesn’t give me the chance. In one quick move, he tosses me over his shoulder, my face coming dangerously close to his ass as the impact of his shoulder squeezes all the air out of my lungs.

“Put me the fuck down, Onyx.” I slam my fist into his back as he marches on, taking us both to the elevator. My fist connecting with his back does nothing, if he feels it, he doesn’t even flinch. He’s too damn strong for me, and before I know it, the doors ping shut, locking us both inside.

I’m still upside down as he doesn’t release me, but I see the elevator climb four floors, right up to the top, and I know exactly where we are headed. The doors open onto a penthouse apartment, all decked out in industrial-style furniture, with exposed-brick walls and sky-high windows framed in black iron. So different to the half rundown warehouse it was when I was here last. The room wooshes past as Onyx strides with me out into the space, dropping me onto the plush white leather sofa in the center of the room.

With my heart racing like a bird trying to escape its cage, I glare back at him. “Fuck you,” I spit out angrily. He knows what for; lying to me, tricking me, siding with my brother and keeping me in the dark, and bringing me back here, a place he knows I never wanted to come again.

He turns and strides right back to the elevator to retrieve our bags. As he does, I sit up, trying to find my bearings after being hauled up here upside down. When my eyes come into focus, I realize we’re not alone. I flinch, a cold sweat coming over me. There sitting at the oversized glossy kitchen table are Reef and Romeo. I stand in a rush, my heart leaping out of my chest. “What the hell is going on?”

“Wildcat give you trouble, Onyx?” Reef’s eyes light up with amusement as he stands and approaches me. He strides toward me so casually, I almost have to do a double take to make sure it’s the same dude I have come to know.

I flick my eyes between Onyx and Reef, so confused at their friendliness. I think I must have hit my head on the way up. “What are you doing here?” I direct the question to Reef since Onyx is still not saying a word.

Reef offers me a half smile, one that would normally melt my panties, but right now it makes me clench my fists, ready to fight. “Things have gotten out of hand. We decided it would be best to find you some place safe until we get control over the situation again.”

“It’s just some psycho stalker; I have dealt with worse,” I mutter, confused as to why they are overreacting so much over this situation I find myself in.

“We don’t know what this is, but from the state your bedroom was left in, I think we can all be grateful you didn’t go home last night. We’re not taking any chances of him getting his hands on you.”

“What do you mean we… Are you all working together?” I look between them, the silence heavy and thick, waiting for an explanation.

Romeo stands, joining us. “Why don’t I show you to your room,” he suggests, his face warm and caring. I don’t even understand how he beat us here; he was at the club when we left.

I blink back at him, trying to get my body under control. “Not until one of you fuckers tells me what is going on. Why are you all here together? Why are you acting like this is worse than it is?”

Reef’s hand laces into mine, pulling my attention back to him. “We want to protect you, Sloane. This place is safer than your apartment now.”

I search Reef’s beautiful face for answers. Out of any of them, he is the most likely to tell it to me straight, right? He’s a cop, doesn’t he have to? Because this shit is borderline kidnapping. I don’t want to be locked up in this place, and I definitely didn’t agree to any of this. “Why are you all here together?”

“We have a common goal, doll face.” Romeo’s hand brushes my cheek as he moves in closer. He’s obsessed with touching me, and as much as I crave his hands on me, right now is not the fucking time or the place.

“Me?” I blink back at him, knowing something is off. They’re keeping shit from me. There is no way all of them would be happily here together to ensure my safety against some psycho stalker. Reef is a cop, for fuck’s sake, the opposite of everything the rest of us stand for. This is something else, and I, for one, intend to work out what on earth they are up to. Either they have been lying to me all along and they already knew each other when they came into my life or… or what, I have no idea. But I don’t like this, all of us under one roof. Or maybe I do, but not like this.

I unlace my hand from Reef and step back from them, my head feeling even more frazzled than normal. “Onyx, show me to my room,” I demand, trying to keep my shit together in front of them.

Romeo’s growl is low, rumbling through his chest and carrying a palpable sense of irritation toward me for asking Onyx instead of him.

“Let her go,” Reef tells him, and I feel the tension between them heighten, an erratic energy crackling in the air.

Onyx moves from his place over on the other side of the room and tilts his head to the side, telling me the way to go, and I follow him down a short hallway. He pushes open the heavy oak door, the second on the right, revealing a dimly lit room, and I follow closely behind. Dominating the room’s center is a large wrought-iron bed frame, its ornate curves catching the light, draped with textured white linen. Soft white drapes frame the window, letting in the glow of the full moon. Off to the side, an ensuite bathroom boasts black subway tiles in a herringbone pattern, the cool, dark tiles contrasting with the warmth of the large black soaking tub in the center of the room; a massive shower with a double showerhead completes the space. I have to hand it to my brother, he has terrific taste, and even though industrial chic wouldn’t normally be my thing, he’s pulled it off nicely.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Onyx mutters dryly from his place in the doorway.

I turn back to him, my eyes narrowing, a silent challenge passing between us. I nervously fiddle with the bracelet he gave me on my birthday, the fragile metal a constant tick against my skin, a reminder of him. “Out of the three of you, it’s you I can’t believe deceived me. Why didn’t you simply tell me this was the plan, why exclude me?”

He closes the gap between us, his large frame taking up way too much space, his dark eyes peering down at me. “You’re the most stubborn person I know, Sloane. If you don’t want to do something, you won’t. I wasn’t giving you a choice this time, there is too much at stake.”

His words cut deep. They might be true, but it shouldn’t matter. This is my life, I should be free to make whatever bad choice I want. “You’re not the man I thought you were,” I snip, bitchy as all fuck, taking a step back from him. He’s hurt me today, created a distance between us I never thought possible.

“You can hate me all you want, but let’s get one thing straight, trouble. My job is to keep you alive. If your feelings get hurt in the process, that’s not on me. I made it very clear right from the start who we are to each other. Stop fantasizing we’re something we’re not and let me do my job.” His words might be harsh, but his body betrays him. His eyes haven’t left mine and stare into my soul in a way that makes a pain form in my chest.

Tears well in my eyes, and for the first time in nine years, I can’t stop them scrolling freely down my cheeks. Being back in this place with everything that’s going on, it’s just too much. His face instantly softens, he can’t hide the truth. “Stop lying to yourself,” I mutter, unable to help the raw emotion in my voice.

“Sloane.” His hands come to mine, and he pulls me into his chest, so close I can feel the way his heart pounds erratically. He kisses my hair softly as he holds me. “You’re going to be the death of me, trouble.” His fingertips trail up my arms, and before I know it, they’re lacing in my hair and his lips find mine. He kisses me like his life depends on it, each flick of his tongue erasing the lies he just told me. I knew there was so much more here.

What was passionate turns hurried and desperate as he picks me up. My legs wrap around his waist, and he carries me into the bathroom, placing me down on the countertop. He pulls back ever so slightly, his eyes searching mine. “I shouldn’t be in here with you.”

I blink away my tears as I stare up at him. “But you’re not going to leave me all alone while I’m upset, are you?”

His hands fiddle with the knot on my top, untying it, tugging it over my head. “I break every one of my damn rules for you.”

I sniff. “Lucky I’m worth it.” My lips turn up at the sides, knowing he’s past reasoning. He’s all in, and his damn one-time rule is as far from his mind as can be.

I reach behind my back and unhook my bra, feeling the straps slide down my shoulders, enjoying the way his eyes grow hungrier at the sight of me. With a gentle tug, he frees my hair from its ponytail, letting it fall softly over my shoulders. “You’re so damn beautiful. Resisting you was torture.”

My cheeks heat at the way he looks at me like I’m his whole world. I tug his shirt over his head, needing to get my hands on his bare chest. They trail up and over his abdomen while he watches me. I find his scar and trace the line of it, my anger toward him simmering down. He might have tricked me to get me here tonight, but he did it to keep me safe. How angry can I stay at him for that? He earned this stab wound protecting me, a constant reminder of what he did to save me. That night bonded us in a way that can never be erased, not even when I’m pissed at him.

His lips meet back with mine as his hands run over my body, cupping my tits in a way that makes me moan into his mouth. His callused hands running over every inch of my bare skin just feels too damn good. He lowers his mouth, taking one nipple in, he sucks hard, sending an electric tingle running right through me that makes my lady parts throb with desperate need for him to fill me up.

He traces his hands down my body and then proceeds to carefully unbuckle my shoes, tossing each one on the floor as he goes. I push off the countertop to standing, unzipping my skirt and letting it pool on the tiles below.

While he removes his pants, I can’t help but stare at him. He’s one gorgeous sight, all hard muscle and ink. My fingers curl around his length, and I feel him shudder as I stroke him back and forth. He’s impossibly hard. “Onyx, I need you to fuck me.”

He stares back at me, his hands still running over my skin, lingering on the curves of my body as if memorizing every inch. I can’t get enough of him. I crave him everywhere, need him to make me feel like he did last time.

“Please, I need you,” I whisper into his lips as he kisses me again.

He lifts me by the waist, gently setting me back on the counter, my legs instinctively parting for him. I lean back a little so he’s got better access to me. His hand slides between my thighs, trailing over my clit before he dips a finger inside my pussy. Quickly he adds a second finger, leisurely pumping in and out of me, stretching me as he watches my face for a reaction. “This is all you can have, trouble.”

I lean so I can see him eye to eye. “No, why? I want more.” Shit, I don’t even recognize my clingy voice. I’m close to begging him, that’s how badly I need him right now.

His face grows more serious. “I don’t have any protection.”

I stare back at him, my eyes lingering on his face for a fraction of a second, the silence hanging heavy between us. “I’m not worried, big guy. You know I’m on birth control, and I have never been with anyone other than you without protection before. Give me what I need.”

His eyes meet mine, and I see the internal struggle he’s going through. Then he lifts my ass, moving me closer to the edge of the counter.

I spread my legs wider for him, my hand moving down and rubbing over my clit. The other comes to my tits, massaging one then the other, putting on a show for him, hopefully one that’s too damn good to resist. He growls out a curse and in one move, he thrusts inside of me, filling me all the way up.

I cry out a moan at the sudden intrusion of his massive cock. This is what I needed, but he’s surprised me.

His eyes flicker with concern, his gaze lingering on me for a heartbeat. “Sloane.”

I grin back at him. “I’m good, fuck me.”

That’s all he needs to know I’m okay. He pumps into me, his fingertips digging into my hips as he moves with force. Every deep thrust brings me undone more, his large body controlling mine completely, taking me out of my head and into the bliss that is only him.

He dips his head, his eyes running over me. “Play with yourself again,” he demands.

My heart flutters as I reach between my legs, my fingers finding my clit, teasing it gently as I lock eyes with him. My pussy tightens, waves of euphoria washing over me instantly. “Onyx.” His name leaves my lips as a cry, but it’s more of a plea for him to keep going. To give me an escape from all the shit I’m dealing with so I can just feel.

He pulls out of me, and immediately I’m disappointed at the loss of his body so close to mine. He collects me in his arms and carries me into the shower. Turning on the spray, steam fills the room. As he lets me slip down to the floor, I lean into the cold tile wall, trying to get my breathing under control.

“Don’t leave me yet. I need you, Onyx.” Jesus, who even am I, this needy pathetic girl. But right now, I don’t care. I do need him, and I can’t deal with him walking away from me like he did last time.

“I’m not going anywhere this time. Be a good girl and turn around for me.”

I beam back at him, spinning around as quickly as my shaky legs will let me.

“Hands on the tile wall, above your head.”

I bite into my lip as I do what I’m told. “Fuck, yes,” I hiss, so ready for him to control my body in any way he sees fit.

One of his hands comes to my stomach, the other to my hip as he uses his knee to push my legs out wider. He holds me in place, water running over our bodies. Then he stretches me again, his cock slipping straight back into my waiting pussy. “Good girl, stay just like that.” His voice is a low rumbling growl, like he’s trying to keep some control but he’s on the verge. He fucks me ruthlessly, pumping in and out of me like he’s punishing me. “If we’re going to do this, Sloane, things can’t stay the same between us.”

I glance over my shoulder, wondering what he wants to change. “I don’t want them to stay the same. I want this side of you,” I moan as he continues to thrust into me.

“Then from now on I’m in charge. You do as I say and stop fighting me at every damn turn.” His hand comes down on my ass, the sting shocking me but sending a fresh wave of arousal flying through me at the same time.

“I know what’s best for you. I swear to protect you, but you have to follow my every instruction without question.” Another slap on my ass, and I know he’s punishing me.

“Onyx.” His name leaves my lips as a plea, for what I don’t know. I think more of this, something in between pleasure and pain, and I’m here for it.

“Do I make myself clear?” His hand cracks over my ass cheek again.

My legs shake. “Yes!” I cry the words as another earth-shattering orgasm rips through me.

He pulls out of me, and I feel him pumping his hand up and down his cock. I glance over my shoulder to see him cumming all over my ass, thick spurts of warm liquid mixing with the water from the shower.

For a moment he stays staring at my back, his head dropped, then his eyes rise to meet mine. His finger traces over my ass right where he came all over me, then he brings it to my mouth for me to taste. I wrap my lips around his finger and suck his juices from it, my eyes rolling back in my head. My pussy throbs with how used she is, but I could go all over again.

“Tonight was a warning, trouble. I’ll give you what you want, fuck you whenever you need me to. But if you break my rules going forward, I will really punish you.”

I turn around in his arms. “What are your rules?”

“I’m in charge. You do what I say when I say it in every aspect of your life.”

I stare back at him, my pulse quickening. “You know I do what I want, big guy. We both know I can’t keep that up no matter how badly I want your cock.” My hand rests on his chest, patting him like a silly kitten, or tiger in his case.

His lips form a thin line and his eyes darken more, if that is even possible. “There is only one way this will work. You showed me how much you like me taking control of your body, you get off on it.”

“I like it when we’re fucking, yeah. But not out there.”

“You want to fuck me again, Sloane?”

“Yes.” The word gets caught in my throat because it feels like answering his question is a trick.

“Then we do it on my terms. I warned you last time that we could only do this once. I’m not like other guys, my needs are different. But you kept on pushing me until I gave in again. Now you get the real me.”

I swallow the lump in my throat, the hand resting on his chest feeling the thumping beat of his heart. The real him? I thought I knew him after spending so much time with him over the years, but I guess I only really knew who he wanted me to see. The loyal broody bodyguard. I don’t know how he came to be a part of the Iron Strykers at such a young age. I don’t know anything about his upbringing or his family, he never talked about them. If I tried, he would change the subject. He has always been a closed book, and I was okay with it. Selfishly I guess, I was wrapped up in my own life and knew I could only ever really know him from a distance. But as much as his words scare me a little, they also send a thrill through me. “I want to know the real you.”

“You won’t when you get to know me.” His eyes are haunted, and I wonder how bad it is. He takes a washcloth and squirts on some bodywash, then he glides it over my body, removing any evidence of his cum before he washes me everywhere. His pressure is firm as he diligently cleans me up. When he’s done, he rinses out the cloth and hangs it over the glass panel. He places a kiss to my forehead.

Before I get to say anything else or ask more questions about this new arrangement I don’t really understand, he takes a backwards step out of the shower, collects a towel, and strides out of the bathroom.

I’m left with my skin wrinkling to a prune, my ass still kind of stinging, and my head spinning in confusion. Who the fuck is Onyx really, and why do I need to know how bad it gets with him more than I need to breathe right now?

Chapter 27

After I finish up my shower alone, I open the overnight bag Jagger packed for me and find a pair of faded wide-leg jeans and a cropped T-shirt to change into. I decide there is no point in hiding out in my room alone sulking. I’m desperate to know what the three of them are up to, and more than anything, I’m frantic to know more about what Onyx was going on about. So, I pop open my door and creep down the hallway quietly, hoping to overhear some kind of information that might help me grasp what on earth is really going on, and why the four of us are here together.

I watch Romeo and Onyx in the living room studying something on a laptop screen. Their faces are deep in concentration, and every now and then one of them looks up and says something quietly to the other. I wish I could hear what they’re saying, it’s so odd to see them getting along like old friends.

Goosebumps rise over my skin, and I feel Reef’s hands on my waist from behind. Softly his lips lower to my ear. “You don’t make a very good spy, wildcat.”

I turn in his arms, a smug smirk playing on my lips as I stare up at him, not even surprised he came looking for me. “You don’t make a very good cop. Hanging with a mob boss and a biker chick goes against the oath you took, doesn’t it?”

His cheeky grin doesn’t fade, I haven’t even insulted him. “I know plenty of cops who have all sorts of friends in high places.” I feel the ghost of his touch on my neck where Romeo’s teeth had been just last night and Onyx the day before, a heat rising in my cheeks as I meet the intensity of his burning gaze. He’s fucking turned on knowing someone else was biting me, I can see it.

I raise a brow, trying to get control over my body before I melt into him. “So do I. They have their pockets lined nicely. Is that what you’re after, cash? You looking to strike a deal with my brother or Romeo?”

He chuckles lightheartedly, not giving his intentions away, but I know there is more to why he is here with us. His hand moves to my hip, and he slowly backs me up toward the wall, towering above me in a way that makes me feel so much smaller than I know I am. I guess I haven’t stood next to him without heels on before. With a smug-as-shit look on his face, he moves his arms to either side of me, caging me in.

My heart does a stupid backflip, and I get a little lost in his piercing green eyes. A sadness settles over me for him when I think about what Malachi said about his upbringing.

“I’m not here for money, Sloane. I have enough of that.” The way he says it, his eyes running down my figure, sets my body alight. He’s here for me. Why does my body approve of that, heating all over at the thought?

“Have you been lying to me about everything all along or just knowing Romeo?” I snap back, not letting him in on how my body is reacting to him.

“Who says I know Romeo?”

“I have eyes, Detective.” My gaze on him narrows. “Why would he and Onyx let you in this place otherwise? This apartment is Iron Stryker territory, and no smart cop would be seen down here unless he’s working with us or he wants to disappear. Onyx is here to protect me, I assume Romeo is here because he thinks he has some kind of control over me, and for whatever reason, my brother likes him. But you…” I tilt my head to the side, really looking him over. “You’re the cop investigating my club, trying to find this missing girl. Why would you be here unless one of them wants you here. I know everything there is to know about Onyx, so it has to be Romeo.” Even as I say the words, I know how untrue they are. I don’t know Onyx at all, and what has happened today alone is enough to prove it.

Reef continues to watch me, his eyes running over every inch of my face as if he’s trying to memorize the details. “I’m here because I found the missing girl and she’s in more trouble than she realizes.” With the back of his hand, his fingers brush down the side of my face, his touch sending electricity right through me. “This stalker isn’t after Sloane, he’s after Ava, and the three of us are the only ones who can protect her.”

The electricity turns to an icy-cold shiver running down my spine. Like someone has just walked over my grave. “How do you know that?”

“Because I’m good at my job.”

“Which one? The detective job or the private investigator one you did for Romeo?” I see the flinch of shock on his face, and I know I hit the nail on the head. That’s why he disappeared for six months. He was working with Romeo, getting every bit of information on me he could. “I know how to do my research as well, Reef. Don’t underestimate me, you will lose every time.”

His weight shifts and he moves a little closer to me, our faces just inches apart. “I didn’t realize we were competing.”

“Since you decided to spy on me rather than get to know me the usual way, I guess we are.” I run a hand up and over his chest, not able to help touching him. There is this magnetic force between us that even I can’t control. “You have been keeping all your secrets locked up tight, even though you knew all of mine. Shame on you, Detective. But don’t worry, I plan on finding out every last thing there is about you and why you’re in my life. It’s only fair, after all.” I shove him in the chest, pushing him away from me before I act on my desires and kiss him again. I stalk down the hall, wishing I was wearing shoes for impact as my bare feet make it sound more like I’m sneaking away.

“What do you want to know, wildcat?” he calls after me.

Quickly I turn on the spot to face him. “Everything. But you can start with why you’re working with Romeo. The real reason, not some bullshit about having a common goal, that being me. You both started investigating me long before you knew me, long before you should have given two shits about protecting me.”

He considers me, and right as he’s about to speak, fucking Romeo comes into view and his mouth shuts up tight. A look passes between them, one I don’t quite understand, but it’s very clear they know each other well. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before tonight. The way Reef kissed me right in front of Romeo after our date, then the tension at the burger joint. I should have known there was more to the looks they were giving each other.

“There you two are, we were about to start dinner without you,” Romeo says, and I can see he’s assessing the situation between the two of us.

“Dinner?” I ask, because this all just feels so odd to me.

Romeo’s lips twist up at the side. “You owe me a date, doll face.”

I cross one arm over the other, my eyes fixing on him, the silence heavy between us. Is he for real? “It’s going to be mighty awkward with the other two watching us. Or is that what you’re all about, Romeo?”

Romeo chuckles lightheartedly, and Reef smirks at him, a knowing look in his eyes. Have they shared women before? Is that what Reef was going on about after the interview at the station today? “How about we all eat together then see where the night takes us.”

My eyes shift between them, their interaction a confusing dance of unspoken words and subtle gestures. All I know is they’re both hiding a mountain of secrets from me, and it’s driving me crazy. “I already know where the night is taking me. To bed alone.” I turn and stride away from the both of them, not missing the way they laugh together like old friends.

In the main living space, I find the dining table set for four, with flickering candlelight illuminating the shiny table and the tantalizing aroma of roasting vegetables and garlic drifting from the kitchen. Onyx’s eyes find mine, and I give him a what-the-fuck look that he shrugs off, looking indifferent to the whole scene. He places a couple of bottles of red wine in the center of the table then takes a seat. Pouring a glass to halfway, he holds it up for me to take.

Trying to relax the tension in my shoulders, I let out a heavy sigh and move toward him, taking the glass from his outstretched hand. I plonk myself down on the seat beside him, taking a swig. It’s delicious, expensive, and has a full body, with noticeable tannins and a complex aroma. I already know Romeo chose it, but Onyx poured it for me. Is this the start of what he was talking about in my room earlier?

A colorful vegetarian antipasto board is overflowing before us, loaded with cheeses, roasted vegetables glistening with olive oil, crusty little breads, vibrant dips, and grapes and figs. Someone has clearly invested a significant amount of time and energy into this, or they have paid someone else to put it all together.

Onyx’s hand runs over my thigh. My eyes shoot to his, surprised he’s touching me with other people around. Something changed for us in that bathroom tonight, alright. At least I hope it has. Romeo and Reef move back into the room together, a hint of mischief on their faces, and I don’t miss the way Onyx’s fingertips tighten on my thigh. Or is it that there is competition now and he’s actually willing to put up a fight for me.

Romeo takes a seat at the head of the table but also beside me, filling his glass. He looks way too pleased about something. Maybe that he pulled this off and got this date he has been so desperate to have. Even if there are four of us at the table instead of just the two of us.

Reef sits opposite me, taking the bottle from Romeo and filling his glass as well. He offers the bottle to Onyx, but he declines. He always does when he’s on duty, and I guess right now he thinks he is.

“A toast to our girl,” Romeo announces, a smug grin splitting his face, looking way too pleased with himself about having me here with him.

“I’m not your girl,” I remind him, bitchy as hell.

But it only makes his grin widen. He doesn’t care what I say, he thinks he has some claim to me. “The three of us will do whatever it takes to keep you safe, doll face. The psycho hunting you is as good as dead.” He clinks his glass with Reef’s as if the two of them are in agreeance about this.

I won’t toast to that shit. I know I’m more than capable of taking care of myself. Instead, I drink down the rest of my wine, needing something to help me escape all this. Normally I would throw myself into work at the club, but I can’t even do that. I’m stuck here with these three and this awkward-as-hell dinner.

Onyx collects an assortment of items from the platter and places them on a plate, before he hands it to me. “Eat,” he commands, and I look at him like he’s grown a third eye.

I go to open my mouth to tell him to piss off, I’ll get my own food, but as I do, his eyes narrow and my stomach knots up, remembering our conversation while we were screwing. He was deadly serious. Tentatively I take the plate from him and place it down in front of me. He’s picked all my favorite items. I wouldn’t have put this plate together any differently myself. The way he knows me inside and out is a little unnerving when I realize how little I really know about him. I collect up one of the little breads and cheese and pop it in my mouth. It’s delicious, and I go back for a second mouthful.

The others fill their plates and start eating as well. The silence is uncomfortable, to a point where I can’t stand it anymore. I grab for the bottle of wine, and Onyx takes it from me, filling my glass just to halfway. I blink back at him. “You’re rationing my wine now as well?”

“Are you questioning me?” His brow rises, challenging me.

My heart races a little faster, and I go to open my mouth, but just as quickly shut it. Fuck. He has me because he knows I want him as more than just my bodyguard, but his rules are messed up and I didn’t actually agree to them. He didn’t really give me any choice in the matter, and the last thing I want is to have this conversation here in front of the others.

I glare back at him in a silent standoff that we both already know he’s going to win. I take the glass from him, wanting to chug the entire thing just to prove a point. Instead, I place it on the table in front of me, a sinister smirk painting my face because I have just gotten an idea for these three fuckers. Screw the awkward tension, why not intensify it?

I shift my gaze to Romeo, knowing how much he likes a game. “Maybe we should play a game since we’re all stuck here together,” I suggest and wait for his lips to twitch up at the sides.

“What do you have in mind, doll face?” Right on cue, that mischievous smile appears.

Chapter 28

I bite my lip, glancing at Reef. He has a cheeky-as-fuck grin on his pretty face, and I know he’s on board already. “How about tell a secret or take a shot. I’m sure one of you has a bottle of something harder around here someplace.”

Romeo is already on his way to the kitchen before I have a chance to even finish what I’m saying.

I feel Onyx’s death stare directed at me, but I don’t pay him any attention. “I’m not drinking, and you shouldn’t be either,” he growls.

Reef chuckles playfully. “Come on, Onyx, let her have a little fun. This dinner is awkward as hell.”

My eyes meet with his, and I offer a nod. “Right. It’s either a game or I’m going to bed. We can adjust the fun for you, big guy. How about tell a secret or take a dare?”

I hear a grumble come from him, but it’s not an all-out no, so I guess we’re playing.

Romeo returns with a bottle of whiskey, three shot glasses, and a stupid grin. “I’m going first,” he says as he takes a seat and pours the three shots, sliding them across to me and Reef.

I cast a quick glance at Onyx who is looking as grumpy as a bear with a thorn in its paw, his arms bulging over his chest he has them so tightly crossed.

“What’s the question then?” I ask, ready to start the fun.

Romeo grins at me, a flash of white teeth against his tanned skin. “Sloane, what’s your biggest regret?”

I throw a look back at him, like is he serious? “Easy, missing my party to spend the night with you,” I snip back, my voice not totally serious, but what did he expect? That I would give him some life-altering regret from when I was a kid? Fuck no.

He clutches his chest as if he’s in pain. “Ouch. You could have lied to spare my feelings a little. But we both know you came back for seconds, so I won’t take it to heart too much.” He winks in my direction, and I hate to say it but he’s right.

Damn, I can’t stand how damn confident he is. “I guess I didn’t learn my lesson the first time.” I raise a brow, challenging him. To what I don’t fully know, he’s liable to jump on me and fuck me right here in front of the others just to prove a point.

Reef chuckles, and I turn my attention to him, already knowing exactly what I’m going to ask him. I want to see if he’s willing to tell me anything real, give me something more than his charm and pretty face to go off. “My turn. Reef, if you could change one thing about your past, what would it be?”

“Wildcat, going straight for the big questions.” He thinks on it for a beat, popping a grape in his mouth and chewing. A flash of sadness comes over him. “I would have stopped my mom from going out the night she died. I knew she wasn’t right, but I let her leave our place anyway.” His eyes meet with mine, and I know this is him trying to let me in a little. Maybe our conversation out in the hall did have an impact on him. He’s also willing to share something so personal in front of the other boys. Even more curious.

My heart aches for him. What an awful regret to carry around with you. “You were just a kid, you couldn’t have saved her,” I say before I can stop myself, and regret it immediately when I see his reaction, because I shouldn’t know that little nugget of information about him. But I do.

His brow rises, his eyes crinkling in silent question. “Guess you’re not such a bad spy after all.”

My teeth sink into my bottom lip. “I’m sorry about your mom, Reef,” I offer, not sure what else to say.

A slow, almost reluctant half smile touches his lips, an intimacy passing between us I didn’t expect in this situation. Part of me wishes I could reach over the table and comfort him. “It was a long time ago. If she didn’t die, my life would have been vastly different, but then I wouldn’t have ended up at this table with you.”

The way he says it like I’m already someone special to him makes butterflies take off in my stomach. I can’t be, we hardly know each other, but I stupidly like the idea that I am.

“Your turn to answer. What’s one thing you’re afraid of that no one knows?” Reef asks, with his eyes still locked on me.

I feel all three sets of eyes fix on me. They all want to know the answer to this question. “I’m not afraid of anything,” I snip back.

“You didn’t look so good when the lights went out at the club the other night,” Romeo clips, thinking this question aimed at me is a little too funny.

I shoot a glare back at him. “No one likes it when the lights suddenly go off, but I wasn’t afraid.”

“There must be something, Sloane.” Reef’s leg brushes up against mine.

My heart thumps a little harder at him reaching out for some intimacy in this odd situation. “Why do you all want me to be scared of something? I’m not some frightened little girl who needs protecting. I was brought up to be strong, and I am.” I stare back at them, my face fierce, making sure they know just who I am.

“If you say so, wildcat.” Reef rolls his lips like he doesn’t believe me, and I wonder why it’s so important for him to know what my weakness is.

“What are you scared of?” I throw back at him, even though I know it’s not my turn.

“Losing you,” Reef responds without hesitation.

Onyx stiffens beside me, and I see the glare he directs at Reef. I gape back at him myself, at a loss for words. He hardly knows me. Yeah, we have this weird sexual chemistry, and I feel like I know him without knowing anything about him, but he can’t be scared to lose me. “I… you don’t even know me,” I mutter, trying to find my words.

His eyes lock with mine with an intensity that actually scares me all the way through to my core because I believe what he is saying and it makes no sense. “I know everything I need to.”

I glance at Romeo and Onyx to see what they make of that little answer, but neither of them seems at all surprised. Yeah, Onyx is tense, but that feels more like he’s pissed at Reef for answering me truthfully. Not that he is worried about his feelings toward me. Reef just made some fucking declaration to me in front of them and they’re not bothered. Shouldn’t they be jealous or at least angry or something?

Confused, I pick up a fig and pop it in my mouth to stop the crazy that’s about to start bubbling up and out of me. This situation and the way the three of them are acting is weird. “I can’t swim, I’m scared of the ocean,” I finally admit.

Onyx shows no surprise, a knowing glint in his eyes; but the other two stare right back at me, their eyes wide with shock and disbelief, or is it just surprise that I gave them something about myself.

“That wasn’t so hard was it, doll face.”

My eyes fix on Romeo. “Don’t even think about using that secret against me, I will make sure you regret it.”

A wide grin stretches across his face, and he looks at Reef.

Reef shakes his head. “We wouldn’t dare would we Romeo, we just want to get to know you better.”

“Thought you already knew everything about me, didn’t find that in your research though did you,” I snip, collecting up some more cheese and crackers, totally over this question. “Your turn Onyx,” I murmur as I pop them in my mouth.

“Romeo, what’s the worst lie you’ve ever told?” Onyx’s question hangs in the air, a challenge, as if he already knows the answer. His gaze on Romeo, soft and knowing, hints at a deep-seated connection that has me questioning everything.

Romeo glances around the table while he thinks on it, his eyes lingering on mine, a guilty expression flashing through them. Then he throws back his shot glass.

I tilt my head, taking him in with fresh eyes, knowing he’s lied to me. The legs of my chair scrape along the ground as I push it back and stand in a rush, ready to take him on. But he’s too fast for me, his hands capturing my wrists and pulling me into his solid body, my back to his front. “What the fuck did you lie to me about, asshole, and why does Onyx know about it?” I stare at the other two as he holds me like a barbaric caveman. What are they keeping from me?

Romeo’s face lowers to my ear, his breath warm and laced with whiskey. “I was never going to rat Onyx out to the authorities for killing the man who tried to hurt you, it was just a good bargaining tool because I knew how you felt about him.”

I try to dig my elbow into his stomach but his hold on me is too strong. “You’re an asshole.”

“I don’t even regret it, doll face. You’re here with all of us now, so it worked out.”

“I’m here because you guys tricked me.” I glare back at the other two, because from the tight hold he has on me, I can’t glare at him.

His lips press into my neck and a tingle goes all the way through me as he kisses me. “You’re here all the same,” he whispers, and goosebumps erupt over my skin. Keeping my arms captured, his free hand moves down my side, feeling over my curves, and I catch the hunger in Reef’s eyes as he watches every movement he’s making. “Let me go, asshole.”

“Right now, I can’t trust you not to try and stab me, so I think I’ll keep hold of you a little longer.”

“Smart man,” I huff.

I feel the chuckle rumbling through him, and all I can wonder is how is this fun for him? His hand slides down a little further to my ass. “Sloane, who in this room do you trust the least?” the motherfucker has the nerve to ask next.

I look between the other two. They all have their moments. Reef I really don’t know all that well, but does that mean I can’t trust him? I’m not sure. Onyx, I thought I knew, but after tonight, I’m not so sure, and maybe that means I can trust him the least, but I still know no matter what secrets he’s hiding from me, he would do anything for me and protect me with his life. I would like to say Romeo after he tricked me, but there is something about him that tells me even though he might bend the truth to get what he wants, he’s in this room because he genuinely cares about me and would do anything to keep me safe. And that realization has nothing to do with how close our bodies are right now. Stupidly I think I trust all of them, but I’m not telling them that. “I need my shot glass.”

Reef is happy to help collect it for me. Romeo lets one of my hands slip free so I can take it and throw back the whiskey.

Reef bursts out laughing, and Romeo joins him. “I thought she was going to say you for sure, Romeo.”

“So did I,” he agrees. Is that what he wanted? I’m not sure.

“Let her go, Romeo,” Onyx finally says, and to my surprise, he releases his grip on me.

With a careless shrug, I sidestep the issue, the air thick with unspoken tension and the scent of avoidance, but answering that question would have gotten me in more trouble than I am already in. I move back to my seat, making sure to glare a few daggers in Romeo’s direction. “Reef, how did you and Romeo meet?” I ask the question that has been on the tip of my tongue all night.

His grin widens, then he collects his shot glass and throws back his whiskey.

I raise a brow at the two of them. “I guess next round I’m asking Romeo the same question since he has no secrets to keep from me.”

He smirks at me, but I can already see in his eyes there is no way he’s telling me that secret. And now I want to know even more.

From across the table, I feel Reef’s leg brush against mine again, a light touch that sends a flutter through me and pulls my attention to him. His face lights up with a flirtatious smile. It’s his turn next, and he wants my eyes on him.

“Onyx, who in this room do you think is the biggest threat to you?” Reef asks, still looking my way. Is he trying to distract me from the disappointment of him not answering my question?

“Sloane,” Onyx answers a little too quickly.

“Thanks,” I mutter, kind of surprised. He has two men in this room he knows want me, and I’m the biggest threat to him!

Our eyes lock, a seriousness washing over him. “You know you are, trouble.”

He really does think I will get him killed, or am I more a threat to his heart? That I could live with because I know he’s a damn big threat to mine.

“Now it’s Romeo’s turn to answer one of mine.” Onyx’s lips twitch up at the sides in a way I haven’t seen before, a familiarity passing between him and Romeo. “If one person at this table had to obey your every command for a day, who would you pick?”

“You,” Romeo throws right back at him, surprising me. I would have thought for sure he would want me at his beck and call, but Onyx? What the actual hell.

Onyx doesn’t flinch. He already knew what the answer would be, but he wanted the rest of us to know as well. He has me intrigued.

The look they share intensifies. “The other two members of this table already follow my command. It might be fun to see what I could get you to do, big guy.”

“Like hell I do,” I snap. “Just making sure every fucker at this table is clear, I do not take instructions from Romeo.”

Onyx bursts out laughing, the sound so unusual I feel like I have just stepped into the twilight zone.

I toss back the rest of my wine, having had enough of this game. I’m more confused than when we started playing. I stand to leave, the warmth of bed calling my name.

“Sit and finish your food,” Onyx demands, his hand to my arm stopping me from taking off.

“Your game is fun, Sloane. We’re all getting to know each other, stay a while longer,” Reef tries to encourage me. But the truth is, they’re freaking me out. All these looks I don’t quite understand and very pointed questions. I feel like the odd one out.

Romeo’s eyes fix on Onyx. “If I asked you to tell me your darkest secret right now, would you tell me the truth or lie straight to my face?”

“I don’t have any secrets,” Onyx huffs.

“The man who quietly watches people for a living has no secrets. Somehow, I doubt that. Why don’t you tell the lovely Sloane how you came to work for her family? I’m sure that’s a doozie. Or would you like a dare?”

Onyx shakes his head, collects my now refilled shot glass, and throws it back.

I gasp in shock. He really is breaking all his damn rules for me, but this one I don’t want him to break. I want to know how he ended up here. “Tell me, Onyx.”

“It’s best if you don’t know, you hate Syd enough,” he grumbles. “Romeo is just trying to start trouble.”

I stand in a rush, adrenaline pumping through me. “Tell me,” I demand, so sick of being kept in the dark when it comes to him.

His eyes meet with mine, a deadly seriousness coming over them. “Sit down, trouble,” Onyx says after some time. His voice cuts through the tension in a way that has me sitting down immediately.

Reef finds my eyes from across the table and offers a sympathetic smile. I’m not sure what for. Because Onyx is acting like an asshole or if it’s because I’m in the dark, when the three of them all seem to know each other’s secrets.

I know it’s my turn, but there really is only one thing I want to know right now, since Onyx has already made it clear he won’t be spilling. “My question is aimed at two of you. Let’s see who can answer me first. Because if one of you doesn’t, whatever the fuck is going on here is done. The three of you might think you can hold me here against my will, but I will find a way out.” My hands tremble as I say the words, my anger starting to rise.

“What’s your question, wildcat?”

I know I have to be specific so they can’t weasel their way out of it. “Romeo and Onyx, how did you meet Reef?” I ask, trying to keep my voice as calm as I possibly can.

Romeo picks up his shot glass to drink but doesn’t throw it back. He’s thinking over my question, his eyes locked with Onyx. He tips his head toward Onyx as if asking him a silent request. Is Onyx the one in charge here? Because it certainly looks like Romeo is waiting on him.

Onyx sighs heavily as if the weight of the world is resting on his shoulders. “We all met in a group home back when we were kids.”

His words send a shiver slithering down my spine. They have known each other for years. I don’t get it, Romeo is the son of some massive mafia family in Italy, and Onyx has lived with us since he was sixteen. “How is that possible?”

“Our childhoods were complicated, much like yours, doll face.”

I see Romeo differently for the first time. I thought he had grown up in the lap of luxury and been handed everything he could desire by his daddy. But if this is true, then he’s had to struggle his way to the top just like Reef did.

Romeo’s hand finds mine, and he brings it to his lips as I stare back at him, I think in shock. “You done with the game now, doll face?”

I pull my hand back quickly, my pulse quickening. “What do you three want with me, is this some teenage fantasy you all had? Find some girl and lock her away from the rest of the world so you can have your dirty way with her? Is that what this is?”

“You’re not just some girl, Sloane. We all fell for you individually, that’s how we know you’re the one.”

“The one to what?” I push my chair back. “You know what, I don’t want to know. I’m exhausted, and this, whatever this is, is too much for me to process right now. Thank you for my meal. I’ll see you all in the morning,” I say, much nicer than I should be right now.

“Sloane,” Reef calls me back.

“Let her go,” Onyx tells him.

And I do. I march right from the room as quickly as I can, confused as hell. I knew this wasn’t some big coincidence; they all know each other well. The last few weeks flash before me as I try to remember every contact I had with the three of them, and how they interacted with each other. It all blurs together. All I do know is any one of them could have pointed this out to me at any time and none of them did. But they know each other, and they all want to be with me. For Christ’s sake, Sloane, how did you end up here.

Chapter 29

With a heavy sigh, I throw my legs over the side of the bed and sit up. Even though I’m dog tired, it’s impossible to sleep. Normally I would reach for my sleeping pills, but you can bet your life my brother wasn’t packing them for me.

I move down the hall in search of a glass of water, or really just anything so I’m not lying in bed alone trying to wrap my head around all of this. I walk into the kitchen and pour a glass of water, wishing I was at the club right now. Sally checked in with me and assures me it’s all taken care of. Apparently Asher has stepped in to help in my absence, but I feel out of control not being there with the rest of the girls. That place is such a huge part of my life. The boys and my brother forcing me to have time away from it over this stalker stuff is bullshit.

I pour a tall glass of ice water from the fridge, the condensation clinging to the glass as I lean against the countertop, taking a long sip. I freeze when I hear the murmur of voices out in the living room.

“Sloane’s just stubborn. She’ll come around,” I make out Romeo’s voice softly explaining to someone else.

“I hope so, Romeo. There’s something about that girl. I’m addicted in a way that makes me want to throw everything we have worked so hard for away, just so she can be ours,” comes Reef’s voice, the possessiveness in it sending butterflies right through me.

Quietly I tiptoe through the kitchen so I can peer around the adjoining wall and see them. The two of them are standing by the window, Reef looking out over the view of shipping containers and other apartments.

Romeo’s hand shoots to his back. With a swift turn, he slams Reef against the cold, unforgiving glass, the impact echoing slightly. The two of them lock eyes so damn intensely it kind of turns me on. “She will be ours,” Romeo tells him, his voice a low, possessive rumble that sends an instant rush of wetness to my core.

It’s so fucked up how turned on I get by the three of them. My body practically begs me to drop down at my knees and suck them off every time I’m in the room with them, that or have them throw me over a hard surface and fuck the life out of me. I clench my legs together at the thought, my pussy thumbing with arousal.

Through the light of the moon streaming into the room, I see the way Reef looks at Romeo. It’s the same way he gazes at me, with that dark obsessive lust that draws me into him. But this is Romeo, the boy he grew up with, not the girl he has a crush on. They eye each other off, and a strange tingle runs through me that instantly heats my cheeks.

The next thing I know, Romeo kisses him. My heart kicks up a beat, and I clutch my glass extra tightly so I don’t send it smashing to the tile floor below. This is what they’re hiding from me. They’re a thing, and they want me to be part of it. Damn! This is the last thing I expected, but I can’t drag my eyes away from them. Instead, I watch them as they maul each other, fascinated and majorly turned on. What was a throbbing is now moisture leaking down my legs I’m so damn wet.

Hurriedly Romeo unbuckles Reef’s pants, and fuck, I can’t stop my mouth from opening wide as I watch him get down on his knees in front of Reef. He strokes his cock. It’s thick and hard, and in the light of the moon, I can see a glint of a piercing right at the tip. “I’m going to make you cum so fucking hard down my throat, then I’m going to fuck you until you cum again.”

Oh my God. My mouth goes dry at Romeo’s dirty words, and I grip hold of the countertop, watching the scene before me play out. I shouldn’t be here spying on them, but I can’t leave now. It’s the hottest thing I have ever seen, and I own a sex club! Two of the men I’m insanely attracted to, talking dirty and fucking around.

Delicately I place the glass on the counter as my hand involuntarily moves down and over my stomach, slipping inside my silk sleep shorts, feeling over the trimmed mound of hair before sliding through my dripping-wet pussy. I’m so fucking turned on a shudder runs through me.

Reef’s hand laces into Romeo’s hair, and he pulls him onto his cock with more force, his head dropping back to the window as he groans in pleasure. “Fuck yes,” he growls.

My breath hitches in my chest. He’s so damn beautiful to watch, and Romeo, I never thought I would see him on his knees for anyone. I toy with my clit, rubbing circles over my sensitive nub, imagining it was me on my knees for Reef while Romeo eats my pussy. The three of us would be so hot together. And right now, I’m so turned on I can forget how much their lies piss me off. I slip a finger inside of my pussy, needing more, right as Reef jerks forward.

“Fuck, Romeo,” he grunts out. It’s the hottest sound ever, him cumming for Romeo, his hand tangled so tightly into Romeo’s hair it must be painful.

I can’t help the moan of pleasure that slips from my lips as my own body starts to tremble. I’m so close already. Regret immediately washes over me when two sets of lust-filled eyes turn on me, and I realize I’m not so hidden by the kitchen anymore.

Quickly I pull my hand free. I should run back to my room and pretend this never happened, but I already know from the look in Romeo’s eyes that there will be no escaping him right now. My heart races like crazy, and I stare back at the two of them like a deer in the headlights.

Romeo’s on his feet quicker than my lust-filled brain has time to move, and I know I’m in trouble.

He pins me to the wall, his eyes filled with a look so sinister I half expect him to grow devil horns and start breathing fire. “Enjoying the peep show, doll face?”

I moisten my lips that suddenly feel impossibly dry. I have no words. What the hell do I say to him right now? “I came to get a glass of water.” The words spill out of my mouth, all breathy and desperate. “And you…” I can’t even say it.

His bushy brow rises. “And you found me sucking Reef’s cock.” His dark eyes roam down my body leisurely, eating up every inch of me in my barely-there silk camisole and shorts. “Did you like it, Sloane?” He grins back at me, his tongue running over his top lip as if he’s imagining tasting my cum on his lips next.

Oh, dear God. “I… I…” I peer up at him, heat radiating off my body, not sure what to say.

Reef appears by his side, his pants fixed back in place. He takes my hand, the one I had down my pants, and puts my fingers in his mouth, sucking on them. “You did, didn’t you? You’re a dirty little girl, wildcat.” He grins so hard it shows his dimples, and man, he looks gorgeous like this, all sex-mussed, his hair tousled, his face flushed, his chest a rippled mass of muscled perfection.

A breathy moan escapes me. I try to take a step back, but there is nowhere to go. They have me trapped against the wall, their large bodies caging me in.

Romeo’s hand slides up my thigh then moves between my legs, and I know I should close them so he can’t touch me there, but fuck, I want him to. “Dirty and so fucking wet for us.” He grins at Reef like the damn devil himself.

I can’t help but lock eyes with him as a shudder runs over me. He’s right, I’m so turned on right now. Stupidly so. I wish I could get control of my body, but she’s too far gone in a lust-filled haze to even hear sense now.

Romeo doesn’t skip a beat; he grins at Reef devilishly before slipping his finger deep inside my pussy.

“Romeo.” I try to say his name in warning, but it comes out as more of a desperate plea for more.

Reef takes another step closer to me as well, their two massive frames overwhelming me. His hand moves to the back of my neck, and he pulls me in close, his lips meeting mine. He flicks out his tongue, tasting me. He has my arousal on his lips from where he sucked my drenched fingers. I should fight them on this. Tell them to fuck off, that I don’t want either of them. But all three of us know that would be a lie. So, I kiss him back hungrily, just like I want to.

Romeo’s chuckle vibrates through my side as he slides a second finger inside of me, pumping them in and out, in a delicious type of torture, that has my body alight with the darkest kind of desire. I want these boys to do dirty things to me and each other. I don’t care how messed up this is. I’m gagging for it.

Reef removes my silky camisole, tugging it up and over my head. His hands coming to my bare tits, he massages them before dropping his head to suck a nipple into his mouth. His tongue warm against my skin is nothing compared to the fire burning inside of me. He toys with me, flicking his tongue over my hardened nipples, moving from one side to the other, then his lips are back on mine, sucking all breath right from my lungs.

Romeo removes his fingers and lifts me, carrying me through the room to the kitchen island where he places me down delicately, making fast work of removing my silk sleep shorts. I’m laid out before both of them. The lighting is low, with only the brightness from the moon and the dock lights coming through the windows, but I can still make out the menacing twinkle in their eyes as they eat up every inch of my naked body.

Reef’s hands are back on me, feeling over my skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps as he goes. “Spread your legs for us, wildcat.”

I do as he says, swallowing down the lump in my throat at the way he looks at me like he’s going to eat me alive. Why do I hope he is.

“Look at you, doll face, your cunt glistening for us.” Romeo runs his fingers through my pussy, spreading my arousal. “Come and taste her properly,” he tells Reef.

Reef licks his lips before dropping his mouth right to my core. Flicking out his tongue, he licks all the way through my folds. Heat rushes over my body, every damn bit of it alight, waiting to see what the two of them are going to do next.

Romeo moves around to the side of the island, trailing his fingers over my lips before pushing them inside my mouth. “Suck,” he demands, and I do as I’m told. There is an authority in his tone that makes me comply, even though my head tells me not to. “You tasted so damn good.” He smirks at me.

Reef’s mouth leaves my pussy. “Like fucking heaven,” he agrees before ferociously eating me again.

My fingers try to find the edge of the counter so I have something to grip on to. My breathy moans of pleasure filling the quiet room.

“I think we need something to keep that mouth quiet.” Romeo releases his sweatpants, his massive cock springing free. “Open up for me, doll face.”

On demand, I open my mouth, not able to help the smirk on my face. I don’t know what is wrong with me, but man, do I want to suck his cock tonight.

“Keep your hands on the kitchen counter,” the bossy asshole instructs, and since my mouth is open wide waiting for him, I do as I’m told.

I wrap my fingers around the edges of the island as he guides his cock into my mouth. First, it’s just the tip, then he fills my mouth, slowly letting me get used to his size so I don’t gag.

Reef laps me up, working me into a frenzy that has me bucking my hips off the counter to meet his mouth. Everything he’s doing brings me more undone by the second. His mouth is magical. I meet his gaze and realize he’s watching us, enjoying the way Romeo dominates my mouth. Reef’s eyes are so filled with heat as Romeo picks up the pace, his cock sliding all the way down my throat, so far it makes my eyes water.

“That’s it, doll face, take all of me. You look so damn pretty with your mouth full.” He grins at me, enjoying this way too much.

My eyes roll back, and I groan around his cock as Reef pushes a couple of fingers inside of me. His tongue flicks over my clit, and my body convulses. Waves of pleasure come crashing down over me, one after the other, until the room around me blurs and all I can do is feel. Feel the sensation of Reef’s tongue and fingers and the pounding of Romeo’s cock thrusting inside my mouth. It’s a lot to take, I’m in sensory overload, but I’m here for it.

Reef moves away from me, and I miss the sensation of his warm lips and tongue on me immediately. Romeo also steps back, pulling his cock free of my mouth. My eyes drift open to find the two of them staring down at me.

“Come lean over the counter, doll face.” Romeo takes one of my hands, helping me off the counter, flipping me around so I’m bent over the island, my ass facing the two of them. Romeo positions his cock between my legs and pushes in, in one quick movement.

I glance over my shoulder to see the two of them making out. I moan into the room. I’m not sure if it’s the way Romeo is pounding into me like he owns my body or just seeing the two of them together, but it’s a lot. All of it, and my entire body is lit up like crazy.

When they pull back, Reef is palming his cock through his sweatpants, his eyes locked with mine.

Romeo fucks me ruthlessly as Reef watches. He trails a finger over my body, moving all the way up to where my tits are, and he cups one of them firmly before his lips find mine.

“You want her, don’t you?” Romeo asks him, punishing me with his cock.

“Yes,” he murmurs into my lips, and I see the desperation written all over his face, his hand now tugging down his pants and shoving inside. He strokes himself, watching us together.

“You’ve been so patient, such a good boy.” Romeo wraps his hand around my throat, and he pulls me off the hard surface and onto his body. He’s still moving inside of me, his strong arms controlling my whole body. His lips brush my earlobe. “Reef is going to fuck you now, doll face. Be a good girl and cum all over his cock for me,” he growls into my ear.

“Oh fuck,” a groan escapes my lips. I desperately want exactly that.

Romeo pulls out, and Reef moves around the back of my body, his hands turning me so I’m lying over the counter again. He grins down at me. “I have waited so long to have you, wildcat, so fucking long.” He grips his cock, the pierced tip rubbing over my clit and through my juices, toying with me in a way that sends delicious shivers all over my body.

I grin back at him, enjoying how slow he’s taking it. His body is male perfection, every muscle tense and bulging as he tries to control himself. “Do it, I need to feel you inside of me.”

“Make her cum,” Romeo growls, their eyes locking, making it damn obvious he’s the one in charge here.

Reef pushes inside of me, a deep groan coming from him when he slides all the way in. Wrapping his fingers around my thighs he plows into me, fucking me with deep, continuous thrusts that have me seeing stars and crying out his name.

“Look at me,” Romeo tells me, and my eyes rise to meet his. His finger comes to my chin as he forces me to gaze directly into his eyes. “You belong to us. Me, Reef, and Onyx, everything we do is for you. The three of us will protect you with our lives. We will kill for you, break the law for you, and fall at your feet if you ask us to. But you will give us your body in return.”

I’m so overwhelmed with the way Reef is controlling my body, my senses on overdrive, that I can’t even process the words he’s saying. “You will never own me, Romeo,” I murmur in between moans. But even as I say the words, I know there is a small part of me that knows he already does. There is something here, something I can’t explain, but I’m sure it’s more than just lust.

Reef’s fingers find my clit, and he plays with me, rubbing slow circles that have me raising my hips off the counter to meet each one of his thrusts.

Romeo lowers his lips to mine. “I already do.” He seals my lips with a kiss, and my body combusts, spasming around Reef’s cock violently. The control they have over me is insane and all-consuming. The worst part is they have started something I don’t ever want to stop.

“Good girl.” Romeo’s breath ghosts over my ear. “So obedient, just like Reef.” He smirks devilishly, knowing he has me.

My heart races a little faster, knowing it’s now or never. I can’t let them believe they own me or have anything over me. I move to my elbow and place a hand to Reef’s chest, a sinister grin finding my lips. My orgasm has cleared my brain fog. “Thanks for the entertainment, boys. But no one owns me.” I give him a shove, and he pulls back, his cock still so impossibly hard. The sight of it glistening with my cum makes me swallow hard. Concentrate, Sloane. I move my attention to Romeo’s smug face as I place my feet on the cold tile floor. “If I want to play with the two of you, it’s because I’m horny, not in the market for some asshole to control me. You might want to remember that.”

Reef’s lips twitch at the sides, finding my disobedience amusing, but I can’t miss the way Romeo’s eye tics just a little at the loss of control. He thought all his motherfucking dreams had come at once. But neither of them stops me as I back away from them and move back toward my room. They don’t come after me either. But the distinct sound of Reef grunting and bodies slapping together tells me Romeo has his solution for getting rid of his frustrations.

Chapter 30

A cold dread washes over me as I open my eyes to the harsh morning light. The room is too bright. Shit, I have missed my alarm. In a rush I go to sit up and race out of bed, but an arm comes down over my bare stomach, trapping me against a solid body. I throw a glance to the side to find Onyx’s tattooed arm squeezing me to his body like a vice. “When did you sneak in here?” I grumble, not ready to deal with one of them already this morning.

“You were up to no good last night, Sloane,” his voice rumbles over my body, a warning in it.

“That’s not an answer,” I huff back, shoving against his arm. Of course he watched me with Reef and Romeo. I should have known he would be lurking around someplace.

“You were having a nightmare,” he grumbles.

My body stiffens. I haven’t had a nightmare for years. “Are you lying to me?”

“Why would I lie about something like that? I came in here when you were screaming down the house and found you in a cold sweat, tears streaming down your face. I stayed with you so you could go back to sleep. Do you really not remember?”

“No,” I whisper, trying to remember the night, but after I left the other two, I fell into a deep sleep, and the next thing I recall is waking up in Onyx’s arms right now.

“What happened in the kitchen with Reef and Romeo?” he asks, a challenge in his voice, like he’s testing to see if I’m about to lie to him.

“If you’re asking me, I think you already know the answer to your own question.”

From the position our bodies are in, I can feel his cock harden, pressing into my ass. “Tell me, Sloane,” he demands, his low growl vibrating over my body.

I let out a heavy sigh, knowing he won’t let me go until he gets what he wants. He’s more damn stubborn than I am, and since I don’t have the energy for a fight this morning, I tell him. “I walked in on the two of them together. It was hot, so I…”

He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his hand ghosting down my side, settling on my hip. “You what?”

“I started playing with myself. I got a little carried away, and they worked out I was watching. And then the three of us ended up screwing on the kitchen counter. It’s no big deal, Onyx.” Again, I try to pull out of his grip, but he holds me strong, his fingertips pressing into my side. “Let me go. I’m not being held hostage in this bed while you question me because you’re jealous or turned on, or whatever this is.”

Reluctantly he releases his grip on me with a grumble.

I waste no time in getting out of bed, pulling the sheet with me since I’m butt naked and not ready to parade around for him this morning. But that’s not any better because as I glare back at him lying half naked in my bed, all I can see is how gorgeous he is this morning, with his chest on display, and also a very obvious tent in his boxer briefs.

His eyes travel slowly up my body, finally settling on my face, his expression unreadable. “Drop the sheet.”

I hug the sheet a little closer to my chest defiantly. “I’m not playing games with you this morning, Onyx. Last night was confusing enough.”

He quickly leaps from the bed, the covers swirling around him as he rounds the corner toward me. “I thought this was what you wanted, trouble?”

I blink back up at him, my heart fluttering stupidly. “I want you, not all the rules and shit.”

“There is no in between,” he spits back.

I gape back at him, and I know he’s deadly serious, but I don’t know how to handle Onyx like this. This side of him is so new to me, but so is a relationship of any type.

I jump as his hand makes contact with my arm, the touch sending a shiver down my spine and goosebumps erupting on my skin. “Drop the sheet, Sloane, you’re not to hide your beautiful body from me anymore.”

“Another rule?”

“Yes.” He tugs at the sheet, and I allow it to drop. “Is this what you want, Sloane?” His hungry eyes eat up every inch of me, challenging me.

“I want you,” I whisper, the words getting caught in my throat.

“Then you agree to my rules.”

“I don’t even understand your rules. Are you annoyed at me for hooking up with Reef and Romeo, or does it turn you on?”

His eyes bore through me. “Both.”

Fuck, what does he want from me? I bury my head in my hands, frustration overwhelming me. “See, that’s confusing.”

“I never said our relationship won’t be complicated. My past with Reef and Romeo and their interest in you blurs the lines, but we can make this work if you want to.”

“What if I don’t agree to your rules? I know you couldn’t walk away from me right now even if you wanted to,” I throw back at him because fuck him. Why does he get to call the shots just because he says it’s the only way he will have a sexual relationship with me? Doesn’t mean I have to agree.

His brow rises, and his dark eyes lock onto mine in a way that has me sucking in a labored breath. “Do you want to call my bluff, trouble?”

“You know me, Onyx. I can’t be the girl you want me to be, it’s just not possible, so why would you make me?”

He closes the gap between us, his hand lacing into my hair. He gathers it up so I’m staring up at him. I blink back, getting lost in the depth of his eyes. There is so much pain hidden behind them. For my brothers he hides it, but us being in this apartment with his two old buddies is bringing shit to the surface for him as well, I can see it. “It’s not about making you do something you don’t want to. I can help you, Sloane, this isn’t just about me. We both know you’re spiraling, your reliance on your pills is out of control. Let me take some of the pressure off your hands. I can give you everything you desire, you just have to trust me to take care of you and know what you need.”

He has a fucked-up way of showing it, but I can see how much he cares. “Why do you need my submission?”

“I need to know you’re safe,” he huffs back.

“You don’t trust me to keep myself safe?”

“Maybe the question should be, do you trust yourself?”

My heart kicks up a beat because I know he’s right, and I hate him for it. I hate that I have gotten myself into this situation. But right now, I don’t trust myself. I would run from this place and straight into danger just to prove he wasn’t right. If they hadn’t taken my pills off me, I would still be taking more than I should be, just so I can cope with all the demons in my head.

His face softens. “You can’t, can you?”

My face hardens, and I glare back at him. “I trust myself, of course I do,” I snap back. One thing I learned long ago from him was never to show any signs of weakness.

“Okay, prove it. Let’s see where this morning takes us.”

My eyes narrow in on him. What kind of test is this? “I don’t have anything to prove to you. I’m going to get on with my day as normal. I have the women’s health center opening this morning, then final preparations for our VIP event at the club this afternoon.”

His brow rises and his lips form a thin line. “Sloane, we’re not leaving this place until your stalker is located and taken care of. Your brothers are hunting him down, but until I get the call, I’m sorry to say you’re stuck here.”

My face turns icy cold. “Like fuck I’m staying here day in and out. Have you forgotten who you work for?”

“I work for your brother. You’re not my boss, Sloane. And we have decided this is for the best.”

My fists ball, and I search the room for something to fucking hurt him with. “Fuck you. You know what? Whatever this was between us, it’s done. I’m not having you control my every move, or my fucking brother for that matter. I’m going to take a shower, and when I get out, you better be ready to take me wherever the hell I want to go,” I snap back at him, every word getting angrier as I go.

“Or what, trouble? You don’t hold the power here.”

“Or I’m going to make your life hell.” A bitter laugh escapes me. “You think you can happily go about your day without me? Good, because you no longer get to touch me. I really hope you can get all you need watching, Onyx, because you’re going to have to watch a lot of me with your two buddies. I have years of fun to make up for, and I intend to do every depraved thing under the sun with Reef and Romeo.”

I feel the way his body tenses, and I know I have him. Not giving him a second to recover and come back at me, I shove out of his grip on me and stalk for the shower, slamming the bathroom door behind me. It vibrates so hard I think the mirror is going to fall off the wall. I flick the lock, needing to block him and his bullshit out.

Sucking in ragged breaths, I try to get my anger under control. I’m not sure if I’m about to burst into tears again or lose it completely and start stabbing shit. All I know is I feel more out of control than ever. Onyx and I don’t fight, we never have. Maybe he was right, we never should have fucked in the first place. It’s turned our relationship upside down in a way we can’t come back from. With a sniff, I suck back the threatening tears, and I turn on the shower, my hands shaky as hell from that ridiculous confrontation. But how fucking dare he. I step under the spray, making sure to get my hair wet as well. I need to scrub every inch of my skin to get rid of this icky feeling I’m left with. Why does he and every other man in my life have to be so damn infuriating.

Suddenly, with a loud crash, the bathroom door is ripped from its hinges, splintering wood flying everywhere. Onyx stands in the space, raging like the fucking hulk.

I jump in fright; he’s gone motherfucking crazy.

His eyes, filled with a burning rage, meet mine. “Don’t fucking lock me out again,” he growls like a demon before storming away, his loud footsteps echoing down the hall.

I finish my shower in a rush, too pissed to even enjoy it. Fuck. Every bit of the control I used to have over my life is slowly being stripped away. Even if it was just an illusion, a lie, at least I thought I had some control. Now I know these assholes are running my life, but they have another thing coming if they think I will just lie down and take it.

I wrap a towel around my middle and carefully pick up the heavy bathroom door, resting it against the bedroom wall so I can move back into my bedroom. Without even getting dressed, I find my phone on the dresser and send out a quick text to Harley.

SLOANE: Sis, I know today is massive for you, but I need your help.

HARLEY: Anything for you, girl, you know that.

SLOANE: I need to talk to Alex this morning. Can you get him to set it up with Onyx and make sure it’s at your grand opening? I don’t want to miss it, girl.

HARLEY: Done, I’ll have him call Onyx and organize it shortly. You better spill when you get here, I need to know it all.

SLOANE: If we can get five seconds alone!

She loves my message, and I place my phone back on the side table, knowing what I’m doing is a little manipulative, but fuck it. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and I know she will forgive me.

Opening my bag, I find it empty. I move through the room to the walk-in closet and discover my clothes neatly arranged, along with several additional items not present the previous night. The new items are untouched and fresh, the tags still attached. What the hell? I take one of the short black skirts and a white silk blouse and slip them on. On a shelf I find a pair of low-slung ankle boots and I pull them on as well. I fix my make-up and style my hair, sleek and straight flowing down my back, taking control of anything I possibly can to get myself through the morning.

As I walk past my bedroom door, the absence of the handle is a stark, unsettling sight, and a fresh wave of anger slithers over me. Fucking Onyx and his control issues.

I waltz into the main living room, trying to appear calm despite the heated argument Onyx and I just had.

I find him sitting at the kitchen table with his laptop, his body so tense it looks like he’s about to pop a tooth. I wonder if he just got a call from Alex. Fuck, I hope so.

Reef slides a fresh tall, black coffee across the countertop to me, along with two little white pills, dropping a sneaky kiss to my cheek as he does.

“Thanks.” I smile at him brightly. At least one of them seems to be on my side and willing to help a girl out.

His lips brush my ear. “Now I see why he calls you trouble. You’re going to give the big guy a heart attack.”

I throw the tablets back and chase them with the glass of water he passes to me. Grinning, I let my fingers dance up his forearm and into his soft hair. “You wouldn’t happen to know why the walk-in closet in my room is filled with new clothes?”

Reef looks me over, the corner of his eyes creasing in concern. “Romeo.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Don’t jump down his throat just yet. Your room was totaled, Sloane, including all your clothes. Trust me when I tell you, you wouldn’t want to wear any of them ever again.”

Revulsion fills me just from the look on his face. I can only imagine what the sick motherfucker did to my belongings. “Are you serious?” I lean into the kitchen counter, taking a sip from my coffee, hoping for something to settle my nerves.

His head drops. “Unfortunately, most of them were shredded.”

“You said this guy is after Ava, but what does he want with her?”

“That’s what we’re trying to work out.”

“Morning, doll face, I trust you slept well.” Romeo winks in my direction as he moves through the kitchen. Making his own coffee, he comes to join us. “Looking good this morning.”

I purse my lips, having to bite my tongue so I don’t snap out at him. Reef’s right, he did something nice for me. “You have good taste.”

“I’ll take that as a thank-you.” He grins cheekily at me. Something has shifted between us; my pure hatred toward him is softening.

“You probably should, it’s as close as you will get.” I smirk back at him, a playful glint in my eyes to make sure he knows I’m still me.

Onyx stands and strides past us. I watch as he shoves open my bedroom door, returning seconds later with my phone in his hand. Our eyes meet, and I glare daggers at him. “What are you doing with my phone?” I go to take off across the room to take it back, but Reef’s hand comes across my middle, stopping me.

He shakes his head. “Getting Alex involved wasn’t smart, wildcat,” he warns, and I take a step back from him.

“We leave in five. You better be ready,” Onyx growls, stalking across the room to throw on his jacket.

“You fuckers didn’t really give me much other option, did you?” I say loud enough that Onyx can hear me as well. Fuck him. If I had to go over his head and do a little meddling to escape this place, that’s on him.

“Careful not to bite the hand that’s keeping you alive, wildcat,” Reef warns me.

I pat his chest, a slow smile crossing my lips. He thinks me getting Alex involved wasn’t smart, but I’m getting out of this apartment today, so I reckon it was genius. “Thanks for your concern, but I know what I’m doing with Onyx.” Just because I know the big guy is watching us and because I want to, I pop up on my toes and kiss Reef’s lips. His hand runs down my back, settling on my ass as he pulls me in closer to him. “See you later, Detective Hot Stuff.” I smirk at him.

“Hey, what about mine?” Romeo complains, and I just give him a shrug. “Maybe later.”

Yeah, I know I’m playing with fire, but Onyx started this, and now he’s going to have to deal with the consequences.

Chapter 31

After watching the opening ceremony at Harley and the Moretti boys’ new health and wellness center, I join Harley and Ricky for a tour with her adorable dog, Lola.

With eyes constantly scanning the room, Onyx trails close behind us, his ears looking like they’re twitching at every sound. He’s even more on edge than usual, and it’s starting to freak me out, not that I would admit it to him.

I hear my phone ring, and Onyx takes it from his pocket, his eyes meeting mine as he answers the call, no remorse. He leaves the room before I have a chance to snatch it back from him. Not wanting to cause a scene in front of our friends, I let him go.

“Everything okay?” Harley asks, a curious brow raised.

“I’m sure it’s nothing,” I reply, but it’s my fucking phone he’s on, so either he’s talking to one of the boys or it’s one of the girls from the club and this is his way of punishing me for disobeying him this morning. Now he’s screening my calls as well, fucking great. I return my attention to Harley and Ricky, trying to be a good friend, even if I’m distracted. I can’t help chewing at my bottom lip, wondering who the hell is on the phone.

Onyx pops his head back inside the door, his eyes meeting mine. “Sloane, a minute,” he mutters dryly.

A heavy sigh escapes me. “Be back in a sec,” I throw over my shoulder as I head toward him and out of Harley’s office, desperate to know who was calling me.

Following him farther down the hall, the fresh scent of paint lingers in the air as we approach an open doorway. Inside we find Alex leaning against a large desk, a self-satisfied smile plastered on his face. “I hear you need to see me. What can I do for you, Sloane, need another favor?”

“Not this time.” I grin back at him. He did me a solid without even knowing I was using him this time.

His eyes, sharp and calculating, roam over me, assessing every detail. “How close have you and my cousin gotten since becoming business partners?” he asks.

I fold one arm over the other, puffing out my chest, hoping for a surge of confidence. “What’s it to you, Moretti?”

He pushes off his desk and moves in closer to me. “A little birdy tells me he’s moved out of my place and is shacking up with you.”

“Don’t believe everything you hear, Alex.” I huff out a laugh, not needing the whole world to know about the situation I have found myself in.

He chuckles darkly, and I already know he knows it’s the truth. Damn it. “I have something for you.” He reaches into his suit pocket and hands me a folded piece of paper. “Just to make sure you know what you’re getting into.”

Onyx is standing so close I can feel the heat radiating from his body and the sudden tension that stiffens his frame.

I take the piece of paper and unfold it, curious to see what else he has uncovered about his cousin for me.

“You didn’t get this from me,” I hear him mutter, but I’m already distracted reading over the contract.

My hands start to shake as the words make more sense than I want them to. It’s a contract between Sydney Stryker and Emilio Moretti signing me over to his eldest son, Orlando Moretti, as his wife. My eyes rise to meet the two men now standing watching me. “Who is Orlando Moretti?” I ask the both of them. One of them better have an answer for me because this shit is fucked up.

“Romeo’s twin brother,” Alex says, his voice low, eyes narrowed as he watches Onyx for his response.

Irritation crawls down my spine. “Where is he now?” I demand, wondering what fresh hell I have waiting for me when this guy comes for what he’s owed.

“I killed him when he tried to attack you,” Onyx admits.

A sickness washes over me as I spin back toward him. “That night, that’s who broke into Syd’s club and killed my mother? Those assholes were after me because of this bullshit contract.” I shake it at him like it’s all his fault, even though I know it isn’t. I thought they wanted me dead, but somehow this is worse. “I wasn’t even fucking sixteen, and he was going to sign me over to marry him,” I spit out, so much anger radiating through me I don’t know what to do with it.

His eyes meet mine, cold and empty, devoid of any remorse. “Why do you think I got you the hell out of there that night?”

Onyx knew all along. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, he keeps my fucking secrets locked up tight, even from me. “You killed him. Why doesn’t Romeo hate you for it?”

With a determined stride, Alex approaches the door, his hand already reaching for the knob. “Romeo and his brother might have been twins, but they were vastly different.”

I fix my glare on him. He’s just going to drop this shit in my lap then take off to enjoy the party out there? “Is this why Romeo thinks he owns me?” I snap back.

Alex runs a hand through his hair, thinking it over. “My guess is he wants to protect you because he knows how dangerous his family is, and if information like this got into the hands of the wrong person, you could be in big trouble. I don’t think Romeo is the bad guy you want him to be, Sloane.”

“Alex is right, Sloane, this is why you need to start listening to us. The guy stalking you could be anyone, but our guess is he has ties to Romeo’s family. You know they were the ones who killed your parents. They’re after you because of who you are, and they think you owe them something.”

They’re both on Romeo’s side now, they want me to trust him. “One of the men who signed this contract is dead and so is the man I was promised to, so how could this affect me in any way now?”

“Mafia family ties. While Romeo’s papa is still alive, he could be following up on old debts, you know how this shit works.” Alex huffs like he hates this world just as much as I do right now, but that couldn’t be true. He gets off on the drama of it all, it sells him papers.

“What about Romeo, why do you two trust him all of a sudden? He could be the one after me for his family, out for some revenge for his brother.”

Onyx moves closer to me. “If you got to know him properly, you would know there is no way that could be true. He hates his family and everything they stand for,” Onyx says with a bitterness to his tone I don’t appreciate.

Alex nods, agreeing with him. And I remember what they told me last night, about knowing each other from the group home. Him ending up in one of those places in America implies he was orphaned or abandoned. I suddenly feel desperate to understand him and how he ended up here without his family.

“Thanks for your help, Alex.” Onyx gives him a nod, then the two of them share a look, and I know the only reason Alex even gave me this today is because Onyx told him to so I would believe him about how real the threat is. They set this up.

My muscles coil, a furious energy surging through my veins, making my body so tight I’m not sure what to do.

“I’ll leave you two to it then. Use my office as long as you need to, just lock up when you’re done.” The way Alex looks between the two of us irritates me even more. Fuck, I hate the men of this world. It’s all control and secrets, anything to keep their women in line and under their thumb. Not fucking me. I have to work out how to make this all work for me.

As soon as the door is closed behind Alex, silence hangs heavy in the room, and I pin my stare on Onyx. “Give my phone back now and take me to my club,” I demand, my voice filled with venom that tells him not to mess with me.

He crosses one arm over the other, his muscles bulging. “Did you learn nothing this morning, trouble?”

With a grin filled with malice, I glare back at him. “Oh, I learned plenty, like how manipulative you can be when you want to get your way. Well, that shit won’t work on me. I’m not going to crumble to the floor and beg you to take me back to Jagger’s apartment on the docks and protect me from the big bad Morettis. I’ve been dealing with these assholes my whole life, Onyx. You should know better than to think this piece of paper will scare me.” As our eyes lock, the silence is thick with tension, a palpable energy building between us. Heart pounding, I inch closer, my hand outstretched for my phone.

“So fucking stubborn.” He places his hand in mine, his thick fingers wrapping around my wrist, and he tugs me in closer to his body. So close I’m flush against his solid chest, my breath hitching as the scent of his aftershave fills my nostrils, overwhelming me. “You lost your phone privileges this morning when you tried to play me for a fool. You can have it back when you start to comply with my new rules.”

My death glare increases. “I already told you to go fuck your rules. I’m not bowing down to you just so I can fuck you,” I snap back, but already my voice has lost its harsh edge. The way he’s holding me has me distracted and my body is lighting up with desperate need for him to really touch me.

He takes another step, caging me in as my ass hits the desk behind me. I’m not the only one whose body is reacting to our close proximity, I feel how hard his cock is. His eyes flash with something dark and sinister, but also something erotic as hell. He’s getting off on this, on the control he already knows he has over me, and fuck, I don’t know why, but so am I. I’m a strong woman, the strongest, but when it comes to Onyx, I want to give in and let him have me however he wants.

“Maybe that’s exactly what I should have you do next.” He reaches out and runs a finger over my bottom lip as if he’s imagining me on my knees before him, his cock in my mouth. He forces my chin upwards so I’m staring directly into his eyes.

“Take me to my club or I will find my own way there,” I bite back, trying to keep a small slither of control over this situation, even though I’m falling under his fucking spell more and more by the second.

His face drops to mine, his lips just an inch away, and he inhales deeply. “The only way you’re going to your club today is if you agree to my rules.”

My heart kicks up a beat, and I try to swallow down the lump in my throat. “What are your rules? Be specific.”

His expression changes, thinking he’s already won, and he scoops me up in his arms. My legs wrap around him on instinct, and I know I’m fucked. He presses me into the wall, gazing down at me as he pulls a list from his pocket and hands it to me.

“You came prepared?”

“I know how much you like structure, Sloane. This way we all know where we stand.”

I read over the paper in front of me.

I’m in charge of you and everything you do. What you eat, what you drink, every last damn thing you put in your body.

You will not argue with me. If I give you an instruction, it’s to keep you safe. You will comply.

You will not put yourself in danger. No reckless behavior, sneaking out, or ignoring my safety measures.

“This is for your safety, Sloane.” He presses my back into the wall, his eyes not leaving mine for a second, and I know he’s waiting for me to challenge him on this, but I think I’m in some sort of shock and I can’t.

4. You are expected to listen and not challenge my authority at any time. No lying or keeping secrets.

I huff out a laugh. “I don’t keep secrets, unlike some,” I sass back, finally finding my voice, because after the shit I have found out he’s kept from me over the years, is he kidding?

His eyes narrow in on me. “I only keep things from you when it’s to protect you.”

I move my hands to his chest, trying to force some space between us. “Bullshit!”

“Watch your mouth,” he warns, his muscles tightening, and I see the seriousness in his expression. He’s on the verge of losing his temper with me, and after his hulk-like door extraction this morning, I know I shouldn’t push him. But fuck, this is ridiculous.

“‘Five, your body is mine to please,’” I read out loud, not sure how I feel about that. “What about Reef and Romeo?”

He subtly rocks his hips into me, just enough that I’m reminded of how fucking hard he is right now and how badly he wants me, as desperately as I want him. My panties are drenched at the thought. “Your pussy is mine. Don’t touch yourself without permission. If you want to have a relationship with Reef and Romeo as well, I’m okay with it. I trust them both with your life.”

I don’t know why but that makes my heart race even faster. Why does he trust them so much?

6. If you break any of my rules, you must accept my punishments.

I can feel him watching me as I read the last one. “If you can’t follow my rules at all, I won’t touch you again, and whatever we have started will be done. Is that what you want?”

My eyes rise to meet his. We both know it’s not. I have waited so long to have him, I can’t walk away now just when it’s heating up between us. But I don’t want him to have all the damn control here either. “Are you done with your damn list?” I roll my eyes, trying to give myself time and space to work this out.

“Don’t test my limits unless you really want to see the real me, Sloane,” he warns, a darkness flashing in his eyes that should scare me.

My lips twitch up at the sides because maybe this is what I want. All this time he’s been hiding himself away from me. Lurking in the shadows, only showing me glimpses of who he really is, but I’m desperate to have something real with him, I don’t care how bad it gets. “I want to see the real you, Onyx,” I throw back at him, just waiting to see what he makes of it.

A growl escapes his lips, and I think he’s going to stop what he’s doing and put me down, but instead, he shoves me into the wall, his lips crashing with mine in a brutal kiss, his tongue forcing its way inside my mouth. His hand moves between my legs, and his fingers shoving aside my panties, he enters me in one quick move. “I’ll take that as you agreeing.”

He moves his face back from me just slightly so he can see my reaction. Leisurely he pumps his fingers in and out of me while he waits for me to catch up with him.

“If I get this side of you, then yes. But I have one condition. You tell my brothers; I’m not sneaking around.”

“Done,” he says way faster than I was expecting him to. I thought that might be the deal breaker. “I have one more condition of my own. Don’t fall in love with me.”

I burst out laughing. “Are you serious?”

“Deadly.”

“I have no intention of falling in love with anyone, big dude. God, you should know me better than that,” I huff out, laughter still punctuating my words.

“Good.”

But as his eyes lock with mine hungrily, my heart does a stupid little backflip, and I know it’s already too late. I’m so screwed when it comes to him.

Chapter 32

When Onyx and I arrived at the club, I had a quick catch-up with Sally about everything I have missed and a rundown on where we are up to with our VIP event for tomorrow. Then I disappeared into my office. Of course Onyx had to do a full sweep of the place to make sure it was safe, even though we have full security in operation with four of Alex’s guys already adding to our team. Once he was satisfied, he left me alone to get some work done, but I have been staring at the photo wall of women for a good half an hour instead. The constant thought of how different my life could have been if Orlando Moretti got his hands on me the night he came for me. My mother must have known. I stand and move toward her photo. She was so damn beautiful.

“Why did you die to protect me? I wasn’t even yours,” I whisper through the pain lodged in my chest.

I wish I knew. Wish I could understand why I’m even here. Onyx said she was protecting me, but why did I end up here in this club with these people? I should have been some politician’s daughter, and I can’t help but wonder what I would have turned out like. Not some messed-up sex club owner, that’s for sure. But do I think I would have been any happier? Probably not. I ended up here for a reason, and I know I have made a difference to so many women’s lives already. I wouldn’t take any of that back, even if I had to live through all the shit to get here all over again.

I hear the click of the door handle and turn to see Romeo entering my office. “Is now a good time to go over the details for tomorrow’s event?”

I nod and move over to my velvet sofa, crossing one leg over the other. “You haven’t learned to knock.”

“I have a key, why would I?” He joins me on the sofa.

I roll my eyes as I lean back, trying to get comfortable, even though my body is so damn tense it feels as though I’m sitting on a rock instead of my plush sofa.

His eyes roam over me slowly. “Come for a walk with me.”

Reluctantly I stand. “What did you need to go over, Romeo? I’m busy.”

His lips twist up at the sides as he slides one hand to my lower back and opens the door with the other. Onyx scans the two of us but lets us leave alone. “Security has been sorted. The twenty VIPs have had extensive background checks done, and Sally assures me the women are all prepped, dresses and masks sorted, along with whatever else it is they need. They have been assigned rooms and time slots. We also have five new signups. But I’m sure they have come across your desk already.” He scans us through to the dance section of the club, and I wonder where he’s taking me.

“I looked them over, yes,” I agree, but my steps falter as I see the dance room has been rearranged. Though the stages remain in their original positions, the rearranged tables and chairs now define separate zones, each with its own unique atmosphere. “What is this?”

“I talked to the girls who work in the space last week, and they explained the areas didn’t quite work for the VIP events. They gave me a few suggestions on how we can improve it. Just so you know, it doesn’t have to stay this way if you don’t approve, but I wanted to show you what we were imagining.” His hand hasn’t left my back, and he moves me further into the space.

I want to fight him on it, but I think he might be right, there is more room in here.

“For people who want to watch, they can congregate by the bar and around the stage, but for those who want a little more intimacy, this space at the back provides an escape.”

High paneling has been introduced between the booths, giving them three walls of privacy, and the tables have been taken out so the space is just the leather booth seat all the way around. He holds out a hand for me to join him. “What do you think?”

He takes a seat and pulls me down onto his lap. “I think you should have asked me about all of this first.”

“But you like it, right?” His lips lower to my neck, and he places a kiss just below my ear.

A shiver goes right through me. I place a hand on his thigh, trying to brace myself. “It could work. How did you get it all sorted so quickly?”

“You know I have my ways, doll face. I think we should test it out.” I can feel how hard he is, his cock pressing into my ass, and I know exactly what he’s implying.

“You want me to find you a girl to take care of your boner?”

His chuckle vibrates through his body as he rocks his hips into me, not so subtly. “I’m sure you could help me out.”

He’s insatiable. I stand up, ready to move out of the booth, but he grabs my hand, tugging me back to him. “What, I was going to find you someone to help.” I can’t help the stupid smirk that’s worked its way onto my lips. I really do enjoy teasing him.

His eyes meet mine. “You know I only want you.”

“And Reef,” I add, still not quite able to wrap my head around them being together.

A small smile plays on his lips as he nods in agreement. “You would give a better lap dance.”

I shrug, staring him down, not so sure what I should do right now. As “Criminal” by Fiona Apple starts playing, its dark and intense soundscape creates a sultry mood shift, introducing the arrival of two new girls to the stage. The beat is slower and sexy as hell, as if he set this all up on purpose.

His eyes devour my body. I can practically feel the heat radiating off him, a palpable anticipation of me dancing for him. “Some of the requests for the VIP event are quite specific.” His brow rises, and I want to laugh at his expression. After what his buddy and the two of us got up to last night, surely he’s not surprised by some of the more unique requests. His free hand moves up my body, cupping my tit roughly, his eyes flashing with desire. He really can’t help himself.

Wetness coats my panties instantly. “The girls are skilled at fulfilling any request their VIP may have, which is why they are compensated generously.”

His free hand moves to my face, his thumb dusting over my bottom lip before he pushes it inside my mouth. “How on earth did you stay a virgin running this place? You have sex flaunted in front of you on the daily and a body made for sin.”

I blink back at him, knowing we’re heading into dangerous territory. “You’ve met my brothers and Onyx.”

He tugs me closer to him so we’re eye to eye, our lips nearly brushing. “If you won’t give me a lap dance, let me taste your sweet little cunt.”

My pussy clenches, wanting exactly that. But not here. Yeah, I see the benefit of how he’s set up this part of the room, it’s somewhat private, still with the allure of being caught in the act. People get off on that shit. I could get off on it. “How are the renovations coming along next door?”

“To perfection.” He grins widely. “A couple more weeks and I can show you the progress. But talking business isn’t why I brought you here. Don’t change the subject, doll face. Let me taste you.”

“I’ll give you a little something if you give me something in return.” I smile cheekily.

“What do you want?” He grins back.

My eyes don’t leave his. “I want to know you. The real you, what’s under this façade you show the rest of the world.”

“Start shaking your ass then, sweetheart.” He releases his grip on me, relaxing back, his hands moving behind his head.

I glance into the room. It’s not all that busy, being that it’s midafternoon, but there are still staff around. The booth is also shadowed and mostly concealed. Fuck it. I want answers, and playing games seems to be the only way to get them out of Romeo. I turn around, biting into my bottom lip, not able to believe I’m actually going to do this. I have seen the other girls dance for money, but that doesn’t mean I have any idea what I’m doing. With a deep breath, I run my hands seductively down my body and over my hips as I slowly turn back around to face him. I keep swaying to the music, my hands finding their way back up my body cupping my tits.

His eyes flare with heat, eating up every inch of me.

“What happened to you? How did you end up in some group home when your parents were both still alive?”

He raises his brow in question. I’m sure that wasn’t quite what he was expecting me to come out with.

My hands keep running up and into my hair, and I flick it over my shoulder playfully. “You don’t have to tell me, but if you don’t start opening up about some of your life, I’m never going to trust you.”

His legs widen, and I see the tent he’s sporting. “Undo your shirt.”

“Then you will answer me?”

He purses his lips as he gives me a nod.

One by one, I undo my shirt buttons till my lace bra is on full display for him. I move my hand inside my shirt, playing with my nipple.

It earns me a grin. “I failed my papa. I wasn’t the man he needed me to be at twelve like my brother was,” he admits, his voice heavy.

I stop moving, shocked. “He left you in a foreign country to fend for yourself?” I ask, disgusted.

He motions for me to keep dancing, twirling his finger for me to spin around. I do as he says, wanting him to go on. Lowering my ass to his lap like I have seen the girls do, I spread my legs out wide and thank myself for selecting this short skirt today and not one of the many pencil skirts hanging in my closet. I grind over his cock, still moving to the beat of the music.

“My papa saw me as too disobedient and independent to inherit the family business,” he goes on. “I couldn’t accept and follow the rules like my brother, I didn’t want to turn into my papa. Everything he stood for disgusted me. Instead of killing me for my disobedience, he sent me away to be fixed—to make me stronger, colder, and more loyal to the family. More like him.” Our bodies are so close that I feel the way he shudders. He really dislikes his papa and so he should. What a fucked-up thing to do to your kid.

I keep moving, hoping the constant motion will distract him enough that he'll keep opening up to me. “I thought you met Onyx and Reef at a group home, the one Reef went to because his mom died and he was orphaned?”

He brushes my hair over my shoulder, and I feel him inhale a deep breath like he’s trying to control himself. “I guess on the outside that’s what it would have looked like. But the facility we were all placed in together wasn’t some happy family type of arrangement. The institution was designed to systematically strip us of our individuality, molding us into their ideal. Our training was rigorous, encompassing hand-to-hand combat, wilderness survival techniques, and unwavering obedience drills. To get food, you had to fight; brutality was not only tolerated but actively encouraged. To earn respect among the other boys, you had to fight for it, a brutal, physical struggle. To survive, you did whatever was necessary, even if it meant compromising your morals. Not everyone we knew made it.”

“For fuck’s sake.” A shiver runs down my spine imagining the fucked-up situation they were all placed in at such a young age. Especially Reef. He would have been so little, and he had just lost his mom. How the hell did he end up in a place like that? When Romeo’s hand moves up my thigh and under the hem of my skirt, I realize I have stopped moving again. His other hand comes to my waist, and he spins me back to face him, my legs out wide, straddling his lap. “How did Reef end up a cop?” I ask, confused.

His hand moves to my ass, encouraging me to grind over his ever-so-fucking-hard cock. The small movement feels divine against my clit. “Because they wanted him to. It’s handy to have a man on the other side of the law. The same way Onyx ended up working for your family and I was brought back into the Moretti family business.”

My eyes find his, sadness sweeping over me for him. “You were all controlled and molded into whatever they wanted you to be. That’s seriously fucked up.” And it explains so much about all of them. This is the most satisfying conversation I have had with Romeo since we first met. Worth the lap dance. My hand finds his cock, and I stroke him through his suit pants, needing more of him, wanting more of him. “When did you get out of there?”

He unbuckles his belt and unzips his pants. I slip my hand inside, wrapping my fingers around his cock. “Reef and I both aged out at eighteen. He went into the cops, and I started working for the American subsidiary of one of my papa’s more legitimate companies. He had let it run into the ground, thought I would fail. I took over the place, and in the first twelve months, turned it around then sold it. I did the same with every other business he owned until I was wealthier than he could ever have hoped to be.”

I feel my heart swell with pride for him. “You showed your papa he was wrong about you.”

He watches me stroking him, sucking in a ragged breath as he tries to control himself. “If anything, I showed him he was right about me. I was never going to be his prodigy for the fucked-up shit he was dealing in. I had bigger plans for my life.”

I get a strange flutter run through me, and I’m not sure if it’s because I know I’m about to fuck him right here in the middle of my club or if it’s because I know I was part of his plans. “Like taking over my club? Am I just another business on a long list?” I stroke over the tip of his cock, feeling the slippery pre-cum, licking my lips as I do. He knows I want to taste him.

His hand runs up my thigh, edging on the sides of my lace thong. “This arrangement wasn’t about proving something to my papa. I’m here for you.” He sinks two thick fingers inside of me, and I can’t help the moan that escapes my lips.

My head is starting to swirl with desire, and I can’t think straight anymore, but I’m not done with this conversation. I need to know more. “Because I was supposed to marry your twin brother?” I get out.

His eyes meet mine again, and I see he’s not even surprised I know that secret he’s been keeping from me. “No.” He pumps his fingers in and out of me before his hands come to my ass and he drags me over his cock, the tip sliding through my juices, teasing me in the best way possible.

“Why don’t you hate Onyx for what he did to your brother?”

“My brother was a psychopath, much like my papa. Onyx did this world a favor.” He pushes inside of me, and I know he’s gone. That’s all I’m getting out of him today. His lips come to mine, and he kisses me desperately as I rock my hips over him. His hand moves into my hair, holding me so damn tight it’s painful. His other hand bites into my hip, giving him all control to up the pace.

The motion rubs against my clit in a way I have never experienced. It sends shivers over my body, and before I know it, I’m a boneless mess. Giving Romeo exactly what he needed, after he gave me what I wanted. I guess this business relationship isn’t so bad after all. A little give and take and we both get what we want in the end.

Chapter 33

The boys forced me out of the club earlier than I would have liked, leaving Asher in charge and staying to look after the night shift. Reluctantly, they dragged me back to the safe apartment on the docks. Reef was already here when we got in, after a day working at the station. He was quiet, not his playful self, and I wonder what he had to deal with today. His job must be so intense at times.

After finishing dinner, Romeo offered to clean up, and Onyx joined him in the kitchen. I got the impression they were disappearing to discuss something they didn’t want me to be privy to, probably more orders from my brother. I was okay with it, the space from them giving me the chance to find out what’s going on with Reef.

“Busy day at the office?” I ask, taking a slow sip of my rich, red wine. I have to hand it to him; Romeo has exceptional taste in wine, and food for that matter. Apparently, he was the one who prepared our meal last night, and tonight he did the same, whipping up a creamy mushroom risotto while I was in the shower.

Reef’s hand laces into mine, his attention moving to me even though I can see he’s still deep in thought. “Interesting day. What about you? I hear Romeo showed you his latest idea.” His lips twitch up at the sides in amusement, and I know he’s now here with me. This is the Reef I have been getting to know. He’s playful and sexy as hell when he’s not all business.

“Did you now. Romeo has a big mouth.”

He tugs me from my chair and onto his lap with him. Something about the gesture feels so normal, I let him. His fingers thread through my hair, pulling me close as he inhales my scent. “I missed you today,” he says softly.

I can’t help the laugh that rumbles through me. “You hardly even know me, Reef.” But as our eyes meet and his gaze holds mine, I know that doesn’t matter to him for a second.

“I know everything about you, wildcat. I spent six months watching you, and you’ve become so deeply ingrained in my life that the thought of a day without you is unbearable.”

I raise my brow and stare him down, our bodies still crazy close to each other. “You know how creepy that is, don’t you.”

I feel him shrug it off as he draws me closer, his lips placing delicate kisses down my neck. “I watch people for a living, it just feels normal to me,” he mutters, distracted. He brushes my hair over my shoulder, his lips lightly kissing my exposed neck. His other hand dusts up my thigh.

My hand runs up his side, brushing over his crisp shirt as I lean into him, enjoying the way he kisses me. He’s so different to the other two. When we’re together, I don’t feel the push and pull. I’m all-consumed by him and can’t help but be drawn to him like a magnet. “I can’t believe I didn’t see you,” I mutter into the room, hardly even paying attention to our conversation anymore. All I can feel is his hands on me, slowly stroking up my leg, toying with the hem on my skirt and his lips pressing feather-light kisses from my shoulder to my ear.

“If someone doesn’t want to be seen, you won’t see them.”

Goosebumps skate up my arms. “Like the asshole stalking me.”

“Exactly.”

I pull back from him slightly, throwing one leg over his lap so I’m straddling him and I can see him eye to eye. “Do you think he knows where I’m staying now and that the three of you are all here with me?”

His head drops. “Probably,” he mutters, and I know he hates that he hasn’t found him yet.

“Fuck, you could have lied to me.” I half laugh, trying to lighten the mood that’s gotten way too serious too quickly.

He chuckles softly. His warm hands grasp my arms, his intense stare boring into my soul, and I feel something change in him, a seriousness wash over him. “Sloane, they found another body today. My station is calling him the working-girl serial killer. They think he’s targeting prostitutes. Screwing them, then killing them and ripping out their hearts.”

My pulse quickens. This is what he was thinking about at dinner. “What did she look like?” I whisper, not really wanting to know.

“You already know the answer to that question.”

My back straightens, and I stare back at him, not sure what to do. One girl was a tragedy, two is so awful I can’t even process the reality. “Your station hasn’t worked out this asshole is after me?”

“After today’s find, they think it’s unrelated.”

My hand rests on his chest. I can feel the way his heart beats erratically. This is messing him up just as much as it is me. “But you don’t agree.”

“There was another note pinned on her. Same as the other one.”

Fuck. This is a nightmare. “Where was she found?”

“In the lobby of your apartment complex,” he responds, his voice heavy.

I close my eyes, pain radiating through my chest for the poor girl. This motherfucker is as good as dead. I stand in a rush. “We have to do something. I’m not having another girl die because of me.”

My phone dances across the table from where Onyx left it, and I collect it up. Seeing it’s an unknown number, my heart leaps into my throat, knowing it’s him. With a shaky finger, I answer the call and flick it to speaker so Reef can hear as well.

The other two move back into the living room from the kitchen, their faces impassive as they watch me.

“I’m getting closer, my girl. Not long until you’re mine,” his cruel voice comes down the line, sending a shiver over my whole body.

My heart leaps into my throat. This fucker thinks he can mess with me, but I’m not giving him the satisfaction. “I will never be yours,” I seethe back, my gaze locking onto the men who have already claimed me.

“Did you like my latest gift? Another girl off the streets. See, I’m helping clean up this town, just like you.”

My eyes go wide as I look at Reef, not sure what to say back to him. He’s crazy. I’m not killing people to clean up the town. I’m giving girls jobs in a safe place.

Reef motions for me to stay on the line, and I know it’s because the longer I do, the more likely they can track down a location for him.

“What you’re doing is sick and repulsive. I don’t want your gifts, I want you to leave the poor woman of this town alone.” The words spill out of me, laced with anger and frustration.

“I can’t do that, my girl. They died because of you, and they will continue to pay for your sins, until I have you in my hands.” His voice is so calm and cool that it makes me feel sick to my stomach.

My sins, what the fuck is he talking about? What did I do to this fucker? “Your days are numbered, and when I get my hands on you, I will personally make sure you pay with your life for all the pain and suffering you have caused.”

His laughter vibrates down the line, psychotic and unnerving, a sound that I know will stay with me long after I disconnect the call. “So tough, aren’t you, Ava. That’s how your brothers taught you to be. Lucky you didn’t grow up with the sheltered life your daddy dearest wanted for you. You can stop pretending you care. Years ago, you stole something from me, and now the time has finally come for me to take it back. What’s happened to those girls is just the beginning. Enjoy your freedom while you can.” More laughter then the line goes dead.

With my heart racing like crazy, I glance back at Reef. “Please tell me you got a trace on him.”

He shakes his head sadly. “He must be on to us, he hung up just too soon.”

With a sickening thud, Onyx’s fist slams into the drywall, the impact echoing in the silent room, a fine layer of dust raining down. “Shit,” he curses, his body radiating with anger.

Romeo comes toward me, but I push him off, needing space, and move toward the window. “On to us, like watching us right now?” I look out through the large window, a shiver slithering down my spine as I glance over the running water and shipping containers. Apartments line the other side of the docks. This area is highly populated; he could be anywhere watching us.

Reef stands, coming behind me. “I hope not. It would be hard for him to see anything with the angle of the building, unless he has some massive telescopic lens and was across the other side of the docks in one of those buildings there.”

“You’re safe here with us, doll face. He’s not going to get his hands on you.”

“Maybe we close these just in case.” Reef presses a panel on the wall and large blackout blinds roll down from the ceiling to cover the windows.

I watch them slide all the way down, blocking out the night and the moon and everything else. The room blurs and my head spins, and I take hold of Romeo’s arm to stop myself from hitting the ground.

“Are you alright?” he asks, his voice low and filled with concern.

“I’m fine.” I straighten my shoulders and regain my composure. “Big day tomorrow. I’m going to bed,” I say, then move slowly back through the living room so I don’t go over like my body is telling me to.

“Go with her, she’s not okay,” I hear Onyx tell one of them, but right now, I’m feeling too strange to fight them on it or even look over my shoulder to see who he was talking to.

As I make it to the hallway, I take hold of the wall for support before I feel large arms assisting me. “I got you, wildcat,” Reef’s voice washes over me like a warm blanket. He helps me to my bed, and I collapse down onto the comforter.

With gentle hands, he helps me pull the soft, downy blankets up and over my body, the fabric light against my skin. When I’m covered up, I feel him staring down at me, and I know he’s not sure what to do. Hell, I’m not sure what to do.

I stare up at him, the spinning starting to ease as I focus on his pretty face. “Stay with me, I don’t want to be alone,” I whisper, knowing it’s probably a mistake, but right now I don’t care.

Without missing a moment, he quickly removes his pants and shirt before joining me in bed. He wraps his arms around me, his touch warm and comforting, holding me close. “We will get this asshole. I have a team working on it. Your brothers are all hunting him down as well. He will slip up, and when he does, he’s a dead man.”

“He called me Ava. You were right, he’s after her. What the hell was my real father involved in twenty-one years ago? Something so dangerous that someone is still after me now?”

“The investigation at the time showed he made a mistake. Got involved with the wrong people, and from what the boys and I have been able to piece together, we can see it had to do with you. Apparently, years ago, when he was a rising politician, he wanted to win an election, but he didn’t have the influence or the money to make it happen, so he signed a deal with the devil, Romeo’s papa. It was a blood oath. At the time he didn’t even have a daughter, he didn’t think it would come back to bite him in the ass. When your father was elected as the vice president, Emilio Moretti came to visit and make his presence known, but your father wouldn’t let him in the mansion he was now living in with you and your mother. He didn’t want to be associated with a known mafia family now that he was so high-profile. That was the first part of his undoing. It’s also why years later Emilio came for you and forced Syd to sign that damn marriage contract with Orlando. We think Emilio worked out Syd and Katrina had you and he was using his business relationship with Syd to manipulate him into giving you up to him like you should have always been.”

“And now someone in the Moretti family is after me because they want revenge on my dead father and Syd because of what happened that night?”

“They want what they are owed, the daughter of the vice president. You have pure bloodlines and would make the perfect wife.”

My body stiffens. “I’m never going to be anybody’s wife.”

“We will make sure of it.”

“You guys know the Moretti family. Surely Romeo knows who is after me. Does he have other brothers who would have been next in line after Orlando died, or an uncle or something? This should be easy to work out through process of elimination.”

“He has a younger brother, one his papa is grooming to take over the empire because Romeo refuses, but he’s never stepped foot in America. He’s also already married. His papa is the type to be out for revenge for a broken contract if he thought he could get it. But he wouldn’t mess with you, playing games like this. He would have killed you already if that’s what he wanted.”

“That fills me with so much assurance.”

“I’m sorry, Sloane, I’m trying to tell it to you straight. If we knew more, he would already be dead.” His hand dusts up my arm, his touch everything.

“Distract me. If you’re allowed to.”

He wraps his arm back around me but doesn’t say anything.

“I can’t think about this anymore tonight, it’s making me feel sick. Take me someplace else, please, Reef,” I ask, when he doesn’t respond.

He brushes my hair over my shoulder so my neck is bare, his lips pressing into my skin softly. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” He rolls us so he’s on top of me, staring down at me.

The way he looks at me makes my heart backflip. Then his lips are on mine, and he kisses me with so much passion I feel it all the way through my body. His hands cup my cheeks as he devours me. Our connection is so different to the others. I feel so close to him already.

Tenderly he removes my camisole, sliding it up and over my head. Then his hands are everywhere, feeling over my tits, my stomach, then all the way down to my sleep shorts. He tugs them off quickly, desperate to get his hands on me.

My hand slips inside his briefs, finding his cock. I run my finger over the tip, feeling the cold metal of the piercing. The only thing that surprised me more than walking in on him and Romeo last night was seeing that his cock was pierced.

Breaking our kiss, he moves down to gently take a nipple into his warm mouth. “Is this the kind of distraction you were after?”

I can’t help the moan that leaves my lips. “Yes. This is perfect.” My hips rock off the bed to meet him, wanting more, wanting whatever he’s willing to give me.

With a playful laugh, he toys with my nipples, grazing his teeth along them in the most delicious way, but then his lips are gone, and I feel him moving south. Placing kisses down over my stomach, each deliberate movement melts me more.

My legs fall out to the sides, so frantic to have him touch me there. Right where I’m throbbing for him.

With a quick glance up, his eyes meet mine, silently asking me if this is okay. I nod, and he doesn’t disappoint, dipping his face closer to my pussy, his tongue flicking out and licking right through my folds.

My hands lace into his long hair. “Yes, Reef,” I encourage him because this is just what I need. He is just what I need. He’s not rough like the other two, but he’s skilled, his tongue doing something wicked that has me tingling all over. He pushes a finger inside of me and twists, the pressure firm and constant as he pumps in and out of me. Then he adds a second, doing the same. My hips rise off the bed, waves of euphoria washing over me as my pussy tightens and I cum in a rush, screaming his name.

I hear heavy footsteps in the hallway and glance over to the door, expecting to see one or both of the others, but the space is empty. There is still no door handle, so we couldn’t lock them out even if we wanted to. But to my surprise, they’re leaving us alone to make our own fun.

Reef keeps on eating me, lapping me up until he’s fully satisfied and my body has stopped quivering. With a lingering touch, he moves back up my body, his eyes fixed on me. His lips crash back onto mine, a fierce, hungry kiss that steals my breath away. Our bodies move together, desperate for closeness, skin on skin, craving contact. He shifts our position, rolling me on top of him, and I quickly pull back to move down his legs and remove his briefs. I shove them out of the way and climb back over him, so needy I’m shaking.

In one move, I’m impaled with his cock. I rock over him, enjoying what little power I have. His hands palm my tits, twisting my nipples ever so slightly in a way that sends jolts of pleasure and pain rocking through me. “Yes, don’t stop,” I tell him, my head spinning and the room blurring.

I can’t see straight, but I don’t care. He moves his hips in a way that hits right on my clit. I cry out again and don’t miss the massive grin twisting his lips as he hears his name slip from them.

My lips are back on his as I cry out my second orgasm.

I fall back onto the comforter, exhausted, my pussy throbbing in the most delicious way.

His hands quickly find me, directing me and smoothly rolling me onto my stomach. He moves in behind me, and I press my ass back toward him, so keen to be filled up again.

His lips come to my ear as he kisses the side of my neck. “I’m not done yet, wildcat. I’m not letting you sleep until your body is so wasted you can’t think anymore.”

“Yes,” I murmur, needing exactly that.

With a laugh he thrusts back inside of me, deeper and faster this time, giving me everything he has, and man, I’m here for it. All of it. I could roll around in the sheets with him until the sun comes up.

Chapter 34

Erica places my spiced rum old fashioned down on the bar in front of me as I take a seat at the bar stool to check in with her. My fitted leather skirt only just allows me to cross one leg over the other.

“Successful evening?” she asks, her face bright and cheerful even though I know she and the other girls working behind her bar tonight have been swamped with drinks orders.

I smooth over my hair, making sure my bun is still perfectly in place. “Sure is. The scent of fucking in the air and our pockets full of cash, what more could we hope for?”

Her laughter echoes through the air, light and carefree. She leans on the bar, looking me over like she wants to ask me something. She hesitates. “Your brother coming in tonight?” she finally asks.

I raise a brow curiously. “Which one?”

“Asher?” she whispers, her cheeks coloring to a deep crimson.

I slap my face. “Not you as well. I knew it was going to be trouble having him helping out around here.”

She shrugs, and I can see she’s kind of embarrassed. “I knew it wasn’t anything special, he just…”

I hold up my hand to stop her. “He’s my stupid big brother, I don’t want to know how he swept you off your feet.” I look her over, and she seems defeated, her perky smile from before gone, and I feel bad for being a bitch. “You can do so much better, Erica. Trust me. Just forget about Asher.”

“Yeah, I know,” she agrees, but I see the look in her eyes that tells me she’s not going to listen. She has it bad for him. Just another girl on a long list of women he’s screwed and left with a broken heart. I’m going to kick his ass next time I see him. “What’s your secret?” she asks.

I tap my chest confused. “Mine?”

“Word is you’re living with three dudes. The boss man, your bodyguard, and a cop. You have it made, girl; I want me some of that action.”

“Stop listening to rumors, Erica. If I had a secret recipe for the ideal man, I would share it with you. Trust me, I have nothing.” I toss back my drink, ready to move on.

She tops up my glass. “If you find it, let me know,” she says, way too hopeful.

“I will, sis.” I awkwardly pat her hand, my attempts at comfort feeling clumsy and forced. Even after all this time running this place, I’m shit at the girly stuff.

I collect up my glass and hop up from the bar, ready to take a walk around the room. The vibe is fun and playful. My girls that are still hanging in this space and not already in the private rooms are all dressed up in flashy cocktail dresses, the men in expensive suits and masks that add to the sexy allure. I know this is about fucking and living out your dark fantasies, but maybe it could be more. Maybe we could do something to help girls like Erica. I’m not sure how yet, but I’ll think on it. Maybe Romeo has some ideas of games we could play or something fun we could do to find people their real love match.

Onyx steps in at my side as we walk toward the front bar. “See, what did I tell you, big guy? It’s nearly midnight and no crazy stalker to speak of. Can we go have a little fun of our own now?”

He wraps an arm around my shoulders, his lips dropping to my ear. “I won’t relax until I get you home safely and that crazy motherfucker is dead.”

Romeo looks up from his computer with a cheeky smile as I approach him with Onyx by my side. While Reef and Romeo have done their own thing, Onyx hasn’t left me for a second all night. “I’m impressed, Sloane, you’ve outdone yourself with this event. Our VIPs are happy, our girls are cashed up, and our bar is busier than ever.”

Reef sits at his side, the two of them enjoying a quiet drink in the front bar, away from all the action still going on in the VIP section.

I lean onto the table, exhaustion starting to take over. These nights are always long but so damn worth it. “Are you checking the figures before the evening is over?”

“I like to see how much money I have coming in.” He grins.

“Just wait till next door is finished. You will be able to bring all their wicked fantasies to life… even your own.” Reef chuckles at his excitement, and I wonder what his fantasy is. I feel like Reef knows something I don’t. Both sets of eyes come to me, and I know I have something to do with it.

Reef pulls me down onto his lap, kissing my cheek as he hugs me close. I take up his tumbler, having a big swig. Now that the night is getting on, we can relax a little bit, and after the week I’ve had, God knows I need it.

Onyx moves into the seat opposite us, the four of us settling into conversation that feels way too normal and comfortable. But I have spent a lot of time with the three of them over the last few days, and somewhere among the chaos, this has become our new normal.

From across the bar, I catch sight of Sally’s reaction. She smirks as she shakes her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. I know what this must look like, and for once, I don’t care. It feels right. “So, Romeo, what’s this fantasy you have?” I ask, wanting in on it.

His expression changes instantly, his eyes flaring with heat.

Before he can answer me, Reef’s phone rings, and he takes it out of his pocket. From my place on his lap, I can see it’s a work call, so I hop up so he can leave the table.

He moves a couple of tables over and leans into the wall, answering the call. As he talks, he still watches me. His expression is unreadable, and I’m not sure if it’s something to worry about or not.

“What do you think they’re calling him about at this time of night when he’s off the clock?” I ask the others.

Romeo’s brow rises in my direction. “Reef’s never off the clock; he’s a workaholic like you.”

As I sip on my drink, I watch him hang up the call. He takes a deep breath before returning to our table, and I already know I’m not going to like what he’s just been told. “That was the boss.”

“And?” Romeo asks, still distracted by his laptop.

“They found another girl’s body, heart cut out of her chest, left on the steps of Harley’s new clinic. She was another working girl just like the last one. Blonde hair, same build as you, Sloane. A note was pinned to her. It’s becoming a daily occurrence,” he says, horrified.

He has all of our full attention now. Even Romeo, who had been engrossed in his laptop, has closed it to listen in.

“Let me guess, I’m coming for you, my girl.” I shake my head, irritation and sickness coming over me. This poor girl, wrapped up in my fucking mess.

“This one is different. ‘Your father took all his secrets to the grave, but you won’t.’”

“Secrets? What secrets did my father have?” I wonder out loud. “Why would he leave it at Harley’s clinic?” I whisper, worry filling me for her.

“This place has security round the block tonight, he wouldn’t be able to get close enough to get in, and your apartment is locked up tight after what happened yesterday,” Romeo says, but I see the worry now crossing his face.

After the call last night, I know he’s been on all of our minds today. Jagger has men out on every fucking corner trying to track him down. He’s also got a couple of cops from bordering districts keeping an eye out. Malachi has been on his computer all day trying to look for anything that could lead us to him. But so far, their searches are turning up nothing.

Onyx’s attention comes to me. “We should get you home. Tonight has been the success you needed it to be. People have seen your face. Now we go into lockdown for a few days, just until your brothers or the cops locate him.”

I sigh heavily, not loving the idea, but it feels like he’s closing in on me. He knows way too much about my life, getting my friend involved now as well. Maybe Onyx is right. “Okay,” I agree.

He throws me a look of surprise that I’m giving in so easily.

“I’m tired, Onyx, take me home,” I sass back so he knows I’m still in here somewhere. I just don’t have a lot of fight left in me tonight.

He takes my hand, but the sudden buzz of his phone interrupts the moment as he retrieves it from his pocket. “Speak,” he growls out, unimpressed.

As I wait to see what’s going on, Reef wraps an arm around me and kisses my cheek. “We will be right behind you.”

And I know he means quite literally, because that’s how we have been driving everywhere since they took me to Jagger’s place at the docks.

Onyx watches me. “Give me a minute,” he tells the person on the other end of the phone, his attention coming to all of us. “I wouldn’t be so sure about him not targeting this place. Another two bodies were found. One in the back alleyway, the other out on the street in full view of clientele. My guards have moved them out of plain sight, but we need to deal with this mess. Now. The last note says, ‘You’re next Ava.’”

My skin goes all prickly, knowing he’s closing in on me. It should have been impossible for him to get this close. But somehow, he’s finding a way.

“I’ll call it in,” Reef says, ready to make the call.

I shake my head, trying to think about what to do. “Not tonight you won’t. This place can’t be crawling with cops, not while we’re running an event this big.”

“I’ll call Jagger,” Romeo says.

I massage my temples, trying to work out what we do.

Onyx runs a hand over his stubble. “Jagger is dealing with a mess of his own. This is on us.”

I nod, agreeing with him. “We have men surrounding the building. This place is safe, you boys go and deal with it.”

“I’m not leaving you alone,” Onyx snaps back.

“Who knows who saw one of those bodies out there,” Romeo says, agreeing with me. “If we leave it too long, the cops will arrive for sure, and this shit will be pinned on us. I don’t want to leave her either, but she’s safe in here.”

“I have my gun, and there’s security everywhere. He can’t get me here, and he knows it. That’s why he’s leaving these fucked-up messages all around. Go on, Onyx, I will be fine.”

His face hardens to motherfucking scary. “I’ll see you to your office on our way out. If you leave that place before one of us gets back, you don’t even want to know how badly I will punish you,” he growls, and I know he’s deadly serious.

I salute him, knowing now’s not the time for me to be joking around, but I’m freaking the fuck out, and if I don’t mess around, I’m going to fall into a heap on the floor and not be able to get myself back up again. “I swear I won’t leave my office. Go sort it out, Onyx, I’ll see you soon.”

Romeo takes off out the front of the club, a security guard in tow, while Reef and Onyx walk me through to my office. I swipe myself in, and right before he takes off, Onyx lowers his lips to mine. “Don’t fucking do anything stupid while I’m gone,” he mutters in warning.

I stare back at the two of them, and I see the worry in Reef’s face as well. “I won’t, I swear. I’ll just sit in here and watch you guys on the security feed. Go fix this mess.”

With one more quick kiss from Onyx and a lingering look from Reef, he closes the door and checks that it’s locked. Then I’m alone, with my heart racing erratically.

I place my gun down on my desk right in front of me. I’m not scared, I know this asshole can’t get in this place, but it doesn’t hurt to be extra safe. I flick on the power switch to my computer, the screen illuminating my dimly lit office as I access the security feed. In the shadowy back alley, I find Onyx and Reef conferring with a security guard. At the front of the club, I see Romeo ducking around the corner and out of view, the rest of the street looks deserted, eerily quiet.

They have this handled, Sloane, all you have to do is wait for them to get back here. I bring up some of the live feeds from the rest of the club, not sure what else to do with myself. Playing with the bracelet Onyx gave me, I watch over it all. Inside, everything looks to be in control and functioning as normal. My girls are safe, but out there, no one is. Why the hell is someone doing this to me and to the women of this town? His haunting words keep playing in my head.

Like father like daughter, playing both sides. We both know what that gets you… dead.

They died because of you, and they will continue to pay for your sins, until I have you in my hands.

Years ago, you stole something from me, and now the time has finally come for me to take it back. What’s happened to those girls is just the beginning. Enjoy your freedom while you can.

You’re next, Ava.

What could I have possibly done to this asshole that was so terrible? I have dedicated my life to this place, to helping the girls who work here. I haven’t stolen anything. But I already know the Morettis wouldn’t see it that way. Romeo’s papa would be out for revenge after his son died in this very club when he tried to attack me. Is that what this is? Revenge for his son?

I type the name Orlando Moretti into my Google search and wait to see what comes up. All I can find is a news story of an underworld shooting, his body found in the back alleyway of this very club nine years ago. An obituary stating how devastated the family is at his loss. I click on the photo of him attached, and a shiver slithers down my spine. I never saw the face of the man who attacked me. The only thing I remember is the distinct angel tattoo that peeped out of his shirt onto his neck. But this guy looks exactly like a younger version of Romeo. It’s unnerving to know the man I have fallen for is so closely connected to this monster.

There is one last story I find from just two weeks before his death, saying that federal authorities were ramping up an investigation into him. They show him as somewhat of a party boy, whose lavish lifestyle and high-risk business ventures had drawn suspicions from the FBI.

I’m not sure what to make of any of it. Next, I type in my birth father’s name. Jagger gave it to me two days ago, along with any other information he could find on my birth family, but until now, I have been reluctant to look any deeper into my past. But if he has something to do with this asshole hunting me down, I need to know.

My search for Daniel Kingsley, brings up more newspaper stories than my search for Orlando, most of them linked to his assassination. There are conspiracy theories about his links to the mafia, but from what I can see, nothing was ever proven. For the most part he was a much-loved vice president, living the high life with his beautiful wife and baby girl. There are photos of us all together, but I have to skip over them. It’s too hard to see and makes me feel physically ill, knowing what happened to them in the end. What the hell were his secrets and why would someone do this to keep them quiet?

Chapter 35

A slight tap comes at the door, and I freeze. I was so deep in my investigation that the noise jolts me.

“Sloane, it’s Romeo, let me in.” His voice sends warmth over me, calming my anxiety instantly. Fucking finally, one of them is back. I was beginning to worry. I rush over to the door and swing it open. He moves into the office, closing the door behind him.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, wondering where Reef and Onyx are.

“Sure, doll face,” he says, the words tight and strained, a tension underlying his casual tone. “The problem is dealt with. I’m sure they will be back soon. Onyx suggests I take you home and they will follow us out.” Something about him makes me feel uneasy all of a sudden. Why would Onyx let him take me home?

I tilt my head to the side, taking him in properly. His suit is messed up, but that’s to be expected if he’s just moved a body. Is it the research I was doing on his family, have I put this idea in my head, or is it more than that? Something’s off, I’m sure of it. “Romeo, what is it, is there something I need to worry about?”

“I’ll let the boys know you’re coming with me.” He removes his phone from his pocket, typing out a message. As he’s doing it, all the motherfucking lights go out.

“Not tonight. Are you kidding me?” I mutter under my breath. My heart kicks up a beat, the darkness of my office only broken by the light shining off his phone. His expression shifts, a fleeting glimpse of something unreadable in his eyes.

“Come on, doll face, let’s get out of here,” he mutters, his voice low, almost threatening.

I take a shaky step away from him, not sure what is going on, but knowing something is not right. This event is just as important to him as it is to me, or at least I thought it was. “We need to get the lights back on or our event will be ruined,” I snap back at him.

He closes the gap with one large stride, placing his phone down; its soft glow illuminates his face, allowing me to see him clearly. His hands come to my body, one firmly holding my ass while the other comes to my neck carefully as he inhales deeply. “Your safety is my top priority.”

Anxiety swirling through my mind prevents me from relaxing enough to truly connect with him. I push against his chest, the muscles hard beneath my palms, but he doesn’t move an inch.

His gaze is intense as he peers down at me. “Don’t fret about your precious club, doll face. We have other plans for tonight, ones that don’t involve some sadistic piece of shit getting his hands on you. One of the girls can handle it for you, right?”

I shove at his chest, my hands stinging against the hard, unyielding surface. It’s like trying to move a solid brick wall. “What the hell are you going on about, Romeo?”

A wave of darkness washes over him. “The only thing that’s important tonight is getting you to safety,” his voice growls out, angry and frustrated. Like I have tipped him over the edge.

My pulse quickens, a frantic drum against my ribs, as a cold dread settles in my stomach. What the hell isn’t he saying right now? “W…what? What happened out there?” I stutter.

“Why must you fight me on everything? Can’t you just trust that I’m doing all I can to protect you? You can either come with me easily and walk out of this place hand in hand or we can do it the hard way and I carry out your unconscious body. Either way, you’re leaving here with me tonight.”

I slap him harder, trying to get some leverage on him, some space. “I don’t know what fucking game you’re playing tonight, Romeo, but this shit isn’t going to fly. I get that you want to keep me safe, but fuck, the club needs its power back on or all the girls we have working here won’t be safe. It’s my duty to make sure they get home to their families first. Get your gun and we can head out back and check the meter.”

His large hands firmly encircle my wrist, his touch jarring as he scoops them up in a firm hold. “Sorry, doll face, I’m the one dishing out orders tonight, not you. We don’t have time to play around.”

I stare back at him, dumbfounded. I don’t know what the hell has gotten into him tonight, but I’m not standing for this shit. He’s gone way too far. “Get off me, fucker.” I bring my knee up, aiming for his balls, but he anticipates me and moves just in time, spinning me around to face the wall. As I struggle against him, he captures my hands behind my back and clamps something hard and cold over my wrist. “A little present from Reef. I knew you wouldn’t come easily,” he whispers in my ear, sending goosebumps over my skin. “You never like to make things easy, do you, doll face, fighting me over every damn thing.”

He pins me to the wall, his weight pressing down, and I feel him pull something else from his pocket. From the flash of his phone light, I see a syringe. Oh, fuck, he really is going to knock me out.

I break into a cold sweat. I try to think quickly. If I’m out of it, I’m fucked and have no chance of fixing anything. “I’m sorry, Romeo, I was just messing around. I know how much you like to play games, it was just a bit of fun. I’ll go with you now, if that’s what you want,” I lie, trying to get him back on my side. It’s like he has flipped a crazy switch. Maybe he is more like his papa than he let on. Or maybe the sight out there in the streets was too much to take, knowing the threat that I’m next.

He freezes, the harsh glow of his phone illuminating his face as he studies me. “Good girl.” His gaze lingers on me as he pulls back slightly, making me feel vulnerable. Then he delicately removes my bracelet, dropping it to my desk.

“What are you doing?” I stutter.

“It was sweet of Onyx to have you tracked at all times, but where we’re going, you won’t need his gift.”

I stare back at him, my heart thumping, feeling the loss of my gift already. Onyx was tracking me with that bracelet?

Romeo wraps an arm around my waist, directing me through my office, and I wish with every damn thing inside of me that I didn’t place my gun on my desk and instead it was still strapped to my thigh. “We might just leave these on for safekeeping.” He tugs on the handcuffs. “Don’t want you getting away, not now that I finally have my hands on you.” His lips press into the side of my face with a soft kiss that sends my pulse into overdrive. What the hell did he mean by that? He’s had his hands on me all week.

As we push out into the hallway, I can hear the chaos going on inside the other spaces of the club with the lights out. Fuck, I should be in there helping them fix this mess. I try to fight against him, knowing now is my chance to make a run for it.

“Don’t try it.” His large arm crushes me to his body. I hadn’t realized before how damn strong he is, but it’s like trying to fight against a raging bull. No movement at all. He directs me away from the noise and down toward the back exit.

“What the hell has gotten into you?” I whisper cry, frustration taking over.

When we get into the parking lot, I see my back door security guard crumpled on the asphalt with a bullet in his head. I cast a quick glance back to Romeo, his face a mask of silence. “Shit got real here tonight, doll face,” he mutters dryly, and I know I’m totally fucked. When he comes to a blue Maserati, he stops moving, popping open the trunk with his fob. “I’d love to have you riding up front with me, but can’t really trust you to behave, can I, trouble?”

The way he says Onyx’s nickname for me makes me feel sick to the stomach. Where the hell is Onyx? He should be following me by now. I steal a quick glance over my shoulder, but the alleyway is empty, and I know I’m alone. So much for all the added security and the boys watching my every damn move. When I need them, they are nowhere to be seen, and that in itself is suspicious as hell.

With one sharp shove, he forces me into the trunk. Without my hands to catch me, I topple in, my head hitting the bottom with a thud that makes my head ache. I stare back up at him, wondering where the man I have gotten to know has disappeared to. “I’ll be good, you can trust me,” I try pleading with him, but all I get is a menacing smile, then he slams the trunk closed, locking me inside.

My heart hammers against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat in the suffocating silence of my confinement. I shut my eyes up tight, trying not to let the fear take over. I don’t have time for a panic attack.

The car kicks into gear, and my body hits the back of the car as he starts to drive away. I don’t bother screaming for help, I know no one can hear me, and I need to conserve my energy for when the fucker lets me out again.

I knew I couldn’t fucking trust him. I got swept up in his charm.

It was him who was after me all along. He drives for what feels like forever, and I try to calm my breathing, focusing on the handcuffs and trying to make my hands small so they can slip free, but it’s no use. It’s so hard when they’re at my back. I wiggle onto my side and slip my hands under my ass, then bring my knees up so I can skip my hands under my feet. It’s almost impossible in the confined space of the car trunk, but I just slip them free.

My chest heaves, gasping for air, a desperate need for oxygen filling my lungs. It’s so hot in here, and my head is clogged with fear.

Knowing I have no choice, I move my hands up to my hair, thanking God I wore my hair in a bun today and I have bobby pins in. I locate one and pull it free. I shift my hands to the side and tinker away at the lock, having no idea what I’m doing, but knowing this is my only hope to escape. If I can get my hands free, then at least I will have a fighting chance to escape him. If not, he has the upper hand, and I’m screwed.

Then the car comes to a stop, and my heart leaps into my throat, knowing I have run out of time.

Desperately I keep twisting the bobby pin in the lock, not giving up.

I can hear Romeo talking to someone else, another male voice, one I don’t recognize. Their voices are muffled, but I think I make out “When do we set off?” from Romeo.

“Now,” the other dude says.

Set off where? Where the hell is he taking me? I can’t think about all the fucked-up scenarios. I keep twisting at the cuffs, digging the bobby pin in the lock, and finally the thing pops open. I break into a sweat, relief washing over me. I did it. Now what? I feel around the car for something, anything I can get my hands on to help me when I get out. In the side panel, I find a carpeted pouch. It’s damn heavy, and I pull it free, wondering if this is the car’s tool kit. Sure enough, I get my hands on a cold metal bar, one that must be used to help jack up the car when it gets a flat. I pull it behind my back, holding it tightly, waiting for the motherfucker to open the trunk.

It feels like forever with me just waiting, my heart in my throat, sweat drenching my body. My mind races with the possibilities of how to escape the man I thought I was falling for. How could I have been so wrong about him? Maybe it’s him who’s out for revenge for his brother’s death after all. He had been prepared for this kind of situation, having undergone rigorous training. If his family had welcomed him back after years of earning their trust, then perhaps this was his chance. He’s going to murder me to show them his loyalty.

I hear heavy footsteps, then Romeo swings open the trunk.

Light floods in, and I blink my eyes, the bright blinding me. When they finally focus, I find him smirking down at me.

“Hot in there, doll face?” He reaches in and wipes the matted sweat-drenched hair from my forehead tenderly.

I don’t dare move, too scared he’s about to work out I got out of the cuffs before I have time to use my freedom to my advantage. His hands slide under my body, and he scoops me up and sets me back to standing on the solid ground beside him, my heels wobbling a little on my shaky legs.

Not giving him time to work out I’m armed, I swing the metal bar at his head, connecting with a sickening thud. My stomach rolls knowing I have hurt him when it’s the last thing I want to do, but fuck him. He tied me up, threatened to drug me, and locked me in the trunk of his car. This isn’t the man I know. Something much more sinister is going on here.

He roars in pain and grabs for me, but I’m too quick for him and take off running in the opposite direction. I sprint as far as I can then come to an abrupt stop when I realize we’re on a shipping boat sailing out of the docks.

My heart leaps.

Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.

The shoreline of the docks recedes, a blurry line against the waves, and the cold water chills me to the bone; I can’t fucking swim. The only thing that scares me more than Romeo catching up with me, and doing whatever it is he wants to do to me, is diving in there and attempting to swim back to shore.

“Get back here, Ava,” I hear him calling out from behind me.

Ava? My head spins, the scenery whooshing around me. I keep moving, dashing around the front of the boat, trying to get as far away from him as possible, but there is another burly dude closing in on me. I glance back over my shoulder and see Romeo’s not far away either. He’s hurt, though, a gash over his right eye with blood trickling from it. “Don’t run from me, doll face, I’m not going to hurt you. You’re safe with me, I’m taking you away from the danger.”

“How can you be, you cuffed me and threw me in the back of your car,” I cry back.

“To get you out of there safely. He was coming for you tonight, and there would have been nothing your boys could have done to stop him.” He takes another step toward me, his eyes locking with mine. I take another step back, getting dangerously close to the edge of the boat. His lips twist up at the sides in a cruel smirk that doesn’t even look like him. He had me so fooled, when I should have known better.

A whimper escapes me, knowing I’m fucked. “Where are you taking me?” I cry desperately.

“The watch tower.”

I blink back at him, wondering what the hell he’s going on about.

He lunges, his fingers reaching for my arms, and in a flash, I stumble backward, plunging into the icy water. It’s all-consuming, swallowing me and stealing away my breath in an instant.

I hear him yell for help. Screaming to get me out of here. But I can’t focus on him. All I can do is try to move my arms and legs and focus on getting my head to the surface to breathe when it feels like little, tiny knives are stabbing at my skin.

I kick my feet and paddle my arms, bursting to the surface, gasping for air. The icy water causes my lungs to constrict painfully, each breath a searing struggle. My tight skirt clings to my legs, making it nearly impossible to kick through the water. But I keep moving, doing everything I can to get away.

The boat’s engine cuts out with a jarring clang, bringing it to an immediate halt.

I glance back over my shoulder to see Romeo at the edge of the boat, his shoes already off. “Throw her a flotation device, she can’t swim,” he calls frantically to the other dude as he strips off his shirt. It’s then I realize my mistake—this isn’t Romeo at all. There, on his lower neck and down onto his chest, is a tattoo I haven’t seen in nine years, an angel right next to what could only be a bullet wound scar. It was hidden by his collared shirt.

Orlando Moretti is still alive, and he’s the motherfucker who’s been after me.

The end

To read more, check out the preview of the second installment of Secrets of Ravens Hollow, Don't Hate Me here.

Also by Alicia Darke

Sinners of Ravens Hollow Series

Wicked Games of Desire—Book 1

Dangerous Games of Trust—Book 2

Twisted Games of Revenge—Book 3

Secrets of Ravens Hollow Series

Don't Lie To Me—Book 1 (Releasing June 4th 2025)

Don't Hate Me—Book 2 (Releasing Oct 4th 2025)

Don't Break My Heart—Book 3 (Releasing late 2025)

Acknowledgments

My amazing mum, Kay, thank you for your constant love and support. You read every word I write and have always been my number one fan. You put up with my meltdowns and endless questions, you are my best friend, and I’m grateful every day to have you in my life.

My dad, it’s been elevin long years since you left us, but the outlook you had on life still inspires me every day. It’s the reason I believe that if you work hard enough, you can achieve any dream, no matter how impossible it seems.

My partner Kiel, you’ve transformed my life in ways I never imagined. Thank you for pushing me to begin writing—without your encouragement and love, this incredible journey might never have started.

My kids—Hamish, Marley, and Quinn—thank you for looking at me like I’m amazing and can do anything, even when I don’t feel like I can. Everything I do is for you. And I hope I have shown you that with a bit of determination and hard work, your dreams really can come true.

Karen, my friend and mentor, you made this dream feel possible. Every time I thought I couldn’t do it, you encouraged me to keep on going. I couldn’t have done any of this without your knowledge and friendship.

T. L. Swan and the girls from the Cygnet Inkers group, I’m loving being on this journey with you all. You girls keep me positive and motivated, and I love you for it.

Lindsay, my editor, thank you for your patience. Your knowledge and expertise have made this book what it is.

My beta readers—Shelly, Kirstie, Lorraine, Anita and Tobie—thank you for your time, honesty, and support. Without you lovely ladies I wouldn’t have had the courage to publish and share my story.

My proofreader, Kay, thank you for double and triple-checking every word.

My Swifts soccer family, you girls are the best friends a girl could ever have, I’m forever grateful for your love and support. Fingers crossed; this year is our year for a win.

To my Always Flowers family, thank you for being my ever-patient sounding board and for indulging all my wild ideas. Your support means more than words can express.

To my friends and family who have been so supportive along this journey—you have all been so amazing—thank you.

And lastly to my readers, thank you for taking the time to give a new author a chance, and making my dreams become a reality.

About the Author

Alicia Darke is a spicy dark RH romance and romantic suspense author. She lives on the beautiful South Coast of NSW, Australia, with her partner and three teenagers, a Cocker Spaniel, and a Lovebird. When she’s not writing or daydreaming about new story ideas, you can find her playing with flowers at the local flower shop or kicking a soccer ball around with her team.

Her stories transport readers into thrilling escapes from reality, filled with fierce, badass heroines, irresistible anti-heroes, and bad boys who steal hearts as easily as they break rules. With panty-wetting chemistry, delectable plot twists, and edge-of-your-seat suspense, Alicia’s books promise unforgettable adventures that culminate in the kind of happily-ever-afters you never see coming.