“Tell me.”
“I’m scared I won’t know how to love you the way you need. I’m scared I’ll love you so completely, I’ll lose myself. I’m scared I’ll never be enough.” As she bared her fears to him, the tears she’d been trying so hard to hold at bay fell.
Wiping them away with a thumb on the apple of each cheek, he told her, “Any love you give me will be perfect. If you lose yourself to me, you better believe I’m just as lost to you.” He paused so the words would sink into her. “More importantly, baby, how do you know I’ll be enough for you?”
“Don’t you say that,” she told him angrily.
He arched a brow as if to prove his point. “You’re more than enough for me. I’m in this for life, Evelyn. All you have to do is decide if you are, too.”
Casey watched Evelyn dance every night for a week after he’d confessed his love for her. Obsession settled in while watching her entertain now that he knew the reason behind her love for dance. The pleasure that embraced her entire body and soul as she moved was breathtaking. She didn’t dance for the attention. He didn’t even think it was because of the money. She did it because it was the one thing in her life that she enjoyed.
While she danced and made her rounds around the club, he did his best to keep busy because otherwise, he’d be tormented by every man in the room that stared at her with just as much heat as he did. So he searched every network he could to find her sister and nephew. So far, no luck. He did find out that Marcus was going to be doing serious time in Red Onion State Prison. He got a kick out of that one because ROSP was where the worst of the worst were sent to rot.
He felt no remorse that the other man was living with some of the worst rapist and murders in the state. He deserved everything he would get and more. From what he’d seen, Marcus was a pussy. He enjoyed instilling fear in those smaller than himself. He wouldn’t last long in ROSP.
“Hey there, hot stuff.” One of the new dancers Ev had pointed out to him sidled up beside him. “How come you sit here on this silly computer and don’t watch any of the good dancers?” She’d seen him stop to watch Ev, noticed how riveted he became to his woman’s natural sensuality.
“Maybe I only like one,” he tossed back, still not looking up at her.
Evidently, the woman didn’t like that he was dismissing her. “You mean Evie?” Bitter laughter followed her rhetorical question. “She’s washed out. Don’t you want someone fresh? I can make all your dreams come true, baby.” Casey was sure her voice was supposed to be seductive. He just didn’t feel it.
Before he could respond, Ace walked up, tossing an arm around her neck. “Hey there, sweet stuff, just an FYI—that means for your information in case you can’t figure it out. That washed-out chick you’re so easily insulting?” Case was dying to laugh, but he wanted to see where Ace was going. “This is her man.” The dancer’s eyes shot down to his in shock.
“You’re with her?” Disgust rang through her words.
“Every fucking night,” Case bragged.
“You know she gives other men things?” The way she said things implied Ev was hooking, which he knew she wasn’t and wouldn’t.
Getting to his feet because he was beyond angry now, he snarled, “Try bad-mouthing my woman again. See where it lands you.” He let his rage shine through his eyes. “The trash or the morgue.”
Warm hands smoothed up his back, and he knew immediately that Evelyn had seen what was happening, what he was about to do—throttle this stuck-up slut.
“Casey?” she crooned against his back.
“Yeah, Kitten?” He didn’t take his eyes off the slut trying to get herself killed.
“Sit down.” Her tone was like breathing fire.
“Say what, now?” He did look at Ev then.
“Please?” Well, fuck, why’d her voice have to be so sweet, and she was batting those pretty endless blue eyes so nicely.
Sitting down, he felt like a dog doing his master’s bidding, but he’d happily heed to this woman’s wishes. Ev’s attention quickly darted to Ace and the other woman. “Ace?”
“Yeah, sugar?” Case wasn’t happy about the pet name.
“Take a seat.” She was really pushing the whole obedience thing it seemed. A bark of laughter left him when Ace immediately sat down.
“Shut the fuck up. When a beautiful girl demands shit, you damn well listen. Even when another man is getting his dick wet with her instead.” His fist shot out at Ace’s words, hitting him right in the shoulder. “Fuck! Dude! I was kidding.”
“Watch your mouth.” Case glared, pulling Ev onto his lap and burying his face in her neck. He loved her scent. He knew it was the fancy girl soap she used to smell so sweet. Peaches and vanilla or something. He could get lost in it.
“Lizzy.” He heard Ev talking to who he presumed was the other stripper but happily continued to smell her. “This isn’t a whorehouse.” Ace howled with laughter. “You need to snap those pretty legs closed and stop offering something you can’t deliver on. Hardy told you this when he hired you.”
“You’re such a snotty bitch, Evie. Always thinking you’re better than everyone else,” Lizzy whined.
“That’s ‘cause she is,” Case chimed in, shooting her a deadly glare. He watched her squirm.