There simple and to the point.
I get to the Cherry Room and park around back. I work as the daytime manager, but I still need the extra money I can make from dancing so here I am taking my clothes off again. I want to give my son better than what I had growing up and I will do whatever it takes to give him a better life.
I go to the office to clock in expecting to see Amber’s old man, Terror, but am met with Shawn behind the desk instead. “What are you doing here?”
Shawn grins at me, stroking his goatee. “Made a switch with Terror. He’s running the garage and the Cherry Room is under my management,” he explains, and I nod.
“Cool.”
“You don’t look very happy to see me.” His voice sounds wounded as his face falls. I feel like all I ever do is hurt him. I hate it but don’t know what I should do. What if I take a chance on him and it ends in a disaster? Then I will be ostracized from the club and the friendships I am making. I do like it here even after the drama with Justin.
I put on a smile for him, trying not to wonder if he was telling the truth about the laundry room with Carmen, but MaryAnn’s voice keeps repeating in my head. “I’m always happy to see you. I just wasn’t expecting you to be here. I need this job and I don’t want any drama.”
“I’ll be strictly professional,” he tries to assure me, and I hope he stays true to his word. I want to send Jimmy to preschool and start taking classes again. Both take money that I don’t have right now. I had to start over from scratch. Shawn and his club have been good to me, but I want to take care of myself. I don’t want to be beholden to anyone. “Can I get your opinion on something?”
“Sure.”
“What do you think of this announcement for the local radio station?”
The Cherry Room is hosting a New Year’s Eve bash. Selling different packages for VIP and general admission. I scan over the write up on his computer screen and the email he is sending to the head of their marketing. “Everything looks good to me,” I tell him feeling impressed. “Did you come up with this on your own?”
“Yup.” He chuckles. “You sound shocked.” I spin the chair sideways to get up. I need to go change. Shawn stops me from getting up out of the chair and I remember being in this office with Justin and push those thoughts away. Justin is leaving, and I have to move on with my life. Shawn looms over me, bracing his hands on the arms of the chair, caging me in. He stares at me intently. “You’re so beautiful.” His tongue darts out, wetting his lips and my pulse races. Part of me wanting him to kiss me. Part of me terrified of what will happen if he does. Dark and broody the man is at war with himself and God if I don’t understand that emotion.
“Shawn…I should.”
“Yeah you should.” He leans in closer. My head is swimming with thoughts of his lips on mine. “See you out there.” I blink and he’s walking out the office door.
As I walk to the dressing room confusion clouds my judgment. What the fuck was all that back there? I feel like we are moving in circles around each other.
Chapter 6
–Cocky
God, she drives me fucking crazy with want. I wanted nothing more than to claim her sweet tempting lips when it was just the two of us in the office, but I have been thinking maybe I have been going about this thing with Melissa all wrong. I can chase her, but it won’t do me a damn bit of good if she doesn’t want to be caught. I do a walk through of the club.
The sound system is good. The bar is stocked, and a few girls are already on the floor. A couple of brothers from the clubhouse are here. If I had my say Melissa sure as fuck wouldn’t be taking to the stage and taking her clothes off. However, she wants to be independent and take care of her and Jimmy on her own. I have to give her some space there even though it kills me.
I could support them while she goes back to school. I haven’t told her, but I bought Cupid’s old house. He gave me a hell of a deal. He wanted to unload it and I wanted a place to call my own. A place I can move Melissa and Jimmy into eventually. It needs a lot of work, but I already talked to Reaper about hiring some of the guys from the crew I was on when I was working for him. I’d like for Melissa to fix it up the way she wants but I have to do it without her knowing it’s for her. I have to approach it like I want her input without clueing her in that I am doing everything I am for her.
I want to give her the life I always promised her. The life I told her I could never provide. When I got sent away to prison, I knew she’d move on with her life and hopefully forget all about me. I tried to pretend we existed in two different worlds, but I couldn’t stop myself from checking up on her. She did the exact opposite of what I had hoped for her. She got involved with a bad man who took advantage of her. It killed me being behind bars and unable to do a damn thing about it, but I’m back now. I’ll be damned if anyone ever uses or hurts her like that again. I’d love to put a bullet between Jim’s eyes but he’s Jimmy’s father. I don’t ever want that coming between us. Even though they’d both be better off with him in the ground. Melissa doesn’t know it, but I’ve got eyes on the bastard. He doesn’t take a shit without me getting a full report. If he makes a move to come after her, I’ll know about it and I’ll be ready for the bastard. He’ll never lay another hand on her as long as I am breathing.
I lay my bills on the counter and order a beer from the prospect working behind the bar. A guy by the name of Cyrus. He’s young but tough. We call him Cyrus like Billy Ray because he’s a bit country. He came to Tennessee hoping to make it big as a country music star but somehow ended up in Webb Hollow prospecting for the Devils Rejects. He seems like he’s chill. He works hard and does as he is told. Keeps his hands off the girls too.
The lights dim, and the music gets louder.
A big tittied blonde takes to the stage. I grab a booth in the back, so I can keep watch over the full room. I sit back and enjoy the show. Melissa will be dancing soon. I don’t like it, but she is damn good at what she does. She brings in a crowd and I have to accept it for now. The minute I claim her though she will never take her clothes off again unless it’s for me. She had promised herself to me and it eats away at me that I wasn’t her first like we planned. Jimmy should be my kid, but I will treat him as if he is and I will for damn sure be the last man to be with Melissa.
She was meant to be mine and she will be.
I’m lost in my thoughts of the life I want to provide her with when she takes to the stage. I can see her scanning the crowd and I wonder if she is looking for me. I’m back in the corner where I have a good view of the stage but with the dim lighting I’m hidden. Her hands grip the pole and she moves fluidly. Seductively. She commands the room and my cock as it strains in my jeans, practically weeping to be inside her. One of the girls approaches my table. I don’t even realize it’s Carmen at first. Not until she slides into the booth and puts her hand on my dick. Her fingers slide my zipper down. Her breath is hot in my ear. “Let me take care of you. It will be our secret.”
I go tense but am ashamed to say I don’t stop her. I’m not promised to Melissa. She has made it clear she isn’t ready to be with me. It might make me an asshole, but I keep my eyes on her. Watching her dance, pretending the lips on me belong to her. Her fingers glide up her sides and her top comes off. She spins around, thumbs hooked around the waistband of her thong teasing at showing off her ass crack. My hand goes to Carmen’s hair as she hides beneath the table sucking me off. I fuck her mouth as I stare at Melissa, craving her touch. I look down between my legs seeing Carmen with tears in her eyes as she gags on my cock and I feel disgusted with myself yet unable to stop.
Melissa is rolling around on the stage dry humping the damn floor. Her hips arch and she spreads her legs, gliding a hand over her pussy. She still has on her thong, but it is highly erotic. My balls tighten, and I pull my dick out of Carmen’s mouth and cum in my hand. I don’t trust the whore not to try something fucking stupid. I know she has dreams of being taken for an old lady like Cupid did with MaryAnn but that was different and I’m not Cupid. I’m a cocky bastard.
“I’ll see you later.” Carmen winks, wiping her smeared lipstick.
“Don’t count on it,” I tell her with a snort, wiping my hand on some napkins and shoving them in my pocket to dispose of later.