The last thing I wanted to do was bring Sadie back to Tease. The woman could find trouble in a nunnery. Bringing her to a house of sin and expecting her not to play was just plain dumb.
Rebel wasn't a fan of the loud music, her intelligent eyes casting judgment on the scantily clad girls as we made our way through the main space.
Some of the girls blew Sadie kisses as we passed, actions that Sadie returned while men glanced her way despite the already half-naked women available to be the evening's entertainment. Tease housed some of the most beautiful women and best strippers in the city.
Something about Sadie shone from within, making her glow brighter than they did, even in their element. She might not have legs long enough to touch the sky or the biggest tits in the house, but she had a face that knocked men on their asses, with angled honey eyes framed by thick eyelashes that were as dark as night. She'd slipped on a pair of distressed jeans that showed the golden tone to her tawny skin on her thighs, and a black t-shirt with a whiskey brand on it.
She guided the way through the club in that confident way she had. The walls had risen higher than ever after her revelations about her relationship with her father the night before. Blocking me out to the best of her ability, she strutted through the space like she owned it. I allowed it, knowing it was a temporary defense that I'd eventually wear down.
Guilt still consumed me that I'd hurt her, even if the physical injury hadn't been severe enough to leave marks. Being attacked in her sleep couldn't have been easy for Sadie, given the events that led to our meeting. While she never talked about it or acted like she had any fear because of it, I knew that, as with anything else where Sadie was concerned, it wasn't as simple as it seemed. The bouncer guarding the door to the back rooms nodded to her as she approached, shoving it open for her. The nod to me came secondary.
It seemed my Baby Girl had made more of an impression than I'd thought. Why didn't that come as a surprise?
She made right for Yavin's office, smiling at the girls she passed and not caring in the slightest for their various states of undress. Not all women were so comfortable in their nudity, but Sadie smacked the girl who'd given her a lap dance a few nights prior on the ass as she walked by.
She threw open Yavin's door without knocking, and I sighed with a hint of laughter strangling my voice. A week ago, I'd have said that was a great way to get a show, given the revolving door of women that went in and out of Yav's office.
But now he just glowered up at the intruder from his place at his desk, typing away furiously on the keyboard. "Fuck. There's no way it's been a week," he said, scrubbing his hand over his face.
"Not yet," I smirked, thoroughly enjoying the harassed look on his face. I knew he did it with love, but I also partially wondered if seeing that expression hurt Sadie. People feigned annoyance with her a lot. Knowing what I did about her lack of confidence, I suspected the affection behind it was often lost on her.
"Bryan is showing Sandro a rundown of the pick ups. I showed him how it goes at Indulgence earlier, and now I get the joy of showing him here. Twice in one day," I grunted.
"Right. Because a cash hand off is rocket science," Yavin said with a roll of his eyes. "I've got her. Go get your shit done so you can both get out of my face."
"Oh, touchy," Sadie laughed. The interrogation and suspicion about Aoife's involvement in the cause for his crappy mood already built inside her beautiful, twisted head.
Jumping in before she could start, I pointed a finger at her. "No lap dances today either."
She pouted up at me, twisting her face into a beautiful temptation that made me want to show her what I could do with those pursed lips. Especially now that I knew what they felt like wrapped around my cock.
"What's the point of being in a strip club if I can't strip or get stripped on?"
She had a point there, but while I might tolerate many aspects of her adventurous personality and desire to try new things, letting her take off her clothes for a room full of men would never be on that list. "If I ever catch you on a pole, I'll spoon out the eyeballs of every man who sees you," I reminded her.
"Well, that's extreme," Sadie said, smirking at me with the playful smile that made me wonder if she'd considered trying it. Pushing those boundaries just to see if I'd keep my word probably sounded like a grand adventure to Sadie. I didn't think she'd enjoy it so much in reality.
Eyeballs were gross and empty eye sockets? Even worse.
She dropped into her chair as Rebel curled up at her feet. Kissing the top of her head, I whispered a warning to be good before I tur
ned and left the room.
I wanted to go home. Sandro was a good kid, if a little slow to learn new things. But in that moment, he stood between me and some actual quality time with my woman, and that was something that didn't seem to come often enough between the gym and my responsibilities to the Bellandis.
A whiskey and a night at home called my name.
26
Sadie
"Well?" I asked, reaching down to stroke Rebel's fur. She seemed particularly on guard, hanging closer to me than normal. I suspected the music in the main lounge had aggravated her, and I worked to relax her.
The music had never upset her at the gym, but it was more of a background noise than the pulsing bass that you felt in your bones.
The best way to listen to music, if I was honest. But clients at the gym had to hear their trainers sadly.
"Well, what?" Yavin snapped back.