Twice as Sexy (The Sexy 2)

Although the club wasn’t that busy, it being early in the week, she noted a big security guard was present, arms folded across his chest. Apparently the guys were taking no chances, because she didn’t remember him being so visible the last time she was here.

This was the first time she would be meeting Tanner’s partners and close friends, and it was under a stressful situation. Although she didn’t know what he planned, the fact that he wanted her present for the conversation meant it involved her in some way beyond the obvious.

They entered the doorway and the low murmur of conversation stopped, all eyes focused on her. She looked over the two men she’d seen on the website and then saw Faith, Jason’s wife, sitting close to her husband.

“Faith! What are you doing here?” Scarlett asked.

The other woman was dressed similarly to the day they’d met, in a pair of jeans and a Sweet Treats tee shirt. Obviously, she too had come straight from work.

Faith glanced at Jason, then rose from her seat. “You’ll see soon enough.” She glared at the men in the room.

“Scarlett, I’d like you to meet my partners and best friends, Jason Dare, Faith’s husband, and Landon Bennett. You already know Faith,” Tanner said.

Landon walked over and took her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Jason said with a grin, earning himself a nudge from his wife. “All of it good,” he rushed to add.

“Thank you.” Scarlett glanced at Tanner for guidance on this meeting.

“Here. Let’s sit.” He gestured to the couch and led her to the sofa, where he settled in beside her. “Thanks for being here, everyone. I’ve had the afternoon to fill them in on the situation and the fact that Vic knows who you are and has targeted you.”

She raised her hands and dropped them to her lap. “We don’t know that,” she reminded him. And the rest of them, for that matter.

“However, we do know that Vic has it in for our club,” Landon said, leaning against his desk, a powerful presence in his black jacket, white dress shirt, and black slacks. Nightclub ready, she mused.

“We’ve had issues with Daniel Sutherland, another club owner, targeting us for petty vandalism, but there is the fact that if Vic is going to go after anyone, it’s going to be Tanner.” Jason spoke.

“Because he beat him up on campus years ago?” Scarlett asked.

“No, because I’m the weak link,” Tanner muttered.

She hated his self-deprecation and reached out to squeeze his hand in silent support before letting go.

He continued to scowl as he spoke. “And since I’m the one whose buttons Vic can push hard enough to make me go after him.”

His words surprised her. Yes, he knew himself, but he’d also gone to great lengths to convince her he’d learned to manage his temper. Was he changing his mind?

“I wouldn’t have phrased it like that,” Jason said with a scowl. “But if he wants to get to any of us, I agree he’ll choose you.”

“Because at the very least he believes I’ll be the one to lose my shit and end up behind bars.” Tanner shook his head. “Retribution at its finest. And that puts you at risk,” he said, once again taking Scarlett’s hand in his larger one.

She cleared her throat, ignoring the warmth of his touch. “As I told you, I’ve dealt with threats before in my line of work. I can handle myself.”

“But you’ve never dealt with Victor Clark. And since you’re in trouble because of me, I’m going to be the one to protect you.” He rose to his feet, a large, looming, sexy presence.

She raised an eyebrow at the same time Jason, who sat across the room, Faith now beside him, snickered under his breath.

Faith slapped his arm. “Cut that out.”

“What’s so funny?” Scarlett asked.

Faith sighed. “He’s just listening to Tanner butter you up so he can step in and take care of you. Sort of like Jason did for me.”

Scarlett thought about Faith’s situation with her brother, recalled her explanation of what had happened. “You already mentioned you had some problems and Jason moved you in with him… Oh, no,” she said, realizing exactly what this meeting was about. “That is not happening in this case.”

“Here’s the situation and correct me if I’m wrong.” Tanner paced, something she was coming to learn he did when he was upset. “Victor is targeting our club. It’s looking like he’s teamed up with Sutherland to bash cars, graffiti walls, and even gone so far as a bomb threat … but we can’t prove it was him. With me so far?”

She inclined her head. “Yes.”

He stopped his pacing directly in front of her. “You saw Victor outside the club, he looked right at you and…” Tanner duplicated the neck gesture, never breaking eye contact. “Yes?”