“Just take her home. You’re telling me she can’t be alone for thirty minutes?”
I didn’t like it when she was alone for even one minute.
“Hank obviously isn’t a problem anymore. You scared that bitch-face off for good. So drop her off and stop by, alright?”
“Fine.”
Jackson hung up without saying goodbye.
Wish I could say I was surprised—but I wasn’t.
I was only going down there because I was attached to Ruin. Even if I wasn’t running it anymore, I still cared about it. I wanted it to be in good hands. That place had been home to me for so long. I met a lot of friends there, a lot of submissives. It definitely had a place in my heart, as strange as that sounded. If Jackson needed help with a completely different business, I would have hung up a long time ago.
I finished the workday then picked up Rome at her office. We made it to the elevator without touching, but once those doors were shut, I cupped her face and kissed her on the lips. There was a camera in the corner, but that didn’t stop me from doing whatever I wanted.
I pressed her against the back wall as I kissed her, our bodies slowly descending to the ground floor of the building. Rome didn’t tell me to back off. She kissed me with the same slow passion, her lips giving me purposeful kisses that were innately sexy. I wished I could stop by her office whenever I wanted, just for a kiss, so making out in the elevator would have to suffice.
When we hit the ground floor, the doors opened and we walked to the car.
“I’m going to Ruin for about thirty minutes,” I announced once we were in the back seat. “Tom will drop you off at the house then come pick me up.” We were already on the way to Ruin, moving in the opposite direction of my home.
Rome didn’t seem concerned about it. “Okay. I’ll get dinner started.”
Even though she didn’t ask any questions, I elaborated. “Jackson said he wanted me to help him out with a few things.”
“You’re the best person to ask. You ran that place for years.”
I wasn’t sure if I expected her to disagree with my decision, but I was surprised by her reaction all the same. “You’ll be okay at the house by yourself?”
She had the nerve to roll her eyes. “Calloway, I’m not scared in the least. I’ll be perfectly fine.”
Rome’s fearlessness was what attracted me to her in the first place. When Hank assaulted her, she fought back and got away—multiple times. She didn’t roll over and play dead. She had a fire that couldn’t be put out with a fire hose. “Okay.”
Tom pulled up to the club and waited for me to get out. I turned to her. “I’ll see you soon, sweetheart.”
“Alright.” She leaned over the seat and kissed me on the mouth.
The second I felt her lips, I wanted to go home. “Don’t tease me, alright?”
“If I wanted to tease you, I’d do this…” She yanked down the front of her dress, showing her perky tits.
My face hardened with frustration and arousal.
“Don’t worry.” She leaned back and crossed her legs. “They’ll be ready for you when you get back.”
“Better be.” I got out and shut the door behind me. The bouncer immediately stepped to the side and allowed me entry with just a nod for a greeting. I buttoned the front of my suit as I walked into the darkness. Even though it was still early in the evening, there were already people dancing under the black light. Music thudded from the speakers and immersed me in the world I’d been born into.
I walked to the office and hoped I wouldn’t run into Isabella on the way. I hadn’t seen her since she dropped by my office about a month ago. I was ashamed to admit she tempted me, not because I missed her or wanted her, but because I wanted that relationship with Rome.
I rapped my knuckles against the door before I walked inside. “Where do we start?”
Jackson left the desk and walked back into the hallway. “Follow me.”
We crossed the bridge that overlooked the first floor and headed to the other side of Ruin where the playrooms were stationed. Jackson fished out his key card then walked to one of the playrooms reserved for either of us or VIPs.
“What’s this about?” I asked, trying not to jump to the wrong conclusion.
“You’ll see.” He got the door open and stepped into the dark room.
I followed behind him and waited for the lights to be flicked on.
Jackson hit the switch then pressed his body against the door, as if he was blocking it.
I didn’t like that one bit. “What are you doing?”
He crossed his arms over his chest then nodded to the center of the room.