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  “How’s it going?” Lawrence asks as he surveys the club and Pour Some Sugar On Me blasts from the DJ booth.

  “You need more bouncers.”

  “Sorry.” He gives an apologetic shrug. “They really don’t want to follow the rules with you. I think it’s because you won’t dance, and you’ve got a top on.” He stares at my tits.

  “If I don’t keep them on lockdown while I’m serving drinks, I’ll knock someone out.” Lawrence laughs, but I’m not joking.

  “You should think about it. I’ve gotten asked by five different men about private dances with you. Oh, and a married couple.”

  Is there something about me that screams ménage? “Really?” I don’t get it. I don’t look anything else like the ladies working here.

  “One asked if you did other things.” I cringe. “When I told him no, he offered ten grand.” I stand there in shock as the bartender fills up my tray with drinks. “Close your mouth.” Lawrence chuckles again. “Are you tempted?”

  “No.” I’m doing well on tips even though I’m not topless. As long as the men don't get more aggressive, I think I can handle this, but in the back of my mind I already know they will. I feel weirdly guilty about doing this in the first place. I think about what Rogue would say if he saw me here, and every time I try and shake thoughts of him off, he pops back up.

  “Are you sure?” Lawrence pats a notebook in front of him. “I collected the names if you change your mind.”

  I grab my full tray off the bar and shake my head. “I won’t.”

  I go back to delivering drinks and taking orders as the club starts to get busier. How Lawrence runs this place without enough staff is beyond me. It’s packed.

  “I’ll take another.” I turn around quickly when a hand brushes up against my ass, but he’s faster at getting a handful and I feel the creep squeeze me. I push him back, which only makes him laugh.

  “Watch it or you're out,” I warn, trying to be stern. This is something I never had to worry about in the casino because security was everywhere. There’s not enough protection for what’s happening in here.

  “You’re a feisty thing.” The creep licks his lips, making my skin crawl, and it’s clear he’s drunk already.

  “I’m going to have to cut you off.”

  The smirk on his face falls. “You don’t have to be a bitch.”

  Maybe I do because it’s the only thing he’s actually heard me say. “I’ll bring you a water.” I go to step around him, but he blocks my path.

  “If ten thousand wasn’t enough, maybe twenty will do.”

  Holy hell, this is the guy? Who has twenty grand to spend on sex? Rogue definitely does because I have no doubt it cost way more than that to rent out that whole poker room. And he didn't even get sex.

  “Sorry, I’m not for sale.” I step around him, trying to shake off the creepy feeling he’s giving me.

  When I get to the bar, I drop my tray and sneak to the back to steal a small break. I should check my phone, but I don’t think I ever gave Rogue my number.

  “There you are.” I turn around and run right smack into twenty grand guy from before. He must have followed me.

  I take a few steps back, and I see he’s angry. His eyes are glassy, and I can smell the whiskey on him, but I can tell it’s more than alcohol that’s fueling him.

  “I’ll be there with your water in a few minutes.” My heart starts to race, and I step into the back hallway that goes to the women's bathrooms and Lawrence’s office.

  “I don’t want any fucking water.” He steps closer, clearing any space I made between us. I go to tell him to step back, but he grabs my upper arm and slams me against the wall. All the air leaves my lungs at the impact. “You’re a fucking tease, you know that?”

  He presses one hand against my throat as the other tries to grab me between the legs. He’s so drunk I’m not sure he knows what he’s doing because he grabs my inner thigh. The sound of my fishnets ripping has terror spiking inside me.

  I shove him as hard as I can, but when my arms extend there’s nothing but space in front of me and he’s gone. I watch as his body hits the ground hard, and there’s a blur of movement as someone gets on top of him and punches him repeatedly.

  Blood pours from Twenty Grand’s face as he lies in a pile on the floor, and I see a giant body come to a standing position in front of me. I’d know that mammoth frame anywhere.

  “Rogue!” I shout, and as he turns his head, his dark eyes meet mine.

  “What in the fuck is going on?” Lawrence barks as Rogue turns his glare on the club owner. “Ember, are you okay?”

  I nod, but Rogue isn’t looking at me.

  “Okay? Is she fucking okay?” Rogue takes a step toward Lawrence, and I rush over and get between them.

  “Don’t,” I plead, and Rogue scowls down at me. I place my hand on his chest, and he relaxes only a fraction. It’s not much, but I’ll take what I can get at the moment because I’m pretty sure he might burn this place down with everyone in it.

  “Come over here.” Lawrence tries to coax me to him, but I shake my head.

  I’m sure he’s freaking out because Rogue looks like he’s about to take this place apart. The wrong thing to do right now would be to leave Rogue’s side.

  Stepping fully in front of Rogue with my back to him, I put distance between him and Lawrence. Rogue wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me snug against him.

  “This is Rogue, he’s my—”

  “She belongs to me,” he finishes.

  Belong to him? I’d elbow him right now if he didn't just save me a few seconds ago. I also ignore how much I actually like the sound of that response.

  “Is that so?” Lawrence asks me.

  “Yes.” If I say anything else, Lawrence will send every bouncer in here after Rogue to get me away from him.

  “And she’s leaving.”

  “She’s working.” Oh my god, does Lawrence not know how to read the room?

  I don’t have to look at Rogue to know he’s about to explode.

  “Listen here, motherfucker—” Rogue begins, but I cut him off this time.

  “I’m leaving.” I give Lawrence a look that has him holding his hands up in front of him.

  “Take out the trash,” Lawrence tells one of the bouncers standing nearby.

  “Sorry,” I say. It doesn’t matter if Rogue is here or not. There’s no way I can keep working here after that. It only took two hours for this new job to fall to shit just like the casino. What is wrong with these men? If it wasn’t for my bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all.

  Rogue takes me by the hand and pulls me from the club. I start to tell him I need to grab my bag with my clothes in it, but I stop myself. I know he’s not going to let my hand go, and I don’t want him going back into the dressing room. It's silly, I know, but I say nothing as he opens the door to the town car, and I scramble inside. He gets in after me and slams it shut before barking an order at the driver and putting up the divider.

  “What were you doing at a strip club?” I blurt out, beating him to it.

  His nostrils flare. “Work.”

  “Me too,” I tease. Now I’m the one poking the bear.

  “You’re pushing it, Ember. I’m still so fucking pissed that if I don’t calm down, I’m going to go back in there and do something I’ll regret.”

  I swallow and look down at my torn fishnets. I can see the little marks Rogue left behind and I run my fingers along them. I never should have gotten out of his bed this morning.

  Before I know what’s happening, he pulls me onto his lap and buries his face in my neck. I start to feel better instantly as he inhales my skin. How does he do that?

  “Tell me you’re okay.”

  I let myself relax into his warmth. “I’m okay. Were you there for me?”

  “Fucking fate.” His warm breath tingles against my skin. “Why were you there, Ember? Is this a second job you didn't tell me about or something? You really t
hink I’d be okay with this shit?”

  I swallow hard. That was a lot of questions at once. “It was a last-minute thing. I got fired from the casino last night.” He pulls back to look at me, and I spill the whole story. I knew he’d get it out of me one way or another, and by the time I’m done he’s just as mad.

  “It's clear I can’t leave you alone. That is just how it will have to be.” I smile because in a roundabout way, it's sweet. “I’ll handle Neil.”

  I know he will just by the glint in his eyes. “You’ll get my job back at the casino?”

  “No.”

  “Rogue, I have to have a job.”

  “You’re hired.” I bark a laugh, but he keeps a straight face.

  “You’re not paying me for sex.” I stare into his eyes, trying to read them. “Is that what this is, Rogue? Be straight with me before you take me to your house. Tell me what this is because I need to know if I should leave my heart at the door. I don’t want to get hurt.”

  I give him the truth because my mom already broke my heart. I don’t want to get any closer to him only to lose him.

  “I already told you, Ember. You belong to me and that includes your heart.”

  Who am I trying to kid? With all that’s happened tonight, I’ve somehow fallen harder than I ever thought possible.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Rogue

  I’m out as soon as the vehicle comes to a stop. I pull her from the car and try not to stomp into the house. As the sound of my shoes echoes in the foyer, I realize it didn’t work. I’m trying not to be so angry, but I can’t help it. Seeing her in that strip club with another man's hands on her, I lost it. I could have killed him if she hadn’t called my name. I’ve never been one for violence but I’m not opposed to it when necessary. It was fucking necessary tonight.

  “Sir, we’ve got her bag for you.” The driver hands it to me and Ember looks surprised.

  “How’d you get that?” She looks at the driver leaving, and I wait for the door to close before I answer her.

  “I had someone retrieve it from the club as we were leaving.” I toss it on the chair in the living room and turn around to face her. “Go upstairs and take a shower. I’ve got to make some phone calls.”

  “What?” She’s standing there with her ripped fishnets and smudged eyeliner and all I want to do is throw her on the ground and rut on top of her.

  “If I touch you right now I’ll lose control. And clearly you’ve had enough men putting their hands on you lately.” I clench my fists at my side. “I let myself hold you in the limo, but I can’t take any more. Not right this second and not without being too rough.”

  “I feel like I should have some say in how I’m treated.” She doesn’t make a move to do what I say, and I storm close until we’re almost touching.

  “Not like this, Ember. I won’t have our first time be when I’m so close to the edge.” I feel my heart racing and sweat down my back. If I touch her I’ll hurt her.

  She opens her mouth to argue, and I shake my head. “Go. Now.”

  With a final huff, she backs up, and I watch as she takes her ass upstairs. When I have a little distance from her, I sigh because I fucking hate it. All I want is to be near her, but I have to handle this. I have to make sure she’s safe.

  Fucking Theo. I could kill him, but if he hadn’t sent me to that club, I wouldn’t have gotten to Ember in time. That thought is too dark to visit, and I push it away. I grab my phone and walk down the long hall to my office. Once I’m inside, I close the door and go over to my desk. I take a seat in the oversized chair behind it and dial his number.

  “I heard you made an entrance,” Theo says when he answers.

  “Your envelope was delivered, and I’m going to take thirty grand from you so we can file this under attorney-client privilege.” I clench my jaw so hard it pops.

  “I’ll have my girl wire you the money.” I hear him chuckle and take a drag of a cigarette. “I figured you’d stay for the entertainment.”

  “A strip club isn’t my scene.”

  “Sounds like you found something you liked.”

  “That’s none of your business. I owed you a favor and I did what you needed me to do. I don’t want to know what was in that envelope, but it’s been delivered. Just make sure you pay me for the service so I can’t be asked questions in court.”

  “Already done, big man. My girl just sent the confirmation.”

  “So we’re all done here, right?” I need to know the debt is paid because nobody likes owing Theo in this town.

  “We’re square. Tell your brother good luck.” He laughs again as he exhales. “Y’all sure do know how to start gossip.”

  “Believe me it’s new for the both of us.” I loosen my tie as I lean back in my chair.

  “I’ll be here if you need me.” I can hear the smile in his voice.

  “Hopefully I won’t.” I hang up and let out a long sigh.

  I dial the next number, needing to get all of this shit situated before I can join Ember upstairs. Having things in order is the only way I’m going to calm down.

  “Why are you calling me?” Bull says as a greeting.

  “I need your services.”

  “I don’t work anymore. My work is Teeny.” I hear him grunt, but it could just be because he’s standing up.

  Bull is someone I hired on occasion a few years ago to do some online research for me. I also hired some of his guys for my clients. Too many of my clients were women running from abusive ex-husbands and they needed protection. Bull could dig up dirt on anyone, and his men were the best. He’s mostly retired since getting married, but there’s no one else I trust with my Ember.

  “It’s personal this time.”

  “You have an ex-wife you need protection from?” He grunts again, but this time it kind of sounds like a laugh.

  “It’s for my woman.” There’s silence on the other end so I take it he’s at least listening. “I can’t let anything happen to her. She’s gotten in two really bad situations—” I stop talking when my throat gets tight thinking about what could have happened. “I can’t let anything happen to her.” There’s another long pause, and I bury my face in my hands. “Please, there’s no one I trust more.”

  “He’ll do it,” I hear a soft feminine voice say. “You’ll do it, Bull, and you’ll be nice about it.”

  “I will do it,” he echoes.

  I breathe a sigh of relief as I fall back in my chair. “Thank you so much. You have no idea—”

  My words are once again cut off when I see Ember walk into my office wearing one of my T-shirts. It’s white and so threadbare I can see through to her dusky nipples. She bunches the front of it in her hands as she walks over to where I’m sitting.

  “What is it you need?” I hear Bull clicking on his computer and I clear my throat.

  Ember’s barefoot with wet hair over one shoulder. Her face is free of makeup and her skin looks fresh out of the shower.

  “Everything,” I say softly, then I swallow hard as she walks to where I’m sitting and kneels down in front of me.

  “Explain better,” Bull barks, and I have to blink a few times.

  “She’s going to be working for me in the offices, but I have court some days so she’ll need someone with her.” She raises an eyebrow and smirks as she undoes my belt and pants.

  “Okay,” Bull agrees and keeps clicking. “Do you want a personal guard?”

  I hiss as she pulls my cock out and takes it between her hands. “Yes.” She licks her lips and I hear Bull bark another question “What?” I’m trying to keep up, but the sight of Ember in front of me on her knees staring at my cock like she needs to suck it to live is a bit distracting.

  “I said female or male? What do you want on her at all times?”

  I grunt when I think about me being on her at all times but answer with my first instinct. “Female.”

  She keeps her eyes on me as she opens her mouth over my cock and wraps her lips aroun
d the head. She sucks gently as her tongue flicks over the opening, and I feel her delve inside to taste me.

  “Fuck,” I grunt, and I hear something on the other end of the phone, but I don’t catch it.

  “I’ll have someone there in the morning,” Bull says, and I nod even though he can’t see me. “I’ll email you the details.”

  “Good,” I hiss, my hips thrusting up without my permission.

  “Teeny says she wants an invite to the wedding,” Bull tells me.

  Just then Ember’s eyes meet mine as she takes more of me into her mouth, and her hands wrap around my shaft.

  “She’ll have that tomorrow.” I hear him laughing on the other end as I hang up the phone. “Ember.” My voice is so deep I almost don’t recognize it.

  She hums, and my entire shaft vibrates. Her hands tighten around my cock, but even with two of them working the length, she can’t cover all of it. Her mouth is stretched, but she’s stuffed full of cock and the sight is my undoing.

  I grab her by the hair with one hand and pull her back so my cock springs free from her mouth with a little pop.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” I pull her up and onto my lap so she’s straddling me. My bare cock is straining up, and I glance down to see her hand in her pussy. “Fuck.”

  “I was enjoying myself.” She licks her lips and I swear to god the devil has put her on earth to torture me.

  “Show me,” I bark, and she slides her fingers out of her pussy and holds them up for me. My mouth descends on them greedily as I rip the shirt off of her. “You deserve better than this.”

  She’s completely naked on top of me, her wet hair hanging over one shoulder. I grab the meat of her hips and pull her close so that her slippery cunt is right over the head of my dick.

  “Don’t tease me,” she whines, rocking her hips, and the lips of her pussy brush my cock.

  “Me? Every moment of the day you torment me.” I squeeze her ass and guide her down on my length, unable to stop myself. “I’ll be gentle next time, I swear. I’ll go slow and make love to you on a bed of rose petals.” The warmth of her cunt envelops me, and I growl like an animal in the back of my throat. “But right now I need to fuck you so hard the veins on my cock are tattooed on you.”