Jett searched my eyes before he spoke. “Lo, who owns this club?”

  “You do,” I said, as I waited for the lecture he was about to bestow upon me.

  “Who calls the shots around here?”

  “You do.”

  “And who do you submit to?” he asked, as he rubbed his thumbs near the juncture of my thighs.

  “You, so…” I squeezed out, as I tried to hide how turned on I was.

  “That’s correct, so when I tell you to go up to the Bourbon Room to wait for me, you do as I say.”

  “What if I don’t want to go?” I ask defiantly.

  Staring intently into my eyes, he didn’t break contact when he said, “I don’t play games, Lo. You either want me or you don’t. If you deny me just because of your stubborn personality, then I will be sure not to invite you again. If you deny me because you honestly don’t want to play, because you are no longer attracted to me or because there is something physically wrong with you, then that is okay, but don’t play games with me. I will not take kindly to them.”

  “What are you going to do, spank me?”

  A spark of lust shot through his eyes as his breathing kicked up a notch. “What if I do? Are you going to cry out in pleasure or pain?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  A deep growl radiated between us as I saw the kind of power I possessed over such an overbearing and dominant man. He was right; I did hold all the cards.

  “Are you playing games, little one? Because if you are, there will be consequences.”

  “Good or bad ones?” I asked as I ran my hand up the front of his shirt and bumped my hips into his, making contact with his arousal. I smiled to myself and slipped my hand down to his crotch, just to feel the effect I had on him. He surprisingly let me and, as I took him in, he lowered his head to my shoulder as he breathed heavily. The fact that I was able to paralyze a man like Jett Colby, made me wetter than a fucking ocean.

  “You are getting yourself into some serious trouble,” he gritted out.

  “I like trouble,” I purred against his ear, feeling his length harden in my hand.

  “Bourbon Room, now. You are to be sitting on the bed, with your hair down and still in your dress. There is a bathroom to the right of the room, remove all your makeup, I want you clean.”

  “Who’s to say…?”

  Jett looked up at me and stopped me in my tracks as the heady look of pure, unadulterated lust rang through his eyes.

  “Don’t push your luck, little one. You are playing with fire and you won’t like how you get burned.” The southern rasp of his voice sent my nerves into overdrive as his sweet, minty breath tickled along my skin.

  Yup, I definitely didn’t want to be burned, unless it was a good burn, a pleasurable burn that set my pussy on fucking fire, but I highly doubt that was the kind of burn he was referring to.

  I nodded my head, finally succumbing to his demands, not because he was an overbearing bastard, but because I was way too wet and way too turned on to even think about walking in front of a bunch of men in three inch heels. My legs would be giving out any second.

  Jett pulled away, but not before his thumb lightly grazed my nipple.

  “Gorgeous, absolutely breathtaking,” he murmured, as he stepped away and nodded toward the back door that led to a pair of hidden stairs. I nodded back in understanding and could feel his stare boring a whole through my back as I walked to the door. Before walking up the stairs, I turned around to see Jett standing next to the pillar I was just pressed up against with both hands in his pant pockets, staring at me with the intent to devour me. I inwardly squealed with excitement as I walked up the stairs, sans shoes, and thought about what was to come.

  I pushed all thoughts of Rex and his demands out of my mind as I prepared for a wild night of debauchery with the one and only Jett Colby.

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  “Animals”

  Jett

  I watched as Goldie sauntered away in a light piece of silk fabric that was barely covering her body. Making a mental note to talk to Tootse about her outfit choice, I turned back to the room full of powerful men to make my rounds before I headed up stairs.

  Taking my time as I circled the event, making sure to shake every man’s hand, I knew that I was prolonging the time when I would fully take Goldie as mine, but I did it on purpose. The girl needed to learn a little patience. I needed to teach her a lesson for having such a smart mouth.

  As I sauntered around, I thought about how much I despised the men that I breathed the same air with in this grand room. Most of them had families, wives to go home to, yet they chose to spend their money and their nights at my club ogling other women, world class women. I capitalized on their perversions, on the fact that they felt powerful, even though they weren’t. It was the perfect crime, to tease and taunt these men, making them think they’re being fulfilled, but never really giving them what they want.

  Spotting Kace talking to a few men, I politely pulled him to the side, out of hearing range, so I could have a private conversation with him. There was something I needed to get off my chest and it couldn’t wait.

  “What’s this I hear about you building new stage equipment for the girls? I thought all decisions were supposed to be run through me first.”

  Kace ran a hand over his face before he looked at me. “Dude, I can’t run every little thing by you; you are going to have to trust me at some point to make even the smallest decisions.”

  “Trust you? Just like I trusted you to be with Goldie, to help her with her transition here and I find you multiple times with your hands on her? That kind of trust?”

  “Fuck you, man. There’s only so much a guy can take when a sexy as hell girl like her is practically throwing her body at me. You kept her horny for so long, she didn’t have a damn choice and, sorry, but I am a man for fuck’s sake; I can’t control myself all the time. You have me working directly with five amazingly hot women every damn day, making them work out, watching their presentations, looking over their come-fuck-me outfits. Fuck, I have a constant hard on for a good percentage of my day; try dealing with that on a daily basis. I’m terrified my dick is going to fall off if I tease it one more time.”

  I tried not to chuckle at the desperation in Kace’s voice. I didn’t want to be a dick to him, but I guess I never thought of his job as such a hardship. But now that I thought about it…the bastard had a serious case of blue balls. Poor fucker.

  “I’m not sharing,” I said, while still holding my ground, even though I did feel a slight shred of pity for the man.

  “Did I fucking ask you? Have I ever asked you? Not once have I ever overstepped my boundaries since I’ve been here,” I went to speak, but he stopped me. “Until Lo got here. I will admit and plead temporary insanity where she’s concerned, but whatever happened is over. So, I would appreciate it if you would fuck off and let me make some damn decisions around here.”

  “Did you approve Goldie’s dress for tonight?” I asked, not acknowledging anything he just said.

  A slight smirk crossed Kace’s face because he knew I didn’t appreciate her dirty-ass porn star outfit.

  “No, Tootse pulled a switch. There was a different dress she showed me earlier. If I had known that was what Lo was going to wear, I never would have let her.” Kace looked around real quick before he leaned in and said, “You have to be fucking careful; the girls are starting to pick up on the fact that you are training Lo differently.”

  “How so?” I asked, knowing full well what I was doing differently, but denying it forcefully.

  “Flowers, notes, the way you act around her, no lap dances, sending her away tonight…You know if it was any other girl you wouldn’t have cared…”

  “Did you see the way the men were looking at her?” I seethed.

  “They look at all the girls like that, you just have an infatuation with her that makes you turn into some kind of animalistic ape. You look like a real jackass.”
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  “Are you done?” I asked, as my patience with him was wearing thin.

  “Shit, you’re the one who called me over. I was having a perfectly good conversation before you walked over.”

  I was about to answer him when I heard someone clear their throat from behind me. I turned to find my dad and Rex Titan standing next to each other with shit-eating grins on their faces. I was not at all surprised to see my dad, since I invited him, but seeing Rex Titan threw me for a loop. What the hell was he doing at an event I started for my members, but then geared toward city officials to gain more clout for the park project?

  “Gentlemen, how nice of you to attend tonight,” I said with my best southern charm.

  Rex held out his hand and stared directly into my eyes. We were a dead on even match for each other, same build same height, the only determinate of who would win a fight between us would be who had the most pent-up rage. I would vote for myself, but Rex might think differently.

  Adversaries since the age of five, I looked the man up and down and tried to hold back a sneer from forming on my face. I hated the man, despised him, barely could look at the fuckhead for many reasons, but there was one deep-seated reason that turned me into the bitter man I was today.

  “Natasha tucked away at home?” I asked, sarcasm lacing my voice.

  Rex smiled lightly and said, “Wouldn’t know, we’re getting a divorce.”

  Warning bells went off in my head at his news. Natasha and Rex were getting a divorce? Natasha was on the loose? She was available? Fuck.

  “So maybe she really did choose the wrong guy after all?”

  “Making you the right one?” Rex asked, as he looked me up and down and shook his head. “No, she chose the right man; I just chose the wrong girl, but I am making amends to that,” he said, as he smirked with his hands in his pockets. There was something about the look on his face that I didn’t like.

  I thought back to the day that I caught Natasha talking to Rex on the phone about leaving me before the wedding. I could still feel the stab of pain that shot straight through my heart when she said she wanted nothing to do with me, when she stated I wasn’t good enough.

  Like a pathetic man, I watched her pack her bags and walk straight out of my life and into another man’s arms, my one true enemy. A couple days later, my mom died from AIDS, never being able to see me get married, her one wish she carried with her. Even if Natasha was the wrong woman, I still would have wanted to give my mom that one wish, for her to see me happy and moving on with a woman, but I never got the chance. It was the biggest regret of my life, not being able to give my mom the pleasure of seeing me finally finding someone to take care of me. It killed my soul knowing I failed her.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, getting to the point and not wanting to go down memory lane.

  “Claiming what is mine,” Rex replied. What the hell did that mean? I was about to ask him when I saw my dad put his hand on Rex’s shoulder, stopping him from speaking further. Confusion washed over my body as I watched my sperm donor and worst adversary communicate silently to each other, as if they were actually in cahoots.

  “There are plenty of city officials here tonight, son. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that you are trying to bribe them. Now, what happened to good morals and ethics? You wouldn’t want your little party to get into the papers, letting the city know that you are using practically naked women to help win over some property for yourself, now would you?” A complacent smiled spread across his face, practically saying, “Caught you red-handed.”

  Irritation bubbled over as I watched my own flesh and blood blackmail me. How I came from the despicable and disgusting man that was standing before me was beyond my comprehension. By no means was I bribing anyone tonight; I just brought the city officials to my club so I could mingle with them easier, get to know them, and better expose the worthless piece of crap my father was.

  “Just like you wouldn’t want the news of your late night penthouse party bribes to get out either, am I right?” I countered.

  Shock crossed my dad’s features for a brief second, as he realized I knew about his non-disclosed late nights full of actual hookers, drugs, and alcohol. Instead of letting him cut in, I continued. “This may be a party for my club members, but it was also a fundraiser for the local Boys and Girls Clubs…to spread awareness about their needs. I have a few ambassadors from the club, albeit adult ones, circling the room, introducing themselves and talking about the needs of the clubs and how perfect Lot 17 would be for our new project. So far, I would say the evening is going rather swimmingly. Wouldn’t you agree, Kace?” I looked over at my friend, who was now grinning.

  “I would say so,” he concurred. “I would say there’s a fat chance in hell Lot 17 will be used for anything other than the Boys and Girls Clubs after tonight.”

  I watched as my dad ground his teeth together and the muscles in his jaws ticked like firecrackers going off at the Fourth of July. It was rather amusing, seeing my dad get so worked up that his face practically turned an ugly shade of purple. It was good to once again have the upper hand on the old man.

  My dad pointed a finger at Kace. “Don’t think I don’t know about you killing that man at the bar. I can ruin you with the right investigator, so keep your trailer park trash of a mouth out of my business.” I watched as Kace stood his ground, not letting my dad’s poor etiquette of bringing up Kace’s past affect him. “As for you,” he pointed at me, “If I don’t get that property, you are not going to like what happens.”

  “Unfortunately for you, I could care less about your empty threats. You have nothing on me and won’t ever have anything on me. I run an honest business in many ways, something you will never be able to do, so if I were you, I would start looking for a new property.”

  “You will regret those words one day…son.” The way he said the word son, with such malice in his voice almost made me step back, but I stood my ground.

  As both men walked away, I replayed the conversation in my head and tried to figure out what Rex meant by claiming what was his.

  “Why do you think Rex was here?” I asked, as both Kace and I circled the room one last time.

  “Are you that dense, man?”

  “What?” I asked with irritation, wondering why it was so hard for Kace to just get to the fucking point.

  “Who used to pay Lo for sex before she came here?”

  As realization hit me like a cold slap to the face, I felt my stomach tighten at the thought of Goldie running off with Rex, just like my Natasha had run off with him. A cold sweat took over my entire body and I told myself it wasn’t because I had feelings for her; it was from the pain of rejection that I once experienced, and not wanting to relive the same kind of rejection all over again, not because I had feelings for Goldie.

  “Motherfucker…” I whispered, as I looked about the room.

  “You got that right,” Kace said, as he grabbed a drink off of a tray and downed it completely. I wasn’t even sure if he knew what it was.

  I turned to Kace and stopped in his tracks, leaned forward and said, “If Rex decides to become a member, allow it. I want to see what he is up to, who he is doing business with and what his intentions are for being a member of the club. I want to keep my eye on him. Got it?”

  Kace nodded his head as he looked around at the party, as if he was trying to spot someone. “Well, time for me to head,” he said, while looking down at his watch. “Do you mind if I take off? I have a brunette with fake titties waiting for me in my room.”

  “Fake?” I asked, trying not to show my distaste.

  He shrugged his shoulders. “They’re alright; they’re more for show when she’s riding my big old donkey dick. You should see them bounce man, that shit’s hot.”

  I laughed and nodded. “Still think you got the biggest torpedo this side of the Mississippi?” I asked about our running joke from when we were young.

  “Hell yeah. I told you; anytime you w
ant to invite me up to the Bourbon Room, I’m more than happy to oblige and submit. I just ask that you’re gentle.”

  This was the Kace that I missed, the Kace I grew up with. He was fun and exciting to be around, not always dark and brooding and ready to snap at the first thing that went wrong. After the incident in the bar, he became so dark and sinister most of the time, it was hard to even talk to him. So, most of the time, I found myself threatening him to even get a word out of his stubborn mouth. I knew it wasn’t the proper way of functioning, since it probably only brought up bad memories, but I couldn’t help it. There was no other way of breaking the monotonous trance he spent most of his days in.

  “I will take your offer into consideration. You never know, you might just be the man that pushes me over into being capable of making a commitment.”

  Kace laughed as he cupped my chin, “You should only be so lucky.”

  I pushed his hand aside. “Get the fuck out of here, you fucking vagina.”

  Kace feigned shock at my words and said, “Why Jett Colby, you sound like you have been hanging with the commoners. Where are your standards?”

  “Fuck off and go squeeze some saline sacs.”

  Chapter Thirty

  “Maneater”

  Jett

  Taking a deep breath and preparing myself for what I could only imagine would be an enthralling night of insolence and challenges, I braced myself as I walked into the Bourbon Room.

  Purple lights lined the walls, giving off a cool night lighting that I’ve become very fond of. I looked around the room and spotted Goldie on the bed, looking like a dark angel with the purple lighting reflecting off of her beautiful skin. She was on the bed like I asked, but instead of her waiting patiently for my entrance, her body lay still on the bed, hair fanned out on the comforter and the cutest little snore came from her partially open mouth.

  I shook my head and laughed silently as I took in the scene in front of me. Would I ever be able to train her?