AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Say?” I repeat.
“Ignore him,” Sawyer says. “Nobody calls me that. Thing is…” He seems to shake himself out of a daze. Reaching behind him, he pulls out a rectangular… package. No, wait, is that a book?
“What is this?” I whisper.
“It’s yours,” he says. “You left it at the café the other day. This time I remembered to bring it and give it to you.”
The book I wanted to read. The book he got for me. I stare at it, afraid to think what it means that he brought it here. Is it a good or a bad thing? Does he really want me to have it, or is he ridding himself of any trace of my presence in his café?
He holds it out for me. Wordlessly, I take it.
Then something else happens: he smiles. It’s faint and uncertain, but now I know, I know why he brought me the book, and I smile back.
“Sawyer,” I whisper, clutching the book to my chest. “Thank you.”
“Couldn’t leave you without your favorite fantasy men,” he says.
But I am standing in the presence of my favorite fantasy men. My heart is still thudding way too fast; my cheeks are on fire. Can’t he read my mind? Read my heart?
Something flickers in his bright gaze, and his eyes widen again. Maybe he does read my mind, he does feel it.
Before he can say anything more, though, a familiar, hated voice comes from behind me.
“Baby Doll,” my boss says. “If you’re done with the gentlemen, come here.”
I’m nowhere near done with them—though I should be—and this is all too confusing. “But?—”
“I have another job for you.” He nods at my men. “Gentlemen. If you don’t mind. I’ve promised her to a friend of mine for the rest of the evening.”
Wait a sec. My men? And what’s my boss saying? The rest of the evening?
“Promised her?” Archer’s voice is low and dangerous. “To whom?”
“For a lap dance,” my boss says smoothly, “of course. To a business associate of mine. You understand, I’m sure. A pretty gift makes for a good partnership.”
“You can tell your partner that she isn’t coming.” Archer’s voice has dropped even lower, to a deep growl. “She’s with us.”
“Excuse me?” My boss glowers, an ugly expression. “You got your lap dance. You can’t monopolize my dancers all evening. I pay them good money. They work for me.”
All my men—not yours, Brin—are on their feet now, stepping between me and my boss, a wall of hard muscles, chiseled jaws, and pure hostility.
“She doesn’t belong to you,” Kyrian says.
“She’s not your slave,” Roman adds. “You can’t just throw her at your friends for fun.”
Oh, God.
“Please, don’t,” I whisper. I think I’m going to throw up. “I need this job. Please?—”
Archer takes out another wad of money. Passes it to my boss. “She goes home tonight.”
I’m so scared. Scared of what my boss had planned for tonight, scared I won’t have a job tomorrow. Scared of how much I like these men standing up for me, being so protective, how that possessiveness is something I should never want or expect, and yet here I am, my head full of light.
“Fine,” my boss says after a long pause and takes the money. “Enjoy her, gentlemen. But she still works for me, and will be here tomorrow. Think about that before you get any ideas.”
Kyrian is growling deep inside his throat, and so is Archer, I realize.
My main thought is—I still have a job. One thing less to worry about.
