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I watch in utter fascination as she raises her chin alight with flaming red cheeks and bits of garnish adorning her hair. She squares her shoulders like a queen, pulling the jacket together in the front. She turns toward fuckface, her features softening and making my breath catch in my throat when she sucker punches me right in the gut with a smile that could power my entire bar.
“Thank you.” Her voice is no longer fuelled with rage when she addresses fuckface.
That is when two thoughts pop into my mind. I’m completely intrigued and bedazzled. Yes, I said bedazzled. It’s like her smile actually sparkles and sprinkles everything in the vicinity of it with its sparkly shit, making me feel like I’ve been bedazzled like a teenager’s phone. While that smile was not meant for me, I was within its radiance and got hit with its sparkle that went straight to my loins.
The second thought is that if any other man comes near her again tonight, I’m going to rip their head off and shove it up their ass. Like I’m about to do to fuckface any minute if he doesn’t take his gallant ass back to where it was a few minutes ago, and once we’re in my office, I’ll make sure to have his alcohol-ladened Tom Ford leather bomber jacket taken back to him.
After which, I’ll make sure Oslo politely escorts him from my bar, making sure the man smiles for the camera near the door so I can find out who the fuck he is.
Okay, so now I’ve had a third thought—I want this woman—she’s mine! At least for tonight, anyway. A most exquisite distraction at the end of a shitty day. Oh yes, I’ve definitely found my company for tonight.
While I have a hard and fast rule about not fucking around with the staff, I have no such rule about the patrons of my establishment. Especially those who wander into the darker side of my club, the Dark Velvet Lounge. Now, I just have to convince her of what steamy fun we could have together.
“You’re welcome.” Fuckface returns her smile and bows. His eyes turn to me with a cool assessment. “The lady’s right. You really should look where you’re going to avoid getting hurt.”
Was that a threat?
“Please let me know where I can return your jacket,” the woman asks him, cutting off my reply, and, to my surprise, she takes a step back toward me.
That’s when I catch the briefest flash in her eyes that the man is making her uncomfortable. Like me, she’s sensed the underlying danger coiled inside him. This pisses me off even more when only a few seconds ago, she was laying into me like I’m not dangerous at all.
Have I somehow lost my danger signals in the last few hours? Or was she so infuriated she didn’t care, and now that she’s cooled off, her danger radar is back in place? I’m not sure if that’s going to work in my favor with my new plans for her.
“No need.” Fuckface looks at the woman and gives her a gentle smile which makes me dislike him more. What’s his game? “Keep it. A souvenir to remember this night by.”
“That’s very kind of you.” The woman gives him another smile, only this time with less wattage.
Take that, asshole. Your five-thousand-dollar jacket didn’t even make her flinch. I know exactly what kind of play that was. I’ve seen it on arrogant rich guys with too much money before. Hand her your pricey jacket like you have a million others back home. Fuckwit!
He gives me a cool glance before smiling politely at the woman and tips his head once more. “Have a good evening further.”
His eyes meet mine for a brief second, and I can’t help but feel he’s assessing me or warning me. The feeling we’ve met before grows stronger, but I can’t place him. I know most of the crime families faces.
He’s definitely not one of them. I also know that if he is part of a crime family, he’s on top of that family’s hierarchy. I glance back as he walks away and frown. I know I’ve seen him somewhere before. But like that thought that teases the back of your brain that just can’t quite reach, I can’t place him.
No time to ponder on fuckface, not when the woman turns and is about to walk away. I can’t let that happen. I grab her arm and spin her around while crunching over shards of glass.
“Shit, I thought this mess was cleaned up,” I growl and turn toward the bar for Helen to get over here before turning back to the woman standing stock still and staring at my hand clamped around her arm. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bulldoze into you like that. I was in a hurry to get to my office, and I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
Helen walks over. “Shit, didn’t May clean this up?” Helen clenches her teeth and glances around before looking at the woman I’m holding captive. “Are you okay, honey?”
“Except for flamingly embarrassed about showing off my wares to the entire bar,” she answers Helen, showing me yet another side of her as humor flickers in her hazel eyes. “I scored a Tom Ford bomber jacket.”
Helen chuckles. “And it’s a really magnificent jacket, too.” She reaches out and feels it. “Fuck, it probably cost more than most people make in a couple of months.”
“Can you get one of your wait staff to clean up this mess, please?” I say through gritted teeth, wanting to cut this conversation short.
“They’re on their way,” Helen points in the direction. “Can I get you a drink on the house for your pain?” She asks the woman, glancing at me, smiling cheekily. “How about a bottle of our finest champagne on the house?”
“Why don’t you have that sent up to my office so I can offer, Miss….” I look at the woman, hoping she offers me her name.
“It’s okay.” She completely dodges my attempt to get her name. “I’d better try to find my friend and leave.” She shivers. “I’m all sticky and wet.”
Fuck! Those are not two words that should be strung together in front of a horny man that’s just had a glimpse of her practically naked. Already, my mind had sprung to how many ways I could help her get rid of the messy alcohol and make sure she was sticky and wet in much more pleasurable ways.
“Oh, no, at least get the champagne first,” Helen tells her with a wink before looking at me. “Let me know where to send it to.” She walks off as one of the wait staff starts cleaning around us.
I move us away from the broken glass.
