AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Honestly? Not really. I kind of just want to pretend I didn’t hear it so I can focus on how sexy you look in that suit instead of worrying about how many people have been sent to the farm.”Oh my gosh! What is wrong with me?My forehead stings as I let it drop to the table in front of us. First, I can’t seem to get out any words, and now, they are vomiting out of my mouth at an alarming rate. If I carry on like this, he won’t need to worry about keeping me quiet. I am most certainly going to die of embarrassment. Andre’s soft laugh does wonders to settle my nerves, though.
“Oh, doll, I think you and I are going to get on swimmingly. Now, let’s get back to my second question. What is a delicious little thing like you doing in ol’ London?”
I take a moment to gather myself, peeking at him from under my lashes.Do I tell him my whole story? What if he decides it’s too much drama for him and doesn’t keep me after all?I decide on just putting all my cards on the table, and once again, let the word vomit free.
“My ma and pa both died when I was sixteen. My only other living relative that was willing to take me in was my granny. She lived just outside of London. So, I’ve been living here with her for the last 3 years. Well, I suppose I lived with her. She died a few months ago. Since then, I’ve been trying to stay afloat. I don’t have citizenship yet—I need two more years under my belt before I can apply—so I don’t have access to any of the usual resources. An old school friend told me aboutThe Red Stiletto,and as I am halfway through my first year at the London School of Arts on a dance scholarship, it seemed like a good fit. The hours are flexible, so I can fit it in around school, and the money is good enough to keep up with rent and food.”
Throughout my entire speech, he is looking at me with rapt attention. It’s intoxicating having all that intense energy focused on me. I cannot remember a time anyone ever really just took the time to listen to me. My parents were always attached at the hip, so into each other that they tended to forget about my existence. Granny could not see past her heartache to give me any of the love I had been craving. As a result, I know I’ve ended up being a little too needy. Therefore, his eyes on me, him hanging on my every word helped rid me of the last bit of trepidation. I know it’s crazy, but my heart and soul feel a connection to this handsome stranger. For once, I was going to take the risk, the one I would normally run away from as fast as I can.
“Were you serious about keeping me?”
“Oh, baby, you have no idea. You’re mine now. You just don’t know it yet,” and with those words, he leans over and places a tender kiss on my lips. The second our lips connect, a fire runs through my veins, and it takes everything inside me to stop myself from jumping him. A soft moan escapes my mouth, and he catches it with his. Andre’s teeth softly bite at my lips, demanding entrance. I gladly grant it to him. When his tongue touches mine, and he explores my mouth, I give in to my urges to crawl in his lap and straddle him. His hands rest on my hips, and he gives them a gentle squeeze before pulling back from our kiss.
“Doll, as much as I’d like to carry on with what we’re starting right now, this isn’t really the place. How about you go grab your stuff and we head to my house? Then we can talk some more about everything I can do with a delicious little doll like you.” When he’s done talking, the big scary, bearded guy returns to the table, and Andre instructs him to follow me to the changing rooms, then escort me to the car where he will be waiting. Climbing out of the booth behind me, he kisses my temple before swatting my ass and sending me on my way.
ChapterTwo
Amanda
The ride in Andre’s delectable limo is—sadly—uneventful. When I climb into the back of the limo, Andre is on a phone call in what sounds like a Middle Eastern language.Just how many languages can he speak?The second I sit down, he reaches over and pulls me so I’m sitting flush against him. His hand rests on my thigh where he makes lazy circles that are slowly driving me insane. While he’s on the phone, I let my mind wander to the night and everything that’s happened.
First, my maintenance guy decided to corner me after school and demand the rent I’d fallen behind on.Again.The skeezy asshole had offered to put in a good word with the owner for me if I helped him out with his own little problem. The hand that cupped his very ‘little’ problem was a clear indicator of exactly what it is he needed help with. No way was I going anywhere near that disgusting thing, nor did I want to start looking for a new place. Amy had warned me against any encores. Andre firmly believed in leaving the audience wanting, ensuring that they would return for more. But I needed another turn on the stage. Amy wouldn’t let me on the floor for private performances until I had some more training on how to handle the handsy customers. So I broke the rules.
When Amy walked into the changing room, I knew I was done for. I had walked to Andre’s table with dread in my tummy. I’d been working atThe Red Stilettofor a few months now, and Andre had been out of the country dealing with another matter. I guess he chose tonight to come back to the club. He was looking very sternly at a very terrified, creepy man. Then I heard him talk to the scary-looking mo-fo and tell him that he should take the other guy to the farm to feed him to the pigs, and I could not help the gasp that escaped my lips. I wanted to run so far and fast, but somehow, my feet were glued to the floor.
Now? All I want to do is crawl back into Andre’s lap and let him kiss away all the worries that are slowly starting to creep back in.Am I acting like a loon? Probably. Do I care? Not a chance.I have no idea what it is, but something about Andre is talking to my soul, and until something big happens to change my mind, I am just going to go with it. If there is anything that I have learned in my short life, it is that you have to embrace the good while you have it.
After a time, in which Andre answers two more phone calls, each in a different language, we pull up in front of a rather large house. It is a very old building, but a lot of care has gone into the upkeep of it. It is beautiful and pristine. As we stop in the circular driveway, Andre hangs up on his latest phone call and gives my thigh another squeeze.
“Sorry, Dollface. I didn’t mean to be rude, but I needed to wrap up a few things so I could give our discussion all the attention it deserves.” The intense look in his eyes along with his hand moving higher on my thigh left no doubt in my mind exactly what kind of ‘discussion’ Andre was planning on having with me. I grinned at him and squeezed his hand.
“Then I suppose you had better take me inside so we can start that discussion.” I quipped at him. I reach for the door just as it’s opened from the outside.
“Ah, Johannes, thank you. I’ve moved my evening’s appointments so I won’t need you for the rest of the night, but if you could please let Janine know that I have company tonight and we will be needing some refreshments,” he paused to look at me, “Do you want something to eat, doll?”
“Uhm, if it isn’t too much trouble? I haven’t had a chance to grab anything yet.”
“Get Janine to put together something quick and light for me and Amanda and then the both of you can have the rest of the night off,” he finishes his order, looking back at Johannes.
Johannes takes my hand and helps me out of the car, with Andre on my heels. I’m then led into the house. The entryway is so breathtaking, I have to stop to take it all in. Andre steps up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. This is exactly the kind of place I would imagine him living in. It’s sleek, modern and everything is in its place. Just like everything I’ve seen of Andre so far. Johannes walks deeper into the house, I’m presuming to locate the mysterious Janine and impart Andre’s orders on her.
“This way to the family room. It’s the most comfortable room in the house. Would you like to take off those ridiculous shoes you have on, doll?” I’m a little offended at the ‘ridiculous’ comment because these shoes are hot so I roll my eyes and snark back at him.
“These shoes are perfect, thank you very much.”
“Okay, doll. Would you like to take off your perfect, yet ridiculously high shoes?” he asks with another laugh. Seems I amuse this man more than a little. Although, I suppose there are worse things in life than amusing the man you’d like to take to bed. Instead of answering him, I grab hold of his shoulder and slip off my sexy blood-red heels one at a time. He surprises me by taking them from me, and then lifting me in his arms, bridal style.
“What on earth is this for?”
“Just taking care of what’s mine,” he returns as he walks further into the house, past a huge arch that leads into what looks like a library and into another room with a sunken floor, large fireplace and huge L-shaped couches inside the sunken area of the room. Each settee is littered with large soft-looking throw pillows. Thisisa very comfortable room. Andre lays me down on one of the settees and lowers himself over me. One very hard part of his anatomy makes itself known as he presses against me.
“There we go, right where I want you. Are you going to be a good girl for me, Dollface, and stay right where I put you?” Just the thought of pleasing this man has butterflies a flutter in my tummy, and I mutely nod at him. “Good girl. I’ll be right back, I just need to fetch a few things and then we can get started on that discussion,” he praises me, and I can feel my core clench. I watch his ass as he walks out of the room, so sue me, the man has a great ass.
He’s gone just long enough for me to start growing restless. When he appears at the door again, he’s holding a length of rope, a bottle of wine and two glasses.
“I grabbed these from Janine on my way back. She’ll be along shortly with a small meal, so I’m afraid we will have to behave just a tiny bit until she stops by,” he says, indicating the wine and glasses. My gaze follows him as he places them down on one of the end tables before walking back over to me, the rope still in his hand. The other hand gets held out to me and I place mine in his. He pulls me up to a sitting position and then slides in behind me. A soft hum of pleasure escapes me as I settle into his safe embrace.
“So… Keeping me? What would that entail, Andre?”
