The men are all breathing deeply as I slip on my high heel. I take a slip of paper from the coffee table with the Club Sin logo across the top and quickly scribble a note with the pen each of us used to sign their blasted contract with.
I leave it on the table next to Atlas’ cufflinks. At the door I pause briefly and look back over them in the large bed. I could stay. But these three have to do more to earn my heart than a simple night of decadence and sin. They’ll have to work for it.
I take another look at my note and smirk.
I ease from the room and retrace my steps to the entrance only to find it darkened and no one at the door I arrived through.
Okay.
I go in search of another way out when I hear faint music coming from a closed door off to my left. I head that way and find a bartender shelving bottles and cleaning up from the previous evening. The large gathering area is empty as I assume everyone has gone off to their designated rooms for the night long ago.
I go to check my clutch for my phone to see the time but stop short.
“Excuse me…”
I’m greeted with a warm smile. “Theo.”
“Hi, Theo. I’m wondering where I might find Charlotte? Have you seen her? She has my phone and shawl.”
God, please don’t let me look like I was just ravished by three men all night long. I casually glance at my wrists to make sure I’m not sporting marks I should be hiding.
If I do, the nice man behind the polished bar who is about my age-ish is gentleman enough not to say anything, bless him. “I’m sorry, she’s gone home for the evening.”
My heart sinks. Crap. Now what? My lips quirk up in a smile. “Then maybe you can help me find my cell phone?”
He sets aside a glass and rounds the bar. “Sure. Give me a minute. There’s one central place they are kept.” I give him my name and he disappears behind an unmarked red door. In a few minutes the nice bartender reappears and hands over my cell phone.
“Thanks, Theo.”
“Did you enjoy your stay at Club Sin?”
My porcelain skin turns redder than the decor on this side of the club. Where everything is black in the private section I entered through, this side is embellished in various shades of red. The consistent details between both sides are the chandeliers and the tone of opulence. Crystal and gold accents pair well with the buttery soft leather.
Theo waves me off with a light laugh. “Got it. Don’t answer that, sweetheart. I shouldn’t have asked.” He chuckles lightly.
My spine goes rigid when I hear deep voices and hints of my name followed by cursing coming from behind me.
Honestly, I didn’t think I’d get this far without my SEALs waking. They must have enjoyed tonight as much as I did.
“Or trusted you not to leave while they slept,” my inner critic retorts sardonically.
My pulse jumps into overdrive as the voices grow closer, so I ignore Theo’s use of the lighthearted endearment I’m sure he uses on everyone. “Is there another exit I might be able to use?” I ask him hopefully.
He sees my panic and ushers me forward. Theo shows me to the front door after handing me my shawl and I quickly swipe my thumb over the digital reader of my phone. Several missed calls pop up from… “What the heck?” Joshua? How the hell did he get this number? My fingers tremble, and I clear the screen and focus on my next move rather than the dreadful pit of fear taking root in my gut.
More snow has fallen, and the temperatures are nearing frozen fingers and toes territory.
The street is empty and there’s no sign of my driver. I pull his name up and tap the call option. The phone rings and I dance from foot to foot to fight off the cold.
Several seconds of no one picking up pass before it hits voicemail. At this hour it would be easier for me to call an Uber. Maybe I should go back inside?
No. I can’t let this all happen so easily for them. It’s just a little cold out. They cut me to the core with their scathing words six years ago. One night and a contract won’t erase that pain. A part of me says I’m being stupid, but the part of my heart and soul still huddled in the corner from the pain of their actions and words puts steel in my spine. I shelve the idea of running back to them the second I feel even the slightest bit uncomfortable and open my Uber app.
Theo pops his head out before I can request a pickup. “Ma’am, we have a car waiting for you around the side. It’s a service we offer. I’m sorry I didn’t mention it. But I saw you still out here.”
Oh, thank you, Universe! “You are a lifesaver, Theo.”
He tosses me a wink.
Twenty minutes later I instruct the club’s driver to drop me a few yards from my front entrance.
“But it’s half a block from your building? Are you sure?”
Um, hell yes. You have Club Sin plastered on the side of the car, sir. “Yes, please. Truly it’s fine. I need to walk the night off and the cold air will clear my head.” I outright lied. I’d half freeze, but all for a good cause. I live here. The last person who needs to know my business is the nosy, gossiping doorman. No way I can pull up in an Escalade with the most exclusive adult club name printed in big bold letters and step out with mused lipstick and my hair a wicked, sick mess.
The SUV rolls to a stop and I slip out before the club’s driver has a chance to do the whole chivalrous routine. “Thank you.”
Cold greets me and my teeth clench. Half a block. I can do this. I’d rather them think I’m doing the walk of shame or am coming from some company party than the truth. I’m so lost in my rehearsed greeting I don’t hear the shuffle of feet in snow until it’s too late to pull out my mace.
Solid steel connects with my jaw once, twice. Snow-covered cement rushes to greet my face but at the last minute I throw my hands out and catch myself before I get the roughest facial of my life.
I suck in a lungful of snow flurries and allow myself half a second before my inner cowgirl kicks in. Fuck the dress and dainty heels.
I push to my feet and swing a fist at the man in shadow rushing toward me but nothing lands. He’s too fast. And all those years of martial arts class my mother tried to get me interested in come back to haunt me.
My vision is less than stellar but I try to find details of whoever the hell this is. My stalker no doubt.
“Why the hell did you let them touch you?” His voice is rough like he’s been screaming for hours. Hoarse and unrecognizable.
He’s decked out in the darkest pants with a hoodie pulled around his face. The streetlights do little to cast away the shadows to reveal my attacker.
He takes another swing, and it cracks across my jaw, sending jolts of pain ping-ponged inside my head. That steel bar I thought I got hit with earlier was nothing but this man’s fists. Holy shit. The alleyway and clear sidewalk in front of me blur.
I throw my hands up. “What the hell?” But my words are a slurred mess as I teeter on my heels. Roughened edges of the brick wall at my back do little to soften the impact as I slam into the brick wall.
I glance around for my clutch and finally spy it in the snow. Shit! It’s by his feet. There’s nothing else I can use for a weapon. Only…
I take off my heels and hold one in each hand. Hey, it’s something. By the looks of it he has a good hundred pounds on me but that could be the bulk of clothing. With my heart in my throat, I chance asking a question I fear the answer to. “What the hell are you talking about? Get the fuck away from me you piece of shit! HELP!” I scream. “Help!”
He breaks into demented laughter, sharp and cutting to the core. I shuffle along the wall as fast as I can. The harsh textures to the bricks sand away at the butter softness of my dress. I chance a look in the opposite direction before swinging my gaze back at my attacker. But I’m not fast enough. Vise-like fingers grip my hair and I’m thrown to the ground, his weight pinning me to the icy sidewalk. Putrid breath curls around my senses and I lose my grip on my shoes. It doesn’t matter though. His hands lock around my wrists and I’m forced to do nothing but pray.
Only a hundred yards or so to my building. Breathe. Someone had to have heard me.
But I buckle beneath his weight and air wheezes from my lungs.
Cold metal grazes over my forehead, and I glance around a barrel of a gun but still there’s not enough light.
“Why did you do this to us?” Fringes of my memory try to lock onto the voice, but I have nothing.
“You fucking whore. I’ll have to kill you now.” Brittle and cold. His tone leeches the blood from my face.
Gears of a cocking mechanism sting my eardrums.
My heart races. Blood pounds through my ears.
This is it. This is how I die. But I won’t go without a fight. I jerk at my wrist and manage to get one away. Pivoting left and then right I dislodge him enough to get a knee beneath me. But my victory is short-lived. Bruising blows pepper along my ribs and oh, yeah this mother fucker knows where to strike.
I open my mouth to scream but there’s no air left in my lungs to be of much use.
My eyes dart toward the sound of a roaring motor. Screeching tires prelude the smell of burned rubber. A sense of relief of someone seeing me and stopping almost takes hold.
“They can’t protect you forever, you dirty whore. I’ll find you.”
Sickening wet lips smack against my cheek before I take another blow to the ribs. I curl in on myself fighting to keep my eyes open through the pain. It’s a real bitch, but the second he’s off me I shove to my knees, lunge for my clutch and palm my mace. I get a jet off in his direction but only get a stiff backhand as a parting fuck-you.
I can’t identify who the shouts belong to at first. Lots of grunts and thudding footfalls happen yards away from me. I try to crawl in the opposite direction, but a heavy grip on my waist hauls me back. I scream and donkey kick blindly.
I take pleasure in the grunt that follows. This is not how I’m going to die. I can just see my mother’s face and hear her judgmental voice saying, “See, I told her. Now look.” The funeral would be a wreck. Nobody would show up except Justice. Why? Because I have no life outside work. Which is just sad. What does that say about my life choices? I’ll be damned if this is how I go out. I raise my leg again and do a repeat move. Bare toes make contact with the firm gut of whoever the fuck is behind me. I don’t look back. Clawing at the cement, I launch myself up ready to do a 100-yard dash and beat the world record holder. Snow and all.
Only I don’t anticipate the grip on my hips or the arms plucking me off the cold floor.
The more I struggle, the tighter the grip becomes.
“It’s me, baby.”
Strong arms wrap around me.
“It’s me. Fuck, baby. You okay? Of course, you’re not. I’ve got you.”
“Brogan?”
“Yeah, baby. You’re safe. For God’s sake, don’t kick me again. Where the hell did you learn to kick like that?”
I sniffle. “Aerobics class. It’s for the glutes,” I answer honestly, ready to cry from relief. I throw my arms around Brogan and it’s not pretty when I lose my shit.
“It’s okay. Let it out. You’re safe now. Why the fuck did you leave the club? Leave us?”
Those tears I struggle to fight back come out in the ugliest cry-fest. Any remnants of makeup are left on his collar.
He pushes me into a car and pulls me back into his lap the second we’re both inside. I try to look around him for any signs of my attacker but only see disturbed snow in the wake of my fight.
Brogan wraps me in his arms and his hands are shaking. I twist to look into his eyes and death stares back at me.
“Do you know who did this to you, baby?”
I shake my head. “Not a clue. Some nut job Justice and I think I picked up while trying out dating apps.”
Lethal black eyes find mine. Not for me, but whoever it is out to hurt me.
“While you what? Willingly put yourself in danger? Wait ‘til the guys hear this shit.”
“I do have a life you know. One you guys were all too eager to push me into if memory serves.” I shove at his shoulder but those steel arms around me don’t budge. Damn him. “Drop me off at my building. I’ll call the cops and handle this shit on my own. Save your knight in shining armor shit for some other chick who is gullible enough to fall for it because it ain’t me.”
“Right because the cops have done a bang-up job of protecting you so far.”
I turn dry eyes to him. “No better than you have.”
He peers down at me for a moment, lips clamped shut. The arrival of Ryder and Atlas cuts into me repeating my demand, and suddenly I don’t have it in me to argue at the moment.
“Did you get him?”
“Bastard ducked into a building with a locked door. Lucky for him too. I would have dropped him from the roof.” Ryder’s tone drips with the lethal promise.
“We will have to settle with putting a bullet between his eyes when we catch up to him.”
“If you catch up to him. Justice and her men have been working months trying to pin him down.” I realize I should have kept my mouth shut as soon as the words are out.
My admission earns me three laser-focused sets of eyes.
“Talk, butterfly, and don’t you fucking leave a single detail out.”
Warm, gentle fingers brush over the knots and bruises I feel forming along my jaw and under my right eye. I flinch but ease when he leans forward and kisses them.
Brogan takes my hand and Ryder settles into the driver seat and pulls us out into the empty street.
Atlas settles me on his lap and his arms cocoon me in his warmth. I can feel his fear of what happened boiling just beneath the surface.
Over the next fifteen minutes I fill them in on my chaotic life over the last few weeks. My foray into dating, the nasty stalker, and my promotion.
The longer I talk the quieter they become. Atlas’ hands crunch the remains of my dress between his fingers and if Brogan’s expression is anything to go by, I’d say my SEALs are jealous of the fact I tried to move on.
City lights fade and before long, we wind along a backroad with sparsely-placed lamps.
“Where are we going?”
“To the mountains. We had a deal.”
I try to sit up, but Atlas and my ribs have other ideas. I cringe and make my stand while resting my head on his shoulder. “You’re shitting me, right? You still want to go to some cabin?”
“We have our reasons. We’ll discuss those later. We’ll also talk about you running off and not mentioning you had someone gunning for you later. And you forgot something back at the club.”
Atlas produces the slip of paper I left with his cufflinks.
It has my safe word scrawled over cream-colored stationary:
Butterfly
XOXO Kandy
“It doesn’t count unless you speak the words.”
Can’t blame a girl for trying.
“For now, sleep, butterfly. You’re safe.”
Atlas turns to Brogan and Ryder. “When we get there, get on the phone with Seth and Jacob. We’re gonna need their help and all the information they have.”
“And a body bag,” Ryder adds darkly.
