Page 25 of Mob Star

The woman can barely tolerate me, and I’m surprised she isn’t baring her teeth at me. I’m lucky my meal doesn’t land in my lap. Finn finally pays attention to her, and I watch how she drops her gaze when he does. Fucking hell. I’ve just lost my appetite. I sit back in my chair and pull my hand away from Finn’s once she turns her back. I look toward the door.

“Thea?”

“You brought me somewhere I’d meet one of your subs.”

“No. I did not. I have never had sex with Rosalee. I’ve never done anything sexual with Rosalee. But I know she is a sub, and I know her Dom.”

“If she has a Dom, then why did she look like she wanted you as her main course?”

“Because she’s approached me more than once at the club I belong to, and I’ve turned her down. We aren’t into the same things, so I’ve never been interested.”

“And she works here.”

“Yes. It’s never been an issue before, and I didn’t know it would be. But I’ve also never come here on a date. I don’t know what her deal is, but she knows I’m going to bring it up to her Dom.”

“Is that— would you normally —Mmm?”

Fuck me.

“The man she’s involved with is a friend of mine. They have a 24/7 dynamic. He’d want to know that she acted in a way we all know she shouldn’t have. Plus, I don’t like that she’d eye me or any other man when she’s involved with my friend. That’s not cool.”

“You belong to a club?”

“Yes. Thea, you said you’re into BDSM. Do you belong to one?”

I shake my head.

“Have you been to one?”

I shake my head again.

“Do you want to go to one? Do you want me to take you there?”

I want to say yes, but I don’t know what to expect. Will it be like Cheers— or McGinty’s —where everyone knows his name? Will I run into women he regularly scenes with? I don’t even know what he’s into. What did he mean when he said he and Rosalee aren’t into the same things? Like which one of them likes it more extreme? Or was it the whole 24/7 thing?

“You don’t have to decide right this minute. I’ll take you there tonight, in a week, or never. It’s up to you. But I’m not going back unless I’m with you.”

Well, that just unleashes another slew of questions. Why doesn’t he want to go back? Does he assume I’ll be into all the kinky things he is? Does that mean he wants something monogamous? Do I want that? What if I’m not into what he is? What if?—

He leans over to whisper in my ear, and I love that we have what feels like secrets that are just between us. Like how he’s the only person who calls me Thea.

“We will take this as fast or as slow as you want. If you want to see or be with other people, I’ll—” He pauses. “—figure out a way to be okay with that. But I don’t want anyone else.”

I turn my head, and our noses brush before I press a kiss to his lips. “I don’t know what speed I want to go yet, but I only want it to be with you.” And it’s true.

Chapter Seven

Finn

I have lost my goddamn mind.

That’s the second time in as many days that I’ve thought that. But I have. I just invited her to a sex club on our first date. The devil has possessed me. Shocking, considering all the other things I’ve done in life, now’s when he decides to take up residence. What else can explain what the fuck is wrong with me to offer a woman who’s never gone to a BDSM club an invitation to debauchery before we’ve taken our first bite?

She’s not shocked or running away. That’s a plus. She even seems curious, which I’ll count as a blessing. But she would have found out about my membership sooner rather than later, so I’d rather she knows I’m not going there to meet anyone else. At some point, I’m going to have to tell her about my arrangement with Heidi and that it’s over. That’s another item on the to do list. Making sure Heidi truly gets I’m not going back to her. She’ll accept it, but I want to be clear. I don’t want her popping up unexpectedly.

“I know you said you have another long shift, and next Saturday is your first day off. Do you already have plans that day?”

She hesitates before she nods. Sadness creeps into her eyes, but she blinks it away.

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