Page 11 of Blake

“I want you close, remember?” Blake murmured in her ear, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine.

She slipped her hand into his, shocked by how big and strong it felt around her slender palm. He gripped her hand tight, as though he’d never let it go.

With one last glance at Blake, she stepped into the lion's den, ready to face whatever fate had in store. They slipped through the doors of the Lucifer Club, blending into the crowd like shadows.

The music pulsed around her like a living thing, the beat thudding in time with her heart. She scanned the faces in the crowd, searching for Scarface, making sure she kept well clear of him tonight.

"Keep moving," she whispered to Blake, tugging on his hand as they wove their way deeper into the club. The smell of sweat and alcohol filled the air. “We need to head for the back room.”

As they passed the bar, Savannah spotted him: the lean, wiry man with darting eyes and a jagged scar across his cheek. The one who had apprehended her outside the club last night. He was standing near the door that led into the back room.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she tightened her grip on Blake's arm. "He's here," she hissed, trying to keep her voice low and steady despite the pounding in her chest.

"Who?" He asked, following her gaze.

"Scarface. The guy who saw me last night."

"Shit." Blake cursed under his breath. "Alright, stay back and don't make eye contact. We'll need to find another way to get closer without drawing attention."

"Okay," she agreed, backing away from the man who could potentially blow her cover. Her mind raced as she tried to think of a plan, her determination to uncover the truth now mixed with a desperate need to avoid detection.

"Let's head for the VIP section," she suggested, gesturing toward the roped-off area near the back of the club. "Maybe we can find a quiet corner to regroup and figure out our next move."

"Good idea," Blake replied, his tone tense but focused. "Just remember: if he starts coming our way, we need to be ready to get out of here as quickly and quietly as possible."

Savannah was about to ask Blake’s advice on what to do next when suddenly, out of nowhere, he pulled her close. She could taste the faint hint of mint on his breath as his lips crushed hers.

"Act natural, Scarface is coming," he murmured against her mouth as his strong arms encircled her waist. His intense gaze locked onto hers for a split second before he deepened the kiss. His tongue didn’t ask for hers to participate, but it did anyway. She kissed him back like it was all she’d ever wanted. She kissed him back like she belonged to him.

And then he broke apart from her.

“Fuck,” he panted under his breath. “Sorry about that.”

His arms were still around her, pulling her in close to him. Maybe she was imagining it, but she swore she could feel a hardness between his legs, pressing into her stomach. Was he as aroused as she was?

"That was . . . inappropriate," she managed to stammer out, looking away from him to hide her reddening face.

“Like I said, I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you,” Blake replied unapologetically.

“Is that what you tell all your clients?” she asked, annoyed with herself for how much she’d liked it.

"Like I said, I’m sorry," Blake replied gruffly, though his eyes betrayed a hint of satisfaction. "But it worked, didn't it? Scarface was heading this way. He would have seen you."

Savannah glanced around nervously, scanning the crowd for the wiry man with the jagged scar.

“Keep your eyes on me, babygirl,” Blake said.

Savannah looked up at Blake, feeling her cheeks blazing a ferocious red. She knew how obvious her lust was right now, and she was sure that Blake felt the same way. Unless that was a gun pressing into her abdomen, he had the mother of all hard-ons right now.

“You have beautiful eyes. You know that, little one?” he said out of nowhere.

Savannah swallowed. “I do?”

“Yep. I really fuckin’ like the fire in them.”

Now, it was one of those blushes that crept all the way down her neck and spread to her chest. She hated the way she blushed like that, so much so that she looked away, hoping Blake wouldn’t see her like that.

To her horror, as she turned, she saw Scarface not far off, his darting eyes locking onto her just as she tried to look away. Panic rose in her chest, her heartbeat pounding in her ears.

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