Page 43 of Arrogant Bastard

I push the button for the elevator. When it arrives, I gently guide her inside. “Nonnegotiable.”

She swears under her breath and glances at the two giant men crowding the small space with us. There’s an evil light in her eyes that tells me she has payback on her mind. “Well, I hope you boys don’t mind being the center of attention. Friday nights are…extra-special nights, and with those endless muscles, you’re prime bait material for tonight’s program.”

A muscle jumps in Mitch’s cheek, but Linc remains as unflappable as ever. I don’t reassure them, because they’re grown men, and also because my own temperature is already too high from watching her walk from the car to the elevator in those tight leather pants and sky-high heels. “Be nice, sweetheart.”

Her glare tells me she’s not in the mood. “I’m just giving them fair warning.”

I see what she means the moment we walk into the main reception area. Wall-to-wall skin is the name of the game. It’s not exactly BDSM, but there’s no effort to hide the lurid activities going on right there in the open. And this is just the ground floor.

Every muscle in my body clenches tight. Before I know it, I’m sliding my arm around her and backing her up against the nearest wall. I plant my hands on either side of her head and crowd her with my body. “Tell me again that you don’t get involved with any of this shit?” I sound like I’m hanging on by a thread. And I feel it.

Her eyes narrow. “Seriously? Not now—”

“Yes, fucking now. I’m one goddamn heartbeat from throwing you over my shoulder and taking you the hell out of here. So if you want me to let up, answer my question.”

She puffs out an annoyed breath. “Nothing sexual. Ever.”

I release my pent-up breath, and then I ask one of the many questions that’s been eating at me. “And that book in your apartment? The one on erotica? Any reason you’ve taken an interest in that kind of thing?”

She blinks up at me through her sexy bangs, and slave that I am, my cock jumps. “How do you know I haven’t always been interested in…the more adventurous side of things?”

“The way we fucked was hardly vanilla, baby,” I point out. “But I’m more than happy to step things up for you if you need it.”

Her green eyes turn a shade darker, and her breathing intensifies. “Let me go, Killian. I need to go organize a special pass for your guys or they won’t be allowed upstairs.”

My temples begin to throb. “And what’s upstairs?”

“Let me go, and I’ll give you a tour.”

I’m not sure I want a tour. In fact, the only thing I’m sure of is that I want her out of here, like yesterday. But I drop my hands and step back.

“Lead the way.”

We walk past naked and nearly naked bodies in all shapes and sizes. The stench of sex is in the air, and it’s like they’re all waiting for some sort of sign to begin a giant orgy. I catch a couple of cougars eyeing Mitch and Linc. To their credit, the two men are holding their own. Or rather staring straight ahead and pretending none of the skin flick in front of them is happening. Courage under fucking fire. It’s why I pay them the big bucks, I guess.

We approach another, quieter reception area. The attractive black girl behind the desk smiles at Faith. “Hi, B.”

She returns the smile with a small one of her own. “Hey. Is Axel around?”

“He just got in. He’s in his office.”

“Thanks. Can you sort two passes for me, please?”

The receptionist nods and slides two silver cards through a portable machine and hands them over.

We get in another elevator and go another couple of floors. “This area is for gold and platinum members only. From here, you need a card to access every floor, but the silver cards only get you to the fourth floor. After that, you either need to be a member or have a special invitation.” The level where we exit has the same theme going on as downstairs but with less people and more sophistication.

It’s also clear that these regulars know Faith. She nods at a few people and exchanges words with a few more. I exhale the breath locked in my throat when I notice that her acknowledgments are friendly but professional. Still, enough already. We stop at a well-stocked bar, and she orders a drink—a Hine on the rocks—for me. My jumpy senses settle a little. She hasn’t forgotten my favorite drink. Our fingers brush as she passes me the glass, and I watch her lips part as she takes a rushed little breath.

Before I can comment on it, she nods at her bodyguards. “I can’t take them back to Axel’s office. They’ll have to stay in the bar.”

I’ve clocked where the exits are and where any potential threats may come from. And the Glock resting against my spine is a reassuring presence. “Fine.”

Surprise lights her eyes. I smile, toss back my drink, and slide the empty glass on the counter. We leave the reception area and walk through a surprisingly brightly lit hallway. “This is the newbie floor. We keep things less…heavy around here.” She points to the monitors by each door. “And we also keep an eye on everyone in the first few weeks.”

Some of the monitors are dark, and some are full-color playback of what’s going on behind closed doors. I’m not interested in watching other people have sex so I keep my eyes on my woman. “So that Burning Man sex tent scenario downstairs happens every Friday?”

“Pretty much.”

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