Page 93 of Savage Promises

Pulling out and lifting off me, he sounds more pleased at my response, than accepting the club.

I’d told him I loved him, but he may have dismissed it because I’d been drunk at the time. Does he want me to say I love you stone-cold sober? Because I will. I want to say it again right now, but it feels hollow. Like it’s just because he gave me the nightclub.

Some people don’t mix business with pleasure. I can’t mix the depths of what’s in my heart with a good fuck and keys to a nightclub.

Shane faces the smokey window as he reassembles himself back to his usual perfection. His cock put away, pants zipped, and belt fastened, he faces me as if he didn’t just turn my world upside down.

I slip off the desk and push my dress down. Playing it cool, I trail my fingers over the sleek lacquer, taking in the polished space. I’m floored by how every detail is tailored to me. It’sperfect. Too perfect.

Shane’s eyes darken, seeing straight through me. But he doesn’t call me out on my silence.

Instead, he smirks, slow and knowing. “Let’s go test out the VIP lounges.”

“Thatsounds like a great idea.” I turn away before he can see the doubt consuming me.

TWO WEEKS PASS ANDI give in to the inevitable. I signed the papers my father’s lawyer sent me to give up the management position at Club Echelon. The settlement wasn’t what I thought it should be. Dad cited improvements some crooked engineer said were needed. I’d been banking on his generosity. And once again, he’s left me bereft.

An empty well, as was my whole life under his thumb.

With an opening date for Luxe set at the end of the month, I hire a professional recruiter to build an ace staff from the ground up. I requested to take one thing from Club Echelon. Mara. My father and brother would have held her back if they thought they could control her. In loyalty to me, she gave her notice and signed a contract with Luxe.

But even after my club opened, I’ve yet to see her.

With Luxe running smoothly one night, I slog to my late kickboxing class and then head over to Club Echelon after a few alarming texts from Mara that hinted at more problems. Problems I had to see for myself.

The harsh beat of music pounds from the speakers in the DJ booth. Only, there’s no DJ. It’s that obnoxious AI-generated techno music. My cheap bastard of a brother fired my DJ.

No one is dancing because you can’t dance to this shit.And the volume is so loud, that people can’t talk. A bar is supposed to bring people together to dance, socialize, and not just drink.

The air smells faintly of stale liquor and a lingering trace of something sour.

Mara wasn’t exaggerating. The place is nearly a ghost town. And those who are here, look sketchy as hell. I’ve already watched a group of four young, sexy women leave their drinks that looked watered down and storm out. No doubt without tipping Mara.

What the hell is Garrett doing? He can’t be that clueless.

At the bar, Mara gives me a grim look. “He’s holding two weeks’ worth of my pay and tips hostage. Telling me to work one more night. One more night.” She throws down a towel. “Look at this place.”

It’s pathetic. No one would ever guess it’s a Saturday night.

“Where is my brother?” I ask, looking around.

Mara tilts her head toward the back. “He brought one of the new servers back there. Awhileago.”

“Unbelievable. I’ll fix this.” Fuming, I storm down the hallway and don’t even bother knocking.

Garrett sits on what looks like a new leather sofa, moaning. A young woman is on her knees in front of him, her face in his lap, head bobbing up and down. Garrett freezes seeing me.

“Jesus, Lennox,” he bites out. “Ever hear of knocking, eh?”

I do him the courtesy of looking away. “Are you out of your mind?”

“Get out, Elise,” Garrett snaps at the woman, pushing her away. “You’re fucking horrible at giving head.”

I’m going to kill him.

The woman scrambles to her feet, muttering, “I justcame in here to ask for a night off to see my kid in a play.”

“And a blow job is the payment?” I fume at Garrett and tell the woman, “You take whatever day you need, hun.”