Page 32 of Highest Bid

He sucked in a sharp breath as longing swept through him.

Slow the fuck down!

But nothing could stop the seed from sprouting that’d been planted in his brain the moment he’d envisioned Layla in her white wedding gown.

She’d been the perfect woman for him right from the start. Looking back, he realized he’d subconsciously known it, and fucked those dozens of other women because he’d been running scared.

But now nothing could divert his attention from the woman he wanted with everything he had.

Chapter Twelve

Layla was too busy running the long bar to appreciate the Friday night rock band, whose thumping music worked the crowd into a dancing frenzy.

The Black brothers had paid a small fortune for the up-and-coming superstars, whose alternative songs were now infiltrating mainstream media. But then Galan, Aiden, and Liam never did anything by halves. The club was known for its high standards and quality performers, and the brothers reaped the rewards.

Layla finished serving one of the many customers pushing against the bar, when Billy leaned toward her and shouted out his order. Layla inwardly sighed. She’d already noticed him ignore the scantily clad Colleen, who worked beside her. Pasting on a smile, she grabbed Billy’s usual can of Jim Beam and cola and cracked it open.

“Keep the change, sweetheart,” he shouted, before handing her a fifty-dollar bill, his fingertips deliberately brushing over her hand.

Ignoring his clammy touch, she nodded thanks and thrust the change into her pocket. Billy was most definitely still interested. But then he was probably one of many waiting for her and Galan’s relationship to be over almost before it’d begun.

Billy might be the only other man who wanted her, but Galan had a whole swag of women salivating over him. That he was presently unavailable probably made those same women lust after him even more.

She brushed her hands down her Black Pearl Nightclub T-shirt, inadequacy surging through her. She might have been stripped almost bare on the auction stage, but she wasn’t yet ready to wear lingerie in the nightclub. She’d gotten Galan’s attention, and that was all that mattered.

The thought no sooner formed before the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. She turned and immediately located Galan. He sat at the far end of the bar, away from much of the chaos and noise, and his dark eyes followed her, glinting possessively.

Despite her sudden bout of insecurity, warmth unfurled within, her toes and fingertips tingling as she sent him a smile. That Galan wanted her long-term wasn’t something she took lightly. But her mission now was to take the next step and make theirs, not just a lasting relationship, but a permanent one.

She grabbed a bottle of light beer and asked Colleen to take over her position at the bar for a few minutes, before she headed toward Galan.

She slid his drink across to him, and he nodded thanks before leaning in close to finger a tendril of her hair behind her ear. “My place tonight,” he instructed.

She shivered at his touch, at his obvious need for her. But there’d be no tonight with Galan. The bar shut at 2.00 a.m., and the customers would be asked to leave by 3.00 a.m. She’d be lucky to slide into Galan’s bed an hour after that. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Galan smiled before he took a gulp of his beer. Plonking the bottle back onto the bar, he stood and reached over the bar for her. Clasping a hand behind her head, he seemed oblivious to the stares around them as he pulled her close and kissed her long and deep, as though wanting to brand her as his. When he finally pulled away, his eyes burned into hers. “I’ll be waiting, firecracker.”

She watched him stalk away, her legs trembling and weak. Galan always took care to keep his private life private. That he’d just publicly stated his intention had her vacillating between elation and exasperation.

Elation because Galan didn’t want to hide their affair behind closed doors, exasperation because Galan had obviously seen Billy, and had made sure the other man knew to back the hell off.

Grabbing Galan’s half-empty beer, she resisted lifting it to her mouth, though the urge to feel cool liquid slide down her dust-dry throat was as strong as the urge to press her lips to the exact same spot his had been.

Discarding the bottle, she headed back to her position behind the bar. And all the while she was aware of the stares that followed her. Most were curious, but many were unfriendly and envious, including some of her workmates. Even a glassy—one of the young men hired to collect dirty glasses—openly stared.

Layla expelled an unsteady breath and pushed back her shoulders. She had enough on her plate without worrying about everyone else. Not even Colleen’s downturned mouth and tight eyes fazed her. She had no doubt Colleen had overheard Galan’s generous pay raise offer. That Colleen had once admitted she was on the hunt for a rich man, meant she now coveted what Layla had.

Except Layla had never cared about Galan’s wealth, she’d wanted him, not the materialistic stuff that happened to come with him. She’d be happy staying in a one bedroom bungalow with a barbecue as their stove, with an outdoor toilet and shower their only amenities...as long as she shared his bed.

She only hoped Colleen knew what she was doing when she’d been blatantly flirting with the band’s lead singer. Colleen had been assigned to look after the band members on their break. And, to Layla’s mind, Colleen’s lewd suggestions and come-on looks weren’t sexy; they were cringe-worthy.

But then the singer hadn’t exactly looked turned off. He’d whispered something—an invitation?—in Colleen’s ear, until she’d giggled and twirled a long piece of blond hair around a finger. Layla didn’t doubt for a second the other woman would meet the singer someplace after work.

None of my business.

Just as what she and Galan did in their own time was no one else’s concern.

Layla went through the motions of serving customers with a smile, even though the numerals on the huge digital clock on the wall seemed to flick over slower than ever.

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