Addiction (16 page)

She takes a step to the side and looks back and forth between the two of us. “Are you both fucking her too?” she demands.

I cough as if I’m all of a sudden choking as Brecken just sits there, still staring at her with heat in his eyes. She turns to me. “So it’s just you?” she declares. “You’re the one fucking her,” she yells. “Who the fuck is breaking the rules now, Case?” she demands. “Does she even know who you really are …?”

“Fucking drop it,” I growl as I lean over my desk.

She throws her head back and lets out a laugh and it sounds evil. Fuck, even if I haven’t touched Taylor, I hate that she knows I want to. She will start trouble. “This is rich,” she says through laughter. “You’ve always had these rules! What makes her so fucking special to break them? Maybe I’ll just fill her in, and then you wouldn’t be breaking them …”

I walk around my desk and grab her by the neck, cutting off her laughter along with her air. “I have not fucked her. Nor will I touch her. So do what I say and fucking drop it.” I let go of her neck, shoving her back. She stumbles but doesn’t fall over.

She looks up at me through thick, dark lashes as her chest rises and falls quickly with her heavy breathing. She’s turned on. She loves a hand around her throat. I bet her pussy is soaking wet for us. Too bad I don’t want it at the moment.

“Don’t you dare say one word!” I point a finger at her chest. “I’m not playing with you, Rachel. I fucking mean what I say. And I will throw you back out onto the streets where you came from.”

She steps up to me, placing her hands on my chest. “Case …” She sighs as she runs her tongue across her lips, no doubt imagining my cock between them. “I wouldn’t do that to you.” Yes, she would! “I just get jealous.” She pushes her hands down my chest to my stomach. “I hate to imagine you with someone else. We’re a team,” she says referring to Brecken and me. “You guys are my boys.” She grabs for my belt, but I grab a hold of her wrists and grip them tightly. “She wouldn’t be able to give you what you need. And she wouldn’t understand who you truly are.”
A fucking lying bastard!

“It doesn’t matter,” I say swallowing hard. “She is nothing but an employee.”

I look over at Brecken, and he raises a dark eyebrow in question but doesn’t voice his opinion. He knows why I’m getting close to Taylor. Because of Blane. When shit goes down, and it will, I want to make sure she knows I will protect her even if that means I have to lie to do it.

“You’re so stressed.” She looks down at my hands that grip her wrists. “Let me help you relieve some of that,” she offers with a purr.

I let her hands go with a shove. “I’m fine. You owe Brecken for that slap, though,” I remind her.

She gives me a soft smile as she turns to Brecken. She walks over to his chair. He lets out a shaky breath when she drops to her knees before him and goes for his belt.

I turn away and walk out of my office to let them be alone. For once, I don’t feel like joining them.

***

“Did our shipment of glasses come in today?” I ask looking over at Bryan as we stand behind the bar.

He’s been here since the day before we opened. He just happened to be driving by when he saw them putting the sign up outside of the building. He walked in and asked if we were hiring a bartender. Brecken and I decided to hire him on the spot, and he has turned out to be the best bartender we have.

“Yes,” he says as he wipes off the bar top one last time. “I have already washed them and put them away.”

I smile. “Thanks, man.”

He turns to face me, wiping off his hands with the bar towel. “That new girl, Taylor, is doing well,” he says with a smile.

I nod. “She said that she’s starting to get the hang of it. But you may wanna keep an eye out for her tonight. I just gave her Rachel’s section on top of her own,” I inform him.

He frowns. “Why? Is Rachel sick?” He looks around the dead club. “I could have sworn I had just seen here walk in earlier.”

“You did. But she needed the night off.” I shrug. “So I thought I would give it to Taylor. Push her a little more.” I think she’ll do just fine.

“Okay. I’m sure between Jackie and myself, we can help her out when she needs it.”

I walk out from behind the bar and start to head back up to my office, knowing that Rachel and Brecken should be done by now. It’s been well over thirty minutes. I look over to see Taylor walk in the front door with a smile on her face and her head held high. “Just the woman I wanna see,” I say, and she comes to a stop as she spots me. Her smile drops off her face and a look of worry takes over her beautiful blue eyes.

“What’s wrong?” she questions.

I chuckle. “Quit assuming something is wrong.” I walk over to her. “I wanted to let you know I gave you Rachel’s section tonight along with your own.”

She looks up at me, those blue eyes wide. “Case, that’s too much. I can’t …”

“Yes, you can,” I interrupt her with a snort. Then I point over at the bar. “Jackie and Bryan will help you out. So if you have any problems, just let them know.”

She nods her head slowly as she still doubts herself. “If you have any problems you need me to handle, go to the bar and tell Bryan to call me. He has a radio, and I can be down here in seconds.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

TAYLOR

I stand at the end of the bar as I try to remember what it was my newest table had needed. I have a shitty memory. I would write it down on my arm, but I would run out of room eventually.

“What do you need, Taylor?” Bryan yells as he leans over the end of the bar.

“I need three Jäger bombs and three wet pussy shots,” I yell back.

“I’d love the chance to give you a wet pussy,” he says with a wink before he spins around to make my shots.

I laugh. Bryan is a real nice guy, and he flirts with everyone. I wonder if he’s always been that way or if it just comes naturally ‘cause he’s been a bartender for so long. I got a chance to talk to him earlier before we opened. He told me that he is thirty-five and was bartending before he was even old enough to get into a bar.

“How you doing, Taylor? Do you need any help?”

I look over at Jackie as she stands beside me, her tray on the bar counter. They’ve all been so helpful tonight, even being short one waitress. I about freaked when Jackie walked into the locker room and told me that the other waitress, Mel, had called in sick. Thankfully, Jackie offered to take her section.

“I’m good. Things are going well,” I assure her with a head nod.

“Great.” She gives me a big smile and then throws her bleach blond hair over her shoulder.

Bryan walks up to us with my shots. He places them on my tray and then looks over at her to take her order.

I take a deep breath before I lift my tray and start to make my way through the crowd. The one good thing about taking Rachel’s section is that she has one of the private rooms. I like working in it. It’s easier to get around ‘cause it’s not that crammed packed full of people.

I walk into the room and place the tray down on the coffee table. A man who looks to be in his early thirties bends down and distributes the drinks between the men and the women in the room.

I grab my tray and walk out, promising to check on them in a few minutes. As soon as I walk out of the room, I hear a woman scream out above the music. I look to my left and see Savannah running toward me, my brother following behind her.

“Hey,” I say loudly as I pull her in for a hug.

“Oh, my God.” She squeals as she pulls away. “Girl, you look fucking hot in this outfit.” She looks down at my boobs, and I blush. “Doesn’t she look hot, Blane?” she asks, and he looks sick. Face white and trying to look anywhere else in the club but at me. I give a smug smile; it’s about time he realizes how uncomfortable it is to be showing too much around me. That’s how I feel all the time.

“Where is your section?” she asks.

I point over to the back corner of the club. “Those three high-top tables against the wall.”

“Okay. Blane, go get us a seat,” she calls out to him as she points to what table she wants.

“What do you want to drink?”

She follows me over to the bar as she tells me what they want.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

BLANE

I sit back in the far corner and watch my sister and girlfriend laugh as they stand at the bar. This is not okay! I thought her working here would be okay, but it’s not as if I had a choice in the matter. Still doesn’t mean I fucking like it.

I watch as a guy walks by her, and his eyes linger on her ass as she bends over the bar to order a drink. I fist my hands on the table. She is my sister, and I’m a man. I know what men think when they look at a woman dressed like that. Hell, I look at Savannah dressed like that when we go out. I encourage her when she wears clothes that show off her sexy body. But that is because she is mine. I can place my hands on her and say look all you want motherfuckers but she’s going home with me. I can’t look at it that way with my sister.

I let out a long breath. I decide to quit staring at them and pull out my phone. I text Case.

I’m here!

He wasn’t expecting me tonight. But I might as well inform him of my presence.

Okay. Be down in a moment.

I look up from my phone in time to see my sister walking back with Savannah. I speak the second she reaches our table “Don’t they make bigger tops?” I ask with a growl. “Seriously, sis, your tits are about to pop out.” I haven’t looked directly at them, but they’re not hard to miss.

She just laughs it off and turns to face Savannah. They talk about God knows what and I pick up my drink, taking a big gulp.

She then pats Savannah on the shoulder and walks off with her tray. Needing to go do some work.

“I don’t like her working here,” I say as if she already doesn’t know this.

“You worry too much, babe,” Savannah says with laughter. “She is having a great time and makes great money.”

I fucking hate myself. I got her into this. I was the one who put her in front of Case, and he took over the situation. Well, we’re going to have a talk.

Just then, I see Case walking through the crowd. I lift my hand for him to see me, and he gives me a head nod in acknowledgment before he stops and talks to a few women who stand at the bar.

“Hey.” I lean over to speak into Savannah’s ear. “Will you be okay here for a second? I need to talk to Case.”

She nods her head as she starts to suck on her straw. I can’t help but pull it out of her mouth and grab her face. I give her a long, sweet kiss, tasting the peach from her Peach Bellini as I pull away. “Stay right here!” I demand, and she waves me off like a child.

I get up and make my way over to Case. He looks over to see me coming and says one last thing to the women before he walks off, heading for me. He doesn’t say anything as he passes me and walks down the long hallway. I follow after him and out the back door into the alleyway, letting the door shut behind me.

“What’s up, man?” he asks, leaning his back against the building.

“I want you to fire Taylor,” I demand.

“Not this again.” He sighs heavily, rolling his eyes.

“Look,” I say firmly. “This has got to end. Do you see the way men are looking at her? She looks like a hooker. And her hair is blue,” I say confused.

He laughs. “So what she colored her hair. She’s doing a good job and likes it here. I assure you there is nothing wrong with her working here. As far as the uniforms go …” He shrugs. “I can’t make an exception just for her. That’s what the club requires them to wear.”

“You are the club,” I yell getting pissy. “Fuck,” I hiss. “This is all my fault. I should have just told her the truth from the start.”
She wouldn’t have understood.

“Blane, calm down,” he says, pushing off the wall. “What did I tell you when you first called me?”

“Hell, no!” I say truthfully.

He smiles. One of those
I tried to warn you
smiles. “I did. But once I listened to your reasoning, I understood your concern. Your predicament. If I would have been in your situation, I would have done the same thing.”

“You don’t know what I’m going through,” I yell. “I’m buying drugs for you, Case. I have never done drugs, and here I am, selling them like a fucking idiot. Hell, I even got high.” I run a hand through my hair.

He raises his hands for me to lower my voice as he looks around the alley, but it’s just us out here. “I know what you’re doing. And trust me, it will be worth it. I’ve already promised you that.”

“Your promise did not involve my sister pimping herself out,” I shoot back.

His jaw tightens. “She’s not pimping herself out. She’s a waitress and that’s as far as it goes. I assure you no one at this bar will touch her.” He then growls. “I will not allow anyone to touch her.”

I look at him. I watch him as he speaks to me. The way he growled no one makes me pause for a second. Is he mad that I won’t let it go or is he mad at the thought that someone here at the club would touch her …?

“Are you sleeping with my sister?” I ask hoping that my instincts are wrong. I can’t see my sister going for a guy like Case. But I’ve also never seen her dye her hair blue before either.

A twitch forms in his jaw, and he swallows. “No. I’m not sleeping with your sister.”

“Why don’t I believe you, Case?” I demand. “Maybe I should just go ask her myself.” I start to walk to the door, and he grabs my upper arm. He jerks me back and looks at me with hard eyes.

“Don’t fucking say a word to her,” he growls. “Let this go, Blane. You have more important things to worry about than your sister and me. You know for a fucking fact that I can’t touch her. And I don’t break my rules.”

I take a deep, calming breath before I rip my arm out of his hold. He’s right. I am very clear on his rules. And I’m very clear about the job I have to do. “I’ll have an order for you tomorrow,” I say through clenched teeth. “The sooner I get this done, the sooner I want Taylor out of this situation.”

“I agree with you.” He nods.

I take a step up to him. “And when I’m finished, you had better promise me that you will never contact her again.” I need to know that not only do I get out of this alive but that she also gets out of his life completely.

“You have my word,” he says without hesitation. But for some reason, I don’t feel the satisfaction I should from that statement.

I walk back into the club and head straight for our table. I find Savannah still sitting alone but with a smile on her face as she sips her drink. I don’t even stop to explain why I left her because she knows I won’t tell her anyway. I grab her by the hand and pull her from her seat. She stumbles from my force but stays upright. I pull her through the club and out the front door to her car yelling a good-bye to Brecken over my shoulder when I see him outside.

As I pull out of the parking lot, I wonder what in the fuck I’ve done. I have us both so deep in a situation that I’m not sure I can dig us out. And even if I could, I’m not sure Taylor would want me to.

CASE

I’m walking back up the stairs that lead to my office when I feel the radio on my hip start to vibrate from someone yelling into it.

I stop and pick it up, placing it to my ear. I hear Bryan’s voice yelling into it. “Fight!” I spin around on the stairs and look around the club. I don’t see anything that looks to be a fight, but I see Bryan jump over the end of the bar and head down the hallway. I run down the stairs and before I hit the last one, Miller pushes his way through the crowd heading in the same direction.

I make a mad dash through the crowd, shoving people out of my way when I come up to the hallway and see there’s a fight in one of the private rooms. I walk in to see Miller pulling two guys apart while another guy swings at Bryan when another one jumps on his back.

I reach out to grab the guy and remove him from Bryan’s back when I feel a fist to the side of my head. It doesn’t really hurt with my adrenaline pumping; it just pisses me off.

I spin around to face the guy who hit me, and I knee him between his legs. He hovers over as he grabs himself and I take advantage of the situation and lift my knee to make contact with his face. He falls to the floor, holding his face as he rolls around like an idiot.

I turn back to Bryan; he is on the floor on top of one guy while the other is still on his back. I reach down and pull him off. As the guy stands on his feet, he goes to swing at me, but I duck and land a punch in his side. He falls to the ground, holding onto it.

I look over my shoulder to see that Miller has two men hunched over as they both grab their bloodied faces. He doesn’t bother to look at me as he drags them out of the room and toward the back exit to proceed with our protocol.

Bryan gets his guy under control, and I start to grab the last one when a pair of white shorts gets my attention out of the corner of my eye. I turn to see Taylor trying to push herself up off the floor over in the far corner.

“Taylor.” I run over to her and grab her upper arm. I help her stand as she sways on her feet. “Fuck,” I hiss through gritted teeth as I get a look at her face. “Which one hit you?” I demand as I reach up to touch the cut on her cheek. She pulls away, and I grind my teeth as a bruise has already formed. She tries to take a step back from me, but I hold onto her. “Which one hit you, Taylor?” I demand louder.

She reaches up and runs her hand through her hair, pushing it off her face before she goes to touch her cheek. I grab her other hand with my free hand and shake her a bit. “Taylor,” I snap. She finally looks up at me; her eyes are glossy with unshed tears and a look of confusion on her face. Whoever hit her, hit her hard. “Which one touched you?” This time, I ask softly. I don’t want to scare her; I can tell she’s a little dazed.

“I … I don’t know … It happened so fast.” She looks around at the room aimlessly. “I walked in and someone bumped into me …” She swallows. “I dropped my drinks and then went to turn around but was knocked down to the floor …” She blinks a few times. “I think … I think it was a shoe …”

“Listen to me, Taylor.” I wait for her eyes to focus on me again. “Go up to my office.”

“I can’t. I have tables …” she whispers.

“Fuck your tables,” I snap. “Go up to my office and wait for me.” She just stands there, looking up at me; her blue eyes still have that dazed look to them.

“What the fuck happened?”

I look up to the door to see Brecken enter the room, breathing heavy from just running from the entrance. “I’m not sure. But they’re all out back.” He nods his head, pushes off the door, and runs toward the back exit.

“Taylor,” I say softly as I run my thumb over her face right below the cut. It doesn’t look deep enough to need stitches. I think when she fell she might have hit her head, which dazed her more than anything else did. The blood that runs down her cheek is already starting to dry. “Go upstairs and wait for me. Okay?’

“Okay.” She finally responds softly. I walk her over to the door. Jackie comes up and gasps as she gets a look at Taylor. “Make sure she makes it up to my office,” I demand and then head toward the back door.

***

Have you ever been so mad you thought you could rip off the head of a grown man with your bare hands? I feel that way right now. My entire body shakes and my head pounds. I have a ringing in my ears that won’t go away. I haven’t felt this way in a long time. So mad I could light the world on fire with one fucking match.

“Case, man,” Miller says placing a hand on my shoulder. I spin around with my fists raised and he takes a step back from me. “We got this. Go make sure Taylor is okay.” He knows exactly why I’m so pissed. I guess the fact I said her name every time I fucking hit one of them gave me away.

I spin back around and look down at the four men who lie on the ground. Two passed out cold. The third has his back against the brick wall as he leans over and pukes in his hands. The fourth kneels on all fours as he tries to suck in breath after breath. All of them are bleeding. I know they will need medical attention.

I walk over to the one who is on all fours. I reach down, grab a hold of his bleach blond spiked hair, and rip his head back. “Which one of you bastards touched her?” I demand, kneeling down in front of him.

He lifts one shaky and bloodied hand and points a finger over to one of the guys who lies passed out on his stomach. “It was an accident,” he says through gasps. “… Didn’t see her.”

I drop his head and kick him in the side. He rolls to the ground and coughs. “Case. We told you that we have it,” Brecken says, looking around. “Go check on Taylor. She needs you more than these guys do.”

He’s right; it’s been at least thirty minutes and she needs me. Without another word, I walk into the club and make my way through the heavy crowds. People are too busy doing their own thing to even stop and look at me. I run up the stairs taking two at a time and rush down the hall to my office. I shove the door open, breathing heavy, to find her sitting on the couch. She shoots to her feet the second she sees me.

“Case? Are you okay?” she asks as I slam the door shut. Her eyes take in my shaky hands and the blood that covers them.