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“It’s my club. I can’t afford to shirk my responsibility because you don’t like it.”

His eyes narrowed. “You’re
not
going.”

If Alyssa had had both hands free, Luc had no doubt she’d tear his head off. “You’re not my husband or boyfriend. You said yourself that we’re just fucking, so you’re not going to stop me.”

“I’m not arguing this. What did Remy say?”

Tyler filled him in on a conversation that was a whole bunch of blah, blah, blah as far as Luc was concerned. Bottom line: Legally speaking, other than some vandalism and a little B & E, the culprit hadn’t done anything arrest-worthy.

Luc couldn’t contain his curse. He’d deal with the lazy sheriff later. For now, he had about twelve hours to keep Alyssa safe. Then Deke, Jack, and Hunter would show up and nail this psycho, and he could concentrate on proving to Alyssa they were more than fucking . . . even if he didn’t yet know what.

“Typical Remy.” Alyssa shrugged. “Since you pea-brained men are going to sideline me from running my business tonight, will you at least let me hit the bathroom before we leave? I need to change out of my dress.”

Luc looked at Tyler, who looked back at him. The silent communication on both parts seemed to ask where she could possibly go without a car. Certainly, she wasn’t dumb enough to walk the six blocks to Sexy Sirens near midnight with a stalker chasing her.

“Sure.” Tyler finally got to his feet, fished the cuff key out of his pocket, and released her. “Nothing funny.”

Alyssa shook her wrist and glared at them both. “Wait here.”

FIVE silent minutes passed. Luc grew antsy, but women and changing clothes . . . He knew from experience that wasn’t always a short process. Especially someone who wore stockings and garters and those fuck-me shoes. It all took time. Besides, he and Tyler hovered near the restaurant’s front door with an eye on the bathroom hallway. Alyssa had nowhere to else to go.

But Tyler started tapping his thumb on one of the chairs, looking as jumpy as Luc felt.

“If you break her heart, I’ll fucking kill you,” Tyler proclaimed suddenly into the silence.

“What’s between Alyssa and me is none of your business.”

Tyler stood, rising to his full height, perhaps a half inch taller and thirty pounds heavier. “Yeah? What’s between Alyssa and me is none of your fucking business, either.”

Luc gritted his teeth, loath to admit that the other man was right.

“And when you’re gone,” Tyler went on, “I’ll still be here. With her. Every day. Every night. You may be the shiny new toy now, but she’ll get over you. I’ll help her.”

Though he wasn’t surprised by Tyler’s words in the least, they were like a stab in the heart. To hear his suspicions—fears—about the bouncer’s relationship with Alyssa all but spelled out hurt like hell.

He swallowed Tyler’s assertion, digested it. In another few minutes, Sunday would begin. Luc had to leave no later than Thursday morning so he could be in L.A. on Friday to conclude final negotiations for his cable cooking show. He also had a cookbook past due, and his editor was probably wondering why the hell he wasn’t answering his e-mails.

But even if he could stay, what would he say to Alyssa?

No matter what route he took to fatherhood, he couldn’t achieve it without a woman in the picture. Even if Alyssa supported his decision to adopt or undergo surgery or visit a sperm bank, she’d have to agree to go through the process with him, perhaps carry a child. And they’d have to find a way to make their passionate, difficult relationship work.

What kind of mother would she be? Certainly not like his own. And that presumed she even wanted to have children. After trying to warn him this morning that she wasn’t on birth control, Luc was fairly sure that motherhood wasn’t on her agenda anytime soon. That didn’t change the fact the felt something deep and new for her.

So fucking complicated.

Still, he couldn’t just leave her to Tyler. “I’ll be doing my best to make sure she can’t get over me.”

Tyler growled at him. “Are you that fucking selfish that you want her heart broken after you’re gone? Do you like the thought of seeing her unhappy?”

No. But Luc didn’t think Alyssa had many feelings for him that weren’t tied to orgasm. And he hated the thought that she likely had the same feelings for Tyler.

“Where the hell is she?” Luc changed the subject and paced, wishing he could hold her now. He needed her, like, five minutes ago, couldn’t wait to get her back into her big bed, slide into her body, and forget about everything that was so wrong between them.

Tyler shrugged.

Luc glanced at his watch, then the bathroom door. “Fifteen minutes to change clothes?”

The bouncer glanced at his watch, too, his anger melting into a frown. “It’s been that long?”

Yes
. And he knew precisely why. “Is there a window in the bathroom?”

Tyler hesitated, body still, mind racing. “Fuck!” He broke into the bathroom with a shoulder to the door. “She bolted.”

Luc ran out Bonheur’s door. Behind him, Tyler did the same, barely taking the time to lock up.

“Goddamn her. I swear, she doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘spanking,’ but she will when I’m done with her,” her bouncer snarled.

And when Luc was done? She’d know better than to ever disobey him again when he was feeling edgy and protective.

A few minutes later, Luc stormed into the club, Tyler right behind him. Alyssa wasn’t surprised they’d found her quickly. She
was
surprised by how incredibly pissed Luc looked.

“You’ve got trouble,” Sadie pointed out, nodding in the men’s direction.

Though it was hard to take someone seriously wearing a thong and pasties, Alyssa couldn’t discount the dancer’s observation. Her heart raced as if she’d danced two hours straight.

“I’ll be upstairs. If either asks, direct them to my office.”

“Tyler will know better, but okay.” Mouth curling up in a playful smile, Sadie nodded. “You know they’re only going to be more angry when they find you.”

Alyssa shrugged. “It’s going to be a screaming match, no matter what. Thanks again for picking me up at Bonheur so I could let acidhead Jessica go before she made a mess of her act.”

“Causing mayhem among the male population is always my pleasure.”

Tonight, Alyssa couldn’t deny she’d done that, too. Sneaking up the stairs, she eased herself into her bedroom, changed out of her dress, into a short skirt, half shirt. She tugged into thigh-high stiletto boots in red, wondering if they’d be like waving a cape in front of a bull’s face when Luc found her, but she sensed she didn’t have time for stockings and garters, so this would have to do.

Before she could leave and make her rounds downstairs, Tyler kicked in her door. She looked behind him for Luc. But he was alone. So, Sadie had been right. Luc had believed the other dancer, while Tyler hadn’t. Trouble was coming in a one-two punch tonight.

“Goddamn you!” He stormed across the room, and she stood to meet him.

At the fury boiling in his eyes, she backed up. Whatever this expression was on his face, it was beyond normal concern and annoyance. His entire body was taut, wired to explode. A quick dip of her gaze proved he was hard everywhere.

“Tyler,” she tried to reason with him. “Stop there. You know you can’t—”

“
You
can’t! Don’t hire me to fucking keep you safe, then run off by yourself when there’s danger.”

“Sadie picked me up and drove me over here,” she placated.

Diffusing his anger was critical. And he was having none of it. He kept coming forward. Prowling toward her. Alyssa stood her ground, refusing to back up any more.

Suddenly, he was against her, panting in her face. He grabbed her by the hair and tugged. Fury and desire were stamped all over his face, and her heart stopped.

“Tyler, n—”

His lips crashed over hers, smothering her protest. She tried to turn away, but he only tightened his grip on her hair and nudged her lips apart with her own. His tongue slipped inside, and still she resisted.

Air. And sanity. She needed both now. Damn it, she refused to be mauled by someone she considered a friend. She had to find a way to pierce his anger.

After examining her limited options, she bit his tongue.

He broke the kiss and backed away. “Fuck me!”

“Not today,” Luc growled and charged toward Tyler. “Get your fucking hands off her! Are you the one threatening her?”

“That’s it. I’m pounding your pansy ass for asking such a stupid question.”

Alyssa stepped between them. They would not fight in her bedroom. “Stop it. Now.”

Tyler looked at her, then Luc, before settling his gaze on Alyssa. “We’ll talk about this later.”

“We will,” she vowed. He couldn’t possibly think that behavior was acceptable. He’d never lashed out at her, never kissed her like that, against her will. What the hell had gotten into him?

Jealousy. The same expression dominated Luc’s face. Her gorgeous chef barely spared Tyler a scowl as the bouncer left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Shutting her alone with Luc in the room. He reached out and, with a single
click
, locked the door. Then he took one look at her cleavage shoved together by the tight white top, barely held together by a little white button, and cursed. His glance scraped over her short black skirt and sexy red boots. Fresh fury crossed his face. Like Tyler, his body was hard—everywhere. Unlike Tyler, if Luc touched her now, she’d go up in flames. And no way was he using sex to manipulate her or curb her independence.

“I was completely safe the whole time. I would never endanger myself. I had a ride from Sadie. I know some self-defense and have pepper spray in my purse.”

Luc snorted. “You’d never be safe against a man who could do this.”

One minute he was standing three feet in front of her. The next he was invading her personal space, picking her up, shoving her against the wall, and slamming his mouth over hers.

Alyssa wanted to be strong. Really, she did. But Luc had the most amazing effect on her. She couldn’t stop herself from opening to him.

The flavor of his kiss, the intensity . . . She didn’t feel assaulted when he ravaged her mouth; she felt desired. When he cupped her jaw and groaned, she felt needed. When he ripped the top from her body and wrenched away her bra, she felt shivery and out of control. And she felt his possessiveness down to her marrow. None of that should have made her eager or wet . . . but this was Luc. Everything he did made her want him.

As soon as her torso was bare, he bent to her breasts and sucked them into his mouth, one after the other, hard. She arched toward him, burying her fingers in his silky dark hair. Under his onslaught, her nipples spiked as he feverishly worshipped them.

Blood hummed in her body, and she shifted her hips restlessly, pressing against him, inviting him inside. With Luc, she had no shame; never had. Whatever it took to entice him. Yes, she was furious. And she’d read him the riot act later and make it clear there was no way she’d ever let a man control her. But she couldn’t stop him now. His need matched her own, as if they both sensed events speeding out of control and their time together ticking away.

“No more evading me,” he gasped as he tore his mouth away, his lips harsh and open as he breathed roughly. “No more being alone with Tyler.”

“He wouldn’t have hurt me.”

Something flared in Luc’s eyes. “Maybe not, but he would have fucked you. And goddamn it, I don’t share anymore. As long as I’m here with you, you don’t give that sweet body to anyone but me.”

The words rolled around her brain, both pleasing and disturbing. Before she could process her feelings and respond, Luc felt his way under her skirt and ripped her thong, tossing it to the hardwood floor, then rubbed a finger along her cleft, right over her distended clit.