The Lion and the Lamb (14 page)

“I just want to talk to you.” His warm breath whipped across her cheek
, and she fought the wince of disgust. Having him touch her felt abhorrent. It was nothing like Leo’s touch. This just felt wrong on so many levels.

“Please, let me go.” She pushed at his chest
, but he would not let her go until he was ready to. He lifted his head and motioned to someone behind her. Tatum glanced over her shoulder and saw the blond haired man Kiki had been dancing with face them. He had both arms around Kiki’s waist. Her friend looked a bit shell-shocked.

“What the hell are you doing?” Slade grinned down at her and lifted his hand to push her hair off her shoulder. She refrained from flinching and stared straight into his cold eyes.

“I’m playing the game, Tatum.” He spun her around so fast her head spun. Before she knew what was happening he pushed her through the crowd and into a room off of a long, darkened hallway. Fortunately, Kiki was right there with her. As soon as the door shut behind them Tatum grabbed Kiki’s hand and pulled her close to her side.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She looked between Slade and the blond man. Tatum had seen him before, when Slade
had come to The Lion and the Lamb. He had kept in the background, but she had seen the way his eyes had scanned everything, not missing a thing.

Slade moved behind a desk
, and it was then that Tatum realized they were in an office. Everything was masculine, with dark, rich colors and leather furniture. There were several pictures on the walls, some showing scantily clad women, others with famous individuals. The one main thing in all of them was Slade. She realized with horrifying clarity they had quite literally stumbled into the lion’s den, and Slade awaited them with his mouth wide and his teeth sharpened.

“This is your club?” Tatum asked, astonished and outraged. Why she was pissed over that she wasn’t quite sure, but
clearly the reason they were brought to his back office couldn’t be good.

He didn’t respond right away, just moved behind his desk and took a seat. The blond haired man produced a lighter for the cigar Slade slipped between his lips. His green eyes stayed on Tatum
, and she had the disgusting feeling of being undressed. He took several deep pulls, smoke billowing around him, further adding to the sinister air that followed him. He flicked his hand toward the man beside him. Blondie moved until he stood behind Tatum and Kiki, blocking the only exit.

“Do you know why I brought you here?”

Tatum tightened her hand on Kiki’s. “No, but I do know I want to get the hell out of here.”

Slade’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Why don’t you have a seat?” Tatum shook her head. Slade slammed his fist on the desktop and stood. His chair slammed back against the wall. “Take a fucking seat.” He didn’t raise his voice, but his low, even words were like a slap to her face.

Her heart slammed against her chest, and she moved to the couch with Kiki beside her. Whatever this psycho wanted was beyond Tatum. She had nothing, but she wasn’t a fool. Doing what he said was clearly the smart thing to do.

He smiled, but it was far from sweet. “There now, that wasn’t so hard.” He sat down behind his desk again and went back to puffing away on his cigar. “Now, about the reason I have you here.” He tapped his ash out and took another long drag, holding the smoke in his mouth before blowing it out. “Would you say your relationship with Leo Castill is strong, Miss Weatherton?”

Tatum felt her brows pull down. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” She flicked her eyes
at Blondie. “I assure you Collin won’t be any assistance to you.” Collin’s blue eyes stared at her, unflinching and unsympathetic.

“I don’t really see how that matters.”

He chuckled, but it sounded humorless. “I assure you Miss Weatherton, it is very relevant to my intentions.”

Tatum wanted to tell him that, yes, things were very serious between her and Leo, but the protective part of her didn’t want to give this man any ammunition. Whatever his plans were they clearly concerned Leo.

“I…” She looked at Kiki, whose expression was one of worry and fear. Tatum felt the same way. “No, there isn’t anything serious going on between the two of us.” Saying those words hurt her, and she felt an ache settle in the center of her chest.

For several long moments Slade stared at her, not speaking, just puffing away on that damn, smelly ass cigar. “I want you to work for me.”

What?
“All of this is because you want me to work for you?”

When he leaned back in his chair the leather creaked from his weight. “Yeah, somethin’ like that.”

The feel of Slade’s stare was powerful, but for the life of her Tatum couldn’t bring herself to look away from him. For whatever reason Slade looked so damn smug, like he knew she would jump at the idea to work for him.

“I work for Leo.” Collin shifted
, and Tatum looked over at him. His blue eyes were trained on her, and she felt herself wish he’d look away. All these eyes on her made her feel like she was under a microscope.

“You said yourself there isn’t anything serious between the two of you. I’d pay you better than him. You don’t have anything to lose and everything to gain.”

If this wasn’t the weirdest thing she had ever come across. “I don’t understand why you’re offering the job to me when I’m sure you could find someone else who actually wants it.” For several moments he watched her. The cloying scent of tobacco filled the room, and she wished he had a damn window in the office to open.

“I don’t want anyone else working in my club.”

Despite the fact she had no intentions of leaving her employment, she was curious as to why a man like Slade wanted her. Could this be some kind of pissing contest? Did Slade just want her because she worked for Leo and they hated each other? “But why me?”

He set his cigar in an ashtray and rested his elbows on his desk, leaning forward. “I can see why you’re curious, but does it really matter?” Steepling his fingers in front of his mouth, he looked every bit the cunning asshole she met at the club.

“Yes, it does.” Straightening her shoulders, she was not about to be intimidated by him. The corner of his mouth kicked up, and he shook his head and started laughing, as if this was the funniest thing he’d heard.

“I don’t get a lot of people questioning me.” He sobered instantly. “I’m answering your questions because I’m being courteous, but don’t mistake my politeness for patience. Now, Miss Weatherton, would you like to work for me?” He leaned back again in his seat and regarded her.

Tatum looked between Kiki, Collin, and Slade. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to respectfully decline your offer.”

He picked up his cigar and puffed on it.
“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am.” Tatum wanted to get the hell out of there, like an hour ago. This whole situation was weirder than hell
, and the back of her neck itched with uneasiness.

Slade’s smile
looked anything but pleasant. Tilting his head he said, “Collin will see you out. Have a good evening.” The way he said those parting words had Tatum’s skin tightening.

She stood, still having Kiki’s hand in hers, and followed Collin out of the office. She had never been more thankful for the thickening heat and crush of bodies around her
than she was at that moment. Collin stopped right before the exit and stared at her. The way his eyes bored into hers made Tatum feel uncomfortable. They hustled out of the club and toward Kiki’s car.

“What in the
fuck
was that about?”

Tatum shook her head, not knowing where to even begin.

“Obviously that creep wanted a hell of a lot more than just you working for him. Did you see the way he watched you?” They stopped in front of Kiki’s car.

“Yeah.” Tatum didn’t want to admit how much that whole situation scared her. It hadn’t felt right, not in the least. “You okay to drive?”

“Girl, that was a sober-me-up kind of situation. Come on, I think I’ve had enough excitement for one night.” They got in the car, and Kiki pulled out onto the strip. “How do you know that guy anyway?”

“Saw him at the club a few times.”
Tatum rested against the seat and stared out the window. Hordes of people walked up and down the streets, drinks in their hands and smiles on their faces.

Tatum wanted to think about something else. “You still mad at Beau?” Kiki sighed
, and Tatum noticed the way her hands tightened on the steering wheel.

“I love him, Tater, but I just don’t know what’s going on with him. Things have been going so good, well, up until the weird way he’s been acting.” She sighed loudly. “I just don’t know.”

“Go home, Kiki. Talk it out with him. Tell him how you feel.”

“I tried that.”

Tatum leveled an incredulous look at Kiki. “I know how you ‘try and work things out’. They usually end up with you screaming and swearing in-between throwing shit.” Kiki laughed.

“Yeah, well I’m going to have an adult conversation with him this time. No throwing shit.”

“Tell me how that goes.” Kiki slapped her on the knee, and Tatum grinned.

Kiki turned onto her street
, and Tatum’s heart sped up when she saw a gunmetal grey Corvette in her driveway.

“You are so freakin’ lucky.”

Tatum snorted and opened the car door. “Text me when you get home so I know you’re okay.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Kiki sped off, and Tatum found herself staring at the back of Leo’s car, her feet moving extra slowly. When his large frame folded out of the car everything inside of her heated. Her pussy became wet, her nipples beaded, and she became overly warm. It didn’t matter that she had a crazy weird night; just seeing Leo made everything else fade into the background.

God, she was so in love with him, a revelation that freaked her out more than anything else.

Like every time Leo saw Tatum, his heart stopped. She wore a pair of shorts that were too fucking short, and her top barely held in her tits. He clenched his hands at his sides, reining in the possessive need to pull her to him and stake his claim.

He had put Frankie on detail tonight, and told his guy to watch her and Kiki when they went out clubbing. But then Frankie had called him and said the girls had gone to Stripped. He had freaked the fuck out. The way Slade had left suddenly left no doubt in Leo’s mind that the shifter had known Tatum had stepped into his club. He should have known the fucker had been gunning for his girl.

When she was close enough to him, the wind decided to pick up, and he inhaled. A snarl left when the scent of his enemy came off of her. He had been on his way to Stripped when Frankie called him again and said the females were leaving. He had hauled ass to Tatum’s and waited until she showed.

“It’s late.”

Blood would be shed when he confronted Slade. That fucker had put his hands on her. He nodded, his tongue tied as he stared at her. He didn’t know what had gone down, but he sure as fuck was going to find out.

The scent of her unease hit him like a damn brick to his chest.

“Want to come in?” She didn’t wait for a reply, just moved past him to the front door. She was turned on, too. He could smell the sweet scent of it. His animal wanted to take her, right there, prove to her that she was his and no other male could put their fucking hands on her.

Leo followed her inside and shut the door. “You weren’t where you said you were going to be.” It sounded like an accusation, which wasn’t what he was going for, but damn if he couldn’t help himself. She turned around, her eyes wide, her lips parted.

“Kiki changed her mind at the last minute.” Her brows lowered further. “Wait. How did you know I went somewhere else?” For a solid minute they did nothing but stare at each other. The way her eyes slid to the living room window and stared across the street knew he needed to come clean. Clearly she had an idea of what he had been doing anyway. “You’ve been having me followed, haven’t you?” The hurt in her voice pierced his heart.

“Yeah, I have.” There was no point in lying
, and he wasn’t about to feel bad about doing it. “I wanted to make sure you were safe.” He took a step toward her and stopped. “At first it was because I didn’t like the neighborhood you lived in, but then Slade started sniffing around, and I knew it was best to keep a detail on you.” She shook her head and looked away. “I did it to protect you.”

“
That’s a sneaky thing to do, Leo. It’s not right, no matter what your intentions were.” She turned and tossed her keys onto the counter. Resting her hands on the Formica, her head dropped between her shoulders, and she inhaled loudly.

He moved forward until he was right behind her. Fingers itching to touch her, Leo refrained and inhaled. Pushing away the stench of Slade, he found what he
had been looking for. It was the sweet, subtle scent that was all Tatum. The lion inside of him purred, and he grew instantly hard.

“Tatum, look at me.” She shook her head
, and he clenched his jaw. Her act of defiance had the dominant part of him rising to the surface. “Look. At. Me.” Voice low, his cock jerked to attention when she turned around and looked up at him with her smoky, dark eyes.