“Nikki, stay as long as you want, but why don’t you take the rest of the night off.” It’s a directive, not a question. I know I should decline and insist on getting back to work, but I don’t want to. I don’t want to come back tomorrow either, but my rent is due and I only have half of it hidden in my underwear drawer.
“Thanks, Star,” I give her a grateful smile before lifting my drink and taking another tiny sip. I’m not going to waste time worrying about tomorrow. Not right this second anyway.
“No problem, babe. Let me know when you leave so I can have someone walk you out, okay?”
I open my mouth to answer her, but Grayson speaks up. “I’ll walk her out, Starla.” His use of her real name when I’ve only heard people here call her Star doesn’t surprise me. He must know her fairly well and I wonder exactly how well acquainted they are. An unbidden surge of jealousy ripples in my stomach and I tamp it down. Star is my friend and Grayson is a nice man who I just met. There’s no reason for jealousy.
Star nods sharply, accepting his words, and turns to leave. She only goes a step or two before turning back. “You can tell Xavier that he isn’t here. I haven’t seen him since last week.”
Grayson nods, but his smile fades with Star’s words, and his forehead creases with a frown, his eyes narrowing. I have no idea who she’s talking about, but apparently, Gray isn’t too happy with that information. I want to ask what’s going on, but Star glides away without another word and I know it’s none of my business so I keep my mouth shut. If either of them wants me to know, I’m sure they’ll tell me.
Chapter Five
Grayson
Well, that sucks, but at least I got the answer I was looking for and can let X know that Tassels is a dead end. For now. Dominic’s bound to show up here sooner or later. Star’s been the only consistent woman in his life for half a decade, other than his wife, so all we have to do is put someone in here to keep an eye out for him. Not me though, but I can worry about arranging that later. Right now, I want to get to know the little rainbow-haired goddess sitting across the table from me timidly sipping the Macallan I ordered her. It’s clear she doesn’t know the difference, but there was no way I was going to bring her cheap whiskey. Macallan may not be the most expensive whiskey in the world, but it’s the best that Tassels has to offer, and she deserves the best of everything.
Settling back against the soft leather of my seat, I release a slow breath, the craziness of the evening catching up to me all at once. With my attention focused on the small woman sitting across from me I hardly notice the pounding bass or the flashing stage lights that had grated on my nerves from the first moment I walked inside.
“Ya look like ya might need this as much as I do,” she says with a wink before sliding the glass across the table, indicating that I should have some. “I don’t need anymore. It’ll just go to my head and that’s never good.”
Her smile lights up her whole face. She seems unfazed. You’d never know she was just mobbed and sexually harassed by a group of drunks. Most women would be in tears, so it’s only natural that I wonder what kind of life she’s led up till now. Picking up the glass, I stare into her hazel eyes and swallow the last bit of alcohol, savoring the smooth burn as it flows down my throat.
“Are you okay?” I ask, placing the empty glass back between us on the table. “That,” I wave toward where there are still rowdy men crowded as close as they can get to the tall blonde who replaced Star on stage, “was totally nuts.”
She bobs her head, colorful curls bouncing around her winsome face. “Yep,” she says and smiles again, “those guys were jerks, but I knew someone was gonna help. Star wouldn't have let them hurt me.”
She’s right. If I hadn’t already been there, Sebastian would have had the bouncers there to break it up fast. Starla wouldn’t have stood for it either. Tassels is her baby and it’s a well-known fact that in her club no patron gets away with hurting her girls. Her connection to Dominic makes the repercussions of crossing her something that most people aren’t willing to risk.
“Yeah,” I agree, “I’ve heard she makes sure that unruly customers aren’t welcome.”
Her smooth brow crinkles in thought. “You,” she hesitates for a beat, “don’t come here often?”
Is that a touch of disappointment in her voice? I think it is, and a smile breaks across my face. I swear, just a short amount of time with this girl and I’m smiling more than I have in days. Weeks even. What does that say about my state of happiness since I moved here?
“Nah.” I shake my head then push back a clump of hair when it falls onto my forehead, “This is actually the first time I’ve come in here. Doing a favor for a friend.” I shrug, playing it off like it’s no big thing as my surroundings come crashing back in on me like an avalanche.
“Looking for someone…” She doesn’t ask; Star’s earlier comments already told her that much about why I’m here.
“Yeah, and he’s not here…” Part of me wants to finish my thought. That if Dom isn’t here there’s no need for me to be here either. It’s the truth. I don’t want to be sitting here listening to the thumping music and catching glimpses of naked bodies from the corner of my eye. I also don’t want to leave, knowing that I may not see Nikki again. No matter how intrigued I am by her, I’m not coming back here to see her.
“So, you need to go?” she asks, somehow cutting right through my inner conflict and into the heart of what I’m feeling.
“Yeah. I’m not comfortable here, so I’d like to go, but I don’t want to stop talking to you either.” Shit, that was lame. Hopefully, she likes guys who sound like dorks because that’s just what that just was. Me, sounding like a pre-teen boy who’s never talked to a girl before.
“I’m not really comfortable here either,” she admits, that big, bright smile blossoming across her face again. I can’t see it and not smile back at her.
“Starla cut you loose for the night,” I remind her. “We could move our conversation somewhere else.” Please say yes!
“There’s a coffee shop just down the way,” she volunteers. From the hesitant way she says it I can tell that she doesn’t go out with strange men often. If ever.
“Coffee sounds good.” I offer, with what I hope is an encouraging smile. I don’t want her to feel nervous about leaving with me.
“All right then,” she says, scooting to the edge of the booth. “Give me a minute to go put some real clothes on.”
I don’t have any complaints about the short, snug dress hugging the sweet curves of her body, but I nod anyway. Truth be told, I’m almost jealous of the clinging fabric. It’s completely inappropriate, but I’d like to be as close to her skin as that almost-dress. She stands with another one of those radiant smiles before turning and walking back through the crowd. My cock twitches behind my zipper as my gaze devours the trim lines of her waist and the sweet, bite-able curve of her luscious ass. Damn! It’s been a long time since I’ve wanted a woman, and I want this one more than anyone before her. It’s completely crazy and I know it, but I can’t find it in me to care.