Love in the Dark

by 12 Book Boxed Set (epub)

  His self-effacing way of saying he was the purely business part of the club charmed me, even if he hadn't meant to, and whatever reservations I had about the job evaporated under his appealing gaze. "Thank you, Mr. March. I'm sure the job will be challenging and fulfilling."

  Stefan threw his head back and laughed out loud, and I thought I even saw Kane crack a smile as I spoke. "Mr. March? That's got to go," Stefan said, elbowing Cassian next to him.

  "You can call me Cassian or Cash, whichever you like, Olivia. We'll be working closely, so Mr. March seems incredibly formal."

  "Even for Mr. Suit and Tie it's too formal," Stefan joked. "Just call him Cash. It's what we call him. Leave Cassian for business meetings."

  Cassian opened up a folder on his desk and pushed a stack of papers toward me. Looking down, I saw they were part of a contract.

  "Take a few minutes to think about what we've discussed, and feel free to consult legal counsel before you sign the contract we require. There is a non-disclosure agreement that you should be aware of barring you from discussing anything you see or learn as my assistant concerning the club's business practices. We'll leave you to read over the contract, and when I return, we can discuss anything you aren't sure of."

  Before I could say another word, they filed out of the office one by one and left me there with a stack of papers I knew I should have an attorney look at before I signed a thing. I began reading the contract, all the while knowing that I couldn't afford to visit a lawyer, much less say no to the job.

  I read every word of the contract, but it wouldn't have mattered if it said I had to wear a French maid's uniform while I worked and couldn't get benefits until I got down on my knees and begged. The salary was more than I'd expected and would help me finally get out of the hole I'd been in for far too long. Finding nothing suspect in the dozen or so pages of the contract, I sat back and waited for Cassian to return.

  He needed an assistant, and I needed a job. It was a match made in heaven.

  2

  Cassian

  Following Stefan and Kane out of my office, I met them in the bar area to give Olivia some privacy while she read over the extensive contract I required all employees sign. Although we'd just met, I liked her and wanted her to accept the job, mainly because I'd gone long enough without an assistant.

  In a low voice, Kane said with a grin, "I always love it when you say what we do here is legal. You're the only one of us who could pull that off. There's no way anyone would believe that coming from Stefan or me."

  "Yeah, well, we'd never get anyone to come in here as my assistant if we told them we had to pay off the cops and grease the politicians to stay open, especially someone like Olivia there."

  "She's a cute one, even in that suit," Stefan said with a predatory smirk, betraying how much he liked her already too.

  "Don't even think of it," I warned my little brother whose inability to keep his hands off the employees had led to more than one legal mess I'd had to clean up.

  "You're not talking about that non-fraternization business in your contracts, are you? What's the point of running a place like this if we don't get to enjoy ourselves sometimes?"

  Kane rolled his eyes and shook his head in disgust. Unlike Stefan, my half-brother never bothered with any of the staff, despite the fact that he dealt with the more erotic areas of the club and had more than ample opportunity to try out the dancers, even if it violated the non-fraternization clause of our deal.

  "No, I'm not talking about the fact that you're supposed to keep your hands off the bartenders so I don't have to deal with another problem that will cost us more money to keep another girl quiet. That non-disclosure clause requires lawyers to enforce it, Stefan."

  "Then what are you talking about? She's hot." He peered over my shoulder into my office and grinned. "Have you ever noticed how few good looking redheads there are in the world? She's definitely in the hot redhead category. I usually don't like red hair with brown eyes, but they work on her. Why shouldn't I see if she wants to get together?"

  Intentionally making my voice stern, I answered, "Because I said not to."

  I saw in Kane's eyes that he instantly understood my point, but Stefan's cock was doing the thinking for him, so he didn't seem to comprehend the sharpness of my scolding. "Are you saying she's off limits, Cash? That sounds like a challenge to me. I bet I could have her begging for it in no time."

  Taking a step closer to him, I leaned hard against his shoulder to warn him. "I'm saying she's not to be touched. Are we clear?"

  Stefan looked over at Kane as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard, and when he didn't find an ally in him for his conquest, turned back to face me. Putting his hands up in surrender, he shrugged. "No problem. I was just having a little fun. That's all. I had no idea you'd decided she was yours. Take it easy, Cash. You won't find a problem with me. You might want to try showing her you like her, though. My guess is that she has no idea since you act like all the fun in you is trapped in that suit and tie."

  I looked back at Olivia as she sat in my office examining the contract I hoped she'd sign. Unlike Stefan, I didn't make it a practice of sleeping with every woman who worked for me. My previous assistant had left because she'd gotten married and her husband had thought little of her working in a place associated with other people's fantasies. I could understand that. I'm not sure I'd want any wife of mine spending her workdays surrounded by what we dealt with here.

  Stefan hadn't been wrong in his assessment of how attractive Olivia was. He may not have found redheads sexy more times than not, but for me, redheads were always hot, no matter what color eyes they had. Fiery and hot-tempered, there was nothing sexier than a redhead, and a smart one like Olivia was the best type of woman there was.

  Jesus, I sounded like my horny younger brother.

  I didn't need to troll the club for potential girlfriends. My personal life was better left right where it was—separate from my business life. I didn't date women who were members of the club, especially those who enjoyed the fantasies we provided. That had disaster written all over it. I lived by the old adage "Don't shit where you eat".

  Women were easy to come by. I didn't have to spend my time at work picking them up. If only I could convince Stefan of that fact.

  "So you think she's going to work out, Cash?" he asked, shaking me from my thoughts.

  "She'll be fine. She's got great qualifications and she seems easy enough to get along with. As long as she can handle the place, I don't see a problem."

  "I wonder if she'll take advantage of the unique benefits package we offer," Stefan said with a grin.

  Kane looked moderately interested in his idea, probably because it was he who organized that part of the business. I wasn't sure allowing upper level employees like our assistants to become members automatically was a good idea, even though I'd had Olivia checked out thoroughly before she walked through the door. She had no bad habits, no addictions, and decent credit, except for the past six months, so even if she wasn't an employee she'd likely been eligible to become a member. I just hoped letting her wouldn't encourage that shitting where we ate thing.

  "You know what I think about mixing business with pleasure, little brother," I chastised, hoping Stefan would get the hint that whatever would happen with Olivia wouldn't involve him at all.

  "That it makes us millions of fucking dollars a year? Stop acting like you aren't intimately involved in this business of ours, Cash. I don't care if you've never taken advantage of the pleasures Kane and his people offer upstairs. You benefit from the mixing of business and pleasure every day of your life, and just because you dress like some stiff doesn't mean you can divorce yourself from who we truly are."

  Kane winced, his expression almost one of pain at Stefan's choice of words, but I let his little lecture slide for the moment. Just because I was part owner of Club X didn't mean I had to be like him.

  "If there's no objection to Olivia, I'm going to offer her the job,
" I said definitively. I didn't think there'd be any opposition to her, but as equals in the business, I had to legally give my partners a chance to express their disapproval, if they had any.

  Silently, Kane shook his head, and when I looked to his left at Stefan, he pretended to think of a reason to argue against my hiring of her but just shrugged his shoulders. "You know what I think. I think you shouldn't waste time getting her to join you upstairs. You're not seeing anyone seriously now, so there's never been a better time."

  Turning to walk back into my office, I leaned in toward Stefan and whispered, "I've told you before what I think of you getting involved in my personal life. You made that mistake once and I forgave you. Don't make it again. I can't promise I'll be as forgiving the second time."

  Before he had the chance to give me some bullshit answer that would likely irritate me, I left him standing with Kane and rejoined Olivia as she finished reading her contract. Taking my seat behind my desk, I adjusted my suit coat sleeves and waited for her to ask whatever questions she had about her new job.

  I studied her, remembering how the background investigation on her had said she was twenty-seven. Something in her face showed an edge that gave her a more mature look than one I’d expect in someone her age. I liked that. I didn’t need some doe-eyed girl who needed direction at every turn. I needed an assistant like Kate had been for me—competent, intelligent, and supportive. Watching Olivia, I hoped I’d found that in her.

  She seemed uncomfortable as she hesitated for a moment before looking up from the papers in front of her. "I'm sorry. Do you have a pen?"

  Sliding one toward her, I touched her finger with mine, noticing instantly how soft her skin felt as she slid the pen from my grasp. She smiled her appreciation and with no more hesitation, signed on the bottom line to become my new executive assistant.

  A little surprised by her lack of questions about the position, I guessed she likely was in as much debt as the investigator had reported. Still, I felt uncomfortable beginning our working arrangement without some discussion of her possible concerns.

  "Olivia, you have no questions?"

  Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly. "I have a lot of questions. Like can you give me some history on the club? I tried to find out about it, but you've been very successful in keeping this place under the radar."

  "No problem. Originally, my brothers and I bought into Club X with two other investors, one of whom was a silent partner. The other wasn't as silent, but when the first one decided to offer his part in the business, I believe because he was getting married, the other man chose likewise to give us a chance to buy him out and we did. That was just a few months ago, but in truth, we've been running the club by ourselves for a little over five years."

  She smiled politely, and I prepared to tell my usual lie so she didn't bolt out the door before she even got to give the place a chance. "I suspect you're concerned about the legality of all this, despite my explanation before. I can assure you that the police know about this place, and in fact, some even are members."

  Olivia nodded her understanding and smiled. "Thank you. It makes me feel much better knowing that."

  When she smiled, she looked more like a twenty year old. Her brown eyes lit up her entire face, and the apples of her cheeks got a pinkish color to them that gave her a sweet look. As long as she could handle the job responsibilities, she could look any age she wanted to. "Please feel free to ask me anything that's on your mind. It's important that you feel comfortable here, Olivia."

  "Okay, then here goes. On page four there's a paragraph after the non-disclosure section about my responsibilities concerning the press. Is this something that I should be prepared for?"

  "Yes and no. Because the club has been around for a while, the press usually approaches one of us if there are any questions. However, that doesn't mean it can't happen with one of the club's employees. We tell all our people that the standard answer of 'No statement' usually suffices. Just let me know if you're asked any questions, and I'll take care of it."

  Nodding, she smiled as she attempted to hide her uneasiness. "Okay. On page seven the section about becoming a member…" She knitted her brows and looked away as she lowered her voice. "I don't have that kind of money. I mean, you don't have to worry about me being a gambler or drug addict or anything like that. That's not why I'm a little shy on cash now. It's just that I've been out of work for a few months, so thousands of dollars right now isn't something I can do."

  Her cheeks blushed a deep red now, and I saw in her eyes her pride made her hate the words she had to say, so I quickly worked to belay her awkwardness. "It's fine, Olivia. Upper level employees are given memberships free of charge. It's entirely up to them if they choose to take advantage of them or not."

  Why I said that I had no idea. I'd never cared one way or the other what employees did concerning membership to the club before. And why I'd said it that way, almost implying that she shouldn't take advantage of everything the club offered, made it seem like I didn't want her to.

  "Oh, okay. Thank you."

  Quickly, I moved to change the subject. "Were there any other questions?"

  She thought for a moment and then smiled warmly. "Just one. Nowhere in the contract was any mention of what hours I'd be working. I know you're obviously here in the daytime, but it seems like your business is primarily a nighttime one."

  Amused by her observation and the lack of attention to that point in the contract, I chuckled. "I'm here every day from eleven am to midnight. You may choose any eight hours within that time that you like. If I need you for something at a particular time, I'll let you know."

  "Every day?" she asked, her eyes wide.

  "I'm here every day. I guess you can call me a workaholic. You won't have to be. Monday through Friday will work fine, unless there's an event I need you for."

  I wasn't sure why, but I wanted to add that she could stay late any night. Never once had I even thought that for any of my assistants, but something about Olivia made me want to be more like Stefan. It was wrong. I knew that. I'd worked damned hard to make Club X a success, and that didn't include fucking around with the people who worked under me. Our lawyers had enough on their plates dealing with the problems Stefan's libido caused for us. I didn't need to add to them.

  Olivia staring at me jarred me from my daydreaming. Quickly, I pulled the contract toward me to pretend to examine it, giving myself time to regain my composure. After a few moments, I looked up and said, "If there are no other questions, you can begin tomorrow. Sound good?"

  Nodding, she smiled like she was relieved. "That sounds great. Thank you so much for the opportunity. I'm looking forward to learning all about Club X."

  She extended her hand to shake mine, and I enjoyed the warm and welcoming feel of her skin. As I escorted her out, I couldn't help but notice she really was quite stunning.

  Maybe hiring her wasn't such a good idea.

  I watched her wave back at me as she opened the door to head out into the sun and heard Kane behind me mutter, "She's a lot different from Kate. Are we going to lose her when she gets married too?"

  The last sight of Olivia faded as the door closed, and I shook my head as I continued to stare at where she'd just stood. "I don't know. I didn't bother to find out if she was with anyone."

  I heard him turn away as he said, "Maybe you should have."

  By midnight, I was ready for a diversion. A full night of my mind wandering to my new assistant when I should have been hard at work had been frustrating, and I wanted nothing more than to start acting like myself again. Cassian March didn't spend hours fantasizing about any woman, especially one of his employees, no matter how hot she was. Thankfully, it didn't take much to make the real man I was come back again.

  My phone rang as I drove back to my condo providing me with exactly the distraction I needed to get my mind off Olivia. Pulling into my parking spot, I picked up my phone to see Cheri calling, as if the Universe had seen me ac
ting like some oversexed boy and sent her to remind me of exactly what I was.

  "Cash, it's Cheri. What are you doing, baby?" she cooed into the phone.

  "Just getting home."

  "I can be there in fifteen minutes. Why don't you take a shower, don't bother with putting clothes back on, and have a glass of Cab Sav waiting for me?"

  The memory of my last time with Cheri sent a jolt through my body, making my cock stiffen in anticipation. Blond hair, blue eyes, and nearly six foot with legs that seemed to go on forever, she was built like she'd been made especially to please a man. A little vapid, she didn't offer much in the brain department, but then again, I wasn't looking for an intellectual discussion tonight. I really didn't give a damn about what she thought about much of anything. What I wanted tonight was someone to fill up the spaces in my mind occupied with fantasies I shouldn't have with the reality I could easily have again and again.

  Thinking Cheri’s offer was exactly what I needed, I closed my eyes and still said, "I don't know. It's been a long day."

  The phone fell silent and I could almost hear her pouting. I pictured her perfectly shaped lips brushing against her cell phone as she considered what words she needed to say to convince me.

  "Cash, you know you want to. I can hear it in your voice. You're dying for something to take the edge off after a long day running that club of yours. Don't deny it."

  "You're very persuasive, Cheri, but I don't know. Maybe I just want to relax tonight."

  "Baby, in fifteen minutes, I can be there and you can be feeling like you haven't felt since the last time we were together."

  Any other woman saying that would sound ridiculous, but when Cheri promised a night of pleasure, I knew she'd deliver. The girl was one-of-a-kind. Running my free hand over the front of my pants, I closed my eyes and remembered the last time we were together. If it was possible, my cock grew even harder at the memory of her on all fours and me fucking her from behind on my balcony. Never a quiet lay, she took it to the next level that night, screaming my name over and over as she came. My neighbors must have loved that show. Thankfully, I couldn't make it to the next condo association meeting. Taking a deep breath, I said, "I'll leave the door unlocked. Let yourself in."