Under His Wing

by Mandy M. Roth

  Some of the other dreams were sexual in nature, with Lisa straddling the waist of a man with washboard abs and a body to die for—a body she knew belonged to the man from the dreams with the twin girls. Not that she could see his face or remember his voice at all upon waking. She could remember the varying scars on his chest, his side, and back. In her dreams, she’d run her hands over them while making love with him.

  What Lisa knew for certain was that their bodies had fit together perfectly. She also knew the connection she had to the dream man was deep and unbreakable. One that she’d give anything to have. If she ever felt that connection in real life, she’d want to hold on to it. She’d want more.

  For now, she’d just run the club and continue to invest well. The job paid far more than her last one, which was saying something, since she’d worked in corporate America, though it had been in an entry-level position since she’d been fresh out of college.

  Her parents still believed she worked at her old job. They’d never support the idea of her working in a sex club. Her father would lose his mind and her mother would side with him in the end, all while being proud of her for embracing her inner feminine power.

  It was easier to let her parents think she was still commuting into the city each day rather than working on the outskirts of it, in one of the hottest clubs in the area. A club that, while private, was known to be a sex club for the elite. The rich, the famous, the not-so-famous even. Anyone who liked the wild side. Who embraced their sexual nature and wanted to share in that with like-minded individuals.

  Allan, one of the bouncers at the club, opened her office door while he knocked lightly on it. He smiled wide at the sight of her, his dark hair falling partially into his handsome face. “You look amazing in that dress.”

  She had liked him from the moment she’d met him. He was also the man who walked around with her when the club was open. He made sure no one touched her—no one that she didn’t want touched by. On top of it all, he was funny in an understated way. “Thank you. We’re going to have a full house again tonight.”

  He winked. “I thought this place was busy before. Since you took over managing it, we’re packed to capacity nightly. We were busy to start with, but this has been unreal. Careful, or we’ll need to start franchising. Can you imagine these clubs invading the world? Or small-town America?”

  She smiled. “I say the more the merrier.”

  “Oh yeah, I’ve seen you hovering near the orgies. You certainly do think the more the merrier.”

  Laughter bubbled free from her.

  Allan put up his hands, making his muscular arms bulge. “Not that I have anything against orgies or anything.”

  She stood and smoothed down the front of her red dress. She walked across her office in her five-inch stiletto pumps and went right to Allan. “I’m excited about tonight’s show. Hot dudes stripping to sexy music never gets old.”

  “If you say so,” said Allan, stepping back as she walked past. He moved next to her then, walking side by side down the large hall. “They’re setting up now.”

  “Are they? This early?” she asked, surprised. Normally, she was sweating over whether the act of the evening was going to show on time. It was rare when the entertainment was early, let alone this early.

  Lisa entered the main section of the club, her attention going to the large stage. Several beefy males were on it, all missing their shirts, all with chiseled bodies. “I really love my job.”

  Allan laughed. “I bet you do. It has its perks.”

  Zalse, the man in charge of the talent slotted for the night, was on stage, looking right at home with the men there. His shirt was off too. He saw her and grinned before patting the arm of the man nearest him and hopping off the stage. Zalse came right for her and took her hands in his. “Lisa, absolutely stunning as always.”

  She’d met Zalse at the club a month ago and they’d hit it off well. He was extremely attractive, as were all the men who came to the club. The people who frequented the establishment took great care of their bodies.

  Allan eased up alongside them, crowding her, putting himself partially between her and Zalse. They reminded her of two peacocks posturing. The two shared a look before Zalse glanced at his men.

  “We’re going over the details for tonight. We think it’s going to be quite memorable.”

  “Awesome,” she said. “We’re expecting a huge turnout.”

  Zalse winked. “Just so long as you’ll be here.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of missing it. Lose your shirt in all the setup?” she teased, nudging Zalse. They’d become friends of sorts over the past month. He’d even taken her out to dinner twice. She wasn’t opposed to spending more time with him. He’d referred to their last dinner as a date. She’d been careful to avoid labeling it anything but agreed with him—it had been a date.

  The man was well over six feet of solid muscle. In a lot of ways, his height and build reminded her of Gardelle, her best friend’s uncle. Zalse also had a hint of an accent that she was sure was Eastern European. It served to remind her of Gardelle as well.

  The notable difference was, Zalse seemed interested in her sexually.

  Gardelle always appeared annoyed by her.

  Zalse drew her closer and Allan stepped away, giving her a moment with him. “How about we go to dinner together before everything gets into full swing here?”

  She grinned. “I’d love to, but I have a few errands to run.”

  He dipped his head and pressed his lips to her temple.

  “Your guys are causing quite the stir,” she said. “People are excited to see them perform later tonight.”

  He flashed a sexy smile. “When they learned how much people were willing to pay to see them take their clothes off, it was all I could do to keep them dressed.”

  She touched his bare chest. “I’m heading out for a bit. I’ve got to swing by my parents’ place to pick up something to help me sleep better. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in a month.”

  “Is everything all right?” he questioned.

  She nodded. “Crazy dreams lately. That’s all.”

  “Are they about me?” he asked, a suggestive note to his voice.

  Lisa patted his chest again but didn’t answer him. The man she kept dreaming of didn’t feel like Zalse. Maybe he was. The dreams had started getting intense right after she’d met him and began working at the club.

  “I could take you to your parents’ home if you’re not feeling well,” he offered.

  She shook her head. “Thanks, but you have your hands full here getting ready for tonight’s show.”

  He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. “Hurry back.”

  She glanced at the stage to find Zalse’s men all glaring at her. She stiffened. “Are they not big fans of me or are they annoyed in general?”

  He squared his shoulders and looked in their direction. The men quickly averted their gazes. Zalse turned back to her. “I’ll escort you to your car.”

  “Thank you.”

  Chapter Six

  Lisa walked into her childhood home and was instantly surrounded by the sound of classical music playing. That meant her father was home. He was the classical music lover in her family. Her mother tended to enjoy current pop music, which always drove her father nuts.

  He liked to say today’s music lacked sophistication and purpose. That it was void of substance. Unlike the classics. Music he’d made sure she’d learned to appreciate as a small child. He’d also instilled in her a love of classic literature as well as an appreciation for the arts. He’d hoped she’d follow in his footsteps and become a lawyer. She knew he’d secretly wanted her to take over his firm one day. But that wasn’t for her.

  Running a sex club was about as far from what he wanted for her as Lisa could get. It’s why she kept that part a secret and allowed her parents to think she was still at her old job, with a crappy boss who spent more time making passes at her than doing his work.

>   If her father had found out some of the things her old boss had said and tried with her, he’d have skipped litigation and gone straight for the kill. He was protective like that. Her father was a sought-after attorney whose firm did exceptionally well for itself. He no longer put in the hours he had when she was younger. That meant they had more time to spend together. Lisa had gone through a rebellious stage in her late teens and early twenties and, in all honesty, had only recently begun to grow out of it. Since she was now pushing twenty-five, it was about damn time.

  Her mother was still active with large charities and loved the work she did. It was as if she felt the need to give back to the community as much as possible.

  Lisa had decided to flex her independent muscles and get a place of her own a few years back, but it wasn’t far from her parents’ home, which was nice. She’d stopped by to pick up a new supply of the herbal concoction her mother made for her. As far back as Lisa could remember, she’d been taking the concoction. It helped her sleep peacefully and kept away the strange dreams she’d suffered from since she was small.

  Though her childhood dreams never once involved the racy content some of her current dreams did.

  Lisa wasn’t sure exactly what was in the herbal mix, but it worked, so she didn’t question it. Her mother had only just made a batch of it a few days prior, but Lisa had accidentally knocked the glass jar into the sink upon getting home, breaking it, and spilling its contents everywhere.

  She followed the sound of the music and ended up just outside her father’s den. He stepped out, his trademark black hair cut close. The tiniest bit of white was sprinkled through his temples. His crisp blue gaze found her, and a smile formed on his face. “Sweetheart, your mother said you had a work trip and would be gone a week.”

  “Nope. Canceled,” she said, disliking the fact she was lying to him. She did have a trip planned for the week back when she was at her old job. But not now.

  He squeezed her tightly. “That boss of yours works you too hard. I could have a talk with him.”

  She laughed softly as she drew back and looked up at her father, who stood well over six feet tall. “Please don’t. Remember when you made my junior high principal so nervous that we could have wrung him out with how much he was sweating near you?”

  Her father grinned as if the memory was a fond one for him. “I do. He was wrong to allow that teacher to speak to you like she did.”

  “He knows he was wrong.” Lisa cringed at the memory of the teacher he was talking about. The woman seemed to think that girls who developed breasts early were tramps. Hussies who needed to wear huge, bulky sweaters that went up to their necks. The standard uniform shirt, which Lisa had been in, fit her appropriately, but the teacher had called her up in front of the class to make an example of her, telling the class she looked cheap and was seeking attention from the boys.

  Lisa had actually been doing her best to hide the fact she’d developed large breasts so early. She didn’t like the attention she’d gotten back then from the opposite sex and from girls her own age who had been jealous, and who had subscribed to the teacher’s mentality that big boobs meant she was sleazy.

  Bitches.

  Lisa’s father had heard about the incident and descended upon the school.

  At first, the principal had foolishly thought to comment on the rumors the other girls had started about Lisa’s reputation. It was then Lisa had seen her father go from mild-mannered, smart, and savvy to feral. She’d really thought he was going to rip the principal over the desk and kill him.

  She had a feeling the principal feared as much then as well. It would have explained the buckets of sweat coming from the tiny man. As if that wasn’t bad enough, when Lisa’s mother had heard about the incident, she’d also gone straight to the school. Lisa hadn’t been present for that discussion. All she knew was that not one more word was mentioned about her chest again at school.

  Which had been fine by her.

  She glanced around the large hall. “Is Mom home?”

  He shook his head. “She’s got a charity function out in San Francisco that she’s assisting with this weekend. I’m planning to fly out to spend time with her. I can stay home now. She’ll understand. I’m fairly sure she’ll be thrilled. She says I get under her feet at those types of things.”

  “Dad, you should go out. She likes to pretend you annoy her but she’s secretly happy you’re there. I’m good here.” Lisa stepped back from her father. She came up to his nose in heels, which was saying something since he was so tall. Her mother was tall as well. Strangely, beyond height, Lisa didn’t look anything like either of her parents. Both had jet-black hair and blue eyes. Lisa’s hair was just this side of being platinum blonde naturally, and her eyes were green.

  She wasn’t sure if she took after anyone else in the family, as her parents were all she had. They were only children, and both their parents had passed prior to Lisa’s birth.

  She nudged her father’s arm gently. The man was solid muscle, as had always been the case. He stayed fit and ate right, making him look much younger than his age. “I think I might hang here for the weekend, if that is okay with you.”

  He wrapped an arm around her. “Sweetheart, if it were up to your mother and me, you would have never moved out. We like you being here. Here is good. Here is safe.”

  “Safe?” she asked with a laugh. “Dad, my condo is safe.”

  He gave her a look that said he didn’t agree. “That is a matter we’re going to have to agree to disagree on.”

  She sighed. “Hey, did Mom happen to leave any of the ground-up weeds?”

  “Ground-up weeds?” he questioned. “You do know that isn’t legal in this state yet, right?”

  She grinned, getting her father’s humor. “Not that kind of weed. The herb and flower mix that helps me sleep and focus better.”

  His gaze darkened. “She made you enough to last well into next week. At least that’s what she told me. You’re out?”

  Lisa nodded. “Accidentally knocked the jar into the sink. Lost a bunch down the drain.”

  She refrained from telling him she’d done so about two minutes after walking in the door with the jar.

  Worry crossed his expression. “I’ll call and have her come home at once.”

  “Dad, don’t be silly,” said Lisa, giving him another hug in an attempt to calm him down. “I’ll be fine. I have a little bit left. I’ll make do until she gets home.”

  She didn’t have any left, but he clearly needed to hear the lie to keep from panicking.

  “You’re sure?” he asked. “It’s vitally important you never miss a day.”

  “I’m sure,” she lied with a straight face and then stepped back from him. “Now. How about I tell you all about the new guy I’ve gone to dinner with twice. It’s not serious yet. That should keep your mind good and occupied. You know, while you plot his demise and all.”

  He stiffened. “Who are you dating?”

  She laughed. “Come on, Dad. Let me fix you a drink and help you pack, and then I’ll tell you about him.”

  “Where did you meet him? What does he do for a living? Has he been convicted of any felonies? When do I get to meet him?”

  She groaned. “Never mind. Let’s just get you packed. You can’t handle talking about guys in my life.”

  “Guys? As in more than one?” He looked faint.

  She groaned. “Seriously, you do realize my friends are either married or engaged, right? I’m at that age.”

  He gulped. “You are not allowed to marry anyone until you’re at least fifty. Maybe sixty.”

  She snorted. “I’ll be sure to let Sabrina know you think she’s too young to be married.”

  Her father paused. “I still have yet to meet her husband. That all happened extremely fast. She was here, hanging out with you one day, and the next it seems like she was married, living abroad, and expecting a baby. I still can’t believe she eloped. I remember hearing the two of you talking ab
out weddings when you were sixteen.”

  “Yes. You heard me say I didn’t want to get married—ever. I like to play the field.”

  Lisa thought for sure her father was going to pass out.

  He ran a hand through his dark hair and leaned against the wall. “Play the field? That means date around, right?”

  She grinned.

  “I changed my mind. Get married. Now. I’ll arrange someone suitable for you.”

  “Dad!” She snorted and gave him a shove. “Come on. Let’s get you packed and on the road.”

  Chapter Seven

  Accipitridae Realm…

  Gardelle entered the castle, freshly bathed, and changed, having stopped off at the home he maintained within the bird realm. Oddly, he’d not dressed in attire typical of the realm. Instead, he’d put on a pair of jeans and a red button-up long-sleeved shirt. Items from the human realm and his time there. He’d put on his leather belt that had a spot for his sword, because he never went anywhere within the bird realm unarmed.

  His mind had drifted off to thoughts of Lisa while he’d been getting cleaned up. The urge to go back to the human realm and just peek in on her, to be sure all was well, had been all-consuming. He’d planned to do as much once he looked in on how the questioning of the captured vulture was going. He’d store the weapon in a secret spot he had near the portal, as he always did.

  He was barely three steps into the castle when he heard the sounds of women shouting. He grabbed for his sword and was about to charge in the direction of the disturbance when he spotted Nulsa and Rhios.

  Nulsa looked scared.

  Rhios appeared amused. He was a seasoned warrior who had also spent a fair amount of time living among humans, as he’d raised his fraternal twin children in the other realm. Now that his daughter, Shelby, was mated to Aeson, a prince, Rhios lived full-time in the bird realm and traveled back to the other to see his son, Shelton.